Notes on Longevity

Chapter 231 One Long Spear Fights Five Heroes, Appearing and Disappearing Without a Trace
As dawn broke, Yang Chenghan, who was used to rural life, woke up early. After washing up, he walked around the house surrounded by gemstones, agates, and paintings.

As he touched these rare treasures, the coolness he felt in his palms and fingertips made him both clear-headed and dazed, which made him unable to resist giving these things a hard squeeze.

Yang Chenghan let out a long sigh of relief, then turned and went into the study on the side. He walked back and forth in front of the bookshelves, and the books of sages on them made him, who was already awake, start to feel sleepy again. He rubbed his eyes and finally came to the desk.

He sat down and looked at the brush, ink, paper and inkstone that had been prepared in front of him. He thought of the painting hanging on the wall outside the study. There was a poem on the painting. He thought about it. Although he had not studied for many years, the poem in the painting was interesting. The first three lines described the scenery and objects, as if he was outside the mountain. But the last line said that he was in the mountain. What was even more interesting was the word "this body".

Although Yang Chenghan was not entirely clear about the meaning of these two words, he had a general idea of ​​what they meant. This reminded him of a poem, so he ground ink, picked up his brush, and wrote: "Viewed horizontally, it is a range; viewed vertically, it is a peak. The view varies from near to far, high to low. I cannot see the true face of Mount Lu, simply because I am in the mountain myself."

Both poems are about mountains, but their moods differ. The former seems to express a sense of wonder at the mountains, the scenery, and the objects, while the latter is more of a reflection on the mountains.

However, the two poems do have something in common, namely the last line of each. One is "It is precisely because I am in the mountains that I enter," while the other is "It is only because I am in the mountains that I enter." This reminded Yang Chenghan of what An Zhilan had told him: "The book only tells about the beginning and the result, but not the process."

Both poems are about mountains, and the last lines have similar meanings, but their descriptions of mountains are different. This made Yang Chenghan understand why scholars always say, "Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

He thought that studying the classics and learning the ways of business were essentially the same thing; studying was all about becoming a top scholar, and doing business was all about becoming incredibly wealthy. Though the language was a bit vulgar, the principle was the same. As he gathered his thoughts, put down his pen, and prepared to go for a walk, he heard hurried footsteps on the rooftop.

Someone was injured. Judging from his ferocious face, the injury seemed to be quite serious. Blood flowing from his chest stained his white clothes. He moved between the rooftops of the Zhao residence, intending to go to the courtyard to find someone. But just then, he saw a light suddenly turn on in a room in the distance, and he quickly headed towards that room.

Because of his injury, his steps were a little heavy as he ran across the rooftop, which led the night guard to spot him. This guard was none other than Qin Hua from yesterday.

Qin Hua wanted to shout for help, but then he realized that it was late at night and everyone in the house except the guards on night duty was asleep. Shouting would surely disturb the master and madam. If it was just an ordinary thief, he could capture him. If he couldn't defeat him, he could call for help later. So he decisively chased after the thief alone.

Qin Hua's movements alerted the man in white. He stopped his hurried steps and turned around abruptly. When he saw that the person chasing him was Qin Hua, his tense and wary expression instantly calmed down.

However, the white-clad man's sudden stop caught Qin Hua off guard. He had assumed the thief was going to fight him, but what he didn't expect was that the thief was actually Wu Ke.

"Young Master Wu, how did you manage to scale the walls and rooftops in this house?" Qin Hua was utterly astonished upon seeing the thief's appearance and quickly inquired about the reason.

Wu Ke clutched the wound on his chest, frowned, and said, "Don't ask these questions yet. Quickly take some men to guard the area near Master Zhao's courtyard."

Qin Hua noticed that Wu Ke was speaking hurriedly and clutching his chest. It wasn't until he looked closely that he realized Wu Ke was injured. Wu Ke then urged, "Go quickly."

Before Qin Hua could ask what was going on, Wu Ke's expression and tone told him that something serious must have happened. So he leaped off the roof to call for help, but Wu Ke stopped him again and pointed to a spot in the courtyard, asking, "Who lives in that house with the lights on in that direction?"

"Lights?" Qin Hua looked over upon hearing the sound, quickly thinking for a moment: "It's Young Master Cheng Han."

There's a rule in the Zhao residence: the lights go out after midnight, and the kitchen lights come on after dawn. Right now, it's just past dawn, and the only place with lights on is the kitchen. But the kitchen isn't in that direction, so Yang Chenghan, who just arrived, is the only one unfamiliar with the Zhao residence's rules.

