Chapter 3: Whoever is targeted will be unfortunate

The discipline of the tomb raiding gang is very strict. Last night, when they went out to commit their crime, except for the leader, Crazy Fox, and the lookout, Cat Two, everyone else's mobile phones were left at the guesthouse, along with all items unrelated to tomb raiding. They were not there for tourism, so they did not carry much with them. You Fang hurriedly ate two bowls of noodles at a small restaurant and returned to the guesthouse to inventory everyone's "belongings," collecting the few most valuable items among them.

This old man displays a wide range of expressions and seems quite unrestrained in his words and actions, perhaps indicating a genuine mental instability. Youfang grows increasingly perplexed, even feeling a bit dizzy. He does not wish to continue entangling himself with the old man, yet it feels inappropriate to leave immediately. He can only furrow his brow and ask, "Which sect of the martial world do you belong to, esteemed elder?"

However, the old man's words were not yet finished. He looked at Youfang as if a gourmet were scrutinizing a dish, saying: "We are colleagues. At such a young age, you can serve as the chief inspector for Kuanghu, without revealing a single flaw. Your cunning and methods are exceptional, and your foundation is very solid. ... Let those like Kuanghu perish; after all, who knows whether the loss of a horse is a blessing in disguise? What is lost from the west wall may be gained from the east corner. You are younger than him, more talented, and possess the skills of the martial world. If you receive proper guidance under my tutelage, it is not impossible for you to become the next generation of earth masters ..."

When the sun rose, Youfang arrived at an intercity bus station and boarded a large bus heading to Qingxian County. Along a secluded street, there was a private guesthouse, which served as a lodging point for Kuanghu and Youfang in the area. Nowadays, many higher-end hotels have installed surveillance cameras and storage devices; they tried to leave as few traces as possible, so they chose this guesthouse.

You Fang was momentarily taken aback before realizing that the term "Di Shi" was an ancient honorific for geomancers. However, in contemporary times, it has become widely discredited, often representing the criticized superstitions and charlatans of feudal beliefs. He truly could not understand what the old man had to be proud of.

You Fang did not know whether to cry or laugh; this old man was truly not ordinary in his "casualness." He watched others commit murder and arson as if it were merely a play, and then chased for dozens of miles just to inform others that he had "set his sights" on them. From the old man's demeanor, it seemed he had already granted a tremendous favor, just waiting for You Fang to come forward and seek his approval.

Exaggeration? The old man displayed an angry expression, casting a sidelong glance at the traveler and questioning, "Who do you think I am?"

The old man shook his head: "They deserve to die, but that does not give you the right to kill at will. I see that your intention to take a life is not for financial gain, which is why you did not show yourself at the scene but have been following me to observe. Just now, I tested you a bit; you do not seem like a ruthless criminal, otherwise, you wouldn't have had the chance to prattle on until now. What enmity do you have with that group? Speak up."

You also know that those people deserve to die

The old man, with a serious expression, spoke earnestly: "Is it really that simple? Am I such a casual person? I do indeed see potential in you, but further observation and testing are necessary. It is not only about your talent and understanding, but also about your character and disposition. If you meet all my requirements, I will accept you as my disciple. Young man, cherish this opportunity well"

You Fang accompanied with caution and said: "I apologize for disappointing you, but there is no need to sigh. With your remarkable skills, you have plenty of options if you wish to find a successor. Why lament over such a person?"

Although your actions last night were clean and efficient, you also harmed your own essence, leaving too many flaws before me

The old man suddenly laughed again, a derisive laugh that seemed to exhale through his nostrils: "I am not a martial artist; the reason I know a bit of martial arts is merely for convenience while traversing the mountains and for self-defense. Do you think I am seeking a disciple to teach martial arts?"

It turns out that the true name of the mad fox is Li Qiuping. You Fang was slightly taken aback and asked, "Do you know him? What is your relationship with him?"

Some choices? The old man's tone suddenly became agitated, his expression not only one of desolation but also of sadness: "In the twenty-third year of the Republic, I was thirty-nine years old, and I took in my first disciple. That child was like my own son. Not long after, the Japanese invaders came, and he said that a good man should face the national crisis together. This was a noble act, of course I had to support him. I gave him many treasures for his protection, but fate played a cruel trick, and he later died on the battlefield.

The always-smiling old man sighed: "Ah, it doesn't really matter. I came here for Kuanghu. I originally had high hopes for this person's potential, believing he was someone worth nurturing, and I intended to take him as my disciple. However, to my dismay, I witnessed him fall into your hands."

The old man's expression darkened: "If you wish to associate with me, you must have the qualifications. I only said this because I see your rare talent. From what you imply, it seems you do not take me seriously, do you?"

