Chapter 112: Qiu Rubai

"Master Qiu."

Yu Haoyuan stood stunned, caught off guard by Qiu Rubai’s sudden appearance. He gripped his sword tightly, looking as though he were facing a formidable enemy.

"Master Qiu, it has been a long time. You still carry yourself with such flair."

A voice rang out from within the Mingyang Martial Arts Hall. As the words faded, an old man blurred into motion, emerging from the hall to stand before Qiu Rubai.

This elder was none other than He Buke, the master of Yu Haoyuan and one of the three Xiantian Grandmasters of the Qingyan Sect, who had been overseeing the Mingyang Martial Arts Hall. He had been inside drinking tea, but upon hearing that Qiu Rubai had appeared, he had rushed out immediately.

Qiu Rubai said nothing. His gaze was unfocused; though he was looking toward the disciples of the Qingyan Sect, he clearly did not truly see them.

Suddenly, Qiu Rubai struck out with a palm toward He Buke.

He Buke was startled, not expecting such an abrupt attack. Daring not to be careless, he surged with Xiantian internal energy; his green robes billowed and his sleeves fluttered as he met the palm strike.

With a loud "bang," air currents erupted, sweeping several nearby onlookers off their feet.

After that one strike, Qiu Rubai let out a cry of alarm and suddenly descended into madness, sprinting wildly down the street.

"Father!"

Concerned for his safety, Qiu Shiyan chased after him. Bai Fu and his daughter, Bai Taoru, who were also skilled in martial arts, utilized their light-foot techniques to follow Qiu Shiyan. Fang Yue paused for a moment before following them as well.

"Master," Yu Haoyuan said, walking to He Buke's side.

He Buke watched the retreating figure of Qiu Rubai, his white brows furrowed. From that single exchange, he had determined that Qiu Rubai had indeed fallen from the Xiantian realm and was now at the Houtian level. Yet, this Houtian level was unlike that of an ordinary martial artist; the sheer magnitude of the internal energy within him had allowed him to trade blows with a Xiantian Grandmaster without losing the slightest bit of ground.

"He truly lives up to his reputation as the martial artist who loomed over our Qingyan Sect for years, hailed as the one most likely to achieve the status of Martial Saint in Yun Prefecture over the last decade," He Buke sighed softly.

...

Qiu Rubai ran with incredible speed, relying only on his legs, yet even those behind him using light-foot techniques could not catch up. He did not stop until he reached a small grove outside the city, where he clutched his head and shrieked.

"Father, Father, are you alright?"

Qiu Shiyan called out from the side, but she dared not approach. When Qiu Rubai was in a state of madness, he recognized no one and was extremely dangerous.

Bai Fu and Bai Taoru arrived as well, standing beside Qiu Shiyan and watching the frenzied Qiu Rubai with anxiety. Fang Yue, who had been following at a leisurely pace, arrived last. He did not stand with Qiu Shiyan’s group, but instead kept a distance.

Qiu Rubai rolled on the ground, clutching his head. His hair was disheveled, and his body was covered in withered yellow leaves.

"Do not become a Martial Saint! Do not become a Martial Saint! You must never become a Martial Saint!"

Qiu Rubai screamed, his voice filled with terror and panic, as if becoming a Martial Saint were the most horrific fate imaginable.

Fang Yue’s expression shifted slightly. He looked toward Qiu Shiyan and the others a few steps away, but noticed that while they looked anxious, they showed no reaction to the words Qiu Rubai kept repeating. It seemed this was not the first time they had heard it; they were accustomed to it.

Fang Yue frowned. What could possibly happen if one became a Martial Saint? The Great Qi Dynasty had no shortage of them, and there were two in Yun Prefecture alone, yet he had never heard of anything untoward happening to them. One of the two Martial Saints in Yun Prefecture was even the Deputy Palace Master of the White Cloud Palace, a high-ranking official residing in the prefecture capital. In short, they all lived perfectly fine lives.

Fang Yue could not fathom the meaning behind Qiu Rubai’s words, but he noted them down in his mind. Qiu Rubai was no ordinary man; he had once been at the peak of the Xiantian realm, only a step away from becoming a Martial Saint. For him to be driven to such madness, the matter was certainly not simple.

...

