Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 8 Can you do the work?

Jiang Xun's face turned pale.

"How long?"

"It's hard to say," the old monk shook his head. "It could take a few months, or a year or two."

Jiang Xun stood there, stunned.

Died from body explosion?

He's only seventeen; he hasn't lived enough yet.

"Master, is there any way?"

The old monk pondered for a moment.

"There are two solutions. One is to find a master who can suppress this internal energy and guide it for you every now and then. But this can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

"Secondly..." He looked at Jiang Xun, "you should learn an internal energy cultivation method and learn how to control this internal force."

Jiang Xun stood there, stunned.

Internal energy cultivation techniques? Where would a petty thief like him learn internal energy cultivation techniques?

"Master, you're kidding me." Jiang Xun said with a bitter face, "I'm just a nobody, how would I know anyone who knows internal energy?"

The old monk looked at him with a complex expression in his eyes.

"The true energy within you is of extraordinary origin. Anyone who possesses such true energy is no ordinary person. You... truly do not know where it came from?"

Jiang Xun shook his head.

"I don't know. It just suddenly appeared a few days ago when I was being beaten up. And then..."

He looked down at his hands.

Then someone was killed.

The old monk was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:

"Do you have any teachers or mentors, benefactor?"

Jiang Xun paused for a moment, then remembered the old man.

"There was...there was one, someone I adopted and raised. But he just passed away a few days ago."

"Gone?"

"He's dead." Jiang Xun said calmly, but his heart clenched.

The old monk looked at him, his eyes filled with pity.

"That benefactor, did he teach you anything?"

Jiang Xun thought for a moment.

"I taught him to read, to steal, and how to survive in the city..." He paused, "and also said that I should find a crowded place to learn slowly."

The old monk nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

He turned around, gazing at the distant night sky, and slowly began to speak:

"Does this benefactor know just how vast the martial world is?"

Jiang Xun shook his head.

The old monk pointed into the distance, his voice deep and resonant:

"The world is divided into five parts: the Central Plains, Western Shu, the Northern Border, the Southern Region, and the East Sea. The Great Yong Dynasty has been established for eighteen years, occupying the Central Plains, Western Shu, and the Southern Region. In the Northern Border, there is the Great Han Dynasty, which lives a nomadic life and is eyeing the Great Yong Dynasty covetously. Beyond the East Sea, there are countless islands, rumored to be inhabited by reclusive masters."

Jiang Xun listened, completely stunned.

"Then...what about the martial arts world?"

"The martial world?" The old monk smiled. "The martial world is right here in this world."

"There are two leading sects, Jinghu and Yinzhai. Fu Hongyin, the leader of Jinghu, possesses unparalleled martial arts skills, having reached the level of a grandmaster. Chen Yang, the leader of Yinzhai, is a chivalrous man who has developed Yinzhai into the number one sect in the world. These two sects are the leaders of the righteous path in the martial arts world."

"There was a sword god named Lu Qingfeng, whose swordsmanship was divine. Although he has passed away, his legend still circulates in the martial arts world."

"There are first-rate sects, such as the Starry Constellation Sect, Jade Azure Sect, Azure Thunder Pavilion, Soaring Cloud Sect, Azure Cloud Sect, Divine Blade Sect, Golden Silkworm Sect, Embracing Moon Manor..."

Jiang Xun was completely bewildered.

"Master! Master!" he hurriedly interrupted, "You've said so much, but I don't recognize a single one of them!"

The old monk glanced at him.

"So what do you want to know?"

Jiang Xun scratched his head.

"I just wanted to ask... about... internal energy cultivation techniques, which sect has the most recent one?"

The old monk paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"The most recent one?"

He turned around and pointed northeast.

"Thirty miles outside Wuling City, there is a Qixia Mountain. On the mountain is the Chunshui Sect, famous for its Chunshui Sword Technique. They also have their own internal energy cultivation method."

Jiang Xun's eyes lit up.

"The Spring Water School?"

"That's right." The old monk nodded. "Although the Spring Water Sect is not a top-tier sect, it has been passed down for a hundred years. The sect leader, Su Guanlan, has reached the fifth level of the Spring Water Sword Technique and is considered a notable figure in the martial arts world."

Jiang Xun's mind began to stir.

Thirty li is not far.