Youfang quickly clasped his fists and said, "Very well, we shall discuss this further tomorrow. I will take my leave now!"

The old man shook his head and said: "Save him? In fact, I know he is not a good person. Not just not a good person; being executed ten times would be too lenient! The outcome he faces today is well-deserved."

The traveler clasped his hands and bowed, saying: "Esteemed elder, you may have misunderstood. Although I have studied some aspects of the rivers and mountains of the martial world, I have never truly believed in such practices, nor have I ever considered seeking a local master. Perhaps you should choose another worthy candidate. Furthermore, esteemed elder, your realm is profound, while I am indeed quite mediocre and unworthy of your attention"

You Fang quickly waved his hand and said, "Hold on, hold on. Are you implying that you want to take me as your disciple?"

The old man sighed deeply, his expression tinged with a hint of melancholy. With his hands behind his back, he looked up at the sky and muttered to himself: "I, an old man, wish to find a suitable successor to inherit my legacy. Is that an easy task? Talented individuals are hard to come by! ... The mad fox deserves to die, but since he has fallen into my hands, rather than kill him, I would prefer to make use of him. I want him to no longer be the mad fox, but to become the successor I hope for. If he cannot achieve this, I will treat him as you did, but before I could approach him, you had already taken action." The mad fox deserves to die, but since he has fallen into my hands, rather than kill him, I would prefer to make use of him. I want him to no longer be the mad fox, but to become the successor I hope for. If he cannot achieve this, I will treat him as you did, but before I could approach him, you had already taken action.

The old man's eyes glimmered with a hint of cunning amusement, much like a weasel that has spotted a chick: "Although I am not a police officer, witnessing you commit murder, I cannot simply turn a blind eye and let you go. At the very least, you must explain to me why. If your reasoning is sound, I may let you off the hook; if you are indeed guilty of a crime, then I will put an end to your skills."

As he spoke, the old man suddenly lunged forward, executing the same attack as before, extending his right arm with two fingers aimed at You Fang's eyes. This man was eccentric, always striking without warning; each of his moves was unpredictable. You Fang instinctively defended and counterattacked, but the old man's arm retracted as soon as it made contact, followed by a heavy stamp of his foot

In the thirty-third year of the Republic, I finally found another successor whom I took under my wing to impart all that I had learned throughout my life. However, after this child left the mountain and mingled with books, he unfortunately fell in with treacherous individuals and colluded with bandits to commit evil deeds. I personally took action to cleanse my ranks, and even sustained injuries myself. After the liberation, I taught a third disciple, believing that the legacy of my teachings would be secured for a lifetime. Yet later, he went to Tibet with the government to quell a rebellion and died in a clandestine power struggle.

He turned around, just about to sneak away, when the old man suddenly shouted: "Hold on!"

The old man did not become angry; instead, he looked at Youfang with great significance, as if he wanted to see through the young man before him. This gaze made Youfang feel uneasy. He then heard the old man ponder aloud: "Are you frightened by what I just said? My disciples have all met unfortunate ends, and you are worried about your future luck... I believe you should be fine. This time, I originally had my eye on Kuanghu. If anything unexpected happens, his death has already taken your place."

What astonished the wanderer even more was that the old man claimed to be thirty-nine years old in the twenty-third year of the Republic, which would mean he is one hundred and fifteen years old this year. From his appearance, there is no indication of this at all. Even if a martial artist has excellent internal cultivation that prolongs life, it is impossible for someone over a hundred years old to still be a formidable opponent to a young and accomplished martial artist.

Youfang could hardly believe it, almost thinking that the old man was mentally unstable, yet his martial arts skills were so impressive. He could only vaguely advise, "Elder, although your skills are exceptional, it shouldn't be so difficult to find a successor. Over the years, you have only chosen nine, and among them, there are even some scoundrels. To speak frankly, although I may not be as good as you now, with another twenty years of hard work, my skills may not be inferior to yours. You are exaggerating too much."

What just occurred was merely an illusion; the asphalt road beneath my feet had not moved at all, and there was no wind around, not even a speck of dust was stirred up. The most profound skills, as legend has it, can not only attack a person's body but also directly assault their mental consciousness. The wandering practitioner, despite their extraordinary abilities, suddenly experienced the illusion of the ground shaking, making it impossible to stand firm; this was truly an unprecedented encounter in their life

You Fang vigorously shook his head and, with a bitter smile, pleaded, "Elder, I truly have no aspirations in this regard. I am merely a small figure trying to make a living in the world, not worthy of your attention. Moreover, such matters require mutual consent; you cannot force me to become your disciple, can you? If there is nothing else, I must take my leave now."

