Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

Tonight, outside, thunder and lightning, a violent storm, and inclement weather were raging. Manor Master Liu had gone out with most of his experts today and discovered a new copper mine, which had attracted the attention of the neighboring Sirius Fort, which also wanted a piece of the action, leading to a conflict. Naturally, Liu Ying was unaware of all this. He sat cross-legged on his bed, his five hearts turned toward heaven, breathing in and out, his mind clear and bright, as if the wind and rain outside had nothing to do with him, a state of total ecstasy. However, up to this moment, he felt no sense of Qi, no trace of internal energy. Liu Xing wasn't worried. His father had said that internal energy couldn't be cultivated without five years of diligent practice. His father had also taught him to meditate, and although he hadn't developed internal energy, daily meditation allowed him to better appreciate nature, calm his thoughts, relax his mind, and sharpen his perceptions. Consequently, for the past year, Liu Xing had persisted in meditating every night, and indeed, his mental state had improved daily, his perceptions sharpened, and the results were noticeable.

"Sigh~"

There was a very faint sound, the sound of tearing window paper. Then a pipe was inserted, slowly emitting poisonous smoke.

Liu Xing was happily sensing the changes in the surrounding environment at this time. The sound of the cracked window paper was almost inaudible amid the noisy sound of wind and rain outside, but he still sensed the slightest abnormality. He immediately held his breath and stood still, pretending to be unaware.

"Someone released poisonous smoke. Is it a petty thief who wants to knock me out so he can steal, or is it to kill me? My yard is remote and shabby outside. It doesn't look like a rich place. A thief shouldn't choose this place to steal. If he wants to kill me, I have never offended anyone. Could it be..." Liu Xing figured out the key in an instant. He was extremely nervous. This was the first time he encountered an assassination in his life. He had to keep calm. Only a sudden and unexpected attack could succeed.

Time ticked by, and Liu Xing, feeling it was almost time, collapsed onto his bed with a thud. He faced the inner wall, his back to the door and window, and lay motionless, looking as if he'd been knocked unconscious. He clutched the black dagger in his right hand, his palm sweating. He was incredibly nervous, and at the same time, he was carefully monitoring his surroundings. He sensed the window being pushed open, and someone gradually approaching his bed.

"Asking Black Whirlwind to kill a helpless kid with three thousand taels of silver is like using a butcher knife to crack a nut. But never mind. Just give me the silver." The black shadow was caught off guard and quickly walked to the bed, ready to turn Liu Xing's body over to check if he was dead, and then consider giving him another blow.

The moment he felt the shadow's hand touch his body, Liu Xing gently extended his right hand, extending the dagger from under his left armpit and stabbing it into the shadow's heart. This move was a tricky and silent move. The shadow was experienced in combat as a killer, but he had never expected to lose his life to this despised child. He would eventually perish if he did too much evil. Liu Xing quickly turned his body, supported the falling Black Whirlwind, and gently placed him on the bed without making any sound. He was not sure if the killer had any companions, and the crisis was still not over. He performed the Plum Blossom Step and landed lightly at the corner of the window, carefully listening to the sounds outside. It was not until a quarter of an hour later that he was sure that the killer was a lone ranger without any helpers, and he was completely relieved.

A fortnight ago, at a market over a hundred miles from Plum Blossom Villa, this market served as a trading hub for the surrounding area. A dazzling array of goods, the clamor of hawkers and chatter filled the air. Fruits and vegetables, fishmongers and shrimp vendors, restaurants, teahouses, and taverns—everything was bustling with activity. Of course, various gangs also operated here, operating as spies. It was a hub for information dissemination, shady dealings, and dirty deals. Meanwhile, an elderly man, resembling a housekeeper, leisurely enjoyed lunch and afternoon tea. After ensuring no one was watching or following him, he stumbled upon a humble blacksmith's shop. The shop was dimly lit, filled with the stench of sweat and rust, and the clatter of hammering iron was deafening. The old man handed half a jade pendant to the shopkeeper, who fished around in his pocket for the other half and seamlessly pieced it together.

"What do you need, sir?"

"Need a butcher knife"

"When do you want it?"

“Not used during the day, but used at night”

"Sir, please follow me." The shopkeeper looked at the old man deeply and took him into the inner room. There was a tunnel entrance under the bed.

"Please in, sir," the old man jumped in without hesitation. The shopkeeper moved the bed back to its original state, then walked out and returned to the shop.

The old man walked along the tunnel, turning many times, for about a quarter of an hour before he came to a dim room separated by a curtain. Behind the curtain, a figure was vaguely visible. The old man sat on a stool beside the curtain, still remembering his wife's instructions: "Here are five thousand taels. Get rid of that bastard and make it clean."

"Goals and needs?" the shadow asked bluntly.

"Assassination, eight years old, boy, knows some simple punches and kicks." The old man replied

"Five hundred taels, where?"

"Plum Blossom Villa..."

"You are looking for death. You dare to touch Plum Blossom Villa?" Before the old man finished speaking, the black shadow shouted angrily.

"Humph, don't you claim to be the first to take on anything in the world? What, are you scared?" the old man asked sarcastically.

