Xuanqing Guard
Chapter 95: Unforeseen Disaster
Palm Thunder isn’t really "thunder"; it only shares a name because it belongs to the Thunder Techniques.
Strictly speaking, Palm Thunder is more like a small, low-power grenade. The difference is that its force comes from Wood Attribute Electric Light.
Gather Qi to create thunder, ignite it in your palm.
Shen Hao experimented for half an hour and finally touched the threshold—there was a glimmer of warm electric light in his palm. Although it was far from being able to fend off enemies, at least now he knew how to practice it; next he just needed to cultivate it alongside Earth Escape.
After Gathering Qi and finishing the practice, Shen Hao grinned from ear to ear. His guess was right: with the Black Beast Tattoo on his chest strengthening him, both his Soul Strength and meridian strength now far exceeded those of ordinary Gathering Spirit Realm First Layer cultivators. Practicing two magic skills at once wasn’t difficult for him at all. In fact, could he even learn a third?
But in the end, Shen Hao reined in his greed.
Biting off too much is never good. Even if he could take on another skill, now wasn’t the time to get distracted. Honestly mastering Earth Escape and Palm Thunder was the safest path.
Feeling cheerful, he walked out of the back courtyard—it was already mealtime. Shen Hao was curious: why hadn’t Xia Nu shown up to attend him? That silly slave couldn’t still be out, could she?
"Master Shen, your meal’s all ready for you. It’s in the hall, and I’ve got your favorite old wine." Surprisingly, it was Aunt Zhang, the cook, who greeted him.
"Aunt Zhang, where’s Xia Nu? And where’s Housekeeper Hu?" Shen Hao frowned slightly. It was one thing for the silly Xia Nu to be unreliable, but why was Hu Tian missing too?
"Master Shen, Xia Nu went to East Market to look at boots. She said she’d be back by early noon, but it’s midday now and she’s still not home. Housekeeper Hu got worried and went out with Xiaoma to find her."
Xiaoma was Hu Tian’s distant relative, a servant in Shen Hao’s household—a hardworking teenage boy. Shen Hao remembered Hu Tian saying he was only fifteen this year.
Shen Hao nodded and said nothing more, then entered the hall and started to eat. Whether Xia Nu had run into trouble outside would become clear when they returned.
But as Shen Hao finished his meal, there was still no sign of Hu Tian or the others. He had a bad feeling. The East Market was close enough to walk back in the time it took to eat, so why was Hu Tian still not back...?
Just as he was about to send someone to check, he heard the door opening and someone crying—it sounded like Xiaoma.
Aunt Zhang hurried to open the door, and was startled when she saw Xiaoma’s condition. The boy, who’d been fine just this morning, now had a battered, swollen face, with a split lip, and several teeth missing.
He’d been beaten?
Shen Hao walked over expressionless and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
"Master Shen, please save Uncle Hu and Xia Nu! They were taken, Uncle Hu was beaten and his leg broken, and he’s still in their hands!"
Even Shen Hao, with his deep composure, was instantly furious upon hearing this. Hu Tian wasn’t the kind of man who crossed lines—he was as slick as oil, a seasoned old boss. For someone like him to get his leg broken? Who could be so arrogant? And what did they want with an old man and a slave?
"They tried to kidnap Xia Nu. She pressed a knife to her throat and refused, so it was a stand-off. When we got there, those people beat me and Uncle Hu up. Xia Nu tried to protect Uncle Hu and got her knife taken away, then they dragged her off. I saw things going bad and ran home."
Shen Hao approvingly patted Xiaoma’s shoulder. A fifteen-year-old kid, having the presence of mind in that chaos, was impressive; most kids his age would have been paralyzed by fear.
"Were you scared?"
"I was scared earlier, but now that I see Master Shen, I’m not scared at all. You’ll definitely save Uncle Hu and Xia Nu!" Xiaoma knew the master before him was the General Flag Officer of the Black Banner Battalion of the Xuanqing Guard. In Li City, all sorts of people gave him face. If anyone could save Uncle Hu and Xia Nu, it was him.
"Since you’re not afraid, how about you come with me to see just who dared to kidnap my people? Maybe you can help get payback for your bruised face too?"
"Master Shen, I dare!"
"Let’s go."
He pushed open the door; outside, two guards had already brought up a carriage.
"Flag Officer, should we call some brothers?"
"Notify Zhang Liao; have him take Team B and wait for me at East Market. Also, alert the four gates of Li City—any carriage leaving town must be strictly checked. If anyone sees a Fox Race woman, don’t let her leave and immediately report to the Black Banner Battalion for approval."
"Yes!"
One guard rode off to get Zhang Liao. Shen Hao took Xiaoma onto the carriage, while the other guard drove toward East Market.
The carriage reached East Market in less than half an incense stick’s time. When they arrived, Zhang Liao and thirty heavily armed men were already waiting by the market gate.
Shen Hao didn’t bother greeting Zhang Liao, but kept his face cold, right hand on his saber hilt, and strode into the market.
"Master Shen, over there—that’s the boot shop where Xia Nu and Uncle Hu were taken!"
From a distance behind the East Market gate, on the west side, there was a big new white-grey wall, and a big door with "Thousand-Mile Boot Workshop" written over it. Shen Hao vaguely remembered Xia Nu mentioning yesterday she’d check new boots at such a shop—it had to be this one.
But shopkeepers don’t usually get so arrogant as to snatch people in broad daylight—and break someone’s leg?
Shen Hao raised his chin slightly; Zhang Liao immediately waved. Five fierce Xuanqing Guards drew their Yanji Sabers and charged in, others split up—some blocking the main entrance, others circling to cut off escape routes. Classic Xuanqing Guard arrest formation.
Moments later, the new boot shop was in chaos—cries and screams rose on all sides. Clearly the arrival of the Xuanqing Guards terrified the customers and staff, especially seeing them wielding drawn long sabers, eyes full of naked murderous intent.
"Flag Officer, we found Housekeeper Hu—he’s inside."
Hearing that someone was found, Shen Hao finally stepped into the boot workshop. Inside, he saw Hu Tian, pale-faced, half-reclining on a soft chair, obvious bruise ointment rubbed on his face. The right pant leg was cut open, and a Xuanqing Guard was resetting his broken bone. The lower leg was badly swollen and bruised—Shen Hao had seen these injuries plenty, only heavy blows could break bone so badly.
"Where is she? Where’s Xia Nu?"
"Master Shen, Xia Nu was taken. All I know is they spoke with a Jingzhong accent, five men in total, all skilled. The leader was a young man surnamed Wen—don’t know the full name. The others called him Young Master Wen." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Shen Hao grunted at Hu Tian and then turned to look at the boot workshop’s shopkeeper, who was being dragged before him by Zhang Liao and forced to kneel. Shen Hao didn’t say a word, just stared at him.
"Lord Official, it’s got nothing to do with me! I even helped Master Hu with bruise ointment! I swear, those people were just customers—I’d never seen them before! Please, Lord Official, have mercy!" The shopkeeper was truly terrified. Usually people avoided the Xuanqing Guard; now, feeling their pressure up close, he couldn’t muster any resistance.
Shen Hao still said nothing, eyes piercing like sabers. The shopkeeper grew even more panicked, knowing he wasn’t getting out easily today, so he gritted his teeth and blurted out, "Fushun Inn! One of those men had the scent of fruit wine on him. Fruit wine is only sold at Fushun Inn!"