Xu Zhutao traveled dozens of miles as fast as lightning. At this time, the sky was completely dark. He could only rely on the faint starlight to identify the road. Suddenly, he saw a group of people riding horses in front of him, heading west to Macheng. He quickly chased after them. When he got closer, he saw that it was Yu Luosha and the others.
"I'm back!" Xu Zhutao shouted."We're not short of people, are we?"”As he spoke, he went to count the number of mounts in front of him.
"Not a single one is missing," Ma Junxiong replied.
"Big Brother Xu, are you hurt?" Ding Feng asked anxiously.”
Xu Zhutao said," I'm fine. It's a little inconvenient to travel in the dark. Why don't we find a nearby county to stay and rest? What do you think?"”
" The nearest county is Xishui," Gai Wenying said." Xishui is close to Jiujiang. Why don't we go a little further? We'll go to Luotian before we drop by."”
"That's all, Brother Gai. Please go ahead if you know the way," said Jade Raksha.”
It was not until dawn that they arrived at Luotian County. They led their horses into the city, but there were still no pedestrians. The morning fog shrouded the houses, and a sparse light shone through the fog. They walked towards the light and found that it was an inn. The waiter was sleeping at the table. When he heard the sound of horse hooves, he rubbed his eyes and walked out of the inn. When he saw more than ten Jianghu people, he wondered why someone would check in so early.
"There's no need for you to lead the horses," Xu Zhutao said."Second Brother, you can just lead us to the stable."”
After tying up the horse in the stable, he instructed the waiter to arrange food. Everyone hurriedly ate something and asked the shopkeeper for a few guest rooms to rest.
Xu Zhutao thought of the absurdity of the battle between the Greenwood Alliance and the black-robed knights. He also thought of the fact that he was running out of money. He couldn't sleep for a while. He thought that it was really a big loss to meddle in other people's business this time. Not only would he not get any benefits, but he might also become enemies with the black-robed knights. It was really not worth it. Only when he heard the rooster crowing did he fall asleep in a daze. He had only slept for less than four hours when Ding Feng came knocking on the door at Si Shi.
Xu Zhutao hurriedly washed up and walked to the lobby downstairs. Seeing that the dishes and wine had been ordered, they put a few tables together into a big square table and sat down.
"Young Master Xu, come and eat first. You won't be able to sleep well under such circumstances."”
"Are there any escort agencies nearby?" Xu Zhutao asked.”
Everyone felt strange. They didn't know why the first thing the white-robed young master asked about was the Bodyguard Agency. Only Jade Raksha was meticulous and guessed that this kid was probably running out of money. Unfortunately, no one could answer this question. Everyone just looked at him as if they were looking at a monster.
Jade Luosha shook her head helplessly.
"Big Brother Xu, are you possessed in your sleep?" Ding Feng asked.”
Xu Zhutao scratched his head and slowly sat down."Yes, you love to wake people up! By the way, good Feng 'er, good Ling' er, how long has it been since the two of you last came home?”
Ding Ling said shyly,"You…You…What are you shouting for?!"”
"Miss Shangguan hasn't been away for long, but don't you two miss home?" Xu Zhutao asked.”
Ding Feng frowned and said,"Okay!" Big Brother Xu, are you chasing us sisters away?”
" Eat it," Jade Raksha said." It's not safe for you to let these two girls go home now. Perhaps we've already been targeted."”
"Yes, Young Master Xu," Gai Wenying said,"Have you figured out the origins of the mysterious men in black last night?"”
Xu Zhutao said," Those men in black, I don't know their origins. Their martial arts moves are very strange and unpredictable. I almost couldn't resist them. Fortunately, I ran fast."”
"Even Young Master found it hard to resist!" Ma Junwei said. Their martial arts are actually that high?"
"Fortunately, we're just here to watch the show. Those people's target seems to be the Northern Green Forest Alliance. It has nothing to do with us."”
