Chapter 6, Refuge in the Martial World

Translator: StarReader

 

Dawn was just beginning to break when the rear courtyard of Heaven Falcon Inn bustled with activity. The clanging of Butcher Zhang sharpening his cleaver echoed from the large courtyard, accompanied by the bellowing and squawking of pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks. Meanwhile, the kitchen servers scurried about, assisting the chefs in preparing for the day.

 

Several chefs busied themselves with setting up dishes, scolding the clumsy servers as they worked.

 

An elderly mess cook rubbed his frozen red hands and pushed open the door of the shed. He came to get wood and straw to start the kitchen fire for cooking rice. Upon entering the dimly lit shed, he was surprised to find Su Chen sleeping inside.

 

“Hey, Brother Chen,” the old man exclaimed. “Why are you here today? Did you come to play with Ah Chou and stay overnight? It’s freezing out here in the firewood shed, and it can’t have been a comfortable sleep.”

 

Su Chen jerked awake at the sound of the door. He quickly climbed out of his warm bed of straw and rubbed his half-open eyes, greeting the old man with a cheerful smile, “Uncle Li! Why are you starting the fire so early?”

 

Su Chen often accompanied the fishermen from Zhou Village to sell goods at Heaven Falcon Inn, so most of the inn staff recognized him. He then gently nudged Ah Chou, who was sleeping soundly beside him, urging, “Wake up! It’s getting late; Owner Wang will be here shortly.”

 

Old Li smiled politely and turned to see Ah Chou still asleep in the thatched shed. His face darkened as he scolded, “Ah Chou, you lazy good-for-nothing! Get up and start working right now! If Owner Wang comes and sees you slacking off, he’ll yank your ears till they’re ready to snap!”

 

Ah Chou stirred awake, hearing Old Li’s grumbling. He emerged from the straw nest, muttering defiantly, “Old Li, don’t look down on me. From today on, I’m done working at this inn. I won’t take their nonsense anymore. I’m off to seek my fortune in martial arts and join the Heaven Falcon Group. Once I’ve mastered martial arts and become a great martial artist, you’ll see—I’ll be addressed as Sir Chou, and even Owner Wang will show respect! We’ll see then who yanks my ears!”

 

“Hah! You haven’t even slaughtered a single chicken yet, and you’re already fantasizing about becoming a martial artist? How many heads do you think you have to offer up for that kind of talk? If you’ve got guts, say it to the owner’s face. See if he doesn’t flatten you with one good slap. Go help Butcher Zhang kill pigs—he’s busy chopping one up right now! Try it, and I’ll call you Sir Chou right here and now!”

 

Old Li shook his head in amusement, dismissing Ah Chou’s boasts as mere daydreams fueled by those street storytellers. He left with his bundle of firewood, heading to the rear courtyard kitchen to tend the fire for cooking.

 

“Hmph!” Ah Chou, recalling the owner’s terrifying demeanor, felt a sudden slump and dared not boast anymore.

 

Meanwhile, Su Chen wasn’t fazed by Old Li’s words. As dawn broke, he decided to head to the Medicine King Group early. Pushing open the door of the thatched shed, he stepped out.

 

Outside, beneath the eaves, the ground of the Heaven Falcon Inn’s backyard was blanketed with a thin layer of pristine, white snow.

 

Last night, the cold wind was fierce, and it snowed heavily without warning. The world transformed into a pristine landscape, with white snow covering every roof and the earth dressed in a stunning white cloak.

 

Unfortunately, this rear yard’s snowy ground had long been trampled by Butcher Zhang and his kitchen staff, along with the cooks and helpers, along with the pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks kept there. The result was a chaotic, muddy mess.

 

Su Chen was slender but thinly clad in short hemp clothing, his feet encased in worn-out shoes that exposed his toes. As the crisp morning breeze hit him, he shivered all over.

 

Ah Chou followed him out and sneezed in the cold, his hands and feet drawn up close to his body for warmth.

 

In the expansive courtyard, Butcher Zhang, along with his hefty son Zhang Tieniu and several adult laborers, was busy herding a panicked, fat pig. They tied it onto a wooden rack and hoisted it upside down.

 

Three or four strong men had to exert all their might to secure the thrashing pig on the wooden frame.

