Legend of the Great Saint

Li Qingshan would surely boast about his great insight if he knew what he was thinking inside. He was precisely a bona fide innate master. It was only that this didn’t put emphasis on cultivating qi, and the time he’d trained in it was short, so he had absolutely no way of showing it off.

His thoughts were entirely submerged into the art of the spear. As his spirit rose, his wrists shook, shaking seven spear patterns as if fresh flowers were in full bloom, bedazzling with their glitter as they surged through the air with “peng peng” sounds.

Li Qingshan suddenly took the spear back, the wild winds following thereafter, stretching the muscles all over his body: “So delightful!”

He still couldn’t amount to a master of the dao of the spear. After all, no matter how great his comprehension and how profound his supernatural skill, it was still hard to compare to genuine masters who’d been immersed for decades or even a lifetime in the ways of the spear.

But no master of the spear would be his opponent. As soon as weapons collided, with the hundred and forty two pounds of the Tyrant Spear added to his strength of one bull, any weapon would be struck flying out. It would be a slight injury if it resulted in some mere torn skin between the thumb and the index. Broken hand bones or even broken arm bones were possible.

This was the reason he had to find a heavy weapon. It was the so called “one strongman could subdue ten martial artists1.”

Li Qingshan was still not satisfied after testing out the spear: “Shopkeeper, I still need two things. One’s a batch of feather arrows, the other’s a suit of armor. It looks like you don’t have either of those here.”

He was already determined to exploit his advantages to the utter limit. Although his Bull Demon Skin Refining could block a second-grade master’s fist, and even an ordinary man’s sword, it was probably still not enough to stop a third-grade master with his internal strength poured into his weapon. Blunt devices and sharp weapons were two quite different things to begin with.

With his strength, he wouldn’t be much burdened even if he put on an armor several dozen pounds heavy, but his defensive power would be greatly increased. He would be even less afraid of the opposite side’s superior numbers when the time came to charge into the bandit lair.

The shopkeeper said with some difficulty: “Those are all military appliances and not ordinary weapons, they usually don’t allow those to be sold off casually. You can probably only find them inside the city’s arsenal.”

Actually this wasn’t the main reason. The majority of his customers were men of the martial world. When did you ever see someone walk through the rivers and lakes wearing a bulky armor. And even fewer men of the martial world used a bow as their weapon. Otherwise, with a merchant’s unscrupulousness and the Golden Spear Shop’s strong backing, what would he be afraid of selling as long as there was profit to be made.

Li Qingshan nodded: “Well then, let’s leave it at that.”

The shopkeeper said: “Wait, I still don’t know the young hero’s famed name? How did we never meet before.”

“I’m called Li Qingshan. It’s the first time I come to Suncheer, so of course you’ve never seen me.”

“Tiger Descending the Mountains Li Qingshan!” The shopkeeper was astonished. How would he be unaware of the figure who’d recently stirred up things abuzz.

Li Qingshan raised his eyebrows, determined it absolutely wouldn’t do if he couldn’t change this nickname. He went to a silk shop and purchased a set of good clothes for himself, then ordered a room in the city’s best inn.

Li Qingshan washed his face and rinsed his mouth, then changed into his new clothes. By the time he came out, Dragon Li also said a “good!” in praise.

He’d changed into navy blue warrior garments, outlining the outstanding shape of his body with its thick back and fine waist. He had an extraordinary martial appearance, which wasn’t only due to the clothing. He was imposing and high-spirited after experiencing slaughter and painstaking training, like the sharp cutting edge slowly sharpened out of a treasure sword.

His tanned face still couldn’t be called very handsome, but its sharp edges were distinct just as carved stone, and when he looked around there really was a little of his nickname’s flavor, a tiger descending from the mountains. He had an awe-inspiring presence that wasn’t easily scorned by others.

Two bailiffs suddenly came in front of the door at this time. They hurriedly saluted when they saw Li Qingshan, their eyes not daring to look straight at him, entirely unlike their usual arrogant demeanor when facing ordinary people: “Pardon us, may we ask whether you are young hero Li. Our lord county magistrate requests the pleasure of meeting you. Horses and carriage have already been prepared.”

Li Qingshan blinked, unsure why the county magistrate was calling for him. Could it be they wanted to reward him for the merit of killing bandits. He immediately agreed. The county magistrate had the duty of providing security for the populace and remove the bandits. If he could send a few men, Li Qingshan would be even more confident.

Li Qingshan left Dragon Li in charge of the Tyrant Spear and followed the bailiffs to the county government offices. A fat silhouette came out and welcomed him. He grasped Li Qingshan’s hand while observing up and down, peeking left and right, his face full of admiration and fondness.

