Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"Used to deal with you?"

"No."

"Then who will it be used against?"

"do not know."

"do not know?!"

Himura Tanzakura nodded frankly and said, "I don't know."

"..." Ying Qin Guan narrowed his eyes, "You don't know, so how could you think I would need it? How many people in this world are worthy of my drawing of the sword?"

"Ji Li's lines are always captivating." Hishimura Tan's words first ruthlessly exposed that Ying Qin Guan's last half-sentence came from Ji Li, then continued, "Shen Xin and Shen Jiu's mother, although they can understand the words of magical beasts, cannot communicate with them. Shen Xin can cast magic without chanting and without magic circuits, but she most likely can't cast a forbidden spell... Similarly, although Shen Jiu can see some of the future, it's usually very blurry; she can only see a general, vague direction."

".."

Ying Qin Guan clearly didn't understand, so he remained silent.

"The Huanxing Plain is about to face a great disaster, and the last embers of the Qin Kingdom will be extinguished here." Feicun Tanying paused slightly, her smile fading. "The disaster is unstoppable. Even if we forcefully choose to report it, issue a widespread warning, and try to stop it, the outcome will not change. The disaster will simply descend on another place. And based on past experience, delaying a disaster will only make it more terrifying when it arrives."

Ying Qin Guan understood now, and he tentatively asked, "Did you deliberately choose this time to let the sisters reunite, just to... lure me here and resolve this matter?"

This time, Himura Tan's Sakura didn't play the riddle-maker; he answered frankly, "Yes."

"..." Ying Qin Guan's expression was calm, without any anger at being used. He already believed seventy percent of what the other party said, and said softly, "If this really happens, no matter what the final outcome is... thank you for inviting me here."

He had already missed it once, losing everything he could lose except himself, so the second time, no matter the outcome, he hoped he should be there.

"I had expected that as well." Hishimura Tan's smile was slight.

“However, my encounter with Yorozuya, and even my coming here, was all just a coincidence.” Ying Qin Guan asked, “What if I hadn’t come in the end? Or rather, why didn’t you just come and invite me?”

“You will come.” Hisumura Tanzakura shook her head, saying meaningfully, “Kamiku has already seen it... Even without the Yorozuya, you would come here for other reasons. Considering your relationships, perhaps it's because of your students, perhaps because of your colleagues, or perhaps for yourself... You will definitely come. If you really don’t come, then even if I were to invite you, it would probably be in vain. Besides, this back and forth might cause the disaster to break out prematurely.”

"This is the answer to the second question. As for the answer to the first question, if Mr. Ying, you weren't here..."

He smiled and said:

"Isn't that right? I'm here too."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: See You Tomorrow

Himura Tan's words are really a bit mysterious. This guy is so young, but he speaks like a fortune teller with a mysterious tone, just like those old fortune tellers in storytelling.

Although his words were cryptic, he had made himself clear. If he had truly concealed something, Ying Qin Guan couldn't do anything about it, but...

"And what is your purpose?"

Ying Qin Guan couldn't help but ask, as this was a point that puzzled him greatly.

Even knowing he'd been lured and used by Himura Tan's character, he wasn't angry; instead, he felt grateful. Because if he'd known, he would have come anyway; he had a reason to act. But Himura—what connection did he have with Nan Qin? Why would he do so much thankless work?

"Why..." Hisumura chuckled and said, "I don't know how to answer that question. To put it simply... it's because it's Shinku's mission. When I was young, I was studying at the Sword Saint's Mansion and traveled with Lord Naruma for a while. I left due to some troubles and met Shinku there. I avenged her and built her grave. After that, it became a complicated relationship. I suppose Mr. Ying isn't interested, so let's not talk about it."

I'm actually very interested...

Forced to remain uninterested, Ying Qin muttered a few words to himself. But the other party had already cut off all his options, so he couldn't press the matter further.

"If Mr. Ying has nothing else, I will take my leave." Hishimura Tan's smile continued, "We'll meet again tomorrow."

It's still quite a distance from Shenxin's hometown, but no matter what, we'll definitely get there by tomorrow afternoon... They'll meet again there.

Ying Qin Guan nodded and said, "See you tomorrow."

Himura Tan's figure vanished like a ghost in a few leaps. Even top-tier, and even ordinary super-top-tier, masters occasionally engage in chases. However, at the level of a peerless master, the opponent might disappear in the blink of an eye. While a peerless master might not be able to wipe out a fully armed super army head-on, they can certainly toy with one... Of course, you also have to be careful that if they get fed up and retaliate with a forbidden spell like the Type 7 Sacred Annihilation Bomb.

