Yongjie sighed, "Master knows, but many people in the temple are stopping him."
"The monk also snuck out."
"I thought so too," Li Miao said.
A moment later, footsteps were heard outside the door.
The man entered with a middle-aged woman and introduced her.
This middle-aged woman was Song Yanchao's daughter and the man's wife. At this moment, she should be called Liu Songshi.
After entering the door and bowing, Liu Songshi first glanced at Li Miao.
Although Li Miao was only there to watch the show, he had been raised in Shuntian Prefecture for twenty years, and the aura of someone accustomed to giving orders was impossible to hide.
As for Yongjie, with his large build and a face full of rugged features, he looked more like Li Miao's attendant or bodyguard.
It was only when the man whispered something that Liu Songshi realized who the main person was.
However, when Liu Songshi looked at Yongjie, she was momentarily stunned.
After a long pause, she weakly asked, "Master... have we met before?"
"Yes, it's been many years."
Yongjie stood up and walked towards Liu Songshi.
He was already tall and heavily built, and now with an expressionless face, he appeared even more intimidating.
Liu Songshi, not knowing martial arts, turned pale with fear and had to hold onto her husband's arm to avoid losing her composure.
Yongjie walked up to Liu Songshi and bowed deeply.
"It's been a long time."
"I've owed this debt for over ten years, and today it's time to repay Madam."
Upon hearing the words "It's been a long time," Liu Songshi's face turned pale, and her voice trembled.
"You… who exactly are you…?"
"Before I became a monk, my secular name was Tu Qingcang."
"Ah!"
Liu Songshi screamed and abruptly stepped back.
"It's, it's you!"
Her husband had already vaguely sensed that his wife was somewhat off, and now he no longer hesitated. He shielded Liu Songshi behind him and drew a short knife from his waist.
"Sir, stop!"
"When a person dies, their debts are settled; misfortune should not extend to their wife and children!"
"Even if you have a grudge against my father-in-law, he is already dead. My wife and I never get involved in the pugilistic world; we are just ordinary people living in this city!"
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"Sir, do not break the rules of the pugilistic world!"
Clearly, the couple mistook Yongjie for someone seeking revenge.
Yongjie did not reply. After straightening up, he walked directly towards the couple.
"Don't come over!"
"Don't come over! My Song family never provoked you! You won back then!"
Liu Songshi kept retreating, but stumbled, unable to match Yongjie's strides.
The distance grew shorter and shorter.
Liu Songshi was too terrified to speak. Her husband struggled to say, "Sir, stop! Don't force me!"
Yongjie ignored him, and in a blink, he was in front of them.
Her husband gritted his teeth and still swung his knife at Yongjie.
The knife struck his right arm.
Instantly, blood gushed out.
This person's martial arts couldn't even be considered entry-level. Any random third-rate Master from the pugilistic world could easily disarm him.
And Yongjie was a top-tier expert, like Liu Baiyun.
He didn't even need to use any body-hardening techniques; as long as he circulated his internal energy, this slash wouldn't harm him.
Yongjie had deliberately reined in his true qi and relaxed his muscles and bones.
This slash penetrated an inch into his flesh, severing his hand tendons.
Li Miao did not speak.
He had seen this scene many times before.
Yongjie's injuries were all self-inflicted.
At this moment, his blood was gushing out, dripping from his sleeve and forming a puddle on the ground.
Liu Songshi, who had never witnessed such a sight, turned pale and fainted.
Her husband quickly caught her and turned to Yongjie, "You, you…"
He couldn't understand what was happening.
Although his martial arts were poor, he was still Song Yanchao's son-in-law, well-traveled and knowledgeable. He could tell that Yongjie's martial arts were far superior to his own.
He couldn't figure out why this person would stand there and let him strike.
Yongjie saw Liu Songshi faint and managed a faint smile.
"I will stay in Baoqing Prefecture for three days. If Madam Song wishes to find me after she wakes up, I will be staying at an inn in the city."
With that, he turned to Li Miao, "Benefactor, may I ask you for a donation?"
Li Miao reached into his embrace, pulled out a silver ingot, and tossed it over.
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Yongjie, however, could not catch it.
His left arm hung at his chest, and the tendons in his right hand were severed. The dignified legitimate successor of Shaolin could only watch helplessly as the silver ingot fell to the ground.
"Oh, I forgot."
Fortunately, Li Miao reacted.
He extended his hand and pointed into the air, a faint trace of true qi flying out and striking the silver ingot.
The silver ingot then landed in Liu Songshi's husband's arms.
"Alright, let's go."
Li Miao stood up and walked to Yongjie's side, pointing a finger to stop his bleeding.
Yongjie managed to say "Thank you" to Li Miao.
The two then walked out the door and headed towards the inn where they were staying.
As they walked, Li Miao asked, "What is the feud between Master and this family?"
Yongjie, having lost too much blood, was gradually becoming drowsy, but he spoke up to try and lift his spirits: "Back then, when my martial arts had just reached initial success, I came to Huguang to travel."
"To say 'travel' was really just to seek out fights everywhere."
"However, I was too young back then and had no reputation in the pugilistic world. Often, when I sought out a challenge, I would be refused, sometimes I couldn't even get past the door."
The matter of challenging others in the pugilistic world is not as simple as 'exchanging pointers'.
So-called sects and powers are essentially organizations that rely on martial arts for their foundation.
And for martial arts to be monetized, it often first needs to be transformed into 'reputation' through certain means, and only then can it be converted into things like land, money, and manpower.
Martial challenges are one such means; wins and losses can change many things.
Therefore, the vast majority of 'exchanges of pointers' had already determined the outcome before they even began.
People like Yongjie back then were the kind of challengers that everyone in the pugilistic world was unwilling to face.
Young, no reputation, but high martial arts. There was no benefit in winning, and losing meant ruin.
It was only natural that no one wanted to fight him.
"At that time, I was ignorant and only felt that they were weaklings who cheated the world and stole fame."
"I was eager to make a name for myself. I couldn't wait for their seniority system. My martial arts were higher than theirs, so I felt I should be more famous than them."
"So, I started going from one place to another, challenging them."
"Doing so broke the rules, and those who lost began spreading rumors about me in the pugilistic world, saying that I took advantage of people when they were unprepared, that I was a despicable person who used underhanded tactics."
"I felt indignant, so my attacks became increasingly severe. I even started to strike ruthlessly at people who were not involved."
Yongjie sighed deeply.
"When I came to Baoqing Prefecture back then, I naturally chose Great Hero Song, Song Yanchao, first."
"I won, and I broke his right arm."
"Oh, so that's why you're repaying an arm to his daughter," Li Miao said.
"Yes," Yongjie nodded.
"Great Hero Song's renowned martial art was 'Three Emperors Cannon Fist.' With his right arm broken, his martial arts would be at least thirty to forty percent weaker. The decline of Huiyou Escort Agency was mostly due to me."
"He was a good person; I shouldn't have done that."
"A debt owed must be repaid."
