Chapter 84

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

Because the Heavenly Sword Sect was mentioned by these people, Fu Hengyan heard the familiar name, turned his head to glance, and by virtue of his innate advantage listened in on the conversation.

Piecing together the ins and outs of the matter, Fu Hengyan instantly understood why these people were traveling through the rain at night.

It turned out that an evil cultivator who brought calamity to the world had appeared and was continuously committing crimes in the villages and towns around Luoxing Commandery.

After a joint strangulation operation, the evil cultivator's gathered lackeys and followers had already been completely dealt with; only a few ringleaders remained at large.

These people before him were naturally not the main force that resolved it; they were merely dispatched to assist and help in the process.

Now that the matter had reached its conclusion, the Court and the Heavenly Sword Sect's people would naturally be responsible for the pursuit; they were returning to Yue Luo City to report completion, and incidentally bringing back the latest disposition news.

"... I heard that person fled toward the northwest, which is opposite to Yue Luo City's location.

Now we can finally catch our breath and rest a bit; when we go back and collect the reward offerings for this assignment, I'll treat everyone — brothers, let's go to Chunfeng Building and have a good time."

Someone spoke up, and that one sentence made everyone around beam with smiles.

"He Lao Wu, you really are carefree when you have money; Chunfeng Building's expenses run into hundreds or thousands at a drop of a hat.

With your meager offerings, you'd better save up to purchase cultivation resources instead.

Every assignment we take is a life-risking job; we'd be better off raising our cultivation to save our lives."

Someone on good terms with He Lao Wu hurriedly persuaded him to calm down; Chunfeng Building was Yue Luo City's gold-selling den.

As long as you have enough money, you can find any kind of person inside.

But by the same token, Chunfeng Building with its enormous expenses is an unattainable existence for ordinary low-level cultivators.

Even they, these official runners with public posts, dare not easily step inside.

No choice — a single visit costs money that requires secretly saving for a month or even several months; that is a place only rich people can go.

He Lao Wu? Hah!

"What use is raising cultivation? Besides, we cultivators have always been limited by spirit root aptitude; our path ahead is cut off, and there is nothing left to cultivate.

Since the result is the same, why waste useless effort? Better to live carefreely; that also counts as not having lived this life in vain."

After He Lao Wu finished speaking, he tilted his head back and poured a mouthful of the spicy liquor in his hand down his throat.

His rugged features paired with his unrestrained, heroic bearing — He Lao Wu's words made the gathered crowd all fall silent.

That hit a nerve!

He Lao Wu had, to a certain extent, spoken the survival reality of ordinary low-level cultivators.

Spirit roots and aptitude are the restricting frameworks; for ordinary cultivators to break through the constraints is truly difficult.

All kinds of resources used for cultivation are also monopolized by the upper class; ordinary cultivators have to pay through the nose to buy them, and even after buying they may not necessarily produce the corresponding effect on themselves.

Ordinary cultivators, even if they spend their whole lives constantly rushing about and exhausting their lives for cultivation resources, still may not obtain the results they want.

In day after day of fruitless effort, most people choose to give up.

He Lao Wu is merely one among ten thousand cultivators, inconspicuous and not special.

Perhaps before long, He Lao Wu will vanish into such ordinary days like most people.

It could be a natural death, it could be a violent death — but who would care?

After the bonfires were lit, they crackled and popped; inside the great hall, there were as many fire clusters as there were groups of people.

Fu Hengyan formed a hand seal to control the flame cluster before him, while keeping track of the movements of the several factions inside the great hall.

No one spoke; the great hall fell silent and still once again.

Shen Yao slept rather lightly; perhaps she had rested enough, or perhaps the time had come.

She opened her eyes and lightly rubbed her cheek against Fu Hengyan's jaw.

Fu Hengyan reached out and patted Shen Yao's shoulder, while simultaneously gathering up the greatcoat that had slipped down and putting it away properly.

The warm touch made Shen Yao narrow her eyes in great comfort.

"Cheng Qi, how is the situation?"

The voice rang out in Fu Hengyan's mind; Fu Hengyan had anticipated it: "They are all testing one another."

Be it that band of ferocious desperadoes, or the other several groups of people.

In the wild suburbs, and mutually unfamiliar — how could they possibly sleep soundly?

This kind of leisure and ease — probably only the little woman in his arms.

Fu Hengyan sighed with emotion, but more than that he was happy; it all stemmed from Shen Yao's unconditional trust in him.

Borrowing the leverage from Fu Hengyan's body, Shen Yao sat up and turned her head to survey the surroundings.

This was the first time Shen Yao had seen everyone staying in the great hall.

The burning bonfires flickered on and off continuously; Shen Yao looked from left to right, then from right to left.

As expected, she met the gaze of Zhang Laosan, who had been secretly observing them all along.

Shen Yao had not shown any reaction yet; instead, it was Zhang Laosan who got a fright.

