The strong wind rustled the leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard. The whirlwind rolled up the leaves on the ground and chased each other. They ran around the ground and the walls and rolled rapidly.
Yang Xiong, who had just returned from the celebration at Ambitious Mountain Villa, stood in front of the window of the study, looking at the locust tree leaves in the yard, deep in thought.
Four years ago, in the murder case at Ambitious Mountain Villa, Alliance Master Ren, whose martial arts skills were unfathomable, was killed. The whereabouts of Young Master Ren Cong were unknown. The whereabouts of Hall Master Ganquan of the Punishment Hall, Hall Master Gai Ba of the Hall of Heroes, and Vice Hall Master Wu Yun of the Martial Dragon Hall were still unknown.
Liao Hui, Chen Jiu, and Wang Long of the Hall of Heroes were killed in an inn in the South Yue region. All kinds of rumors about the martial arts world replayed in Yang Xiong's mind. Could it really be a case without a head?
Did Alliance Master Ren, his wife, and his seven hundred brothers die just like that? Are we just going to wait like this?
No! As an old subordinate of Alliance Leader Ren…Alliance Master Ren is our master, and all of this was left behind by our master. He trusts us so much and has entrusted us with such a large foundation. We can't just ignore him. We have to take action and show our sincerity to our master.
The Edi branch was located in a courtyard house on the outskirts of Hankou. It had more than 200 brothers. The courtyard was surrounded by a green brick wall that was twenty feet high. There were large poplar trees growing along the wall.
Behind them was a dense forest and a mountain. On three sides were flat wheat fields. The golden ears of wheat stirred up layers of wheat waves with the spring breeze.
In front of the courtyard was a main road that led to the city. Pedestrians and vehicles were rushing to their respective targets.
Yang Xiong sat on a big wooden chair in the hall and took a sip of tea. He slowly raised his head and said to the leaders sitting on both sides,
"It has been five years since Alliance Master Ren was killed. All of our businesses now belong to Alliance Master Ren. In other words, we have been eating Alliance Master Ren's food and wearing Alliance Master Ren's clothes until now. Alliance Master Ren treated us well when he was alive. However, Alliance Master Ren has been murdered. What should we do? We should do our part. We can't just wait like this. We have to take the initiative to attack and find clues. Everyone voiced out their good opinions and finally formed a unified action plan to be implemented!”
Qin Zhi said,"
"The operation to find the murderer will be under Alliance Leader Wei's command. If we act on our own, will it cause a misunderstanding in the headquarters?”
"We will carry out the arrangements made by the headquarters resolutely, but if we don't make any arrangements, we will act within our own authority. Alliance Master Wei had emphasized many times that tracking down the murderer was also the current Alliance Master's top priority. We should contribute to the alliance leader and share his worries!”
Yang Xiong said righteously.
Deputy Leader Cui Yong Qing also said,
"Leader Yang is right.
1. Send someone to Emei to get in touch with Eldest Miss Ren Hui and ask for her opinion.
2. Contact the other branches in various places and inquire about the whereabouts of the missing people in their respective territories to obtain first-hand information about the bloody case.
Thirdly, the investigation of the missing people should be carried out in secret. The two Hall Masters, Gan Quan and Gai Ba, must have been chasing them everywhere, so it was inconvenient for them to show their faces.
According to the current situation, we should secretly set up a plan. It's hard to predict the human heart. What exactly happened? None of us know. Therefore, I believe that everyone is a suspect and we can't be careless.
4. Immediately track and investigate the traces of the missing people within our sphere of influence. Once they are discovered, the entire branch will protect them with all their might.”
The meeting went on until late at night. Yang Xiong basically agreed with Cui Yongqing's opinion. He said on the spot,
"Deputy Leader Cui Yong Qing will leave tomorrow and go to Sichuan, Shu, and Emei to get in touch with Eldest Miss. When he comes back, he will visit the Liu City and Guilin branches in South Yue. Private teacher Qin Zhi left Suzhou, Hangzhou and Hunan Changsha branch. Be careful on the way. Go and return quickly!"
Yang Xiong stood up and stretched his back after he was done with the arrangements. He let out a long sigh of relief and told everyone to disperse.
A bright moon hung high up in the sky. On the wide official road, a young man in his thirties, who was wearing a green scarf, tight-fitting mud-colored clothes, a big red leather belt around his waist, and a bright saber slung across his back, was riding a red horse toward Xianggui.
The willows on both sides were thrown behind him like lightning, and wherever they went, they would sweep up a wave of yellow dust and fly into the sky. He was Cui Yongqing, the deputy leader of the Wei Xiong Mountain Villa branch in the E region. He set off in a hurry before dawn.
More than a dozen burly men in tight black clothes were holding long swords and large knives. They were riding large horses about half a mile away from him, closely chasing after him.
"Damn it, I just left the house and someone followed me. This is really strange. Could it be that there's a mole in our branch?”
Cui Yong Qing cursed in his heart.
Cui Yongqing loved martial arts since he was a child. He was taught by a famous teacher. He was proficient in using a large saber. His Lightness Skill was extraordinary and his darts were good. He joined the branch of Ambitious Hero Villa in E area when he was in his twenties. He was sworn brothers with Branch Leader Yang Xiong.
He thought to himself,"
"Why don't I find a chance to cut off these hateful tails?”
He thought that he had come to a bend in front of him. He sped around the bend and hid in the dense forest beside him, tying his horse to a big tree. He leaped onto a willow tree beside the main road.
"Fine, fine…!"
The sound of horse hooves came closer and closer, and the horse team behind them had already reached the tree.
"Swoosh swoosh…!"
A string of black light dots flashed past like a bolt of lightning. The man in black riding on the horse in front exclaimed," Ah…!" He let out several miserable cries and fell off his horse, falling onto the road. The rest of the men in black stopped, holding their swords and sabers in their hands as they got into formation. He cursed and looked around.
"Sou! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
A few more darts came, and the three men in black fell off their horses.
