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(MC POV)
Picking up a bag of groceries I started on my way back home. The time was a little past dusk and the streets had already settled down if not already empty, at least compared to the day. Vendors packed up their stalls and stores locked their doors as the final inspections had been cleared.
I walked along a path I've been taking for years now. This specific road had several shops and vendors, but was open only during the day. No one was able to stay awake for an entire day, not that any would really want to either though.
Almost no one came through this part of the city at night, that was mostly another part of the city. This section wasn't as wealthy as others, mostly small time. The owners of shops usually lived in the same building as their store, such as the second floor, or their residences were closeby.
The only people who would be returning here at night were those who worked late in other parts of the city and those who simply wanted to have a little night stroll.
There was nothing wrong with it and dangers which lurk in the dark don't appear too often. Brother Wang was quite a righteous guy as he tried stomping out crime in his city. Of course he can't get rid of them all, that would simply be impossible with his set of morals.
If I had to recall, with this exception of the small encounter with Jinzi, I've only had a single encounter with crime last year.
Granted the fact that I don't buy groceries every day, nor week for that matter, and the fact that the alleyways I walk through are generally considered the more dangerous parts of city, it's all round an exceptional level of safety, especially considering that crimes during this era were more easy to commit and get away with.
As I walked through the street it wasn't quite empty yet. Those who remained had slow and unhurried paces. Every once in a while I would see a few people staring at me, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
Since this is my main path to get home and I've been walking down it for years, there have been a number of people who see me. In fact I've even become a local celebrity at times. Every once in a while I would spot some of those people who heard rumors and came to see.
Rumors spread quickly and after the first time the rumor was wide spread a surprising number appeared the next time I went with groceries. As time went on they became less frequent, yet never completely dying out. Perhaps it was only because I never had set days to go to the store, they were erratic and unpredictable at times.
They usually never approach, instead only staring from afar. The first time was different though as they swarmed me, almost all women. They asked for a hand in marriage and when they knew I was already taken they gloomily walked away.
Some time later I heard a new rumor about me. I was some kind of lucky person or something. If they saw me out at night and I smiled or greeted them, then they would have better luck in finding a husband or something like that.
If they wanted to believe such a thing, then I would go along with it. It wasn't much work for me and it seemed to bring them great joy, so why not? It wasn't like I was a god though and in fact a number of those girls had pointed me out in public before. So they should know that I couldn't grant those fates for them… right?
I passed by several people, a few of which recognised me and I smiled in return.
Sometimes I find it a little funny how I'm recognised, not as one of the strongest people in the realm, but simply as a handsome man. Albeit self imposed I still find these situations a little humorous.
I thought back to those who knew what I looked like out in the world. Besides my disciples and few remaining friends scattered throughout the world, most who knew me have probably died of old age or in combat. The remaining few not mentioned would probably be sect masters of those top sects, though if they were ranked they would be towards the bottom, but even then as a top tier sect their power is by no means weak.
By this time I had to turn into an alleyway, the one which I had found Jinzi in before. But I wasn't the only one coming in. Behind me I heard 3 sets of footsteps following after me. I knew immediately that the perpetrators were most probably men from the weight and sound of their steps.
Of course there were exceptions to everything, but I wouldn't expect 3 Snu Snu warriors to appear, especially together. A single one in this era was a little difficult to find on their own, let alone a trio of them.
They tried to trail me from afar, but I wasn't deaf. When I first entered the alley and heard that group behind me I felt they might have ill intentions. A dark part of the city away from the public's eyes? It's a perfect place to commit crime.
As such I raised my hearing a bit and pulsed Qi Sense every once in a while to keep their positions in mind. Although I liked experiencing things from a mortal's view that didn't extend to potentially dangerous situations. Even if they posed no threat to me, complacency could be my downfall.
With a quick scan I saw through their cultivations, a couple peak Body Tempering realms, 9th layer, and a 3rd layer Median Opening realm.
'3 Cultivators robbing a mortal? Isn't that a little overkill, especially with Median Opening one as well. Perhaps they were sent after me specifically? But who would do such a thing? I've made no enemies, well at least not any that should still be alive.
If they are after me they don't know much about me sending these few, so I can immediately eliminate any of those old enemies of mine who at least know a fraction of my strength. They should have only known about me recently and thought I had no cultivation, or very low cultivation.
