Guarding the Pure Land

On the second day, just as dawn broke, Tianhua emerged from his room to find the old man and Ali busy in the courtyard.

"Grandpa, Ali, you're up so early!" Tianhua exclaimed.

"Tianhua, wake up!" the old man said.

"Grandpa, what are you both doing?" Tianhua asked.

"Oh, since you're leaving today, Ali and I are preparing some things for you. Now, go wash your face, and come eat soon," the old man replied.

Tianhua nodded and went to wash up.

After breakfast, Tianhua stood in the courtyard, and the old man handed him a package, saying, "Tianhua, this is food for your journey. And take these as well." The old man handed Tianhua some round metal pieces.

Tianhua took the metal pieces, looking puzzled, and asked, "Grandpa, what are these?"

"This money is what we brought when we moved here. We thought it wouldn't be useful, but it seems it has its purpose now. Tianhua, when you're on your own, unlike being at home or here, you need money to eat outside," the old man explained.

Tianhua thought for a moment, then nodded. He noticed Ali standing silently beside him and said with a smile, "Ali, take good care of Grandpa. I'm leaving!"

"Tianhua, I don't know what to say. But I'll remember you for the rest of my life!" Ali said with tears in his eyes.

"Don't worry, Ali. I won't forget you either. If everything goes well, I'll fulfill what I told you that night!" Tianhua said.

"Tianhua, I'll be waiting for your return!" Ali said.

Tianhua nodded at him, looked at the old man and Ali, and said, "Grandpa, Ali, take care. I'm leaving!"

The old man and Ali accompanied Tianhua to the door.

"Tianhua, once you leave the woods in front of the door, just follow the main road straight ahead. Be careful on your journey alone!" the old man pointed to the woods ahead.

"I understand! Goodbye, Grandpa, Ali!"

The two watched Tianhua leave until he disappeared into the woods, and only then did they sadly return home.

Tianhua walked through the woods in front of the door, looking ahead. A wide road stretched into the distance, surrounded by desolation with no signs of life. It led to the mountain town!

Tianhua took big strides on the road. Except for desolation, there was nothing around but dilapidated houses scattered sparsely in the distance.

As he gazed at the scenery, Tianhua thought about what the old man had told him. Unconsciously, he began contemplating many things in his mind. He thought about his hometown, about why people in his hometown could get along so happily...

Tianhua continued walking and suddenly noticed a few people riding horses in the distance, approaching him. As the small group got closer, he saw six people, all dressed similarly and each carrying a knife. When they reached him, Tianhua noticed the leader casting a glance at him before the group swiftly rode past.

Tianhua kept walking, and as noon approached, he saw the sun high above. Feeling tired, he considered taking a break. He spotted a large tree not far ahead, so he walked briskly toward it. The tree provided ample shade, and Tianhua sat down, then took the package his grandpa gave him and opened it.

Inside were neatly cut pieces of roasted wild game, along with a pot of water. Tianhua looked at the delicious food and couldn't help but salivate. He began eating heartily, and after satisfying his hunger, he thought about taking a nap. He laid down, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

In his dreams, Tianhua faintly heard the distant sound of horse hooves, thinking it was part of his dream. However, the noise seemed clear and real. He opened his eyes slightly and saw six people on horseback approaching. The leader, a man and a woman, seemed to be in distress, with the man supporting the woman.

Curious, Tianhua stood up, subconsciously holding the package, and started following them. However, the man leading the group yelled, "Kid, step back!"

Ignoring the command, Tianhua continued to peek through the gap between the horses. Unable to see the faces of the man and woman clearly, he quickened his pace, trying to get a closer look.

As he walked beside the group, the leader shouted, "Kid, move away!"

Tianhua looked at him but didn't say a word, continuing to peer through the gap. Suddenly, the leader lashed out with a whip towards Tianhua. However, Tianhua effortlessly caught the whip with one hand.

All six of them stopped and stared at Tianhua. The leader, trying to retrieve the whip, found it impossible. "Kid, you're asking for trouble! Let go!" he demanded.

"What gives you the right to randomly attack people?" Tianhua retorted, still gripping the whip.

"Kid, do you know who we are? We are the guards of the town lord!" the leader declared.

Hearing the town lord's name, Tianhua remembered what his grandpa had told him. He thought of the man and woman, assuming they were persecuted by the town lord. Determined to help, Tianhua said, "I don't care who you are. Attacking people for no reason is wrong!"