Hah!

This woman — unexpectedly beautiful, and her own cultivation is not low either.

His heart suddenly skipped a beat; Zhang Laosan lowered his head and blinked his eyes, which was noticed by Sun Tao sitting beside him.

The first half of the night watch was handled by Sun Tao and Zhang Laosan; seeing Zhang Laosan's behavior, Sun Tao thought he had discovered something amiss.

"Third Brother, what's wrong?"

Zhang Laosan subconsciously shook his head: "Nothing, just thought of that fleeing thief."

Eldest Brother, you say, you say what if they're just feinting, and instead head toward Yue Luo City, what do we do?"

Sun Tao heard this, his gaze sharp, "Impossible, besides, this matter has Imperial Court adults and Tianjian Sect senior masters in charge, put your mind at ease."

"Who?!"

Sun Tao felt someone secretly sizing him up, turned around, and his gaze met the little book boy who was especially frightened by being scared by him.

"I, I, I, I, sir spare my life, this petty person did not do it on purpose, this petty person wanted to go out to relieve himself, hope sir spares my life, sir spare my life…"

The little book boy curled up and kept apologizing, his weak appearance made Zhang Laosan unable to bear it, Sun Tao frowned.

Zhang Laosan secretly glanced at Sun Tao, seeing his own Eldest Young Master's brow ridge protruding, immediately understood this was the Eldest Young Master being impatient, he hurriedly spoke, using the excuse of lecturing to let the little book boy hurry out to avoid the limelight.

"You said you wanted to relieve yourself, go quickly, go quickly, it's raining outside, be careful yourself."

After hearing Zhang Laosan's words, the little book boy seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, climbed up from the ground, turned around and ran toward the Dian Dian doorway.

Zhang Laosan saw the person leave, turned around wanting to soothe his own Eldest Young Master, unexpectedly the corner of his eye swept over the left internal situation, and met an empty corner with no one.

Zhang Laosan:? …!!!

Zhang Laosan was startled in an instant, unconsciously stood up from the original place.

Sun Tao was disturbed by Zhang Laosan's movement, raised his head to look at the absent-minded Zhang Laosan, "What exactly is wrong!"

Zhang Laosan pointed his finger at the diagonal opposite corner, his tone shocked, "Eldest Young Master, the person is gone."

Just now he still saw a man and a woman, suddenly between them disappeared without a trace.

But only the little book boy went out alone, that pair of man and woman never moved at all.

Sun Tao looked in the direction Zhang Laosan pointed, although not as surprised as Zhang Laosan, obviously, his expression became much more solemn.

"Are you sure you didn't see wrong?" Sun Tao said in a deep voice.

Zhang Laosan nodded then shook his head, "Before indeed saw very clearly, later,"

The words were not finished, but Sun Tao could understand, the little book boy's matter shifted their attention.

During that time Zhang Laosan indeed had no time to pay attention to the corner's situation.

Until now discovering the problem, Zhang Laosan himself also followed in panic.

Indeed Fu Hengyan and Shen Yao gave him too much oppression, no matter for what reason to pay attention, Zhang Laosan cared about those two people very much.

Sun Tao's expression became ugly, because the two people's conversation around originally resting Wedding Guests all opened their eyes one after another, opening their mouths to ask each other about the current situation.

"Hey! Perhaps they secretly left, we just didn't notice."

Eldest Young Master, Third Brother, outside it's almost dawn, should prepare to leave."

The Second Brother in the team, that is Qian Yue under Sun Tao, spoke.

No matter whether Qian Yue thought so in his heart, but the words he spoke on the surface very well stabilized the somewhat noisy surroundings.

The big guys began to put their energy on the coming dawn.

At this time, suddenly a weak male voice drifted out from the corner, "That, that, this humble scholar disturbs, don't know where He'er went? How, how come He'er is missing?"

Sun Tao and the others turned around, just meeting a scholar with shoulders hunched and a face full of weak spirit.

Seems to be called Zhou Nian, an ordinary scholar in Yue Luo City, family has a bit of thin property, can barely supply Zhou Nian reading and practicing writing.

This time staying overnight at the temple with two book boys was because Zhou Nian returned from traveling late compared to the original schedule, household affairs temporarily handled by an old servant, Zhou Nian needs to hurry back as soon as possible to handle miscellaneous matters.

And the He'er in Zhou Nian's mouth was one of the two book boys brought out this time.

The other called Ti'er, quieter than He'er, low presence, basically would not be noticed.

"He'er? Is that the boy with a child's topknot, dressed all in linen?"

Went outside the hall to relieve himself, walked for some time, should be back by now."

Zhang Laosan tilted his head to look outside the hall, the gray sky could still hear fine rain sounds.

"Went out?"

Zhou Nian's expression was slightly frightened, scared into pulling Ti'er beside him, master and servant huddled tightly together.

