Chapter 2, Pursuers

Gu Shenwei glanced at his sister Cuilan and said, "That makes sense. I will go. Who should I look for? The king?"

"Oh, are we heading west?" Cui Lan's in-laws are from the Central Plains, and her marriage was arranged since childhood; the wedding procession should be going east.

"Uncle Yang, please rise quickly. Saving just one brother means saving the entire Gu family. What crime is there in that?"

A man in black fell silently from his horse, while another let out a cry of despair. After swaying for a moment, he surprisingly did not fall off; instead, he clamped his legs together, bent his body low, and fled towards the west.

Yang Zheng did not continue the argument. In martial arts competitions, victories and defeats are often determined within a few moves, which can dictate life and death. A person who is defeated in one move may not be significantly inferior to one who wins with a single strike. Given a different time and place, the situation could easily be reversed. The subtleties involved are difficult to explain to outsiders. Although Gu Shenwei shares the surname Gu and has practiced the family martial arts for a considerable time, he has never truly entered the inner circle and is still considered an "outsider".

The young master of the Gu family rode his horse further and further away, gradually becoming a small black dot on the horizon. Cui Lan continued to watch her brother's figure until she suddenly sighed, "I hope the horse runs fast enough, and I hope he does not look back"

Hehejin is the internal skill passed down through the Gu family, traditionally transmitted from father to son, not to daughters, and focuses on internal rather than external techniques. Its power is immense and forms the foundation of Gu family martial arts. Yang Zheng, deeply trusted by Gu Lun, did not receive this teaching.

There were a total of three individuals, all dressed in black, who stopped their horses about twenty paces away and simultaneously drew their waist knives

At that moment, the sound of urgent hoofbeats could be faintly heard from behind

Gu Shenwei began practicing harmony and strength at a young age, and after nearly ten years, he remains stuck at the first level of entry, setting a record for the slowest training speed among the descendants of the Gu family.

The one who almost escaped

The remaining two men in black exchanged glances, each raised their knives, and simultaneously urged their horses to attack, one from the left and the other from the right, intending to encircle their target.

The Gu family emphasizes the principle of "mastering both sword and spear." One should first practice the sword and then the spear. Yang Zheng is particularly skilled in spear techniques; even when facing three opponents, he shows no fear whatsoever

Yang Zheng dismounted and listened carefully for a moment. He unfastened his usual long spear from the right side of the horse, standing in the middle of the dirt road, his white hair flowing, exuding an imposing presence

Gu Shenwei jumped onto the horse, and all the fatigue of the entire day vanished without a trace. He flashed a brilliant smile at his sister, saying, "Wait for me to bring back reinforcements!"

The old servant Yang Zheng led the way, and a group of five took advantage of the night to first pass through a grassy area, then climb over a small hill, and turn onto the only dirt road near the manor. The lush grass disappeared without a trace, and in just one step, they entered a completely different world, filled with hard soil and gravel. The young scholar Mingxiang let out a fearful groan.

The man in black on the left charged forward, brandishing his sword.

"Who?" Gu Shenwei asked in surprise

The only thing that displeased Gu Shenwei was that Yang Zheng confiscated his short sword, claiming that he would not need it on the journey. "Traveling westward at a fast pace, you can reach Shule City in a day and a night."

Yang Zheng fired two shots in quick succession, as if he had simultaneously hit two individuals.

Gu Shenwei, however, excitedly took two steps forward. He had never considered his master's martial arts to be particularly formidable, especially having had many criticisms regarding the family's spear technique. Day after day, he had been poking and prodding, and for many years, Yang Zheng had not practiced any other techniques. Unexpectedly, such a simple poke possessed such power, causing the young master to view both his master and the family spear technique with newfound respect.

Yang Zheng turned around, raised the gun with one hand, aimed for a moment, and then forcefully threw it. The long spear, over one zhang in length, shot out straight, as steady and swift as a javelin

He possesses excellent martial arts skills

He? I find him quite ordinary; without even using a single move, he was shot through by you, Master, leaving him feeling utterly disheartened. No, his martial arts are indeed impressive in the *books*, but our Gu family's spear techniques are even more formidable, aren't they

Gu Shenwei shook his short sword in dissatisfaction, still hoping to earn a chance to kill the enemy. At that moment, he noticed a cloud of dust rising in the distance; the pursuers had arrived

Two men in black arrived.

