SWORD OF FLAME

The Accusation

As the most talented fighter in Lufeng Village, it should have been easy for Chong Li to defeat Fang Yun, who only relied on physical strength. However, in reality, Chong Li found it quite difficult to bring Fang Yun down. Even though his attacks had landed several times on the young man’s body, it seemed to cause no serious problem at all. In fact, when their punches or kicks collided, it was Chong Li who grimaced in pain.

Not wanting to be humiliated in front of his friends, Chong Li decided to use his inner energy to attack Fang Yun. The result was immediate—Fang Yun was sent flying when Chong Li’s spinning kick landed on his head.

Fang Yun’s vision instantly blurred. Everything spun around him, and eventually, he collapsed and lost consciousness.

“Hahaha… anyone who dares to mess with me will surely face disaster!” Chong Li shouted arrogantly.

Chong Li’s four friends also laughed loudly when they saw that Fang Yun had passed out.

Not long after, Chong Li invited his friends to leave the place, abandoning the unconscious Fang Yun.

Fang Yun was unconscious for three hours. When he finally regained consciousness, he clutched his head, which was swollen from Chong Li’s kick. While enduring the pain, he stood up and noticed that the bundle of grass he had been carrying was still lying in its place.

“Thankfully, they didn’t throw away the grass,” he thought.

Fang Yun then lifted the bundle of grass and placed it on his head. As he walked, he kept wondering why the Fire God Punch technique he had learned could not be used. Where had he gone wrong?

Some time later, the fifteen-year-old youth arrived at Liu Zun’s house. He went straight to the livestock pen behind the large house.

“Where have you been, Fang Yun?!”

A man’s deep voice rang out loudly. Fang Yun turned and saw Liu Zun standing at the entrance to the livestock pen, his arms crossed, staring sharply at him in anger.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I had some trouble on the road.”

Liu Zun approached Fang Yun. “Don’t make excuses, Fang Yun! I know you must be underestimating this job!” he scolded harshly.

“No, Sir. I would never take my duties lightly. I swear I really did run into trouble on the road.”

Liu Zun’s anger began to fade. He could see in Fang Yun’s eyes that he was telling the truth.

“Fine, I’ll believe you this time. But don’t let this happen again!” Liu Zun said, stroking Fang Yun’s head.

“Aaah!”

Fang Yun yelped softly when Liu Zun’s hand accidentally touched his swollen head.

Liu Zun was surprised and immediately checked the spot where his hand had touched Fang Yun’s head.

“What happened to your head?”

“I’m sorry, Sir, this is the trouble I meant earlier. I was beaten up by Chong Li and his friends.”

“Chong Li, the son of Chong Ying?”

Fang Yun nodded slowly. “Yes, Sir. I tried to fight back, but they ganged up on me.”

“Have you ever wronged them?” Liu Zun asked again.

Fang Yun slowly shook his head. “I’ve never wronged anyone, Sir. My father always taught me to be kind and honest. I don’t know why they always want to beat me up.”

“So, this isn’t the first time they’ve beaten you up?”

Fang Yun nodded. Without realizing it, he had begun to vent about what Chong Li had done to him.

“Father and son are exactly the same!” Liu Zun said angrily.

“It’s alright, Sir. Let it be. Someday they will get their karma.”

Liu Zun smiled faintly, impressed by Fang Yun’s attitude. “Have you ever learned martial arts?”

“I once tried to enter the selection, Sir. But the examiner told me I had no talent whatsoever. Even if I trained to death, I would never be able to harness inner energy. That’s why Chong Li and his friends always use me as their punching bag whenever they see me.”

Liu Zun was deeply moved by Fang Yun’s story. He then took several silver coins from his pocket and handed them to Fang Yun. “Take this. It’s a gift for you. Use it wisely.”

Fang Yun’s previously gloomy face immediately brightened when he saw several silver coins in his hand. For him and his poor family, this was a fortune. He had never expected Liu Zun, despite his large and imposing figure, to be so generous.

“Thank you, Sir. Your gift truly means so much to my family. May the heavens always bless you with health and abundant fortune.”

Fang Yun then ran home joyfully. The pain he felt earlier was now gone, overshadowed by Liu Zun’s generous gift.

When he arrived home, Fang Yun called out loudly for his father and mother. His parents, who were inside the house, rushed outside, panicked by their son’s shout. They feared something terrible had happened to their only child.

“What’s wrong, Son? Did something happen to you?” asked Lian Fei, Fang Yun’s mother.

“We can eat well today, Mother. Look…!” Fang Yun opened his palm and showed the silver coins he had received from Liu Zun.