"Kid, if you don't let go, we won't be polite!" the leader threatened.

Tianhua maintained his hold on the whip, unyielding. The leader, frustrated, threw the whip away and unsheathed his knife, slashing towards Tianhua. Tianhua dodged the attack effortlessly.

Ah...

The woman on the side screamed when she saw the knife coming down, shutting her eyes and turning away. However, there was no cry of pain from Tianhua. She turned back and saw the knife frozen above Tianhua's forehead. Astonished, she looked at him.

The leader, terrified, stared at Tianhua. Using only two fingers, Tianhua had clamped the knife. Despite the leader's efforts to push it down, the knife remained motionless. Tianhua smiled at him and with a slight movement, the knife snapped.

The leader, shocked, attempted to step back, but no matter how he kicked his horse, it stayed rooted in place. Looking closer, he saw that Tianhua was gripping one of the horse's legs. With a strong pull, Tianhua brought the horse down.

The other five watched in disbelief as Tianhua easily subdued their leader and the horse. Once the leader was thrown to the ground, Tianhua released the horse. The leader, now subdued, returned to his companions.

After a moment, the person who seemed to be in charge dismounted and walked up to Tianhua, saying, "Young man, we are the town lord's guards. My men made a mistake, and I apologize for it. Let's consider this matter settled. You can continue on your way. What do you think?"

"What about these two?" Tianhua pointed to the man and woman.

"Oh, they are criminals wanted by the town lord. They were servants in his house but fled the city after stealing from him. We are here to capture them on the town lord's orders," the man explained.

Tianhua scrutinized the man and woman and said, "They don't look like thieves to me."

The man hesitated, unable to provide a satisfactory explanation.

Listening to their conversation, the man among the captives suddenly shouted, "Young man, don't be deceived by them! The situation is not as they describe..."

Before he could finish, the leader signaled to another guard who promptly lashed the man with a whip. The man fell to the ground in pain.

Tianhua glanced at them and then looked at the leader. "Why should I believe you? I've heard rumors that the town lord is not a good person, only interested in feasting and oppressing the people," Tianhua said.

"Young man, those are just rumors from outsiders. The town lord's sole focus is the well-being of the people of Mountain City," the leader insisted.

"Then why have so many people left their homes here?" Tianhua gestured to the desolate surroundings.

"Well...," the leader faltered, unable to respond.

The man among the captives couldn't help but interject, "Young man, don't let them fool you. The truth is different..."

Before he could finish, the leader exchanged a glance with his companions. One of them swiftly whipped the man, causing him to collapse in pain.

Tianhua observed the scene and then addressed the leader, "I won't let you mistreat these people. Release them."

The leader, feeling pressured, finally agreed, "Fine, we'll release them. But don't meddle in the affairs of the town lord again. Now, be on your way."

Tianhua nodded and watched as the captives were released. The leader warned him one last time before they rode away.

After they left, Tianhua looked at the man and woman and asked, "Who are you, and why did they want to capture you?"

The man hesitated for a moment but then spoke, "My name is Liang, and this is Mei. We used to be servants in the town lord's house. We escaped because we couldn't bear the mistreatment and oppression. We took some valuables with us to survive."

Tianhua listened to their story and decided to help them. "Come with me. I have some food, and we can travel together."

Liang and Mei expressed their gratitude, and the three of them continued their journey together, leaving behind the desolate landscape and heading towards Mountain City, their fates intertwined on the road ahead.

"I've long known about the various misdeeds of the town lord you mentioned! So, the two people you caught today must be innocent," Tianhua said.

The leader looked at him and slowly said, "Young man, you better think this through: opposing the town lord won't end well for you!"

"I don't intend to oppose him; I just want him to do fewer bad things," Tianhua replied.

"Kid, aren't you afraid of having no place to stand in the future?" the leader asked.

Tianhua looked at him, said nothing more, and then walked towards the two people. The leader gritted his teeth, looking at Tianhua with an expression of helplessness and pain. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead: the move this kid just showed was incredibly powerful; we might not be his match. But if he takes these two away today, when we go back, the town lord will surely not spare us. We will probably face a grim fate!

