Time flies swiftly, like a snap of the fingers, and now it's the cold winter of December, as the year-end approaches.
In Hejian Prefecture, at Joyful Forest, this once bustling Jianghu market is no longer prosperous. Many shops are closed, with only a few persevering businesses left, mostly hotels and tea stalls; gambling houses and brothels are virtually unseen.
"That damn Martial Madman!"
"Used to be such a lively Joyful Forest, now he's wreaked havoc beyond recognition."
"Damn, now I have to be on edge just to find a woman."
"Hell, if this continues, people will go insane!"
"Keep your voice down, if you attract that Grand Annual Deity, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for him to kill."
"Exactly, exactly. I've heard he debuted only a year ago and has traversed the Heluo prefectures, killing dozens of Jianghu experts and martial arts masters; he's a top-tier Grand Annual Deity and fierce demon!"
"Not to mention us here in Hejian Prefecture; that Golden Body Beggar Long Jian was such a figure. His body, with the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Shirt, was impervious to blades, bullets, and fire. Dominating Jianghu for decades without major defeat, yet he couldn't withstand even one punch, killed alive in front of Joyful Forest here. Do you dare provoke him?"
"I heard that recently, he committed a major crime in Henan, slaughtering thirty officials, including the Henan Prefect, in one night. Even the Divine Capture Sect rushed in upon hearing the news but failed to capture him, leaving dozens dead and wounded instead, as he walked away leisurely."
"And also the Yang Family, renowned for its distinguished nobility for generations, the top Noble Family in Henan Prefecture, recently fell victim to his malice. Over two hundred Yang members were massacred overnight, leaving no chickens or dogs alive!"
"That sounds exaggerated; over two hundred members killed overnight as if the Yang Family were fools, standing there one by one for him to kill?"
"Indeed, even two hundred pigs would run around in chaos!"
"You know nothing. That demon is extremely wicked, using any means necessary. He poisoned the Yang members' well and food first, then killed them afterward, finally setting fire to their bodies and burning the Yang mansion to the ground, only for the Divine Capture Sect to find out in the end."
"..."
In the hotel, several Jianghu travelers gathered in small groups, further spreading the uncertain rumors.
"Bang!!!"
A wine bowl was slammed heavily onto the table, as a drunken, red-eyed Jianghu traveler exclaimed, "Hell, I don't believe, there's no one in this vast Jianghu who can stop him!"
"How can he be stopped?"
"With what?"
No sooner did the words fall than someone refuted, "Let's not talk about who his opponent might be. Just recently, the Beggar Gang led several Heluo factions and combined forces with the government office to arrest him, but they couldn't find him even digging three feet deep. With him nowhere to be found, what can you use to stop him?"
"Such a situation exists?"
Upon hearing this, everyone was even more astonished, "Several factions teamed up, the government even contributed effort, yet couldn't dig him out; is he a deity descended to earth or a reborn ghost with flying and burrowing abilities?"
"Flying and burrowing, perhaps not, but I've heard he practiced a unique secret technique, allowing him to change his appearance, disguise himself, possess a thousand faces and numerous identities. That's why, despite the combined efforts of the factions and government, they can't dig him out."
"Apparently, he's been given such a nickname—Half-human, Half-ghost, Divine Fist Invincible!"
"Half-human, Half-ghost, Divine Fist Invincible; I don't believe he truly possesses Ghost God Ability."
"Changing appearance, disguising himself, isn't someone taking advantage amidst the chaos, acting under his name?"
"This person creates chaos in Jianghu, wreaks havoc in the martial world, what exactly is his intention?"
"Regardless of his intentions, no party can tolerate such a madman!"
"I've heard the Beggar Gang is planning to host a martial arts assembly, inviting heroes from across to jointly strategize for eradicating this demon!"
"And the government office, I've heard the Six Gates' Four Great Divine Constables have already arrived in Heluo, determined to eliminate this fiend no matter what!"
"..."
The rumors, let's leave them for now.
In Joyful Forest, at a certain restaurant, the door is tightly locked.
"Listen up, the recent wind is tight; only serve regulars, absolutely don't let unfamiliar faces in. Otherwise, attracting that Grand Annual Deity, none of us will survive!"
Within the restaurant, a heavily made-up woman was instructing a dozen staff members.
At this moment, an old servant approached, whispering to her, "That girl can't hold on anymore."
Hearing this, the woman frowned, "What bad luck, hurry and throw her to the burial ground, don't soil my place."
"Yes!"
The old servant nodded, immediately leading two staff members to the backyard, soon carrying out a rolled-up straw mat, carefully heading to the burial ground.
