Chapter Sixteen: A Hero Saves the Beauty

At sunrise, Qingyang City was once again bathed in light. A shaft of sunlight pierced into the room, dazzling in its brilliance. Sansi woke, washed up, opened the door, and stretched lazily, thinking to himself: I wonder where Lingshuang will take me to play today—haha.

“Hey, wild man, up early, aren’t you?” At the sound of the voice, Liu Lingshuang came striding toward him. Ye Sansi scratched his head and replied, “Lingshuang, you’re awake too? I was just thinking about you, and here you are—haha.”

“You—” Lingshuang blushed at Sansi’s words, lowered her head, and muttered, “What’s there to think about me for, hmph. You’re not allowed to think about me, not ever again. Hmph!”

Sansi just scratched his head and grinned foolishly. “Alright, alright, haha.” Lingshuang made a face at him. “Alright what? Really, you’re such a fool.”

“Lingshuang, Brother Sansi, you’re both up?” Taiyi, stretching, walked over to join them.

“Of course we’re up,” Lin Nian’er chimed in, approaching with a smile. “There’s nothing to do today. Why don’t we go out for a stroll?”

Liu Lingshuang laughed and said, “Nian’er, I never thought you’d be even more eager to play than Sansi! Hahaha.”

Lin Nian’er pouted. “Well, it’s much more interesting outside. If I stay in the manor every day, I’ll go mad.” Sansi nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, it’s much more fun outside, hehe.”

Liu Lingshuang looked at Li Taiyi and said, “Taiyi, it seems these two children will be our responsibility from now on—haha.”

The four of them chatted and joked as they finished breakfast in the manor and, after reporting to Lin Youzhi, stepped out the main gate and into Qingyang City.

Qingyang City truly deserved its reputation as a great city. Shops of every kind lined the streets—selling weapons, medicines, clothes, armor, wine and meat, fruits and vegetables... Even the marketplace bustled with activity, the shouts of vendors unending. Most of the stalls sold meat, noodles, and produce.

Liu Lingshuang, Li Taiyi, and Lin Nian’er had little interest in these things, but Sansi was positively thrilled. Whenever he saw something tasty, he’d grab a huge piece and stuff it in his mouth, while Taiyi trailed behind, paying for everything. As they walked, Taiyi kept throwing helpless glances at Lingshuang, silently begging for help. Seeing this, Lingshuang said to Sansi and Taiyi, “Why don’t you two enjoy the marketplace? Nian’er and I are going to pick out some nice clothes at the dressmaker’s.” With that, she dragged Lin Nian’er away.

Taiyi called after them, “Hey, Lingshuang—you—” Sansi watched her go, moved closer to Taiyi, still chewing, and asked, “Why did they leave?”

Taiyi replied, “Oh, Brother Sansi, they’ve gone to pick out clothes. You keep browsing—I’ll stay with you. But didn’t you already eat? How can you still eat more?”

Sansi scratched his head sheepishly. “Hehe, when I lived on the mountain, I could eat a whole wild boar in one meal. Sometimes, if the hunt was good, I could eat two or three! Haha.”

Taiyi laughed. “Brother Sansi, you truly are no ordinary man, with such an appetite. Go ahead, keep eating—I’ll pay.”

Sansi nodded. “Great, Taiyi, you’re so good to me. If you ever come to Step-Cloud Mountain, I’ll treat you to celestial fruit.” Taiyi nodded in agreement.

As they ventured deeper into the marketplace, the crowds thickened. Sansi kept moving, eating faster than Taiyi could pay for his purchases.

In the blink of an eye, Li Taiyi lost sight of him. Panic gripped him. Brother Sansi is so naïve—if he gets into trouble, it won’t end well.

Amid the noisy cries of the vendors, another sound could be heard—a youth’s desperate voice. Listening closely, it was shouting, “Brother Sansi! Brother Sansi!”

By the time Taiyi left the market, he still hadn’t found Ye Sansi. Anxious, he thought, Could Brother Sansi have gone to look for Lingshuang and the others? I’d better check.

He hurried to the dressmaker’s, where he saw Lingshuang just emerging in a new outfit. Lingshuang spun around and asked, “Taiyi, do I look good in this?” Before she could finish, Taiyi cried out, “Brother Sansi is missing!”

“What?” Lingshuang exclaimed, anxiety flooding her face. “I told you to watch him!” “He moved so fast—once he got into the crowd, he was gone.”

Before Taiyi could finish, Liu Lingshuang rushed out of the shop, shouting, “Sansi! Sansi! Where are you?” Lin Nian’er hurried after her, catching her arm. “Miss Liu, don’t worry. Master Ye is a grown man—he’ll be fine.” But Lingshuang broke down and cried, curling up on the ground. “You don’t understand. Sansi is honest and strong, but not especially skilled, and he’s impulsive. I’m afraid—afraid he’ll come across some villains, try to play the hero, and end up outnumbered and hurt. What will we do then?”

Taiyi tried to comfort her. “Lingshuang, it’ll be fine. Tian Nu is with him—nothing will happen. Let’s go look for him; worrying won’t help.”

“Alright.” Lingshuang wiped her tears and, with Nian’er and Taiyi, split up to search.

After about half an hour, Lingshuang still hadn’t found him. Suddenly, she heard the sounds of fighting from a corner of the city wall. Her heart leapt: Could it be Sansi? She hurried over and, sure enough, saw a young woman fleeing as Sansi was surrounded by four burly men. Lingshuang was about to step in, but hesitated. Let that wild boy worry me for once. I’ll watch, let him suffer a bit, and then help out.

