Chapter 81

“Hehe, that’s precisely the brilliance of this knife!” The old man rolled up his sleeve, revealing a wrist guard about two and a half inches wide at his wrist, with a silver thread connected to it. There was also a sheath on the guard, seemingly meant to hold the golden knife. Only then did Xie Wendong understand why he hadn’t seen how the old man picked up the knife—such a mechanism allowed him to control it with a slight movement of his wrist, causing the golden knife to fall into his hand effortlessly. It was truly hard to defend against in a real fight!

Holding the silver thread, the old man said, “Don’t underestimate this thin silver thread. It’s made from an alloy used in military applications—extremely strong and sharp. Even hundreds of kilograms of force can’t break it. If wrapped around someone’s neck and pulled hard, it would sever their head from their body!”

Surprised, Xie Wendong grabbed the silver thread, unable to believe such a thin thread could be so powerful. When he pulled hard, intense pain shot through his fingers. Looking down, he saw thin cuts on his thumbs and index fingers, with blood flowing instantly.

Seeing this, the old man shook his head and quickly ordered his men to bring a first-aid kit, sighing, “Young man, it’s good to be curious, but you must use it wisely. Otherwise, it leads to recklessness, and you’ll suffer the consequences later!”

With a pained expression, Xie Wendong raised his hands to slow the bleeding, saying with a wry smile, “I’m sorry, old man. I shouldn’t have doubted you. Now I’ve gotten what I deserve!”

The old man shook his head again, “You really…”

Jin Rong, who had been in the kitchen making coffee for Xie Wendong, heard her grandfather’s voice and saw his hands covered in blood. Her heart sank in fear as she rushed over and asked in a trembling voice, “W-what happened?”

Xie Wendong forced a smile. “I hurt myself accidentally. It’s nothing serious!”

“It’s not nothing serious! There’s so much blood. How could you be so careless?” Jin Rong opened the first-aid kit brought by the servants, wiped the blood from Xie Wendong’s wounds with hydrogen peroxide, then applied Yunnan Baiyao. She carefully wrapped the wounds with bandages, asking repeatedly if it hurt. Watching Jin Rong’s careful actions and her slightly flushed face from worry, Xie Wendong felt a wave of warmth in his heart, his thoughts drifting far away. He realized he felt something different for Jin Rong—no longer just the brotherly feelings he had three years ago, but romantic feelings between a man and a woman. He was terrified, feeling that this was wrong. Jin Rong was like an innocent and beautiful little angel, while what was he? A scoundrel! A demon! Any of those terms fit him well, and he naturally felt inferior.

“It’s wrapped up. Big brother, how do you think it looks?” Jin Rong’s clear voice pulled Xie Wendong’s wandering thoughts back. She looked up with a shy smile and saw that the wound on her finger had been properly bandaged, even tied with bows on each side, which made Xie Wendong laugh and cry at the same time. He asked, “What are these?”
“Bows! They’re very pretty! Wouldn’t it be ugly if the bandages on my finger looked like two steamed buns?!”
Xie Wendong tapped his head, speechless.
The old man smiled as he watched the two of them, slowly taking off the wrist guard and placing it on the coffee table along with the golden knife. With interest, he said, “Wendong, are you interested in learning?”
Jin Rong protested, “Grandpa, look! Big brother’s hand is already cut. Why make him learn anything else?!”
Although Xie Wendong had been cut while seeing this for the first time, he still really liked this set of golden knives. Being relatively young, he, like others his age, preferred guns and knives. He nodded and said, “Elder, could you demonstrate it? After all, everyone uses guns these days. Are knives really more useful than guns?”
“Hehe, there are many wonders in this. Only by using it personally can you understand! Watch…” As he spoke, the old man held the golden hand in his, flipped it over with the palm facing down, and the golden knife spun rapidly in his hand without falling, as if stuck to his hand. Then, the old man pinched the blade between two fingers and picked up an apple, starting to peel it with just one hand. With a rustling sound, in just a short while, the apple’s skin was completely peeled off. Xie Wendong was amazed—this far exceeded his imagination.
The old man placed the apple on a plate, cut it into three pieces, and gave them to Xie Wendong and Jin Rong. Seeing that Xie Wendong still hadn’t stopped talking, he laughed and said, “If you master the use of a knife well, it can be more powerful than a gun. But the skills required are beyond what ordinary people can achieve. Nowadays, not many people play with knives; everyone prefers the simplicity of practicing gun skills! Back in the day, Du Yuesheng, the old master Du, was an expert with knives—he could peel two small apples with one hand! Haha!”
Xie Wendong closed his mouth and swallowed hard, then sincerely said, “Elder, I’ll learn!” How could he miss such a great opportunity? He quickly agreed. Then he hesitated and said, “But Elder, you’re about to leave. I’m afraid I won’t be able to learn!”
The old man replied, “Actually, the principles and skills involved are quite simple. With your intelligence, you’ll be able to master them quickly. With enough practice, you’ll surely achieve something. We’ve known each other for so long, and I haven’t given you anything yet. Consider this golden knife as a gift from me to welcome you!”

