Eternal Life: I Have the Favor System-Chapter 69: Crippled

Chu Lingguang was immersed in the Divine State.

He could not only see the trajectory of the arrow Da Wang loosed from his Great Bow, but it was as if he could also see his own two arrows forming a straight line, achieving the state of Double-Star Linked Pearls.

He even saw a vision of his first arrow striking the one Da Wang had shot, the two exploding in mid-air. Then, his second arrow shot through the fragments, speeding straight toward Da Wang, piercing his shoulder and knocking him to the ground.

CLANG!

Da Wang fell.

The Great Bow in his hand dropped to the ground, hitting a small rock.

"Aaaah!"

Da Wang screamed in agony, his cry startling the birds in the forest into flight.

"Wang!"

That cry of alarm snapped Chu Lingguang out of his Divine State.

Seeing Da Wang on the ground howling, he rushed over to check on him. He saw Da Wang clutching his left shoulder with his right hand, fresh blood streaming from the wound.

On a tree behind him, the bloody fletching of an arrow quivered.

"Wang... I didn’t do it on purpose."

Chu Lingguang was in a panic.

He never expected to actually injure Da Wang.

"My arm is ruined! I can’t take the Daoist Examination anymore! Damn it all! It’s one thing if I can’t learn the Hundred-step Piercing Willow, but why did you have to destroy my future?"

Da Wang broke down, crying uncontrollably.

"Wang, let me see your wound first. We need to stop the bleeding."

Chu Lingguang said soothingly. He took off his shirt and tore it into strips. Medicine and martial arts were two sides of the same coin, and Guo Wei had taught him how to bandage wounds.

"Just let me die. Don’t bother saving me."

Da Wang was utterly dejected. With his shoulder pierced by Chu Lingguang’s arrow, how could he possibly take the Daoist Examination?

"My master has the finest Golden Wound Medicine! I’ll take you back to see him right now."

Chu Lingguang was also panicking inwardly. If Da Wang’s arm was crippled because of this, Leader Ma would definitely not let him off the hook, and Guo Wei wouldn’t spare him either.

So the two of them rode back on one horse. Chu Lingguang took Da Wang back to the Martial Arts Hall to find Guo Wei, but Guo Wei had just gone to Wine Street to buy some gifts, intending to present them to Leader Ma the next day as a welcoming present.

Chu Lingguang had no choice but to leave Da Wang in Guo Fang’s care and ride Little Red Horse to Wine Street to find Guo Wei.

When he arrived at Wine Street, he happened to see Guo Wei coming out of a wine shop, carrying two large jugs of yellow rice wine and three boxes of pastries. Seeing Chu Lingguang run up, he held up the gifts and laughed, "Lin Guang, take a look at these gifts your master prepared. Do you think Leader Ma will like them when he sees them tomorrow?"

"I don’t think he will."

"Master, I shot and injured Da Wang! You have to come back and save him!"

Chu Lingguang said, his head hung in despair.

"What?"

"Give me Little Red Horse."

Guo Wei’s expression changed drastically. He tossed the two jugs of wine and pastries to Chu Lingguang, mounted Little Red Horse, and galloped toward the Martial Arts Hall, shouting back, "Go to Xiaoyue Building and buy their most expensive wine! And get a rack of ribs from Butcher Hu!"

"Right."

Chu Lingguang knew what Guo Wei was planning.

But he was too worried about Da Wang’s injury at that moment, so he just clutched the two jugs of yellow rice wine and three boxes of pastries and ran all the way back toward the Martial Arts Hall.

「Half an hour later.」

Chu Lingguang walked into the rear courtyard, his head covered in sweat.

WHOOSH!

The cold, gleaming tip of a spear was pointed at his face. Xiao Wang, furious and frustrated, demanded, "Chu Lingguang, what is the meaning of this? Are you afraid my big brother would have knocked you out of the running?"

"Xiao Wang, you’ve misunderstood."

Chu Lingguang explained.

"Thank goodness. It’s only a flesh wound. The arrow passed through the skin under your arm, not through your shoulder blade. Just rest for a few days and use this bottle of my Golden Wound Medicine, and you’ll be fully recovered within a week."

Guo Wei’s voice, laced with residual fear, came from inside the room.

"Thank you, Master Guo."

Da Wang, who had lost all hope, said excitedly.

"Hmph."

