0021 Mastering the Mischievous Little Face

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Opening his eyes, sunlight filled the room. Jiang Mingzhe sat up, feeling his mind remarkably clear and energy surging through him, completely free from the usual exhaustion of a long night.

“Internal cultivation… truly miraculous!”

Jiang Mingzhe murmured in admiration, swinging his legs off the bed. His body felt significantly lighter, as if he could leap and slam dunk at will.

He pushed open the window and glanced at the wooden stake planted in the courtyard; its shadow was barely visible, indicating it was nearly noon.

Having eaten a hearty meal before sleep, he wasn’t hungry yet.

He went to the kitchen, found the green salt and boar bristle toothbrush for cleaning his teeth, freshened up briefly, then went to relieve himself. Afterward, he carried the heavy waste bucket to the back door.

Both the Jia and Yi buildings had backyards with back gates and wells, solving the disciples’ water needs. Trash and waste buckets were placed at the back gate, collected daily by unregistered disciples assigned to the task, cleaned, and returned.

Azi had specifically warned him the day before to thoroughly inspect returned buckets; it was one thing if someone put venomous snakes or scorpions inside, but the real danger was undetectable poison powder or liquids.

One careless mistake could cause great suffering, though not fatal.

Dressed in his uniform-like outerwear, Jiang Mingzhe stepped into the front yard. Straightening his posture, he first practiced the Three Yin Centipede Claw five times.

The technique taught by Old Ding yesterday was extremely refined. Coupled with Jiang Mingzhe’s deep understanding and entry into internal energy, his movements had become perfectly standard, flowing like drifting clouds and running water.

After five rounds, he pondered briefly, then began the sixth.

This time, he attempted to merge his internal energy with the movements. At first, it was awkward; the energy didn’t respond well. But Jiang Mingzhe was patient, gradually increasing the internal force, testing move by move.

By the tenth round, his internal energy flowed smoothly with the forms, noticeably enhancing speed and power.

Unwearied, he continued punching, varying speed, sweat gradually dampening his body, feeling thoroughly invigorated.

Only when the sun had shifted toward the west did he stop, boil water for a bath, change into dry clothes, and step outside.

Opening the courtyard gate, Jiang Mingzhe was momentarily stunned. Outside, scattered near and far, stood over ten people, each with a star embroidered on their chest, obviously registered disciples.

They busied themselves with trivial things—some squatting by the roadside watching ants, others standing by trees observing spiders, a few staring blankly at the sky, and two seemingly inspecting the copper lock on Jiang Mingzhe’s gate, casually leaving when he opened the door.

No one greeted him or paid him attention. Jiang Mingzhe pursed his lips, responded with a courteous clasped-fist salute, “Junior brother Jiang Mingzhe greets all senior brothers.”

Some ignored him, merely casting a glance; others boldly nodded to acknowledge.

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A very few returned the salute, but with ill intent: “So this is the new junior brother. So handsome, surely the master must be pleased. Heh heh, I bet it won’t be long before we all have to call you senior brother, heh heh.”

Another joked with a grin, “Just now, the courtyard was filled with fierce wind sounds. What secret technique did the master teach you?”

Calmly, Jiang Mingzhe answered each in turn: “Senior brothers flatter me. I just happen to have fair skin. Now that I train daily, it won’t be long before I tan. Compared to that, you are broad-shouldered and vigorous—a true image of a fine man. I truly envy you.”

“I am but a novice; forgive me if I seem laughable. The master even said I’m too old to achieve much. How could I dare hope to master any secret technique? If through diligence I can reach even a tenth of a senior brother’s skill, I shall be content.”

His replies contained no substance but flattered the assembled disciples into smiles.

Then another stepped forward, feigning friendliness: “Since you’re a new junior brother, how could your seniors not offer a welcoming gift? Here, this is a 'Little Devil Face' I caught with difficulty. Its venom is average, about tens of times stronger than ordinary poisonous snakes. Keep it as a pet.”

He stretched out his hand, palm revealing a tiny spider, jet black with a round abdomen marked by three vivid red spots arranged in two above and one below—like two glaring eyes and a bloody mouth.

“Here, take it.” Smiling, he offered the spider. If Jiang Mingzhe refused, he seemed ready to place it on him directly.

But Jiang Mingzhe showed no fear. Instead, his face lit with excitement: “Such a beautiful spider, thank you, senior brother.”

While speaking, he executed half a move of the “Pecking Wrist” technique, flicking his right hand out in an extremely strange posture. Normally, this move hooks three fingers to peck the enemy’s wrist during an attack, but Jiang Mingzhe did not form the centipede claw hand. Instead, he pinched downward with his thumb and index finger.

