Chapter 35

The young thug ran out of the martial arts hall, sprinting away until he was out of sight.

A moment of silence followed.

Wu Xiaode secretly glanced at Qian Mingkui, only to see him completely stunned.

"It's fine, Old Qian. We'll take care of these thugs together in a bit," Wu Xiaode said casually.

"Why do we always have to fight?" Qian Mingkui sighed.

"Those who wield weapons naturally have the heart to kill," Wu Xiaode replied.

"What about those who don't practice martial arts? What do they do?" Qian Mingkui asked, puzzled.

Wu Xiaode smiled and said, "Those who don't practice martial arts have other weapons, like power, money, connections, and rumors. If someone wants to kill, anything can be a weapon."

"I'm really speechless—why do we, who practice martial arts, have to resolve everything with love and hate, with swords and spears, and only stop after eliminating our enemies?" Qian Mingkui said, annoyed.

Seeing that he wasn't getting through to him, Wu Xiaode raised his voice slightly and shouted, "Strengthening the body doesn't mean you can be bullied. In the world of martial arts, you'll end up badly if you're like you!"

"The world of martial arts... it's an old saying. These days, there's no such thing as a world of martial arts," Qian Mingkui shook his head.

"Stupid, the world of martial arts is the evil in people's hearts," Wu Xiaode stepped forward, staring into his eyes. "The evil in people's hearts never stops, and the world is changing. Since you hold a weapon, you must be prepared to fight to protect your family!"

Qian Mingkui was stunned.

Wu Xiaode looked at him, a glimmer of hope rising in his heart.

This guy can't be a complete fool, can he?

If you were just a restaurant owner, I wouldn't push you.

But you run a martial arts hall!

What kind of martial arts do you practice?

Your grandfather is watching from heaven!

Suddenly, Qian Mingkui jumped up and shouted, "Xiao Shi, pack your bag, we're leaving!"

The little girl had been watching the situation, and she said anxiously, "Dad, what about the martial arts hall?"

"Forget it! We need to lay low for a while," Qian Mingkui said, his eyes red.

He then rushed into the martial arts hall to pack his things.

Wu Xiaode stood there, stunned for a moment before he reacted.

When Qian Mingkui was about to leave with Xiao Shi, Wu Xiaode spoke up.

"Old Qian."

Wu Xiaode stepped forward, bowing. "To be honest, I came here to—"

"Kill your daughter."

A fierce killing intent suddenly surged from his body, and he leaped forward, raising his hand to strike Xiao Shi's head.

This punch aimed at the temple, and if it landed, Xiao Shi would surely die.

Caught off guard, Qian Mingkui shouted, "You dare!"

He rushed forward but was immediately punched back by Wu Xiaode.

This punch was like iron, leaving no room for mercy, and it sent Qian Mingkui flying, unable to get up for a long time.

"Old Qian, it's fine. I'll only kill her, and then I'll leave," Wu Xiaode said calmly, turning to strike again.

Qian Mingkui's eyes were bloodshot, and he screamed, "You'll die!"

He charged forward recklessly but was thrown back by Wu Xiaode's palm, rolling on the ground.

"She's dead."

Wu Xiaode said, forcefully striking Xiao Shi's head.

"No!!!"

Qian Mingkui let out a desperate scream.

Suddenly, a strange change occurred.

A无形的光从Qian Mingkui身上散发出来，化作狂风席卷四周。

He grabbed a long staff from the weapon rack and fiercely threw it at Wu Xiaode.

Wu Xiaode's pupils contracted sharply.

As the staff was thrown, a layer of gray powder fell off.

If time were slowed down and examined closely, it would be clear that this was not powder but the accumulated dust on the staff, shaken off by the rapid movement.

"Good!"

Wu Xiaode shouted in approval, a golden glow appearing on his wrist as he deflected the staff.

Clang—

The wooden staff struck his wrist, producing a metallic sound.

This level of power had reached the realm of soul force!

At the same time, a loud "bang" sounded above Wu Xiaode's head, and three star-like lights appeared.

The Book of the Dead opened, and lines of icy text silently appeared:

"Congratulations, you have completed the mission!"

"Qian Mingkui has awakened soul force and will once again carry the banner of the Snow-Seeking Plum style, becoming a prominent figure."

"You have earned the praise of the ancestral spirit."

"Praise level: Three stars (the highest rating for this mission)."

"The ancestral spirit grants you one point of soul force capacity."

"Your current soul force value is: 7/8."

"Because you completed this mission, you have earned the right to post a task on the 'Wish Wall.'"