 

The enormous pig sensed its impending fate, its four hooves kicking furiously in a desperate struggle, emitting heart-wrenching, bloodcurdling squeals.

 

Butcher Zhang wasted no time. Raising his cleaver high, he brought it down with precision onto the pig’s throat. The animal let out muffled gurgles as it struggled, and then—”Plop!” Bright red blood spurted forth, staining the snow-covered ground in vivid hues that were impossible to look away from.

 

Su Chen was startled by the intense pig-slaughtering cry and looked away, feeling a chill run down his spine as his brows twitched violently.

 

Old Li was right; neither he nor Ah Chou had ever killed a chicken, let alone a pig. The mere thought of grabbing a cleaver to slaughter this beast made their limbs tremble with fear, let alone venturing into the martial world.

 

In the martial world, killing a human being was countless times harder and more horrifying than slaying this stupid pig.

 

Su Chen’s lips turned pale.

 

Yet, he had no choice but to press forward. With his mysterious illness haunting him and no home to return to, joining the Medicine King Group was his only hope for survival.

 

He would either carve out a brilliant future for himself in the martial world or die an inglorious death on the street, more desolate than this fat pig.

 

Su Chen glanced at Ah Chou, questioning with his eyes whether he regretted the decision and if they should stay at the inn instead.

 

Ah Chou immediately patted his thin chest and spoke with unwavering determination: “Brother Chen, no need for words! I’ve already made up my mind to join the Heaven Falcon Group and become a great martial hero. If anyone tries to persuade me otherwise, I’ll be furious.”

 

If this were just two days ago, he would have been content staying at the inn as a server, never even considering venturing into the martial world—a realm that felt as distant as another world for someone in his position.

 

But after spending the night discussing it with Su Chen, his heart had been ignited with an unstoppable passion. He yearned to one day rise above others and achieve great wealth and honor, and he simply couldn’t contain this drive any longer. How could he continue to hide away in this inn with no prospects?

 

Su Chen nodded in agreement, ready to leave the courtyard with Ah Chou. Suddenly, Su Chen noticed Owner Wang’s figure appearing at the entrance of the yard.

 

Su Chen was startled. Owner Wang was a man of great severity, with no tolerance for even the slightest misstep. Fearing that Owner Wang might punish Ah Chou because of him, he quickly retreated back into the shed to hide, lest his presence bring trouble upon Ah Chou.

 

Ah Chou, too, turned pale with fear and panic.

 

Though he was determined to leave, Ah Chou wasn’t ready to challenge Owner Wang’s authority. He snatched a clucking old hen in the courtyard, pretending to help the cook with his chores to show that he wasn’t slacking off.

 

Owner Wang was notoriously harsh towards the servers, often beating or insulting them. At Heaven Falcon Inn, he was king.

 

Owner Wang entered the courtyard, swaggering confidently with a protruding stomach. He was accompanied by a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy dressed in silk and brocade.

 

Normally, Owner Wang would berate the servers, but today he showed none of his usual severity. Instead, he smiled warmly at his workers gathered in the courtyard, saying, “Men, today Heaven Falcon Group is recruiting disciples. I am taking my son to join the inner recruitment process. You all stay here and work hard at the inn. If my boy passes and joins the inner division, I’ll treat you all to half a kilogram of flour and a quarter kilogram of pork to celebrate!”

 

Zhang Butcher, several cooks, and the other servers working in the courtyard immediately stopped what they were doing. Their faces lit up with excitement as they voiced their congratulations.

 

“Thank you, Owner Wang, for your generosity!” they chorused.

 

“With such leniency from Owner Wang, the young owner is sure to pass the Heaven Falcon Group’s inner assessment!” others added.

 

Everyone at the inn knew that Owner Wang himself was an outer disciple of the Heaven Falcon Group. Over decades of hard work and perseverance, he had climbed his way up to become the owner of this wealthy Heaven Falcon Inn, managing it on behalf of the Heaven Falcon Group.

 

Owner Wang’s greatest regret in life was that he had failed to become an inner disciple of the Heaven Falcon Group during his youth. Had he done so, he would undoubtedly have enjoyed a brighter future and risen to prominence in the martial world long ago, instead of being stuck as a mere innkeeper, catering to the whims of martial artists.

 

He harbored high hopes for his beloved son and groomed him in the hope that the boy might pass the Heaven Falcon Group’s inner disciple exams and become a top-tier martial figure.

