Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 118 Returning Home in Glory and Strategic Vision

His trip was not intended to provoke, but rather to apologize.

What they carried were not weapons, but generous gifts and human heads.

What appeared to be a tense visit was in fact a solemn apology and strategic shift concerning the future landscape of the outer city.

Meanwhile, inside the Chasing Wind Martial Arts Academy, Song Jing and the acting academy master, Zhuo Bufan, were talking, unaware that the Duan Yue Martial Arts Academy was already on its way.

Song Jing had only recently returned to the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School and did not immediately make a fuss about it.

He first went to see Zhuo Bufan, the acting head of the martial arts school, briefly informed him of the situation in the inner city, and handed over some of the ordinary resources bestowed by the Commandant's Office that were beneficial to the development of the martial arts school in the outer city.

Zhuo Bufan was both surprised and delighted. He admired his junior brother to the point of prostration and was even more grateful that Song Jing had given him the position of head of the martial arts school. Otherwise, he was afraid that he would not have been a worthy head of the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School.

After finishing his business, Song Jing went to the backyard of the martial arts school, where Zhou Xingyun, Lin Wan'er, Fatty Chen, Lin Hou'er and his sister, as well as his elder brother Song Yi, were already waiting after receiving the news.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Song Jing return safely, their faces showing genuine joy.

"Junior brother! You're finally back!" Zhou Xingyun strode forward and patted Song Jing's shoulder forcefully, the force revealing his excitement. "Good lad! Well done! Those two bastards from the Blood Lotus Sect and the Black Tiger Gang deserved to die! I've had my eye on them for a long time! I just didn't expect that in the end you would be the one to rid me and the outer city of this scourge! Well done! Senior brother didn't misjudge you!"

His eyes were full of admiration and pride. This junior brother, who once needed his protection, had now grown to a height that he could only look up to. But this did not stop him from being happy for Song Jing.

Song Jing felt a warmth in his heart.

Zhou Xingyun was one of the first people he met at the martial arts school and one of the people who treated him most sincerely; he always remembered this friendship.

He smiled and said, "Senior Brother Zhou, you flatter me. If it weren't for your kindness and guidance when I was in the martial arts school, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Lin Wan'er stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern and a hint of barely perceptible admiration, and said softly, "Junior Brother Song, it's good that you returned safely after such a dangerous situation. Are those rumors outside true?" She still found it hard to believe that her once taciturn junior brother, who had cultivated alone in solitary hardship, could actually kill a demon in the Flesh Refining Realm.

Fatty Chen, Lin Hou'er, Song Yi, and the others were so excited that they couldn't speak. They just stared at Song Jing with eyes full of awe and admiration.

Especially Fatty Chen and Lin Hou'er, who had struggled alongside Song Jing at the bottom of society, knew best how difficult Song Jing's journey had been. Now, seeing him achieve such success, they felt incredibly proud.

"Brother Song, you—you're now one of the outer city's big shots!" Fatty Chen gave a thumbs up and finally managed to utter the words after a long pause.

Song Jing smiled and shook his head, gesturing for everyone to sit down. He took out several exquisite jade bottles from his robes and placed them on the stone table.

"I went to the inner city this time and bought some pills. These bottles are high-quality Skin Tempering Pills, which are quite beneficial for Bronze Skin Realm martial artists to temper their foundation, stabilize their realm, and even break through to a minor realm." Song Jing pushed the jade bottles one by one in front of Zhou Xingyun, Lin Wan'er, Fatty Chen, Lin Hou'er, and Song Yi, one bottle for each person, with three pills in each bottle. "The quality of the pills in the inner city is quite good. Senior brothers and sisters, as well as Fatty, Hou'er, and Big Brother, you can take these; you might need them when you cultivate."

"Premium Skin Tempering Pill?!" Zhou Xingyun gasped. He knew the value of this pill; a single one was priceless in the outer city, starting at at least three hundred taels! This bottle of three pills was nearly a thousand taels! Song Jing had given him five bottles, which was almost five thousand taels of silver! He quickly declined, "Junior brother, this is too precious! You need it for your own cultivation, how can we—"

Lin Wan'er quickly waved her hand, "Yes, Junior Brother Song, we are unworthy to receive such precious pills. You have worked hard in the inner city, so please keep these for yourselves."

Fatty Chen and the others retreated repeatedly, not daring to touch the jade bottle.

For them, something worth thousands of taels of silver was an astronomical figure.

Without waiting for a reply, Song Jing shoved the jade bottle into their hands and said solemnly, "Senior brothers and sisters, Fatty Monkey, Big Brother, you are all close to me. I, Song Jing, owe my success today to your care and kindness."

