Chapter 24
Everyday I Get up to See the Villain Stealing the Show 24
“Xiao Qing,” Han Changsheng said, serious, “You came at just the right time . I have something for you to do . ”
Lu Qingqian snorted, “If you want me to wash your underwear, just say . You don’t have to be so serious . ”
“ . . . ” Han Changsheng facepalmed . “No, I have something serious . ”
He paused . Afraid Lu Qingqian wouldn’t believe it, he stressed, “It’s big enough that it could change my martial arts . ”
“What is it?” Lu Qingqian asked, his grave demeanor now reflecting Han Changsheng’s .
Han Changsheng thought it over then spoke, “Help me arrange a few things . The sooner, the better . ”
He moved forward to whisper the arrangements he wanted into Lu Qingqian’s ear .
Lu Qingqian puffed out his cheeks, and his baby face became even rounder . “Why? Who is that person? How will Teacher handle him?”
“He’s talented,” Han Chengsheng said, “You mustn’t underestimate him . I can’t explain it in just a few words . He has powerful backing behind him, and I must win his trust . The first step toward my plan–everything is for my Grand! Master! Plan! Don’t ask anymore, just coordinate with me . ”
Lu Qingqian seemed to understand and nodded, “I’ll arrange it tonight . Is there anything else Teacher wants me to do?”
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Han Changsheng waved his hand . “Do this first!”
Lu Qingqiang asked, “Then I can go first?”
Han Changsheng nodded resolutely .
Lu Qingqian took two steps, and Han Changsheng coughed . He turned his head, curious, “What’s wrong?”
Han Changsheng laughed dryly, “Once you’ve finished, if you have time, help me wash what’s under the bed . You know, I’ve been so busy planning my Grand~ Master~ Plan, there’s no time for laundry . . . ”
“ . . . ” Lu Qingqian laughed, shook his head, and quietly pushed his way out the door .
Han Changsheng didn’t sleep well that night, and his dreams were long and messy .
He sat in a magnificent palace, and there were all kinds of delicacies spread out before him . He ate and drank to his heart’s content . He sighed, this was a great day . In my next life, I must also be . . . cult leader!
The dream changed . A group of righteous members shouting for his death surrounded him . He pulled out his sword, looking at them all with a fierce glare . Laozi did not do many evil things in his life . However, if he was labeled a demonic cult leader, they all must fight . He could not coexist with them .
It changed again . The Dog Lord was meditating, practicing . He peeked through the dark, full of bad ideas . When the Dog Lord was about to breakthrough, he rushed forward and punched him . Later, he woke up beside the Dog Lord . He wasn’t angry, opened his eyes, and smiled beautifully at him without distress .
These the first half of his dreams that night . Later, he dreamed he was lying comfortably in the grass and lazing in the sun . An old man sighed and said, “You are too lazy . If you weren’t, you would have this level of skill today . ” Then, the two guardians of Tianning and the four church owners appeared before him, one after another . They used various heinous methods to force him to practice martial arts .
In the blink of an eye, it was dawn .
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Han Changsheng got up early, washed his face with cold water, and did his makeup . He made Li Jiulong’s face look more spiritual and handsome . The eyebrows were lighter than usual, so he looked gentler . Satisfied with his results in the mirror, Han Changsheng went out .
Next was morning exercise . Then, Han Changsheng found An Yuan . “Shidi, can you go with me down the mountain for a walk?”
An Yuan was shocked . “Why are you going down the hill? This afternoon, the sect head will teach you new moves . ”
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” Han Changsheng said, “I have a lot of worries, and I don’t know who to tell . So I want to go down the mountain and drive away the worries . We’ll be back by noon . Is Shidi willing to go with me?”
No one was around . An Yuan smiled and said, “Why did Renjie call me Shidi again?”
Han Changsheng almost forgot he and An Yuan were already calling each other prostitute* . . . Oh no, courtesy name*, and hurried to correct, “An Yuan . ”
*Prostitute and courtesy names are homonyms in Chinese (biǎozi) .
An Yuan asked, “You’re worried about the Yin and Yang?”
Han Changsheng climbed up a pole . “Yes, I killed the Yin and Yang, this is what I as Yuehua Sect’s disciple should do . But the sect heads and the elders are praising me to high heaven, I am flattered and surprised . . . ”
An Yuan nodded and sighed, “I understand . ” After that, he said, “If people are too outstanding, they feel lonely at the top . ”
Han Changsheng: “ . . . ”
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An Yuan said, “Renjie, please wait a moment . I’ll go back to the house and change . ”
Not a moment later, An Yuan reappeared with a straw hat and accompanied Han Changsheng down the mountain along a small path .
