Chapter 1, The Useless Jiang Xiaohu

However, just when people had almost forgotten that he was a member of the Jiang family, a major incident occurred involving the Jiang family

There is a large estate in the west of the city

Once a noble young man, he has now become a down-and-out youth in the world of rivers and lakes. Naturally, those so-called "friends" no longer wish to associate with him. Whenever he approaches, they all hastily close their doors. In the face of the disdain and ridicule from those around him, he does not get angry; instead, he shamelessly smiles and goes about seeking food and drink.

The Lan family is also a prominent martial arts family, and they have a long-standing friendship with the Jiang family. When Old Master Jiang was still alive, this marriage was already arranged. Unfortunately, after Old Master Jiang's passing, the Jiang family took the initiative to withdraw from the engagement, as Jiang Xiaohu proved to be utterly useless. The Lan family, of course, was more than willing to accept this, for who would want to marry their daughter to such an inept individual? Thus, the two families reached a peaceful resolution.

Indeed, whether this matter is true or false became a secret with the death of the midwife from the Second Day. However, it was precisely because of the midwife's death that people's beliefs were further solidified. When this child was born, the Jiang family simultaneously acquired a piece of "extraordinary treasure." As for what this "extraordinary treasure" actually is, opinions in the martial arts world vary widely. Some say it is a treasure map lost by the Thousand-Hand Sect a hundred years ago, others claim it is an ancient martial arts manual, and some assert it is a priceless treasure. Yet, there are those who believe it to be an unparalleled sword capable of severing a hair with a single blow. As for what this "extraordinary treasure" truly is, opinions in the martial arts world vary widely. Some say it is a treasure map lost by the Thousand-Hand Sect a hundred years ago, others claim it is an ancient martial arts manual, and some assert it is a priceless treasure. Yet, there are those who believe it to be an unparalleled sword capable of severing a hair with a single blow.

Unfortunately, he could never have imagined in his dreams that this comfortable life would soon be forced to an end, for it would not be long before another explosive piece of news would spread through the martial world

Little did anyone know that Miss Lan was a strong-willed woman who adhered to the principle of "a woman should not serve two husbands." Upon learning of this marriage arrangement, she unexpectedly ran away from home to marry the most useless Jiang Xiaohu

The reason is simple; he is quite useless

At this moment, he is resting with his eyes closed, two rows of dense eyelashes covering his eyes, trembling in the sunlight. A strand of black hair sweeps across his face, accentuating the paleness of his complexion, creating a beauty as delicate as a painting

In fact, Jianghu was exceptionally well-behaved during childhood

Due to the Jiang family's great fame, this joyous event quickly spread throughout the martial world, yet no one truly took it to heart, for no matter how happy it was, it ultimately concerned someone else's child

Jiang Xiaohu himself did not mind much; fortunately, the house was still standing. Although the walls were bare, he thought that living in a house was certainly better than living in a dilapidated temple. Thus, less than a year after the incident, he moved back to the Jiang family home.

Such a person has surprisingly not starved to death

The big man relies on a woman for support, and everyone is secretly laughing at him, yet this fellow is still "somewhat useful" in certain matters

"A fortune spent will return again," the new leader is named Jin Huanlai, self-styled as the Thief of Immortals. His movements are enigmatic, and even within the sect, very few have seen his true face, let alone know his age or appearance. The more mysterious a person is, the more they provoke people's imaginations. Some say he is an old man, others say he is a child, some claim he is a young man, and there are even those who believe he is not a man at all, but a beautiful young woman. The more mysterious a person is, the more they provoke people's imaginations. Some say he is an old man, others say he is a child, some claim he is a young man, and there are even those who believe he is not a man at all, but a beautiful young woman

It is indeed famous, for the Jiang family is not only the foremost wealthy merchant in Jiangnan, but every man in the Jiang family is also a top martial arts master in the martial world. The ancestral skill "White Day Wind Sword" is renowned throughout the martial world and is passed down only to the eldest son. Therefore, for many years, no one has dared to trouble the Jiang family.

How can such a heartless and useless fellow be called a river and lake? Hearing it is truly a great joke, so people changed his name to Little River and Lake.

A young man is reclining on the steps outside the door, basking in the sun

In the mountains outside the city, a mysterious city named Tianshui has risen. The lord of the city is a young man named Shui Fengqing, who is handsome and possesses exceptional swordsmanship. Within three days, he has defeated over ten renowned figures and, in a single night, has vanquished the notorious "Ten Demons of Kunshan" under his sword. From that moment on, the "Tianshui Sword Technique" became famous throughout the martial world, and the lord of Tianshui, Shui Fengqing, became one of the most legendary figures in the realm. Many have seen him, but few have met him, and almost no one can befriend him.