Upon hearing Yang Chenghan's name, Wu Ke turned and ran off without saying a word, while Qin Hua went back to order someone to guard outside Zhao Wuyong's courtyard.

Wu Ke rushed to Yang Chenghan's roof. Now that he knew where Yang Chenghan lived, he no longer suppressed his emotions and could only control his steps so that he wouldn't break the black tiles.

As he approached the eaves, he leaped down without hesitation. Yang Chenghan, who was inside, had already heard the commotion and quickly rushed out the door.
At 3:45 AM, after having breakfast, the Zhao family gathered in the main hall, where Lu Ya and his group of five, along with Yang Chenghan, were already waiting. Confused, Zhao Wuyong and An Zhilan stared at them and asked, "Young Master Lu, what's going on?"

“Yes, Brother Lu,” Zhao Yunchu asked, puzzled.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ya glanced at Yang Chenghan and then said to Zhao Wuyong, "After the incident at Yaxianglou yesterday, we were followed by a man. Originally, I planned to lure him to another place before making a move, but he refused to show himself. After that, I pretended to separate from Chenghan and Yunchu and followed the man and Chenghan. Sure enough, we arrived at Zhao's residence."

"Young Master Lu, do you mean that person has his eye on Yun Chu and Han'er?" An Zhilan immediately became agitated upon hearing this.

Lu Ya said, "It should be, but he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions towards Cheng Han and Yun Chu."

"Brother Lu, what do you mean by that?" Zhao Yunchu was more and more confused. They were already eyeing her and Yang Chenghan, so how could they not have malicious intent?

At this moment, Wu Ke, who had been bandaged and changed into new clothes, stood up and said, "Last night, a few of us fought with that man. His gun was exceptionally fierce; you could say that a solid shot would have been fatal. But he seemed to have held back."

Wu Ke fell silent as he spoke. He couldn't understand why that person was following Yang Chenghan and Zhao Yunchu, especially when he thought about the sharp spearhead that had blocked his flying needle last night and then aimed straight at his brow.
"Wu Ke, get out of the way."

Seeing the flying needle deflected by the spear tip, the man kicked the spear shaft, reversed his grip on the spear, and charged forward with the spear in one swift motion. Wu Ke's mind went blank. If it weren't for the Taoist hermit Wang Huai's exclamation, he would have truly died today.

Wu Ke leaped up the rooftop, dodging the man's spear before it could be thrust forward, while Wang Huai swooped down, drawing a slender sword from his belt and aiming it at the man's back.

The man's gun didn't miss. Facing Wang Huai's sneak attack, he turned around and aimed the gun at Wang Huai again. At the same time, Lu Ya seized the opportunity. He threw his sword to Zheng Di and drew his own sword from Zheng Di's hand. He rushed towards the man, trying to kill him with one blow.

Wu Ke and Sun Cheng, who were standing to the side, were also preparing their backup plan.

Surrounded by enemies on all sides, the man in the middle should have been doomed in such a situation. However, the eerie smile that appeared between his brows sent chills down one's spine. In an instant, he adjusted the tip of his spear, turned sideways, and dodged Wang Huai, who was already close by with a sword. Wang Huai, who had just brushed past the man, also felt an unprecedented killing intent. Their eyes met, the man narrowed his eyes slightly, raised his leg, and bent his knee. Wang Huai's hand fell to the ground, but the man suddenly thrust his chest into him. He felt his heart skip a beat at that moment.

But the man didn't attack him again. Instead, he pushed Wang Huai behind him with a palm strike. Wang Huai, whose breathing became rapid, was somewhat powerless and unable to participate any further.

The man's swung spear forced Lu Ya to turn sideways, but unfortunately, being longer was advantageous. After dealing with Wang Huai, the man turned back to face Lu Ya. Lu Ya's sword was equally sharp, but unfortunately, it wasn't long enough. The man suddenly jerked his spear with his arm, the sharp tip striking the wall with a piercing sound that made Lu Ya's ears ring and his steps noticeably slow. The man extended his leg, aiming straight for Lu Ya's sword-wielding wrist. Fortunately, although Lu Ya was slower, his reaction was still quick. He blocked the man's kick with his other wrist, and a sharp pain began to spread from his wrist. Seeing Lu Ya's pained expression, the man swung the spear again, striking Lu Ya's shoulder with the butt of the spear, before retreating three steps.

Seeing that Lu Ya was at a disadvantage, Wu Ke and Sun Cheng frowned. Wu Ke quickly drew his flying blade, while Sun Cheng, who was tall and strong, moved with a light and gentle gait, yet also with the surging tide. In the end, he wrapped his legs around the man's neck and hung upside down on his back, while using his strong arms to hold his ankles tightly.