Good.

"Every day, shoot at the target five hundred times. After three years, you will achieve a small level of proficiency. Then, shoot one thousand times daily and persist for ten years, and your marksmanship will be perfected"

Gu Shenwei stood up and was about to mount the horse, but Yang Zheng pulled him back, saying, "Change your clothes with Mingxiang; what you are wearing is not suitable for riding a fast horse"

Gu Shenwei was caught in a state between dreams and wakefulness, the journey through the night, his sister's marriage, the short sword at his waist—all felt so unreal. It was not until the sky began to lighten that he finally awoke, surprised to find that the sunlight was streaming in from behind him

"Young Master Huan, there is a rather important task. I wonder if you would be willing to undertake it?" Only Yang Zheng of the Gu family addresses Gu Shen as "Young Master Huan"

The more formally Yang Zheng arranged things, the more excited Gu Shenwei became, while Mingxiang was somewhat reluctant, being forcibly taken away by the young master to exchange their garments.

However, there are many of them, and there are only the two of us, making it very difficult to ensure the young lady's safety

"Miss, please forgive me. The old servant has pondered deeply, but can only save one person." Yang Zheng knelt on one knee, his voice filled with sorrow

The other two men in black involuntarily urged their horses to step back two paces

Gu Shenwei was somewhat dismissive of Master Yang's excessive caution. Master Yang not only learned marksmanship from his father but also inherited his rigid personality. With three corpses laid out on the main road, who would dare to pursue any further

There may be more robbers coming after us

Due to the presence of two young girls, the group was moving slowly. The midday sun was scorching, yet Yang Zheng showed no intention of stopping to rest. Cui Lan and the maid were already swaying a bit but both endured without saying a word. Gu Shen, feeling sorry for his sister, found it increasingly difficult to withstand the direct exposure to the sun and loudly demanded to have water and food.

"Are you willing, willing? Is it related to killing robbers?" Gu Shenwei exclaimed excitedly as he jumped up.

This strike is both simple and unadorned, lacking any tricks, and it does not appear to possess much force; it seems even a child could evade it. Yet, the man in black fails to react in time, taking the blow to his chest, and falls to the ground along with his sword, unable to utter a sound. The horse beneath him continues to run for a while before inexplicably coming to a stop.

Yang Zheng once again used the gun barrel to push the young master behind him, still with his legs slightly bent and the long gun pointed forward, as if this was the only move he knew

After discussing a time period, Gu Shenwei's enthusiasm waned, but Yang Zheng suddenly said:

The master takes down one with a single shot, while I... take down one with two swords, eliminating them all.

Well, however, this matter is not easy to accomplish, Young Master Huan need not force himself

Yang Zheng responded vaguely with a sound of acknowledgment, as if the young master's question was not worth answering. After a while, he said: "Let us first go to Shule City, where there are officials and soldiers to escort us"

After walking for a while, as the sky grew darker, Yang Zheng finally agreed to stop and rest. There were no villages or shops in sight, and what he called a rest was merely sitting briefly on a stone by the roadside

Although she is only three years older, Cuilan cares for this mischievous younger brother as if she were his mother

Miss Cuilan sat upright on the horse, seemingly having no objections to this arrangement. Gu Shenwei regained his vitality and rode alongside his sister, chattering about the interesting things they might see upon reaching Shule City. He drew his short sword and waved it around in a somewhat pretentious manner. Cuilan spoke little, and when she did, it was only to advise her brother to be cautious.

"Shule City?" Gu Shenwei exclaimed in surprise. The Shule Kingdom is the largest nation in the Western Regions. Strictly speaking, the Gu family's estate is located within its borders. Its capital covers a vast area and has a dense population, making it one of the most prosperous places in the Western Regions. Gu Shenwei had heard of its fame long ago, and although he had moved to this area for more than two years, he had never seen it with his own eyes.

