Chapter 14: Choice
1866 Words
Li Xian was sleeping very peacefully that night. At least until a certain point of the night when he was awakened.
He felt something is wrong. He did not know why he felt it but he got up. His ears opened up and there is some pattern of noise that has been broken.
his eyes opened and his ears twitch.
‘Something is wrong’ he said and he got up, grabbing the sheath of his sword.
He closes his eyes for a whole and then taking a deep breath and exhaling it, his eyes seems to get out of the daze of just waking up from sleep.
He did not immediately rush out. Instead he calms himself down and waited for a moment.
He closes his eyes and focus on his ears.
He heard the sound of the wind rustling, passing the leaves, creating a familiar sound. And then he heard other sounds.
He focused on this unfamiliar sound as his forehead creased.
‘Footsteps’ he said to himself.
‘Someone is near here’ he muttered under his breath.
He then opens his eyes. Then he moves. He did not go out through the front. Instead he went at the back of the hut.
Jumping lightly, he jumps toward the top of the hut roof.
Then he crouches, his eyes looking at the darkness of the forest.
Unlike yesterday, the moon did not show its pretty face tonight.
The forest is dark tonight.
The sound of footstep come closer.
‘How many of them is there?’ he said to himself. He is sure now.
It is not the sound of footsteps of monsters.
It is human, he is sure of it. He waited, his eyes concentrate on the direction of the sound of that footsteps.
Because of his Life Skill that reached master rank and his other abilities, it had given him quite a high perception. He waited and then he saw silhouettes of people. Then he heard shouting.
He focused on his ears again, closing his eyes as he listens the words that are being spoken
‘You people of Broken Sword should not treat my teacher Bai Qingniu like this. he had once saved the life of your sect master. How could you do this?’
The voice belongs to a young male.
‘Hand over the scroll!’ A sudden thunderous roars fills the area.
Li Xian crouch even lower as he tries to ascertain the situation inside the forest right now
One after another’ he said to himself
Last night it is a pack of wolves.
Tonight, the matter is even bigger than yesterday. It looks like a matter between two forces of the martial arts world.
Why can’t normal people come into the mountain?
Though Li Xian thought like that, there is a little bit excitement in Li Xian eyes.
He at least found that there are humans around this mountain.
But just because that is true did not mean he would quickly interfere in the matter until he understands what these people is talking about.
The one threatening Bai Qingniu once again spoke
‘Hand over the scroll or your granddaughter dies’ Li Xian could see them clearly from where he is located.
He could only see their shouted and hears a few words here and there.
‘I need to go closer’ he thought to himself
He looks around him and then he saw a place where he could jump to
Jumping out from the roof he glides to one of the trees near the hut and then stepping lightly that only the smallest of sound were produce he jump a few over a few more trees before nearing the area of the confrontation between those two forces.
Li Xian then could finally see better as he come closer.
‘Hmm’ he thought to himself as he look at the four people in the dark forest. Not one of them use any torches.
If not Li Xian could see them better before.
It is clear that this is something that is done is secret. There is only much to speculate with this little interaction.
Li Xian had his own ideas why the old man is being threatened
all that talk about Scroll, could it be this is the most common trope of wuxia stories? The secret manual of martial arts that is being coveted by all martial arts world?
Is it along that line of plot?
The Old man might have such manual of a powerful martial arts.
Li Xian did not show himself yet. He restrained his movement, making himself unnoticeable.
He wanted to see the martial arts of these people before making any decision.
If these people are stronger than him, unfortunately he must let these people to their fate.
After all, he still did not know whether the person called Bai Qingniu and his followers is really the good guy
After all, they could also be the thief that stela the scroll.
It is bad thing to side with the weaker side.
One had to side with the righteous side and the strongest side. It is better if the strong side is also the righteous side.
But in this current situation where he did not know who is righteous and who is not to interfere would not be good.
He crouches on top of the branches his figure is covered up by other branches of the trees around his vicinity.
But while people vision of him is obstructed by branches of trees, his eyesight is not obstructed at all.
And considering none of them realize that he is there, Li Xian could tell that there is no powerful martial arts master among these people.
As he looks the middle age man bring his blade closer to the girl neck and said
‘Old Bai! Give that scroll and I will spare your granddaughter’
Then an old voice sounded in the forest.