Another man in black with a long sword extended his left hand and caught the dart flying towards him. He pointed at the willow tree and cursed,
"If you have the ability, then come down and see who is better. Why hide in the dark and do sneaky things? It's not worth it to lose your status and the morality of the pugilistic world!”
All of a sudden, a dazzling white light shot down from the sky like lightning. The two men in black were instantly beheaded. Their headless bodies were on horseback, and blood gushed into the night sky like a fountain. The hideous and terrifying head, which was badly mutilated, rolled around. The man in black who caught the dart waved his sword.”A crisp sound was heard as he blocked the ferocious saber.
"Looks like this guy's martial arts aren't bad!”
Cui Yong Qing thought.
Cui Yong Qing had just landed on the ground when he immediately leaped into the air and used Mountain Splitting Tiger.
A sharp whistling sound could be heard in the dark gray night. A silver light poured down from the sky and hacked at the black-clothed man holding the longsword.
The man in black did not dare to be negligent. He nimbly dodged to the side and fell to the ground, shooting towards the wheat field. In an instant, he turned around. The long sword spun into a silver light the size of a bucket, heading straight for Cui Yong Qing.
Cui Yong Qing, who had just landed, did not expect this guy to have such a fast move. It was already too late to dodge. Hurriedly brandishing his saber to block, only to hear a clang!”A golden sound rang out! When the saber collided with the long sword, the purlicue between his thumb and forefinger felt a sharp pain.
Even though he managed to block the fatal sword, the swift and fierce sword still left a five-inch deep gash on his left shoulder.
Cui Yong Qing was furious. With a wave of his hand, three darts flew towards the man in black in a triangular shape.
Good skills! The black-clothed man rushed to the left, but he was still hit in the waist.
The man in black leaped onto the horse's back and fled, disappearing into the gray moonlight.
Cui Yong Qing jumped into the dense forest, hastily bandaged his wound, untied the horse rope, jumped onto the horse's back, and galloped forward.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the earth was a vast expanse of greyish white. The lush green mountains were already vaguely visible. Cui Yong Qing had already entered the Xiang region. Seeing a small town ahead, he rushed over. He sat down in a small tavern at the head of the town and ordered a catty of kaoliang wine, a roasted chicken, and a catty of beef. He drank alone.
Three men with knives were sitting on a small platform diagonally opposite them. They looked like they had been eating and drinking here for a long time. Bones and peanut shells were thrown all over the table.
One of the men with pockmarks on his face seemed to be a little drunk. He shouted,
"This dog made me sleepless the whole night. I wonder if they've settled it? There's still no news!"
The other bearded man kicked him hard, pouted at Cui Yongqing's table, stood up, and walked to Cui Yongqing's side. He coughed dryly and said,"
"Brother, have you been traveling all night? Let's go over and have a drink. It seems that brother is from Ezhou and has just arrived here. How was your journey?”
"Thank you for your kindness. I'll drink it myself. Brother, I like to drink alone. It's more fun!”
Cui Yongqing said with a disdainful look.
Da Mazi and another man immediately walked over and shouted,
"Don't f * cking fail to appreciate my kindness!"
Suddenly, a palm struck Cui Yongqing's temple! Cui Yongqing waved his hand and pushed Da pockmarked's fist. He then pushed it toward the back of Da pockmarked's wrist. With a slight " crack " sound, his wrist joint was dislocated. It was so painful that the pockmarked man's head was facing forward and his waist was facing outwards, like a taut bow.
The two burly men were stunned. Clang!" With two quick sounds, he pulled out his pouncing saber and slashed at Cui Yongqing from left to right!
Cui Yongqing quickly lowered his body and dodged the two fierce blades. Immediately after, he leaped up and drew a semicircle with his saber. A white light flashed and disappeared. Two bloody and grotesque human heads flew to the table, knocked over the wine pot, and rolled to the ground. Two blood fountains shot up to the roof, and scarlet blood sprayed all over the room.
Big pockmarked saw that the situation was not good, he kicked his legs and fled. Cui Yongqing raised his hand and threw a dart to send him on the way.
Looks like I don't even have the time to eat. Forget it, he simply asked for a few catties of red kaoliang and filled a wine bag. He also asked for roast chicken, roast duck, and beef. He placed them in a basket and placed them on the horse's back. He had a banquet on horseback and began to eat and drink as he ran along the road.
" Haha!" This was the first time he had ever held such a banquet. It was really interesting. He ate and drank as he ran, humming a folk song as he walked.
Jeonju was a small town on the border of South Hunan and Vietnam. It was a very lively and prosperous place. Everything was sold in the market.
The orange-yellow and red-tinged sweet oranges were sweet and delicious, and the fragrance of stir-fried millet made people salivate. Chickens and ducks croaked, pigs and cows buzzed, mules cried and horses neighed. It was very lively. The braised carp with pickled vegetables and peppers in the snack shop made you sweat profusely. It was so spicy that you were unwilling to put down your chopsticks. Drinking a few taels of red kaoliang was domineering and exciting enough.
"Coming! Dear customer, your braised carp with pickled vegetables and peppers is guaranteed to be eaten by you.”
"Coming! Dear customer, your large intestine…!”
Shouts, laughter, and guessing. From afar, it sounded like a yellow beehive. The buzzing sounds were extremely lively.
Cui Yongqing came to a high-end " Lucky Inn ", asked for a room, and took a hot bath. Then, he asked the shopkeeper to bring the Four Treasures of the Study, wrote a note, put it in his pocket, picked up the big knife on the stage, and left the room.
He came to a small restaurant and sat down. The waiter came over to greet him warmly. Cui Yong Qing whispered a few words into the waiter's ear, took out a silver ingot, and put it into the waiter's pocket. The waiter ran out like a wisp of smoke.
Cui Yong Qing was drinking tea. About an hour later, the waiter brought a young man into the shop.
Cui Yong Qing stood up, placed some silver pieces on the table, and walked out of the shop. He brushed past the young man as if nothing had happened. He stuffed a piece of paper and a silver ingot of ten taels into the young man's hand and walked forward arrogantly.
Everything had happened so naturally and secretly that only the two of them knew what had happened. No one knew what had happened between them.
