Chapter 69: Chapter 68: People from the Prefecture City

Since news of Black Tiger Wu Chun’s reappearance spread, everyone in Leping County had been on edge. After all, the events of over three years ago were not so distant, and many had personally experienced the chaos of that time.

Back then, the Black Tiger Gang bandits had stormed the county seat and wreaked havoc several times. Although they were eventually exterminated, the entire city was draped in white mourning clothes, and the sound of funeral music lingered for more than a month.

No one wanted to see a repeat of that scene.

To fight against Black Tiger Wu Chun, the Zhou and Sunx Families took the lead, with the city’s other major families and merchants providing support. Together, they contributed manpower and resources to form a patrol guard.

Led by Inner Qi Experts, the patrol guard scoured all corners of the county seat day and night, hunting for Black Tiger Wu Chun and striving to maintain stability.

Unfortunately,

it was not very effective.

Every few days, a new murder would occur within the city. Either a traveling merchant was robbed and killed, or a family of five was slaughtered.

The situation in the county seat grew increasingly tense.

「On this day.」

Several people from Hejian Prefecture knocked on the main gate of the Zhu Mansion.

"Brother Zhu!"

Wan Shuai said, cupping his fist.

"We meet again."

Wan Shuai was the younger brother of Luu Pu’s "concubine," Wan Wenxin, and also the son of the Vice Hall Master of San Fen Hall.

They had met during Luu Pu’s taking of a concubine and at Ye Chongshan’s funeral.

Unlike the obscure Zhu Ju, Wan Shuai was hailed as a rising star of San Fen Hall and a young prodigy of Hejian Prefecture.

Not yet twenty years old, he had been Nurturing Inner Qi for many years and was but a single step away from Inner Qi Release. Moreover, his Swordsmanship was astonishing!

The two men and one woman behind him were also outstanding members of San Fen Hall’s younger generation. Though Zhu Ju did not know them personally, their faces were familiar.

"Brother Wan."

Zhu Ju led the group into the reception hall and asked He Yufu to serve tea before asking curiously,

"What brings you all to Leping County?"

"It’s a long story," Wan Shuai sighed.

"Recently, the Blood Flood Dragon Bandits have become increasingly rampant, breaking through several counties and pressing toward the Prefecture City. All the experts from the Prefecture City have been dispatched to deal with them, leaving them unable to handle other matters."

"Something has happened in Leping County, and the Government Office sent a letter requesting that San Fen Hall dispatch personnel to assist. So, here we are."

"I see!" Zhu Ju said with understanding.

"Recently, a fierce bandit capable of Inner Qi Release has appeared in Leping County. He’s committed a string of murders, and the people are in a panic."

"You’ve arrived at the perfect time."

"If you can capture and kill this bandit and restore peace to Leping County, the townsfolk will be eternally grateful."

He wouldn’t underestimate Wan Shuai.

Vice Hall Master Wan was an Innate Qi Refiner and an Outer Sect Disciple of a Cultivation Sect, so the Method he cultivated was surely extraordinary.

As Vice Hall Master Wan’s only son, Wan Shuai had surely cultivated an Immortal Cultivation Technique as well. Even if his Cultivation was only at the Nurturing Inner Qi stage, his true strength was likely not inferior to an expert capable of Inner Qi Release—he might even be stronger.

With the addition of the others, taking down Wu Chun should be a simple task.

"Haha..."

Wan Shuai burst out laughing.

"I’ve long heard that Brother Zhu lives a secluded life, dedicated to his Cultivation. It seems those words are true."

"If it were just a single bandit, why would San Fen Hall go to such trouble? Besides us, several experts from the older generation are on their way, and even the Celestial Yu Gang has been mobilized. The trouble in Leping County is not that simple."

"Oh?" Zhu Ju looked surprised.

"Besides the bandit, there’s something else?"

"Of course!" Wan Shuai narrowed his eyes.

"Where there is a Righteous Dao in this world, there are also Evil and Demons. It has been discovered that people in Leping County are practicing Evil Cultivation Techniques—and not just one person!"

"Evil Cultivation Techniques?" Zhu Ju frowned.

"This matter is too complicated to explain in a few words." Wan Shuai waved his hand dismissively and gestured toward his companions.

"Let me make some introductions, Brother Zhu."

"This is Mandarin Duck Saber Songx Meng. Brother Songx is only two years older than us, with a solid Cultivation and masterful Saber Technique."

"Brother Zhu." Songx Meng, who had the face of a man in his thirties or forties and a sparse beard, cupped his fists.

"I’ve heard Big Brother Luu Pu mention you."

"Brother Songx, I’ve long heard of you." ’If Wan Shuai hadn’t mentioned it,’ he thought, ’I never would have guessed that a man with his features was only in his early twenties.’

"Wuu Xuan," said a sturdily built young man with electric eyes standing beside Songx Meng. His tone was indifferent.

"Greetings, Brother Zhu."

’Fire Palm Wuu Xuan,’ Zhu Ju noted, nodding.

"A pleasure."

"Fang Yanrong," the last woman, who was pretty with a graceful figure, said, her gaze strange.

"Fang Qiaoqian is my older sister."

?

Zhu Ju pursed his lips.

The name Fang Qiaoqian was deeply etched in his predecessor’s memories. It was the name of the girl from a childhood betrothal arranged by his predecessor’s mother.

