"But..." He hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "It’s better if we don’t tell Master."

"Why?" Jiang Haoyang asked in confusion.

"The Flying Horse Thieves wouldn’t have made such a demand unless they had an ace up their sleeve," Yang Jing analyzed. "They specifically warned us not to report to the authorities and even made Sun’s Martial Arts Hall off-limits. It’s clear they’re wary of Master. If we drag him into this, it could actually make things worse."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "The Flying Horse Thieves have run rampant in Yuhe County for this long without being wiped out by the authorities. They almost certainly have informants inside the city. If we make a move, they’re bound to find out. If they even suspect Master might get involved, they’ll probably send someone to the Martial Arts Hall to test the waters. If Master shows his face, they might lay low for a while. But if he doesn’t, they’ll get suspicious and likely just kill Senior Brother Liu to cut their losses."

Jiang Haoyang’s heart clenched. He couldn’t help but sigh in frustration. "Ah, if only the Hall Master could step in..."

But he knew Yang Jing was right. The Flying Horse Thieves were surely watching their every move, and the slightest disturbance could set them off.

At that thought, Jiang Haoyang instinctively glanced around, his eyes wary and unsettled.

The shops lining the street, the shadows in the corners, even the pedestrians brushing past—in his eyes, they all seemed to be spies for the Flying Horse Thieves, secretly watching their every move.

Yang Jing couldn’t help but chuckle at his paranoia.

"Stop looking, it’s not that serious."

Yang Jing patted him on the back, his tone a little lighter. "Hurry back to Shuiyun Square. And remember to return to the Martial Arts Hall this afternoon to practice your forms."

He looked at Jiang Haoyang, his expression turning serious. "Remember, in this world, help from others is just that—external. The only way to truly make your way and protect yourself is to be strong enough on your own."

Jiang Haoyang froze for a second, then nodded firmly. "Yeah! I get it, Senior Brother! I’ll train hard this afternoon, I promise!"

The two parted ways at the intersection of Tongyi Square and Shuiyun Square. Jiang Haoyang headed west, constantly looking back over his shoulder, while Yang Jing turned and walked back to his residence.

...

In the afternoon, sunlight slanted across the streets of Chengping Square, coating the cold bluestone slabs with a layer of warmth.

Yang Jing walked toward Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, his mind still mulling over the details of the trip to Black Wind Valley, now just three days away.

Just as he was approaching the entrance to the Martial Arts Hall, he suddenly stopped.

At the mouth of the alley diagonally across from the Hall, an inconspicuous, blue-cloth carriage was parked.

Yang Jing’s brow furrowed slightly. He walked this street to and from the Martial Arts Hall every day—he could do it with his eyes closed—but he had never seen this carriage parked here before.

The matter with the Flying Horse Thieves had already put him on high alert, and now, seeing this unfamiliar carriage parked so close to the Martial Arts Hall, his mind flooded with suspicion.

’Could it be... the Flying Horse Thieves have people here, watching Sun’s Martial Arts Hall?’

Without changing his expression, he slowed his pace. His gaze swept casually over the carriage, but his peripheral vision remained locked on it.

He saw the carriage curtain pulled open from the inside, just a tiny crack. Behind it, the vague silhouette of a figure could be seen, motionless, peering in the direction of Sun’s Martial Arts Hall. They were clearly watching for something.

Yang Jing’s heart sank, his suspicion hardening into certainty.

’The person in that carriage is most likely a lookout for the Flying Horse Thieves.’

’They really are wary of Master Sun Yong. They’ve sent someone right up to the Martial Arts Hall to keep watch, afraid we might try to intervene.’

He didn’t approach recklessly. He didn’t even let his gaze linger, simply continuing forward at his normal pace.

The Flying Horse Thieves were a band of ruthless desperados. With Senior Brother Liu still in their hands, if he spooked them and pushed them too far, their vicious nature meant they would likely kill the hostage out of pure spite.

For now, he had to be cautious and bow his head. They had him by a tender spot, leaving him in a reactive, disadvantaged position.

Yang Jing walked through the Martial Arts Hall’s main gate, staring straight ahead. He didn’t let out a slight breath of relief until his feet were on the bluestone pavers of the front courtyard.

He walked to the edge of the training grounds, limbered up, and began practicing the forms of the Mountain-Shattering Fist.

His fists whistled through the air as Inner Strength flowed through his meridians, but he couldn’t fully concentrate on his practice. The image of the carriage kept circling in his mind.

He threw a punch, striking a nearby wooden post with a dull THUD.

Yang Jing pulled back his fist, looking at the fresh indentation on the post. ’Thank goodness I didn’t tell Master about this,’ he thought, relieved.

’The Flying Horse Thieves are bold enough to stake out the front gate of the Martial Arts Hall. Who knows how many other spies they have in the shadows. If they sensed that the Hall intended to get involved, Senior Brother Liu would be in grave danger.’

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress these distracting thoughts.

’The priority now is to use this time to get into peak condition, to make sure I can handle whatever happens in three days.’

’As for the lookout in the carriage... I’ll ignore him for now. As long as the Martial Arts Hall stays quiet, they can’t make any trouble.’

His mind made up, Yang Jing again sank into his stance. The movements of his Mountain-Shattering Fist grew fiercer and more powerful as he channeled all his anxiety and worry into the force of his blows.

...

「Three days later.」

Morning sunlight streamed through cracks in the courtyard wall in Tongyi Square, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across Yang Jing’s yard.

He hadn’t gone to the Martial Arts Hall. Instead, he stayed home, waiting for news while guiding his cousin, Yang An, in his practice of the Raging Wave Leg technique.

Yang An was simple and honest by nature, and his talent for martial arts wasn’t exceptional. He’d been practicing the Raging Wave Leg technique for a long time but could still only manage a crude imitation of its form.

Yang Jing patiently held his ankle, correcting the angle for generating power bit by bit. "An, when you kick, you have to use the momentum from your turn. Twist from the hip. That’s how you get real force behind it. Watch..."