Cui Yong Qing returned to the inn and sat down at a table in the underground hall. He ordered a pound of dried pork, a plate of boneless spicy chicken shreds, a plate of pickled fish with pickled vegetables and peppers, a pound of braised beef, and a pot of stewed duck. He slowly drank alone.
He felt relaxed and happy, reveling in the wisdom of his decision.
Look at him slowly picking up the wine pot.”She poured the wine into the glass. He poured the wine to the brim, then casually brought it to his mouth. However, just as it was about to reach her mouth, she suddenly accelerated and swiftly poured the wine into her mouth. He seemed to be so relaxed and contented, as if no one was around.
Just like that, he ate and drank until he finished half a kilogram of dried white rice. Other than the pot of stewed duck and the head that was looking at him, the chicken, duck, and fish were all swept clean. He waved at the waiter, who ran over quickly.
"Excuse me, do you need anything else?”
The waiter asked enthusiastically.
"Give me another 500 grams of dried pork, a plate of spicy chicken shreds, a plate of pickled vegetables, and a 500 grams of braised beef. While you're at it, heat up this pot of soup!"
Cui Yong Qing said to the waiter.
"Alright! A catty of dried pork, a catty of beef, a plate of spicy chicken shreds, and pickled vegetables!”
The waiter sang loudly.
Cui Yongqing drank until the shop closed. He returned to his room with a hiccup and asked the shop owner for a blanket, mattress, pillow, and other bedding.
He closed the door, placed a double pillow on the bed, covered it with a blanket, and put down the mosquito net. Then, he placed another set of blankets under the bed, placed the blanket properly, and crawled under the bed. Only then did he sleep in peace.
After a good night's sleep, Cui Yongqing slept until the sun rose a few feet high before he slowly crawled out from under the bed. It was a quiet night.
Cui Yong Qing washed his face hastily and dressed properly. Then, he picked up his broadsword and casually strolled around the street.
There were more and more pedestrians on the streets. There were people from the countryside who came to the city to sell vegetables, people who brought mules and horses to do business, people from the city who went out to buy goods, and people who begged along the streets. The luxurious sedan chairs and hair poles of the wealthy merchants and dignitaries filled the long and narrow street.
At noon, Cui Yongqing went to a hotel and ordered a can of aged Nu 'er Hong, two roast chickens, two roast ducks, and three catties of braised beef. He packed a big bag and carried it out of the hotel door, heading to the suburbs. He was like a man who had just returned to the city and returned to the countryside with a full load.
He strolled to a temple at the foot of the mountain and followed a small mountain path into the mountains.
Soon, he came to a large rock on the side of the mountain and sat down. He put down the big bag of food and wine in his hand.
"Brother Cui, you're in a good mood to come here for sightseeing!”
Ouyang Jian, the Branch Leader of Guilin's Ambitious Mountain Villa, walked out from behind the boulder. He was carrying a large birdcage covered in cloth.
"Ah! Brother Ouyang, how are you? I should have paid you a visit, but unfortunately, there were too many flies. I was targeted the moment I went out. It was really inconvenient, so I could only use this method to make you work hard. Sorry, sorry!"
Cui Yong Qing cupped his fists.
The two of them chatted for a while before sitting down. Cui Yong Qing opened the big bag and took out the food and wine.
"This is the only way to treat Brother Ouyang in such a special environment.”
"You're welcome. We're all brothers from the same sect.”
Ouyang Jian said.
The two of them ate and drank as they talked about the situation in their respective places. Ouyang Jian said,
"I received your letter in the middle of the night last night, so I got on my horse and rushed here.”
Cui Yong Qing said,
"Under the orders of Branch Leader Yang, this little brother is preparing to go to Emei to visit Eldest Miss Ren Hui and see what her plans are and what instructions she has. Chapter Leader Yang told them to visit his brothers in Guilin and Liucheng so that they could reach a consensus and carry out the revenge plan together!”
Ouyang Jian drank a large mouthful of Nu 'er Hong, tore off a chicken drumstick, and handed it to Cui Yongqing.
"Brother Cui doesn't need to go to Emei anymore.”
"What?! You've already contacted the young miss?”
Cui Yongqing said excitedly.
"We've been in contact ever since Alliance Master Ren's accident, and we've been listening to Eldest Miss's orders.”
Ouyang Jian talked about how Li Siyuan and Chen Fan met Ren Hui after the election.
"Since then, Guilin and Liucheng have been in contact with the young miss and listen to her orders.
The young miss has instructed us to secretly contact reliable branches in various places. She wants everyone to remain silent and wait for an opportunity. Don't act rashly to avoid getting killed. If the opponent is powerful, don't hit the stone with an egg; To secretly develop their forces, they would have to evade the orders of the headquarters as much as they could. They could not openly oppose them. They would have to listen to the orders of the Eldest Miss.
She would investigate the culprit who had murdered Alliance Master Ren and the missing people, so the branch would not bother about them. The mission of the branch was to recruit heroes from all over the world to strengthen their own forces.
Young miss has already prepared a pair of carrier pigeons for the various branches. I have already brought the carrier pigeons from your land, Chang 'an, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Changsha, and Jinling. When you pass by Changsha, you can hand it over to each station. After receiving it, release one and inform the young miss.
" In addition, the Eldest Miss has already found clues regarding the whereabouts of Hall Master Gan, Hall Master Gai, and Vice Hall Master Wu Yun. She will inform everyone when the time comes.
This information was only known to the branch leaders and must be kept absolutely confidential. Ever since Alliance Master Ren was killed, a huge force has appeared in various places. They are secretly monitoring the movements of the various branches. Everyone must be especially careful and be on guard. If you discover a traitor, you must eliminate it in time!”
"No wonder I couldn't have peace along the way!”
Cui Yong Qing said.
"Eldest Miss also specially instructed us to pay close attention to the spies in the branch. We have to deal with them strategically. Don't let the other party feel that they are deliberately going against us.”
Ouyang Jian emphasized.
"Alright, it's getting late. Brother Cui, you can go first. Take care and greet Leader Yang and his brothers!”