For this reason, Yang Zheng is unwaveringly loyal to the Gu family; as long as he is present, he will never allow anyone to harm the young master and young lady

Yang Zheng held a long spear, its tip angled upward. With his legs apart and slightly crouched, he resembled a farmer wielding a hoe or pickaxe, standing against an approaching wolf.

The man in black approached, raising his sword high in the air, ready to strike down fiercely, when Yang Zheng suddenly thrust his spear forward.

Master Yang!" Gu Shenwei exclaimed with both surprise and admiration, "Please teach me the art of marksmanship!"

Gu Lun once held a high official position in the Central Plains, and Gu Shen did not find it strange at all that the Shule Kingdom sent troops for escort; he only felt that his own arrangements were somewhat lacking in grandeur

Sister, do not be afraid, I am here to fight the robbers

The person in black said, "The Gu family must return home," his voice cold and hard like a rusted iron block

I want you to hasten and bring reinforcements from Shule City

No, you go to Shule City to find General Yang, and just say that Yang Zheng is asking for him; he will understand.

The young scholar Mingxiang and the maid Juxiang exchanged glances, unsure of what Miss Bai was saying, yet feeling a deep sense of unease in their hearts

"The nameless should roll back to their hometown." Yang Zheng raised his long gun

The five continued on their way. Gu Shenwei was very interested in the origins of the bandits, while Yang Zheng remained silent. Thus, he had to engage in an enthusiastic discussion with the young scholar Mingxiang. Sister Cuilan and the maid Juxiang gradually recovered from their fright and occasionally chimed in.

Thirty steps away, the man in black was pierced through the chest by a long spear, falling to the ground like a rag doll

Everyone else consciously stepped aside to the roadside, but only Gu Shenwei's eyes lit up as he jumped off his horse, drew his short sword, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yang Zheng

"Do not block my way." Yang Zhengheng raised his spear and pushed the young master aside with the shaft of the gun. He held a high position in the Gu family; apart from the master Gu Lun, he was not courteous to anyone, especially since Gu Shenwei was nominally still his disciple

Yang Zheng's expression changed slightly; although the young lady was of tender age and gentle disposition, she possessed considerable insight, having observed many matters and understood them to a significant extent.

Only Lord Gu Lun can understand his thoughts, after all, this set of gun techniques was taught to Yang Zheng by Gu Lun. Gu Lun often sighs, saying that the spear techniques in the Gu family's "Double Excellence" can only be inherited by those with a different surname.

Hehe

Gu Shen stepped forward, wanting to test the power of his short sword. In fact, he had never learned swordsmanship; he had only practiced a few sets of knife techniques absentmindedly. To him, there was no difference between using a sword and using a knife

Then it would be better to practice "Harmony and Strength"; after ten years, one will be even more formidable

"Well, that works too." Yang Zheng walked over to the corpse, drew his long gun, wiped off the blood from the black-clad figure, mounted his horse, and continued on his way. He paid no heed to the young master's enthusiasm, treating it just like the three corpses abandoned on the road.

Yang Zheng took a few bites hastily, frequently glancing towards the east, while maintaining a full measure of vigilance

Rescue troops? Didn't the bandit die?

"The more difficult, the better," Gu Shenwei said proudly, gripping the hilt of the sword

Sometimes, a single move is sufficient. Yang Zheng has immersed himself in Gu's spear technique for decades, practicing at least one thousand thrusts every day, regardless of the weather, without interruption. To others, this may seem like an ordinary thrust, but in his heart, it embodies the essence of countless techniques, a single move countering myriad moves. The more he practices, the more wondrous and boundless it becomes, with nuances that are difficult to articulate

After a day of rushing about, Gu Shenwei was already exhausted, leaning against his sister. Mingxiang and Juxiang took out food and water from the package, serving their master during the meal

At this moment, he remained so innocent, not questioning the details, and even failing to consider that he had brought nothing with him, leaving him to ponder how to address the issues of food and drink along the way