The Reticent Blade

Xue Qiming remembered what the old monk had told him the first time he asked about their martial art.

Back then, the old monk had said, "This style of mine requires an exceptional physique. Without a body of superior bones and muscles, practicing it is no different from seeking death. Finding someone truly suited to inherit my legacy... Now that's the real challenge."

Xue Qiming snickered. "Isn't that the truth? Who in their right mind would willingly become a monk under you?"

The old monk shot him a glare. "Are you listening or not?"

"Alright, alright, go on..." Xue Qiming waved his hand dismissively.

The old monk took a sip of tea before continuing, "There aren't many born with iron-like bones and innate strength, but they do exist. However, most of them aren't suited for martial arts."

"Why not?"

The old monk sighed.

"Because... the heavens have their own balance. These people are blessed with extraordinary gifts, making them far stronger than others from birth. But heaven is fair—it takes away from them in other ways. Some are blind, some deaf, some crippled. As for the most common flaw? They're missing a piece of their mind."

"Missing a piece of their mind?" Xue Qiming tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

The old monk tapped Xue Qiming's forehead. "They're idiots."

"You're the damn idiot!" Xue Qiming had roared in anger.

The old monk smacked him on the back of the head.

"I'm saying those people are idiots, idiot!"

"Oh..." Xue Qiming had grumbled, rubbing his head.

The old monk shook his head and said, "That's why finding someone who can learn my martial art is near impossible. Even calling them one in ten thousand wouldn't be an exaggeration. They must be born with incredible physical strength and, more importantly, possess an awakened mind from the start."

Xue Qiming's eyes had lit up. Excited, he had declared, "I knew it! I'm no ordinary man!"

"Keep dreaming." The old monk had shot him a look. "You were just some little beggar. I took you up the mountain to become my attendant, not my disciple."

Xue Qiming spat on the ground. "I never acknowledged you as my master either!"

The old monk had only chuckled, shaking his head.

After a long silence, the old monk spoke again, "Someday, you might come across these naturally gifted ones. Remember this—these people are born with heaven-given physiques. Unless you've refined your bones through martial cultivation, never face them head-on. Otherwise, you'll suffer greatly."

Xue Qiming sneered.

"If one of them dares to come at me, I'll beat him to death."

***

"Heaven-given physique,huh?"

In the flickering firelight, Xue Qiming's expression shifted between light and shadow. He licked his lips.

"I'd like to see if they're really as formidable as the old monk claimed."

"Hey!" The so-called idiot, Han Niu, called out to Xue Qiming. "I'm gonna catch you now!"

Xue Qiming exhaled, shaking his head with a smile. "What an idiot."

Xue Qiming suddenly realized he shouldn't have said that. The moment the words left his mouth, Han Niu flew into a rage.

"I'm not an idiot!" he yelled, then charged straight at Xue Qiming with thunderous steps!

"Good timing!" Xue Qiming bellowed, tossing the gourd to the ground and raising his arms to meet Han Niu's charge head-on.

Boom!

Their palms collided, and the two locked hands in a fierce grip.

"Don't try to fight me!" Han Niu bellowed wildly, almost like a wild beast.

He followed with a heavy stomp, slamming his foot into Xue Qiming's abdomen.

Boom!

A blurred shadow streaked through the air as Xue Qiming was sent flying, crashing into a pile of shattered bricks and debris.

Han Niu charged forward like a rampaging rhinoceros, his heavy footsteps pounding against the ground. He reached Xue Qiming in an instant and raised his foot high to stomp down.

Meanwhile, Zhang Dongyun and his men had already begun to look victorious. He murmured, "So we finally had to use that idiot. Originally, he was our backup Xue Yinlong faked his death, but it looks like he's more useful against this brat."

Old Eight nodded in agreement. "The kid isn't that old, but his skills are no joke. If we don't get rid of him now, he'll be a major threat in the future."

"No matter," Zhang Dongyun waved his hand dismissively. "With that idiot here, the brat can't do anything. Once we take him back to the stronghold, I'll have all the time I need to deal with him properly."

They made no effort to lower their voices, and even Xue Qiming, lying in the debris, heard them loud and clear.

Han Niu felt his stomp hadn't fully landed, and as confusion set in, a voice came from beneath him—Xue Qiming's voice. "Hey... did you hear that? They all think you're an idiot..."

Han Niu's shock and fury surged as he looked down. Xue Qiming had caught his foot with one arm. His whole body trembled slightly, yet he was still trying to stand.

"How?" Han Niu was stunned. In his entire life, he had never encountered someone who could match him in raw strength.

"Get off me!" Xue Qiming roared, summoning all his strength. In one explosive burst, he shoved Han Niu away. "I can still fight!"

Xue Qiming slowly rose from the wreckage. His upper garments had been torn to shreds, and he ripped them off, tossing the remnants aside. His bare torso was covered in scars and fresh blood, making him look as if he had just crawled out of a pool of slaughter.

Though his body trembled under the strain, he still swept his gaze over Zhang Dongyun and his men. Then he pointed at them. "I already said it. None of you here are walking away alive."

Zhang Dongyun's previous calm vanished instantly. He and his men instinctively took several steps back. Old Eight panicked and shouted, "You idiot! What are you waiting for?! Finish him!"