Ouyang Jian stood up and cupped his fists.
"Good! You take care too! I'll go back immediately!"
Cui Yong Qing cupped his hands and disappeared into the forest with the birdcage.
Back at the inn, Cui Yongqing paid the bill, got on his horse, and ran towards the Changsha branch.
Cui Yong Qing arrived at the foot of a mountain. The terrain of the mountain was dangerous and there was a narrow area in front of him. The rock walls on both sides of the cave seemed to have been cut open by a knife. In the middle of the cave was an area that was less than twenty feet wide. There was a winding path in the middle, and one could not see the top when one looked up.
According to the information provided by Ouyang Jian and the attacks he had encountered on the way here, Cui Yong Qing did not dare to be careless. He slowed down and moved forward vigilantly.
The brambles and weeds on both sides of the path slowly moved back. Get…!" The sound was very slow. The sound of hooves was particularly loud at the foot of the mountain, as if they were stepping on one's heart, making one's heart ache.
Cui Yong Qing rode on the horse with a large sword in his hand and walked forward vigilantly. Suddenly, a large net rose up in front of them, blocking their way.
He suddenly turned around and looked behind him! "Oh no!" Not far behind them, a large net had also blocked them! The roads in front and behind had been sealed.
"Hah! Hah! Haha…! Let's see where you can run to."
A sinister laughter rang out in the valley. The voice was so arrogant and sinister that it gave people goosebumps.
Cui Yongqing's feet leaped into the air, and he had already reached a slightly sunken pit on the opposite rock wall. The saber in his hand was an inch deep into the rock, sticking to the rock wall.
Suddenly, a green light flashed, and a sharp sword came slashing at him. Cui Yong Qing quickly pulled out his large saber and leaped up lightly, waving his saber to block.
There was a loud clang and sparks flew everywhere. His shiny broadsword sparkled. This was a genuine treasured saber, forged from high-quality pure steel. It actually blocked this swift and violent sword.
Right at this moment, silver light flashed from his left and right, and the two swords from both sides attacked at the same time. It turned out that the mountaintop was already filled with people.
Cui Yong Qing snorted and shouted,"
"How shameless, winning with numbers? What kind of fucking hero is sneaking around?”
His body grew longer, and the treasured saber in his hand curled up into streaks of silver light. Each move was aimed at the vital points of the opponent, and he still had the upper hand in a one-on-two fight. He shouted,
"Go to hell!"
" Ah!" A middle-aged man was stabbed in the neck. With a miserable scream, he fell heavily into the grass below with a muffled sound.
At this moment, another sword-wielding man in a long robe shot out of the net with a whoosh. Cui Yong Qing followed suit. However, he was a step too late. A huge net fell from the sky! With a whoosh, he was trapped in the net.
"Hah! Hah! Haha! I told you you wouldn't be able to escape!"
A few men in black with long swords descended from the sky, pointing their swords at the net and surrounding Cui Yong Qing. Just as he was about to pull in the net.
"Caw! Caw! Kaka…! What was this for? A large group of people bullying the few with numbers. This was very unfair!”
A strange voice laughed loudly in the valley. This voice was like a ghost that gave people goosebumps all over their bodies. It was so sharp that it made one's heart ache.
Everyone was shocked! He looked around, but he couldn't see anyone. The man in the long robe shouted,
"What kind of demon is showing off here? This has nothing to do with you, so you should mind your own business. Brothers, reel in the net!"
Just as the few of them were about to make a move, a ball of white shadow with a dazzling multicolored light suddenly flashed and arrived. The group of people panicked and shot in all directions. A strong gust of wind rolled across the field, and countless black shadows were carried by the dust and grass as they soared several feet into the air. The narrow valley was covered in fog and nothing could be seen. Suddenly, the front and back ends of the net burst into flames. The net that had been raised caught on fire.
"Caw! Caw! Kaka…!"
The strange, high-pitched laughter gradually faded away.
Cui Yong Qing took the opportunity to escape from the net.
The smoke slowly dispersed, and the scene slowly appeared. None of the clothes on the men in black were intact. Their towels were hanging on their bodies. Their sorry appearance made people not know whether to laugh or cry. The few of them looked at each other and stood there dumbfounded.
The black-robed man shivered and suddenly woke up! He shouted,
"Hurry up and attack!"
Cui Yong Qing stood there like an iron tower with a large knife in his hand, coldly looking at the men in black. He didn't move. He didn't move at all. He just stood there quietly.
"Ah! Who saved me?"
His heart was beating fast, but he did not run.
Why didn't he take the opportunity to escape? He didn't want to do that. He wanted to destroy them as much as possible. He hated these accomplices who murdered Alliance Master Ren. At the same time, he wanted to know who they were and who ordered them to do so.
Suddenly! The stars shone brightly and covered Cui Yong Qing from this small place. A white light flashed and a shadow rose into the sky. A huge halo appeared in mid-air. The halo spun faster and faster, and it suddenly poured down to envelop the men in black.
The black-robed man shouted,"
"Not good!" He shot out with everyone else.
Cui Yongqing shouted,"
"Go to hell!"
Along with the roar, a silver light suddenly shot out.
He only heard "Ah!" Ah!" Two screams! The two men in black fell to the ground, their heads rolling into the bushes. The cherry red blood dyed the weeds red. The unpleasant smell of blood drifted with the wind, making people nauseous.
The remaining men in black suddenly became timid. They brandished their sharp swords like snowflakes, protecting their front and not attacking. He was unwilling to give up and leave.
The black-robed man brandished his sword to protect himself as he slowly approached Cui Yong Qing. As he approached, his left hand suddenly waved! Two star dots suddenly flew out and attacked Cui Yong Qing's eyes. This move was extremely fast, Cui Yong Qing hurriedly dodged it, and the two darts shot into the stone wall.
Cui Yong Qing was instantly enraged, his feet stomped on the cliff and he quickly turned back. Light flashed in the sky, and with a long whistle, it covered the black-robed man like lightning. This swift and violent move scared the faces of the few men in black, and they ran away with a whoosh.
