Chapter Sixteen: Magistrate Wu Ren

She drew closer and closer.
The speed was simply too fast!
It was the first time An Xin had seen someone run so swiftly, landing lightly on their toes just as described in the "Ode to the Goddess of Luo"—silk stockings stirring up dust, the body springing up like a coiled spring, soaring through the air for several meters.
He also noticed the burly man behind the woman in the red dress. Clad in dull gray clothes, with a somewhat unkempt beard and hair fluttering wildly in the wind, his fierce and menacing appearance was accentuated by the gleaming long blade in his hand. His speed was equally rapid, but unlike the graceful sway of the woman, each leap from him was like a cannonball, landing with heavy impact before forcefully launching the blade, his power fierce and savage.
An Xin instinctively felt that the woman intended to divert the danger elsewhere.
He did not know what the woman was thinking, but faced with two unprecedented martial arts experts, he naturally became highly alert.
Silently gripping the dagger in his hand, he stepped back toward the roadside.
Yet the woman had already closed in, her cloud-like hair piled high with jet-black locks, a green jewel adorning her brow, crimson lips painted like vermilion, her rosy face reminding An Xin of a celebrity—Zhu Zhu.
“Halt!”
A sharp shout rang out as the burly man approached, leaping two or three meters high, holding his blade with both hands, and swinging it down like a heavy armor strike.
Had the blade landed true, it would have cleaved her in two!
But the woman, upon reaching the limit of her strength, summoned new power and created change within unchanging form. She spun against inertia, her red skirt swirling, lightly striking the blade with her delicate hand. The edge of the blade turned toward An Xin instead, while she laughed playfully, seizing the chance to dart like a nimble fox or a wisp of smoke, swiftly climbing the tree and leaping between the branches to escape.
Due to her demeanor, the burly man—who had thought they were allies—only now realized she was a mere bystander. But by then, it was too late to sheath his blade. Desperately twisting his waist and lifting his hips, he rotated the blade to narrowly avoid her vital spots.
Yet he found her finger pointed as if by a sword, and she made no further move. Suddenly, he was immobilized on the spot; even his body’s momentum was neutralized. Shocked, he realized:
Internal energy unleashed externally, striking pressure points from a distance?
This was the technique of a grandmaster!
“Whoosh!”
An Xin exhaled and stepped back.
In the blink of an eye, he, already on high alert, had managed to preserve his life amid this swiftly changing scene.
However, the immobilization technique only held for an instant before loosening.
Suppressing his headache, An Xin pointed at the woman: “Seize her!”
The woman, seeing An Xin point at her, was instantly terrified. Just as she opened her mouth to plead, she found herself unable to move. With nowhere to brace herself atop the tree, she fell, tumbling toward the ground.
“Senior, my apologies for the offense!”
The burly man apologized quickly.
Like a cannonball fired from a barrel, he stirred up a gust of wind that blew An Xin’s clothes wildly.
Meanwhile, the woman had already broken free from the immobilization mid-air but could not find leverage. Upon landing, the long blade in the burly man’s hand flew out with a whistle, the hilt striking the woman’s head fiercely. The violent blow rendered her unconscious without hesitation.
Using immobilization techniques on these martial experts consumed a frightful amount of spiritual energy.
An Xin’s head swam and his vision darkened. Grasping the tree trunk, he kept from collapsing but stood upright, forcing calm to guard against any ill intent from the burly man.
“This one is a lecherous villain,” the burly man said, sheathing his blade and explaining.
“A lecherous villain?”
An Xin looked at the woman, tightly bound and hardly believable, then turned toward the burly man.
“Though she is beautiful and petite, this is a man,” the burly man said as if lifting a chick, hoisting the ‘lecherous villain’ up. “Born with a feminine appearance, he disguises himself as a woman and repeatedly infiltrates wealthy households to assault women. Most victims dare not speak of it.
I’ve been tracking him for a long time before finally catching him in the act.
In the official wanted list, this person is called ‘Ma Er,’ with a bounty of fifty taels of silver.
His martial skills are only average, but his lightness skill is exceptional.
If not for you, senior, I’m not sure I could have captured this lecherous villain.”
As he spoke, the burly man approached An Xin and swiftly tore open the villain’s chest clothing, revealing a bare chest with two cotton bundles falling out.