Xiao Wang shot Chu Lingguang a harsh glare before running back into the room to check on his brother.

"Master, I was wrong."

Chu Lingguang also breathed a quiet sigh of relief and cautiously walked inside.

"What kind of rotten idea was that? Archery isn’t like other forms of Kung Fu. Shooting at each other is life-threatening!"

Guo Wei said angrily.

THUD. "This disciple was wrong. I’ll never dare to do it again."

Chu Lingguang hastily knelt.

"Master Guo, this wasn’t Lin Guang’s fault. He had good intentions and was just trying to help me improve my Archery. Of the arrows he shot at me, only the last two went astray. All the others hit the tree trunk."

Da Wang came to Chu Lingguang’s defense.

"This kid, Lin Guang, is too dull-witted. He can’t teach you the Hundred-step Piercing Willow. Once your injury has healed, I will seriously explain the essentials of the Hundred-step Piercing Willow to you both."

Guo Wei’s tone softened. He trusted Chu Lingguang and knew he hadn’t done it intentionally.

"Thank you, Master Guo."

Da Wang and Xiao Wang looked thrilled.

"You should rest well for now."

"Lin Guang, get into your Pile Skill stance and hold up the Stone Lock. You are not to put it down without my command."

Guo Wei then began to discipline Chu Lingguang.

"Yes."

Chu Lingguang willingly accepted the punishment.

"Master Guo, there’s no need for this."

Da Wang pleaded on Chu Lingguang’s behalf.

"Hmph. This reckless fool nearly ruined Da Wang’s future. Don’t even think about eating dinner tonight."

Guo Wei paid him no mind, continuing to scold Chu Lingguang from the doorway.

"Master’s lesson is just."

Chu Lingguang replied obediently.

After settling into his Pile Skill stance, he stood holding a fifty-jin Stone Lock.

"Hei Hu, watch him for me."

Guo Wei didn’t want to look at Chu Lingguang.

"Yes."

Hei Hu replied. After Guo Wei left, he rubbed his hands together and asked in a low voice, "Junior Brother, were you really afraid Da Wang would knock you out of the running, so you shot him?"

"Tell me, how did you shoot him?"

"Do you have any idea? If you had shot him in the face, Master would have had to take us all to go shoot at them tomorrow!"

Hei Hu imagined the scene: a showdown with the Weiyuan Escort Agency, with Guo Wei loosing his Three-Star Linked Pearls technique straight at Leader Ma’s face.

"Hmph."

Chu Lingguang’s face was dark as he remained silent.

"Sigh. I can understand what you were thinking, Junior Brother. We’re going to the Weiyuan Escort Agency tomorrow. I’m worried I’ll lose badly when I have to spar with Da Wu and Xiao Wu."

Hei Hu wasn’t joking this time.

Both his and Chu Lingguang’s Kung Fu had improved over the past two months, but Da Wang and Xiao Wang were still a cut above. If they encountered them in the Martial Arts Examination, neither he nor Chu Lingguang felt confident.

"Senior Brother, just go practice your Spear Technique. I’m not going to slack off."

Chu Lingguang was getting annoyed.

"Fine, fine. How come I never thought of having a shootout with Xiao Wang? If I were going to shoot, I’d aim for his face."

Hei Hu muttered to himself. His Saber Technique and Spear Technique might not be a match for Xiao Wang, but when it came to Archery and the Lance, Hei Hu had some confidence.

"I’ll save a few steamed buns for you later."

He added, comforting Chu Lingguang.

That evening, after everyone else had eaten, Chu Lingguang was still being punished. It was only after Da Wang pleaded for him again that he was finally released. As he ate alone, both of Chu Lingguang’s hands were shaking—an aftereffect of holding up the Stone Lock for so long, which would take time to subside.

"Junior Brother, this is the medicinal wine my dad saved for you. Apply it to both arms after you bathe. You’ll need to be in shape to go a few rounds with Da Wu and Xiao Wu at the Weiyuan Escort Agency tomorrow."

Guo Fang placed a bottle of medicinal wine on the table.

"Mm, thank our master for me."

’I knew from the start that Master’s punishment was just for show, something for Da Wang and Xiao Wang to see. Still, I made a mistake today and need to atone for it. I absolutely cannot bring shame to Master tomorrow.’

(Please toss a one-yuan tip my way! Throw some Starting Point Coins at my face!)