The long-robed man also revealed a slightly surprised expression and hurriedly brandished his sword to block. Taking advantage of the momentum, he shot backward. The smart him did not forget to dodge diagonally. A large piece of flesh was cut off from his left shoulder, and blood soaked his sleeve.
"Hah! Hah! Haha! How does it taste?"
Cui Yong Qing laughed.
This guy was a great expert. He saw the extraordinary elegance of Cui Yong Qing's saber. However, with the strength of the few of them, they still had a chance of winning. He understood in his heart that the main reason was that they were not united and were frightened by the other party's aura. Hence, he shouted loudly,
"Brothers! There's nothing to be afraid of. As long as we work together, we'll definitely be able to take this guy down!”
When the men in black heard this, they seemed to suddenly change their positions. They all stared at Cui Yong Qing with wide eyes, brandishing their swords and setting up a formation.
Cui Yong Qing held his saber in front of his chest and shouted,
"You've made a mistake today. If you want to take me down, you have to ask my saber first. If you know what's good for you, tell me the truth. I have no grudges with you, so why do you want to assassinate me? Who ordered you to do it? If you say it, I'll let you all live!"
The black-robed man said in a deep voice,
"We're taking money from others to eliminate disasters for others. We can't tell that you're an expert, so we don't want to make things too difficult for you. You just have to tell us the truth. What are you doing here? Did you see the person you wanted to see? We can let you go."
Cui Yongqing said sternly,"
"It seems that everyone is determined to test their strength against me? That's good. I don't want you to live either. Then come at me!”
The black-robed man couldn't hold it in any longer. With a loud shout, he rushed forward with his sword, and a few men in black followed suit. The silver light flashed and struck Cui Yongqing like lightning. The wind was strong and the sword was heavy.
Cui Yong Qing took a step back, his shoulder slightly collapsed, the sharp blade in his hand turned upwards with a ghastly white light, drawing a large arc.
"Ding! Ding! Clang! Clang! A golden sound rang out, and sparks flew in all directions.
The golden sound rang out, and the swords closed together. However, the man in black missed. The few of them were stunned.
"Where is he?"
"Ah! Ah…!"
The few men in black were stunned for a moment before they let out a few miserable cries. One by one, their bodies and heads were separated. He fell to the ground with a bang. The black-robed man reacted quickly and soared into the sky with a whoosh! With a flick of his wrist, he turned his sword and drew an arc. The Heart Piercing Sword immediately turned into Army Obliteration, slashing at Cui Yongqing. He was indeed very familiar with this fast changing sword technique.
Who knew that this Cui Yong Qing's skills were indeed amazing, extremely agile. He didn't even allow the man in black to use his move. He turned his body and shot into the air." Mountain Splitting Tiger ", he quickly hacked down with his saber! The black-robed man hurriedly leaned back and jumped backward, barely avoiding this move, but his expression had already changed.
After a few rounds, the black-robed man couldn't help but frown. He could tell that although the young man's saber technique was just a routine commonly seen in the martial arts world, his movement and method were very brilliant. The timing and position were also just right. It seemed that this young man had practiced this saber for many years and had a deep understanding of it. It was definitely not something he could resist.
He was frowning in secret, but he was frustrated and his anger grew. With a fierce roar, he actually flew up and pounced again. Shua, shua, he slashed twice in a row.
Cui Yong Qing was a bit arrogant because he had the upper hand in a few moves. He didn't dare to be slow. His two big eyes stared at the tip of the long robed black clothed man's sword, moving up and down with his sword tip.
When the two fierce swords of the man in black came slashing at him, he twisted his body and shot out of the circle, easily dodging them. The large saber in his hand followed his body, and the silver light glided rapidly. His body moved with the saber, and the saber moved with him, making his saber technique flawless.
"Hehe, this little brat really has some skills. It seems impossible for me to take him down. I might not even be able to protect my life. Looks like I have to find a way to escape!"
Thus, he had many misgivings in his heart. He turned his gaze and looked at the cliff wall. He saw a bump. He roared loudly! With a flip of his left hand, he shot out a row of dark darts and suddenly jumped up.
"Not good! This guy wanted to run! How could I let him escape? If he really runs away, it will be very disadvantageous for us!”
Cui Yong Qing thought to himself. Then, he straightened his body and shouted,
"You've made the wrong calculations. You can't leave today. Leave your head here!”
The black-robed man was shocked. In an instant, he felt a cold light fill the sky. He had already sealed his path and was unable to escape.
Cui Yong Qing brandished his broadsword and forced his opponent to the point where he had no strength to fight back. Although he was expressionless, he couldn't help but feel happy. He had trained hard for many years and had never met such a strong opponent like today. Now, he could see that his martial arts were not weak. This arrogant man in black was about to die under his big knife. Seeing that his opponent was gradually losing his strength, Cui Yong Qing was about to succeed.
"Hehehehe…Good boy, stop!”
However, at this critical moment, a sinister and strange laughter suddenly sounded. This laughter gave people goosebumps.
Cui Yong Qing's heart couldn't help but tremble. A black shadow immediately floated down. Looking at the formation of that person, his skills were extremely extraordinary!
However, when he saw the situation in front of him, he could not help but feel a little confused. A dwarf with a big head and short limbs appeared in the grass in front of him. At this moment, he was staggering around, looking so funny that it made people not know whether to laugh or cry. When the black-robed man saw that a helper had arrived, he was instantly energized. His sword path instantly changed, and starlight and silver light instantly filled the sky, heading straight for Cui Yong Qing.
Cui Yong Qing knew that if the two of them joined forces, he would not be a match for them and was anxious.
"Caw! Caw! Kaka…! What is this pig head doing here! Are you tired of living and here to court death?”
The voice from before rang out again. Cui Yong Qing also immediately became energetic, ignoring the dwarf and focusing on dealing with the long robed black clothed man. At this moment, silver light flashed in the narrow ravine, and the wind howled rapidly.”The sound of swords and sabers clashing rang out continuously, and thousands of flames flew everywhere. The black-robed man, who had just been energized, could not take it anymore. Gradually, his strength was lacking, and his limbs began to lose control. He was so scared that his legs began to tremble. There were more and more wounds on his body, and his clothes were in tatters. There was not a single spot that was intact. Even the shoes on his feet were cut open. His movements were slow and the shape was a little wretched.
