Chapter 49: The Old Man Who’s About to Die

Shi Feizhe was truly frustrated. He hadn’t expected that even a random, broken-down house he picked would have an owner.

And one who returned after decades, at that!

As for burying something with your name on it in my house, that was obviously a self-deprecating joke.

He wasn’t Team Leader Jia, after all, someone who would shamelessly act unreasonable.

“Old Man, the repairs cost a total of fifteen taels of silver. Once you pay, you can live here. I’ll go find another place,” Shi Feizhe said.

“You’re living here alone anyway. Getting someone to fix it up would cost about the same,” he added.

“Well… it’s not expensive. But, this old man has no money!” the old man said awkwardly.

“No money? You can’t tell me you were watching me from the foot of the mountain when I arrived, waited until I finished fixing everything up, and then came specifically to claim it for your own advantage, right?” Shi Feizhe questioned.

“Young man, I see you are also a martial artist. How about I teach you a set of martial arts techniques to offset these fifteen taels of silver?” the old man suggested, trying to negotiate.

“No, thanks! I already have enough martial arts techniques. It’s better to master a few than dabble in many!” Shi Feizhe refused outright.

Learning unfamiliar martial arts techniques was risky. Besides, techniques that were worth fifteen taels of silver couldn’t be that good, could they?

“This old man’s martial arts techniques are very powerful!” the old man insisted.

“I’m not learning them, even if they are powerful!” Shi Feizhe retorted.

“Then this old man has no other choice. I have no money! And if we fight, you can’t beat me.” The old man chuckled shamelessly.

He really didn’t have any money, nor did he need it.

“…Is it really worth it for fifteen taels of silver?” Shi Feizhe was speechless.

From the old man’s grab earlier, he couldn’t tell what his cultivation level was. It probably wasn’t very high, otherwise, he wouldn’t be acting like a scoundrel over a bit of silver!

How could a master in the Jianghu have no money?

Besides, when it comes to fists, youth has the advantage. This old man was so old, even if he relied on sword techniques to prolong the fight, he wouldn’t necessarily have an advantage!

The advantage is mine!

Shi Feizhe encouraged himself.

It was just that the old man’s shamelessness made Shi Feizhe feel indignant!

“Then I’ll have to ask for some guidance from Old Man!” Shi Feizhe picked up his rusty sword. He had bought it casually in town for practicing, nothing more.

He performed a flamboyant sword flourish and said, “I’m just slightly skilled in swordsmanship. It’s not too much to use a weapon, right?”

“Oh? You know swordsmanship?” The old man looked at Shi Feizhe with interest, then extended his right hand, forming a sword finger. To Shi Feizhe’s astonishment, his True Qi transformed into a sword.

“Come, let this old man have some fun!!” he exclaimed.

Shi Feizhe looked at the long sword formed from True Qi, about three to four feet long, emitting a faint blue glow under the sunlight. Coupled with the old man’s phrase “let this old man have some fun,” he knew he had encountered a true master.

“Cough… I’m young and prone to sudden whims. Sometimes my mouth runs away with me and I don’t know what I’m saying! I was having an episode just now. Old Man, just pretend you didn’t hear anything,” Shi Feizhe promptly surrendered.

To wander the Jianghu, one must follow their heart!

This is the true meaning of martial arts!

“I’ll pack my things and leave right away!” Shi Feizhe hurriedly said.

It was just fifteen taels of silver. He didn’t want it anymore!

Damn it, I can even run into a master while hiding in the mountains!

How unlucky!

“Hold on!” the old man said again.

“Hmm?” Shi Feizhe instantly became alert.

What now? Was he really going to kill him to silence him? Or was he going to seize his assets?

“With this old man’s temper in my younger days, if you dared to draw your sword against me, you’d probably be in several pieces by now.” The old man looked at Shi Feizhe and withdrew his True Qi sword with a flip of his hand. He continued,

“But this old man is old now, my temper has mellowed considerably.”

“Thanks to you fixing this place up, when I came back, I actually had some semblance of the memories I had of it.”

“If you don’t mind being cramped, you can stay in this small courtyard too.”

