Chapter Eight: Departure

“At least an internal martial arts expert, or perhaps even higher!”

Li Jie pressed his hand against his chest, forcibly suppressing the turbulent blood and energy within him as he moved swiftly between the houses under the cover of night.

According to what Li Jie had learned from the Ghost Bat Technique, the realms among martial artists could roughly be divided into five stages: Practitioner, External Master, Internal Master, Minor Threefold, and Major Threefold.

The earliest stage, Practitioner, was not considered a proper martial artist, and the disparity among individuals was enormous. Those at this level often lacked true internal cultivation methods, relying only on fragmented martial skills to temper themselves. Some had merely practiced basic fist techniques for a few months, while others had studied boxing for decades without ever attaining genuine internal cultivation; both were grouped together.

External Masters referred to martial artists who cultivated orthodox internal methods and had entered the doorway of true martial arts. With the enhancement of internal cultivation, their power far surpassed ordinary people, yet their mastery over their techniques remained at the stage of physical conditioning.

Internal Masters, however, had cultivated their methods to a profound depth, capable of refining internal energy within themselves.

Internal energy greatly augmented a martial artist’s physical abilities and the power of their techniques. With such enhancement, Internal Masters could easily overwhelm External Masters, fighting ten or even dozens at once.

Just moments ago, that Internal Master had lightly tapped Li Jie, who had just entered the External realm, with a fan, nearly crippling him.

“To think that in a mere county’s prominent family, there would be an Internal Master…”

According to the Ghost Bat Technique, within the Sword Wind Chronicles, Internal Masters were already the core strength of the martial world. Aside from some reclusive elders, the elders and senior disciples of all the major sects active in the Sword Wind Chronicles, as well as heads of smaller sects, were typically at this level—each a renowned powerhouse.

Yet Li Jie hadn’t expected that in the world his true self inhabited, he would encounter an Internal Master in a mere county’s family; and not just one, but perhaps even stronger forces hidden within that mysterious pavilion.

“It seems this world I’m in is far from ordinary…”

Li Jie had no time to dwell further; he fled at his fastest speed, no longer bothering to conceal his movements. This quickly caught the attention of the Zhao family’s dense night patrols and the soldiers patrolling the streets.

“There’s a thief!”

The patrolling soldiers shouted.

Whoosh!

Li Jie dodged an arrow by twisting his body.

He had no choice. Fearing pursuit by that Internal Master, he could only run with all his might; being discovered by the soldiers was a minor concern.

“This night’s events have escalated out of control.”

---

Li Jie shook his head, but there was no time for regrets. What mattered now was resolving what lay ahead.

After all, regret was the most useless emotion one could have.

He left the inner city, leaping across the rooftops to his own home in the shantytown.

Without bothering to open the door, he punched through the roof of his house.

Thud!

Wood chips flew everywhere.

“Ah!”

A clear, piercing female cry rang out.

Bang!

Li Jie glanced at Li Yan, who had fainted from his hand strike, dressed only in her nightclothes. He looked down at his own black attire, clearly not the garb of an honest man, shook his head, and hoisted her onto his shoulder.

“Yan’er, Yan’er, what’s happened?!”

Just as Li Jie lifted Li Yan onto his shoulder, old Li the carpenter burst in, wielding a large wooden saw.

“Demon! Put Yan’er down!”

Seeing Li Yan slung over Li Jie’s shoulder, old Li’s eyes reddened, his hair and beard bristling as he raised the saw, ready to strike Li Jie’s neck.

Bang!

Li Jie hoisted old Li onto his other shoulder.

“No time to explain.”

Carrying both, Li Jie dashed toward the city walls.

Having provoked that mysterious figure from the Zhao family, the Zhaos would surely mobilize every resource to search for him throughout Yangyuan County. Though his original identity was just a fish seller from the shantytown—far removed from the image of a martial artist—he could not guarantee the Zhao family wouldn’t have means to find him.

---

When the Zhaos came hunting, even if he could escape, his sister and father could not.

Since he could no longer stay in Yangyuan County, he decided to take his family and flee. They had nothing in the county—not a penny of property or industry to feel attached to.

Buzz.

Soon after Li Jie left, a flying insect entered his home, followed by several dark figures.

Bang, bang, bang!

Li Jie’s steps thundered as he vaulted rooftops, eaves, and stone pavements, leaving deep craters in his wake. In his heart, he silently apologized to those whose homes were ruined by his passage, then pressed on toward his destination.

Since things had reached this point, he no longer minded causing a bigger commotion—especially since the patrolling soldiers in the outer city were as weak as limp shrimp, nothing like the persistent patrols of the inner city.

Tonight, the whole of Yangyuan County was in uproar. Soldiers stormed from the inner city into the outer streets, torches held high, chasing after the noises Li Jie had stirred.

The dark figures followed the insect, moving silently through the shadows, blades gleaming silver in their hands.

Meanwhile, the residents of the outer city, roused by the night’s chaos, huddled shivering beneath their covers, too frightened to open their eyes though awake, praying silently for a swift end to the night and a peaceful tomorrow.

Li Jie, carrying his unconscious family, reached a corner of the city wall. He eyed the soldiers standing guard atop the towering wall, torches in hand, and made no sound, quietly parting the grass beneath the wall to reveal a hidden dog hole.

He had dug this hole years ago to avoid the entry fee after fishing trips outside the city. Thanks to the lax defenses of Yangyuan’s outer wall, it had gone unnoticed for three years.

Li Jie pushed his younger sister and father through the dog hole one by one, then took a final glance back at Yangyuan County before turning and slipping through himself, vanishing from sight.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

Not long after, several dark figures, led by the insect, arrived. They stared at the dog hole in prolonged silence.