However, he couldn't care about that anymore. His life was more important. Therefore, he shouted anxiously,
"Friend, when are you going to do it?”
The dwarf knew that the black-robed man was in danger and instantly jumped up. His movements were as fast as lightning, but no matter how fast he was, he could not escape the strange fate of death. With a loud " poof ", a large head with its teeth bared shot into the air along with the fountain of blood. Then, it landed on the ground with a " bang " and rolled into the grass. The short body fell to the hard stone ground with a bang and no longer moved.
"Thank you for your help, hero!"
Cui Yong Qing shouted.
At this moment, there were only the two of them in the valley.
The black-robed man was someone who had been in the martial world for a long time. He frowned and said,
"Sigh! It seems that I was wrong today. I didn't expect that I would be buried in the hands of a young boy. This was fate! How sad!"
Of course, no one would surrender without a fight. Especially in such a life and death situation, he would hold back. Sometimes, they would even stimulate unimaginable strength to defeat their opponents and escape death.
The black-robed man was like this. Now that he had no backup and no hope, he was much calmer.
His footsteps suddenly slowed down, as though he was drunk but not drunk. His body was like a slippery loach as he shuttled back and forth in circles with Cui Yong Qing.
"Hah! Hah! Haha! Don't be happy too early, young man!"
Following this laughter, the two people who were fighting slowed down. That Cui Yong Qing also seemed to be drunk and started playing with the Drunken Saber. The scene of the Drunken Saber versus the Drunken Sword had a different scene. The two streams of starlight followed the figures that were moving in a single file. They were like fireflies that were flying in the night, extremely beautiful.
Slowly, the starlight moved faster and faster, and the figure had long disappeared. The sky was filled with rolling starlight, strong winds, and yellow dust.
The black-robed man was gradually losing his strength. He was so tired that he was gasping for breath. His eyes seemed to have fallen out and were wide open. His right hand fell to the ground with a clang. The cold blade was pressed against his neck. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the last feeling that flashed by. However, this feeling did not come. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a pair of eyes staring at him. He opened his mouth and begged expressionlessly,
"Come on, give me a quick one!"
Cui Yongqing said lightly,"
"You don't have to die, but that depends on what you do!”
The black-robed man said,
"You know I won't tell you. What are you waiting for?”
"Even if you lose your head?"
Cui Yong Qing asked.
"This is the basic knowledge of people in the underworld!”
After the black-robed man finished speaking, he suddenly tilted his head! The cherry red blood shot out like an arrow and fell to the ground with a bang, ending his short life.
Cui Yong Qing looked at the black-robed man on the ground, shook his head and sighed,"
"Sigh! Why do you have to do this!"
Cui Yong Qing raised his head and looked around. He saw an old woman with a big sunflower on her chest waving at him. He said loudly,
"Thank you for your help, Senior. I will definitely repay your kindness in the future!”
The old woman laughed and said,"
"It's our duty to help when we see injustice. Little brother, don't take it to heart. Caw! Caw! Kaka…!"
The laughter was already far away. Cui Yong Qing stood there blankly for a long time before putting away his broadsword. He mounted his horse and galloped forward.
After a while, he ran for a hundred miles and came to a forest. He felt hungry and stopped. He sat down on a rock by a small river and took out the braised beef and roasted duck he had prepared in his backpack. He also took down the wine pot beside him and began to eat and drink to his heart's content.
The clear river water trickled down, making tinkling sounds. The air here was especially fresh, making people feel very comfortable. Cui Yongqing ate and drank to his heart's content.
The sun had already set, and the multicolored clouds were spreading in the west. It was almost dusk, and the sound of hooves came from outside the forest. Cui Yong Qing's expression changed and he cursed in his heart,"
"Damn it, you're really disappointing. You've ruined my mood! I don't have time for you guys. It's best to leave!”
He hung the jug of wine on his body and jumped onto the horse's back. He was about to gallop away.
"Hah! Hah! Haha! Want to leave? It can't be that easy!"
A dignified middle-aged man in green appeared on the main road not far away with a sword in his hand, blocking the way forward.
Cui Yongqing narrowed his eyes and laughed. He pointed at the middle-aged man and said,
"Aiya, you're a man with a dignified appearance, but why don't you sound human at all when you talk? It was as if someone was raising a naughty child who had no one to teach him. Come, come, come, quickly kneel down and kowtow three times. Let me teach you some books of sages and teach you some principles of life. Do you know what the famous saying, a good dog doesn't block the way, means?”
The middle-aged man was so angry that he let out a strange cry. He bent down and instantly rose more than ten feet into the air. A gust of wind swept up as the dazzling silver light shot over like a meteor. Cui Yong Qing's face changed color as he retreated to dodge. Occasionally, he would parry aggressively and counterattack.
In their exchange, Cui Yong Qing knew that the middle-aged man's internal strength was not as deep as his. He had only had the chance to deal with him by relying on the profundity of his sword moves. If they continued to fight like this, they would probably lose the initiative and might not be able to win for a long time. When he saw the middle-aged man leaping over, he also leaped up and met the incoming momentum. In mid-air, he closed the door, and the treasured saber danced to form a wall of light, fiercely sealing the middle-aged man's sword.
The middle-aged man exclaimed,
"Ah! What a strange move, attacking without dodging! Amazing!"
The two of them pounced at each other with lightning speed. With a clang of metal, their swords and sabers had already collided. Under the sparks of the swords and sabers, the two of them separated and fell to the ground.
The middle-aged man only felt half of his body go numb, and his thumb and forefinger were in so much pain that it felt like it was about to split open. The sword almost slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. He followed him for a few steps before he could stand firm.
Cui Yongqing took advantage of the situation to launch a fierce attack. Every move of his treasured saber was fatal. It rolled up halos and swept towards the middle-aged man's upper, middle, and lower body.
