Chapter 8: The Good and the Bad

In the distance, at the street corner

You did not lie

Kou Liu nodded: "That's right, I will leave. I want to cultivate you, but I also do not want to offend the Chen family because of you. Do you think the Chen family gave you three thousand taels truly because they value you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed: "Wait a moment!"

Anzheng, I will accompany you

An Zheng's gaze swept over those people, and then he asked a question with the same seriousness as he had when he asked Kou Liu: "Do you know why good people are bound by various morals and rules while bad people can act as they please? If bad people should be in power, then where is fairness?"

After finishing, he placed the cat inside his clothing. The cat seemed to have been frightened for a long time in the past, but it felt a sense of security beside An Zheng, and thus it loved to sleep. An Zheng gently stroked the cat's head and said softly: "There is too much injustice in this world, yet the rules fail to restrain the wicked, only managing to govern the good. From now on, you will follow me, and we will use our own methods to restore order, starting from this Illusory World Long Residence City. Here, evil reigns supreme, so we shall first eliminate evil with evil. Sometimes, the path of good must be walked through the thicket of evil, cutting through thorns and brambles. From now on, you will follow me, and we will use our own methods to restore order, starting from this Illusory World Long Residence City. Here, evil reigns supreme, so we shall first eliminate evil with evil. Sometimes, the path of good must be walked through the thicket of evil, cutting through thorns and brambles. I will give you a name; from now on, you shall be called Little Good."

What the hell are you talking about, there are no good people in the city of Illusory World.

Chen Pu stood there watching the people rushing into the dilapidated courtyard behind the fence, a cold smile playing at the corners of his mouth: "This group of madmen really thinks they can take away the Chen family's silver? Just wait and see if the Nine Great Bandits will intervene. If the Nine Great Bandits come to support this kid, you all go up and say that our people came to visit that kid An Zheng, but ended up getting injured, and demand an explanation from the Nine Great Bandits. If this matter is handled well, the remaining territory of the Nine Great Bandits on Nanshan Street, even if we can't take it all at once, they won't have much left. "If the Nine Great Bandits come to support this kid, you all go up and say that our people came to visit that kid An Zheng, but ended up getting injured, and demand an explanation from the Nine Great Bandits. If this matter is handled well, the remaining territory of the Nine Great Bandits on Nanshan Street, even if we can't take it all at once, they won't have much left.

An Zheng lifted his eyelids to take a look, and to his surprise, at least sixty or seventy people had arrived outside. Various forms of greed were etched on these individuals' faces, already twisted into a particularly hideous expression. In the place known as the City of Eternal Illusions, such grotesqueness was commonplace.

There is nothing suitable at hand... I will make do

Du Shoushou stammered, "But these are all yours"

When he heard countless faint footsteps approaching, the sun had not yet set. An Zheng could not help but sigh; greed always made people so irrational. The first arrivals were certainly not from the Chen family, as the Chen family members would not be so impatient. Judging by the footsteps of these newcomers, they were all ordinary people who did not understand martial arts, their steps were unsteady, yet their sounds were heavy.

In the distance, in a small courtyard, a circle made of silver measures two meters in diameter. Outside the circle, a multitude of people lie sprawled on the ground. Whenever someone approaches the circle, An Zheng's machete strikes without mercy. In just a moment, the silver turns red. In another moment, the fallen individuals outside the silver circle become a pile. The boy, appearing to be around ten years old, resembles a fierce beast that has yet to reach maturity, yet he already reveals his sharp fangs.

The Chen family appeared to be very polite, delivering the heavy sum of three thousand taels of silver to An Zheng's humble and shabby courtyard. Du Shoushou looked at the overflowing silver, and in his eyes was something An Zheng was familiar with, yet this was the very thing An Zheng despised the most. He walked over to Du Shoushou, stood beside him, and said with a smile: "Do you like these? Then I will give them all to you."

An Zheng curled his lips: "At the very least, before today, I am not worth these three thousand taels... The Chen family offered these three thousand taels because they are about to take action against the Nine Great Bandits. If the Nine Great Bandits protect me, then the Chen family naturally has reason to declare war on you. They will say that you incited the disciples of the academy to injure their people, and in order to ensure stability and maintain relations with the Nine Great Bandits, the Chen family even provided three thousand taels as compensation. However, the Nine Great Bandits are utterly ungrateful..."