"What are you laughing about?" he muttered, turning over and continuing to sleep

Mothers in the jianghu often use their children as negative examples when they are not making progress in their education, saying, "If you don't behave, you'll grow up to be like Jiang Xiaohu." As a result, even the most mischievous children will temper their behavior, for Jiang Xiaohu is regarded as the most useless person, utterly inept, to the point that he cannot even keep his own name.

At that time, Jianghu was lying on the bed of the courtesan Yun Jiao Jiao. It is said that upon hearing this bad news, he was initially perplexed, scratching his head and pondering for half a day. Suddenly, he was struck with alarm, jumped up, and his first words were: Is the silver in the family treasury still there?

If one were to describe Shui Fengqing with the term "Legendary," another person would have to use the term "Mysterious" to refer to the newly appointed leader of the Thousand-Hand Sect.

It is said that the midwife who assisted the lady in childbirth discreetly revealed a matter on that day. At that time, Old Master Jiang was joyfully holding his grandson, and in his extreme delight, he inadvertently disclosed a secret to those present.

Perhaps because the members of the Jiang family died with their eyes open, unwilling to allow this unfilial son to return, Jiang Xiaohu moved back to the Jiang family home for only three months before strange occurrences began. Clearly, he had been sleeping soundly in his room the night before, yet when he woke up the next morning, he found himself lying on the grass outside the city. At first, he was both frightened and shocked, falling ill for over a month, refusing to return. Later, after occasionally betting with others, he returned to stay for a few nights. As the number of times increased, he discovered that aside from the inconvenience of having to run back from the wilderness in the morning, there was no significant danger, and thus he settled in with peace of mind.

Looking at his appearance, he is only in his twenties. Although his clothes are dirty and torn, his face is still clean. He has a straight nose and prominent eyebrows. Aside from his slightly pale complexion, his face is remarkably handsome.

After the age of ten, the teachers also change, but they do so more frequently, changing every month. Each teacher leaves with a grim expression, leaving behind a saying: "A rotten wood cannot be carved."

The jokes have started circulating again; that useless Jiang Xiaohu not only failed to keep his name but also couldn't keep his wife.

This incident became the largest bloodshed in the history of the martial arts world

Old Master Jiang cherished his grandson like a precious treasure, yet instead of growing into a rare gem, he turned out to be a piece of rare rotten wood, leaving everyone astonished.

In Jiang Xiaohu's view, such a disheveled life is quite satisfactory, feeling both comfortable and joyful

It does not matter if Jiang Xiaohu is down; after all, he has merely lost a wife, which allows him to live more freely

People immediately thought of one thing

However, one thing is certain: no one has ever seen that "exotic treasure"

The investigators who went to the scene reported that it was a sight too horrific to bear. All the bodies, large and small, including the biological parents of the individual from the underworld, were piled up in the courtyard without exception, even the servants were not spared. The blood that flowed out nearly submerged the ground of the courtyard, and it appeared that they had all suffered extremely brutal treatment in their lifetimes, as if they had been coerced into giving false confessions.

The sunlight slants across the main gate, and the lintel is covered in dust. The two door rings are rusted and mottled. Looking inside, one can see large patches of weeds growing in the courtyard, and many old lofts still stand tall. Amidst the desolation, there is a faint hint of the grandeur of yesteryears.

from his former fiancée, Miss Lan

In the blink of an eye, several years have passed, and Miss Lan has reached the age of marriage. Not only has she blossomed into a captivating beauty, but her martial skills are also commendable. Master Lan is keen to find a suitable son-in-law for her, having searched through the new talents of the martial world, and has finally decided to betroth her to Young Master Wen San.

As for the whereabouts of the two treasures of the Jiang family, with the passage of time and the emergence of new talents in the martial world, people have grown indifferent to the investigation and have begun to focus on other matters

At the foot of the stairs, several people passed by, chatting and laughing

The Thousand-Hand Sect, with its thousand hands, does not possess the Guanyin of a thousand hands, yet it undoubtedly has treasures that cannot be exhausted by a thousand hands. If you are aware of their trade, you would not be surprised. For instance, if you were walking down the street and suddenly lost your purse, it would certainly mean you encountered one of their kind. Of course, entry into the Thousand-Hand Sect is not something that can be achieved by an ordinary "three-handed" individual; those who gain entry must possess exceptional skills. Apart from thievery, they are adept in lightness skills, hidden weapons, and poisons, capable of anything. They have committed countless crimes, targeting only rare and precious treasures. If a treasure catches their eye, they would dare to infiltrate even the imperial palace. It is said that on one occasion, two leaders of the sect competed to see who could first steal the Nine-Dragon Jade Pendant carried by the Emperor.

