Chapter 32 – Uncompromising (1/2)
Grandpa Zang showed much admiration. Many of the mountain villages were the same as the Ginseng King village, especially the hunting villages. After all, hunting people was much easier than hunting beasts. Coming across a lone traveller, taking them out with a single arrow and taking their things was simply too easy.
Ever since Huang Binghu became the leader of the Drawn Reins village, he restrained the villagers strictly, so this had never happened.
On the mountain path, the black ox said to Li Qingshan, “With how you gave away the spiritual wine, there are at least two people who managed to tell you possess the spiritual ginseng.”
Li Qingshan said, “I know!”
“It’s very likely for them to turn against you such that you will remain in the Drawn Reins village forever.”
“I know that as well.” As a person of two lives, Li Qingshan was not an ignorant teenager. He did know about the many dark sides to human nature.
“However, I’m willing to take that risk. Living in the world, if you always have to be careful, untrusting of others, untrusting of yourself, what’s the point to it all even if you achieve supreme abilities?”
He already possessed some estimate of his personal strength. He was confident that even in the worst-case scenario, he could kill his way out. And, he believed that his strength could act as a deterrent to others.
I receive them so enthusiastically while I silently press against my sword. Would you call that being mature?
Li Qingshan sighed slightly inside. He gently rubbed the wooden tablet with the two words, ‘south’ and ‘An’, carved into it. At least, there was still a person, er, ghost he could wholeheartedly trust and believe in.
He travelled along the rugged mountain path slowly. The maple trees along the way were as vibrant as fire, ranging from red, orange, yellow, and green. It was beautiful.
Li Qingshan produced his reed flute again and began playing it. The clear flute sound rang through the autumn mountains.
“You still can’t find it?” The young man regarded as ‘young master’ by all the swordsmen asked rather anxiously. He had led a group of people to search Bailao peak for many days now. He even expanded the range, but he did not even catch a glimpse of the spiritual ginseng.
“Young master, we’ve already trampled the Ginseng King village. The spiritual ginseng definitely isn’t in there. They said that the Drawn Reins village must have it. Should we trample the Drawn Reins village as well?” a swordsman asked.
Not a single person from the jianghu dared to take bows or crossbows lightly. Even first-rate masters would suffer in the face of a wave of arrows.
“Wise be the young master. It looks like we can only wait until the next full moon.”
The young master felt rather proud of himself as well. Suddenly, he heard something. “What’s that sound?”
“Seems like a flute.”
“A flute? The closest places to here are only the Ginseng King village and the Drawn Reins village. Let’s go take a look.”
The black ox suddenly stopped. Li Qingshan also saw them using his superior senses. There were over a dozen people, stepping on treetops and boulders lightly as they made their way over from the distance. Every single one of them carried a treasured sword. They were extremely elegant.
“Are those movement techniques?” Li Qingshan sighed in surprise before immediately thinking of the person that Xiao An had mentioned, causing him to raise his vigilance. However, he should have been quite far away from Bailao peak.
The young master arrived before Li Qingshan first, and his subordinates all praised loudly, “Impressive movement technique, young master!”
Li Qingshan saw the young master. He had red lips and white teeth, quite a handsome appearance. After being praised by his subordinates, he smiled arrogantly. If it were not for the calluses on his sword-wielding hand, he would seem like the son of a noble.