Chapter 27: Sparring (Part Two)

Ahsin acknowledged the order and hurried off to make arrangements.

Before long, several house servants arrived, panting heavily, carrying a selection of weapons on their shoulders and in their hands.

Ahsin bowed respectfully to the young man and said, “Young Master Deng, here are the newest and finest weapons from the armory.”

“Not bad…” The youth looked over the weapons and nodded in satisfaction, then gestured politely to Qi Jun. “Would you like to choose first?”

Qi Jun smiled and waved his hand, indicating that the young man should go ahead and select.

“Very well, I’ll choose first, then. But don’t blame me if you lose just because I took the weapon that suits you best!” the young man declared, picking up a pair of bronze hammers from the pile.

“I won’t,” Qi Jun replied, still smiling, and with a swift glance, he selected a pair of Emei daggers from the array.

In his previous life, Qi Jun had served in a special border defense unit. Due to the complex and ever-changing conditions at the frontier, the military command had specifically required the border troops to strengthen their training in the use of cold weapons.

Therefore, for him, handling all sorts of long and short weapons was second nature.

Seeing Qi Jun had chosen his weapon, the young man sneered, “Let me warn you—these bronze hammers are sturdy and powerful. Don’t regret it when your little daggers fail you!”

“Make your move,” Qi Jun replied calmly, gripping his daggers tightly.

Perhaps irritated by Qi Jun’s unruffled calm, the youth, with a shout, lunged forward, swinging his right hammer in a wide arc.

Startled, Qi Jun quickly stepped back, the bronze hammer barely grazing his chest. In the same instant, the other hammer came crashing down toward his head.

Qi Jun raised his daggers in time to block, a sharp clang ringing out as he barely parried the blow. The shock made his elbow tingle, and he nearly lost his grip.

Having missed his strike, the youth lifted his other hammer for another attack. Sensing an opening, Qi Jun decisively thrust forward with his left hand.

Alarmed, the youth quickly crossed his hammers before his chest to block.

Qi Jun shifted the attack, aiming his daggers at the youth’s lower body. Realizing the danger to his legs, the youth retreated and lowered his guard, only for Qi Jun to swiftly redirect his attack to the upper body.

The rhythmic clash of weapons echoed through the arena, their rapid exchange of attack and defense leaving the onlookers spellbound. At first, County Officer Feng had thought Qi Jun had little chance, but now he watched in secret admiration for his agility and decisive moves.

The youth, steadily falling back under Qi Jun’s relentless assault, began to lose ground. In desperation, he suddenly threw himself backward to evade, then hurled one hammer forward with all his strength.

Qi Jun quickly deflected the flying hammer, only to feel a gust of wind at his feet. Instinctively, he leapt upward.

The other bronze hammer swept just beneath his feet. As Qi Jun landed, he seized the opportunity and stamped firmly on the youth’s wrist.

“Aah!” The youth cried out in pain, the hammer slipping from his grasp.

Qi Jun pressed his dagger to the youth’s throat. The boy stared at him in shock and fear.

The spectators instantly held their breath.

“Well done!” County Officer Feng was the first to recover, clapping his hands in genuine praise. The house servants, too, erupted in cheers.

Qi Jun lowered his weapons, tossed aside the daggers, and walked toward County Officer Feng.

“Wait!” the youth called out from behind. Qi Jun, frowning, stopped—did this boy still want more trouble? Would this never end?

He turned to see the youth straighten, then suddenly drop to his knees with a thud.

“What are you doing? If you still feel unconvinced, I’ll let you land a punch and call it your win, all right?” Qi Jun, thinking the youth refused to admit defeat, could only laugh helplessly.

“Deng Fang, what is the meaning of this? Get up at once!” County Officer Feng scolded, frowning as he waved the onlookers away.

Still kneeling, the youth seemed to be wrestling with an important decision. After a few deep breaths, he looked up at Qi Jun and declared solemnly, “I concede. I wish to take you as my master!”