But that's all on the basis that someone sent them and this wasn't a random event.'
Soon I heard them whispering to each other, with that enhanced hearing their conversation was no secret to me.
"That's him! It's got to be him!"
"Quiet down! Our target might hear you."
"It does look like him, the description matches and the picture too."
"We just have to capture him, right? As long as he's alive it doesn't matter what else we do to him. Remember what this paper says, he's a horrible person, scum! It seems the only redeeming quality of his is that face. We don't need to worry about pity for this trash."
"Yeah, I hear you. That handsome face of his pisses me off. He doesn't deserve such a face with the things he's done."
"Some people are just blessed, let's see if that face of his can survive a beating. I'm sure a few bruises could add some needed color to that face of his."
As the men conversed their topic delved into beating me up into a pulp, more specifically mangling or disfiguring my face. But those words from before were what stuck in my mind.
'Hmm? What's this new rumor about me? I'm some horrible person? Has someone finally become jealous enough to send people after me?
Actually, could it be that person from the clothing store? He was quite an odd man who seemed just a bit too aggressive. He seemed to want to take Jinzi and Ying'er away, but his arguments weren't sound.
Could it really be him? Is it not too petty to send people after me after being rejected? I wasn't even the one who knocked him out, I tried holding back, but just before I was about to move I saw Jinzi move first.
I guess I'll find out after interrogating them.'
After I walked through enough alleyways through twists and turns I stopped and turned around to directly face the one who led their trio.
When I turned they all looked at me in bewilderment and some shock, clearly not expecting the man they were following in the alley the last 5 minutes to suddenly look at them. That lasted a few moments before they regained their composure and continued walking toward me.
"You're going to come with us or else we'll do something, say… unbefitting of you."
For a second I weighed the pros and cons of each. If I went with them I would be able to probably find some more information about who did this, but I would probably be making my poor little wifes wait for me at home. I hadn't left my wife alone at night in forever, she had always waited for me to return before she slept.
If I went home then my wifes wouldn't worry, but then nothing really big would happen. I could probably tell them that I would be out a little later the next night to investigate.If they really are searching for me then surely they wouldn't stop at a single obstacle and would continue the next night too. Very quickly that decision became an easy one to make, when one has no down sides why would I even consider the other?
"No, I won't be following you 3 back."
That wouldn't stop me from collecting some information though.
"Hoh? Then that's perfect! We didn't want you to come so easily anyway! Come on boys, let's teach this man a little lesson."
I watch them approach slowly step by step. They cracked their knuckles as smiles appeared on their lips. Once I felt they came close enough I raised a hand up to freeze them. With their lack of resistance to other's Qi manipulation I froze the strands I found in their body.
This ability is especially useful at lower realms as their ability to control their own Qi is almost non-existent. That didn't mean it was just as easy to control everyone though.
Mortals only require a few strands to freeze their bodies, Body Tempering requires quite a bit more and so on in an exponential expansion as realms increase. At a point it doesn't just take Qi Manipulation, but you have to fight for control of their body since they will be able to resist control instead of simply being able to manipulate Qi.
But that kind of external Qi control is hard to learn, especially to be able to control the Qi within another's body, it is an entirely different level in itself.
"W-what's happening?!"
"Big Brother I can't move!"
"M-me neither!"
I watched the 3 struggle for a bit as their eyes showed their emotions, fear, confusion, and shock. Eventually I walked up to the leader.
"Why are you 3 after me? I haven't done anything."
His gaze hardened as he looked at me like a monster.
"Tch! Are you trying to act like what you did didn't happen?! You make me sick!"
Immediately afterward he tried to spit on me, but I easily side stepped it.
"Where is this picture of me and description?"
Instead of answering me they roared in anger.
"Shut up! What did you do to us? Why should we tell you anything!?"
"Yeah! Release us you bastard! What kind of device did you even use?!"
'Is this their way of making me release them? To provoke the one easily capable of ending the 3 of them? Maybe I can clear up their misunderstanding and get some info from that.'
"This must all be just a big misunderstanding. I can help clear it up, but I'd like to know why you are all so against me. What have you heard?"
"Clear it up!? Like I'll listen to lies from you, you damn bastard!"
'I don't feel like this will go anywhere, they're very uncooperative even with the situation they're in. I think I should just knock them out and find those clues on their bodies myself.'