Not clear, as long as there is food to eat. He lazily opened his eyes and smiled good-naturedly

What people remember is something else

Indeed, people attribute this matter to the fact that Jiang Xiaohu, despite his shortcomings, is still a descendant of the Jiang family. This is why those wronged souls do not harm him. However, outsiders still harbor fear, and thus, apart from him, no one else dares to enter the Jiang family.

Once able to recognize characters at the age of three, now he cannot identify a single one even when presented with them in large letters, having completely forgotten them. Over time, he has succumbed to nearly all the vices in the world, often surrounded by a large group of young rascals. He is a frequent visitor to the major brothels in the city, including those in neighboring towns. This individual has a lifelong addiction to gambling, and most notably, he once lost ten thousand taels of silver along with a piece of land in a single night.

"Jiang Xiaohu, which woman is supporting you today?"

Before the age of ten, the teacher changed five times, and each time he left, he sighed that this child was intelligent, and no one dared to continue teaching him

Twenty-three years ago, the elder of the Jiang family was delighted to have a grandson and personally named him Jiang Hu

In a single night, all one hundred and forty-two members of the Jiang family were unexpectedly killed

Since the Jiang family has not given birth to another son or daughter after the departure from the martial world, the entire Jiang family originally intended to cultivate this child into a well-rounded heir. However, they did not expect him to be a "hopeless case." While the old master Jiang was alive, he protected him, but after the old master's passing, and with his repeated failures to improve, the brothers of the Jiang family gave up on him and continued to strive for more offspring, even his biological mother, Madam Xie, became disheartened.

Sixteen years passed, and until the death of Old Master Jiang, the Jiang family remained completely silent. Even the most renowned Qianshou Sect sent experts to visit the Jiang family multiple times, yet they did not uncover that treasure. As a result, this matter gradually faded away, and people's attention shifted from the "exotic treasure" to other matters.

After that bloody incident, the Jiang family's wealth was naturally lost, and only Jiang Xiaohu remained from the Jiang family. However, Jiang Xiaohu happened to be the most useless person, so the authorities not only were too lazy to invest much effort in the investigation but also confiscated the land and estate from him. Other valuable items were also taken away by the officials amidst the chaos.

The crowd laughed heartily

Thus, most mothers would endure the pain of letting go of their sons and step aside

Heaven truly does not forsake the Jiang family, allowing Jiang Meng to open his eyes and embrace his grandson, not to mention bestowing upon us a rare treasure, a double blessing indeed

Jiang Xiaohu was not originally named Jiang Xiaohu

However, there are no endless good and beautiful things in the world. The young masters of the Jiang family have been married for over ten years, with countless wives and concubines, yet none have become pregnant. As the saying goes, "Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest." How could such a large family business lack an heir? This has caused great distress to the elderly Jiang patriarch, who is eager for a grandson. He has been generously donating and doing good deeds, extensively repairing temples. Perhaps it was this sincere devotion that moved the Bodhisattva in heaven. Three years later, the original wife of the eldest young master of the Jiang family finally gave birth to a son, who was regarded as a treasure by everyone in the Jiang family.

Indeed, the officials sent people to search the Jiang family thoroughly, almost digging three feet into the ground, yet they did not discover the legendary "extraordinary treasure" or the Jiang family's ancestral secret manual "Sword of the Daylight Wind." This case was classified as murder for robbery.

Finally, after he lost eight thousand taels of silver in a night of gambling, he was expelled from the Jiang family by his father the next day

It is often said that "a whore is heartless, and an actor is ungrateful." In such times, the only ones who did not abandon him were the girls from the brothel. Perhaps it was due to his handsome appearance that they could not bear to see him starve, occasionally slipping him some of their private money for his use. Most of this money was lost in gambling, though there were times he won, even winning over a hundred taels. If an ordinary person were to save, they could live for a year or two, but unfortunately, this man, though fond of gambling, did not love money. He would impulsively toss it to the madam of the brothel, while he himself continued to experience hunger, spending nights in a dilapidated temple outside the city. However, this way, the madam would not interfere too much in his affairs with the girls.

The Jiang family is renowned.

The name Jiang Xiaohu is almost universally known in the martial world, its prominence rivaling that of the most renowned figures such as Shui Fengqing, the Lord of Tianshui City, the Sword God Ji Liang, and the Thief Immortal Jin Huan. Such a famous person is unforgettable to anyone, and naturally, he is also the most unique among these celebrities

From then on, whenever a child from any family was beaten and the mother, heartbroken, stepped in to intervene, that father would raise his stick, glare, and shout: "Did you not see that underworld?"

His uniqueness lies in the reason for his fame

The Jiang family members are all top-notch experts, and having been in business for many years, they have few enemies. How could they suddenly fall victim to such treachery

No one would have expected that the Jiang family, known for its strict upbringing, would produce such descendants, who seem to be here to collect debts, showing none of the cleverness they had in their childhood

Regarding this matter, Jiang Xiaohu himself is completely indifferent