Chapter 83

"Kunny!" Soan Jingor was instantly startled and wrapped Kunny in his embrace, his face drawn with agitation. "What happened to you? What's happening? What on earth is going on with you?"

In his arms, Kunny showed a bitter smile on her face.

"Brother Soan...I...I...."

Le Xaan stood by and watched silently. He had long suspected that Kunny was possibly not a human being. And now it's proven true.

Perhaps, the same was true with the rest of the girls on the pleasure cruiser. They had died a long time ago, but their spirits were tied to the ship. Some people or organizations were exploiting them to achieve some goals behind the scene.

He didn't disturb Soan Jingor and Kunny, quietly walking away before sitting down on the ground beside Chin Gerron.

He activated the two sets of inner body Qi cultivation methods into the speedy mode to heal his body.

As the two currents of Qi circulated through his body, he felt his wounded spots become itchy, signaling the growth of new flesh.

About a quarter of an hour later, Soan Jingor walked over to him with reddened eyes, while Kunny was nowhere to be seen.

"Let's go. It's time to go back.." Soan Jingor's voice was sonorous and raspy, and his eyes looked listless.

Le Xaan already knew the outcome by now. Kunny must have had some links with the ghost ship. Now that the ship was destroyed, she must have met her demise as well. Soan Jingor probably had learned more details about it.

After Soan Jingor put Chin Gerron back on his back, the two of them headed in the direction of Mountainside City. Throughout the trip, both of them kept silent until the almost reached the city gate.

By then, Soan Jingor spoke to Le Xaan,

"Brother Le, may I learn some martial arts from you?" 

His expression betraying his grief, he seemed to be pleading with Le Xaan. Apparently, Kunny's death was a huge emotional blow to him.

Le Xaan paused in his steps and released a sigh while gazing at his friend.

"Behind Kunny, there must be a powerful organization. Otherwise, how could the City Government let the ghost ships go unchecked in harming people on Pine River? On top of that, I guess that the ships haven't harmed people in large numbers. The ships are just a backup measure they would take when necessary. "

Soan Jingor shook his head with a sad smile. "Brother Le, I know what you mean. What's more, I have no accounts to settle with anyone, since the white-dressed woman had been killed by you. Just... I don't want to feel helpless when similar things happens around me once more ..."

Le Xaan stared at Soan Jingor, discerning the profound sorrow and helplessness deep within his eyes.

"You have to know, although ordinary martial arts are readily accessible as long as you pay for them, more precious ones aren't."

Soan Jingor gave a resolute look. "So what do I need to make you impart me martial arts? Do I need to become your disciple? No problem!"

"No... we're in no hurry. I'm not sure whether you have talent for practicing martial arts, so I have to test you for it." Le Xaan's own share of experiences couldn't be considered abundant either. He had no special means to conduct the test. So, Le Xaan could only try to test him for it.

In this world, an expert wouldn't lightly pass or simply grudge his cherished martial arts to someone else. To tell the truth, Le Xaan harbored the same emotions.

In the first place, martial arts was the inventors' brainchild and entailed more painstaking efforts to be perfected. Some experts even risked disabling themselves just to create them.

How could such priceless things be taught to someone else with no reasons? Just like a wealthy merchant, would they gift their wealth, wetted with the sweat of his brow, with to anyone else so easily?

That's why many masters were unwilling to impart their martial arts to anyone except those who were bound to them by blood ties.

Yet, this was not something Le Xaan concerned himself about, since he obtained these martial arts with great ease. Furthermore, Soan Jingor was a close friend with him.

Instead, he concern lay in exposing his possessed martial arts. If someone else learned that Le Xaan had deducted some new martial arts from existed ones, that might put Le Xaan in the spotlight and bring him some troubles.

This went against his plan to grow his strength in secret.

"Alright. I will test you for talent before I consider whether pass martial arts to you." Le Xaan decided to see if Soan Jingor have talent in martial arts or not. If he did, Le Xaan would teach him some basic martial arts first.

"Okay!"

Some tests before the teachings were expected by Soan Jingor. He had read some Wuxia novels, in which such plots appeared frequently.

Carrying Chin Gerron, the two of them made their way into the city. Upon seeing Chin Gerron, the shopkeeper of a tailoring shop around the city gate headed for the Chin Mansion to report his emergence straight away.

Le Xaan's present appearance was too bizarre, perhaps even ugly, so only Soan Jingor went to explain to the Chin family while Le Xaan returned home.

As he walked along the streets, many people stared at him with a strange look. And some children fell in behind him to studied his peculiar look.

With resignation, Le Xaan picked up his pace. After he found his way in front of his residence, he patted himself down for the key. Only by then did he discovered that his waist pouch was lost.

"Damn it... My silver certificates are all in it..." Le Xaan felt the pinch.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Without the key, he could only knock on the door.

"Coming!" Qiki's soft rustle of footsteps soon sounded out. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Le Xaan replied, "My key is lost. Open the door, Qiki."

Upon hearing his voice, Qiki hastily opened the door.

As the door swung open, Le Xaan was greeted with Qiki's pretty and adorable face. She wore a blossoming smile now.

At first glance of Le Xaan, Qiki was frozen on the spot, her eyes almost popping out.

"You, you, you...!!" Her eyes rolled upward before she fainted, crumpling to the floor.

Le Xaan was speechless at her reaction. Immediately, carrying Qiki in his arms, he rushed into the room and placed her on the bed. Then, he went to boil water and fetch the towel and wooden bucket for himself.

After the hustle and bustle , he washed himself clean of the ashes and smoke, turning the pail of water and the towel into an ebony hue. Soon, he prepared another bucket of water and washed him once again. Only by then did he consider himself clean.

After the bath, he changed into fresh clothes. A while later, Qiki came to. The moment she laid her eyes on Le Xaan, she intently studied him, wide-eyed, before she recognized that the bizarre-looking man was Young Master Xaan.

It took Le Xaan some time to explain to Qiki, saying things like "My clothes were burnt" and "But I didn't suffer severe injuries". Soon, Qiki hurriedly went to look for a doctor and then brought him home. Apart from Le Xaan's money, several tens of silver coins were stored at home for Qiki to cover daily expenditure.