After rolling on the ground for a while, Qiu Rubai suddenly sprang up and hurled himself headfirst toward a large tree as thick as a bowl.

With a loud "crack," the tree was snapped clean in half by the sheer force of the impact.

Qiu Rubai’s forehead split open, blood spilling out until his face was drenched in crimson. Yet, he seemed not to feel the pain, preparing to charge at another tree.

"Father!"

Qiu Shiyan screamed, no longer caring about the danger. She lunged forward, throwing herself in front of the tree.

"Young Miss!"

Bai Taoru gasped as well. The tree had been snapped in two; if Qiu Shiyan stood in the way, she would surely be severely injured upon impact. She closed her eyes, terrified of seeing the bloody scene.

After a dull "thud," the area suddenly went quiet.

"It's over, it's over, the Young Miss is going to be hurt."

Bai Taoru opened her eyes cautiously to look toward Qiu Shiyan, only to find the young master in the brocade robe standing in front of her.

Fang Yue would never miss an opportunity to play the hero saving the beauty. However, his motive was not to win her favor. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to save her; on the other, he sought to gain their trust.

When Qiu Shiyan had stepped in front of the tree, Fang Yue had followed suit, blocking her path. He had practiced hard-body techniques and was not afraid of the impact, though he dared not be careless.

When Qiu Rubai had traded blows with the Xiantian Grandmaster in front of the martial arts hall, the force had been immense. Earlier, he had also snapped a thick tree with his head. Given such "impressive" feats, Fang Yue dared not be lax. As Qiu Rubai collided with him, he channeled his internal energy to the limit, pushing his hard-body technique to its pinnacle.

Upon the impact, Qiu Rubai fell back onto the ground, while Fang Yue felt his internal energy churning within his dantian and his blood surging. It took two or three breaths for his body to settle.

"Father!" Qiu Shiyan rushed past Fang Yue to check on her father's injuries.

Having collided with Fang Yue, Qiu Rubai sat slumped on the ground, staring blankly, no longer thrashing about. His hair was a mess, his face covered in blood, and his clothes matted with mud and leaves.

"It's alright," Bai Fu murmured, crouching down to hoist Qiu Rubai onto his back.

Fang Yue gathered that Qiu Rubai’s madness was intermittent.

...

As the group walked back, Bai Taoru quietly sidled up to Fang Yue and whispered, "Young Master, thank you for blocking that for our Young Miss. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Fang Yue replied. "I practice hard-body qigong; this little impact won't hurt me."

Bai Taoru felt relieved and tapped her chest lightly with her hand. "That's good, that's good. I would have felt terrible if you had been injured."

Hearing their exchange, Qiu Shiyan remembered she hadn't thanked him yet, her mind having been entirely on her father. She slowed her pace, walked alongside Fang Yue, and said softly, "Thank you for your help just now, Young Master."

"It was a small matter, not worth mentioning," Fang Yue replied.

Bai Taoru then remembered something important and asked, "Young Master, then... are you still planning to join our martial arts hall?"

Qiu Shiyan shot Bai Taoru a glare—this was a sensitive subject. The Fengyang Martial Arts Hall was in such a state that anyone could see it; people were likely trying to avoid them, so why would anyone still want to join?

Fang Yue thought for a moment. "I traveled all the way from Baiquan Prefecture to Longchong Prefecture specifically for the reputation of Master Qiu."

He glanced at Qiu Rubai, who was being carried on Bai Fu’s back. Although Qiu Shiyan had become the new head of the Fengyang Martial Arts Hall, outsiders still referred to "Master Qiu" as Qiu Rubai.

Hearing this, Bai Taoru looked disappointed and fell silent. If he had come for Qiu Rubai’s reputation, and Qiu Rubai was now in such a state of madness, there was no need to ask if he still wanted to join.

Fang Yue smiled and continued, "I lack the patience for the rigid rules of the large sects. Since I have already arrived in Longchong Prefecture, I will join your Fengyang Martial Arts Hall and see how it goes. Rest assured, the tuition will be paid in full."

A smile immediately returned to Bai Taoru’s face.

However, Fang Yue snapped open his folding fan and added, "If it turns out to be unsuitable, I shall simply change to another hall. After all, I am not short on money."