Chapter 87.2: Whoever Holds the Blade Makes the Rules (II)

The heads of the men in front were severed in an instant. Blood sprayed through the air as their bodies collapsed heavily onto the ground. The remaining men froze, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Lu Changsheng did not spare them another glance. Instead, with his saber in hand and an unchanged expression, he turned and walked toward the men still holding the foreign merchants.

Panic spread among them at once, and the leader realized that they had bitten off more than they could chew. This cold, silent martial artist was not someone they could easily get rid of.

However, situations like this were hardly rare in the jianghu. As a veteran, he had crossed paths with powerful figures before, and he knew that the jianghu was full of hidden dangers. One never knew who might be standing in front of them until it was too late.

After a brief pause, the leader bowed deeply and said, "Sir, forgive our recklessness. Please accept our apologies and allow us to make amends." He quickly produced a stack of silver notes and continued, "Here are three thousand taels in silver notes as compensation."

In the jianghu, offending the wrong person and refusing to submit often led to death. This group leader understood that well. As for his men who had fallen, they had simply been unfortunate. He would not be avenging them.

However, Lu Changsheng did not stop. He continued walking closer and closer to them. "Your men were right earlier," he said coldly. "In the jianghu, whoever holds the blade makes the rules. If you had let me pass, I would have gone on my way. But since you chose to block me, I will cut you down. Consider this your misfortune."

He then glanced at the silver notes. "Besides, I can just take your possessions once you're dead."

The leader’s expression hardened. "

Hmph.

Do you truly think you have us cornered? We merely wished to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Then, his gaze shifted. "But since you are determined to seek death, we shall grant you just that."

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three martial artists stepped out from the group at once, and even their leader lunged forward without hesitation. The four of them moved together, sabers raised and auras surging. They intended to kill Lu Changsheng in a single, combined assault. As experienced martial artists in the jianghu, they knew that power came in numbers.

All four of them were Organ Refinement martial artists, but Lu Changsheng did not flinch in the slightest. He looked at them indifferently and remarked, "Too slow."

He then tightened his grip on the saber. Without any flashy saber techniques, he swung his saber and struck each of them once, the motion so fast it appeared as a single strike.

Whoosh!

A cold flash of saber light cut through the darkness, and the four Organ Refinement martial artists froze mid-motion, their raised sabers never given the chance to fall. A moment later, they collapsed to the ground.

"Impossible!"

The remaining men stared in horror, all color draining from their faces as they realized they were outmatched.

"Run!" one of them screamed as he turned to flee.

The rest tried to follow him, but Lu Changsheng was already on his next move. In the blink of an eye, he crossed several zhang and plunged straight into their midst. Saber light flashed again, and soon, the last of the men lay sprawled in pools of their own blood.

Lu Changsheng crouched down and wiped the blood from his blade on the fallen bodies. When the steel was clean, he sheathed his saber and began searching the corpses. There was little of interest—only silver notes and loose taels, which together amounted to about five thousand taels. Still, it was more than enough to cover the expenses of this journey.

With the spoils collected, Lu Changsheng turned to leave. But suddenly, a voice rang out from not far behind him.

"Please wait, our savior!" The foreign woman yelled, running toward him, with two other foreign merchants hurrying after her.

"Our savior," she said, catching her breath as she stood in front of Lu Changsheng. "How should we address you? You saved my life. I wish to repay you."

Her gratitude was genuine. In that moment of desperation, Lu Changsheng’s sudden appearance had felt like rain falling upon a barren desert.

Lu Changsheng looked at the woman whom locals referred to as a foreign hag. Such derogatory language was common in the Da Yu Dynasty; foreign merchants were usually looked down on, and foreign women even more so.

"I did not do it to help you," he replied. "They provoked me and brought death upon themselves. There is no need to thank me."

With that, he turned away before they could ask more questions. The woman hurried after him once more, but he was already gone, his figure disappearing into the night far too quickly for them to follow.

After a short chase, one of the merchants said in a low voice, "Sophie, let’s go back. It’s too dangerous to stay here."

Sophie was no ordinary merchant. She had a special status, and he feared that lingering any longer would only invite more trouble.

Sophie hesitated, glancing in the direction where Lu Changsheng had vanished. She then nodded. "Fine. Let’s go back."

The foreign merchants hurried away, and the area soon returned to silence, leaving only corpses behind in pools of blood, a sight that drew little attention in Zhanhai City. Murders and bloodshed were common here, and even if the prefecture officials did notice the bodies, they would simply drag them away and carry on as though nothing had happened.

Lu Changsheng returned to the inn. What had happened on the road did not linger in his thoughts. They had only been Organ Refinement martial artists, hardly worth his attention. What truly occupied his mind were the

insights

he had gained by the sea that day.

The Third Wave requires the comprehension of surging tides. I gained something today, but it's not enough. I will have to return to the shore tomorrow.

And so, the next day, Lu Changsheng went back to the seaside to continue sensing the Intent of the waves.

One day passed, then another, then the third.

For three full days, Lu Changsheng remained by the shore, immersed in the rhythm of the sea. He could feel it now. The Third Wave of the Threefold Waves was almost within reach, but no matter how hard he tried, something was still missing. The breakthrough would not come.

As Lu Changsheng continued sensing the Intent of the waves, a few fishermen were chatting nearby.

"The winds and waves yesterday were terrifying," one of them said. "The waves were several zhang high. I nearly did not make it back."

"That is what I fear most at sea," another sighed. "Once a huge wave rises, our little boats cannot withstand it. One strike and we would be smashed to pieces."

"Whatever. With the weather like this, I will wait a few more days before heading out again," a third added.

To these fishermen who made their living upon the sea, nothing was more dangerous than fierce winds and towering waves. When the winds howled and the waves rose, their small boats could be smashed in an instant, leaving them swallowed by the vastness of the ocean.

Several zhang high...

Lu Changsheng lifted his head and stared out at the sea.

Suddenly, something clicked in his mind.

The waves I've been observing are too small. Strong towering waves can only be seen out at sea. I must go out to sea.

Lu Changsheng got up and walked straight toward the fishermen. "Hello there. When you go out to fish, can you take me with you?" he asked bluntly.

"You want to go out to sea?" one of the fishermen asked in surprise. He shook his head at once. "No, it's dangerous out there. We cannot take someone unfamiliar with the sea."

"Besides, we won't be heading out anytime soon," another added.

Lu Changsheng frowned and glanced at their boats. They were small and lightly built, clearly unsafe. Even with his strength, if he were to fall into the open sea, there would be little he could do.

"If you truly wish to go out," one fisherman said after a moment, "the safest way is on a large ship."

"Especially the ships of those foreign merchants," another chimed in, pointing toward the large ships by the docks. "Those are far sturdier than our fishing boats."

"That's right," a third agreed. "Those merchants cross the open seas to reach Zhanhai City. Think of how many waters they pass through, how many storms they endure. Their ships are the safest."

Lu Changsheng followed the direction of their gaze. At the docks stood enormous vessels, their hulls towering over the pier.

He turned back to the fishermen. "Thank you."

Tossing them a few copper coins, Lu Changsheng turned and walked toward the docks, his steps light and unhurried as he blended into the bustle of the harbor.