Chapter Nine, In the Forest

Zhou Zishu was the first to avert his gaze and said, "I am merely a passerby; why does everyone keep staring at me?"

Zhou Zishu hesitated for a moment, but ultimately flew towards the direction from which the voice came, saying helplessly: "Brother Wen, eye ailments are a serious matter; it is only reasonable to find a doctor as soon as possible"

By evening, Zhou Zishu's face had already become somewhat stiff from smiling. After rubbing it for a while, he managed to restore it. He deeply felt that if this continued, he might be at risk of a stroke, so he decided to leave

Wen Kexing seemed to casually encounter an old friend on a sunny spring day, leisurely and slowly saying: "Since that is the case, the scenery of Taihu Lake is renowned far and wide. Why does Brother Zhao not stay a little longer at the Zhao family, and why the rush to be on the road?"

For instance, the most renowned young hero at present, Yu Tianjie, is said to have had an affair with a girl from the Emei sect. Afterward, he abandoned her, leaving the girl to take her own life in her room while carrying a three-month-old fetus. Of course, that girl, deeply in love, never revealed the identity of her seducer.

"Cultivating virtue and doing good deeds." Wen Kexing repeated this, nodding in agreement, "Indeed, Brother Zhou is truly a like-minded person. Those who have always shared my ideals are beautiful individuals, which shows that..."

Even the "Lord Zhou" is merely a nominal minor general, responsible for the scheduling of the imperial guards. In the eyes of those prominent figures, he is a character worth currying favor with, yet not someone to be taken seriously.

Zhou Zishu turned around to prepare to listen to his profound discourse

Only listening to Wen Kexing's high-minded discourse: "Is this Master Mu here to pick flowers?"

Otherwise, they are not of my kind, and their character remains to be assessed over the long term

Wen Kexing looked at him meaningfully and said: "The ancient monk does not inquire about worldly affairs, only seeking to cultivate immortality. It is said that the Poison King has already entered the Jianghu, making his traces hard to find. As for the Ghost Lord, I have not seen him, only knowing that he is a secretive figure... Whether he can be considered human is still up for debate"

On this night, the moon was in its last quarter phase. At midnight, Zhou Zishu suddenly opened his eyes. He had lain down before it was dark, and at this moment, the pain from his seven orifices and three autumn nails began to manifest, though it was not severe. Having conserved his energy for a long time, he paid little attention to that slight discomfort

The two individuals moved at an astonishing pace, and in the blink of an eye, they had entered the depths of the dense forest, where they then came upon a corpse

Wen Kexing also approached, rubbing his chin with great interest, and asked: "On a moonlit night, in night travel attire, could it be that..."

He stood up, hesitated for a moment, feeling that leaving without saying goodbye was rather impolite, so he left two notes, one for Zhang Chengling, inscribed: The green mountains remain unchanged, and the clear waters flow on. After finishing, he felt quite pleased, realizing that he was increasingly embodying the demeanor of a person from the martial world. Then he unfolded another note, leaving a message for Zhao Jing: Thank you for your hospitality.

Zhao Jing squinted his eyes, stroked his beard, and offered a few more words of comfort before asking Zhang Chengling to go down and rest

There were no traces of blood on Mu Yun'ge's body, yet his lips appeared somewhat pale. Zhou Zishu pondered for a moment and gently opened his collar, only to find a dark handprint distinctly imprinted on the man's chest

That person was actually dressed in a night suit, and the mask covering his face had already fallen to one side, his eyes wide open, and his deathly expression was extremely grim. Zhou Zishu took a distant glance and felt that this person looked very familiar, so he bent down to take a closer look and couldn't help but frown, saying: "Isn't this... the hero Mu, the master of the Broken Sword Villa?"

Zhou Zishu was well aware of the true nature of these individuals, which piqued his interest even further. Moreover, unable to resist Zhang Chengling's pleas, he agreed to stay at the Zhao family residence for one night

Oh, Master Sun, it is an honor to finally meet you in person after hearing so much about you. It is indeed a rare fortune to see you, as seeing is more valuable than hearing a hundred times. You may not have heard of me, and that is to be expected, for I am merely an unknown individual, not worth mentioning.