The man never expected a newly entered disciple to strike so swiftly. With a faint pop, the Little Devil Face spider was crushed in Jiang Mingzhe’s grip.

“Oh dear, my grip was too strong!” Jiang Mingzhe exclaimed before the other could react, shaking his fingers regretfully. “This spider is so soft. Senior brother, do you have another?”

“You… you…” The man was shocked; he had claimed the spider’s venom was dozens of times stronger than a snake’s. How could Jiang Mingzhe dare crush it outright? Wasn’t he afraid of poisoning?

Jiang Mingzhe sneered inwardly. Did he think he was ignorant? As the saying goes, discussing toxicity without mentioning dosage is nonsense. The amount of venom snakes and spiders inject is on entirely different scales. Of the 40,000 or so known spider species, only a handful are lethal to humans.

Of course, this Little Devil Face was likely deadly.

If Jiang Mingzhe was correct, the spider belonged to a genus similar to the infamous black widow. The black widow, the most representative venomous spider, is well-known both in nature and in viral videos. The difference between the two was only the pattern of red spots on the back.

Still, Jiang Mingzhe was unfazed. Even if it were dozens of times more venomous than a snake, or thousands more, what did it matter?

Venom only kills if the spider bites. This spider was about the size of a red bean; unless it ambushed, it was easier to squash it than a mosquito once spotted.

The man expected ordinary people to recoil at such a poisonous spider and feared to crush it for fear of venom.

But Jiang Mingzhe paid no heed, casually squeezing the precious spider to death. Frustrated and upset, he shouted, “Damn it! Who told you to crush my Little Devil Face? You owe me!”

Jiang Mingzhe looked surprised. “Senior brother, didn’t you give this to me? Though I accidentally crushed it and failed your kindness, surely I don’t owe you compensation?”

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The disciple’s anger flared, seeing through Jiang Mingzhe’s act: “I insist you pay. What can you do about it? Say one more word about not paying, and I’ll make you taste my Thousand-Spider Poison Hand!”

Jiang Mingzhe stepped back cautiously: “Senior brother, I’ve been here less than two years. Are you challenging the sect’s rules?”

The disciple sneered: “Using the rules against me? According to the sect’s rules, I can’t challenge you. But you crushed my spider first and refuse to pay. I’m giving you a beating to vent my anger—that doesn’t break the rules!”

Jiang Mingzhe shook his head resignedly: “Maybe so, but you keep calling yourself my father. There’s an old saying that master and disciple are like father and son. If you claim to be my father, aren’t you on equal footing with the master? Is disrespecting your seniors not against the rules?”

The disciple paled, stepping back a few paces, about to argue, when a sinister voice rang out: “Mingzhuzi, your reckless tongue is improper. As the Law Enforcer, I punish you with ten slaps to the face. Do you accept?”

At the sound, the disciple called Mingzhuzi turned deathly pale, but upon hearing the whole sentence, his face lit with wild joy, loudly crying: “I accept, I accept! Ten thousand respects to junior brother!”

Then he swiftly slapped himself ten times, striking both cheeks until they swelled.

Zhaixingzi!

Jiang Mingzhe cursed inwardly. He had not seen Zhaixingzi and so had provoked Mingzhuzi with words, unaware Zhaixingzi was lurking nearby.

As the eldest senior brother and Law Enforcer, Zhaixingzi’s punishment of Mingzhuzi seemed fair, but in truth, it ensured Jiang Mingzhe could no longer use this incident as leverage.

Zhaixingzi chuckled softly: “Alright, since Mingzhuzi accepts punishment, his previous offense is erased. Think before you speak next time. I’m off!”

His voice echoed mysteriously from somewhere unknown. Mingzhuzi hastily saluted toward the empty space: “Junior brother remembers the lesson. Farewell, senior brother!”

Rising, he sneered at Jiang Mingzhe: “Junior brother Jiang, the eldest brother has punished my fault. Now it’s time to settle our scores. You say I gave you the spider—who can vouch for that?”

Jiang Mingzhe’s gaze swept the crowd. All the disciples turned and left; clearly, no one would testify for him.

Not surprised, Jiang Mingzhe rubbed the wall and then his hands, feigning innocence: “Who saw me crush your spider?”

Mingzhuzi laughed wildly: “Imitating me? Ridiculous! Just wait until I finish teaching you a lesson, someone will see!”

With that, he pulled an iron finger guard from his pocket, slipped it onto his right index finger, grinned cruelly, and pointed at Jiang Mingzhe’s shoulder socket.