In a place like the Joyful Forest within the Jianghu, conflicts and killings are inevitable, hence outside the forest, there are multiple burial grounds used for burying unclaimed bodies.
A few people carried a straw mat carefully, arriving at a burial ground, only to find many corpses piled on the snowy ground, not completely decomposed yet reeking horribly.
A burial ground is such a place that should not have high expectations, and with the Grand Annual Deity emerging recently causing upheaval, many have died directly by his hand, and subsequent chaos and inheritance disputes have claimed many more lives.
Thus, the number of corpses in the burial ground keeps increasing, with no one to bury them, leaving them to decompose naturally.
The few people who arrived there dared not stay long, quickly set down the straw mat, and hurried away.
The straw mat landed on the pile of corpses, remaining still for a long time before a hand covered in sores struggled to emerge, weakly attempting to crawl out. It took a long time before the straw mat was opened, revealing a person breathing laboriously.
It was a woman, with ghostly pale skin covered in sores, looking neither human nor ghostly. She lay within the straw mat, staring at the gloomy winter sky and suddenly let out a burst of desolate laughter, then covered her face and wept. Her sorrowful cries echoed through the burial ground, sending chills down one's spine.
Suddenly, a shadow fell, the woman looked up in disarray, and before she could see anything, her vision twisted as darkness flooded over her like a tide.
...
"Splash!"
The familiar yet unfamiliar sound of wind and waves, mingled with the scent of fish in the air, slowly awoke Bai Mudan from her stupor. She examined her surroundings in confusion, finding herself lying in a black canopy boat, with a person rowing at the bow.
He was clad in a blue garment, not resembling a boatman but rather like a scholar, yet his tall and imposing build exuded an aura of tranquility and strength.
"Awake?"
A soft utterance brought Bai Mudan out of her bewilderment. She stared at the person at the bow for a long time before her thoughts cleared, and she hastily sat up, kneeling on the ground, "Th-thank you for saving me!"
"Get up!"
The person at the bow set down the oar and entered the cabin to help her up.
"Yes!"
Bai Mudan stood up with the flow of events, then suddenly realized something, her hands lifting as if electrified, shrinking into her sleeves to hide the sores on her skin.
The person saw this but remained indifferent, lightly laughing, "Just a minor ailment, a few doses of decoction will cure it."
Bai Mudan looked at him, at a loss for how to respond.
Shen Hex said no more, directly uncovering the small pot on the stove and served her a bowl of steaming fish porridge, "Eat."
"Th-thank you!"
Bai Mudan received it with trembling hands, gazing at the cooked fish flakes in the hot porridge, as if ancient memories were stirred in her mind.
She was not originally called Bai Mudan, but a fisher girl. Though life was hard, she found shelter under her parents' wings.
But one day at the fish market, while her parents were busy, a beggar abducted her, and after many twists and turns, sold her to the Joyful Pavilion in the Joyful Forest.
Since then, she became Bai Mudan, a courtesan at the Joyful Pavilion.
Courtesan, these two words carry cruelty and malice unknown to outsiders. Beneath the superficial charm of the pleasure quarters flows the blood and tears of countless women.
Though she had some beauty, she could not withstand the daily ravages. Falling from a leading courtesan to the lowest ranks, her value plummeted, until even filthy beggars were accepted, leading to a severe illness that left her on the brink of death. The madame had her wrapped in a straw mat and discarded at a burial ground.
This was her story, almost a common tale for all courtesans—exploited down to the skin and bones, and once aged and faded, either taken by procuresses to continue serving or left to suffer untreated ailments, wrapped in straw and left to the burial ground to await death.
Reflecting on all this, tears streamed down her face, blending with the sweet fish porridge in her mouth, overwhelming her heart.
After finishing the bowl of fish porridge, Bai Mudan set down the bowl and chopsticks, kneeling again, "Thank you for your immense help, I have nothing to repay, only in the next life as a cow or horse, entangled grass and ring in mouth…"
"Do you want revenge?"
Interrupted before she could finish speaking.
Bai Mudan froze, looking up at the person in front of her, whose calm gaze left her unsure how to answer.
Shen Hex's expression didn't change, meeting her gaze again, "Do you?"
"..."
Bai Mudan remained kneeling in a daze, only recovering after a long time. Meeting Shen Hex's gaze, she gritted her teeth, and firmly said, "I do!!!"
"Then call me teacher."
Shen Hex nodded, smiling, "I will teach you how to take revenge!"
Bai Mudan: "..."