These few pills are merely external possessions. If they can help you walk more steadily on the path of martial arts, then it is worthwhile. Money is no longer my priority. If you refuse again, you would be being too polite.

His tone was sincere and left no room for argument. Seeing that the crowd was still somewhat hesitant, he continued, "Fatty, Monkey, Big Brother, you are new to martial arts, and a solid foundation is of utmost importance. This pill can help you lay a solid foundation. Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Sister Lin, your cultivation has already reached the Bronze Skin Realm. This pill will also be beneficial for you to stabilize your realm and seek breakthroughs. Please accept it; consider it a token of my goodwill."

Seeing Song Jing's resolute attitude and moved by his sincerity, the crowd stopped refusing and carefully put the jade bottle away.

His gratitude and respect for Song Jing were beyond measure.

He is not only incredibly powerful, but also a man of great loyalty and righteousness, never forgetting to help his old friends even after he has achieved success.

"Brother Song—I—" Fatty Chen's eyes were red as he choked up.

"Brother Jing, I don't even know what to say." Song Yi, a man weathered by life's hardships, also felt his eyes welling up with tears.

Lin Hou'er gripped the jade bottle tightly, pulled his younger sister Lin Xiaochun along, and bowed deeply to Song Jing.

Zhou Xingyun sighed deeply and put his arm around Song Jing's shoulder: "Good junior brother! Senior brother was right about you! With your character and loyalty, you are destined for greatness! Senior brother will accept this pill with humility, and you will definitely cultivate diligently in the future, so as not to tarnish the name of our fellow disciples!"

Lin Wan'er also said softly, "Thank you very much, Junior Brother Song. Wan'er will certainly not let you down."

For a moment, the backyard was filled with warmth. Old friends reunited, exchanging generous gifts, making their friendship even more precious.

However, this warm feeling didn't last long. Soon, a disciple rushed in to report: "Senior Brother Song, Master Zhuo! Master Guo of Duan Yue Martial Arts School has come in person and is already outside the school gate, accompanied by the vice master and several senior disciples, and—they're also carrying several boxes. They look like they're up to no good! A lot of people have already gathered outside the gate!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression turned solemn.

Zhou Xingyun frowned: "Guo Wenzhou? What's he doing here at this time? And with people carrying boxes—could it be that he heard about your achievements, Junior Brother, and is here to cause trouble?"

A hint of worry flashed in Lin Wan'er's eyes: "Master Guo is a veteran Body Refinement Realm cultivator, and his Broken Mountain Fist Technique is at its peak. His strength should not be underestimated. Junior Brother, you must be careful."

Fatty Chen and the others became even more nervous.

Song Jing remained calm, a knowing glint in his eyes.

He already had some understanding of the operating styles of the forces in the inner and outer cities from Lu Beichen and Nie Shuli.

Guo Wenzhou's arrival at this time, and in such a "grand display," is probably not necessarily to provoke trouble.

"It's alright, we'll know whether it's a blessing or a curse once we see it." Song Jing stood up and said to Zhou Xingyun and the others, "Senior brothers and sisters, please wait here for a moment. I'll go to the front hall to take a look. Fatty, you guys don't go out yet either."

As he spoke, he straightened his clothes and walked calmly toward the front hall.

Zhuo Bufan had also received the news and was waiting in the front hall. When he saw Song Jing coming, the two exchanged a glance and went to greet him at the door together.

Outside the martial arts school gate, a bustling crowd had already gathered. Guo Wenzhou and his group stood solemnly in front of the gate, several large boxes standing out prominently behind them.

The crowd of onlookers was so large that it was impossible to move, and they were all talking excitedly, waiting to see a fierce battle.

Guo Wenzhou saw Song Jing and Zhuo Bufan emerge together, his gaze lingering on Song Jing for a moment. He inwardly praised, "Such a composed demeanor!" He then stepped forward, and under the watchful eyes of countless people—some excited, some nervous, some curious—he solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed to Song Jing and Zhuo Bufan, saying, "Guo Wenzhou of the Duan Yue Martial Arts School, accompanied by Vice Master Li Wuyai and disciples Duan Tianying and Shi Kun, has come to pay respects to Master Zhuo of the Zhui Feng Martial Arts School and Young Hero Song!"

His voice was loud, but his posture was extremely humble.

"In the past, my disciple Xiao Miechen was misled and acted recklessly, offending your esteemed institution and severely injuring my nephew Zhou Xingyun, thus disqualifying him from his place. Guo failed in his duty of discipline and misjudged character, causing a rift between our two institutions. This is entirely Guo's fault!"

"I have just heard that Young Hero Song single-handedly vanquished the two demons, Li Wujiu and Qin Yue, within the inner city, ridding the outer city of this great scourge. His martial arts are unparalleled, and coupled with his righteous heart, he is truly a role model for us all! Upon hearing this, I, Guo, am filled with admiration, but also deeply ashamed!"