Upside-down kick!

Sun Cheng's imposing body was hanging upside down on the man. His immense weight made the man feel pressured and strained, especially around the neck, where Sun Cheng's strong legs were squeezing so hard that the man's eyes turned bloodshot.

But at the same time, this also made Sun Cheng feel a terrifying fear. No matter how hard he tried, the man was as immovable as a hundred-year-old tree. No matter how hard he exerted his feet or how tightly he tightened his arms, he did not waver in the slightest.

Lu Ya seized the opportunity and thrust his sword straight at the man's chest, but he had to hold back to avoid accidentally injuring Sun Cheng.

Seeing Lu Ya thrust his sword at him, the man had no choice but to forcefully retract his spear. He then shook it with all his might, and the flexible, bent spear fell onto Lu Ya's arm again. The intense pain caused Lu Ya to drop his sword. The man then used the sharp spearhead to force Lu Ya back, while he twisted his waist and desperately tried to slam against the wall. To avoid crashing into the wall, Sun Cheng was forced to disengage from the man's body, doing a few somersaults before stopping to the side.

With Sun Cheng gone, the man breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could catch his breath, Sun Cheng charged again. The man instinctively raised his gun to defend himself, but then, realizing what was happening, he turned the gun around and used the butt to block Sun Cheng's charge. Sun Cheng, on the rooftop, seized the opportunity to throw several flying blades at the man, but they were all blocked by the man's retrieved spear.

This time, the man seemed genuinely angry.

He climbed up the wall with a gun in his hand, and then repeatedly stabbed Wu Ke with both hands.

Faced with the relentless and sudden attack, Wu Ke was forced to retreat quickly, while the man, with an angry brow, shoved the butt of his gun straight at Wu Ke's chest.

The sharp spear tip pierced his body, and blood gushed out. Fortunately, the man stopped at the last moment. He pulled out the spear tip and said to Lu Ya and the others who had already climbed onto the roof, "I have no grudge against you. Please don't pursue me any further. Otherwise, next time I won't hold back with my spear."

But Lu Ya angrily pointed at the man and said, "You are not allowed to ask about your identity. Since we have eaten a meal from the Zhao family, we must get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, how can we let this go!"

"Let it go?"

The man suddenly sneered, "It doesn't matter, no one has ever let us off the hook anyway."

As he spoke, he shoved Wu Ke toward the group and said, "Lu Ya, is it? You think you're the best in the world after winning against a group of disciples from prestigious sects who have lost their great lineages? If it weren't for the fact that you helped her today, I might not have shown you any mercy."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ya exclaimed, "How arrogant!"

"Zheng Di, take a look at Wu Ke's wound first."

Lu Ya, sword in hand, confronted the man and said, "I'd like to see just how powerful you are."

After saying that, Lu Ya drew his sword and stepped forward, while the man faced him with a gun on his back.

Seeing that the man remained unmoved, Lu Ya's anger flared even more. He thrust his sword upwards from the man's neck, but the man bent over to dodge. Then, the man kicked Lu Ya hard in the chest and then aimed the butt of his spear straight at Lu Ya's brow.

Lu Ya reacted quickly, dodging the attack and then rolling over to steady himself. Just as Lu Ya was about to make another move, the man spoke up, saying, "Your mind is already in turmoil. Even if I win, it would be an unfair victory for me."

"That's really arrogant!"

Lu Ya's mind was in complete turmoil. Without saying a word, he rushed straight towards the man, completely disregarding the flaws that his movements revealed.

Seeing this, the man shook his head helplessly as he tried to dodge. Finally, he pointed his spear at a certain opening and easily repelled Lu Ya. He then stopped fighting, turned around with his spear, and disappeared into the night.

Lu Ya relentlessly pursued him, following closely behind.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Di exclaimed "Hey!" and Sun Cheng and Wang Huai immediately followed.

Finally, Wu Ke said to Zheng Di, "You should hurry up and follow him. Lu Ya's mind is in turmoil, and he's really not simple. Don't let Lu Ya fall into his hands."

"and you."

Wu Ke said, "I'm fine, go quickly. I'll go back to the Zhao family to keep watch."

As soon as Wu Ke finished speaking, Zheng Di followed after him.
"Huh? Brother Lu, you actually lost to him?" Zhao Yunchu was incredulous after hearing Wu Ke's explanation of the whole story: "Then that person must be incredibly powerful, invincible?"

"So, did you catch up with them later?" Yang Chenghan asked with concern.

Lu Ya shook his head: "After chasing them to a grove of trees outside the city, they disappeared."

(End of this chapter)