Chapter 387: Still Must Leave

Liu Qian took the Heart Sutra and asked: “This inner cultivation method—about when should Bairen start practicing it?”

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and replied: “I reckon Mr. Liu will start enlightening Bairen pretty early. By the time he’s five or six, he should be able to understand the words inside. When that time comes, just let him read and practice on his own.”

“Huh?” Liu Qian exclaimed in surprise, “He can only start learning at six? Then why are you in such a hurry to give this to me? When the time comes, you can come back and teach him yourself. Besides, from what I’ve read in the biographies, cultivating inner strength is a delicate matter. Without a master’s guidance, it’s easy to go astray. I think it’s better if you teach him.”

As she spoke, Liu Qian tried to hand the Heart Sutra back to Zhang Xiaohua.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Sister-in-law, it’s true that practicing inner cultivation can be risky, but look at me—I learned it all by myself, didn’t I turn out fine? Besides, sister-in-law, just trust me. Bairen will be just fine.”

Liu Qian was still half-convinced, but carefully put the Heart Sutra away.

Still uneasy, she asked: “If Bairen doesn’t understand something, can he ask my father?”

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and replied: “If it’s the words he doesn’t understand, of course he can ask. But if it’s the content, better not. It’s best not to let others know about this book—remember that.”

Hearing the gravity in his tone, Liu Qian nodded cautiously.

Zhang Xiaohua was indeed bold; he himself had reached his current level through self-exploration, so he assumed everyone could do the same. That’s why he handed the Heart Sutra over to his sister-in-law so casually, letting his young nephew figure things out himself, completely forgetting that at five or six years old, Bairen might not understand what was written in the book at all.

But then again, is Zhang Bairen an ordinary child?

After settling Bairen’s matters, Zhang Xiaohua saw his parents playing with Bairen. He then pulled Zhang Xiaolong into the courtyard and began teaching him the Big Dipper Divine Fist.

He hadn’t realized it before, but now, as he started teaching, he finally understood how He Tianshu must have felt back then. Clearly, if you move your hand like this, at this angle, it should work—but Zhang Xiaolong just couldn’t get it right. After correcting one mistake, another would pop up elsewhere.

After just a few rounds, Zhang Xiaohua lost his patience and encouraged: “Big Brother, you truly are a martial arts prodigy. Back in the day, I practiced this move for days before I reached your level.”

Zhang Xiaolong exclaimed in delight: “Really? Xiaohua, it seems I’m no ordinary person after all. If I’d known, I would have gone with you to Pingyang City.”

“Sigh, yes, Big Brother. If you had gone, perhaps the Piaomiao Sect wouldn’t have been wiped out. Even if you couldn’t defeat the enemy, at least you could have learned all the sect’s core techniques. Here in Guo Village, you could have passed on the Piaomiao Sect’s legacy.”

“Mm, Xiaohua, you’re right. I truly am a pearl covered in dust.”

“Big Brother, that’s why you should take some time to study the fist manual on your own. I’m worried that if I teach you wrong, it might delay your progress for nothing.”

“Is that so? Alright, Xiaohua, then… I suppose I’ll just have to reluctantly practice by myself.”

Having settled things with Zhang Xiaolong, Zhang Xiaohua went back inside to look for his mother.

Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei were still on the kang, watching Zhang Bairen sleep soundly. Bairen had woken up for a bit earlier, played with the two elders, and then gone right back to sleep. Now, the two of them were speaking in hushed voices.

When Zhang Xiaohua entered, Guo Sufei smiled quietly and said: “Xiaohua, I heard from your father just now that you did another good deed in Lu Town last night?”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed a little and replied: “I wanted to do a good deed, but I didn’t finish it thoroughly and left some loose ends. Only after hearing Father’s explanation today did I realize my mistake.”

Guo Sufei said: “It’s good that you know your mistake. When you help others, you must see it through to the end. If you give up halfway, it’s better not to help at all.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled: “Exactly, Mother, you’re absolutely right. Actually, I have something to discuss with you.”

“What is it? Why so mysterious?” Guo Sufei was puzzled by Zhang Xiaohua’s serious tone and joked: “Don’t tell me you’ve taken a fancy to some girl? Your mother still has some silver saved up. If you want to propose marriage, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Zhang Xiaohua looked a bit embarrassed and said: “Mother, let’s talk outside. Bairen just fell asleep—I don’t want to wake him.”

Seeing this, Guo Sufei felt even more certain of her intuition, though inwardly she wondered, “He was only out for a day and already found someone he likes? Could he have been tricked?”

Zhang Cai understood Zhang Xiaohua’s intentions and coaxed Guo Sufei into the main hall.

Sitting down, Guo Sufei teased: “Xiaohua, you’re not young anymore—this is just the right time. Tell me, which family’s girl have you taken a liking to?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled: “As for where this girl is, even I don’t know yet, so I can’t tell you now.”

“You sly child! Then why did you call your mother here?” Guo Sufei simply thought Xiaohua was being shy and didn’t take it seriously.

