The moonlight danced, and a few wild plum blossoms exuded a faint fragrance in the deep winter.
The blind boy's world had no color, only ink and blank spaces.
Feeling his strength data about to rise, joy surged in his heart, disregarding the night, the weather, and the soreness in his arms, he just focused on sharpening his blade, then sharpening it again.
The white lines of the blade moved back and forth in the darkness, rust flakes falling softly like the blank spaces dispersed in ink.
Song Cheng sharpened the blade with increasing anticipation.
He was so eager to become stronger.
Not for anything else, but just to live securely.
Struggling for dominance, fighting ruthlessly—those were things he had no interest in.
The original plan of "silently guarding the young miss of the Eastern House, watching her get married, then spending a lifetime as a servant, and devoting himself to the beloved young miss and her husband" had already been more than fulfilled.
But Song Cheng's plan was to relocate: to the County, the Prefectural City, the State City, and even to the Imperial City.
The reason was simple.
This world was most likely based on the worldview of "Endless Hell".
"Filling the Yin" was a crucial point in this worldview.
In places with fewer people, Yin Qi is hard to fill.
The first to suffer, to face the "end times", would surely be forests, villages, mass graves, battlefields, and the like—places with few people. As the first taboo arose, forbidden areas would follow, and with the increase in forbidden areas, Counties would fall, followed by Prefectural Cities, State Cities...
Finally, it would be the turn of the Imperial City, the place with the heaviest human energy.
Of course, this was in theory. But now, in a Chaotic World... who knows if there would be changes in dynasty or other unexpected events.
Song Cheng planned to go with the flow, aiming to move to the bustling Great Capital City, to avoid the "initial shock" of the taboos.
But...
Without a Road Guide, without a household registration, all this was just talk.
The Road Guide was something the Village Chief issued in the village.
Household registration required a local power to take you in, or you needed a legitimate reason to stay there, so you could go to the government offices to apply and obtain it.
Otherwise... even if you sneaked into another town, without a Road Guide, you would be considered a thief.
This was a means for the Government Office to restrict the movement of people.
And more importantly, of course, was to have strength.
...
...
Song Cheng did not know how long he had been sharpening the blade when he slightly turned his eyes and saw four sets of data approaching from the distance, one of which showed[Affection: 100]was naturally the young miss of the Eastern House.
The three data sets nearby also represented beings with an affection of 80.
Physicians who saved people were quite capable of earning people's affection.
Before long, the sound of the wicker gate being pushed open came.
"Brother Cheng, what are you doing?"
"Sharpening blades."
"Pfft..."
Tong Jia covered her mouth, holding back laughter, then said, "You mean it's just a thin iron rod, right? Are you sharpening a stick?"
Clearly, she hadn't perceived the potential of the iron rod.
Yet as she spoke, she seemed to think of something and began to giggle with a "ge-ge-ge" laughter.
Song Cheng, unconcerned with the Eastern House's young miss's harmless ridicule, said calmly, "The edge hasn't been sharpened out yet. I was going to pick one for you, but apart from this blade, the rest are just ordinary. Oh, by the way, I only spent twenty-two wen on this blade."
Twenty-two wen?
That was cheaper than a kitchen knife.
Tong Jia pursed her lips and ignored that topic, taking another skeptical glance at the rusty iron rod, doubting whether her man truly amounted to "an ordinary gang member." But she held back from commenting further, simply asking, "Shall we wash up?"
Song Cheng nodded and rinsed the Fine Blade with water once more.
Both had been busy that day and had sweated quite a bit, so rare as it was, they heated a pot of water in the kitchen stove.
In the bathing tub, this potful of water wasn't enough, but it did allow for both of them to thoroughly wipe down every corner of their bodies with a towel.
In the kitchen, the couple bathed together without shame or irritation, sometimes one helping wipe down an area, and sometimes one helping scrub another area.
In the end, Tong Jia saved some water to wash her hair, then wrapped up in an overcoat, and hurried across the courtyard back to the bedroom.
On the bed, the two of them warmed up for a bit, then cuddled up and started their pillow talk.
"I went to the Ding Family today, but didn't find the money."
"Who would keep stolen goods at home?"
"They must have hidden it too quickly. Crippled Chen definitely thought that those three Ding boys must have kept the money at home, but... eh, if those boys really took the money, they're really sly."
"Still boys, huh? Are there boys in this world who commit burglary and indecency toward women?"
"They're young."
"What about being young?"
Tong Jia sighed and said, "About the Cultivation Technique, I asked Yune quietly. She wouldn't say, but..."
The young miss of the Eastern House paused, then added, "She didn't refuse either. Since I'll be treating her mother-in-law in these coming days, I'll just have to work on her more."
After finishing her sentence, she suddenly twisted her hips.
Song Cheng was taken aback.
Without making a sound, the young miss of the Eastern House sent an invitation.
Biting his lip, Song Cheng drew close like a cicada to a tree.
After a long time, they calmed down.
The young miss of the Eastern House commented, "It's not as good as those first few days. Are you tired of it?"
"How can that be! It's just that my body is weak," Song Cheng quickly explained, then clenched his fist and declared, "Fortune changes over time, do not despise the poor youth. Once I get the Cultivation Technique, I will definitely suppress you, you little vixen."
Laughing, the young miss of the Eastern House taunted, "The little vixen will be waiting."
Their words were just jokes on the bed.