The four men hemmed in Sansi, who mimicked Taiyi’s tone. “Scoundrels, it’s your unlucky day to run into me. If you know what’s good for you, kowtow a few times and I’ll let you go.”

Liu Lingshuang almost laughed aloud. This Sansi—he really knows how to imitate, and has all the swagger of a street tough. Hahaha.

The leader of the four sneered. “You’re a mouthy brat. We’ll beat you till you’re calling us grandpa. Overestimating yourself! Brothers, get him!”

They rushed at him. Sansi, utterly unafraid, dodged with a strange footwork, slipping free of their encirclement in an instant. His sword, Tian Nu, flashed in his hand. The four men crashed into each other, and Sansi laughed, “Is that all? You’re the ones with big mouths.”

The four scrambled up, grabbing weapons—a saber, a sword, a staff, a pair of daggers—and charged. Before anyone could react, Sansi darted behind them and unleashed thirteen rapid sword strikes, each one cunning and impossible to counter. Yet he held back, never going for a killing blow. When he finished, the four stood unscathed, but their weapons had all shattered. Admitting defeat, they fell to their knees.

The leader pleaded, “Young hero, your skills are unmatched. We’re no match. Please, spare us.”

Sansi sheathed his sword. “If I wanted your lives, you’d already be dead. Consider this a lesson. Don’t let me catch you committing evil again.” The four nodded furiously and fled.

The young woman who had escaped approached Sansi and bowed. “Thank you, great hero, for saving my life. I have nothing to offer but myself in gratitude—please, let me become your wife.”

“What? Become his wife?” Liu Lingshuang had just arrived and heard this.

“Lingshuang!” Sansi saw her and asked, “What does ‘become my wife’ mean?”

Lingshuang grinned mischievously. “It means she wants to marry you, you lucky man—haha.”

Sansi waved his hands frantically. “No, no, I can’t marry you. I still have important things to do.”

The woman bowed again. “Benefactor, I won’t ask for status; I’d even be content as a concubine. You can go off to fulfill your ambitions—I won’t interfere. I grew up alone, but over the years I’ve saved enough to buy a house here in Qingyang City. You’ll always have a place to stay here when you return. What do you say?”

Lingshuang spoke up. “That’s not possible. Besides, he’s the son-in-law of the city magistrate!”

The woman gasped. “So you are the famous Hero Sansi! I’ve long heard of you. Thank you again for rescuing me—how could I be worthy? If I get the chance, I’ll repay you in the future. For now, I’ll take my leave.” Sansi nodded, and she departed.

With a “thump,” Liu Lingshuang punched Sansi’s arm. He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the spot. “Explain yourself. Hmph.”

“Don’t be angry, Lingshuang.” Sansi began to recount what had happened. “I was eating in the market, and before I knew it, I’d wandered out. I wanted to go back, but there were too many people, and I was worried Taiyi wouldn’t find me. So I sat down somewhere quiet to wait. I’d barely sat when I saw four suspicious men eyeing a young lady. After she left, they followed her. I was worried they’d harm her, so I tailed them. They surrounded her here, about to attack, so of course I stepped in. Then—”

“Alright, I saw what happened next.” Lingshuang thought to herself: Those brutes got off easy—Sansi should have taught them a harsher lesson. She said, “By the way, where did you learn those moves? Your footwork and swordplay were extraordinary. Have you been hiding a master from us?”

Sansi scratched his head. “Wasn’t I just using Taiyi’s Blazing Crane Step? You saw it before, didn’t you?”

Lingshuang stared in disbelief. “Blazing Crane Step? Don’t tell me you two cultivated together last night?”

“Cultivated together? What’s that? I just watched it and more or less got it. Plus, I worked out some things myself—it’s quite useful. The stepwork uses the feet, and I turned it into thirteen sword moves. Hahaha, pretty impressive! Oh, and Lingshuang, what exactly is this ‘cultivating together’? Is it powerful?”

Lingshuang wiped the cold sweat from her brow. “Nothing, nothing—forget I said it. But honestly, your talent is amazing. You just needed to see a move once to remember it, and even adapt it into swordsmanship. I have to say, I’m really impressed—haha.”

Sansi blushed at the praise, scratching his head shyly. “It’s nothing, hehe.” (Hehe, being praised again—how wonderful!)

“Sansi, does your sword technique have a name?”

“Ha, I just used it today—haven’t named it yet. How about calling it the Tai-Ling-Nian Sword?”

“That’s too plain! Let me think—how about the Ye-Style Thirteen Swords? It has your surname. You can’t just add our names to your sword style.”

“Then how about the Blazing Step Thirteen Swords? After all, it’s adapted from Taiyi’s Blazing Crane Step.”

“Blazing—Step—Thirteen—Swords... That actually sounds quite nice. Let’s go with that! Taiyi will be delighted. Oh, Sansi, make sure you teach me this swordplay!”

“Of course, haha.”

Lingshuang said, “It’s getting late. Let’s hurry and find Taiyi and Nian’er. They’re still looking for you—don’t keep them worried.”

“Alright.”

Ye Sansi, the wild man, had just grasped the Blazing Crane Step and created the Blazing Step Thirteen Swords—his skills now truly formidable. Yet he did not feel the joy he had imagined. He understood that the stronger he became, the more he must protect his friends—first Liu Lingshuang, then Li Taiyi, and now Lin Nian’er as well.

That night, Sansi set a lantern afloat and made a wish. What he wished for was not “to become a sword immortal,” but “for my friends to live long, peaceful lives.” As the lantern drifted downstream, his heart brimmed with happiness—greater than anything else. To him, his friends were the most important thing in life—they were everything.