Mr. Liu, there is one more question

Before An Zheng could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Kou Liu: "You don't need to continue. Your intellect has exceeded my imagination. So if someone comes later, neither Tu Shu nor I will take action, but I will not actively hand you over. Although the Nine Great Bandits are not particularly remarkable figures in the City of Eternal Residence, they are not cowardly enough to kneel and beg for mercy. If you can survive, I will take you as my disciple." Although the Nine Great Bandits are not particularly remarkable figures in the City of Eternal Residence, they are not cowardly enough to kneel and beg for mercy. If you can survive, I will take you as my disciple."

The body is both thin and small, while this thing is quite robust; this indicates a serious imbalance in nutrition

Kou Liu walked over to the box filled with silver and looked down: "I am aware of what happened outside the tavern. Those people are merely dogs raised by the Chen family, accompanying the young master of the Chen family for amusement. The Chen family is very powerful, so powerful that we have no choice but to show them some respect. The weight of this respect is at least heavier than you, even though you have already demonstrated potential that piques my interest."

A greedy exclamation came from outside the fence, followed by someone shouting in a threatening tone: "That little rabbit, if you are smart, you should get lost immediately; this silver belongs to the master. If you don't know what's good for you, I'll stab you to death in a moment!"

Having spoken these words, Kou Liu turned and left the dilapidated courtyard

This time, Kou Liu stood still, remaining silent for a while before shaking his head: "If a good person can do as they please, are they still a good person?"

After Kou Liu left, An Zheng kicked over the large box that had been brought in by several strong men, causing it to tumble and spill silver all over the ground. An Zheng used his foot to kick the scattered silver into a circle with a diameter of about 2 meters, and then he moved a chair to place it in the center of the circle

An Zheng shouted again: "Why is it that good people are bound by so many rules and regulations when they act? What order, what laws? These constrain good people to the utmost. Yet bad people can disregard any rules and act recklessly. So in this world, should good people be in power or bad people? Is there still fairness in this world?"

What the hell are you talking about, go in and get the money

An Zheng shrugged his shoulders: "I have already explained it in class, so I do not wish to go into detail with the librarian again. It is merely for the sake of survival."

Du Shoushou's expression changed slightly: "So what should we do?"

Du Shoushou hesitated for a moment, but ultimately turned and ran out. As he ran, he shouted back: "An Zheng, wait for me. I will take care of my parents and come to be with you. Through mountains of knives and seas of fire, we will go together. Through hell and heaven, we will venture together"

An Zheng's lips curled into a faint smile, and his heart felt considerably at ease. If his strength were to recover even a fraction of what it once was, he would not be unable to protect Du Shoushou. The Nine Great Bandits may not be people of their word, but the more wicked they are, the more they care about their reputation. If the Chen family truly attacked the academy, then the Nine Great Bandits would have no choice but to confront them.

A crowd of people surged forward

An Zheng muttered to himself and then sat down to rest with his eyes closed, waiting for nightfall

An Zheng patted the hatchet on his belt and said, "Tonight, I will let you drink your fill."

Kou Liuzhi pointed at the wooden man: "Indeed, you have been training yourself all along, and it appears that your strikes have become quite precise. Judging from those knife marks, you can now accurately hit the enemy's vital points with every move. Therefore, I find it even harder to understand why you appear so weak in the classroom. If you were to display the ferocity you show towards that wooden man, Gao Di and the others would no longer dare to bully you"

An Zheng looked at Kou Liu's back and called out, "Can you do me a favor? This matter has nothing to do with Du Shoushou. At the very least, ensure that his family is safe, is that alright?"

Then it depends on whether the original intention still exists or not

My goodness, so much silver

An Zheng waved his arm at Du Shoushou, then turned to look inside the room. The door creaked open as someone pushed it from the inside, and Kou Liu, one of the Nine Great Bandits, stepped out slowly. It was evident that Kou Liu's expression was particularly grim. However, An Zheng seemed to have anticipated Kou Liu's presence, showing no signs of surprise whatsoever

Mr. Liu

An Zheng smiled and said: "When I was outside the tavern, I kept thinking about how to live more comfortably in the future. It's not just about having money; it’s also about making those wicked people fear you. Only when the wicked are afraid will there be fewer troubles. This three thousand taels of silver is a big pit, and I am standing here waiting for those who come to jump into the pit."