Sun Tao saw this, didn't understand the two people's behavior, only said if worried he could go check himself, they had no time to manage these idle matters.

Zhou Nian shook his head repeatedly, "No, don't need, if He'er can come back he'll come back, if not then forget it."

Anyway he wouldn't go, outside is so dangerous, he cherishes his life very much.

"Tsk, coward!"

"All shut up!"

"…"

Noisy, the other two groups also all woke up opening their eyes.

The empty Dian Dian became lively, not only Zhang Laosan and others noticed Fu Hengyan and Shen Yao's disappearance.

"Eldest Young Master, no one, used array stones to test, also no movement."

The burly man holding a long blade went a trip, then muffledly expressed his stance to the leading Eldest Young Master.

The clean and tidy corner had already become messy, everywhere scattered straw.

Shows that burly man has a bad temper, when acting didn't leave much strength.

On the right internal situation, the young master who came out from the prepared Che Xiang had a solemn expression, he held a folding fan in his hand, a big Chu character printed on the front of the paper fan.

Looking unfavorably at the group of burly men looking around in the center of the Dian Dian, the young master raised his eyebrow, moved his mouth corner toward the air beside him, only saw ripples like a water curtain appear, an old man walked over.

The old man's Foundation Establishment Peak strength made everyone in the Dian Dian look sideways together.

The newly joined expert made the Dian Dian atmosphere become subtle.

"Young Master"

The old man respectfully bowed to the youth, stepped to behind the youth and stood still.

Undoubtedly, this old man with profound cultivation was on the youth's side.

The tense atmosphere became one touch away, the big guys stood in the original place looking at one another, tacitly, no one made the next move.

"Cheng Qi, this is... are we going to make a move?"

Shen Yao propped herself on Fu Hengyan's shoulder with one hand, naturally pressing her forehead against him.

One standing, one sitting, the two people resembled conjoined infants, pressed very close to one another.

Especially the position they were in was conspicuously the very place that had been used for rest and recuperation all along.

Even the straw that had looked slightly messy earlier now lay neatly pressed against the ground.

There was fundamentally none of the chaotic scene the crowd had seen before; everything, all of it, was merely a simple illusion realm.

It was Fu Hengyan using the Illusion Stone he had brought with him to perform a suggestive transformation on the surrounding environment.

It was nothing but a subtle, gradual causality; unknowingly, no one discovered that the two of them were still left in the Dian Dian.

Even the Golden Core Stage bookboy hiding himself thought they had left long ago.

Shen Yao stood up, both hands clasped behind her back, a pair of pretty eyes looking left and right.

"Soon, however, we should lose."

Fu Hengyan walked to Shen Yao's side, a pair of amber eyes calm and gentle.

Shen Yao did not turn back, merely nodding her head along with Fu Hengyan's words, "Does Cheng Qi want to act?"

The situation in the field changed like wind and clouds.

At first there was still no action between one another; in a turn, they had already started fighting.

Unknown who struck first; by the time they reacted, the crowd was already in a chaotic mess — apart from their own people, everyone visible was an enemy.

Clang—hiss——

A burst of sparks and lightning; Zhang Laosan's horizontal axe blocked the long blade hacking straight at him.

Blade and axe clashed, tiger's mouths numb with shock; behind each stood a long face with a ferocious expression.

The man leaned backward, his body forced lower and lower by the long blade; a trace of crimson bloodstain showed at the corner of Zhang Laosan's mouth.

With a spit, Zhang Laosan increased the force in his hand, turning to hack forward.

Struggling free of the restraints on his body, Zhang Laosan took a deep breath and panted heavily.

"Third Brother, watch your back!"

The long blade flashed a bright gleam, carrying a vast momentum as it chopped toward him.

Zhang Laosan narrowly, narrowly dodged the attack, himself staggering, nearly falling to the ground.

It was still Qian Yue who saw and reached out to grab him, only then barely steadying his body.

"Phew! Second Brother, our luck is bad this time; I'm afraid we can't escape."

Zhang Laosan gave a bitter smile; everywhere visible was a human purgatory.

Severed limbs and mangled remains were everywhere; even at his own feet lay the shadows of acquaintances.

Backhand wiping his face, Zhang Laosan shook his head and sighed, feeling he had truly run into rotten luck this time.

Who could have thought that this time they would run into the once-famous Thirteen Knife Bandits who shook Luoxing.

Wasn't it said that years ago the Imperial Court joined hands with the Tianjian Sect to wipe them out completely?

How are these people still alive now? Could it be the Imperial Court and Tianjian Sect left survivors when they acted?

Just as Zhang Laosan was thinking seven thoughts and eight thoughts in his heart, another long-blade fierce bandit killed his way over.

Helpless, Zhang Laosan roused his spirit, only able to grit his teeth and wave his horizontal axe to meet the enemy head-on.