I Am a Rune Engraver, Carrying a Knife Makes Perfect Sense-Chapter 29 - Because I Am Kind

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East Street, Repair Shop.

It was early evening, and the streets were bustling with people who had finished their work for the day. A large crowd had gathered, craning their necks to watch the commotion.

In the middle of the street, two women were engaged in a fierce battle, their movements swift and unpredictable. The sharp sound of metal clashing against metal echoed repeatedly, making the onlookers wince.

“So this is the so-called Ghost Attribute cultivator? Seems like nothing special,” a melodious voice rang out as one of the figures retreated.

The speaker was a petite woman with flowing hair like a waterfall. Her delicate hands manipulated thin black threads that danced between her fingers, sharp as blades. Wherever the threads touched the ground, they left clean, precise cuts.

Not far from her stood an elderly man in a gray robe, his demeanor serene and otherworldly. With his hands clasped behind his back, he watched the fight silently.

“Talk less. Who are you?” Wang Qingqing demanded coldly as she stepped back, her long spear vibrating in her grip. Ghostly energy swirled around her, revealing her strikingly beautiful yet stern face. Her brows furrowed as she glared at the woman.

She had been waiting here for Xu Shen when this woman appeared out of nowhere, asked for her name, and then attacked without warning.

Xu Guang, Yang Dian, and Zhang Zhuangshi had tried to intervene but were immediately immobilized by a casual wave of the elderly man’s hand. They stood frozen nearby, unable to move.

“I already called Brother Shen! That old bastard—when Brother Shen gets here, he’ll pluck his beard clean!” Xu Guang cursed loudly. Though he couldn’t move his body, his mouth and hands were still functional.

The elderly man glanced at Xu Guang but didn’t seem bothered by his words.

“My name is Lu Zhuling,” the woman said softly, her bright eyes shimmering with pride. Her entire demeanor exuded arrogance.

“I’ve been traveling across the country, searching for a place suitable for my cultivation.”

“When I heard about a Ghost Attribute cultivator here, I came out of curiosity.”

“Unfortunately, your strength is disappointing,” Lu Zhuling said with a faint shake of her head.

As the second Ghost Attribute cultivator in Xia Nation, she had expected Wang Qingqing to provide some challenge. Instead, she found Wang Qingqing’s combat skills and foundation lacking—as if she hadn’t even mastered her rune.

Nearby, Zhang Zhuangshi’s expression changed slightly. “Lu family? From the Southwest?”

“The Lu family? Are they famous?” Yang Dian asked curiously. Zhang Zhuangshi’s family dealt in underground business and had access to a wealth of information.

“The Lu family was among the first to start cultivating and fighting ghouls to reclaim Xia Nation’s territory,” Zhang Zhuangshi explained in a low voice. “Their runes are said to be incredibly powerful—capable of cutting through anything with just their fingers!”

“At minimum, their runes are at the Silent Realm level, and their techniques are equally advanced.”

“Haha, not bad. You’re quite knowledgeable for a young man,” the elderly man suddenly turned to Zhang Zhuangshi and chuckled softly.

“Ahaha, senior, no need for violence. Why don’t you come inside for a drink instead?” Yang Dian suggested with an awkward laugh.

“My lady needs experience. I’m merely observing,” the old man replied with a shake of his head.

“Senior, you don’t understand—Brother Shen has a temper. If he sees his sister-in-law injured, it’ll be terrifying,” Xu Guang said with a stiff smile.

“Exactly! Brother Shen has a reputation for being ruthless,” Zhang Zhuangshi added with a nod.

“Oh? Interesting. Do you mean to say he could defeat me?” The elderly man dismissed their warnings with a wave of his sleeve, exuding an air of superiority.

Given the Lu family’s influence, even the Xinhuo Guard wouldn’t interfere if they caused trouble in this small city. What could some “Brother Shen” possibly do?

Suddenly, the old man’s expression shifted sharply.

Without turning around, he extended a finger and flicked it behind him.

Crack!

A flying brick split cleanly in two mid-air.

The next moment, a golden glow accompanied by a thunderous roar surged toward him from behind!

The old man remained composed as he turned his finger into an open palm to block the attack.

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But his calm demeanor faltered as he felt his ghostly energy tremble under the force of the punch.

Xu Shen’s eyes gleamed with ferocity as he realized his full-strength punch hadn’t moved the old man an inch. Without hesitation, he reached for his waist and drew his black blade.

A flash of black light slashed toward the old man’s palm!

“Youth these days have such fiery tempers—”

The old man began to speak but abruptly changed his tone as blood spurted from his hand.

Pfft!

The blade had pierced an inch into his palm before he managed to pull back.

“You old bastard! Coming to my shop and messing with my people—daring to touch my wife? Do you think I’ll let you off easy?” Xu Shen sneered viciously as he pulled out his blade for another strike.