"To express my apologies and to congratulate Young Hero Song on his valiant act, I, Guo, have prepared a small gift. I hope Master Zhuo and Young Hero Song will forgive my ingratitude."

""

As he spoke, he waved his hand.

The disciples behind him immediately opened several boxes.

The first box contained neatly stacked, gleaming silver—five thousand taels of silver in cash.

The second box contained a century-old ginseng in excellent condition, with a wonderfully fragrant aroma.

The third box contained a delicate jade bottle with a single pill inside.

Song Jing noticed something familiar about the box and smelled the strong medicinal fragrance emanating from it.

The fourth box was actually a wooden box. When it was opened, there was Xiao Miechen's head, frozen in shock with his eyes wide open!

There were also some letters and ledgers on the side, which were obviously "evidence" of the crime.

Finally, Guo Wenzhou personally took out a document from his robes and presented it with both hands: "This is the transfer document for the three recommendation slots for this year's Inner City Martial Arts Competition of my Duan Yue Martial Arts Academy, which has been registered in the Inner City. From this day forward, these three slots belong to the Zhui Feng Martial Arts Academy! Consider this a small token of our academy's appreciation, and also a congratulation to the Zhui Feng Martial Arts Academy for its outstanding talents. We wish your academy's talents continued success in the Martial Arts Competition!"

This series of actions and words was like a thunderclap out of nowhere, stunning everyone present!

They didn't come here to fight? They came to apologize? And they apologized so thoroughly, so "humbly"?

Silver, ginseng, a precious sword, a head, and a spot—this "small gift" is shockingly heavy! Especially the three spots in the inner city martial arts competition, whose value cannot be measured in money! And Xiao Miechen's head, this is not only an apology, but also a complete break with the past, and a statement of stance to Song Jing and the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School!

The onlookers were all dumbfounded, their mouths agape, unable to close them for a long time.

The imagined fierce battle did not occur. Instead, what we saw was the head of the Duan Yue Martial Arts Academy, a top-tier expert in the outer city at the Body Refining Realm, bowing and apologizing to the young Song Jing in such a humble manner and offering him a generous gift!

This was even more shocking to them than witnessing a fierce battle!

This silently proclaims that Song Jing's strength and status have reached a point where even someone like Guo Wenzhou has to bow down or even fawn over him in fear!

Zhuo Bufan was also stunned, unsure of how to respond, and looked at Song Jing.

Song Jing remained calm, his gaze sweeping over the "generous gifts" before finally settling on Guo Wenzhou's seemingly sincere face. He knew perfectly well that Guo Wenzhou's actions were a reluctant choice forced by circumstances, a testament to the survival wisdom of an old fox. Whether he accepted these "sincere gifts" or not, it represented a certain attitude.

After a moment's hesitation, Song Jing stepped forward, took the transfer document, and said calmly, "Master Guo, you're too kind. Xiao Miechen brought this upon himself; it's all in the past. As for these generous gifts—"

He paused, then, under Guo Wenzhou's slightly tense gaze, continued, "The Zhuifeng Martial Arts School will accept the silver, ginseng, and pills, thus settling our past grievances. Please take back Xiao Miechen's head and evidence of his crimes, and hand them over to the capital authorities for legal processing. As for these three slots—the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School thanks Master Guo for his kindness, but it would be impolite to refuse. From this day forward, the old grudges between the two schools are wiped clean."

He neither accepted everything nor rejected everything.

By accepting the tangible benefit of "accepting the apology" and returning the sensitive evidence involving "murder," they not only gave Guo Wenzhou a way out but also demonstrated that Zhuifeng Martial Arts School acted with integrity and did not engage in vigilante justice.

More importantly, by accepting those three spots, he tacitly agreed to Guo Wenzhou's "surrender," and it also meant that from now on, in the outer city, the status of the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School would completely surpass that of the Broken Mountain Martial Arts School, becoming the undisputed hegemon!

Guo Wenzhou felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and at the same time, he secretly admired Song Jing's shrewdness in handling matters. He quickly bowed again: "Young Master Song, your magnanimity is truly admirable! In the future, if the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School ever needs anything, my Duanyue Martial Arts School will certainly do its utmost to assist you!"

A highly anticipated conflict ended peacefully in a way that surprised everyone.

However, its impact is far more profound than that of a bloody conflict.

Song Jing's reputation soared to new heights with Guo Wenzhou's humble apology.

With the acquisition of three inner city slots, the rise of the Chasing Wind Martial Arts School is now a foregone conclusion.

From that day on, the layout of the outer city was completely changed.

At the heart of all this was the ever-calm young man in the blue robe.