As they walked, they talked about swordsmanship . An Yuan was very interested in swordsmanship, having a natural understanding, and had unique views on it . He said, “There are many people who criticize our Yuehua Sect’s swordsmanship . They believe Yuehua’s seventy-two style isn’t swordsmanship at all . They say our Yuehua is useful only in battle, so it should not be ranked among the top ten sword sects . I don’t think so, I’ve always felt the Yuehua Sect’s swordsmanship has an inexhaustible mystery, but many people cannot appreciate its meaning . ”
“The disciples are also superficial, thinking the moves we’ve learned are too basic . We have difficulty when faced with fancy maneuvers . We have to cooperate with many people, or we need deep internal forces to suppress opponents . Therefore, we cultivate internal strength but neglect the external ones . However, when I practiced recently, I felt these basic moves contained endless changes, especially the first nine styles, which are the most exquisite . In the beginning, the great founder passed down the rules . The first nine must be practiced for five years before anyone can learn others . It was only later that several sect heads and elders felt it was a waste of time and canceled the rule . ”
Han Changsheng thought Yuehua Sect’s first nine styles were no more than simple chopping, slashing, stabbing, and more of the same movements in order . Any new disciple who learned swordsmanship would know those moves . The moves were practiced for five years, which was simply to eat one’s fill and support it . Learning martial arts was often the fastest and most savvy for young people . After five years, the golden time of learning martial arts often passed, and later on, they’d learn slowly . The great founder of the Yuehua Sect set such a rule . Had he lost his mind?
An Yuan said, “Actually, I think the highest attainment of swordsmanship is to respond to change with the constant . But today’s people are too impetuous, and the fancier moves are always more powerful . I don’t have the honor to see the heroic posture of Elder Lan Fang, but I heard the Elder Lan Fang uses the most basic moves, but he can dominate with one sword . When Elder Lan Fang was first introduced, he was unknown, and the first nine exercises lasted longer than other disciples, I think his past achievements are to prove our Yuehua Sect’s swordsmanship is undefeated . I have recently practiced the first nine styles, and sect head has mentioned they want to teach me new swordsmanship . But I don’t think the time has come, so I refused . It’s just my understanding isn’t high enough . Sometimes I feel I understand somewhat, but it gets worse . ” He sighed . “If only I was fortunate enough to get the guidance of Elder Lan Fang . ”
This shocked Han Changsheng . The old guy who fought hand to hand against him the former night was Elder Lan Fang . As An Yuan said, Elder Lan Fang’s sword was unpretentious . While he didn’t use internal force to suppress him, he still couldn’t fight back . Although they only fought once, Han Changsheng knew he was powerful, but he couldn’t tell to what end . Was An Yuan right?
An Yuan raised his hand and shook it in front of Han Changsheng’s face . “Renjie?”
Realizing he was distracted, Han Changsheng said, “Shi . . . An Yuan, did you join Yuehua Sect because you admired Elder Lan Fang?”
An Yuan smiled . “That’s not the case . I only heard it after I entered Yuehua Sect . When my father was killed by the demonic cult, I was only seven years old . The sect head and my father were old acquaintances . He saw the younger me with no one to depend on and took me to the Yuehua Sect . The sect took care of me and even taught me martial arts . The sect head is a father to me . ” When he talked about the demonic cult, his face shifted, looking dignified . Staring into the distance with an unwavering gaze, he remembered the tragedy that had happened in his childhood .
Han Changsheng curled his lips .
“Ah!” An Yuan screamed, falling to the ground . His straw hat tumbled away .
“What happened?” Blinking, Han Changsheng rushed over to check on him .
He saw An Yuan’s foot caught in an animal trap . The nails of the trap stabbed into his ankle . Now, his feet were bloody . An Yuan’s face paled, and there was a layer of cold sweat on his forehead: “How can there be such a thing here?” He was just distracted and did not notice such a mechanism hidden in the grass, so he, unfortunately, took this hit .
Prying open the trap, Han Changsheng inspected An Yuan . His feet were bloody, but the bones were not broken . He was afraid An Yuan couldn’t walk .
“Can you stand up?” Han Changsheng asked .
Supported by Han Changsheng’s shoulder, An Yuan tried to force himself up onto his injured foot . The pain made his face change again .
Han Changsheng was puzzled . He vaguely noticed the breath of other people nearby, but he made a sound . He didn’t notice the animal trap . Was it arranged by Lu Qingqian? This was ruthless .
Han Changsheng, just about to pick An Yuan up, stopped and looked forward . Someone was close!
“Someone’s ahead!” An Yuan said, seizing Han Changsheng’s arm .
Two men in black with swords in hand and masks over their faces appeared before them . They saw An Yuan and Han Changsheng then looked at each other . Their gazes shifted between Han Changsheng and An Yuan several times, their eyes sharp .
An Yuan noticed the other party wasn’t good . Coldly, he asked, “Who are you? Why are you heading toward Yuehua Sect?”
Han Changsheng’s heart, however, was delighted: they came!