This thing can be considered a weapon specifically designed for unparalleled masters. Although its attack range is far less exaggerated than that of the apocalypse, it is basically impossible to dodge with mobility. Among martial artists, only Ying Qin Guan could possibly dodge it. Among all of humanity, only Wang Qiu Shui could completely avoid it. The explosive wave has penetrating power and can weaken the internal energy protection of martial artists and the shields of mages to a certain extent through resonance with the same wave tone. Countless powerful magical beasts and strong individuals who disrupt the laws of martial arts have been punished by this thing.

---

The next morning, during breakfast, Ying Qin Guan told the two of them what had happened the night before. The two were very accepting of the matter, and Shen Xin even picked up a small blackboard to express her opinion.

"Waiting for someone by moonlight late at night sounds like something that flashy pink guy would do."

"What's called 'pink guy'... but that guy was definitely dressed in pink." Ying Qin Guan nodded in agreement, then turned to look at Yu Xie Tian, ​​"What do you think, 'waist-cinching guy'?"

"Hey! Why are you suddenly giving me weird nicknames?!"

"It's just a man's ugly jealousy. He thinks your waist is too thin... Hey! You scheming guy, it must be so tiring to wear that tight waistband every day! Let go of me! Your waist isn't that thin!"

"Whose jealousy is this, anyway..."

As the three were talking, a middle-aged man suddenly entered the inn. He was dressed in a tight-fitting robe, with a sword at his waist and a small package on his back. Although he was middle-aged and of medium build, he still gave off a strong and powerful impression. Ying Qin Guan glanced at him and continued drinking his porridge.

"Let's settle this month's drinking bill," the middle-aged man said, pulling out a string of copper coins and emerald green banknotes from his pocket.

This scene was rather strange; the fact that currencies from two completely different financial systems were being used together was indeed a unique spectacle of the Huanxing Plains.

In the Huanxing Plain, some people still adhere to the customs of the Southern Qin, using copper coins and silver. After all, this is a tradition passed down from generation to generation, and they initially fled here carrying their coins with them. Because there is no national government or unified government, they lack the capacity to accept a new monetary system.

Southern Qin boasts of exporting its culture to the world, and people occasionally come to experience its style, naturally leading to the influx of Ibrahimovic and gold coins into the market. However, due to the lack of a central government, the financial system here is extremely chaotic, with each country calculating its own exchange rate. Nevertheless, among acquaintances, there's always a sense of propriety, and they don't act recklessly.

The young woman who had been in charge of receiving Ying Qin Guan and his group yesterday counted the money for the middle-aged man, handed back the remaining copper coins, and forced a smile, saying, "Master Gu, are you going on another long trip?"

"Yes." The middle-aged man, known as Master Gu, put away the copper coins. He intended to leave. But then, as if remembering something, he lowered his voice slightly and said calmly, "He probably won't be coming back this winter break. If I were you, I wouldn't wait any longer. He'll be like this until he's thirty or forty and still won't get tired. You won't be able to wait until then."

The girl pursed her lips, not daring to meet Master Gu's gaze, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "What if I can wait?"

Many people think they can wait and time will tell, but hopefully the tuition you pay won't be so high that it will ruin your life.

The middle-aged man walked out calmly, his gaze sweeping over the three people, lingering briefly on Yu Xietian before quickly looking away.

After he left, Yu Xietian said, "He was a master."

Shen Xin first observed Ying Qin Guan, and seeing that he didn't take it seriously, he immediately became more confident.

"I just feel like, how come everyone I meet becomes an expert when they get to you?"

Shen Xin thought this was a great opportunity to turn the tables, and with Ying Qin Guan's tacit endorsement, it should be a sure thing. But as soon as she raised the blackboard, Ying Qin Guan betrayed her.

"That guy is actually pretty good, top-notch."

After Bird's visit, Ying Qin Guan realized just how rare top-tier individuals were. Seeing one here now... well, that's only so-so.

Shen Xin, betrayed, fell silent, sulking and clutching the blackboard, feeling that Ying Qin Guan had schemed against him.

After breakfast, the three headed towards Shenxin's hometown. There were no public buses in Nanqin; several towns, villages, and a few cities were scattered across the plains. Although they weren't far apart, transportation was inconvenient. However, after the fall of Nanqin, the area became a popular tourist destination. Therefore, there were many private cars waiting to pick up passengers near each town... but they weren't cheap.

These two guys from the Yorozuya, who were practically living paycheck to paycheck, couldn't even afford the starting fee together. In the end, they still had to rely on Ying Qin Guan, who earned 400 pounds a month, to foot the bill. However, after the Consciousness Slash course started this semester, Ying Qin Guan did get a raise. But he didn't know the exact amount and hadn't paid attention to it.

