Took an Apprentice

Too unstable!!!

How could I be like this!

How can I still deserve the title of the most steady killer in the Jianghu!?

At night, Zhang San told the little boy to sleep in his own room, while he himself went to the lobby of the calligraphy and painting store, looking at himself in the mirror on the wall with a disgusted expression.

Zhang San slapped his palm hard and cursed, "I just can't control this hand!"

But as he calmed down, he had to keep making money.

It wasn't like the old days when he had to go everywhere to learn skills and buy manuals. Now every penny he saved was for his retirement life in the future.

Old Man Huang would bring Wang Xiao Er's mother over tomorrow!

That was eight hundred taels! Even if he only killed ordinary people, he would have to kill sixteen people to earn that much money back. Moreover, Old Man Huang said that once Wang Xiao Er became his apprentice, his mother would send him living expenses every month.

The widow of a mid-stage expert at the Earth Realm, what did that represent?

It represented a long-term meal ticket!

Zhang San looked closely at himself in the mirror and tidied up his appearance.

He mumbled to himself, "The old man said that kid's mother is coming tomorrow. Should I change my makeup... This poor scholar in white looks not forceful enough.

"What if she looks down on me and changes her mind? Then the eight hundred taels would be gone."

"Should I grow more beard?"

Speaking of which, after learning so many skills, how come I never learned how to be a master!

But Zhang San immediately shook his head. He realized that he seemed to have gotten the direction wrong. The problem now should be how to trick, oh no, formally collect tuition fees from the parent.

What should he say?

Zhang San started acting in front of the mirror.

Imagining the parent right in front of him, Zhang San showed a smile and said, "I am a professional killer with 20 years of experience. I have had temporary employment relationships with major killer organizations. My professional standards are solid, and my teaching standards are also guaranteed. Madam, you can rest assured to pay."

Hmm... This part was a bit far-fetched.

Zhang San thought silently: How did this turn into the rhetoric used by those tutors from the academy in the next county when they open cram schools after each semester? How could I be like those scammers.

But there was no denying he talked just like those people now.

Zhang San shook his head and thought of another passage: "Oh? You are Wang Xiao Er's mother? Excuse my bluntness, your child is too untalented, unsuitable for martial arts training. But you are also lucky to have met master like me."

Hmm... This part was also a bit arrogant.

But maybe being arrogant was good too. That could prove I have real skills and ability, fearless and bold!

But would it make the other angry, and take the child away?

I couldn't let such a good disciple be taken away by the parent after all.

That night, Zhang San was like back in his youth when he racked his brains over acting skills day and night. Because this time, he was going to perform in a profession he had never been exposed to before - a teacher.

Zhang San kept researching until late into the night before finding a perfect performance approach. Zhang San firmly believed that with this set of acting skills, he would definitely be able to move Wang Xiao Er’s mother tomorrow when she came over and make her leave her child under his tutelage without hesitation.

"We orthodox sects, our iron cloth shirts really are hard!"

"We orthodox sects, our White Crane Soars truly can be practiced to fly!"

"We orthodox sects are truly orthodox!"

Zhang San said to the imaginary Wang Xiao Er’s mother in the mirror.

...

...

Late at night, because he let Wang Xiao Er take the bed, Zhang San spread some bedding on the floor to sleep.

But Zhang San was half asleep, constantly tossing and turning. He finally found the culprit on his body - the small knife he always carried with him.

As a steady-style killer, carrying a knife was the most basic professional ethics.

But away from the soft bedding, the knife really was poking uncomfortably.

Had the days been too good these years that even the floor was uncomfortable to sleep on?

While wondering if he had become delicate over the years, Zhang San got up and placed the knife on the table in the room.

The night wind was strong and blew open the small window.

Vigilant, Zhang San walked to the window to take a look. Under the moonlight, there was no trace of anyone outside.

Turning his head back, Zhang San saw Wang Xiao Er sleeping soundly on the bed, even rubbing his nose from time to time, looking so adorable.

Unconsciously, Zhang San approached the bedside to watch the eight-year-old boy. Zhang San whispered to himself silently:

Eight years old.

Were you also eight years old?

Your father died, but luckily, you still have a mother.

But your father really shouldn't have.

In this kind of world, if you want to be good, don't have a family.

When good people have families, they are dragging their families down.

As this thought came, Zhang San recalled what day today was.

The third day of the seventh month.

Twenty years ago on this day, he was just like Wang Xiao Er, or even more unfortunate than Wang Xiao Er.

That day, Zhang San lost everything and became an orphan. That night, the bandits behind him chased him for a whole night as if playing with prey.

The next morning, the exhausted eight-year-old Zhang San collapsed head first into a reed marsh. There just happened to be an old man in the reed marsh who walked in front of him.

Zhang San wouldn't forget that first encounter with the old man to this day.

Zhang San only found out later that the old man was a mid-stage expert at the Earth Realm, and also a killer ... who had a particularly large appetite.

Perhaps for the first time in his life, the old killer was moved to compassion and rescued the then only eight-year-old Zhang San.

Later, the killer old man said to Zhang San, "I don't know why either. After decades as a killer in the underworld, I happened to run into you and suddenly wanted to be a good person this once."

On the night of the third day of the seventh month, looking at Wang Xiao Er, Zhang San sighed deeply and went to bed.

...

...

In the late night, the little boy Wang Xiao Er opened his eyes.

He got out of bed, his footsteps eerily light!

If Zhang San had been awake and saw this, he would have noticed instantly that Wang Xiao Er actually had a decent Qinggong foundation. Coupled with his small stature and light weight, he moved without making the slightest sound.

Wang Xiao Er saw the deeply sleeping Zhang San on the ground, but looked around as if searching for something.

Why couldn't he find it?

Could it be in the kitchen?

Wang Xiao Er walked to the door but found the door bolt very tight. If he stood on tiptoes and pulled forcefully to open it, it was very likely to wake up Zhang San.

Damn it!

Somewhat annoyed that he didn't carry that item with him, Wang Xiao Er almost stomped his foot.

But just as Wang Xiao Er was irritated that there was no other way without that item and was about to go back to sleep, moonlight spilled into the room. Wang Xiao Er noticed the knife belonging to Zhang San on the table.

Strange? He didn't seem to have seen a knife on the table when he came into the room to sleep earlier?

Could it be delivered by an immortal?

The eight-year-old boy felt it was highly likely!

Thank you, Immortal, for your timely help.

Wang Xiao Er bowed towards the window and then grabbed the knife on the table before walking towards Zhang San.

Next, Wang Xiao Er raised the knife and stabbed down!

Ah!!!

The miserable scream came from Zhang San. This killer who had been steady for twenty years was still a killer after all. No matter how steady, there was no escaping the fate of getting stabbed doing this bloody business.

Zhang San opened his eyes. The first feeling was a large amount of bleeding from his abdomen, with a knife still stuck in it.

Have I been ambushed?

That was Zhang San's first thought.

Where was the enemy?

That was Zhang San’s second thought.

Zhang San looked around but only saw Wang Xiao Er cowering in the corner, trembling all over, with no one else in sight.

Could it be a top master? Better treat the wound first.

Glancing down, Zhang San immediately sensed something wrong.

That's not right ... why does this knife look so familiar?

Fuck, isn't this my knife!?

Zhang San looked at Wang Xiao Er in the corner, with a frightened look on his face and bloodstained hands and sleeves.

"Why did you stab me!" Zhang San roared angrily.