“I won’t be staying here long. Two or three years at the shortest, four or five at the longest. This small courtyard will eventually be yours,” the old man finished in one breath.

“Why are you only staying for a few years?” Shi Feizhe asked.

“Simple! Because this old man is about to die,” the old man said nonchalantly.

✿✿✿

“Die?” Shi Feizhe was puzzled. This old man could transform his True Qi into a sword so easily and casually. He must be at least at the Zhoutian realm, or even possibly a True Realm master. How could he die so easily?

“All martial artists in the world have a limited lifespan. What’s so strange about dying?” The old man looked at Shi Feizhe curiously.

“Could it be… one hundred and forty-nine years?” Shi Feizhe said. He seemed to have heard a blind man mention that the maximum lifespan of a martial artist was one hundred and forty-nine years.

Even the invincible Yuan Jiuzhong!

Thinking of the wooden box with “Chong Jiuyuan” written from top to bottom…

This old man’s name was Chong Jiuyuan. Could it be…

No, no way! The number one master in the world trying to swindle him out of fifteen taels of silver?

The Jianghu was too bizarre!

Was there any justice left in the Jianghu?

And if reversing the name still resulted in a person’s name, wouldn’t Fan Jianqiang be…

This old man’s name must be a coincidence!

“That’s right! Young man, although you come from an unorthodox background, you do have some knowledge!” the old man said. “This old man’s lifespan is coming to an end. I just want to spend a few years here in peace.”

Shi Feizhe pondered. With this old man’s cultivation level, crushing him would be easier than crushing an ant. He had wasted so much breath, so he probably didn’t harbor any ill intentions towards him.

Going through the trouble of finding another secluded place in the mountains was a bit of a hassle!

“Alright! Old Man, then let’s squeeze together! I’ll tidy up. You take the east room, I’ll take the west room!” Shi Feizhe said to the old man.

“Good! Let’s also demolish the sculpture in the main hall and tidy up the space to store some miscellaneous items. That’ll make it more spacious,” the old man said.

“What kind of statue is that?” Shi Feizhe was curious about the half-collapsed clay statue.

He had only preserved half of it before, without demolishing it completely. Now, with two people living in three rooms, it was a bit cramped. After demolishing the statue, they would have more space.

“That? That’s a statue of the God of Wealth,” the old man thought for a moment and said with a smile.

“Huh? This small temple actually worshipped the God of Wealth?” Shi Feizhe was surprised.

“Back when my master was here, we worshipped the True Martial Emperor. Later, the incense offerings dwindled, so my master told the people down the mountain that the True Martial Emperor was also the God of Wealth, a martial God of Wealth! Martial prowess brings wealth, and wealth supports martial prowess! So, the incense offerings gradually increased, and my master and I didn’t starve to death,” the old man said, reminiscing about his childhood.

The events of a hundred years ago seemed like they had happened yesterday.

The people who worshipped the God of Wealth back then had probably turned to dust by now!

And now, it was his turn!

“By the way, I still don’t know your name, young brother,” the old man suddenly remembered that he didn’t know the young man’s name.

“My name is Shi Feizhe!” he replied.

“Eh? Shi Feizhe?” The old man pondered and said, “Rumor has it that an old demon appeared in the north, wreaking havoc on the entire Qiuyang City, leaving it in ruins. That old demon was also called Shi Feizhe.”

“It’s just a coincidence that our names are the same,” Shi Feizhe denied with a dark expression.

It had been half a year already. Who the hell was still spreading rumors about him?!

“That makes sense. Rumor has it that old demon loved pretending to be young and deceiving people! I’ve seen many people pretend to be young, but none of them have eyes as clear and foolish as yours! You’re definitely not that old demon,” the old man shook his head and said.

“I’m really not that old demon! Old Man, you truly have discerning… ” Shi Feizhe was finally encountering someone who didn’t think he was a demon and was about to praise him, but then he realized something was wrong.

Hold on, old man, why don’t you just spit it out clearly!

What do you mean by clear and foolish?

If I could beat you, I would definitely smash your old head in!

Despite his inner thoughts, the old man and the young man settled down on this mountaintop.

One waiting for death, the other lying low.

Lying low in order to rise high.