Chapter 43: Flying Locust Stone

"Brother, you’re back~"

Chen Ping’an had just climbed over the courtyard wall when Chen Erya walked out of the house.

It was clear the little girl had been watching the courtyard.

"Nannan, still awake?" Chen Ping’an bent down to take off his shoes. "Grab me a pair of shoes."

"Ah, Brother, your..."

Chen Erya covered her mouth, her eyes now fixed on the bloodstains on Chen Ping’an’s shoes.

"Are you okay?"

Instead of getting the shoes, the little girl ran up and looked Chen Ping’an over carefully.

"I’m fine!" Chen Ping’an puffed out his chest. "Your brother is tough! You know how strong I am."

"Then the bloodstains are..." The little girl was still worried.

"Just a small incident, but it’s nothing. I already took care of it." Chen Ping’an patted Chen Erya’s head and said with a smile, "Go get the shoes."

"Okay." Chen Erya nodded and quickly brought a pair of shoes out from the room.

Chen Ping’an took the shoes, put them on, and then carried the bloodstained pair into the kitchen.

He tossed the shoes under the stove and skillfully struck a flint to light a fire. The small sparks under the stove slowly grew into flames.

"Go to sleep now, it’s late," Chen Ping’an said, turning to Chen Erya.

The little girl had been watching him the whole time. She was very curious about what had happened to her brother, but since he didn’t say anything, she didn’t ask.

"I’ll wait for you."

"You silly girl..." A doting smile appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face.

Not trying to hide anything from Chen Erya, he took out the black cloth bag and the dagger from his robes. Meeting Chen Erya’s questioning gaze, Chen Ping’an explained with a smile, "These are my spoils of war! Some idiot targeted me on the way back, and I took care of him easily."

A complex look flashed in Chen Erya’s eyes, but she just nodded lightly.

Chen Ping’an didn’t mention the details of what happened, and the little girl didn’t ask. This was the tacit understanding between the siblings.

Chen Ping’an opened the black cloth bag, revealing some broken silver and small coins inside. He took it out and counted it, finding a total of one and a half silver taels plus fifty-two small coins.

A hint of joy appeared in Chen Ping’an’s eyes.

It was nearly two months of his Monthly Allowance. With this sum of silver, he wouldn’t have to worry about affording meat for a while.

Next, his gaze fell upon the dagger.

The dagger was seven or eight inches long and shaped like a miniature sword. Chen Ping’an drew it from its sheath, revealing a cold glint. It was double-edged and sharpened. Though somewhat worn and battered by time, its gleam showed it was still sharp.

’An unexpected bonus!’

Chen Ping’an toyed with the dagger admiringly, unable to put it down. The more he looked at it, the more pleased he was.

Though its style was ordinary and it was a bit worn, the dagger was still sharp and practical. Having a weapon like this gave him an extra bit of confidence when he went out.

By now, the shoes under the stove had almost completely burned away. The flames gradually weakened until they went out.

Confirming that everything was taken care of, Chen Ping’an went into the courtyard, drew a basin of water, stripped off his clothes, and began to wash himself.

"Brother, let me help you." Chen Erya came over, volunteering eagerly.

Chen Ping’an didn’t want to discourage the little girl’s enthusiasm, so he agreed with a smile.

With Chen Erya’s help, Chen Ping’an quickly finished washing. The two of them went into the room together, got into their own beds, and went to sleep.

Clearly, the little girl was exhausted. With Chen Ping’an there beside her, she felt safe and secure. After just a few words, she fell into a deep sleep.

’That girl!’ Chen Ping’an smiled to himself.

The night was late, but he wasn’t sleepy. Although this wasn’t the first time he had killed someone, his heart was still not at peace.

The gruesome state of the man in the bamboo hat still flashed through his mind from time to time.

’That’s just how the world is. If your skills are inferior, you have no one to blame but yourself!’

Chen Ping’an let out a long sigh.

’If there were a choice, who wouldn’t want to live a peaceful and stable life in this world!?’

He didn’t have a choice.

’To live well, to live with dignity, you have to make sacrifices. Those are the rules of this world! No one can break them!’

Since he couldn’t sleep anyway, and having just acquired the Flying Locust Throwing Technique, Chen Ping’an decided to review and comprehend it once more.

’Having a Golden Finger is great.’ The Cultivation Technique had already been recorded, so if Chen Ping’an wanted to read it, he only needed to shift his gaze slightly for the entire text to appear before his eyes. He could even see it in his mind with his eyes closed.

’Saves a lot on lamp oil, I guess,’ Chen Ping’an thought with a self-deprecating smile.

The opening section was an introduction to the Flying Locust Stone.

The Flying Locust Stone is one of the most convenient and economical of hidden weapons. It can be found anywhere and picked up at will. There is no need to spend money to buy them, nor time to shape them. Their supply is endless and inexhaustible. You can pick them up and throw them with ease...

In the mountains and wilds, seek hard stones. Bluestone is best, granite is second, and yellow sandstone is the worst. The chosen stones should be long and slender, sharp at the top and thick at the bottom. As for their shape, they should slightly resemble a locust, hence the name Flying Locust Stone...

When traveling, carry them in a pouch worn at the waist. The pouch should be positioned according to the user’s throwing hand. Those who throw with their right hand should hang the pouch on their left hip...

Chen Ping’an read through it carefully, feeling a sense of admiration.

’The Flying Locust Throwing Technique may be common, but there’s a lot of knowledge within it. Once mastered, this Cultivation Technique has three uses. First, as a hidden weapon to catch an enemy off guard with a sudden attack. Second, to scout a path by throwing stones ahead or below to check for danger. Third, for misdirection, by throwing a stone a long distance to create a sound and draw people away to investigate.

The so-called Flying Locust Stone truly holds a Profound Mystery!’

The convenience of the Flying Locust Stone is as described above. As for its training method, it is not overly difficult and is broadly similar to throwing darts. However, it specifically uses a snapping or flicking motion of the wrist rather than a pushing force.

The setup of the target...

The throwing technique often employs an underhand grip. To hit a target straight on, first raise your hand upward, then flip your wrist downward and forcefully fling the stone forward. To hit a target from the side, if throwing with the right hand, you should stand sideways with your left shoulder facing the target. Before gripping the stone, flick your hand out to the right, then twist your wrist and forcefully throw to the left. These two methods are the core techniques of the Flying Locust Stone, and both use an underhand grip.

When using the Flying Locust Stone against an enemy, one should aim for the head and face, as these areas are generally unprotected. The eyes and nose are extremely fragile and easily injured. Alternatively, one should aim for the wrist and ankle bones. These two joints are particularly sensitive to pain. A strike to the wrist will cause the enemy to drop their weapon, while a strike to the ankle will make it difficult for them to walk...

As he continued to read, Chen Ping’an gradually grasped the training method for the Flying Locust Stone. Although he hadn’t started practicing yet, with this foundation, he would only need to try it a few times the next day to begin training properly.

’Good. I’ll start practicing with the Flying Locust Stone tomorrow!’

With the Flying Locust Stone’s training method clear in his mind, Chen Ping’an’s heart settled, and he gradually fell asleep.

...