 

Despite failing to pass the Heaven Falcon Group’s inner disciple assessments several times over the past few years, the young owner had yet to abandon his ambitions.

 

After giving instructions to the servers, Owner Wang assumed a stance of superiority, ready to depart with his precious son for the Heaven Falcon Group in town.

 

In the courtyard, Butcher Zhang’s hefty son, Zhang Tieniu, looked up at his father with eager anticipation and blurted out a remark that spoiled the mood: “Dad, I also want to go to Heaven Falcon Group and become a disciple…”

 

Owner Wang’s sharp hearing caught these words. His expression darkened instantly, causing him to pause mid-step.

 

He had just decided to take his son for the Heaven Falcon Group exams, yet Butcher Zhang’s son dared to express a similar desire. What did this mean? Was he out to embarrass him?

 

The atmosphere in the courtyard grew unbearably heavy in an instant.

 

All the chefs and servers stiffened, not daring to make a sound.

 

Butcher Zhang’s face turned pale. He quickly slapped his chubby son, sending him flying and sprawling in a daze. He angrily scolded, “You fool! Don’t you dare embarrass yourself by even thinking about Heaven Falcon Group! That place is something your ancestors couldn’t have imagined for eighteen generations!”

 

After saying this, he ignored his sobbing son and hurriedly addressed the owner, “Owner Wang, my idiotic son doesn’t understand anything. He was just babbling. You know, today my wife wants to return to Zhou Village to visit her family. I wanted to ask for a day off to take the kid and his mother back to the countryside.”

 

“Sure, you can have a day off! The children of butchers are destined to be butchers. Butcher Zhang, don’t get any ridiculous ideas, or you’ll become a laughingstock!”

 

Owner Wang glanced at him with disdain, then hummed before leading his son away, satisfied.

 

Once Owner Wang was out of sight, the chefs and servers in the back courtyard finally sighed in relief, not daring to speak about what had just happened. They all went back to work, and soon the yard was filled again with the sounds of pigs being slaughtered and sheep being butchered.

 

…

 

Su Chen and Ah Chou waited until Owner Wang was gone. They quickly slipped out through the back door of Heaven Falcon Inn’s courtyard and emerged onto the bustling streets of the county city.

 

Su Chen wanted to go to Medicine King Group, which was outside the city, while Ah Chou intended to join Heaven Falcon Group, located inside the city. Their paths did not align.

 

“Brother Chen, I’ll accompany you to the Medicine King Estate outside the city first.”

 

“It’s fine. You still have to head to Heaven Falcon Group. Don’t be late; it’s important. I can manage on my own to get there. Oh, by the way, which direction is Medicine King Group in?”

 

“Alright. The path to Medicine King Group is easy to recognize. Exit the south gate of the city and follow the official road for about two miles. You’ll come across a very noticeable Phoenix Mountain. After the Medicine King Group took over this mountain, it became known as Medicine King Mountain. On top of this mountain, they’ve built an extremely impressive estate, which stands out prominently. You’ll see it from miles away. Oh, and Brother Chen, you don’t have any money on you, do you? I still have several dozen copper coins here. Maybe you can use them.”

 

Ah Chou pulled out dozens of copper coins.

 

“Keep it for yourself; expenses in the city are high!”

 

Su Chen quickly pushed Ah Chou’s hand away, touched by his gesture.

 

Ah Chou only earned three copper coins a day working at the inn. It would take him at least a month to save up even dozens of copper coins. He couldn’t accept this gift.

 

“We are good brothers for life; why are you being polite? When we become martial artists and make a lot of money, we can spend one or two taels of silver at a whim, so these ten copper coins are nothing.”

 

Ah Chou said anxiously.

 

“One is enough; I will buy some buns on the way to fill my stomach! Ah Chou, let’s say goodbye! No matter what, we must become martial artists. See you in the martial arts in the future!”

 

Su Chen couldn’t refuse and relented, accepting one copper coin.

 

“Okay! Let’s see each other in the martial arts in the future, drink big bowls of wine, and eat big chunks of meat together!”

 

Ah Chou waved his hand vigorously, tears welling up in his eyes.

 

The two teenagers said goodbye on the busy streets of Gusu County City, holding the dream of becoming martial artists, and hurriedly ran towards their respective futures in the cold and whistling wind.