A cup of strong liquor slipped down the throat, and Song Yan felt a peculiar sensation rising within.

He offered travel funds to the Jie family brothers, simply as a gesture of goodwill, but unexpectedly, this act of kindness attracted the niece of Master Huang.

He believed the young lady was quite decent, so... is this perhaps the virtue rewarding virtue?

He smiled and shook his head.

He didn't care for the favor of a young lady, but the unintended seed planted had sprouted. If rewarded, it felt as if it had been watered, bringing him a touch of joy in the end.

...

...

In a blink, two years passed by.

On this day, autumn rain poured down heavily; cold and relentless.

People hurried through the streets, umbrellas moved like boats, drifting until only the rainwater flowed over the blue stone bricks and tiles.

Suddenly, the rainwater was splashed apart by a boot.

A figure holding an umbrella broke through the curtain of rain, knocking on the door of the Cold Smoke Meat Shop.

Huo Boxin shouted: "Old Li! Old Li!"

After a brief moment, a creak was heard as the door opened.

Song Yan stood by the lamp at the door, seeing a familiar face, he slightly sidestepped and smiled, saying: "Old Huo, why come drink with me at such a late hour?"

Huo Boxin hesitated, then bowed his head and said: "No."

Song Yan asked: "Then what is it?"

Huo Boxin seemed not to hear his question, absorbed in his rhythm, murmuring: "It's late, drinking isn't advisable. Old Li, since you refuse to take a wife, you should take care of yourself, and avoid drinking at night!

As for me...

I've come to say goodbye."

Song Yan understood, turned to get some silver, but after taking just a few steps, he was caught by Huo Boxin.

"What do you take me for?!"

"I have no use for money alone; if not for brothers, then for whom?"

"Hey, I just came to bid farewell.

My... my departure this time might mean I won't be able to return.

The descendant of King Xixiang has emerged, supported by generals and forces from Jianghu, reclaiming his position.

But a few years ago, King Xixiang's brother Xiao Overlord claimed that the descendant died unexpectedly without heirs, thus replacing him.

Master Huang is one of Xiao Overlord's men, and now... the original heir has come back to life, claiming Xiao Overlord is the murderer.

Of course, Xiao Overlord denies it. Not only does he deny it, but he accuses the heir of being part of a malicious plot.

Now the two sides are in battle, and as one of Master Huang's people, I have to join the fight.

Who's real, who's fake, who's right, who's wrong? I don't know, and there's no way to find out.

But Master Huang has cared for me, and this is the time for me, Huo Boxin, to repay him even if I have to put my life at risk. I am Master Huang's blade, and wherever Master Huang commands the blade to strike, it shall strike.

A blade... doesn't need its own thoughts."

"But you have me, a friend, don't you?"

"Indeed!"

The swordsman laughed heartily, then gave Song Yan a bear hug and turned around, waved with flair, saying "I'm off," and then crooned: "Don't ask of life or death, drink a jug when the flowers bloom! Hahaha..."

He sang as he walked away, only to hear a call from behind.

"Old Huo!"

The swordsman halted, turned around, and looked towards Li the boss inside the meat shop's door.

Song Yan stepped forward, drew out a bottle from his sleeve and handed it over.

The bottle was porcelain, the kind used for Elixir, but inside there was no Elixir, only liquor. The liquor was soaked primarily with Moonlight Grass, and a touch of Little Profound Flower Profound Grass added by Song Yan himself. It was a drink that was flavorful to him, but to ordinary people... it would expel hundreds of poisons, restore vitality, and generate flesh from bones as a Spiritual Elixir.

Song Yan pressed the liquor into Huo Boxin's hand, saying: "Trust me, drink it before the battle."

Huo Boxin took the liquor, nodded solemnly, then said: "Old Li, take care!"

"Take care!"

...

...

Autumn passed, winter arrived.

Light snow...

In the gray mountains, corpses lay strewn, covered by a thin white veil, cawing scavenging birds hovered over the gray skies, black branches...

Suddenly, from amidst the pile of corpses, a hand pushed away the bodies weighing on it, slowly crawling out.

Huo Boxin's face was smeared with blood, hair in disarray, his eyes darting left and right with fear, muttering to himself: "Monsters, monsters... all monsters! How can anyone defeat such frenzied monsters?"

Images of his previous encounters with the forces sent by the descendant of King Xixiang flashed through his mind, his face still held a look of dread.

Those people emitted a glow of fire, possessing immense power, swift as the wind, fiercely brave, seemingly divinely aided.

Though his adversary was not as skilled as him in technique, the person used strength and speed to dominate him.

Suddenly, he thought of the Xixiang heir.

The heir was a pair of siblings, the elder sister self-proclaimed as the "Commandery Princess Chi Yan," rumored to be endowed with powers from the Divine, able to enhance comprehension and Power of her subordinates.

Alongside Commandery Princess Chi Yan's alluring beauty and ruthless tactics, she won over many in Jianghu and gained the loyalty of generals already devoted to King Xixiang.

"Chi Yan... fireshine..."

"It... It's true!"

Huo Boxin was terrified.

He feared not the blades and shadows of Jianghu but trembled at the fearsome mystical forces.

He started feeling afraid of dying.

But, who doesn't fear death?

He had died once, had repaid kindness.

Yet, how had he survived? How did he unleash new power to crawl out from the mound of the dead?

Huo Boxin pondered briefly, then suddenly understood.

"Old Li's drink."

"Old Li is actually a wonder-worker."

He began to cry, yet looking at the path home before him, he dared not return.

He had repaid Master Huang's kindness; he no longer wished to lick blood off the blade.

Jianghu ties too heavy, too merciless, he wished not to touch them anymore. All he wanted now was to find a wife and live well.

Pausing for a few breaths, Huo Boxin abruptly turned, and biting his lip, ran deeper into the forest.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.