360 A Lion Keeping Watch on the Night and its Attendan

The moment Chen Changsheng awoke, he realized that he was lying on the snowyground and the sky had almost turned dark. Dusky light spilled out from thewest, illuminating the low walls of that distant town as well as the rag Su Lihad wrapped around himself. The rag had been found during their escape in an abandoned hunting lodge, itsedges and corners in tatters. At this moment,  it seemed to be on fire as itlit up in the twilight. Su Li sat cross-legged on the snow, his head loweredand covered by that rag, causing him to appear somewhat like Black Robe. ChenChangsheng asked, "I was lying on the snow, and yet… Senior does not care?" After running incessantly, he had finally managed to cross the long tenthousand li of snowy plains, far away from the demon menace. One could imaginewhat sort of effort and price he had to pay and how exhausted he was. Themoment he saw the human town, he immediately collapsed and was unable to rise.Yet, even in this sort of situation, Su Li did not come to his aid.This caused Chen Changsheng to feel somewhat uncomfortable. Su Li's voice rang out from within the rag, carrying a senseof righteousness and self-confidence. "If I had the strength to move you, wouldI still need you to carry me around on your back and take me everywhere? Inaddition, when you fall over, would you mind paying attention to your position?Don't forget, I'm on your back. When you suddenly crash down like that, do youknow how miserable I was when being squashed by you?" Chen Changsheng felt very helpless. During their escape, he wouldoccasionally talk to this senior, so he had long confirmed that he who hadnever been skilled with his tongue could never obtain any advantage fromconversation, even when reason was on his side. He propped up his aching bodyand slowly rose from the snowy ground. He walked over to Su Li and put him onhis back, then once again began making his way into the distance. By the time he reached the human town, the sky had already turned pitch-black.Fortunately, the wall blazed with countless torches, lighting up theground before of the town. This was the only reason his utterly exhaustedself avoided tripping on the protrusions of ice on the road. This was an exceptionally crude, yet incredibly firm little town. To be moreprecise, this was the furthest military stronghold of the Great Zhou Army'sNorthwest division. There was no such thing as a curfew in this militarystronghold, but if they wanted to enter the stronghold, they would have toundergo a very exhaustive process of inspection. It must be known that otherthan the most daring of adventurers, ordinary commoners would rarely appear inthis place. As they were being searched, Chen Changsheng was extremely worried that Su Liwould get angry. The entire time, he kept anxiously looking over, but he didn'tthink that over the entire search, Su Li acted extremely obediently, just likea real disabled person. The soldier in the stronghold began to ask his routine questions. ChenChangsheng had no customs document to take out, nor did he have any evidence ofhis journey. He was just about ready to admit his identity and have themilitary send someone to pick him up until he suddenly saw Su Li shaking hishead in a mysterious manner. The eyes covered by the rag held a resolution thatwas difficult to oppose. Su Li took out two custom documents from somewhere. They were two perfect,absolutely flawless custom documents. This perfection even included theshabbiness of the documents. In brief, there was nothing suspicious about it.The soldier's critical gaze took note of the pair as he listened to Su Li'sanswers. With a wave of his hand, he let the pair in, simultaneously remindingthem to keep watch over their belongings. The only establishment in which commoners could stay within this militarystronghold was an inn, which, as expected, contained one large shared bed.However, tonight, there was only the two of them staying. The cold and stingyinn owner would naturally not heat the kang too warmly and did not even providehot water. Thus, even after Chen Changsheng and Su Li and wrapped themselves upin the sour bedding for a long time, they still could not fall asleep. (TN: For a kang, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_bed-stove<https: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kang_bed-stove=""> ) Chen Changsheng opened his shining eyes and gazed up at the oil-stainedceiling as he thought of some trivial things. Like how this inn might have beenconstructed from a kitchen, or how that waiter being yelled at by the inn ownerseemed very pathetic. Then he heard Su Li sigh, so he asked inquisitively,"Senior, you carry prepared identity documents and answered thequestions exceptionally, so you should have a lot experience living outside.Why is it that senior can't sleep?" Everyone knew that Mount Li's Junior Martial Uncle Su Li most lovedto travel the four seas, rarely returning to Mount Li. In terms of travelingexperience, logically, there should be none that was more experienced than him.  Su Li said angrily, "What are you thinking?  Who am I? How could I stay insuch a run-down rotten place like this?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, previously if you had made your identityknown, then we two definitely would not be sleeping on this cold kang. Don'teven speak of this stronghold's commanding officer, even the generals of thesouth would have to immediately send somebody over. This idea, this question,which had always lingered in his mind, was finally voiced. "Senior, why is itthat we can't reveal our identities?" Su Li replied, "Do you know what I'm most famous for?  