That night, the snow had started to melt.

  Lin Taiping was still fast asleep, and Wang Dong, of course, wasn′t about to be left out.

  So, Guo Dalu took Yan Qi down the mountain to "hunt."

  "Hunting" meant looking for opportunities to make some money.

  No.

  When the snow melts, it′s even colder than when it falls. The smartest way to fight the cold is to eat a full meal and crawl into bed. The streets were nearly empty, not a soul in sight.

  Guo Dalu and Yan Qi trudged through the muddy road like two wandering ghosts, their steps uneven in the slush. Guo Dalu kept staring at Yan Qi′s boots.

  Eventually, he couldn’t hold back any longer and asked, "Did you have new soles put on those boots again?"

  Yan Qi replied, "Mm."

  Guo Dalu said, "I′ve never asked you why the soles of your old boots were worth a thousand taels of silver, have I?"

  Yan Qi said, "No, you haven′t."

  Guo Dalu continued, "And I′ve never asked you how you managed to die seven times, have I?"

  Yan Qi said, "You really haven′t."

  Hope flickered in Guo Dalu′s eyes. "What if I ask now? Would you tell me?"

  Yan Qi said, "Maybe... but I know you won′t ask, because I′ve never asked you anything either."

  Guo Dalu′s face stiffened. He clenched his teeth, biting down hard.

  Yan Qi suddenly said, "What kind of person do you think Lin Taiping is?" Guo Dalu replied with a stern face, "I don't know, and I don't want to ask."

  Yan Qi smiled and said, "Of course, we won't ask him, but it's fine to guess, right?" Yan Qi continued, "Maybe he ran away from home because of something. His clothes are very thin, which means he must have come from a warm pce. He didn't bring anything with him, which means he must have been in a hurry when he left. Perhaps he escaped." Guo Dalu said, "I didn't expect you to be so observant."

  Yan Qi smiled and said, "A person can't st long in such cold weather, enduring hunger and the cold." Guo Dalu sighed and said, "At most, he could hold out for two or three days." Yan Qi said, "If you can only st three days, he can st at most a day and a half."

  Guo Dalu ughed and said, "That's right, I've already gotten used to it, but he's a pampered young master."

  Yan Qi said, "In this kind of weather, no one can travel far in a day and a half."

  Guo Dalu said, "Do you mean his home is nearby?"

  Yan Qi said, "Yes."

  Guo Dalu asked, "Are there any wealthy families nearby?"

  Yan Qi replied, "There aren't many, and even fewer martial arts families."

  Guo Dalu asked, "Why does it have to be a martial arts family? Could someone as refined as him also practice martial arts?" Yan Qi said, "Not only does he practice martial arts, but his skills are also quite good."

  Guo Dalu asked, "How did you figure that out?"

  Yan Qi said, "I just figured it out."

  Without waiting for Guo Dalu to ask further, he continued, "As far as I know, there are only two martial arts families nearby." Guo Dalu asked, "Is one of them the Lin family?"

  Yan Qi replied, "Neither of them is named Lin. Lin Taiping may not even be his real name. Since he escaped, why would he tell others his real name?"

  Guo Dalu asked, "Do you know which two families they are?"

  Yan Qi said, "One family′s surname is Xiong. The master of their estate is called Xiong Churen, known for having disciples all across the nd. He runs a rge martial arts school. But despite his reputation, he′s a lifelong bachelor—no wife, no children."

  Guo Dalu asked, "And the other family?"

  Yan Qi said, "The other family′s surname is Mei. They have a son and a daughter, but their son, Mei Ruji, also known as 'Shi Ren,' made a name for himself in the martial world long ago. He must be much older than Lin Taiping."

  Guo Dalu asked, "Why is he called 'Shi Ren'?"

  Yan Qi expined, "Apparently, their family′s martial arts are quite unique. They use weapons and hidden projectiles all made of stone. That′s why his father is called Shi Shen,' and he′s called 'Shi Ren.'"

  Guo Dalu ughed. "Then what will his son be called in the future? 'Shi Gou′?"

  (T/N: 石人; Shí Rén, means Stone Man; 石神; Shíshén, means Stone God; 石狗; Shi Gou means Stone Dog)

  This was a quiet mountain town, with narrow, slightly sloped streets.

  The houses on either side were simple in design. Though it wasn′t yet te at night, most homes had already put out their lights. Shops had closed their doors, and even where candlelight still flickered behind windows, the glow was dim. Few people would light two mps in a single room, and even fewer used candles—mp oil was cheaper, after all.

  Guo Dalu sighed. "This pce is seriously poor. The longer you stay, the poorer—and zier—you′ll become."

  Yan Qi said, "You're wrong. I actually like it here."

  Guo Dalu raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

  Yan Qi said, "No matter where I go, I always feel tense. This is the only pce where I feel free, completely unrestrained."

  Guo Dalu smirked. "Because the people here are too poor to even take care of themselves, so they have no time to meddle in others' business."

  Yan Qi shook his head. "Wrong again. This pce isn′t poor at all."

  Guo Dalu chuckled. "Compared to us, of course, they′re not poor. But—"

  Yan Qi cut him off. "You think they′re poor only because they don′t like to show off. Take that pawnshop owner Wang Dong knows—he′s not just wealthy; he′s definitely someone with serious connections."

  Guo Dalu asked, "What kind of connections?"

  Yan Qi said, "In my opinion, even if that man wasn′t a notorious pirate, he must have been a well-known figure in the martial world. Whether he′s hiding here to escape an old vendetta or simply grew tired of the jianghu, who knows?" He continued, "There are quite a few people like him here. If I ever retire, I′ll definitely settle down in a pce like this."

  Guo Dalu said, "So according to you, this town is a hidden sanctuary for powerful fighters?"

  Yan Qi nodded. "Exactly."

  Guo Dalu frowned. "Then why don′t I see it?"

  Yan Qi chuckled. "If you had died seven times, you′d see a lot more than most people."

  Guo Dalu said, "And yet, you still haven′t figured out Lin Taiping′s origins. He′s not from the Mei family, and he′s not a descendant of the Xiong family. So after all this talk, we′re still back where we started."

  Yan Qi was silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Have you ever heard of the name ‘Lushang Longwang’?"

  (T/N: 陆上龙王; Lù Shàng Lóngwáng, means Dragon King of the Land)

  Guo Dalu ughed. "Only a deaf man wouldn′t have heard of that name. I may not be the most knowledgeable person, but at least I′m not deaf."

  Yan Qi said, "Rumor has it that Lushang Longwang has a vil nearby."

  Guo Dalu asked, "Are you suggesting that Lin Taiping is his son?"

  Yan Qi replied, "It′s possible."

  Guo Dalu shook his head. "No way. Absolutely impossible."

  Yan Qi asked, "Why not?"

  Guo Dalu said, "Everyone in the martial world knows Lushang Longwang is a towering man, over seven feet tall. How could he have a son who looks like a delicate little girl?"

  Yan Qi said coldly, "A person′s strength isn′t determined by their appearance."

  Guo Dalu gnced at him and ughed. "Of course not, but—"