Chapter 29: To save or not to save? Not saving

“Liulang, Jiuniang.”

Hua Sanlang walked into the room and saw his younger brother and sister sitting head-to-head, looking at a book together. They were occasionally pointing at the contents with curiosity, so he approached to take a look.

He found it somewhat amusing to see that the two were actually reading a martial arts manual titled *The Five Finger Mountain*.

“Jiuniang, why have you started reading martial arts books again? Do you want to practice martial arts again?”

When Hua Changxi first learned that martial arts masters truly existed in the Great Jin Dynasty, she was only three years old. At that time, Hua Liulang had just begun practicing standing stances to build his foundation.

By the time Hua Changxi was five, she had pestered Hua Minghe, insisting she wanted to practice martial arts. Unable to withstand her persistence, Hua Minghe had led her through training for about half a year.

However, practicing martial arts was far too strenuous. She simply couldn't sustain the daily practice of standing stances, and after practicing intermittently for a while, she eventually gave up in frustration.

Because of this, Hua Changxi had faced no shortage of ridicule from Old Madam Hua, who said that a young lady wanting to practice martial arts like a man was simply overestimating her own abilities.

Hua Changxi looked at Hua Sanlang. “Third Brother, since I went to the Labor Hall, perhaps because I’ve been doing more work, I feel as though I have cleared my Ren and Du meridians. I need to pick up martial arts again; maybe I could even become a master in the future.”

She didn't quite understand the difference between cultivation and martial arts training, but she felt that the internal energy produced by a martial artist was quite similar to the spiritual power surging within her body.

If a martial artist could concentrate internal energy into their feet to perform the *Lingbo Microsteps*, could she not direct the spiritual power in her body to her feet?

As for this *Five Finger Mountain*, she would find an opportunity to test it later to see what effect concentrating spiritual power into her hands would have.

Seeing her serious expression, Hua Sanlang hurriedly said, “Don't do anything reckless. Practicing martial arts is very dangerous; if you don't do it correctly, you could injure yourself.”

Hua Liulang chimed in, “Third Brother, I think Jiuniang actually has quite a few insights regarding martial arts. When she explains things I don't understand, I suddenly get them.”

Hua Sanlang was truly speechless. Between Jiuniang and Liulang, one was too bold in what she said, and the other was too gullible in what he believed.

“Liulang, if there are things you don't understand, it's best to wait until Father returns to ask him. There are many cases where martial artists have caused themselves permanent disability or even death by practicing incorrectly.”

Hearing this, a look of fear appeared on Hua Liulang's face.

Hua Changxi said nothing and continued to flip through *The Five Finger Mountain* intently. Unexpectedly, Hua Sanlang reached out and snatched the book from her hands.

Hua Sanlang looked at his younger siblings. “Second Sister and Second Brother-in-law are sitting in the courtyard, and Cousin Shen and the others are there too. It's not often that everyone gathers like this; you two should go out and chat with them for a while.”

Hearing this, Hua Changxi and Hua Liulang exchanged a helpless look and followed Hua Sanlang out of the room, resigned to their fate.

Hua Wuniang’s marriage was a significant occasion, but since Wuniang was going to be a concubine, the Hua family did not host a grand banquet. They only invited Aunt Third's family and the couple of Second Aunt Hua.

Because Old Man Hua had been embarrassed by Hua Changxi, his expression was quite sour. The younger generation found it awkward to linger in the main hall, so they all headed to the courtyard to chat.

Seeing Hua Sanlang bring out Hua Jiuniang and Hua Liulang, Second Aunt Hua immediately waved at Jiuniang with a smile. “Jiuniang, we were just talking about you! Come over and chat with us.”

Second Aunt Hua, the eldest granddaughter of the Hua family, had married a year ago into the Cao family, who were also low-ranking officials. Her husband, Cao Jingnian, was a patrol officer in the Five Cities Military Command.

Hua Changxi walked over with a smile. “What were you all saying about me?”

Hua Twelfth Daughter glanced at her. “Saying you are incredibly audacious.”

Hua Changxi rolled her eyes at her. “Those who think I am audacious are nothing but cowards.”

Hua Twelfth Daughter immediately bristled. “Who are you calling a coward?”

Hua Changxi smiled. “Whoever admits it.”

Second Aunt Hua watched with amusement as her ninth and twelfth sisters began bickering the moment they met. Holding one sister in each hand, she realized after marriage how much she missed the carefree days of bickering with her sisters.

“You two, cherish each other. Once you marry, you won't have the chance to bicker like this anymore.”

At those words, both Hua Changxi and Hua Twelfth Daughter fell silent.

Hua Changxi glanced at Second Brother-in-law Cao, who was chatting animatedly with Hua Sanlang and the others, and whispered, “Second Sister, is Second Brother-in-law good to you? Is your in-law family easy to get along with?”

Second Aunt Hua smiled at her husband and nodded. “Your Second Brother-in-law is quite caring. As for the in-laws, we just live our lives together. If others can manage, so can I.”

Hua Changxi fell silent. That was a polite way of saying the in-laws were difficult to get along with.

Smiling, Second Aunt Hua took a pouch from her waist and produced three pairs of silver earrings, handing them respectively to Hua Seventh Daughter, Hua Changxi, and Hua Twelfth Daughter.