The three of them got into the car and headed to the hometown of Shenxin.

Xinyang City.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Xinyang Pawnshop

After the people of Qin arrived here, they settled down. They were nominally stateless. Some went to other countries, while others chose to stay.

This plain is home to many towns, villages, some nomadic groups, and a few cities.

The homeland of the divine heart is in one of these cities, a city called Xinyang.

However, in the past two years, these cities on the Huanxing Plain have all suffered from varying degrees of impact.

When the Southern Qin kingdom fell, many Southern Qin people died, and some fled to other countries. However, some Southern Qin people came here, hoping to receive help from their compatriots.

Most of them did eventually receive help. But the problem was... these people on the Huanxing Plains weren't doing well themselves. Eating wasn't a problem; they could just buy it. The problem was... where to stay.

You have nowhere to stay.

Setting up a tent to get by for a day or two is fine, but can we keep doing it like this forever? Men can manage like this, but what about women, children, and the elderly?

In addition to some historical issues, some conflicts did arise between the two sides. Fortunately, the situation did not escalate in the end. They found a way to build houses and thatched huts, and contributed some money. Now, other people stay in their homes for a couple of days. As the days go by, things gradually get better.

During this period, families like Shenxin contributed a great deal of effort.

Didn't their whole family leave Huanxing Plain? What contribution did they make?

The answer is... they left, but the house is still there, empty, and no one lives there.

Even if there were no government here and no one to protect your house, given the circumstances at the time, an uninhabited house would inevitably be temporarily confiscated for public use.

The difference is that once things improve, the latter will return the house to you, while the former will use it for their own purposes.

So... when Hiyomura Tanzakura and Kamiku arrived first, they didn't see their own house, but a pawnshop with a flamboyant sign that read "Pawnshop," clearly indicating that they weren't just doing business with people from Nanqin.

“I anticipated this situation before I set off,” Hishimura Tanzaku chuckled. “So, Shinku, what should we do? We don’t seem to have any land deeds or anything. We’ve been away from home for ten years, and when we come back, our home is gone… How can we prove that this land is yours?”

Shenzhou-9 closed its eyes, its expression serene, exuding a unique and tranquil beauty.

"No problem, give it to them. We'll wait for Shenxin to come and retrieve what Mother left behind."

"What will your aunt leave you?" Hishimura Tanzakura chuckled. "It can't be a mission, can it?"

"The mission, as it is, has always been on my shoulders."

“That’s true…” Hisumura Tanzaku chuckled softly. He glanced around casually; the pawnshop looked newly built, which didn’t make sense. If it was because of the arrival of refugees from Southern Qin that the place was renovated, it wouldn’t have been converted into a pawnshop… This proved that even earlier, ten years ago, after confirming that no one was there, the city was requisitioned by others, and then not long ago, it was converted into a pawnshop…

"I wonder if that thing is still there..."

The thought flashed through Himura Tan's mind: Kamiku said that as long as she met with Shinshin, she could find that thing. But they didn't know exactly how to find it.

Just as Hiyomura Tan's wife was wondering whether to wait for someone here or go to a teahouse, there was a commotion in front of the pawnshop. A bald, burly man who was 1.9 meters tall walked in front of her, playing with two Baoding iron balls in his hands. He was wearing a fur coat, but the front buttons were deliberately left undone, exposing his muscular physique. He had a conspicuous scar on his face and exuded a fierce aura. He was followed by three or four henchmen and was walking towards the pawnshop.

"Oh?" Hishimura Tanzaku chuckled. "Looks like this pawnshop is in trouble..."

As he was saying this, the burly leader's gaze suddenly fell on Shen Jiu behind him, a fleeting, almost imperceptible lewd glint in his eyes.

Hisumura Tan's smile remained unchanged, as if she hadn't noticed anything, and she continued chatting casually with Kamiya.

The burly man hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not act rashly.

Everything on Huanxing Plain is primitive, and the security situation here is very delicate. If you mess with someone you can't afford to mess with, the consequences will be severe.

Both Himura Danzakura and Kamiku are dressed in strange and unusual clothes... It's usually best not to mess with people like that.

There's a saying that it's best not to mess with the elderly, women, or children. This saying is actually quite ridiculous. If you don't mess with these three, then who do you mess with? Men? So the strongest men are the only ones you can mess with?

However, this statement should not be interpreted in that way. The old man, woman, and child are just a metaphor, actually referring to those who "don't seem to be very capable in combat."

When someone doesn't seem like a very strong fighter, you'd better pray that they really aren't.

The burly man ultimately did not harm Hishimura Tanzakura, but instead went into the pawnshop.