"Additionally, because your praise level reached three stars, you have earned an extra gift from the other party's ancestral spirit."

"Please wait a moment."

"The other party's ancestral spirit is about to descend and grant you the extra gift."

Wu Xiaode was no longer in a hurry.

He threw the piece of black iron with cloud patterns on the ground in front of Qian Mingkui and pulled Xiao Shi over, grinning.

"I was just joking, Old Qian. You really are a devoted father."

Qian Mingkui was stunned, quickly checking his daughter to ensure she was unharmed before looking at the piece of black iron with cloud patterns.

"I thought it was fake when you showed it to me earlier... Now it seems this is indeed the elder's token of the Snow-Seeking Plum style... You came to help me."

Qian Mingkui tried to stand but his legs gave out, and he fell back to the ground.

"What happened to me just now? Why could I use that move?"

He asked, puzzled.

"Don't worry, you've awakened your power. Those thugs won't be able to bully you anymore," Wu Xiaode said.

Qian Mingkui carefully recalled the power of that throw, his face changing several times before he sighed.

"I never thought I would have the opportunity to awaken innate power—thank you, brother. Help me up, let's run together!"

"Run from what? A few thugs scared you that much?" Wu Xiaode said, dissatisfied.

Qian Mingkui said sincerely, "As the saying goes, I'm not afraid of thieves stealing, but I'm afraid of them remembering. Brother Wu, my family lives here, and my daughter goes to school nearby. I have to think about her."

Wu Xiaode didn't want to argue with him anymore.

Qian Mingkui's personality was soft. Although he had been tricked earlier, he still insisted on treating Wu Xiaode to a meal before leaving.

He didn't have much money.

—And as a man, after his wife left, he raised his daughter alone and was so devoted.

This kind of character, bursting with determination for his daughter, was rare. Whether he would follow the path of martial arts was uncertain, but he could be trusted as a friend.

With this thought, Wu Xiaode looked around the martial arts hall.

The environment here was really nice.

"Your location is actually quite good, surrounded by mountains and water, with fresh air. Can I stay here too?" he asked.

Well, we're both martial artists, let's be friends and look out for each other.

At least, I can't let this big guy, who just awakened, be eaten by a monster at midnight, leaving his daughter alone in the world.

I also need some help to face that world.

I can't keep staying in hotels.

The family compound was burned down, and both I and Aunt Lan need a place to live.

These thoughts crossed Wu Xiaode's mind, and he made his decision.

"You are the elder of the style and helped me awaken my power. I would sell everything to support you. How could I drive you away?" Qian Mingkui said.

"Then let's live together—by the way, I have some money, enough for you and your daughter's living expenses. I can cover some of the costs," Wu Xiaode said.

Qian Mingkui and his daughter looked at each other, both smiling.

"That's great, Uncle! I can prepare a room for you," Xiao Shi cheered.

"Let me pay? That's not right," Qian Mingkui said, feigning reluctance.

"I think it's fine. I won't pay then," Wu Xiaode said decisively.

Qian Mingkui immediately sighed, "Ah, we had rice and pickled vegetables for lunch. Brother, no, Elder, I can't even serve you this. Look at Xiao Shi, she's so skinny because she doesn't get enough nutrition—"

Wu Xiaode interrupted, "Alright, I was just joking. I'll order some takeout for lunch, get some hot pots, and some drinks. Let's have a good meal."

Xiao Shi cheered and ran inside to prepare a room for Wu Xiaode.

Bang—

The door was kicked open again.

A group of young men filed in.

"Damn, we can't run in time," Qian Mingkui said, his face pale.

He had just awakened his soul force and used it all up, leaving him completely drained and unable to fight.

Wu Xiaode stepped forward, blocking them. "It's fine, I'll handle it."

The young man who had been hit earlier pointed at him, "Brother Yi, it's him."

A lean young man with a mustache spoke up, "I'm Lu Yi, and thanks to the respect of my brothers, they call me Brother Yi. Young brother, I heard you have something against me?"

As he spoke, he kept eyeing Wu Xiaode, his expression growing increasingly vicious.

Just a poor student.

This naive guy dares to meddle in gang affairs. He'll be crying soon.

He waved his hand.

The group behind him drew their weapons.

Switchblades, watermelon knives, three-edged daggers, butterfly knives, and ox-horn knives.

All illegal weapons.

Wu Xiaode understood the situation and began to see why Qian Mingkui was so scared.

These weren't ordinary thugs; no wonder Qian Mingkui was so timid.

They were a rare group of jail-bound boys.

This situation could easily turn dangerous!