However, the middle-aged man relied on his nimble movement technique and exquisite sword moves. Cui Yong Qing's swift attack caused him to panic and retreat several feet, but he was not injured.
The two of them fought fiercely, and the middle-aged man had already retreated to the forest near the cliff. Just then, Cui Yongqing's " Prisoner's Waist Slash " was aimed at the middle-aged man's waist. The middle-aged man's body was nimble. In a flash, he appeared behind the forest. Cui Yongqing used too much strength and could not stop. Wherever the blade light passed, a few big trees in front of him were cut down. Broken branches and leaves flew everywhere. The power was amazing.
The two of them had unique fighting styles. One relied on his nimble movements and exquisite sword moves; One relied on his strong internal strength and broad saber techniques to turn the surrounding trees into a mess. Wherever he went, the trees fell and the forest collapsed. Wherever the sword passed, flames and flowers flew. The trees and flowers in the forest were in a mess in the blink of an eye.
In the blink of an eye, the two of them had already attacked each other for more than a hundred moves, but it was still difficult to determine the victor. It really made people nod in admiration. It was a rare fierce battle in their lives.
The two of them continued to fight crazily. The middle-aged man's internal strength was not as deep as Cui Yongqing's, and beads of sweat were already flowing down his forehead.
Cui Yongqing's saber light had already surrounded the middle-aged man's figure. The middle-aged man could only see the dense saber light around him. The pressure was getting greater and greater. He couldn't help but feel anxious. He knew that if he continued to fight like this, he would definitely die in the hands of his opponent. This was a life-and-death battle. If he couldn't kill Cui Yongqing, he wouldn't be able to hand over his job. It was not a small matter. He might even lose his life in the hands of this brat.
He couldn't help but think of a plan. Before he made his move, he reached into his dart bag and took out a "dark dart". He was about to make his move. Suddenly, Cui Yong Qing shouted,"
"Go to hell!"
His body moved, and in a flash, he rose more than ten feet into the air. With a dazzling flash of light, the "Mountain Splitting Tiger" came crashing down towards the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man who was about to shoot the dark dart did not expect his opponent to have such a superb method. Before he could react, he was split into two halves. Blood, feces, and urine splattered all over the ground, and he fell to the ground with a bang. The foul smell drifted with the wind, making people feel nauseous.
In order to get rid of the opponent as soon as possible and leave before the cavalry behind arrived, Cui Yongqing used paralysis tactics and quick battle tactics. First, he pretended to be defeated, then suddenly changed his moves and succeeded.
Cui Yong Qing jumped onto the horse's back and whipped the horse's butt. The horse's pain was like a sharp arrow, and it galloped forward, kicking up a cloud of dust along the way, like a flying dragon hanging in the air.
The night was dark and the stars were scattered. The cool breeze made people feel comfortable. Cui Yong Qing sped along the main road, the shade of the trees on the roadside flashing past.
Around five o'clock, Cui Yongqing had arrived at Changsha City.
The headquarters of the Changsha branch was located in an extraordinary manor in the west of the city. The courtyard walls around the manor were two feet and five inches tall and two feet and five inches thick. They were all made of stone and white mud.
On the tall gate tower, the words "Ambitious Villa Changsha Branch" were especially eye-catching and eye-catching. The two giant doors were made of four-inch thick teak wood, painted with bright red paint, and evenly distributed with small bowls and large copper sockets, shining brightly under the moonlight.
There was an empty training field in the courtyard, and the main room was the spacious hall where the Branch Leader held meetings. There were ten large black wooden chairs on both sides of the hall, and in front of each large wooden chair was a small long table for people to place tea and cakes. There was a large altar under the middle wall, and on the altar were the memorial tablets of Alliance Master Ren Xiaotian and Madam Lin Xiaoru. Two large candles as thick as arms stood on both sides. The candlelight shone brightly. Every time the leaders came to a meeting, they would offer incense to the memorial tablets of Alliance Master Ren and his wife. In front of the altar was a large wooden chair for the branch leader. In front of the wooden chair was a large long table for the branch leader to place teacups and documents during meetings.
At dawn, Cui Yongqing came to the gate and handed over his name card. The guard ran to report to the branch leader.
Zhao Gu, dressed in a long robe, hurried out of the door.
"Brother Cui, it's so early. What brings you here? Please come in and let's talk inside!”
Zhao Gu cupped his hands as he led Cui Yong Qing into his study. A guard poured tea for the two and left.
Zhao Gu knew that Cui Yong Qing had rushed over early in the morning, so he must have something important to discuss. After handing Cui Yong Qing Longjing tea with both hands, he ordered the guards to prepare breakfast in the study and have breakfast with Cui Yong Qing.
Cui Yong Qing sat down and explained to Zhao Gu in detail the Young Miss 'instructions and what happened along the way. Zhao Gu was excited when he heard the news. At the same time, they also felt that a powerful force was watching their every move.
"We are worried about this matter. In recent years, Changsha has not been peaceful. The people we sent out to find out about Pavilion Master Gan and the others have all gone missing.
Due to the complexity of the situation, they were afraid of bringing unnecessary trouble to the Eldest Miss, so they did not dare to send anyone to Emei. We can only sit back and wait for the opportunity.
We won't let Alliance Master Ren and his wife die in vain. We must find the real culprit and kill the enemy to avenge Alliance Master Ren and his wife and our brothers who died.
We have more than 300 brothers and more than 20 experts. We also became sworn brothers with the three heroes of the Black Tiger Cliff nearby. If there's anything, we'll help each other. The three heroes of the Black Tiger Cliff respect Alliance Master Ren very much. After hearing that Alliance Master Ren was killed, he came to discuss with me many times. Once the murderer is found, the 500 brothers of Black Tiger Cliff are willing to be at my disposal at any time!”
Zhao Gu excitedly explained the situation in Changsha to Cui Yong Qing.
Cui Yongqing slapped his thigh happily and said,"
"Very good, there's hope for us to avenge the Alliance Master! I was in danger on the road. It was all thanks to the help of an old woman with a sunflower on her chest. Otherwise, my life would have been miserable. I wouldn't have been able to see everyone and complete the mission given by the young miss!”
