Chapter 12: The Fist Classic, Reciprocity of Life and Death
Inside the Lord's Mansion.
Childe Guo lay back on the long chair, with a doctor next to him applying medicine to his swollen face, trying to reduce the swelling that had turned it into a pig's head.
City Lord Guo Yan sat nearby, his face showing a stern expression as he looked at the injuries of his only son.
The old man in a gray robe who caught Qiao Mu earlier stood quietly aside.
"Father, why do you want to recruit that villain named Qiao Mu instead?" Childe Guo said in a slurred voice, his eyes swollen.
Guo Yan waved his hand, ordering the doctors and maidservants around to leave, leaving only the old man in the gray robe standing there before speaking:
"Why be hasty? If he joins the Yan City Army, there are countless ways to end his life."
Guo Yan closed his eyes, his tone calm and composed.
Only just now did he realize the extent of animosity his son had among the people of Yan City, to the point where a stranger with righteous words could ignite this fire.
After capturing Qiao Mu, he didn't kill him on the spot, only because he still wanted to be seen as a compassionate and magnanimous lord in the eyes of the people.
Inviting Qiao Mu to join the army was just a means for him to resolve this incident.
Whether this succeeds or not, it is still uncertain whether it will become a story of a virtuous and loyal subject in the future.
In the end, even though his own son was beaten up badly, Qiao Mu was just a young martial artist who hadn't yet developed strong skills. He believed that City Lord Guo Yan, with his methods and abilities, could easily control him and didn't need to kill him in public.
Thinking about this, he opened his eyes and looked down coldly at his only son. The look in his eyes made Childe Guo tremble and he stopped complaining.
"You rebellious child, you should have been disciplined long ago, or else you will surely bring great trouble."
"A martial artist who has not yet developed internal strength is willing to sacrifice their life to capture you. What if in the future you encounter other people whom you cannot afford to provoke?"
"Other people?" Childe Guo noticed this keyword.
"Could it be that recently, some high-ranking person wants to visit Yan City?"
As the biggest playboy in Yan City, he naturally couldn't be afraid of anyone.
And an important person who the City Lord himself couldn't afford to offend must be a powerful figure from outside Yan City.
City Lord Guo Yan looked at him coldly and said:
"For the past month, you have been restricted to stay in the residence and are not allowed to go out."
"Why?" Childe Guo suddenly became confused. He was walking on the road when someone suddenly attacked him and threatened him by grabbing his collar. And now, he has to be restricted as well? Is this fair?
Guo Yan pondered for a moment before speaking softly.
"It is said that the current emperor may visit the area near Yan City within the next month. You are being restricted in order to prevent any unforeseen danger that you might bring upon yourself."
One of the main reasons why he tried his best to maintain his popularity in Yan City is because of the possibility of the Great Yan Emperor appearing.
"The Great Yan Emperor? Is this information reliable?" Childe Guo widened his eyes.
"How could I possibly expect to be informed about the emperor's travel plans? No one knows if it will attract assassins." The city lord sneered.
"For this month, you will stay within this residence and not go out anymore."
Childe Guo lowered his head in silence, but after a while, he couldn't help but ask again:
"But Qiao Mu..."
"You don't need to worry about him anymore," City Lord Guo Yan closed his eyes.
"Whether he has been invited to join our Yan City defense force or not, we have ways to deal with him."
"If he joins, it will be even easier."
"Recently, outside the city there have been some fierce bandits causing trouble on Mount Dong, right? When the time comes, we can send him to the battlefield to meet his demise."
......................
On the streets of the inner city.
Qiao Mu passed through the gradually bustling crowd, stooped down, and picked up the fallen blind cane near his feet.
A few steps away, Qiao Canxue closed her eyes and felt around with a slightly anxious frown on her face.
The recent turmoil was quite intense. People were avoiding whippings and the street was surrounded by soldiers. Qiao Canxue's cane was also squeezed away by the crowd.
Although she used to be from a martial arts clan, she was primarily a blind person.
In everyday life, she could rely on her senses like hearing and smell to make up for her lack of sight, living like an ordinary person.
But if the surrounding environment was more complicated, she would be at a loss.
Qiao Mu picked up the cane and walked over to Qiao Canxue who was still groping around, and handed her the cane.
Qiao Canxue instinctively nodded and thanked him, but after a moment, her nostrils twitched slightly, and her previously furrowed brows relaxed a bit.
"Did you just hit the son of the city lord?" Qiao Canxue asked.
Apart from the initial bits that Qiao Canxue could vaguely guess, she wasn't quite sure about what happened afterwards.
Qiao Mu led her back into the alleys of the outer city area and explained the situation that had just occurred.
"Did you give City Lord's son a few slaps and now the City Lord wants to recruit you into the Yan City army?" Qiao Canxue paused for a moment and shook her head, saying:
"That doesn't sound like a good thing to me."
"If this City Lord is really a kind person who repays kindness, then how did he allow his only son to become so arrogant? So..."
"So I will go and investigate the City Lord's mansion!" Qiao Mu decisively declared.
"...didn't you understand what I said? If you enter the City Lord's mansion, it's like a sheep entering the mouth of a tiger."
"Crises can also be opportunities." Qiao Mu's eyes sparkled with excitement:
"Don't forget, this City Lord is very likely a member of the Wuji Association."
If the City Lord has malicious intentions, then going to the City Lord's mansion would most likely result in death!
If the City Lord is truly a wise person who repays kindness, then Qiao Mu can take this opportunity to join the Yan City Army and get closer to City Lord Guo Yan, who seems to be a member of the Wuji Association.
The more dangerous it is, the more he wants to go inside.
Anyway, whether he lives or dies, he won't lose!
"If the city lord is a member of the Wuji Association, as a city lord, he must be extraordinary within the Wuji Association."
"So either he has a decoding method for the tadpole cipher, or he has direct knowledge of the plan to assassinate the emperor."
Qiao Mu didn't forget, his ultimate goal is to infiltrate the Wuji Association and participate in the plot to assassinate the emperor as much as possible.
And then, in the scene of assassinating the emperor, have a good death!
Qiao Canxue listened to Qiao Mu's plan, with a hint of surprise on her face.
Just now, he bravely took action and threatened the city lord by grabbing the City Lord's Son by the neck.
Now, he has decided to risk his life and join under the city lord, all because the city lord seems to be a member of the Wuji Association... Does he really need to go to such lengths?
"He said he planned to assassinate the emperor and destroy the Wuji Association with the help of the Great Yan Imperial Court. It's not just empty talk." Qiao Canxue followed Qiao Mu step by step into the deep alley.
"By using only half of the 'Long Life Fist Sutra', can I really exchange it for his life and revenge? Should I pay something else for him?" Qiao Canxue even felt a bit uneasy in her heart.
With this thought, Qiao Canxue had a sudden idea.
The Qiao family had also produced centenarian martial arts masters in the past. They had a stronger foundation than most sects, and Qiao Canxue actually knew more than just the half part of the 'Long Life Fist Sutra' passed down by the family.