“You are all not so young anymore; it is time to get your ears pierced.”

The three girls, having received the earrings, were quite happy. “Thank you, Second Sister!”

“Go for it, Liulang!”

“Keep it up, Third Brother!”

The Hua sisters turned around to see Hua Liulang sparring with Shen Mosheng, the third son of Second Aunt Hua, while the others cheered from the sidelines.

“Let's go watch too.”

As Hua Changxi approached, she watched the two combatants closely and was surprised to find that their movements appeared exceptionally slow in her eyes.

If their fight were recorded as a video, it would be as if she were watching it at 0.25x speed.

As her cultivation level increased, she indeed felt her five senses strengthening, but she had no intuitive concept of exactly how much they had improved.

But now, she knew.

“Sixth Brother, why are you using a palm strike? Just form your fingers into a claw and grab Cousin Mosheng's shoulder!”

Hua Changxi directly pointed out the flaw in their combat.

Hearing Hua Changxi's voice, Hua Liulang instinctively followed her advice. To his surprise, he actually managed to seize Shen Mosheng's shoulders, and with a follow-up side kick, he knocked the other boy to the ground.

“I won!”

Hua Liulang cheered happily, looking at Hua Changxi with excitement. “Jiuniang, your eyesight is amazing! I didn't even realize I could grab Mosheng's shoulders.”

Hua Changxi smiled but said nothing. She wanted to learn *The Five Finger Mountain* and *The Lingbo Microsteps*, so she planned to transcribe both manuals to study them slowly back at the Labor Hall.

Seeing that Second Aunt Hua was accompanied by Seventh and Twelfth Daughters, and that her cousins were with Hua Sanlang and the others, she slipped back to her room to begin copying the books.

Since Aunt Third's family and Second Aunt's couple had to head home, dinner was moved up by half an hour.

After dinner, Hua Changxi took the transcribed manuals and a bag of snacks prepared by Lady Yao, and left the Hua residence after Aunt Third's family and Second Aunt's couple had departed.

Hua Liulang escorted her all the way to the Medical Bureau.

“Sixth Brother, I'm here. You should head back.”

“I'll watch you go inside before I leave.”

Hua Changxi looked helplessly at the main gate of the Medical Bureau. “Laborers cannot use the main entrance; I have to take the back way.”

“Then I'll accompany you to the back gate,” Hua Liulang said, walking ahead without waiting for an answer.

Seeing that it was already getting dark, Hua Changxi didn't want to waste time arguing and could only hurry to catch up.

However, just as the two turned from the main street into the back street, Hua Changxi suddenly grabbed Hua Liulang and quickly ducked behind the shade of a roadside tree.

“Jiuniang, what's wrong?”

“Shh, someone is fighting.”

Soon, four figures appeared in their line of sight.

One person was running limping in front, while three others were in hot pursuit.

Looking at the person in front, Hua Changxi instinctively started to stand up, taking a step forward, but she caught herself a moment later and crouched back down behind the tree.

Seeing this, Hua Liulang whispered, “What is it? Do you know him?”

Looking at Yu Hui, who was struggling to run toward the back gate, Hua Changxi nodded. “Yes, I know him. He is a minor supervisor in the warehouse.”

At that moment, Yu Hui was caught by the pursuers. He was kicked so hard he flew three or four meters away, crashing heavily onto the ground.

“Run! Weren't you so good at running? Run again!”

“Hit him! Hit him hard!”

Watching Yu Hui curled into a ball under the kicks and punches of the three men, Hua Liulang couldn't help but look at his sister. “Since you know him, should we go help? I feel like I can take those three.”

Hua Changxi shook her head and said almost coldly, “The friendship I have with him is not enough to make me risk everything to save him.”

Setting aside the fact that the three pursuers were martial artists, even if they were ordinary people, as long as they didn't kill him, she would inevitably offend them by intervening to save Yu Hui.

She didn't know their origins or backgrounds; the risk was too great.

“This is the back street of the Medical Bureau; those three wouldn't dare kill someone here.”

Just as Hua Changxi expected, after beating Yu Hui for about fifteen minutes, the three men left, cursing all the way.

Yu Hui had already lost consciousness; only the rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive.

Hua Changxi and Hua Liulang stood up and walked over.

Hua Changxi said, “Sixth Brother, help me lift him up. I'll carry him into the Medical Bureau on my back.”

She hadn't stepped in earlier for fear of trouble, but now that the attackers were gone, carrying Yu Hui back to the warehouse was acceptable.

Hua Liulang hurried to help. While supporting Yu Hui, he noticed the clothing on the man's back was torn, and then he saw a red palm print on his back.

Seeing the red palm print, Hua Liulang's expression changed. “Jiuniang, this person must have offended a Fourth-Rank martial artist. You should avoid associating with him in the future.”

Only martial artists of the Fourth Rank or higher could cultivate internal energy.

Only by using internal energy could such a clear palm print be left on a person.

Hua Changxi glanced at the palm print on Yu Hui's back but said nothing. She bent down and hoisted him onto her back. “Sixth Brother, I'm going in. Hurry back and don't linger outside.”

Only after seeing Hua Changxi carry the man into the Medical Bureau did Hua Liulang turn to head home.