But honestly, Song Cheng really felt this body was too weak. Previously, he hadn't gone out much, and that, combined with the recent pleasure, meant he had been full of energy. But that day, he definitely felt tired, his whole body sore, as if he had been running several laps around Tang River Village.
He couldn't help but cover his face.
This body is so weak that I even have to struggle to avoid being looked down upon.
After lying down for a while, Song Cheng regained his composure, then said, "My dear, I'm going to perform 'Out of Body Divine Soul' now. I'll be back in the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. If my body gets cold later, don't be scared."
Tong Jia nodded.
...
...
Song Cheng visualized a pagoda, and his Divine Soul left his body. He slipped through the crack of the window as if on familiar ground and headed towards the Ding Family like a swift wind.
As for the points, he didn't add any today.
He was saving them waiting for the Cultivation Technique.
With the Cultivation Technique, he would go from 'Uninitiated' to 'Perfection' in a second.
No matter how good the skill is, you need a foundational realm to support it.
He and Yune weren't that close, nor was it convenient to be.
Only the mistress of the Dong family could help him get the Cultivation Technique now.
While he was pondering, suddenly... a shadow, similarly sneaking through the night, caught his eye.
Song Cheng scoped it out.
[Strength: 2~2]
[Affection: 70]
It was Crippled Chen!
Crippled Chen, with one hand on his walking stick and the other carrying a blade, was rushing toward someplace in the dark.
No!
Not just someplace.
It was to the Ding Family.
Crippled Chen had stopped outside the Ding Family's door, leaning against the white ash wall, slowly moving to the shadow on the dark side of the moon to listen in secretly.
Song Cheng went straight into the house.
One look!
My goodness, the three Ding brothers were holding a box covered in dirt, counting the copper coins and bits of silver inside.
The eldest son of the Ding Family, Ding Siyu, said, "That damn Crippiled Chen! He was the only one who insisted on searching our house. Deserves to die!"
Ding Siyan, the old man of the Ding Family, said, "Luckily, the youngest one was clever, having buried the money early in the morning."
Ding Sigu's eyes were flickering with a cold light, then he said, "This money needs to be hidden again. We'll retrieve it when we need it. It's safer to have it out there than to keep it on us.
By the way, big brother, now's not the time to rest."
Ding Siyu seemed to catch his hint, suddenly looking up.
Ding Sigu asked, "Big brother, do you dare?"
Ding Siyu replied, "To kill Crippled Chen?"
Ding Sigu said, "As long as he's around, he'll definitely keep an eye on us. Better to deal with him sooner. Don't we have that treasure we found?"
Ding Siyu fell into contemplation.
He was still hesitant about actually killing a person.
Ding Siyan at the side said, "After all, Crippled Chen is from our village; are we really going to kill him just like that?"
Ding Sigu said indifferently, "Second brother, that's why you are the most useless among us.
Big brother wants to do great things. In this Chaotic World, if you don't eat others, they will eat you.
Yune is beautiful and doesn't know how to hide wealth, and it just so happens that her mother-in-law is ill too. This is a case of heaven offering a boon that if not seized, turns into a curse."
Ding Siyan fell silent at this.
His big brother had practiced some martial arts, and his third brother had been sent to study in a private school for a few days... but he had accomplished nothing, ending up just guarding the house.
Seeing Ding Siyan's silence, Ding Sigu came up and patted him on the shoulder, smiling, "Second brother, once Crippled Chen is dead, we'll enter from the back door of Yune's house. At that time... the three of us brothers will have our way with that beautiful woman."
Ding Siyan hesitated for a moment, thinking of the enticing feel of such tender and delicate flesh, and finally clenched his teeth, slapped his thigh, and said fiercely, "Let's do it!"
As Ding Siyu listened to his brothers' discussion, he smirked when he saw Ding Siyan's reaction and said, "That's more like it."
Then he fiercely declared, "In this life, I refuse to live this way, to stay in the village, to waste a life's savings because of conscription that leaves me penniless!!
If the class hierarchy is set by the gentry, then I will become a bandit!
There are bandits out there, and I'll join them!"
With that, he went to Ding Siyan's side and gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder, saying, "Second brother, now's the time to be brave. Third brother asked you to scout; this is called being a scout. You've done well.
Once we've dealt with Crippled Chen, no one in Tang River Village will bother us anymore.
Tomorrow night, we'll go to Yune's house, and you'll be the first to have her!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Eldest Son of the Ding Family reached down to his crotch and said, "I'm going to take a leak."
With that, he staggered off toward the back door.
At the back door, Crippled Chen leaned against the wall, having heard everything inside clearly, now seething with anger, his eyes nearly bursting with rage. When the back door creaked open and Ding Siyu stepped out, he held his breath, focused his spirit, and suddenly stabbed forward with his knife.
Ding Siyu, startled, dodged, but still felt a chill in his chest.
He fell backward, taking Crippled Chen down with him.
"Beast!"
Crippled Chen cursed angrily, releasing his walking stick to channel strength into his palm toward the knife's hilt.
Thud!!
The knife pierced completely through Ding Siyu's back.
Just then, Crippled Chen heard a sharp whizzing noise in the darkness.
Looking up, he felt a sudden pain in his eye socket.
A Short Crossbow Bolt shot into his left eye and exited through the back of his head.
The youngest son of the Ding Family had an icy expression, holding a Powerful Crossbow that would never be found in the village.
Crippled Chen looked on in disbelief.
The youngest Ding brother, with a ruthless move, stepped forward and struck again with his weapon.
Crippled Chen, dead!