I Grind to Martial Saint

In the storm-swept Cangshui County Town, the streets were nearly empty of pedestrians, and many shops had bolted their doors shut.

Huang Xian’Er first took Zhang Cang to the Changlong Restaurant.

Business at the Changlong Restaurant was as good as ever. Even in the afternoon, many idle men were drinking and chatting, discussing the latest news in town.

”I hear the Liu Family has started hoarding grain.”

”With Director Han around, if those guys dare to drive up prices, they can expect to be beheaded.”

”That’s true. Even the Huang and Lu Families don’t dare to inflate grain prices.”

”Speaking of which, if this rain keeps up, even with reinforced dikes... I’m afraid they won’t hold.”

”I hear the Cangjiang Pier is already flooded...”

”This damn weather...”

Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Pang was dozing off at the counter as usual, snoring loudly.

But the moment Huang Xian’Er walked in, the looks on everyone’s faces changed instantly.

Huang Xian’Er had a bad reputation in Cangshui County Town. She was temperamental, known to draw her sword and kill at the slightest disagreement.

Worse, her background was powerful. If you ended up a ghost under her sword, you’d have died for nothing.

So when these idle men saw Huang Xian’Er, they were like mice seeing a cat. Their eyes filled with panic, and terrified of being targeted by the young miss of the Huang Family, they all scrambled up and left.

Huang Xian’Er was used to it.

Her gaze swept the room and quickly fell upon a figure, blocking his path.

”Yellow-skinned Rat, sit down!”

The figure was a shifty-eyed man with a Fu Manchu mustache.

Hearing Huang Xian’Er’s words, he trembled and quickly found a chair to sit down in.

The remaining patrons cast Yellow-skinned Rat a pitying glance before leaving, braving the pouring rain.

The dozing Shopkeeper Pang was startled awake.

But upon seeing it was Huang Xian’Er, his expression changed, and he hurriedly ducked down, hiding behind the counter.

Zhang Cang took it all in.

He was surprised. ’Why are these people so afraid of Huang Xian’Er?’

”Miss Huang... is there something I can do for you?”

Yellow-skinned Rat forced a strained smile.

”Help me find a place.”

”This is a deposit.”

”I’ll give you two hours.”

”If you don’t have results, remember to go to the coffin shop in the east of town and buy yourself a nice coffin.”

Huang Xian’Er took out a hundred-tael silver note and placed it on the table.

Though a million unwilling thoughts raced through his mind, Yellow-skinned Rat accepted the silver note.

He knew that if he dared to say the word ”no,” his head would likely be flying off his shoulders the very next second.

This young miss of the Huang Family was truly capable of such a thing.

”Miss Huang... what are you trying to find out?”

Yellow-skinned Rat asked in a low voice.

”A Daoist Temple... by the name of Wind and Thunder Temple.”

”Go.”

Huang Xian’Er said flatly.

”Yes!”

”Wait for my good news!”

Not daring to delay, Yellow-skinned Rat rushed out of the inn.

”Let’s sit for a while.”

Huang Xian’Er casually sat down.

Zhang Cang had no choice but to sit down across from her.

”This Yellow-skinned Rat is well-connected. He knows people from all walks of life, so his information is reliable.”

”If even he can’t find the Wind and Thunder Temple, you’ll have to go find that brother of yours.”

Huang Xian’Er said casually.

”Han Yuan is the Director of the Observatory now. If possible, I’d rather not bother him.”

Zhang Cang naturally knew who Huang Xian’Er was talking about.

”He’s not busy at all. All he does all day is act like a hands-off boss.”

Huang Xian’Er grumbled.

Half an hour later, Yellow-skinned Rat rushed into the inn, wearing a conical hat and a raincoat.

Seeing that Huang Xian’Er was still there, he breathed a sigh of relief.

After taking off his conical hat, he lowered his voice. ”Miss Huang, I finally found some information on the Wind and Thunder Temple.”