Why the entirecontinent fears me?" Chen Changsheng thought to himself, I grew up in the countryside in Xiningvillage. Although I'm well-versed in the Daoist Canon, I know very little aboutworldly affairs. I only know that your cultivation is extremely high and yourpath of the sword is incredibly strong. Why is it not respect, but fear? Su Li's voice seeped out of the icy bedding, causing them to seem even colder."Although I've killed many demons, I've killed even more humans. Besides ZhouDufu of the past, I don't think there's anyone else that's slain more humans." Chen Changsheng was speechless. Senior is narcissistically showing off again,he thought to himself. If it really was this way, wouldn't you be a butcherwhose hands were drenched in blood. Why hasn't the Mount Li Sword Sect expelledyou out of the sect yet? As if he had sensed what he was thinking, Su Li's voice sounded out once more."In Mount Li, my status is the highest, the strongest, therefore, I am also theeldest. The Discipline Hall and those guys on the mountain had long sinceceased to see eye to eye with me, but what can they do to me?" Chen Changsheng was speechless. Su Li did not continue to expound upon his killing exploits. "I naturally havemy reasons for killing humans. Pulling up by the roots, exterminating families;I would never use such crude and empty methods, which has brought me quite sometrouble. Therefore, the more people I kill, the more enemies I have. At thispoint, even I can't remember clearly how many enemies I have." Chen Changsheng's body became somewhat stiff. This can't be real, right? Thenhow you could survive until now? "Very rarely will someone come find me seeking revenge, because I'm toostrong. Of course, there are some guys who lose their heads in hatred and evenforget about their own lives, their only thought is to kill me!" As he talked about it, Su Li's mood clearly grew much worse. He angrilycomplained, "When I wake in the morning, they come to kill me. When I sleep,they also come to kill me. At every moment of the day, they want to kill me.Wave after wave after wave, and the thing I don't get is that even though theseguys have such awful standards yet still can never kill me no matter what theytry, they still continue to come. Don't they find it annoying? Even if theydon't find it annoying, I'll find it annoying, ok?" Chen Changsheng was even more speechless. To put life aside, those people whowant to kill you must have a real blood feud with you. However, you wouldactually say that they've lost their heads in hate, and that they're justannoying? Su Li continued, "This is why I rarely stay in Mount Li. Whenever I travel thecontinent, I've never used my true identity. If you don't want to be woken upon the toilet by some person with a magical artifact, I recommend that you dothe same." Chen Changsheng thought to himself, it should be right that tonight'ssituation is different from the normal routine. The room settled into a long period of silence, then Su Li's voice resoundedagain. Except this time, his voice was no longer that proud or restless, butcalm and serious. "Those people who want me dead are just like a pack of dogs. They don't dareto take action against me, or even dare to bark at me from a distance. Theyonly dare to conceal themselves in the dark, waiting for me to tire, to growold, or to become injured." Chen Changsheng gazed at the ceiling, and it seemed as if he could see thegrasslands during the night, a lion watching its surroundings, and countlessenemies hidden in the gloom. If that lion were to grow old, its enemies wouldrush forward and rip it to pieces. "I understand," he said. Su Li replied, "As long as you understand." In the morning, around five o'clock, Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and gotout of bed. His complexion was somewhat pale and seemed rather haggard, but atleast it was much better than when he was escaping through the snowy plains. Itwas just that his mind was even tenser than when he had been escaping. Because of that conversation he had with Su Li the night before, he felt likethis inn, and this entire stronghold, was filled with danger. At the dimly litstreets and the barely warm kitchen; the figure of a sword which brought deathcould appear at any moment. For an expert at Su Li's level, his enemies or foes would also be extremelyfrightening. Chen Changsheng knew that he was not their opponent, so he couldonly hope to see through their concealment and make his preparations for battlebeforehand. He also knew that he could possibly be too sensitive, but inmatters of life and death, he had always felt that there was no such thing asbeing too sensitive or cautious. The porridge was watery and flavorless while the steamed buns were like rocks.As they sat by the table and ate breakfast, he silently kept careful watch overhis surroundings. He was less like a tourist and more like a bodyguard. On theother hand, Su Li acted very naturally, as if he didn't care. Chen Changsheng silently thought to himself, that cold and stingy inn ownerwas rather normal, but there are some problems with that waiter that was yelledat last night. In this place with such poor living conditions, how could therebe such a warmhearted waiter? Last night when we checked in, that waiter eventook the initiative to ask if we wanted some hot water, but in the end receivedan earful from the inn owner. At this moment, that inn owner randomly began to harangue that waiter onceagain, all sorts of obscenities falling from his lips, and was very hard on theear. Su Li continued to drink his porridge, from time to time raising hisbrows, as if this stream of abuse was a free appetizer. After the scolding came the beating. The waiter seemed very obedient, notshowing any defiance no matter how bad the beating or abuse. The waiter ranaround, hands around the head, causing Chen Changsheng to grow even morevigilant. The inn waiter finally ran to their table. Without hesitation, Chen Changsheng pulled out his dagger. The waiter had not seen the dagger, and almost seemed ready to run onto thedagger. If he put away the dagger or inclined it, that waiter would take advantage andget closer. Logically, if an inn guest were to see the waiter that was so attentive lastnight about to run against the sharp point of the sword, even it was only byinstinct, they would shift the sword, give a little. Chen Changsheng's breathing grew a little hurried, hesitating on his choice.Put away the sword? If this was a real waiter, he would have just willfully slain an innocent. If this was a fake waiter, he would be seeking his own death, and alsoburdening senior Su Li. He did not know what he should do. Thus, Su Li made the choice for him. Su Li took up the chopsticks in his hand and poked at a certain place on ChenChangsheng's upper arm. This thrust had no strength, and contained neither true essence nor swordintent. Yet Chen Changsheng's dagger pierced forward as if it were a bolt of lightning. The dagger did not pierce the waiter because it was slanted at the verybeginning. His dagger had pierced through the abdomen of the inn owner that had come inpursuit of the waiter. Squelch. The dagger pierced so deeply that the hilt could not be seen. </https:>