Zhang Xiaohua glanced at his father and said: “Mother, I already told Father at noon—I want to find a time in the next couple of days to leave Guo Village again. I’ll go out and look for Second Brother, and then we’ll return together.”

Hearing this, Guo Sufei’s expression changed immediately. “No! Since you left Guo Village at twelve, you’ve only come back once, and even then you left without a word, disappearing for more than five years. Do you know how much your mother’s heart ached? Do you know how I got through those days? If it weren’t for your sister-in-law’s child giving me something to hold on to, I might have feared I’d never see you again.”

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, her eyes fixed on Zhang Xiaohua, a mother’s love and longing plain to see.

This time, when Zhang Xiaohua returned, Guo Sufei didn’t show as much emotion as last time. On one hand, she now had a younger child to care for and less time to spare; on the other, she felt lost between reality and a dream, afraid this was just another fleeting illusion and not daring to let her feelings run wild. Today, before she could even get used to her son’s return, Zhang Xiaohua was already talking about leaving again—how could she possibly bear it?

She had hoped her youngest son would stay by her side, find a good wife, and live happily under her watchful eye.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua stepped forward and sat on the chair beside his mother, smiling: “Mother, I understand how you feel. I truly have been unfilial, making you worry at home. But this time, things are different from before.”

“What’s different this time?” Guo Sufei asked curiously.

“Mother, do you still remember Hero Wen, Heroine Xue, and Hero Lu from the Piaomiao Sect?”

“Of course I remember. Though I’m just a woman and never met them, our family owes them our lives. That kindness, your mother will never forget.”

He continued: “If they were killed, and I knew who did it—and I also had the ability to avenge them—do you think I should?”

“What? Our benefactors… they really met with disaster? If that’s the case, Xiaohua, they truly saved our family, especially Hero Lu. Without him, you, your brother, and your sister-in-law would have died long ago. Such a debt must be repaid! But you… Xiaohua, it’s not that I doubt you, but if even they, with their great martial skills, couldn’t survive, how could a child like you avenge them?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “Don’t worry, Mother. Though I’m not clever, I wouldn’t throw myself against a stone like an egg. If I can’t win by strength, I’ll use my wits. I’d never risk my life recklessly.”

Guo Sufei frowned, still hesitant.

Zhang Xiaohua added: “Besides, Second Brother’s fate is still unknown. Instead of staying home, it’s better that I go search for him. Last time, I met some old friends from the manor. They hadn’t seen Second Brother, but they did point me toward where to look. I should go and see. If there’s any news, I’ll tell you both first.”

Hearing this, Guo Sufei gave a bitter smile and said: “Xiaohua, don’t try to comfort your mother. So many disciples of the Piaomiao Sect died tragically—we’ve already heard from Young Master Li. How could it be that only your second brother managed to escape? Over these years, I’ve finally found some peace of mind. I just can’t bear to lose you as well, not after Xiaohu.”

“Alive, I want to see him in person; dead, I want to see his body. With no news of Second Brother, it means there’s still hope he’s alive. Mother, don’t worry, I have a feeling—Second Brother will definitely…”

“Xiaohua, say no more. It’s been over three years. If there were any news, your second brother would have sent word long ago. Why would we still be waiting now?”

“This….”

Zhang Xiaohua was left speechless.

“Enough, Xiaohua, go rest for now. Let your mother think it over tonight. She’s a reasonable woman. Once she’s thought it through, we’ll talk again,” Zhang Cai advised.

Zhang Xiaohua understood his father was trying to help him, so he didn’t press further. After chatting about other things, he returned to his room to rest.

Ever since Zhang Bairen was born, Guo Sufei had been helping Liu Qian take care of the child. But tonight, she handed the task over to Zhang Xiaolong and followed Zhang Cai back to their room.

Zhang Xiaohua returned to his small room. Seeing it was still early, he sat cross-legged and took out several small jade pendants from his robe. He knew that although his mother worried for him and didn’t want him to get involved in the martial world, the Piaomiao Sect had shown the Zhang family great kindness—out of righteousness, his mother would not stop him. And with Zhang Xiaohu’s fate still unknown, Guo Sufei could not let go; for the sake of family, she would surely let him go. Therefore, before leaving, he needed to settle things at home.

In fact, as early as when he made jade pendants for Ji Xiaohua’s mother in Songning Town, Zhang Xiaohua had already considered this. On his way home, he had made up his mind. Among the formation jade slips left by the Fire Dragon True Person, there were quite a few protective and offensive restrictions, though most were rather complicated. Zhang Xiaohua had spent much time studying them lately. Although he wasn’t fully confident, he still decided to give it a try.

Zhang Xiaohua took out a jade pendant whose spiritual energy had already been depleted, then placed a fresh small yuan stone in his right hand. Calming his mind, he silently recited the incantation, forming hand seals with his left hand. Following the instructions from the jade slip, he began to draw the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth from the yuan stone, gradually shaping it into a restriction within his left hand. At that moment, Zhang Xiaohua felt a sudden stirring in his heart.