Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 100 The Demise of the Zhang Family, The Mysterious Swordsman

But for Song Jing, who was standing inside the door, it was indeed just a "small favor".

Given his current status at the martial arts school, it's really nothing to arrange for a few trustworthy relatives and friends to join and provide them with some basic support.

He owes these old friends a great deal; during his most difficult times, they gave him small but precious warmth. Now, this is just a small way he can make amends.

Inside the martial arts school, there is a quiet courtyard specifically allocated to newly initiated disciples.

Chen Pangzi, Lin Houer, Lin Xiaochun, and Song Yi had changed into brand-new martial arts school disciple uniforms. Lin Xiaochun wore a specially made female disciple outfit, with a wooden token representing her official disciple status hanging from her waist.

Although the clothes didn't fit quite right and the person seemed a bit reserved, their spirit and energy were already different.

On the table was a simple meal provided by the martial arts school—white rice, two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and soup. For them, this was a good meal they couldn't even afford during the Lunar New Year.

Song Jing sat to the side, watching them with a smile.

"Brother Jing—what, what's going on? I, I still feel like I'm dreaming." Fatty Chen took a bite of rice and mumbled, but his eyes were sparkling.

Song Yi slowly chewed his food, savoring the sweetness of the rice. The weathered man's eyes reddened slightly as he sighed, "Xiao Jing, brother—I never imagined I'd be able to wear these clothes again and eat in a martial arts school. When I was young, I also went to a martial arts school with only a few copper coins in my pocket. I studied for three months, but couldn't afford the fees and was kicked out—at that time, I thought I was destined to have no connection with martial arts. I never thought that, in my middle age, thanks to you, I could come back—" His voice choked with emotion, and he couldn't continue.

Lin Hou'er seemed much more excited. He ate his food in small, precious bites, saying to his younger sister Lin Xiaochun, "Xiaochun, did you hear that? We're martial arts disciples now! We'll have a place to live, food to eat, and we can learn skills! We'll never have to be bullied or go hungry again!" His greatest wish was to ensure his sister was well-fed and clothed, and no longer lived in fear.

Lin Xiaochun nodded vigorously, her face flushed with excitement and the steam from the food. She stole a glance at Song Jing, who was smiling gently beside her, then quickly lowered her head and said softly but firmly, "Yes! Brother, I will study martial arts hard! If I learn well, I will protect you! And—and repay Brother Song Jing!"

The little girl's thoughts were simple and straightforward.

She knew that it was this seemingly powerful yet gentle older brother in front of her who had changed their fate.

Song Jing felt a warmth in his heart and smiled, "Alright, from now on this will be your home. Martial arts schools have their rules. You must listen to the instructors and practice diligently. I don't expect you to achieve great things, but at least you should learn some self-defense skills so that you can protect yourselves and those around you in this world."

The four nodded emphatically. For them, this was a wonderful future they had never even dared to dream of.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the small courtyard and several faces filled with hope and gratitude.

Outside, the shouts of martial arts students practicing their skills could be heard; inside, long-lost friends shared simple yet precious food and their hopes for the future.

For Chen Pangzi, Lin Houer, Song Yi, and Lin Xiaochun, this was a turning point in their lives and the beginning of a new life.

For Song Jing, this is the warmth he must protect, and one of the driving forces that propels him forward in this cold world.

Outside the martial arts school, the envious whispers had not yet completely subsided when a new storm was perhaps brewing in the shadows.

But at least for this moment, this small courtyard is filled with a long-lost tranquility and hope. At this time, the news that the Zhang family was slaughtered and burned to the ground overnight by a mysterious person is like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, stirring up huge waves in the outer city of Tianshui City.

At first, there was shock and fear, after all, the Zhang family was one of the top families in the outer city, and had been running a pharmacy for many years with a deep and entrenched influence.

But soon, once the initial shock subsided, and after it was confirmed that the Zhang family's main residence had been reduced to ashes, that Zhang Tianqi and his son Zhang Wu had both died, and that almost all of the Zhang family's core members had been wiped out, a long-suppressed, almost boiling emotion began to spread and erupt among the common people.

In the teahouse in the south of the city, the storyteller who was originally telling the story of Song Jing suddenly changed his tune and struck the gavel.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today, let's not speak of that young hero, but rather of the Zhang family, who were the envy of all and utterly wicked! Last night, divine punishment descended, and the entire Zhang family was wiped out. A celestial fire burned away their sins! Truly, Heaven has eyes, and this is a great relief to all!"

After a brief silence, thunderous cheers and applause erupted inside the teahouse!

"Good! Well done!"

"Heaven has eyes! Those beasts of the Zhang family should have died long ago!"

"My poor uncle was arrested by the people at their pharmacy back then, who falsely claimed he was a 'drug test subject,' and he never came out! Later I found out that they had turned him into medicine alive! For so many years, I haven't dared to mention it, for fear that they would hear me and silence me!" An old man with gray hair, tears streaming down his face, pounded the table and roared.

"My aunt is the same! She went to work as a helper at the Zhang family's pharmacy, and then she just disappeared! The Zhang family only said she died of illness; they never even saw her body!"

"And my uncle! All he did was say that the Zhang family's medicine was expensive, and they held a grudge against him. That night, they blindfolded him, dragged him away, beat him to death, and dumped him in a mass grave! My whole family is filled with rage but dare not speak out!"

"Over the years, the Zhang family has been using their monopoly on medicinal herbs to set ridiculously high prices! We poor people have no choice but to tough it out when we get sick! So many people have been dragged to their deaths!"

"They also colluded with the Black Tiger Gang, engaging in bullying and monopolistic practices, forcing countless small pharmacies to close down and even die!"

"I heard they even used living people to make medicine, making such ill-gotten gains! Now they've gotten their comeuppance, they really deserve it!"

Years of suppressed blood, tears, and hatred poured out like a floodgate being opened.

In the teahouses and on the streets, there were sounds of people cursing the Zhang family and clapping with glee.

For the vast majority of people in the outer city, the destruction of the Zhang family was not a disaster, but rather like the removal of a mountain that had been weighing on their hearts for many years.

"Sigh, speaking of which, the Xu family is still the most kind-hearted." Someone sighed. "The Xu family's pharmacy used to often give away medicinal porridge and take in homeless refugees. But later, the Zhang family became powerful and suppressed the Xu family in every way, forcing the Xu family to be too busy to even take in more refugees."

Now that the Zhang family has fallen, the medicinal herb trade in the outer city might be a bit quieter, and the Xu family can finally catch their breath and do more good deeds.

"Yes, that young master Xu Zhiqian from the Xu family is a good person. I hope things will get better for him in the future."

The hearts and minds of the people were laid bare at this moment. The downfall of the Zhang family, in the mouths of the common people, became a matter of karmic retribution, an inevitable consequence.

The mysterious "righteous man" whose identity remains unknown has become a "righteous man" and "knight-errant" in the eyes of many.