"Really!?"
Li Xian was overjoyed.
In the Great Wu Dynasty, both scholarship and martial arts are valued. A Martial Artist can undergo Rebirth, seize the Essence of Heaven and Earth, and possess considerable combat effectiveness.
Scholars utilize the stroke of their pens to capture Literary Energy, enhancing their fortune. Although they lack powerful strength, their influence should not be underestimated.
The phrase "Plucking Flowers."
Refers to achieving excellent academic exam results, enabling one to advance further.
"Ah, you two brothers, each more impressive than the other," Aunt Liu sighed.
"With such good news, why didn’t my younger brother personally co to tell ?" Li Xian asked casually in high spirits.
Aunt Liu and Wang Yonghou were both stunned by his words, exchanged a glance, opened and closed their lips, hesitant to speak.
"This matter..."
"I really don’t know if I should say it."
Aunt Liu paced back and forth, visibly hesitant. Wang Yonghou said, "Let handle it."
"Xiao Xian, we heard this through the grapevine. Whether it’s true or false, you must judge for yourself."
Li Xian furrowed his brow, nodding, "Alright!"
"You’ve gone to be a Nursing Ho guard, so my wife and I naturally looked after Xiaofan for you."
"The money you sent last ti, after curing my wife’s illness, we actually had a few hundred Wen Coins left. So we thought of going to Huangyu County on a good day to check things out."
"To see how Xiaofan is, and if possible, buy so buns and dry cakes for him. A ten-year-old child with no one to care for, a pitiful sight."
"But when we went, we heard so bad rumors."
Wang Yonghou cautiously observed Li Xian’s expression, seeing his calm deanor, and continued, "We heard..."
"Xiaofan was captured by soone."
"What happened?" Li Xian’s eyes flashed with cold light as he imdiately questioned.
Aunt Liu said, "I heard... it seems there’s a young master from a gang who also took the scholarly examination. Unfortunately, his knowledge was shallow and he couldn’t Pluck the Flower. He ranked thirty-seventh, just outside the cut-off."
"If just one person doesn’t go, the position could go to him."
"The scholars ahead all co from wealthy families. Only our Xiaofan, in second-hand clothes and just a ten-year-old child."
"The weak are easily bullied."
"However... this is just a rumor, we don’t know its truth."
Aunt Liu and Wang Yonghou’s faces were filled with anxiety, trying to speak as gently as possible.
Li Xian wasn’t foolish. If the rumors were false, why would Aunt Liu and Wang Yonghou co looking for him? It was likely that there was an 80% chance the rumors were true, and his younger brother’s situation was dire.
"Is my brother’s life in danger?" Li Xian asked.
"According to the rumors, it seems not." Aunt Liu said uncertainly, "Even that gang’s young master wouldn’t want to get into serious trouble. ’Killing to seize a flower’ is too disgraceful, too shaful."
"And such actions would be severely interrogated. The identity of a Flower-Plucking scholar is different, soone qualified to seize that mystical fortune."
"Alas, we don’t really understand the details, but in short, his life should not be in jeopardy."
"But... but..."
"He won’t have an easy ti."
Li Xian thought, Aunt Liu and Wang Yonghou are from a farming background and have never left Qingning County in their entire life. For his sake, they traveled miles to Huangyu County, which was a great kindness.
Given their limited knowledge, their perception was bound to be biased. Pressing them too hard was pointless; it was better to investigate himself.
He pondered, "Do you know where they are keeping my brother?"
"No... we don’t know." Aunt Liu shook her head.
"Alright, Aunt Liu, Uncle Wang, you two should go back. Don’t ntion seeing to anyone. This matter has nothing to do with you," Li Xian said solemnly.
"Xiao Xian, you... you need to stay calm," Aunt Liu advised worriedly.
"Don’t worry, I’m very calm," Li Xian smiled.
...
"Sir."
Nearby, Bi Hao nodded and bowed, intending to speak flattering words. But he saw Li Xian striding away without stopping.
"A true gentleman, walking with such style."
Bi Hao watched Li Xian’s back with undisguised admiration.