Zhou Zishu very much hoped that he would no longer need to use those increasingly poor eyes

Upon hearing him say "therefore it can be seen," Zhou Zishu felt a nerve in his temple throb violently. Just as he was about to interrupt, suddenly, a distant scream echoed from the forest behind Wen Kexing.

That person claims to be from one of the Eight Great Sects, saying that so-and-so is their master. Then that person can say, "Oh, I have long admired you. I am a disciple of my respected master's junior, and we have had a good relationship in the past." This is how connections are made.

Wen Kexing followed closely behind, while Zhou Zishu's lightness skill had almost reached the level of leaving no trace on the snow. However, this person seemed to effortlessly maintain a distance of about three feet from him. Generally, at this moment, one would refrain from speaking to avoid depleting their vital energy, yet he casually replied, "Indeed, Brother Zhou makes a valid point. If there is an opportunity, I must visit a few renowned doctors to receive proper treatment. I am still not old, yet my eyesight has increasingly worsened. I have not even been able to discern the flaws on Brother Zhou's face until now. I feel quite ashamed."

Upon seeing Zhou Zishu, his head seemed to split into two. He saw Wen Kexing smilingly clasping his fists and saying: "Oh, Brother Zhou, what a coincidence! It seems that our fates are quite intertwined. We have met several times under the moonlight, truly a case of mutual understanding."

Oh, Hero Li, it is an honor to finally meet you in person after hearing so much about you; seeing you in the flesh is indeed a rare fortune. However, I must clarify that I have no personal acquaintance with the esteemed Hero Li; I merely acted to assist when I witnessed injustice. As for any sect affiliation, I have none; I am but a nameless individual, hardly worth mentioning, hardly worth mentioning.

For instance, Zhou Zishu is aware that the chivalrous swordsman Qiu Shan, Zhao Jing, was once expelled from his home in his youth, leading to a life of poverty. In pursuit of bounty, he engaged in activities similar to those of the enchanting Qin Song. It was not until he turned twenty-seven that he reverted to his original name, Zhao Jing, and married the only daughter of the Feng family from Taihu, thereby rising to prominence through connections. He also secretly hunted down those who were aware of his past, which ultimately led the Zhao family to accept him back.

Both individuals paused simultaneously

Zhou Zishu's smile froze on his face as he stared at Wen Kexing. After a long while, he finally said: "If a mere nobody like myself were also a significant figure, then what would become of the ancient monk of Changming Mountain, the Poison King of Nanhai Guanyin Temple, and the Ghost Lord of Qingzhu Ridge?"

Zhou Zishu said: "The scenery of Taihu Lake, I have already experienced a bit, so I will not trouble you further, for fear that it may cause quite a bit of inconvenience to you, Hero Zhao. I, Zhou, am merely a small figure with little capability, and I have no significant connection with Hero Zhao. However, the favor of two taels of silver does not warrant sharing life and death with them"

On that day, two people were arranged to stay. After bathing, changing clothes, and having a hearty meal, Zhao Jing called Zhang Chengling to the study to hear in detail what had actually happened.

Before Zhou Zishu arrived at Taihu, he still had some anticipation to see with his own eyes this renowned figure in the martial arts world, whose name he had only heard but had not yet had the chance to behold in person. This was especially true since he had heard that the only son of the Huashan Sect leader, the young hero Yu Tianjie, the master of Duanjian Villa Mu Yunge, and the one-eyed hero Jiang Che were also at the Zhao family.

Then, Wen Kexing pointed behind him and asked, "Do you see? Like-minded individuals, the opportunity to accumulate virtue and do good has come again"

A small raccoon is quietly walking along the tiles on the roof. It suddenly notices a shadow passing by in front of it, halting in its tracks, wide-eyed and scanning the surroundings. However, seeing nothing, it tilts its head in confusion and then runs towards the kitchen.