The remaining five people stared in horror as Tianhua approached the two people. They looked at Tianhua and then at their leader, unsure of what to do. At this moment, the leader seemed to figure something out: he signaled to the two people behind Tianhua, they nodded in understanding. When Tianhua was about to approach the two, they simultaneously drew their knives and swung at him. Tianhua seemed to anticipate this; he turned around and effortlessly grabbed the wrists of the two, then casually tossed them away. The two fell heavily on the ground, struggling in pain.

Seeing this, the leader quickly unsheathed his knife and gestured to the three people behind Tianhua, instructing them to attack from behind! He swung his knife, and simultaneously, the three people behind Tianhua also swung their knives. Four blades blocked Tianhua's front and back retreat paths; however, Tianhua leaped out of the encirclement effortlessly.

Tianhua smiled at the four people in front of him, who were now nervously watching him. Suddenly, he moved towards one of them rapidly, surprising everyone with his speed.

Ah...

One person exclaimed in surprise, and the other three anxiously looked. Tianhua had already grabbed the knife-wielding person's wrist.

He stared at Tianhua in terror, and Tianhua smiled at him. Then, with a swift motion, Tianhua raised his hand, and the person flew out. The leader, seeing the opportunity, quickly swung his knife towards Tianhua. Seeing the blade about to hit Tianhua, the leader's face revealed a smile. But to his surprise, the blade struck empty air; the leader anxiously looked around, only to find Tianhua standing beside the man and woman. The three of them stared at each other, beads of sweat slowly dripping down their foreheads...

"Are you alright?" Tianhua asked the man lying in the woman's embrace.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" the man opened his eyes and weakly replied.

"Now, have you released them?" Tianhua asked the leader.

The leader, looking at his writhing subordinates on the ground, then at Tianhua, sighed, "Fine, let them go!"

Tianhua looked at him, then went to fetch a horse and approached the man and woman. He helped them onto the horse and said to the leader, "Using your horse, thanks!" After that, he turned and headed back the way he came.

"Boss, are we just letting them go like this?" one of the three men asked the leader.

The leader looked at his subordinates and then said sarcastically, "Well, why don't you go stop him!"

The man fell silent, and the three of them watched Tianhua slowly ride away. The leader pointed at one person and said, "You follow them!"

The person agreed and followed them. The leader said, "Help the three of them up; we'll go back and wait for news!"

Having said that, the two walked over, helped the three struggling individuals onto their horses, and the three gritted their teeth, enduring the pain on horseback. The leader looked around, mounted his horse, and said, "Let's go!"

Tianhua walked ahead, and suddenly, the air nearby subtly changed: besides the three of them, there were other people nearby. Tianhua thought for a moment, smiled faintly, thinking: since that's the case, then let them find their own way back!

The leader and his subordinates urged their three horses towards the town. The leader pondered about Tianhua: from the first time he saw him, he seemed like an outsider. What could he be doing in Mountain City?

Lost in thought, he suddenly saw a figure fall from the sky. The horse, startled by this sudden change, lifted its front hooves and kicked chaotically. The leader struggled to calm the horse, then fixed his gaze on the person on the ground. To his surprise, it was the subordinate he had sent to track Tianhua! He turned around, looked behind, the surroundings silent and empty. He took a deep breath, beads of sweat rapidly forming on his forehead, dripping onto the horse's back...

"Boss, what's this..." one of the men looked, then glanced behind, unable to find words.

The leader dismounted, checked the person, and when he found he was just knocked unconscious, an uneasy feeling crept into his heart: why was he still here? Could it be... he didn't dare think further.

"Boss, what happened to him?" another subordinate dismounted and asked.

"Let's go, we need to hurry back!" the leader said.

He placed the unconscious person on his horse, then mounted and continued towards the town. Tianhua, in front, suddenly felt a slight change in the air: apart from the three of them, there were others. Tianhua thought for a moment and smiled inwardly: well, then let them find their own way back!

The leader and his subordinates urged their horses towards the town. The leader pondered about Tianhua: from the first time he saw him, he seemed like an outsider. What could he be doing in Mountain City?

He thought about it, and suddenly, the courtyard door was pushed open. The two looked: Alie was carrying a hunted animal on his shoulder.

Tianhua saw it and called out, "Alie." He walked up to greet him.

Hearing Tianhua's voice, Alie looked at Tianhua, and in excitement, he threw the hunted animal on the ground, exclaiming, "Tianhua..."

Alie tightly embraced Tianhua, only letting go after a long while!