However, ever since the old master passed away, the Fang Family had never mentioned the matter again, and he had treated it as forgotten.

"Sister Yanrong," he said slowly, a faint smile on his face.

"What happened in the past was just a joke between our elders. It shouldn’t be taken seriously. I never dreamed of trying to climb above my station."

"Hee hee..." Fang Yanrong chuckled, pressing her lips together.

"It might not be climbing above your station. Big Brother Luu Pu mentioned it to my father last year. The matter could still happen, you know."

’My sister has always been so arrogant,’ she thought. ’If she had to marry this man, it would certainly take her down a peg.’

At this thought, Fang Yanrong’s smile grew even sweeter.

Nearby, Wuu Xuan’s expression darkened. He had always been interested in Fang Qiaoqian, a fact Fang Yanrong was well aware of. Yet she was now deliberately bringing it up to stir trouble, making everyone uncomfortable.

’This woman...’

’She’s as infuriating as ever!’

"Alright!"

Wan Shuai held up a hand.

"Brother Zhu, we are newcomers here and unfamiliar with Leping County. We’ll have to trouble you for a while."

"Please arrange accommodations for us."

"Of course," Zhu Ju nodded.

"Brother Wan, it’s getting late. Why don’t we have a meal together? I can properly welcome you all."

"There’s no need to trouble you, Brother Zhu," Wan Shuai said, shaking his head.

"We’ve had a long journey and are tired. Besides, we need to conserve our energy to deal with these evil creatures. Once this matter is settled, we can drink to our hearts’ content."

"Very well," Zhu Ju said noncommittally.

"Yufu, please show Brother Wan and the others to their rooms."

"Yes."

He Yufu replied.

「A short while later.」

She returned to the reception hall to find Zhu Ju still seated in the host’s chair, sipping his tea with a blank expression.

"Young Master."

He Yufu frowned slightly.

"Aren’t those people a bit too arrogant? They’re staying in our home, yet they refuse to even share a meal with us."

"They’re from the Prefecture City and come from prominent families. It’s only normal they’d look down on us," Zhu Ju chuckled.

"If it weren’t for my connection to my brother-in-law, I doubt they would have bothered to say more than a few words. Don’t pay it any mind."

He Yufu pouted.

It was undeniable that Wan Shuai and his group had an outstanding air about them, but their bone-deep arrogance was impossible to conceal.

Not that they tried.

They didn’t even deign to look at her, a mere steward, and they clearly didn’t think much of her Young Master either.

All of this greatly soured her impression of Wan Shuai’s group.

*

*

*

"That Zhu Ju is rather different from what I imagined,"

Fang Yanrong said with a smile, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.

"I thought he’d be an outcast who’d been kicked out of his family, but from the looks of it, his appearance and character are quite decent."

"Hmph!" Wuu Xuan snorted.

"His appearance is one thing, but how could you possibly judge his character?"

"At least his attitude was fine—neither servile nor arrogant. Not like some people who can’t even manage a pleasant expression," Fang Yanrong said, rolling her eyes at him.

"The key is..."

"He’s Big Brother Luu Pu’s brother-in-law."

*Brother-in-law?*

Wan Shuai’s expression darkened.

His sister, Wan Wenxin, had married Luu Pu, who already had a wife. The Wan Family had been in an uproar at the time, and he had been vehemently opposed to it.

Although Luu Pu had caused him to change his opinion over the past few years, he still held no favorable impression of the Zhu siblings.

"Enough." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Let’s discuss the current situation."

Wan Shuai pulled over a chair and began to speak in a serious tone,

"For hundreds of years, the Evil Dao and the Demon Sect have never given up on infiltrating Dazhou. They intentionally release incomplete Cultivation Techniques to be scattered among the common folk."

"These techniques are usually powerful and offer rapid progress. Once a martial artist stumbles upon such a Method, they are easily tempted into Cultivation, fall into the Demon Dao, and become pawns used to sow chaos in a region. Leping County is clearly such a case."

"However..."

His expression hardened.

"This time is different. In Leping County, it isn’t just one person practicing an Evil Skill, but a whole group!"

Eliminating and killing those who practice Evil Skills has always been standard procedure for the Dazhou Court, Local Sects, and Aristocratic Families.

San Fen Hall was no exception.

Wan Shuai had heard his father mention similar incidents.

However, in the past, it was always an individual or a couple practicing an Evil Skill. A whole group doing so constitutes a major threat, and it is highly likely that a Demon Sect disciple is pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

"Besides our San Fen Hall, the Celestial Yu Gang has also sent people. We’re just the vanguard, here to scout things out. We won’t rush to make a move."

Wan Shuai said,

"We’ll wait for the older generation to arrive before we do anything."

"Heh..." Wuu Xuan sneered.

"Perhaps they’ve already arrived and are just using us as bait to see what kind of fish they can hook."

The others nodded in agreement.

"In short, Leping County is not safe right now, even for us."

After some discussion, Wan Shuai concluded,

"Our top priority is to ensure our own safety. Then, we gather information, starting by contacting the Zhou and Sunx Families."

"Understood,"

the group replied.

"Shh..." Fang Yanrong suddenly hissed, flicking her finger. A palm-sized falcon burst through the window and landed on the back of her hand.

"Something’s coming."