An Zhengdao: "I know Mr. Liu, so you have come merely to see if I am lying, and then you will leave."

Kou Liu did not speak again and quickly left. It is unclear whether An Zheng's words had touched upon certain weaknesses in his heart, but he appeared to be in a great hurry, his steps quick and disordered. For someone who has already attained a remarkable level in physical skills, how could he possibly be so unsteady even while walking? Thus, as An Zheng watched Kou Liu depart, a complex expression emerged in his eyes.

Du Shoushou nervously pulled An Zheng and asked, "What will you do?"

He picked up the machete, which was full of countless notches, and tucked it into his belt, then walked to the center of the circle formed by the silver coins and sat down. Just as he sat down, he suddenly exclaimed and stood up abruptly, looking down to check; the position of the knife in his belt was not quite right, as it pressed against his hip when he sat down. An Zheng reached into his pants to adjust it and was astonished to discover that this small body, only about ten years old, actually possessed a divine artifact.

An Zhengdao: "Allow me to think for a moment. The news of me having beaten up those bullies has already spread throughout Nanshan Street. Those small-time ruffians should weigh their own worth. However, you know that in the city of Huanshi Changju, three thousand taels of silver is enough to send many people to their deaths. You should go home now, take your uncle and aunt to stay at the school, and no matter what happens at night, do not go out. The school is the territory of the Nine Great Bandits, and for the time being, no one should dare to recklessly intrude." You should go home now, take your uncle and aunt to stay at the school, and no matter what happens at night, do not go out. The school is the territory of the Nine Great Bandits, and for the time being, no one should dare to recklessly intrude.

Kou Liu's footsteps paused for a moment, and then without looking back, he said: "Alright! The academy of the Nine Great Bandits is not a place that just anyone can enter casually. Breaking into your home and breaking into the academy are two different matters"

Du Shoushou was clearly agitated, twitching her nose as if she were about to cry: "An Zheng, I never expected... you to be so generous! But I still cannot accept this money; it is all the result of your hard work."

An Zheng pushed him gently: "Hurry and leave, those who have learned the news may very well come to your home to inquire about the whereabouts of the silver. Those people have no moral boundaries; what if they harm your parents? You need to go back quickly and take your parents to the school."

He turned back to glance at the machete lying on the ground and couldn't help but shake his head slightly

An Zheng waved his hand: "Fatty, remember this, money, no matter how good it is, is merely a tool, a tool to help us live better. As long as it is a tool, it will never weigh more than the feelings between people. However, there is one thing I have overlooked... with the strength we have now, can we protect this silver? If you take it home and give it to Uncle and Aunt, it might not be a good thing; rather, it could be a disaster"

Du Shoushou said firmly

Kid, did you hear that? I'm giving you a chance to escape with your life. Don't think that beating up a few punks on the street makes you impressive. In the city of Huanshi Changju, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers; we are not someone you can provoke. Be smart and get the hell out of here quickly. If you don't recognize the situation, don't blame us for being too ruthless later.

Kou Liu stepped out and looked at the wooden stakes and wooden figures standing in the yard. He also noticed a machete lying on the ground. The wooden figure was clearly carved by An Zheng himself; it was merely a human shape, but all the meridians and acupoints on the wooden figure had been meticulously marked. Kou Liu had seen these markings before; they were extremely precise, without any errors. The knife marks were particularly evident on the vital points. Kou Liu had seen these markings before; they were extremely precise, without any errors. The knife marks were particularly evident on the vital points.

Who the hell cares about good people or bad people, I am here to collect the money

An Zhenglan said while holding Du Shoushou's shoulder: "Fatty, there is one thing I hope you remember, money is good, especially good, it can bring us a good life. However, no matter how good money is, it cannot compare to the feelings between people. If you like it, then take it all. You are my friend, and don't say it's just this money; you were even willing to die for me before, and I feel the same way."

Du Shoushou was taken aback: "What did you say, An Zheng?"

An Zhengdao said: "I have said, if you like it, I will give it all to you."