Chapter 3: Ninja

As he raised the knife, the burly man's eyes revealed a hint of menace.
Astyre hadn't moved yet, but suddenly, a fishing line shot out from the reeds, flying through dozens of meters, piercing straight into the burly man's wrist.
The burly man let out a miserable cry, and the sharp knife fell to the ground.
The fishing line didn't stop; its end in the air took a sharp turn, and it continued to pierce through the wrists of the other four people. Like the burly man, they all cried out in pain.
Next, the five soared into the sky like kites and landed heavily on the ground.
The fishing line was so thin that they couldn't understand what had happened. They only stared at Astyre in terror, as if they had seen a monster.
They couldn't see it clearly but couldn't escape Astyre's gaze. The thin fishing line shimmered in the sunlight, accurately passing through the gaps between the radius and ulna bones in the wrists of five people, demonstrating the essence of external power in martial arts.
Astyre knew that the older man who used to fish by the lake had made this move, but he didn't need to be grateful for anything. He didn't even spare a second glance and walked towards the burly man who was writhing on the ground.
As Astyre approached, the burly man, filled with fear, stammered, "What... What do you want?"
"Speak up. Who sent you here?"
"No one... No one sent me."
"No one?"
Astyre squatted down, grabbing the man's wrist with the fishing line still embedded in his flesh. A gentle pull caused excruciating pain.
In reality, the burly man's injuries were not severe, but he was more frightened than hurt, so he didn't dare to resist and could only beg desperately.
"It's... It's Mr. Lowe."
"Which Mr. Lowe?"
"It's Alfred Lowe, the Lawrence family's butler."
It was him! A trace of murderous intent appeared in Astyre's eyes.
He had no grudges with Alfred, so this order must have come from Jane.
Did she despise him for becoming her son-in-law to the point of seeking his life?
Astyre would make sure it didn't go as planned if she wanted to retrieve that marriage contract.
Astyre had just promised at his grandfather's grave to repay the favor to Desmaius. The scores were settled with this incident, and neither side owed anything to the other.
He recalled the dark clouds above the Lawrence family's compound. He had considered warning them, even offering to help them break the spell. Now, it seemed unnecessary. Let them fend for themselves.
The burly man sensed the murderous intent emanating from Astyre and pleaded more desperately.
"Young man, spare them while you can," an old man fishing by the lake emerged from the reeds. "With my fishing line piercing their Inner Pass Meridian, this hand of his won't be able to wield a knife again. Just let them go."
Astyre had no intention of killing anyone at his grandfather's grave. He didn't care much about the lives of these men. He nodded to the old man and said, "Thank you for your help."
The old man scrutinized Astyre momentarily and remarked, "You're no ordinary person to recognize that it was my doing."
Astyre smiled but didn't say much. He told the burly man lying on the ground, "Get lost, and don't desecrate my grandfather's resting place."
The five men quickly got up and scrambled away.
"Young man, do you know why I helped you?" The older man glanced at the mound of earth that marked the grave. "These days, few filial people are left, especially those from different generations. Although you didn't shed tears, I could hear the deep sorrow in your voice. With a grandson like you, your grandfather would be comforted even in the afterlife."
Astyre sighed lightly and said, "I've been unfilial. When my grandfather passed away, I couldn't even afford a proper burial plot. I had to secretly bury him here on this desolate land."
The older man was stunned. "Didn't you choose this place purposely?"
Astyre shook his head and said, "I won't hide it from you, Sir. As a child, my grandfather and I depended on each other for survival, making a living by picking up garbage. When my grandfather passed away, I was only seven years old. Forget about a burial plot... I couldn't even afford the cremation fee. I had to bury my grandfather on this desolate wasteland secretly."
The older man suddenly burst into laughter. "You unwittingly chose an auspicious burial site! This place gathers the spiritual energy of the surrounding ten miles. In the whole city of Hecheng, it's hard to find another unclaimed spot. It's all thanks to your grandfather and you doing good deeds."
Astyre gave a faint smile. He knew this place had good geomancy but hadn't known then.
After the old man finished speaking, he turned and returned to his fishing spot, saying as he walked, "Young man, let me remind you. Crystalline Lake is undergoing large-scale development, and this desolate land may soon disappear. You should find a way to relocate your grandfather's grave as soon as possible."
Astyre was taken aback. This was something he hadn't considered.
"Thank you for the reminder, Sir."
Astyre didn't want to owe anyone, and the older man had helped earlier without necessity but out of goodwill. Now, he was offering valuable advice. It was a favor to be repaid.