The identities and backgrounds of these individuals are as familiar to Zhou Zishu as the back of his hand. To prevent any potential offenders, there is a separate storage room in the skylight. All notable figures in the martial world over the past fifty years, along with their significant life events, are fully documented therein

However, after just over ten days of interaction, Zhou Zishu has come to understand this child Zhang Chengling a bit. He knows that although Zhang has grown up pampered and is somewhat inept, he is still a good child with a decent heart and can endure hardship, though he is a bit simple-minded. It is likely that he was called by that old fox Zhao Jing for a conversation, and with just a few words, he could sell himself out completely—yet he probably remains unaware of it.

Zhao Jing of Taihu, known as the Autumn Mountain Swordsman, is a renowned hero of his generation

He had no choice but to engage in the business of receiving and sending off guests

Zhou Zishu quietly left Zhao's villa, believing that he had not disturbed anyone. Little did he know that just under a mile away, in a small grove outside Zhao's villa, there was someone who seemed to have anticipated his departure and was already waiting for him.

Oh, Master Qian, it is an honor to finally meet you in person after hearing so much about you. Seeing you in person is indeed a rare fortune, as hearing about you a hundred times is not as good as seeing you once... As for my background? I am merely a beggar, what significance does my background hold? No, no, no, I am not from the Beggar's Sect; I cannot aspire to that level... Just an unnamed soldier, that's all...

He tilted his head but did not see Gu Xiang, so he smiled and asked, "Why is Miss Gu not here?"

Zhang Chengling honestly recounted the events that took place in the dilapidated temple that day

Indeed, starting from the early morning of the second day, Zhou Zishu suddenly became the most sought-after figure in the newly established Zhao Family Village by Taihu, with visitors arriving in an endless stream even before he had stepped out of his own courtyard

Pressed under the teapot, it floated lightly up to the roof

In their relentless pursuit of others' private matters, the heroes of the martial world are remarkably similar to the gossiping women of the marketplace, eager to squeeze their heads through the cracks of doors, blinking their fiery golden eyes, determined to see through the facade of whoever is hiding beneath a human guise.

Zhou Zishu turned his head back expressionlessly, feeling that his self-control was quite good

Oh, Hero Zhao, I have long admired you and feel fortunate to finally see your true self, as seeing is indeed better than hearing a hundred times... As for my humble origins, I am merely an unnamed individual, not worth mentioning

Zhao Jing, regardless of his past actions, truly possesses a certain chivalrous demeanor at present. He does not look down on Zhou Zishu at all, despite the latter's disheveled appearance and the way he sways as he walks. After all, Zhao Jing has some insight; upon hearing Zhang Chengling's lamentations, he quickly understands the hardships of the journey. Thus, he naturally begins to harbor suspicions about Zhou Zishu's background.

Zhang Chengling is a child, and having finally seen his relatives, he naturally speaks freely. Many things he understands only partially, but Zhao Jing, upon hearing this, feels a chill of fear. After pondering for a long time, he cannot help but ask: "So... who is that hero Zhou? Do you know anything about him?"

Wen Kexing said very directly: "That girl is a hindrance, and her pace is slow. With her following me, I fear I won't be able to meet you, this elusive... great figure."

Just thinking about it, knowing oneself but not knowing the other, the rationality and self-control of the former leader of the Skylight would never allow for such unreliable actions

Zhou Zishu also smiled and said, "What a coincidence, Brother Wen"

During the day, he lingered in his room, talking nonsense for a good half an hour. Unexpectedly, at night, he became a night owl just like him, and unfortunately turned into a dead night owl.

A secret smile crossed my mind—whether it is Zhou Xu or Zhou Zishu, they have remained invisible all these years. Perhaps those who are well-informed and have extensive connections are vaguely aware of a group known as "Tian Chuang," but no one would ever know who the leader of Tian Chuang is

The heart's path—what a clever ghost, the plague god

He paused for a moment and added, "Escorting Young Master Zhang is merely an act of accumulating virtue and doing good deeds. If, a hundred years from now, I meet the King of Hell and suffer less from skinning and muscle extraction, I would be content.

Subsequently, the two exchanged a knowing smile, each harboring their own ulterior motives