Qi Jun was taken aback, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. County Officer Feng only smiled, as if he had foreseen this all along.

“I don’t take disciples,” Qi Jun replied, not wishing to waste any more time. He strode up to County Officer Feng and extended his hand, “Sir, as you wished. May I have the antidote now?”

County Officer Feng was about to speak, but his expression suddenly changed. Deng Fang, still kneeling, shuffled forward and suddenly threw himself at Qi Jun’s legs, clutching them tightly.

“Deng Fang! That is enough! Have you no sense of propriety?” County Officer Feng shouted in anger. He wasn’t opposed to Deng Fang taking a master, but his nephew’s unruly conduct in front of others was a disgrace.

Qi Jun was at a loss as well—how could a boy this age still act like such a child? He looked down at the youth, then glanced at County Officer Feng, unsure how to resolve the scene.

But Deng Fang ignored his uncle’s rebuke, gazing up at Qi Jun with a look of sincere pleading.

County Officer Feng’s face flushed, and after a moment’s hesitation, he said to Qi Jun, “Look, why not just grant his wish? The boy has a straightforward nature, and once he sets his mind, I cannot sway him.”

Qi Jun was torn.

His reluctance to accept a disciple was not from arrogance, but because he knew his skills were nothing more than simple, practical killing techniques. He hardly felt qualified to be anyone’s master. Besides, his entanglement with County Officer Feng was already deep enough—taking the official’s nephew as a disciple would only make it harder to extricate himself.

He genuinely disliked the scheming, calculating ways of men like County Officer Feng. Their current cooperation was purely a matter of necessity.

Deng Fang, seeing Qi Jun’s hesitation, looked crestfallen.

After a moment’s thought, realizing how awkward this impasse had become, Deng Fang released Qi Jun’s legs, stepped back, and with a formal bow, said, “Since you do not wish to take me as your disciple, so be it…”

Qi Jun breathed a sigh of relief and was about to offer a polite word, but the youth’s next words caught him off guard.

“If we cannot be master and disciple, then let us swear brotherhood!” Deng Fang declared solemnly, making as if to kneel.

Qi Jun was stunned, glancing quickly at County Officer Feng, who only smiled and nodded in encouragement.

County Officer Feng had his reasons. Though initially surprised, he quickly realized that if Qi Jun and Deng Fang became sworn brothers, by rights Qi Jun would have to address him as uncle. This bond would give him even greater leverage over Qi Jun.

Having just witnessed Qi Jun’s martial prowess and recalling his skill in crafting crossbows, County Officer Feng could not let him slip away. He’d been disappointed that Qi Jun refused to take Deng Fang as a disciple, but this new proposal delighted him.

Brotherhood, he reasoned, was an even stronger bond than that between master and disciple, and he could see that Qi Jun was a man of character. So he readily agreed and added, “Deng Fang lost his parents early. I have cared for him as my own and know he is straightforward and values loyal friendship. For the sake of his father’s sacrifice for the nation, grant him this wish.”

Qi Jun felt a sudden pang in his heart, not having realized that this somewhat childish youth, like himself, was also an orphan.

Deng Fang’s father, Deng Yu, like Feng Qinian, had been a professional soldier of the Great Liang.

Deng Yu and Feng Qinian had fought side by side on the battlefield, their bond as close as brothers. Later, Feng Qinian married his sister to Deng Yu, making them comrades-in-arms and family.

Five years ago, during a fierce battle against invading Qiang tribes, Deng Yu led his troops against overwhelming odds and died a hero’s death. Upon hearing the news, Deng Fang’s mother, stricken with grief, took her own life to follow her husband.

From then on, Feng Qinian took his orphaned nephew into his care, overlooking his mischief for the sake of his late parents. Deng Fang had grown up with few friends, so Feng was surprised but pleased to see him wish to become sworn brothers with Qi Jun.

“A tragic child,” Qi Jun thought, moved by the simple account of Deng Fang’s background. He nodded, accepting the proposal to swear brotherhood with Deng Fang.