You Yuan almost laughed out loud, but felt a deep bitterness inside. Is there really a quota for such things? However, it is hard to say about the matters of the world - in my hometown, there is a stretch of riverbank where the water is very clear and shallow, making it a great place for swimming and bathing in the summer. Yet, every year, exactly two people drown there. The local elders say that it is the King of Hell sending little ghosts to take people, with a quota of two each year

You Fang spoke while retreating, his gaze subtly shifting to the sides, intending to find an opportunity to slip away. Unexpectedly, the old man nodded generously and said, "Well, you do have a point. Since we have started, we should do it thoroughly. You may go, and we will find a place tomorrow to drink and chat."

The old man pointed and said: "It's just the mad fox. You've done everything to him, yet you still don't know his name?"

The old man snorted and said: "Who is forcing you? Do you think I would easily take you as my disciple? If you do not meet my requirements, you won't even get through the door! ... ... But do you think you can just leave so easily without giving an explanation?"

Then do you still value this disciple, old man?

Blackmail, it is indeed blackmail! You Fang's initial suspicion was not wrong; the old man had ulterior motives by seizing his weakness, but this matter was entirely unexpected. You Fang could only politely ask, "What do you wish for me to explain, sir?"

You looked around and saw that the sky was already brightening. In the distance, the figures of early-rising farmers could be faintly seen in the fields. With a bitter expression, he said: "We are all fellow travelers in the world. Since I have acted and you have witnessed it, I naturally need to explain myself to you, senior. ... ... But as you can see, I have just killed someone, the sky is about to brighten, and I still need to rush back to the city to handle the matter. Can we discuss this further when there is another opportunity?"

This old man is quite unfortunate; he has taken in eight apprentices, all of whom have died. By the time he had set his sights on the ninth, he had already been killed. If the legendary "crow's mouth" truly exists, then he must certainly have the eyes of a crow. Whoever he favors meets with misfortune, making him the undisputed master of calamity.

You quietly took two steps back, secretly circulating your internal energy and remaining vigilant. Without showing any signs, you asked: "Do you wish to take the mad fox as your disciple? Why did you not save him last night, but instead focused on me?"

Wandering Monk: "You are a highly skilled martial arts elder, is there any need to ask?"

You Fang quickly explained: "I wouldn't dare, but my aspirations do not lie here. I fear I may not pass your esteemed test, so it would be best not to waste time here." He had already been tormented enough by this eccentric old man, yet he did not dare to speak rudely.

You Fang turned around and asked, "Do you have any further instructions, senior?" At the same time, he thought to himself—after all, it won't be easy to evade this. The old man is surely going to inquire about my whereabouts and contact information. What kind of nonsense can I come up with to deal with this?

The old man seems to imply that he wants to take the mad fox away to "reform" him in order to inherit his legacy. However, when Youfang kills the mad fox, the old man clearly sees it but does not intervene; he merely expresses his lament.

He stood by the roadside, as several vehicles sped past on the national highway, causing a few tattered plastic bags to be lifted into the air, while the old man had already vanished without a trace. It seemed as if everything that had just occurred had never happened at all. You Fang was drenched in cold sweat, and he even felt uncertain whether that old man was a human or a ghost. You Fang did not believe in the existence of ghosts in this world, but if he were a human, it would be too bizarre to comprehend.

The old man's expression became quite smug, and within that smugness, there was even a hint of solemnity. He replied earnestly, "I am a contemporary master of the earth."

Did an earthquake occur? You Fang suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet shaking violently. The foundation of practicing internal martial arts begins with standing meditation; if the lower body is not stable, one cannot even think of sparring with a master. At this moment, You Fang was on the verge of falling to the ground, let alone launching a counterattack

In the following decades, I painstakingly found a few disciples whose talents could inherit my teachings, yet they all met unfortunate ends for various reasons. Kuanghu is already the ninth person I have set my sights on. Although I know this individual is not of good character, I still wish to give it a try, to see if I can persuade him to turn over a new leaf and inherit my legacy. This course of action is not my original intention, but rather a last resort, and to make matters worse, before I even approached him, he has already fallen into your hands

Unexpectedly, the old man did not ask how to find him, but instead shook his arm and said in a reprimanding tone: "Young man, do not be too arrogant. What you just said, 'Since ancient times, the fist fears the young and strong, I may be injured, but I can still drive you back.' Before I leave, let me show you the true skills of a contemporary master!"

Youfang believed he was calm enough, appearing composed and steady after the murder. However, after being stirred by the old man, he felt a sense of unease, as if he were neither here nor there. The old man left just like that, without even asking for contact information, which was truly uncharacteristic of a normal person—whoever he was, it was best to take this opportunity to make a quick escape

You Fang frowned: "Li Qiuping?"