‘I am not a martial art expert. I am just a physician that roams the land. The Scroll that was given to me has long been taken away by those people. If I really have it, do you think the Righteous Temple would sit still? Now you capture my granddaughter and my disciple is not a martial artist. he could swing a sword but he is not your match, Wang Li. Let us go and I will not tell this matter to anyone. I do not have what you want’
Li Xian listen to this and he frowned. The Righteous Temple is like Shaolin right? He thought to himself.
When eh check a few of the game terms he knew there is a lot of schools and sect in the game that is based on wuxia famous sect and martial arts schools.
Then before Li Xian could think even more, a thunderous voice echoes around the area
‘Hah! That words of yours might deceive those bald donkeys of the Righteous temple, but do you think I do not know about your past?’
Li Xian eyebrow raised up.
As expected. Any wuxia stories must have a little bit of twist.
The moment that the middle aged man spoke about the past of that old man, Li Xian is sure that the old man must have an incredible backstory.
‘You were once called the White Ghost. You kill people without batting an eyes and white mist precede your coming. Harmless physician? Pei! The Scroll is such a temptation for people of your path. I don’t believe that the people of the Underworld Gate took it from you. If they took if from you, you would have long been dead.’
Li Xian nodded. The past of that old man is really extraordinary. He must be someone from the evil path in the past.
The Old man then replied
‘My past is not a secret. I have travelled for twenty-five years to heal people and rectify the wrongs I did. The Righteous Temple knew of my history and my martial arts is already crippled by my teacher. Now, I am just a roaming physician. Even if I practice the martial arts in that scroll, how long before I could manage to gain back my power. I probably would have die first before I could master it’
Sighing he then said
‘I have long given up in the matter of Jianghu. I hope brother Wang please be reasonable’
Li Xian did not understand all the underpinning of hatred and enmity between these two people but it is not important.
It is clear that the middle age man wanted the manual of martial arts that the old man possesses.
Whether that Bai Qingniu is lying or not, Li Xian could not determine it. There is nothing wrong with them wanting to solve their issue in this forest
But the only thing that Li Xian is worried about is that these people would find out about the existence of his hut and then started fighting there.
If he let evil people to find his hut, there would not be a good ending for him. He still wanted to stay in that hut for a few days before he left that area.
And since he did not know the strength of the middle aged man, it is better to be cautious than sorry
‘Hmm’ he thought to himself. Then as he is thinking on what he should do a quest notification popped out suddenly
[Quest]
The forest tonight is not peaceful. The host have encountered people of the martial path in a confrontation between the principle of good and evil. In the martial path, one choice determines one future.
Save Bai Qingniu and his people. Or leave them to die in the hands of evil.
The path of martial path is long. One choice leads to future entanglements. Survive and hone yourself. Forge your path!
Reward: A Medium Gift Pack
: Fame point or infamy points and reputation increase (the reputation increase and the prize in the medium gift pack will depend on the performance of the host)
Li Xian was shocked.
‘Now you show up!’ he wanted to yell at the system. He had been trying to initiate a quest since the morning but no matter what he did, no quest notification ever popped out.
But now suddenly it popped up.
What is the system doing? Li Xian look at the quest and then he sighed. Then he looked at the old man and the middle aged man holding a blade.
He frowned and his expression is hard
‘So, helping him and not helping him would still net me some rewards. this would decide my path in the future. Heroic path or Evil path?’
There is both advantages and disadvantages to the path. Of course, there is another path one could aspire to
The neutral path
But Li Xian knows that choosing neutral path is not necessarily a good thing. He knew he had to choose.
He nodded to himself and then he decided as he look at the old man, the young disciple with a gourd on his left waist and the young girl who is being held by the burly middle aged man.
He slowly unsheathes his sword; the sound of the wind hides the sound of the sword.
But this sword, which path shall it take? And whose blood shall it taste? Li Xian eyes is sharp and in his eyes his target is locked on. Then he pushes his feet from the branch.
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Calculation
256 Liang – 11= 245 Liang
245- 50- 195 Liang
195-10=185 Liang
Increase Life Skill points
4070 = 7500
7500-6210= 1290
1290= 22,100
22,100-5000= 17,100
17,100-12,00= 5100
Martial skill points
220- 115=105
105-15=90
90=1000=1090
1090-600= 490
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- Writer