Only then did everyone relax and eat and drink. During the banquet, Xu Zhutao asked about the hometown of the Ma brothers and the Gai brothers. Only then did he know that the Ma brothers and their three friends, Kong Zhilin, Cao Zijian, and Yan Dongmin, were from Xiangyang Prefecture in Huguang. The Gai brothers and their three friends, Jin Yue, Wei Liangcen, and Tao Xingpu, were from Runing Prefecture in Henan Province. Xu Zhutao had just come out of Jianghu and was not very familiar with the two places. When he was in Xiangyang, he only stayed at Yuelai Inn for a while. Xu Zhutao then asked them what heroes there were in these two places. They also mentioned a few slightly famous people in the Jianghu.
After the meal, everyone hurried back to Macheng. Macheng was not far from Henan. The Dabie Mountains not far north of Macheng was the boundary between Henan and Huguang. After crossing the Dabie Mountains, they would reach Runing Prefecture in another four hours. At this moment, everyone parted ways by the official road. The Ma brothers brought Kong, Cao, and Yan back to Xiangyang Prefecture, while the Gai brothers brought Jin, Wei, and Tao back to Runing, Henan Province. Before they left, the Ma brothers and the Gai brothers warmly invited Xu Zhutao and the others to visit them when they were free in their hometown.
The setting sun shone on the mountain, creating a gorgeous sunset glow.
At this moment, in the depths of the Dabie Mountains, a beautiful girl in a white dress was pacing back and forth on the spacious grass. She would occasionally raise her head to look at the peak, and a faint anxiety could be seen on her face.
Following her gaze, she saw a towering hill with a radius of more than 200 feet. On the hill, there were strange rocks and lush vegetation. The hill was surrounded by valleys, and there was only a small path up the hill.
A young monk and a young Taoist priest were focused on a match on the grass at the entrance of the path.
A young man in a medical suit with a long sword on his back stood quietly at the side and watched the battle.
The night gradually expanded and finally completely swallowed the remaining light. The sky was completely dark.
The young man in the uniform with a sword on his back suddenly let out a long sigh and said,""It's already dark, but you two can still see?”
The monk in the chess game laughed and said,"Brother Cha, don't move the horse. Be careful that my carriage breaks the road and my cannon attacks.”
The girl in white looked at the three men with a displeased expression and shouted,"Huiming, Cha Yu, the two of you are really in a good mood. It's already dark and you're still in the mood to play chess!”
The young Daoist called Cha Yu smiled slightly and said,"Brother Zuo, if it were you, how would you deal with this move of his…"
Brother Zuo, who was watching from the side, sneered and said,"Sigh, it's time to save the horse!"
The three of them seemed to have very good eyesight. Although it was dusk, they could still see things.
Cha Yu's right hand clenches into a fist and hits his left palm heavily. He says,"Good chess. It can protect the horse and force the cannon.”
The young monk called Huiming pressed his right hand on his forehead and fell into deep thought. Clearly, this move had greatly reduced his chances of winning.
Brother Zuo looked up at the sky and said,"It's already night. Why haven't the elders come yet?"”
Huiming turned his head to look at the white-clothed young lady who was pacing back and forth on the grass and said," Junior Sister Ju, don't be anxious. With the martial arts of the four elders and their reputation in the martial arts world, could it be that there's something…" He was about to say something dangerous, but he suddenly felt that it was a great disrespect, so he swallowed his words.
Cha Yu suddenly stands up and continues,"Brother Zuo, if you have the guts to climb the peak and take a look, I am willing to accept a punishment and risk my life to accompany you.”
Brother Zuo was stunned for a moment." My master's rules are strict. I didn't get permission…" he said.
"Since Brother Zuo doesn't dare to climb the peak to take a look, it's useless to be anxious to death, right?" Hui Ming continued coldly.”
"I have a bad feeling…" Brother Zuo said.
The girl in white frowned and shouted,""Zuo Lengchen, watch your jinx!”
Cha Yu burst into laughter and said,"Brother Zuo, you are worrying too much. Let alone the four elders guarding together, even if they were to walk alone, in the current martial arts world, how many people would dare to lightly touch a tiger's beard?"”