Li Xian took a deep breath.
This was the critical mont for his brother to leap as a carp over the dragon’s gate. As his elder brother, he must support him fully.
"Fortunately, I have not neglected my martial arts in daily life."
"At tis like this, martial arts is all one can rely on."
Li Xian suppressed his anger, remaining calm and composed, like a massive, cold copper tripod.
He sought Pang Long and asked for a temporary leave.
Then went to his residence to retrieve the "Deer Hunting Bow."
"Li Ye, what are you going to do?"
A Nursing Ho guard saw Li Xian and asked curiously.
"I’ve got so personal business." Li Xian suddenly stopped, looked at the guard, who was about the sa height as him, and said, "I rember you have a nice piece of clothing?"
"Yes, haha," the guard chuckled.
"I’ll buy it from you for fifty Wen Coins," Li Xian said.
"For you, Li Ye, how could I refuse?" the guard flattered.
Li Xian said, "Thanks, but the money is yours."
After spending so ti, he acquired a new outfit.
Leaving the manor, he found a secluded forest, changed out of the old guard clothes, and put on the new ones—a flower-red cloth, sowhat eye-catching but not imdiately identifying him as a guard.
The old clothes were buried under a tree. Li Xian, with the Longbow on his back, rushed to Qingning County.
He recalled a blacksmith shop in the eastern part of town that secretly sold knives.
Upon arriving at the blacksmith shop, the blacksmith was a dark-skinned man, his body half-burned with a terrifying appearance.
Childless, making a living by forging and selling knives.
"Boy, looking at you, you’re not an ordinary custor."
The blacksmith swung his arm, hitting a red-hot iron, sending sparks flying. He glanced at Li Xian and casually said.
"I want a knife," Li Xian stated bluntly.
"Alright," the blacksmith said. "Five hundred Wen, pay up to see the knife."
In Qingning County, knives are regulated, making them quite expensive.
After receiving the paynt, the blacksmith hefted the money slightly and smiled, "Take it."
Opening a wooden box, he tossed a knife. Li Xian caught it—a narrow blade two fingers wide, single-sided edge, made of ordinary iron. Though the craftsmanship was comndable, it felt comfortable to wield.
With Inner Qi flowing, swinging the long knife, it was more than sufficient to penetrate skin and flesh.
"Not as good as the Nursing Ho’s weapons. Unfortunately, when not on duty, carrying a blade is forbidden, especially now since I’m on leave."
The manor’s rules are strict.
Li Xian didn’t dare challenge them nor could he.
The narrow iron blade would have to suffice.
"Kid, keep it low-key. Put it in this," the blacksmith threw over a cloth bag. "Don’t bring trouble."
"Thank you."
Covering the blade, concealing its shine, Li Xian replied indifferently and quickly left.
"Next, buy so arrows. With this, I’ll have a bow for distance, a knife for close-quarters, Clear Wind Leg, Four Directions Fist, Jade Palm..."
"As long as I am careful, I should be able to handle myself without encountering a Food Essence Realm expert like the Pot Immortal."
Li Xian’s eyes grew cold.
Understanding this journey harbors great danger, the extent of the trouble yet unknown. Helping his brother leap as a carp over the dragon’s gate was the primary task, but he wouldn’t recklessly risk his life either. His life was equally precious, not to be squandered.
Wisdom in strategy!
Negotiation as the priority!
A Hunter’s arrows are typically self-made. Lacking ti, Li Xian went to the nearest Hunter to purchase them directly.
He replenished the arrow count to "two hundred," then visited the county’s black market to buy so gunpowder and poison powder.
These items were exorbitantly priced. The sellers knew Li Xian was in urgent need and set high prices. Fortunately, he had saved so money, and spending two taels of silver, he prepared everything needed.
And so, he set out for Huangyu County.
The wind and snow persisted endlessly.
The carp was about to transform into the Golden Flood Dragon, to glimpse the Celestial Palace Golden Pavilion. Li Xian ventured through the snow, ready to experience the salty and spicy flavors of the Jianghu.
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