”It’s a good thing you came to me. Anyone else would have had a hard time.”

Huang Xian’Er shot him a cold glance. ”Spit it out.”

Yellow-skinned Rat shuddered and said directly, ”There was indeed such a Daoist Temple near Cangshui County Town.”

Hearing this, Zhang Cang couldn’t help but ask, ”Then where is this Daoist Temple?”

Yellow-skinned Rat glanced at Huang Xian’Er.

”Just answer his questions,” Huang Xian’Er said flatly.

Only then did Yellow-skinned Rat answer, ”It’s gone now. The Wind and Thunder Temple is a thing of over a hundred years ago.”

”I only heard about it from a centenarian.”

”But even he has never seen the Wind and Thunder Temple. He just remembers an adult mentioning it to him when he was a child.”

”According to him, the temple was said to be incredibly efficacious, and its incense burned strong.”

”But later, for some unknown reason, it fell into ruin... and then vanished completely.”

Huang Xian’Er narrowed her eyes. ”Yellow-skinned Rat, you’d better not be making this up.”

’Something from over a hundred years ago would be impossible to verify. In other words, Yellow-skinned Rat could make up any story he wanted.’

”Miss Huang, how would I dare deceive you?”

”Besides, if word got out that I lied, how could I, Yellow-skinned Rat, continue to make a living?”

Yellow-skinned Rat said earnestly.

”Over a hundred years ago?”

”Did the centenarian say anything else?”

Zhang Cang continued asking.

”He doesn’t remember much else; after all, it’s been so long.”

”But he does remember the location of the Wind and Thunder Temple,” Yellow-skinned Rat said in a low voice.

”Where?”

”The Thunderstruck Forest, several miles south of the city.”

Hearing this, Huang Xian’Er raised an eyebrow.

She asked a few more questions, and after confirming that Yellow-skinned Rat wasn’t hiding anything else, she gave him another silver note and sent him on his way.

”See? This whole Wind and Thunder Temple thing is from over a hundred years ago.”

”I’d say it’s just a coincidence,” Huang Xian’Er said casually.

”No... it can’t be that much of a coincidence.”

”I dreamed of a Wind and Thunder Temple, and a Wind and Thunder Temple truly did exist in Cangshui County Town.”

”I want to go to the Thunderstruck Forest and see for myself,” Zhang Cang said seriously.

”The Thunderstruck Forest is no pleasant place. It got its name because villagers and travelers are often struck and killed by lightning there.”

”And it’s pouring rain right now... The danger is immense,” Huang Xian’Er reminded him.

”Then... all right, then.”

Hearing Huang Xian’Er’s words, Zhang Cang could only relent helplessly.

’It really is dangerous to go in this kind of storm. I’ll just have to wait for the weather to clear up.’

The two of them left the Changlong Inn.

After bidding farewell to Huang Xian’Er, Zhang Cang opened his umbrella and headed in the direction of the Lingcang Medical Hall.

But after passing through two streets, he suddenly changed direction and headed for the South City Gate.

When Zhang Cang arrived at the city gate, he froze on the spot.

There in the downpour, a figure in a yellow dress held an oil-paper umbrella, looking at him with a scornful expression.

”Miss Huang... how did you know I would go to the Thunderstruck Forest?”

Zhang Cang asked with a wry smile.

He had originally planned to pretend to agree with Huang Xian’Er and then go on his own.

After all, the Thunderstruck Forest was genuinely dangerous right now, and he didn’t want to drag her into it.

He never expected that Huang Xian’Er would see right through his little trick.

”I’ve been teaching you swordsmanship for many days. Of course I know you wouldn’t give up so easily.”

”Let’s go.”

”I also want to see why this Wind and Thunder Temple from over a hundred years ago would suddenly appear in your dreams.”

Huang Xian’Er turned and walked toward the city gates.

Zhang Cang took a deep breath and hurried to follow her.

Soon, their figures vanished into the vast, driving rain.