Zuo Lengchen sighed softly and remained silent.
The white-robed girl with the surname Ju suddenly waved her right hand and said,""Listen! What's that sound?"
The four of them focused their attention and listened. Indeed, there was the sound of hooves coming from afar. They heard that hooves sound getting closer and closer.
Huiming said," It's a desolate mountain and wilderness. There's no village in sight, and it's not close to the official road. The sky is about to turn dark, so how can there be the sound of hooves?”
The four of them looked outside. In a moment, there seemed to be four black shadows running north from the outside of the valley.
" Although the four masters told us to guard outside and not to get close," the white-robed girl surnamed Ju said," I think it's getting late. We should go up and take a look."”
"I have the same idea," said Hui Ming.”
"Junior Sister Jian Shuang is right," Zuo Lengcen said slowly,"I'm willing to accompany you.”
"Even if brother were to receive a heavy beating from my master, it would be much better than waiting here."”As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and ran forward.
Huiming, Zuo, and Ju also used their lightness skills to chase after him.
Four figures flew in the night sky, jumping on the cliff. Not long after, the four of them arrived at the peak. Ju Jianshuang was the first to arrive. The peak was no more than 200 feet wide, surrounded by jagged rocks, like a natural wall. Among the jagged rocks, there was a huge rock. The four of them looked at the huge rock. Under the dim starlight, four people could be seen falling to the ground in front of the giant rock. One of them was an old monk in a kasaya, one was an old Taoist priest in a Taoist robe with a bun, one was a middle-aged woman in a white robe, and one was a middle-aged man in a blue robe. They fell in different positions.
"Master!" Ju Jianshuang turned pale with fright when she saw this scene. She landed beside the middle-aged female Daoist in two leaps, helped her up, and checked her breathing. Then, she burst into tears.
The other three people were also shocked. They rushed over to help their respective masters up. They found that they had already died a long time ago and cried loudly. For a moment, the desolate peak was filled with sorrowful cries.
Zuo Lengcen was a more carefree person. After crying for a while, his mind immediately sobered up. He reached into his pocket and took out a lighter. With a wave of his hand, it lit up a ball of fire. He shouted in a deep voice,"The three of you, stop crying quickly. Crying is useless. We have to cheer up and deal with the things that are waiting to be dealt with.”
Ju Jianshuang was the most heartbroken among the four of them. Although she stopped crying, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing out of her eyes. She wiped her tears and gritted her teeth,"Who exactly harmed the four elders?”
Huiming said," Let's check on the four elders first to see where they are injured. They are all top-notch experts in the current martial arts world. If they weren't ambushed, they definitely wouldn't have collapsed without being able to fight back!”
Zuo Lengcen continued," Senior Brother Huiming's words are very reasonable. If it weren't for the fact that the four elders had intentionally killed themselves, who in the current martial arts world would be able to hurt them?!"”
Ju Jianshuang lit another torch and carried the corpse of the middle-aged female Daoist to another side to check. Zuo Lengcen, Huiming, and Cha Yu examined their master's corpse. Not long after, Ju Jianshuang returned and said,"My master has no injuries on his body. Where's your master?”
Huiming said," My master, Uncle-Master Zhi Zhen, and Uncle-Master Qi Jin are also completely unscathed. This matter is really too inconceivable!”
"Then, who do you think did it?"”
"It's definitely the work of the Demon Sect's remnants!" Ju Jianshuang said. Our Emei has no enemies, and our master is the kindest and most merciful person. If we don't have enemies, who else can it be but the Demonic Sect?”
Hui Ming said angrily," Now, it seems that the Devil Cult is the biggest suspect. A few days ago, our four great sects sent disciples down the mountain to investigate the traces of the Devil Cult's remnants. Today, the four elders gathered here to discuss how to deal with the Devil Cult. However, we did not expect to be harmed by the Devil Cult instead. What a detestable thief!"