"Ah! Granny Sunflower! This is a person who has been circulating in the martial arts world recently. It's even better to have her support. Have you connected with her?”
Zhao Gu looked at Cui Yong Qing with a hopeful gaze and asked.
Cui Yongqing replied regretfully,"
"No! She only said one sentence before disappearing with a laugh!”
Zhao Gu ordered the guards to bring food and wine. The two of them celebrated in the study room, but it was not appropriate to publicize it because of the situation.
The two chatted until noon, Cui Yong Qing took out two carrier pigeons and placed them in a small cage, handing the rest of the carrier pigeons to Zhao Gu to continue sending to the various branches, preparing to leave and return to E.
Before leaving, Cui Yong Qing suddenly remembered something and asked,"
"Brother Zhao, did my advisor Qin Zhi come?”
"I've never been here!"
Zhao Gu replied.
"I set off with Qin Zhi. Leader Yang instructed Grand Master Qin Zhi to contact the branches in Changsha, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Chang 'an to reach a consensus. His first stop should have been Changsha. Why hadn't he arrived after walking for so long? Could something have happened?
Sigh! "I don't care about him. It's fine as long as Leader Zhao knows. If he comes, don't tell him that I've been to Changsha. I'll take my leave now. See you again."”
Cui Yong Qing cupped his fists towards Zhao Gu.
Zhao Gu sent Cui Yong Qing to the door, the two cupped their hands and said goodbye.
Cui Yongqing left Changsha and rode back on his date red horse with a calm mood. He had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. He recalled that he had been watched as soon as he went out. There were people chasing him along the way, as if someone knew the purpose and direction of his trip.
The word "traitor" had appeared in his mind many times. Who was it? Who would know the purpose and direction of my departure? Only the leaders present.
Why didn't Qin Zhi come to Changsha? Are you the same as me, being hunted down the moment you step out? Did something happen to him? As he thought about it, he suddenly whipped the horse's butt. The horse felt pain and its four feet jumped up, flying forward like a sharp arrow. There were so many things on his mind, but he was still worried. He didn't dare to stay any longer and rushed forward without stopping.
The door of the branch was already in front of Cui Yong Qing, he was stunned by the scene in front of him. Black gauze hung on both sides of the main gate of the courtyard. A white flower bigger than a bamboo basket hung in the middle of the gate. A few strings of loose and thick paper money were erected high in the courtyard wall, swaying in the wind. The sound of the gong of the Taoist temple could be heard faintly one after another. The sad music of the suona was chilling.
Cui Yongqing's brain exploded. Oh no! Something big had happened! He kicked his legs and whipped the horse. The date red horse jumped up and brought Cui Yongqing into the compound of the branch.
He got off his horse and saw Leader Yang's memorial tablet placed on a shrine in the hall. In front of the shrine was a body covered with a white cloth.
Cui Yong Qing pounced on Yang Xiong like a madman, shaking his body and shouting,
"Big brother! What's wrong with you? I just left for a few days, and you're leaving me like this! Which bastard did this? I'll chop you into eighteen pieces, dig out your heart, cut off your head, and sacrifice it to my brother's spirit. Just you wait! Ohoho…!"
Cui Yong Qing was heartbroken and cried bitterly.
At this moment, the housekeeper Qu Sifu came over to help Cui Yongqing up. He went to the study and told him what had happened,
Three days ago, at around midnight, a few men in black who were highly skilled in martial arts jumped into the courtyard from the backyard wall with swords in their hands. They killed the guards who were patrolling the night and rushed into Leader Yang's bedroom. When the guards heard the sound of fighting, they hurriedly gave the signal and rushed in. The two guards were killed by a single sword strike. When the crowd surrounded them, Branch Leader Yang was already lying on the floor of the bedroom. He had been stabbed in the chest and was dead. The man in black was nowhere to be seen.
Cui Yong Qing instructed the housekeeper Qu Si Fu to call all the leaders to the pavilion in the backyard for a meeting. Then, he briefly wrote down the circumstances of Leader Yang's death, put it into a small bamboo tube, and released a messenger pigeon.
Cui Yong Qing came to the large pavilion in the backyard. More than twenty leaders had already arrived. Cui Yong Qing swept a glance at everyone and said with grief and indignation,
"Leader Yang's unfortunate death has caused everyone to feel very sad. Let us all remember how Leader Yang died. I hope everyone can bury their hatred in their hearts. Chapter Leader Yang asked me to go out on a mission, but I was hunted down the moment I left. The journey wasn't smooth, so I had no choice but to turn back. I didn't expect Leader Yang to meet with such an accident. I think Leader Yang will understand me. Will forgive me for returning halfway before completing my mission. Let me emphasize it again. From now on, no one is allowed to act without my orders. Do you understand?”
"I heard you clearly!"
Everyone replied in unison.
It was late at night, and everything was dark. Cui Yong Qing lay on the bed and couldn't fall asleep. He and Leader Yang had been working together for so many years. They had always been protected and cared for by Leader Yang. Leader Yang treated him like his little brother, always afraid that he would get hurt…The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, and the more he could not control his emotions.
"I can't let the murderer have his way!”
He blew out the oil lamp, put on his night clothes, took down the longsword that he never used on the wall (he was used to using a large sword), gently pushed open the rear window door, leaped out lightly, and disappeared into the night.
In the city, the Black Tiger Casino was brightly lit. Beautifully dressed prostitutes were all over the place to attract business. Gamblers were staring at the dealer's hand, waiting for the result. Everywhere was filled with "Sigh..." Sigh…" There were sighs and wild shouts of winning money. The guards in black kept wandering around to maintain order. Suddenly, a black shadow flashed, and a few guards in black fell to the ground with their heads separated. Their dirty blood sprayed all over the gamblers around them, and the smell of blood filled the air, making it difficult for them to breathe. The gamblers were stunned for a moment before they scattered. Several experts and the boss from the back hall rushed out after hearing the news. The people in the hall had all run away, leaving more than a dozen corpses lying on the ground in a mess.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]