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Liu Er cried even more heartbreakingly at this question, collapsing into Old Man Guan's arms and saying, "Guan Grandpa, my grandfather has died."
Old Man Guan gently stroked Liu Er's head. Seeing that he couldn't get any answers, he turned his gaze to me.
I briefly recounted the events that had transpired, but I did not see a trace of surprise on Old Man Guan's face. It seemed that everything was as he had expected.
After I finished explaining, Old Man Guan let out an unintentional sigh, "So he finally came."
Perhaps due to overwhelming grief, Liu Er fell asleep while crying in Old Man Guan's embrace. It was clear that Old Man Guan cared for Liu Er deeply; he carefully placed her on the bed and tucked her in before leading me to the dimly lit living room.
Old Man Guan retrieved a bottle of Erguotou from a low cabinet in the corner and brought two cups over to me. "You seem like a good kid. How about sharing a drink with this old man?"
He raised his cup towards me, and I smiled as I accepted the Erguotou. I poured him a glass first, then filled my own. The rich aroma of the liquor filled the room, stirring the drinker within me. After all this trouble avoiding bad people, I hadn't had a chance to enjoy a few sips.
"Guan Grandpa, I toast to you." I downed my drink in one go; the fiery sensation of the Erguotou was exhilarating.
Old Man Guan took a sip and said, "You've got some skill; not bad for someone your age. Your drinking ability is impressive too."
I poured myself another glass and laughed, "Guan Grandpa, you're quite the hidden gem yourself. Now that we have good wine in our cups, aren't you going to share a story to go with it?"
"You little rascal," Old Man Guan chuckled, pointing at me.
After taking another sip of his drink, he wore a nostalgic expression and said, "Over twenty years ago, anyone walking the rivers and lakes would know of the legendary Ghost Hand Thief, Wen Zhen."
"Wen Zhen is Liu Er's grandfather?" I asked curiously.
Old Man Guan's train of thought was suddenly interrupted by my question, and he replied somewhat displeased, "Do you still want to hear the story? If you do, then keep quiet."
I obediently fell silent. How could he possibly refuse a story about a hero? Whenever I had the chance before, I would pester my master about tales from the martial world. The thrilling adventures of chivalry were something I deeply yearned for.
"Wen Zhen was renowned throughout the martial world back then. Who wouldn't give him some respect? It's just unfortunate that it ended like this." Old Man Guan took another sip of his drink and shook his head with a sigh.
"Did he offend someone when he was young? Is that why he took Liu Er into hiding in the mountains? What about Liu Er's parents?" I speculated aloud.
Old Man Guan glanced at me and said, "Back then, both Zhen Ge and I were young and impulsive. We took on a mission and offended someone, which is why we ended up hiding in this remote valley. We truly believed that the principle of not harming one's family was an unbreakable rule in the martial world. But those people disregarded the code of the jianghu and killed Zhen Ge's entire family. When we returned, all we found in the ruins was Liu Er. Who would have thought that after all these years, those guys would come looking for us again?"
I couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow. What could have happened that led to such relentless pursuit over the years, culminating in the annihilation of a family? My curiosity got the better of me, and I asked, "Guan Grandpa, what exactly did you do back then to provoke them so fiercely?"
"A Sacred Artifact," Old Man Guan replied.
I murmured, "A Sacred Artifact? Then why not just return it? Why resort to violence?"
Old Man Guan sneered, "Do you think this world is purely black and white? There are many shades in between. Young man, once you've been around for a few years, you'll understand. Once a grudge is formed, it becomes a deadlock. That's why Zhen Ge hid the Sacred Artifact and chose to live in seclusion with Liu Er."
I nodded, though I didn't fully grasp it. I understood that not everyone was good-hearted. Returning kindness for malice was something only sages did.
"Then with Grandpa Wen suddenly dead, isn't it impossible to retrieve the Sacred Artifact? No wonder those people are going to such lengths to find Liu Er."
Old Man Guan's face changed dramatically as he stood up abruptly and asked, "What? Someone is still looking for Liu Er?"
I sensed his alarm and waved my hand dismissively. "Guan Grandpa, there's no need to panic. I've been around the jianghu myself; shaking off those two won't be difficult at all. With their skills, they can't possibly match me."
But Old Man Guan remained serious as he pulled me into a room and shook Liu Er awake from her restless sleep. He then placed her hand into mine with utmost gravity and said, "Son, I'm entrusting Liu Er to you. You must take good care of her. Otherwise, even as a ghost, I won't let you off."
I felt that Old Man Guan was overreacting, but I couldn't say anything against it. He led Liu Er and me into the kitchen, where he triggered some mechanism. Suddenly, a hidden passage appeared on the kitchen floor. Old Man Guan nearly pushed Liu Er and me inside and said, "Please take good care of Liu Er. Remember, don’t think about revenge. Just follow the secret path straight out of town; once you're out of town, you'll be safe."
"What about you? Aren't you coming with us, Guan Grandpa?" I asked.
Old Man Guan shook his head with a smile and turned to Liu Er saying, "Liu Er, be good from now on. Don't forget the skills your grandfather taught you."
Liu Er finally woke up from her daze and listened to Old Man Guan's words as if they were his last will; tears filled her eyes.
Guan Laotou turned away and activated the mechanism.
With a click,
As the door to the hidden passage closed behind us, a token engraved with dragons and phoenixes was tossed into my arms. "This is your reward for taking care of Liu Er."
The passage in the secret tunnel suddenly plunged into darkness, except for a small oil lamp flickering nearby. Liu Er suddenly threw herself into my arms, crying, "What’s happening? Why is Guan Grandpa sending us away? Are there bad people coming?"
I didn’t answer her, but I understood that Old Man Guan was trying to buy us some time. This noble intention made me feel quite uneasy. After all, Liu Er was his brother's granddaughter, and generations had passed since then. He didn’t have to care about us at all.
"Liu Er, if we just run away like this, doesn’t it seem a bit ungrateful?" I asked.
Liu Er looked up at me. " Ling Feng, are we going back to save Guan Grandpa?"
I nodded, thinking that a person with such loyalty and righteousness should not just stand by and watch when someone is in danger; it wouldn’t be manly at all. However, I acted decisively and struck a palm strike to the back of Liu Er's neck.
Those people were targeting Liu Er; as long as she didn’t appear, I could safely play the role of an “onlooker” without fear.
To be able to fight alongside a hero like Old Man Guan was indeed a great joy in life.
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