Chapter 20: Yu Zi'ang

Li Miao could roughly deduce the experiences of the Plum Blossom Thief from years past.

His natural aptitude was poor and his martial skills unremarkable; even from the one meeting Li Miao had with him in those days, this was evident. Masters of the martial world typically gained renown in their twenties, for the ideal age to begin training was around ten, and after a decade or so of rigorous cultivation, achievement was expected by the time one set out into the world at twenty or so. Those with exceptional talent, ample resources for training, inherited advanced techniques, and diligent effort—such as Wang Hai or Mei Qinghe—would reach the ranks of the top masters in their early twenties.

The Plum Blossom Thief, however, in his twenties, could not even withstand a single strike from the twenty-year-old Li Miao, suggesting he was merely of second or third-rate caliber. Yet his insight must have been extraordinary, so much so that he could found his own school. In internal cultivation, even the slightest error could lead to disastrous consequences, but he was able to deliberately leave traces on the back of his neck and invent a rather sophisticated internal method—a feat beyond the imagination of ordinary martial artists.

He must have diligently pursued martial arts, only to be held back by his innate limitations, unable to achieve greatness. Defeated by Li Miao’s sword, he became disheartened, realizing that he could never become a true master. Thus, he devised this plan.

Pursued by the Embroidered Guards, he managed to commit a few crimes, earning the nickname “Plum Blossom Thief.” But his martial skills were insufficient to evade the relentless pursuit, so he vanished for a time, beginning to create his new internal method. He likely intended to refine the technique, then emerge to commit more crimes, cement his reputation, and spread the method. With his notoriety as bait, there would surely be those eager to practice his martial arts, inheriting the name “Plum Blossom Thief,” thus fulfilling his scheme.

But, alas, he died.

The Embroidered Guards were not even seeking him specifically; during a citywide search, they stumbled upon him by chance. The birthmark on the back of his neck was too distinctive, recognized at a glance. And then he died.

Li Miao had seen his corpse at Shuntian Prefecture: his neck severed with a single stroke, with no other wounds upon him—a swift and clean death. He had not managed any meaningful resistance against the Embroidered Guards. All his scheming ended in nothing but a handful of dust.

His meager reputation as the “Plum Blossom Thief” lingered only in a few places; with his death, he was soon forgotten. His martial arts scattered, the techniques lost; only the internal method and lightness skill reached You Zi’ang, who could barely claim to be half his successor, and now, these too had fallen into Li Miao’s hands.

With these thoughts, Li Miao channeled his vital energy into You Zi’ang’s body, directly crippling his internal skill.

“Sir!”

You Zi’ang cried out in terror, “I have no grievance with you in the past or enmity in the present—why destroy my martial arts?”

“This internal method is best left unpracticed. Nothing falls from the sky but weights—do you think there are pastries as well?”

“By achieving someone else’s ambitions for nothing, you also bear their consequences.”

Li Miao pressed his hand against the back of You Zi’ang’s neck, stimulating his blood and dispersing the plum blossom-shaped bruising. He had only practiced the Plum Blossom Thief’s internal skill for five years; the bruising had not yet set deeply and was relatively easy to resolve.

“If one of my subordinates saw this, he’d likely fly into a rage and try to hack you down immediately.”

“You had no master to guide you, yet managed to cultivate your lightness skill to such a degree just by following a book. That’s a rare talent.”

“Come with me. I’ll have someone escort you to Shuntian Prefecture to verify your past.”

“If you truly haven’t harmed anyone, after your punishment I’ll reward you with a bit of imperial grain.”

“What do you think?”

What could You Zi’ang say? His internal skill now ruined, he was an ordinary man, his fate entirely in Li Miao’s hands, with no room to bargain. He could only hang his head in silence and submit to Li Miao’s will.

Li Miao finished dispersing the bruising, grabbed You Zi’ang’s clothes, and soared into the air, returning to the Wu residence.

As he dropped from the eaves, he caught just the words spoken by Xiao Si.

“This mother gu has an owner.”

Wang Hai saw Li Miao return, carrying a dispirited man, and realized the “haunting” was resolved; only the “gu insect” remained.

“Commander.”

Li Miao nodded, “I heard a bit. What, the gu insect isn’t just mindlessly killing?”

Xiao Si stepped before Li Miao, extending her wrist for him to inspect the centipede coiled there.

“Sir, I am a human gu. If it were a wild gu insect, after consuming my blood, it would die within half an hour.”

“But this one is dying especially slowly.”

“If it were masterless, it would kill according to instinct and would not consciously refine itself. The fact it’s lasted this long means someone, after feeding it flesh and blood, has deliberately refined it by formula.”

“Given the previous events, that person is likely someone from the Wu residence.”

Li Miao folded his arms, pondering.

He had instructed Xu Siyuan to have the residents move out, fearing there would be too many people to oversee. The remaining servants stayed together, and with the martial skills of the four of them, no accidents would occur. Xiao Si had also used her methods to lure the gu insect to them.

Now the insect was captured, but the existence of its owner had emerged.

Such reckless slaughter and refinement of gu insects within the jurisdiction of Pingshan Guard—was this madness, or some deep grudge, so dire that one would risk their life for such a deed?

Li Miao turned to the three and said, “Go wake all the remaining servants and gather them together.”

“Xiao Si, see if the owner is among them.”

“I’ll go check on Master Wu.”

With that, he vaulted onto the roof, heading toward the property where Master Wu was staying tonight.

He had inquired about the location from the servants earlier that day.

Racing across the rooftop, he heard cries and shouts from a small courtyard in the distance.

“That’s the place.”

Li Miao slipped onto the rooftop of the courtyard and saw chaos below. The ground was crawling with all manner of poisonous insects, scurrying blindly like headless flies. Inside, people wielded various implements, smashing and flailing at the ground, exclaiming in alarm. Some of the women, frightened by the scene, had collapsed and sat trembling on the floor.

At the main door stood a corpulent man in his forties, his face kindly—likely Master Wu himself—directing the servants to combat the insects.

Li Miao leapt down, landing in the center of the courtyard.

He summoned his vital energy, formed his fingers into a palm, and struck the ground.

Bang!

A resounding crash echoed as dust billowed; all the insects in that direction were crushed, leaving the ground reeking. The servants, startled, fell back but were unharmed.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In only four or five strikes, Li Miao had exterminated all the poisonous insects in the yard.

He turned to the cluster of trembling women and spoke loudly,

“Enough pretending—are you so frightened you’ll cough up blood?”

“I want to see what kind of villain dares to unleash gu to kill within the Central Plains.”

“Such disregard for the Embroidered Guards is truly audacious.”