This time, the old man didn’t dare underestimate him. Shocked by how easily Xu Shen had injured him, he extended his hand and unleashed an invisible force that immobilized Xu Shen completely.

Xu Shen felt as though countless invisible threads had wrapped around him, binding him tightly. His body froze in place.

“You…” The old man stared at Xu Shen in disbelief, glancing at the wound on his palm. The fact that an Awakening Realm brat had managed to injure him was utterly surreal.

“Uncle Yong, are you hurt?” Lu Zhuling asked as she approached, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the old man’s injury.

“Let him go!” Wang Qingqing suddenly appeared in front of Xu Shen, her spear pointed at the old man. Her ghostly energy surged violently as her eyes began to turn blood-red…

“Wang Qingqing! Stand down!” Xu Shen roared.

His sharp tone made Wang Qingqing flinch. The violent aura around her dissipated as she turned to look at him.

“Go stand over there and behave!” Xu Shen ordered sternly.

Wang Qingqing bit her lip but complied after taking a deep breath. She cast one last glare at Lu Zhuling and the old man before stepping aside.

“So you’re from the Southwest Lu family?” Xu Shen asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Before Lu Zhuling or the old man could respond, golden blood energy erupted from Xu Shen’s body like a tidal wave. His fists clenched tightly as divine golden light surged around him!

The runes on his arms glowed brightly as thunderous sounds echoed from within him like crashing waves.

Crack!

Suddenly, blood began seeping from countless small cuts that appeared all over Xu Shen’s body—as if invisible threads had sliced into him. Despite this, he regained control of his movements.

Stretching his battered body with a sinister grin, he sneered at the old man. “Your tricks aren’t that impressive.”

Though his skin was healing slowly, Xu Shen’s bloodied appearance was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

The old man’s face twitched in disbelief. How could such a monster exist in this small city? Even if he had only used one percent of his rune’s power, it should’ve been enough to restrain any Awakening Realm cultivator!

After a moment of silence, the old man tossed a yellow pill into Xu Shen’s hand.

“What’s this?” Xu Shen asked suspiciously.

“A token of apology,” the old man replied stiffly. “This pill will help you recover quickly.”

Xu Shen sniffed it cautiously—it smelled fragrant and clean.

“If this is poison, I’ll have my connections deal with you,” Xu Shen warned before swallowing it in one gulp.

Warmth spread through his body almost instantly as his wounds began healing at a visible rate.

“It really works…” Xu Shen muttered regretfully as he glanced at the old man. “I was hoping to use my injuries to extort you.”

The old man and Lu Zhuling froze in disbelief. Did he just openly admit to wanting to extort them?

“How about this?” Xu Shen continued shamelessly. “My three brothers have been standing there for ages—their legs must be sore. Give each of them one of those pills.”

“And my wife—her arm’s scratched. Two pills for her isn’t too much to ask, right?”

“Also,” he added with a grin, “you interrupted my business today. A hundred thousand yuan should cover it.”

The crowd fell silent at Xu Shen’s audacity. Brother Shen was as bold as ever—pure gold!

Zhang Zhuangshi looked like he was about to cry. Brother Shen… please stop… That girl is clearly someone important from the Lu family!

“You… How can you say these things so naturally?” Lu Zhuling asked incredulously.

“Because I’m kind,” Xu Shen replied seriously. “I can’t stand seeing my brothers and wife suffer.”

The old man: …

With a sigh, he raised a hand to stop Lu Zhuling from arguing further. Tossing over a bottle of pills and a bank card, he said, “Fine. Take them all.”

“If you ever visit the Southwest, feel free to drop by.”

With that, he dragged an indignant Lu Zhuling away.

Xu Shen stood at the door in stunned silence. I was just joking—did they really give me everything?

He glanced at Wang Qingqing’s arm—it had only a minor scratch that would’ve healed on its own…

And what did they mean by inviting him to visit? Were they planning something?

No way I’m going! Xu Shen thought firmly.

As soon as the Lu family left, Yang Dian and the others regained their mobility and eagerly reached out for their pills. Having seen how effective they were on Xu Shen, they knew these were lifesaving treasures!

Xu Shen handed out one pill each to Yang Dian and Zhang Zhuangshi while giving the rest to Wang Qingqing.

—

Later that evening…

For the first time, Wang Qingqing watched as Xu Shen engraved runes for someone else. The process—and the strange noises involved—left her blushing furiously like a ripe tomato.

“By the way,” Xu Shen asked weakly as he lay back in his chair to recover his energy, “why did you come here today?”

“Our cultural studies are almost done,” Wang Qingqing replied. “But our foundations are still shaky, so we’re planning an expedition outside the city.”

“My dad already approved—but he said you have to lead us.”