"Master, does the Spring Water Sect... accept members?"

The old monk looked at him with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Yes, but the rules for accepting disciples are extremely strict. Without connections, ordinary people cannot get in."

Jiang Xun's face fell.

"Then... what should I do?"

The old monk did not answer, but instead took out a small porcelain bottle from his robes and handed it to him.

"This pill can temporarily suppress the true energy within your body, but it can only protect you for seven days at most. If you cannot learn the internal energy cultivation method within seven days..."

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was clear.

Jiang Xun took the porcelain bottle and gave the old monk a deep look.

"Thank you, Master."

"No need to thank me." The old monk turned around. "It can be said that we are destined to meet."

He paused, then suddenly said:

"The Spring Water Sect sends people to Wuling City to make purchases on the first and fifteenth of each month. If you want to go in, you might as well wait at the dock for a few more days."

Jiang Xun was taken aback, then overjoyed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

The old monk said nothing more, and leaning on his staff, he slowly walked into the night.

Jiang Xun stood there, watching his figure disappear into the moonlight.

This monk...

Who exactly is this person?

The next morning, Jiang Xun went to the dock again.

He squatted at the dock all day, from morning to noon, and from noon to afternoon.

As the sun was about to set, he finally got what he had been waiting for.

A group of people carrying loads on shoulder poles emerged from the dock. Leading them was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a gray cloth robe, with a kind face. The loads on their poles were all rice, flour, and cooking oil, clearly indicating they were there to make purchases.

Jiang Xun was about to stand up when his eyes suddenly narrowed—

A small, thin figure was quietly moving closer to the middle-aged man.

He's a petty thief.

The petty thief, dressed in a tattered short jacket, blended seamlessly into the crowd, completely inconspicuous. He slowly approached the middle-aged man, his hand reaching for the man's purse at his waist—

Jiang Xun's heart stirred.

He'd been doing this since he was a kid, so he was very skilled. This young thief was quick and efficient; he was a veteran. The middle-aged man clearly didn't go out often; his money pouch was hanging outside, and it would fall off with a single pull.

But Jiang Xun didn't move.

He crouched there, watching the thief's hand slowly approach—

Just as the thief's fingers touched the purse, Jiang Xun suddenly stood up, strode over, and slapped the thief's hand.

"Snapped!"

The thief was startled, withdrew his hand, and turned around to glare angrily.

"You fucking—"

Jiang Xun ignored him and turned to the middle-aged man, saying:

"Uncle, your purse is about to fall out."

The middle-aged man was stunned. He looked down and saw that the rope of the money bag had been half untied and was about to fall off.

He quickly clutched his money pouch tightly, and looking at Jiang Xun and the thief, he immediately understood what was going on.

Seeing that things were not going well, the thief glared at Jiang Xun, turned around and ran, disappearing into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

The middle-aged man wiped his sweat and bowed repeatedly to Jiang Xun.

"Thank you so much, young man! If it weren't for you, I would have made this trip for nothing."

Jiang Xun waved his hand, looking simple and honest.

"It's nothing, I just happened to see it."

The middle-aged man sized him up—he was as thin as a bamboo pole, with bruises on his face and tattered clothes, but his eyes were quite bright.

"What's your name, young man?"

My name is Jiang Xun.

"Jiang Xun?" The middle-aged man nodded. "My name is Ding Shun, and I'm the manager of the Chunshui Sect. I came to the dock to buy some supplies today, but I almost got scammed. Thanks to you."

Jiang Xun's heart skipped a beat—the Spring Water Sect! That's it!

But his face remained expressionless.

"The Spring Water Sect? Is that... the martial arts sect?"

Ding Shun smiled.

"Yes, it's on Qixia Mountain outside the city. Have you heard of it, young man?"

"I've heard of it, I've heard of it!" Jiang Xun nodded repeatedly, then his eyes dimmed. "I... my hometown was flooded, my parents are gone, and I ran away all by myself, trying to find some work. I heard that martial arts practitioners are powerful, so I thought... I thought I could see if I could find a place to stay..."

As he spoke, his voice grew softer and softer, and his eyes became a little red.

Ding Shun looked at him, his eyes filled with pity.

"Are you alone and homeless?"

Jiang Xun nodded.

Ding Shun was silent for a while, then suddenly asked:

"Can you do the work?"