Han Niu's eyes bulged like copper bells. He panted heavily and roared, "I'm not an idiot!"

"You are an idiot!" Xue Qiming suddenly pointed at him and cursed.

"What did you say?!" Han Niu's fury erupted, his glare locking onto Xue Qiming.

"I said," Xue Qiming's arm went rigid as he thrust his finger toward Han Niu and roared "You're an idiot! You're an idiot! You! Are! An! Idiot!"

"I—I'll kill you!!!" Like a battering ram in full charge, Han Niu lunged at Xue Qiming in an instant.

"Come at me, idiot!" Xue Qiming stood his ground, sinking into a deep stance. His right shoulder barreled forward to meet the charge.

"Overlord Suppresses Mount Hua!"

Boom!

Both men were sent flying backward. Blood seeped from beneath Xue Qiming's skin, making him look like a man drenched in blood.

Han Niu, however, fared much better. He sat up immediately, shook his dizzy head, and got to his feet again, mumbling, "I'm not an idiot..." as he searched for Xue Qiming.

Xue Qiming sat up from the wreckage, coughing blood, and waved Han Niu over. "Come again, idiot."

Boom!

Han Niu charged forward and sent Xue Qiming flying once again with a powerful kick.

Xue Qiming propped himself up on the ground, struggling to sit up. He waved his hand mockingly.

"What an idiot. Come again!"

Han Niu's eyes were bloodshot, his mind long consumed by rage. Seeing Xue Qiming rise again, he roared and threw another punch, sending him flying once more.

Xue Qiming sat up again. "Come again, idi—"

Boom!

Before he could finish, he was knocked away again.

"Again—"

Boom!

No one knew how many times this cycle repeated. Zhang Dongyun and his men were already dumbfounded. "Is that kid... trying to get himself killed?"

"Did he actually go mad?"

"I have no idea what he's thinking..."

Xue Qiming no longer had the strength to speak. He simply lay on the ground and curled his finger toward Han Niu, the meaning clear.

Han Niu lunged forward, pinning him down. He raised his fist, his mouth open in a furious roar. "I—I'm not an idiot! I'll beat you to death!!!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Every punch landed solidly on flesh.

Xue Qiming coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"You don't think you are an idiot..." Xue Qiming's voice was barely a whisper. "You know they all think you're an idiot... and yet you still do their bidding. If that's not idiotic, then what is?"

Han Niu's facial muscles twitched violently. His raised fist trembled, frozen mid-air. "That's because... because they gave me food and clothes! I have to repay them! Yes, I have to repay them!"

"Hah—hah—" Xue Qiming grinned, blood still dripping from his lips. "And you still claim you're not an idiot? Just because they fed and clothed you, you think they don't see you as an idiot? Yeah, maybe... maybe they never actually thought of you as an idiot..."

Suddenly, Xue Qiming grabbed Han Niu's collar and smashed a fist into his face. "They see you as a dog, you idiot!"

Han Niu scrambled to get up only to see Xue Qiming, entire body drenched in blood, standing over him.

Xue Qiming's face was shrouded in shadow, unreadable, but his voice was chilling. "When you can't fight anymore, when a dog is of no use to them... will they still feed and clothe you?"

"Heh heh..." Xue Qiming lifted his head, grinning. "Better watch out... or they'll eat you alive."

"No... no, they wouldn't..." Han Niu shouted in distress.

Xue Qiming crouched down, bringing his face close to Han Niu's. "So tell me... are you an idiot?"

"No!" Han Niu answered hastily. "I'm not an idiot!"

Xue Qiming pointed at Zhang Dongyun and his men. "But they say you are."

"I'm not an idiot!" Han Niu's lips trembled.

"You're being a dog for the people who think you're an idiot!"

"I'm not!" Han Niu roared, shaking his head violently. "I'm not an idiot! I'm not a dog!"

Xue Qiming pressed down on Han Niu's head, his voice fierce. "Right now! I'm going to kill those people! You stay right here and watch! Don't move! If you help them, then you're an idiot! You're their dog! Do you hear me?!"

Han Niu sucked in a breath of cold air. He stared blankly at Xue Qiming, then turned to glance at the others. After a long pause, he slowly lowered his head and nodded.

Zhang Dongyun and his men stood not far away, unable to make out what the two had been discussing. All they had heard was Han Niu repeatedly shouting, "I'm not an idiot! I'm not a dog!"

Now, as they saw Xue Qiming slowly advancing toward them, they finally began to panic.

Zhang Dongyun cursed. "idiot! What the hell are you doing?! Get up!"

Old Eight shouted as well. "Han Niu! Han Niu! Why are you just sitting there?! What kind of idiocy is this now?! Get up! Get up, damn it!"

"He's not getting up." Xue Qiming walked past the gourd and picked it up as well. The moment he lifted it, a fresh wave of pain surged through his arm.

"You're the real idiots." Xue Qiming tilted his head. "Are there a lot more idiots like you in this jianghu?"

Zhang Dongyun and his men had nearly backed themselves into a corner. With no room left to retreat, Zhang Dongyun gritted his teeth. "Brothers! Grab your weapons and take him down!"

Xue Qiming lifted his head, glancing at the fire spreading across the sky. He chuckled. "This is how it should be. Seeing you panic... I'm looking forward to it more and more..."

"This brutal and bloody jianghu."