XIAO SHUXIANG'S

24 - Traces of Robbers [Revised]

Xiao Shuxiang looked at the six men lying stiffly on the ground. There were sword incision scars on their bodies and necks.

"They were killed without being able to resist..."

He realized that Jing Mi was sculpting with a pale face and trembling body, and Xiao Shuxiang closed the boy's eyes and tried to calm him down.

Yang Shu also saw the bodies of the six men. Judging from their clothes, the six people were ordinary humans who worked as traders.

Qi Xuan and Xiao Lu suddenly retreated backwards in fear, their bodies shaking violently. This was the first time they had seen something so horrible.

Xiao Lu even had trouble breathing, his gaze darkened, he felt blood rushing up to his head. The next moment, he lost consciousness.

Qi Xuan himself pressed against his chest, he felt his heart like it was going to come out of his ears, he was speechless, he was so frightened.

Xiao Shuxiang, "Grandfather. Calm Qi Xuan,"

Yang Shu flinched, he only realized that his disciple looked frightened with a pale face while Xiao Lu was already unconscious.

"Xuan'Er, relax... Its alright. Grandpa's here..." Yang Shu drowned Qi Xuan's face in his embrace while gently stroking his student's head and back.

For children like Qi Xuan, Jing Mi and Xiao Lu. This kind of terrifying scene was only the first time they had seen it. Of course it shook their minds greatly.

"Brother Jing, you need to calm down. Breathe slowly, Brother Jing..." Xiao Shuxiang still closed Jing Mi eyes while trying to calm her down.

Yang Shu stood up while carrying Qi Xuan. He took the student to a place some distance away from the corpses.

The moment Yang Shu wanted to lower Qi Xuan, it turned out that his student was already unconscious. He began to lay her down and returned to the place before to take Xiao Lu, Jing Mi and Xiao Shuxiang.

Among his four disciples, only Qi Xuan and Xiao Lu were unconscious. Jing Mi did not faint, but the look on her face was so pale and her body was still trembling. While Xiao Shuxiang was trying to calm him down.

Yang Shu was actually quite shocked because Xiao Shuxiang did not look scared at all, even his grandson even looked mediocre when he saw such a terrifying corpse.

Yet Yang Shu was unwilling to think about it, he had to focus on resuscitating Qi Xuan and Xiao Lu.

"Xiao'Eru? Can Grandpa trust them to you? Grandpa's gonna go get some water..."

Xiao Shuxiang nodded slowly in response. Yang Shu then walked away leaving behind his four disciples.

"Brother Jing? Did you hear me?" Xiao Shuxiang waved his hands in front of Jing Mi's face, he felt that this child could not hear her from being too shaken.

Xiao Shuxiang exhaled softly, his eyes staring at the trees as well as the leaves. He then spoke in a calm voice.

"Brother Jing, what did you see earlier... Just the smallest part of this cruel world..."

Xiao Shuxiang explained, "Warfare that ends in murder and slaughter always graces the Cultivator World. None of their hands are clean of blood, Brother Jing. Even a child like Feng Ying would also have to smear their hands in blood and commit murder."

Xiao Shuxiang then gently patted Jing Mi on the shoulder, "You should get used to this kind of thing if you want to become a great Cultivator..."

Jing Mi still could not calm herself down, yet she heard everything that Xiao Shuxiang said.

He had indeed heard from his uncle as well as Yang Shu, that the world of cultivators was full of bloodshed. But still, watching with your own eyes is very much different from hearing a story.

"Sa... Brother Xiao...? Wh-what are you... Not scared...?" Jing Mi asked in a trembling voice.

Xiao Shuxiang was silent. "When have I ever been afraid to see a corpse? I always walked on the corpses I had killed, my every step filled with the blood and flesh of humans and monsters. So, why should I be afraid?"

Jing Mi saw that there was confidence and also great courage emanated within Xiao Shuxiang's eyes. He had not expected this small child to be able to have such great courage, even greater than him. It was as if this child had gotten used to seeing such terrible things earlier.

"Brother Jing, you said you wanted to become a great Cultivator, didn't you? From now on you mustn't be afraid, you must get used to seeing things like that."

Jing Mi closed her eyes slowly, took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. His heart was still beating very fast, but the look on his face was not too pale anymore.

"Brother Xiao...? What the hell are you saying? B-that there are no clean hands of a Cultivator?" Jing Mi asked in a still trembling voice.

"That's reality. If you see this kind of thing, you're afraid... You better forget about your dream of becoming a great cultivator" Xiao Shuxiang said softly but quite deeply into Jing Mi's heart.

As Jing Mi was thinking about Xiao Shuxiang's words... Yang Shu was seen walking closer to them.

"Grandfather bring water, let's drink..." Yang Shu gave water to Jing Mi and Xiao Shuxiang, "How are you doing...?"

Jing Mi tried to smile, "Su-I've had better Teacher..."

"Thank God... You drink a lot and calm yourself down,"

Yang Shu then examined the state of Qi Xuan and Xiao Lu, "They are both also fine, just unconscious."

While waiting, Yang Shu continued to pay attention to Xiao Shuxiang. This granddaughter was even too brave to look at a dead person horribly.

"Teacher...? Actually-actually... What the hell's going on? Why are they all..." Jing Mi asked about the events that befell the six men she saw, but her voice still sounded trembling.

"It seems they are traders. Judging from his wounds, they were robbed and also killed."

Jing Mi felt her breath choked, her face turning pale again as she imagined the corpses she had seen before.

Xiao Shuxiang and Yang Shu again calmed him down.

Long enough Yang Shu, Jing Mi and Xiao Shuxiang waited for Qi Xuan and Xiao Lu to wake up.

When Xiao Lu woke up, he immediately shouted while crying. That condition made Yang Shu, Jing Mi and Xiao Shuxiang shocked.

"Take it easy Lu'Er! Be calm..." Yang Shu calmed Xiao Lu down, he was actually worried that his granddaughter's inner self would feel depressed when she saw the terrifying incident earlier.

In contrast to Xiao Lu who was screaming-when Qi Xuan woke up, he was instantly nauseous even looking vomiting. Jing Mi and Xiao Shuxiang tried to help Qi Xuan by gently stroking his back.

It took time to make Xiao Lu and Qi Xuan calm down. When they can control themselves again... Yang Shu began to explain what these disciples should have known.

All of his explanations were the same as what Xiao Shuxiang had said to Jing Mi.

"... Grandfather has told you many times in the village. It's not good, but I hope you get used to it..."

"Grandfather...? Wh-why should there be a murder, Cake? W-can't we live quietly and peacefully...? Lu'Er doesn't like ji-if like this..." Xiao Lu sobbed, he was very afraid of having to commit murder. "... All this time Lu'Er was just brandishing a sword to scare away. There was never any intention of harming or killing anyone else. G-grandfather..."

Yang Shu, "Lu'Er... Some people don't have hearts as soft as you. They would not hesitate to kill anyone who blocked their path. Everyone has a different heart Lu'Er, not many people have the same thoughts as you. Not that Grandpa has reminded you of this so often..."

Yang Shu patted Xiao Lu's shoulder gently, "We'll rest for a while before continuing on our way back..."

He felt he had to give his students time to calm down.

***