"I also think that it was done by the Demon Cult. Otherwise, how could things be so coincidental?!"”
Zuo Lengcen said," The three of you, it's getting late. Let's see if we can find any traces now. Then, we'll discuss whether to incinerate the four old men's bodies or transport them back to the mountain."”
The four of them lit up a torch each and searched the area within a radius of more than 200 feet around the peak. They did not find any traces of fighting, venomous snakes, or ferocious beasts, nor did they find anything suspicious. After some discussion, they all felt that it was a matter of great importance and that they had to transport the corpse back to the mountain to report to the sect master. They were all in a panic and hugged their master's body as they wailed again.
"Then when are we leaving this place?" Ju Jianshuang asked.”
Zuo Lengchen looked up at the stars and said,"" It's about the fourth watch of the night. The sky will be bright in another watch. I think it's not too late for us to leave this place after daybreak..."
Cha Yu said,"It's broad daylight, and the sky is clear. The four of us are each carrying a corpse and running on the main road. Isn't this too shocking!?"”
Zuo Lengcen said,"Brother Cha, please calm down. We are all in a mess now." Although the brothers were sorrowful, they still felt that the deaths of the four elders were too bizarre. The night was dark, and it was impossible to investigate the cause of death of the four elders. There might be traces of their deaths on this peak. It would not be too late to wait until dawn to carefully examine them and then transport their corpses back to the mountain.”
"Brother Zuo, you're so calm and collected. You're really admirable."”
Zuo Lengcen closed his eyes to regulate his breathing and said,"The three of you, please adjust your breathing and recover your strength. The sun is about to come out. When dawn comes, we will search this peak again and send the four old men's corpses back to the mountain!”
The few of them closed their eyes, but their hearts were surging. How could they calm down? The night breeze filled their ears, and the pine trees in the mountains howled. The more they thought about it, the more they felt that this matter was too bizarre, causing them to have a feeling of not knowing where to start.
Seeing the Ma and Gai brothers and their friends walk away, Jade Luosha asked,""Xu brat, are you hiding something?”
Xu Zhutao spread his hands and said," Last night, I accidentally killed a few masked men in black while covering Ma Huateng's escape. This hatred has already been formed. It's better for them to go home as soon as possible."”
"So you want to chase us home too?" Ding Ling said angrily.”
Xu Zhutao said," What are you talking about? Why would I chase the two ladies away? It's just that I think that the haunting ghost is already dead. You've already taken your revenge. Let him be the judge of life and death. Let the Heavenly Dao take revenge!"”
" I have no objections to that," Ding Feng said." After all, Father and Uncle were only injured back then. But you can't chase us away!"”As she spoke, her eyes were so aggrieved that she wanted to cry.
Xu Zhutao said," Good Feng 'er, you can follow me if you want to. I've really lost a lot of money by meddling in other people's business this time. I can't get any benefits at all. I have to do something more interesting."”
"What's more interesting?" Shangguan Wanqian asked.”
"I want to start from scratch," said Xu Zhutao.”When they saw his firm tone, they all felt that he was going to do something big, but this guy didn't say what he was going to do.
Ding Feng said," Just tell us what you want. We can go anywhere."”
"Let's wait for Little Brat Xu to think it through."”
Xu Zhutao thought that since there were no escort agencies in a small county like Macheng, it would be better to go to Wuchang. Wuchang did not have to turn to Hanyang, and it was not far from Wuchang Prefecture and Hanyang Prefecture. Suddenly, she missed Zhao Yumei. She had accompanied her on her first escort mission. She remembered that she had said that she was not allowed to be a bodyguard again. Would he be angry if he found out that she was really going to be a bodyguard this time? She wondered if she and her master were still doing well.
"Guys, how about we go to Wuchang Prefecture for a few days?" Xu Zhutao asked.”
"As long as Big Brother Xu doesn't chase us away, we can go anywhere!" Ding Feng said.”
Everyone agreed, so they turned their horses around and rushed to Wuchang Prefecture.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]