Chapter Forty-Eight: There Are Villains Among the Crowd

After Zheng Kaizhi was taken away, Fang Xiao lost all interest in lingering at the restaurant. He had originally hoped to learn about the Six Rivers Academy from Zheng Kaizhi, but what he got was nothing but the chaotic mess of Zheng’s family affairs—a complete waste of Fang Xiao’s precious time. In the end, he even had to foot the bill himself. What a loss.

Leaving Springview Pavilion, Fang Xiao saw that it was still early and decided to take a stroll through the Six Rivers County town. The county seat was impressively large, with rows upon rows of tiled houses, bustling crowds thronging the long streets, and countless shops on either side whose signboards fluttered in the breeze, accompanied by the constant calls of shop assistants. Rice shops, cloth merchants, taverns, restaurants, inns, stables—everywhere one looked, there was something to see!

Fang Xiao walked along, taking it all in, satisfying his curiosity. Not only was Six Rivers County lively, but it was also remarkably clean. Most of the buildings were constructed from brick and tile, and both main streets and narrow alleys were paved with blue stone. It was far superior to the mud houses and dirt roads of Zhenjia Village.

He even caught sight of the county yamen, where a pair of lifelike stone lions at the entrance left a deep impression on him.

After half a day wandering the county, Fang Xiao bought a few things and gained a basic understanding of the prices in this world. For example, a sesame flatbread from a street vendor cost just one copper coin, and one tael of silver could be exchanged for a thousand copper coins!

As the sun began its descent, Fang Xiao returned to the Six Rivers Academy. But when he arrived at the spot where he had previously "stored" his big blue donkey, he was shocked to find the area around the tethering post empty—his mount was nowhere to be seen. There were hardly any cattle or horses left nearby, making the place seem deserted. The academy wouldn’t officially open until the next day, after all.

However, Fang Xiao noticed a piece of rein still dangling from the wooden post. It looked as though the blue donkey had broken free by sheer force and run off on its own!

“Hey, you!” At that moment, a voice of accusation suddenly rang out, “Was that donkey tied here yours?”

Fang Xiao turned his head to see three burly men approaching him with hostility. The leader glared at him with narrow, upturned eyes, waving his left hand and shouting angrily, “It bit me this badly—what are you going to do about it?”

The back of the man’s left hand was torn and raw, though treated with ointment and not bleeding, but clearly it was a serious wound. Had the blue donkey really bitten him?

Fang Xiao wasn’t stupid. “Why would my donkey bite you?”

The big blue donkey was no ordinary beast. It was highly intelligent—especially after consuming the beast-spirit pill, it had grown even smarter. Fang Xiao refused to believe it would bite someone without reason.

More importantly, the three before him hardly seemed honest types. They looked more like they were trying to extort him.

“A bite is a bite! Who cares why?” the upturned-eyed thug roared, cursing at Fang Xiao, “Boy, if you don’t pay me for my medicine today, don’t even think about leaving Six Rivers County!”

Fang Xiao’s expression darkened. He didn’t reply at once, instead glancing at a man in blue not far away. If memory served, that man was responsible for managing this area—surely he knew what had happened.

Yet the blue-clad man only sneered, folding his arms and making it clear he had no intention of getting involved. Fang Xiao understood at once—villainy was afoot among the crowd.

“Hey, you!” The upturned-eyed thug grew furious as Fang Xiao ignored him and reached out to grab him. But how could Fang Xiao let himself be caught? He took two steps back, unfastening his leather weapon belt.

It wasn’t that Fang Xiao enjoyed using his belt to thrash people; it was simply that there were always those who insisted on a beating. In a word—despicable!

In the next instant, the thick belt, its five-star steel buckle leading the way, lashed down hard on the thug’s body.

“Aargh!” The man screamed as he was struck to the ground, pain whitewashing his eyes and sending his body into convulsions.

His two companions, startled, lunged at Fang Xiao from either side. Though their attack was abrupt, their coordination was remarkable, and their moves powerful, showing some martial skill. Even so, they underestimated Fang Xiao’s prowess.

Without dodging or flinching, Fang Xiao swung his belt left and right—two sharp cracks echoed as he struck each man squarely across the face—swift, precise, and ruthless!

Their own shrieks soon filled the air as the two strongmen collapsed, clutching their faces and rolling on the ground, blood and shattered teeth spraying from their mouths. In the blink of an eye, all three bullies had been laid low by Fang Xiao.

“Stop!” Only now did the blue-clad man, who had been watching from the sidelines, lose his composure. He rushed at Fang Xiao, bellowing, “Are you insane…”

But before he could finish, Fang Xiao’s belt lashed out again, brooking no discussion.

In Fang Xiao’s eyes, this blue-clad man was cut from the same cloth as the three thugs—most likely colluding with them from the start. So he showed no mercy.

However, the blue-clad man was prepared. As the belt snapped toward him, he raised a claw-like hand, fingers curved like hooks, and in a flash seized the steel buckle in his palm, locking it tight.

Fang Xiao was taken aback, but without hesitation, he released the belt, refusing to be drawn into a tug-of-war. At that very moment, he lunged forward in a single stride, his body tensed like a drawn bow, unleashing a surge of fierce energy up his spine and into his arms.

He drove both fists at the man—Demon-Subduing Fist!

Having seized Fang Xiao’s weapon, the blue-clad man was feeling triumphant, when suddenly Fang Xiao’s fists crashed toward him, accompanied by the roar of tigers and the bellow of dragons in his ears. His mind reeled, his limbs seized with stiffness—he was a beat too slow.

Bang!

Fang Xiao’s fists drove into the man’s chest, sending him flying more than a dozen paces away. The onlookers, witnessing the scene, were all stunned into silence, exchanging shocked glances.

The blue-clad man landed heavily, his chest sunken—who knew how many ribs were broken. Unable to catch his breath, he fainted on the spot.

Retrieving his belt, Fang Xiao turned on the three thugs still writhing on the ground and whipped them mercilessly. In the teahouse earlier, he hadn’t had his fill; now, he made up for it all at once.

The three never imagined Fang Xiao would be so relentless—cries of agony burst from them.

“Stop, stop! Please, we’ll never do it again, spare us, please!”

“Help! Someone, help!”

Each lash seemed to strike at their very souls, agony piercing to their bones and beyond. Worst of all, the pain was so intense it kept them fully conscious—they couldn’t even hope to faint. In this way, these scoundrels finally learned what it meant to wish for death rather than life.