Chapter Seventeen: The Fallen Man in Black

As soon as he leapt in, the bearded man hidden atop the beam prepared to strike. The leader, who had just bent down to search for something, felt a surge of force pulling at his back before he could even touch his target. He had only begun to resist when his black robe was yanked upward, and he was hurled into the air, then crashed heavily to the ground, carried by a fierce wind.

The Absorb-and-Blow Palm—a technique most commonly practiced by those at the early stages of Qi cultivation—was originally devised for retrieving objects from a distance. Later, when its destructive power became apparent, it quickly circulated among countless practitioners, becoming the most popular technique in the Qi cultivation realm.

After being struck by the absorption, the black-clad assailant’s spiritual energy scattered chaotically. Then, as the force of the blow followed, he was flung down from the heights and smashed into the ground, suffering injuries so severe that he was either dead or gravely wounded.

The battered figure struggled to his feet and fled, dragging his mangled body, barely able to crawl away. The bearded man ignored him, turning instead to use the Absorb-and-Blow Palm on the two others on the ground. With only second-level Qi cultivation, they held out for but a moment before being sucked toward him. The following blast sent them crashing into a wall, which cracked open under the impact—though the two men still clung to life.

The bearded man gave chase, his actions by now disturbing the guests resting in the inn. Soon, a crowd gathered, for the commotion had blown right through the wall and into the main hall.

The injured black-clad man stumbled forward, intent on finding a place to hide. He darted his eyes around in panic, then spotted a haystack ahead. His eyes brightened; he dashed over, dug a hole, and burrowed inside.

Dao Sansheng, hearing the ruckus, saw the black-clad man just as he was crawling into the haystack. Without hesitation, Dao Sansheng drew a dagger and plunged it into his back. The black-clad man struggled weakly for a moment, then lay still.

With a nudge of his foot, Dao Sansheng turned the body over. He felt for a pulse—there was none. The man was dead. Three storage pouches tumbled from the corpse’s cloak. Dao Sansheng had no time to inspect them; hearing voices approaching, he grabbed the pouches, kicked the body deeper into the haystack, rolled to the doorway, closed the door behind him, and finally exhaled—a racing heart betraying his nerves after his first time committing such an act.

“We’ll split up and search. That fellow’s wounded, he can’t have gotten far.” Dao Sansheng realized the searchers had arrived and would soon be on his trail.

He knew he was now a suspect. Swiftly, he tucked the storage pouches into his hair tie, changed his clothes for another set, and sat cross-legged on the bed, feigning meditation, as though uninvolved in any of the night’s events.

“He’s here! Over here!” someone shouted as a group clustered around the haystack. “Our gifts have been stolen! The wedding presents were stolen, too…” The crowd erupted into a noisy commotion.

The dead man was dragged from the haystack, bloodied, his body still bleeding from several wounds, his face so battered it was unrecognizable. Dawn was breaking, and the inn’s attendants hurried to the scene. At last, someone stepped forward from the crowd.

“Honored elders, I was robbed last night. I request permission to search the body of this thief—does anyone object?” No one did. In fact, several others also stepped up, eager to recover their stolen belongings.

The body was turned inside out, but aside from a few common items, nothing of value was found. With nothing more to see, most began to drift away—until the youth who had just searched the corpse stopped them.

“I am the youngest son of the Wu family from Flying Immortal Town. Our family’s treasured gift for the virtuous Master Li has been stolen. I ask for your cooperation. My deepest thanks.” The young man bowed respectfully.

At some point, Dao Sansheng had blended into the crowd, standing beside Xue’er. The bearded man approached and greeted him.

“Thank you, young master, for your warning last night. Had it not been for you, disaster would have struck.”

Dao Sansheng nodded with a faint smile. The fat man nearby still seemed confused.

“Young Master Wu, you can’t make things difficult for us. We’re all here to deliver wedding gifts to Master Li. If you keep delaying us, we’ll miss the auspicious hour.”

The others echoed his words, agreeing that the man had a point—after all, they were pressed for time. There was little point in arriving late to a wedding.

Hearing this, Young Master Wu could only give up. The carriages were readied and everyone boarded. The bearded man checked the vehicles and prepared to depart when Wu blocked their way.

“I heard you have a boy in his teens with you. The innkeeper mentioned he stayed in the hayloft last night, not far from where the thief died. We’d like to have a word with him.” Wu explained his intentions.

Before Xue’er could reply, the bearded man stepped in. “Young Master Wu, are you suggesting we’re in league with thieves? If young master Dao hadn’t raised the alarm last night, my brothers and I would be dead. If you want to trouble the boy, you’ll have to go through me first.”

Wu’s face reddened with anger. Pointing at the carriage, he shouted, “This isn’t over! When we reach the Li residence, I’ll expose your true colors!” With that, he stormed off.

The carriage rolled on. The bearded man remarked that after a day’s journey, they’d reach the county seat by nightfall. With Master Li’s wedding approaching, the line of guests bearing gifts stretched from the residence gate to the town entrance—a testament to Master Li’s wide network of friends and his reputation for kindness.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, the carriage halted before the city gates. The words “Chichi County” were emblazoned above the entrance—though the walls were not high, they were imposing.

A long queue had formed at the gate, most of them bearing gifts, and it looked like a long wait. An hour passed before Dao Sansheng’s party finally entered the city as night fell. The bearded man searched several inns for rooms, but each was full. As they reached the end of the main street, it seemed they might have to sleep outdoors.

There were still two inns ahead. The bearded man entered, and this time, both Xue’er and Dao Sansheng followed.

Inside, the attendant was welcoming to the guests, but upon hearing their request for rooms, his expression turned apologetic.

“We have only three rooms left, honored guests. I’m afraid that won’t be enough.”

“It’s fine, you all stay here. Dao Sansheng and I will go for a stroll. I haven’t been here in ages, and I have a place to stay,” Xue’er declared, not caring about the others, and dragged Dao Sansheng out with her.

The two walked down the broad main street of Chichi County, where the variety of street food surpassed even their hometown. Xue’er dragged Dao Sansheng from stall to stall, weaving through the throngs, delighting in each treat. Meanwhile, Dao Sansheng could feel his heart bleed—half the private savings left by his foster parents had vanished into Xue’er’s stomach.

She then pulled him into a cloth shop. “We have fine fabrics, miss. Feel free to try them. We also have ready-made clothes over here,” the shopkeeper said.

Xue’er could not resist, touching and admiring the fabrics over and over.

“These are the finest silks, just arrived. If you don’t buy them now, they’ll be gone soon. You should try one on—it would look wonderful on you. With such looks, you’re a rarity in all of Chichi County,” the shopkeeper’s wife coaxed sweetly, making Dao Sansheng grit his teeth in frustration.

Seeing Xue’er on the verge of buying, Dao Sansheng stepped over. “Do you like it? Do you want to buy it?”

Xue’er nodded eagerly, so fast she was almost pecking like a chick.

“Alright, if you behave, I’ll buy it for you.”

Her face lit up, bouncing with excitement. “I’ll be good, I’ll be good!” she chirped.

“If you behave, we won’t buy it,” Dao Sansheng replied slyly. At once, her face fell.

He pinched her cheek gently. “Silly girl, those who truly care for you will always walk by your side, from the beginning to the end. The ones who buy you things are only after your affection.”

Xue’er nodded earnestly, following him out of the shop, as the shopkeeper’s wife stared after them in wonder.