“Where did you get this from, Fang Yun? Did you steal it? Your father and I never taught you to be a thief,” Lian Fei questioned him suspiciously.

“I didn’t steal it, Mother. I got these silver coins from Liu Zun.”

“Don’t lie, Fang Yun. There’s no way Liu Zun would give you this much!” Lian Fei’s tone grew sharper.

“Lian Fei, don’t accuse Fang Yun like that. Has he ever stolen anything?” Fang Yun’s father, Fang An, tried to defend his son.

“But, Fang An, it’s impossible that Liu Zun would give our son this much!” Lian Fei argued.

“Enough, I will ask Liu Zun directly. I believe Fang Yun would never do something so disgraceful.”

“Watch yourself, Fang Yun! Even though our family is poor, we still have our dignity.”

“Father, Mother, I swear I didn’t steal it.” Fang Yun tried to convince his parents.

“I will go to Liu Zun’s house to ask about these coins. Wait here at home!” Fang An said.

After speaking, Fang An walked to Liu Zun’s house, which wasn’t far from theirs.

A short while later, the man known throughout Lufeng Village as a quiet person arrived at Liu Zun’s house. He went straight to the livestock pen behind the house, as he knew Liu Zun liked to spend his time there.

“What is it, Fang An?” Liu Zun asked, calling Fang Yun’s father by name.

“Excuse me, Sir, did you really give these silver coins to my son Fang Yun earlier?”

Liu Zun nodded. “Yes, why did you bring them back here?”

“I just wanted to make sure, Sir. I was afraid my son might have stolen them,” Fang An replied.

“Fang Yun is a good boy, Fang An. He would never do such a thing.”

“But why did you give my son so much?” Fang An asked, still curious.

“Because your son is responsible with his work.”

Liu Zun then told him about how Fang Yun had been beaten by Chong Li and his friends.

“If your son wasn’t responsible, there’s no way he would have delivered the grass after being beaten by Chong Li.”

Fang An clenched his fists. All this time, he had kept quiet when Chong Li beat his son. But this time, he could no longer contain his anger.

Seeing the fury in Fang An’s eyes, Liu Zun quickly tried to calm him.

“Let it go, Fang An. There’s no point in getting angry. Chong Ying has many bodyguards. If you go there, you’ll only end up being beaten by them.”

Fang An lowered his head. He realized Liu Zun was right.

“Alright, Sir. I will go home now. Thank you for your generosity.”

Fang An walked back to his house.

In his room, Fang Yun reopened the ancient Fire God Punch manual. He was curious why the Fire God Punch technique he had been learning never worked during a fight.

He then turned to the second page, which he had never read before.

‘The Fire God Punch manual contains several high-level martial arts techniques. These techniques were created by a great warrior known as the Fire God Warrior. A person cannot learn the techniques in this book unless they have been chosen as the successor, even if they possess immense inner energy.

To unlock the true potential of each technique created by the Fire God Warrior, the chosen successor must also learn a special inner energy method, which is only taught within this manual.’

Fang Yun froze as he read the second page for the first time. “No wonder I couldn’t perform the Fire God Punch,” he muttered.

The fifteen-year-old youth sat in silence, lost in thought. There was nothing else he could do. After all, he had already been condemned—he was not capable of cultivating inner energy for life.

He felt both despair and sadness as he accepted the harsh reality. His dream of becoming a martial artist through the Fire God Punch technique had turned to dust.

“Fang Yun, come eat, Son. I’ve cooked your favorite dish,” Lian Fei’s voice called from outside the room.

“Yes, Mother.” Fang Yun then tucked the manual into his shirt and stepped out of his room. He planned to return the manual to where he had found it. There was no point in continuing to study it.

Lian Fei smiled when she saw Fang Yun standing in front of her. “Forgive me for accusing you, Son.”

Fang Yun forced a smile, though his mind was clouded with worry. “It’s alright, Mother. Isn’t it a parent’s duty to protect and raise their child to be an honest and responsible person?”

“I’m proud of you, Son. Now, let’s eat. I’ve made your favorite dish.”

The two of them walked to the family room, where Fang An was waiting to eat with his wife and only son.

Fang Yun smiled, seeing his parents happy that night. On the dining table were dishes that, to them, were a luxury, though to others, they were ordinary.

“Today, we can enjoy this meal thanks to the blessings the heavens have given Fang Yun. May today and the days to come always bring us blessings,” Fang An led the prayer before they began their dinner.

Unbeknownst to the people of Lufeng Village, the quiet night would soon turn into a night of terror. Blood would spill upon the earth, and lives would be lost.