Li Qingshan pulled his hand away with a wary face: “For what reason is my lord looking for me?”

“Little benefactor, did you forget about me? That day on the mountains, the tiger!”

Li Qingshan suddenly remembered: “So it turns out to be you!”

“This official is Ye Dachuan. I’ve looked for little benefactor for a long while, please quickly come in!” Ye Dachuan welcomed Li Qingshan to the hall on the back of the government office, then his expression suddenly changed, “Why are you still idly strolling in this city, hurry to escape!”

Li Qingshan said: “Why would I escape?”

The adviser said: “Do you really not know good from bad? The men from the Black Wind Camp are searching through the whole world for you. You don’t conceal your tracks and still publicly expose your face in Suncheer City. People will come as soon as tomorrow to take away your life.”

So saying he stuffed a bundle filled with silver and goods inside his hands: “We’ve already prepared a post horse outside, you immediately hurry to the Clear River capital, don’t tarry on the way. There’s a letter inside, go to the prefectorial government offices and hand it to my lord county magistrate’s… ouch!”

Ye Dachuan kicked the adviser: “That’s something I was going to say – I’ll let my sister blow into the lord prefect’s ear and guarantee riches and future prospects for you. No matter how fierce the men from the Black Wind Camp, they won’t be able to chase you there.” Then he heaved a deep sigh: “Originally I wanted to make you stay here and become a constable, so you could lend a hand to this official and earn us some more silver for suppressing bandits. Cough cough. The reinforcements this official requested still haven’t come, were they delayed on the way? This place is really too remote.”

The adviser thought: The lord prefect is itching to see you die a clean death, how would he send over men to you!

Li Qingshan originally felt that the situation was funny. Ye Dachuan wore a great crimson official robe over his short and fat body, his appearance just like one of those wretched officials from novels and operas. When it came to this kind of role, they were at best mediocre, and if a bit worse they’d be bullying the honest folks.

But he felt moved seeing him arrange future prospects for himself with a face filled with such earnestness. No matter how many petty villains and sycophants there were in this world, there were still men who planned on repaying favors bestowed upon them.

When he’d first come down from the mountains, his head was filled with thoughts about how pull out the Black Wind Camp down to their roots and exterminate them to the last one. Then he wanted to settle the hatred from the Dragon Gate Sect’s young master’s insults. His thoughts took shape on his face and his whole person radiated bloodthirstiness. After so long, the cruel and murderous side of his nature had inevitably occupied the higher grounds.

But Dragon Li had constantly tried to help him based on the friendship of fellows from the same village, while Ye Dachuan sincerely tried to repay his life-saving grace. None of those two could be said to be righteous gentlemen. They were both commonplace members of the mass of people. But it was precisely those people who let him see that human nature wasn’t limited to its sole vile side.

Li Qingshan arched his hands and said: “Many thanks to lord Ye’s affections. There’s no need to call me benefactor or anything, calling me Qingshan will suffice. However, I didn’t come back this time to flee!”

“Not fleeing?” Ye Dachuan angrily said: “Kid, you don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Do you know much danger this daddy is risking by letting you come into the government office?”

The adviser also tried to persuade him: “That’s right, you quickly escape!”

Li Qingshan said with a smile: “I can run, but Crouching Bull Village can’t run. Moreover, isn’t Lord Ye also also unable to run? This one naturally has some self-confidence since he dares to stay here.” He opened the bundle. He saw some silver ingots inside and casually squeezed them.

Ye Dachuan and the adviser stared with round eyes as they watched the silver spill out from the Li Qingshan’s hand like mud. They weren’t men of the martial world, so where would they have seen such martial arts. Their evaluation of Li Qingshan immediately rose another level.

Ye Dachuan said with some hesitation: “With this kind of martial arts, maybe you can truly be safe and sound as long as you stay within Suncheer City. I’ll introduce you to some people, let those Black Wind mountain bandits not dare to fight their way inside the city.” He was very willing to have Li Qingshan stay behind. When the time comes, he’d send Li Qingshan to spank whichever noble dared to disregard him, and he’d be able to conscript any silver he wanted.

Li Qingshan said: “My lord said to let me be a constable?”

“Yes yes yes!” Ye Dachuan brows raised in a delighted beam. He’d already begun to fantasize about the imposing prestige of his tyrannical imperiousness as he led Li Qingshan around.

Li Qingshan said: “Then I humbly request the lord to summon soldiers and open the arsenal. I wish to attack and seize the Black Wind Camp, kill off the greatest scourge of Suncheer for my lord’s sake.”

1. Meaning any trick is useless in front of raw power