chsdbacks Chapter 108: Seeking an Old Friend, Meeting Wang Dashan Again
Chapter 108: Seeking an Old Friend, Meeting Wang Dashan Again
The next day, Zhang Ping walked on the streets of Lanjiang City.
The streets paved with bluestone bricks were bustling with pedestrians, and stalls selling all sorts of materials crowded both sides of the road. Most of the pedestrians were cultivators. With the surge in demon materials, many rogue martial artists had set up stalls to earn money to exchange for cultivation resources.
"A newly arrived earth beast, its flesh and blood are still steaming, and its skeleton is intact!"
"Withered snake worms, a cure for internal injuries, five hundred taels of silver, take it!"
"Giant bear paw, it just arrived yesterday!"
"..."
The vendors on both sides called out to the passing crowd. Zhang Ping was dressed in an elegant long robe, and many vendors' eyes lit up when they saw him.
It wasn't that they recognized him. Zhang Ping was quite famous in Lanjiang City, but few people had actually seen him. The stall owners were simply trying to sell their materials.
Zhang Ping declined all offers, walked through the Materials Street reeking of a strong, fishy stench, carefully avoiding the dark brown stains on the ground with the soles of his boots, and headed towards the city's working-class district.
Standing at the alley entrance, he looked inside. The surrounding houses were still low and messy, but some closer to the edge of the city center showed clear signs of repair.
Just as he was about to take a step, Zhang Ping suddenly raised an eyebrow.
He turned to look at the slightly dirty and messy alleyway to the side. The pile of discarded debris at the entrance of the alleyway was as tall as a person, and behind it, in the shadows, a figure could be vaguely seen moving.
Seeing Zhang Ping stop, a figure emerged from the shadows and strode towards him. A foul odor, mixed with the smell of waste, filled the air. Zhang Ping recognized the person and was slightly taken aback.
"Senior Brother?"
The figure turned out to be Wang Dashan, who had disappeared six months ago.
At this moment, Wang Dashan's appearance had changed drastically. He had completely lost his martial arts demeanor, his clothes were tattered, and he was wrapped in a black robe that he had picked up from somewhere, which gave off a sour smell from fermented sweat.
The hem of the black robe reflected a cold metallic glint from the right leg. Zhang Ping's gaze sharpened; he recognized it as a prosthetic leg.
Gazing at the familiar face obscured by disheveled hair and stubble, Zhang Ping remained silent for a moment before speaking:
"Senior Brother, what's wrong with you...?"
He didn't say the rest, but his meaning was clear.
Wang Dashan brushed aside the stray hairs from his forehead, stared at him, and chuckled:
"If I don't want to be captured by the Demon Exorcism Bureau and sent to my death, this is the only way."
After they finished speaking, they fell silent.
Suddenly, Zhang Ping realized the vast difference between them. In just half a year, he had become a renowned prodigy in the Great Wei Dynasty, enjoying immense prestige; while his former senior brother had become a rat huddled in the slums.
The feeling is indescribable.
He sighed.
"Senior Brother, we've reclaimed the martial arts school's location. I'll speak to the Demon Extermination Bureau and have your conscription order lifted. I'll have someone deliver the school master's martial arts manual tomorrow. Are you... willing to continue the legacy of the Sitong Martial Arts School?"
After Zhang Ping left Huanle Pavilion, besides Fu Huiying, Wang Dashan was the first person to take care of him. Although it was initially due to a misunderstanding of his innate talent, once it was confirmed that he possessed superhuman strength, Wang Dashan continued to look after him. There was also Wang Li, but unfortunately, she didn't make it out of Lingchuan County…
Six months ago, due to his own weakness, he wandered into the Western Poison Forest and couldn't take care of Lanjiang City. He never expected things to turn out this way.
Whether out of guilt or something else, Zhang Ping now has the ability to take care of old friends and will not let Wang Dashan continue like this.
"Alright! On behalf of my master, I thank Junior Brother Zhang." Wang Dashan didn't say much, but bowed deeply to Zhang Ping. Passing on the martial arts school was his wish, and it was also the instruction his master Chongxin gave him before each time he left on a delivery mission.