"Of course I dare to accept it, but the price is different. What is the other party's identity?" The black shadow said embarrassedly, and became more vigilant.

"Liu Xing, the bastard son of Liu Ying."

"The second young master of Master Liu? That's a difficult idea. We need the full payment of five thousand taels, not a penny less. After we finish this job, we have to move to another place. The risk is too great." The black shadow thought for a while and put forward the conditions.

"Deal, get started as soon as possible." The old man handed five silver notes with a face value of one thousand taels into the curtain, then turned and left.

……

Liu Xing opened the doors and windows to let the poisonous smoke out, then calmed down and began to think about all this. Strangely enough, this was the first time Liu Xing had killed someone in his past or present lives, yet he didn't feel any nausea or discomfort. He didn't know if it was because he had experienced life and death twice, which had strengthened his heart, or if it was because his martial arts training had strengthened his courage.

The assassination attempt on me was caused by the leak of my mastery of the Plum Blossom Sword Manual, leading to the perception that I was a threat to someone's succession to the manor. The answer is easy to uncover, and one can guess who it was, but without direct evidence, the lawsuit ultimately failed and was instead slapped with the blame. How should the assassin's counterattack be handled? Should the body be destroyed publicly or secretly? The assassin chose to strike tonight, not only due to the weather, but also because the manor owner was away. Even if he made a noise, his wife would be able to conceal his presence.

"What I lack most now is time." Liu Xing sighed. His skills are still shallow and he has no ability to protect himself. If he is given another three years, he will be able to practice internal strength and learn the internal skills of the Plum Blossom Sword Manual. Then he won't have to worry about anyone in the manor.

It would be better to destroy the body and pretend nothing happened. That way, even if the lady is suspicious, she will never expect to be killed in return. She will think that the assassin was delayed and did not carry out the assassination. This will buy me some time and also conceal my strength. If I make it public, it will only give me more guards, but it will be useless. If I reveal my strength, the lady will be more vigilant and will find new ways to attack me. Then I will be hard to defend myself from now on.

After figuring it all out, Liu Xing acted quickly and found three silver notes with a denomination of one thousand taels each from Black Whirlwind. After checking, he found that they were regular silver shop notes, so there would be no problem keeping them for use. He left the other items untouched and discarded them with the body. He quietly carried Black Whirlwind's body on his back, and under the thunder, lightning, wind and rain, he threw him into the Weishui River outside the village, watching the body being washed away and submerged by the flood. The heavy rain covered the footprints, so there was no need to worry about being discovered. He also cleaned up the bloodstains in the room. He was tired after tossing and turning for most of the night. After experiencing the assassination, he was now more cautious and did not dare to sleep, so he simply sat on the bed and meditated. After all, meditation is a way to rest and restore physical strength.

Torrential rain fell for days, but the continued assassination Liu Xing feared did not occur. A few days later, Manor Master Liu returned with his men. Although they had seized the copper mine, their uncle, a master of the acquired talent, had been sacrificed. The atmosphere in the manor was a bit depressing, with a sense of impending disaster. Manor Master Liu dealt with his uncle's funeral and began to teach Liu Yang the Plum Blossom Sword Manual, which excited his wife and son. Perhaps for this reason, his wife temporarily stopped bothering Liu Xing and waited for the outcome of Black Whirlwind's hidden move. At the same time, there had been a lot of gossip in the manor recently, and his wife had to help the manor master deal with it, so she was unable to spare any time. As a result, Liu Xing gained some safety for a while.

Seeing the crisis resolved, Liu Xing resumed his sword training, now even more discreet and cautious, keeping the gates to his courtyard closed at all times. He also gave Liang Bo three thousand taels of silver to purchase medicinal herbs, instructing him to keep the purchase secret. Liang Bo was puzzled, but he obeyed the young master's orders.

Time flies, and another year has passed. Liu Xing has changed a lot now. Standing there motionless, he looks like a sharp sword about to be unsheathed. He unleashes the Plum Blossom Step, appearing and disappearing without a trace, so swift that he leaves behind a trail of afterimages. His Plum Blossom Sword Technique is even more superb and unpredictable. He is proficient in all the moves in the Sword Manual and wields them with ease. Liu Xing is nine years old. While practicing swordsmanship, he also has to be careful to guard against the persecution of his aunt. This makes him more calm and low-key, and he never shows off his martial arts in front of others. He has a good relationship with his sister Liu Yue. Liu Yue is also eleven years old. She has grown into a big girl and is becoming more and more beautiful. Her big, twinkling eyes are very charming.

Liu Xing, fully aware of the preciousness of time, diligently cultivates daily, seizing every moment. Lately, the village has been experiencing unrest. Guards are abuzz with rumors of an intensifying conflict with Sirius Fort, with daily clashes and injuries a common occurrence. Liu Xing works even harder, sensing an unsafe environment here. This isn't because he harbors deep feelings for Plum Blossom Villa, nor does he harbor a sense of shared destiny. He simply feels too weak to withstand the storms, and simply wants to quickly strengthen himself and acquire more means to survive. If God has granted him a second chance at life, he must live well and cherish it.