Only then did An Xin believe that the so-called lecherous villain was a man dressed as a woman.
“If not for your help, senior, I might not have captured this villain. How about we split the bounty?”
The burly man asked.
“That’s acceptable,” An Xin replied, hands clasped behind his back. “Judging by your accent, you’re from Wuren County?”
“I dare not accept the title of senior hero, but I am Hu Changshan, indeed from Wuren County,” Hu Changshan said.
At this moment, he had come to realize that the young man before him might not be a true martial grandmaster.
If he truly had the grandmaster skill to strike pressure points from a distance, neither he nor Ma Er would have broken free so quickly. Yet the stranger immobilized him without external aid, which puzzled him greatly.
Perhaps it was some unique pressure point technique. After all, martial arts are vast and varied; unfamiliar does not mean nonexistent.
But the stranger’s skill was certainly superior to his.
“Brother Changshan, with your martial prowess, why do you remain in the countryside?”
An Xin inquired.
“You do not know, senior. I returned home because my aged mother is growing frail. I lost my father young and was raised by my mother’s hard work. Without her, I would not be who I am today; without me, she cannot spend her remaining years in peace.
Though I studied martial arts in Bozhou, my heart always clung to my mother. After mastering my skills, I returned home, but with neither connections nor wealth, I have wasted some years.”
Hu Changshan spoke clearly and logically, showing he had learned not only martial arts but also some wisdom.
His words reminded An Xin of something, prompting him to ask, “Brother Changshan, is your home the Nan Zhou Village up ahead?”
Hu Changshan was surprised: “How did you know?”
“Ha ha ha, it’s fate,” An Xin laughed softly. “Just before, I met your mother in the village and heard your story. I wished to meet you. Never thought I would see you so soon.”
“I see!”
Hu Changshan smiled, scratching his head. “In that case, I was just about to go home and speak with my mother. Why don’t you come along, senior? Let me properly host you.”
His tone grew warmer and more familiar.

“Very well,” An Xin agreed.
He had already formed the intention to recruit him.
After refreshing his weary spirit, the two returned to Nan Zhou Village.
It was not far; after a short walk, they arrived in the village. However, Hu Changshan carrying the unconscious beautiful woman attracted the villagers’ attention.
Most villagers were dark and thin, having never seen such a fair and lovely woman!
Hu Changshan had no choice but to take Ma Er to the village head’s house. Although Zhou Delu was absent, some county clerks and two strong constables were there eating melon, and they eyed Ma Er with curiosity.
“Officers, my companion and I will return shortly. Please do not untie this person. He is skilled in martial arts, and if he escapes, it will be difficult to catch him,” Hu Changshan respectfully instructed.
“All right, all right. Go ahead. We’ll watch him to make sure he doesn’t run.”
The constables waved dismissively.
As they left, An Xin noticed Hu Changshan looking at the officers’ official uniforms with envy.
Soon, a fenced garden came into view. The thatched cottage was small but tidy, the thick thatch preventing rain from leaking in.
When Hu Changshan knocked on the door, he smiled expectantly: “Once we hand over Ma Er and collect the reward, I’ll take advantage of the pre-winter farming lull to invite the villagers to rebuild the house. That way, mother won’t suffer the cold this winter.”
“My eldest son has returned!”
Hu’s mother opened the door and saw Hu Changshan casting a large shadow in the doorway.
When Hu Changshan stepped aside to let An Xin enter, she noticed him and her face lit up with joy: “Master An has come back with my eldest son!”
“Master An?”
Hu Changshan asked in puzzlement.
Hu’s mother invited An Xin in: “Master An is a scholar. When he came back today, I heard it from the village head’s third son.”
After seating them and pouring water, she seemed a bit flustered: “I have no tea, only plain water. I’m afraid it’s not proper hospitality.”
“No matter,” An Xin waved off her concern. “Please sit, madam. I have matters to discuss with Brother Changshan and some words to share with you.”
Once the three were seated, An Xin said, “To be honest, I am not a scholar.”
“Ah?”
Hu’s mother exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise.
Impersonating a scholar was a serious offense!
An Xin raised his hand gently to calm her: “I ranked 47th in the second division of the 14th year of the Jingshun reign’s Wuxu imperial examination. I was appointed by the Ministry of Personnel as the magistrate of Wuren County.”