Watching Wang Dashan's swaying figure disappear into the depths of the alley, Zhang Ping's gaze lingered for a moment before he turned and walked into the alley.
Following his memory, he found an ordinary courtyard with blue bricks.
The courtyard walls remained dilapidated and unrepaired. The old wooden door was covered with a thick layer of dust, looking as if it had been neglected for a long time.
Zhang Ping wiped away the accumulated black ash on the wooden door, his brows furrowing slightly.
Just then, an old man came out from the neighboring courtyard. Seeing him stop outside, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Young man, are you here to see the Hua family?"
Zhang Ping turned his head and saw an ordinary old man with no cultivation. He asked, "Old man, do you know where the people who used to live here went?"
"They've moved away; they've moved to Qingju Lane."
……
Qingju Lane is quite famous in Lanjiang City. Just two streets away is the Leng family's ancestral land, surrounded by a cluster of family martial arts schools, most of which are affiliated forces of the Leng family.
"The Hua family moved here? That means...they've made it big?"
After asking for directions, Zhang Ping stopped in front of the vermilion gate. A brand-new plaque hung above the gate, bearing the large, gilded characters: Hua Mansion!
He raised his hand and knocked on the door, and someone answered quickly. The person who opened the door was a pretty maid.
"Whom is the young master looking for?"
Zhang Ping asked, "I'm Hua Zhu's friend. Is she home?"
"Miss's friend? Please come in, young master. The young master is at home." The maid led Zhang Ping to a pavilion in a secluded courtyard.
The villa has a unique layout: besides the pavilion, fish pond, and rockery, it is surrounded by a lawn that is ankle-deep. Wildflowers and pebbles dot the lawn, and some small, green praying mantises perch on the blades of grass.
"Young Master, Miss Leng, this young master says he is a friend of Miss Leng."
Approaching the pavilion, I saw two people already sitting inside: a woman and a boy of about thirteen or fourteen.
The boy was none other than Hua Cheng, the younger brother of Hua Zhu, whom she had met before. Zhang Ping felt that the woman sitting opposite her looked somewhat familiar, but she didn't quite recognize her.
"Huh...?" Hua Cheng waved for the maid to leave, stared at Zhang Ping for a while, then suddenly clapped his hands and exclaimed in surprise.
"Brother Zhang! Please have a seat!"
Hua Cheng's attitude made Zhang Ping smile. "You still recognize me?"
Sitting down on the stone bench, Zhang Ping looked Hua Cheng up and down. In the year since they last met, he had shed his childlike appearance and was now showing signs of becoming a handsome young man.
"Brother Zhang is my sister's great friend... how could I forget him!" Hua Cheng was very happy to see Zhang Ping.
He always remembered that his sister had spent all the family's money to join the martial arts school, and had also borrowed a lot of money to buy the resources needed for training. In addition to practicing martial arts at the school every day, she would also catch mantises to sell to the playboys in the city.
At that time, Zhang Ping gave him five hundred taels of silver in one go, which not only greatly improved his family's financial situation but also allowed him to eat delicious braised beef that very day.
Hua Cheng remembers it all perfectly.
After that, they would occasionally hope that Zhang Ping would come and distribute some "disaster relief grain," but unfortunately, he never came again. It wasn't until recently, when their family became wealthy and they were able to eat braised meat every day, that they gradually gave up on the idea.
Zhang Ping, unaware of his childish thoughts, turned his gaze to the other side. The woman with the oval face and delicate features seemed to have a subtle change in expression, as if she recognized him.
He didn't pay attention and asked Hua Cheng:
"Where's your sister?"
"My sister went to Taiwu Mansion to fight demons!" The boy's face lit up with pride when he mentioned his sister. Seeing Zhang Ping's puzzled expression, he made a move to get up and explain.
The woman sitting to the side suddenly spoke:
"Young Master Zhang, let me explain."
Upon hearing Leng Ruxue speak, Hua Cheng obediently sat up straight.
"This is our second meeting. My name is Leng Ruxue. If you don't mind, Mr. Zhang, you can call me Xiaoxue, just like our elders do."