"Sir, you have suffered injuries from the fierce fire, and your Balance Meridian is damaged. Without timely treatment, the delay could be detrimental to your health."
The old man was momentarily taken aback but quickly asked, "Do you understand medicine?"
Astyre nodded and replied, "Yes, I do. Only a little."
"Can you heal my injury?"
"I can give it a try."
Hope sparkled in the old man's eyes, "If you can assess my condition at a glance, your medical skills must be exceptional. How do you plan to treat it?"
Astyre took out a small Returning Pill. "Take this pill, circulate your true energy through your meridians for two full cycles, and when you're done, I'll use acupuncture."
The small Returning Pill was a precious item he had brought down from Mount Skyward, dear to most people but not a big deal to Astyre. Moreover, the raw materials for the pill could be found in the mortal world. The difficulty lay in the method of refinement.
The older man hesitated for a moment. His identity was noble, and countless people might want to harm him. If the young man in front of him were an enemy sent by someone...
However, he quickly dismissed his doubts. Determined, he laughed heartily and said, "Alright, let's try it."
He took the small Returning Pill, swallowed it, sat cross-legged on the spot, and circulated his actual energy through his meridians.
Astyre couldn't help but admire the older man's straightforwardness. He was more than willing to make friends with someone like this.
A white mist rose above the older man's head in no time, and the heat seemed to boil within him.
Just then, the reeds rustled, and a figure flew out incredibly fast.
Several icy lights shot out, heading straight for three vital acupoints on the older man's chest.
Astyre squinted. This person had been hiding in the reeds, and he hadn't even noticed. He almost thought he had encountered a master of innate ability. But watching the person's attack, it was clear he was no match for the older man and wasn't even as skilled as the elderly fisherman.
The older man had also spotted the ones lurking in the dark. He exhaled loudly and clapped his hands three times before striking the incoming projectiles. These weapons circled in the air and flew back into the hands of the cloaked figure.
"Ah, another one from Jetronian!" The older man stood up. "Young man, you should go. This is a Jetronian ninja. Although their martial skills are sparse, their methods are bizarre. He's here for me, and I'm injured. I can't fight him off, and I can't protect you."
Astyre understood now; it was ninjutsu. That's why he hadn't noticed him earlier. However, mere ninjas didn't concern him.
"Sir, focus on circulating your true energy and don't waste the effects of the medicine. Leave this person to me."
He stepped forward, positioning himself in front of the older man.
The old man looked bewildered, expressing concern, "Young man, I know you possess extraordinary abilities, but this is a life-and-death struggle. These Jetronian devils are all killing machines."
"No problem."
These were just two powerful and confident words.
"Alright, be careful."
The older man chose to trust and sat down to continue his meditation.
The cloaked ninja had missed his initial attack and didn't dare to rush in recklessly. In terms of strength, he was inferior to the older man, so he had lurked and only struck when he saw the older man taking medicine to heal his injuries.
"Kid, it's best you don't meddle in my business with Rodloc. Step aside, and I'll let you live." The black-clad figure spoke in a stiff, heavily accented Mandarin.
Astyre remained unmoved, "Then let me see how far Jetronian ninja techniques have progressed."
The black-clad ninja furrowed his brows. He was wary of Rodloc but had never regarded this young man seriously. Seeing that Rodloc was deep in meditation, he charged at Astyre.
"Kid, you're digging your own grave!"
Ninjutsu excelled in stealthy and agile movements. With a swift and graceful leap, the ninja was in front of Astyre. His blade left behind a dazzling white streak as he attacked. He could almost visualize the scenario where the young man's head would roll to the ground, and blood would spurt from his neck.
However, the black-clad ninja saw the young man raise his foot. Surprisingly, the footwork didn't seem fast; he could observe the process of the leg lifting and the absence of any afterimage. Yet, this kick was a fraction more quickly than his blade. Just as the sword's light was about to touch the young man's neck, the young man's foot made contact with the ninja's abdomen.
He felt a sudden tightening in his stomach, and his body rapidly retreated, crashing heavily onto the ground.
He attempted to get up, but with just one struggle, his bones creaked and snapped. His ribs and spine had fractured.
Without even the opportunity to use ninjutsu for an escape, the black-clad ninja lay helplessly on the ground, his eyes reflecting resentment, despair, regret, and fear. He gazed at the young man before him, and his blood-stained lips trembled slightly as he uttered his last words...
"Who... are you?"