Xie Wendong knew this golden sword was no ordinary item and that it was also the old man’s cherished weapon for many years, so he didn’t dare accept it easily. He politely said, “Elder sir, actually, you’ve already given me a gift upon meeting—teaching me the principles of Tai Chi is the best gift of all. Please keep this sword; I’ll make a similar one for myself!”
The old man nodded inwardly, growing more and more fond of this young man. Deliberately putting on a stern expression, he said, “Teaching you Tai Chi wasn’t really my intention, but after hearing about some of your experiences, I realize you’re still too young and don’t understand the art of tact. Whether in the underworld or in the martial world, sometimes being gentle is better than being forceful, as it can yield unexpected results. Teaching you these things is my way of repaying you for saving Rongrong. But you must take this sword—it symbolizes the bond between us! Stop being modest; in times of danger, it might save your life!”
Seeing the old man insist, Xie Wendong realized refusing would be disrespectful, so he stood up, thanked him, and accepted the sword.
Only then did the old man smile and say, “That’s right. Being too modest makes one seem ungrateful!”
Xie Wendong nodded in agreement. The old man then explained the mechanisms of the wrist guard to him, and Xie Wendong paid close attention, memorizing everything. Watching the two teaching each other, Jin Rong grew bored. By around nine o’clock, her eyes grew heavy, and she said goodbye before going back to bed. After a while, the old man checked his watch and, seeing it was ten o’clock, said to Xie Wendong, “Don’t go back today. Stay here!”
Xie Wendong was very interested in the sword techniques the old man taught him and nodded repeatedly. The two practiced until two in the morning. After all, the old man was older and couldn’t stay up as late as the young and strong Xie Wendong; he appeared listless. Understandingly, Xie Wendong said, “Elder sir, I think we should stop for today. You go rest first; I’m also getting tired!”
“Hmm!” the old man replied, “Mastering a sword requires both talent and time. You have talent, but don’t rush things—it won’t help. Just keep working hard and don’t waste your time!”
“Yes, Elder sir, I’ll remember that!” Xie Wendong stood up and helped Jin Peng up. The old man rubbed his numb legs and sighed, “Time really takes its toll. I couldn’t even sit for long—future belongs to you young people!”
Xie Wendong replied obediently, “But that still requires your guidance, Elder sir. I still have much to learn from you!”
“Haha!” Although Jin Peng knew this was just polite talk, he was still pleased.

After 4 a.m., Xie Wendong was sound asleep when Jin Peng woke him up. After he got dressed, Jin Peng took him to the small garden behind the villa. Sitting on the grass, Jin Peng said, “Haven’t you practiced the breathing method I taught you lately?”
Xie Wendong replied shyly, “I’ve been too busy these days—going to bed late and getting up early. I really haven’t had time.”
Jin Peng said, “Even if you don’t have time, you shouldn’t neglect it. Practicing diligently every day is good for your health! Come, practice with me. It’s been a long time since we meditated together!”
That’s true! Xie Wendong thought to himself. He sat down on the ground and, together with the old man, faced east and began to breathe. Following the method the old man had taught him, he gradually slowed his breathing, expelling all the air from his lungs with each exhalation. His breaths were less than ten times per minute (normal people breathe about thirty times per minute).
The villa was located in the suburbs, where the air was much fresher than in the city. The sun rose slowly, with gentle breezes blowing from time to time, creating a peaceful atmosphere around them. Sitting cross-legged, Xie Wendong felt truly calm and refreshed, as if his spirit had risen above his body and merged with the plants and trees.
After what seemed like a long time, Xie Wendong came back to his senses. By then, the old man had already gotten up and gone back inside. He came out with two cups of coffee and handed one to Xie Wendong with a smile. Xie Wendong asked in surprise, “Have I been sitting here for a long time?”
“Yes! Almost two hours!”
Xie Wendong stood up, stretched his arms, and said happily, “I haven’t felt this relaxed in ages. It’s so comfortable!”
The old man smiled and said, “That’s part of the magic of it. Practice more in the future—it will be extremely beneficial for you!”
Xie Wendong believed this. Chinese qigong had a profound spirit; even if it didn’t bring any benefits, it surely wouldn’t cause harm. Taking a sip of coffee, he felt energized and said, “Elder, let’s continue practicing with the sword!”
Jin Peng laughed and said, “No need to rush. Let’s go eat first! If there’s nothing urgent at the gang, stay a few more days. We can talk more, and I can teach you how to use the sword in our free time. What do you think?”
Xie Wendong had no objections. He also wanted to learn more from the old man. “That’s great! I’ll call the gang in a bit. I’m sorry to trouble you again!”
Before eating, Xie Wendong called Sanyan to ask if there were any updates on Jiang Sen. Sanyan replied, “From what he said, it seems it will take a few more days. It’s said that Huohong is under strict supervision, so Lao Sen won’t be able to find out anything for now.”
“Okay. Call me whenever there’s news. I’ll stay a few more days with the old man. Also, keep me informed if anything happens at the gang. I’ll leave it to you to take care of things here for now!”

San Yan nodded and asked when Xie Wendong would return. Xie Wendong wasn’t sure either, only saying vaguely that he would be back after a while.