Chapter 31: Jiang Ye Takes Action!

Refugees from Lushan County have fled here?!

The disciples who were still hotly discussing Hu Tian's whereabouts seemed to have their throats strangled at the same time.

The noise stopped abruptly.

They looked at each other, the bit of prying and discussion about others' futures in their eyes instantly replaced by another, heavier emotion.

Fear.

"Lushan County... wasn't that city sealed?"

"Refugees fled here? Then... doesn't that mean..."

"I heard this morning that rice and flour have risen in price again. If the refugees come, won't it rise to the sky!"

"How many people are at the city gate? Hundreds? Thousands? Is the government going to manage it!"

Panic spread through the martial arts hall like an invisible epidemic.

The previous discussions about Hu Tian, Zhang Xu, and the Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall now seemed so distant and insignificant.

Fortunately, this rapidly fermenting panic did not last long.

At the end of the afternoon, new news came back from the city gate, barely suppressing the boiling emotions.

According to the disciples who ran to the city gate to inquire about the news first, the number of refugees from Lushan County was indeed not small, about a hundred or so, dragging their families along, quite miserable.

But the key information was—they had escaped before Lushan County was completely sealed.

This meant that Lushan County should not have been breached yet.

The unrest could not spread here for the time being.

At the same time, another detail was noticed by those with a heart.

Those who were able to escape before Lushan County was sealed were basically martial artists.

There were disciples from local martial arts halls in Lushan County, and martial arts masters who guarded houses for wealthy families.

Relying on their agile skills and well-informed nature, they brought their families and fought their way out at the last moment before the city gate was completely locked.

At the Wu Yuan gate, Jiang Ye sat motionless on that oily little stool, his eyes half-open and half-closed, as if indifferent to the noise and panic around him.

"Martial artists who escaped before the city was sealed..."

Jiang Ye shook his head slightly, a flash of strangeness crossing the bottom of his eyes.

It was foreseeable that after these people entered the city, Anxi County would definitely be more tense and restless than before.

Just as Jiang Ye was pondering, a middle-aged man wearing light green sportswear, with a lean figure and a gentle temperament, walked toward the gate unhurriedly.

Jiang Ye slowly stood up and bowed slightly to the visitor: "Liu Liu Guan Zhu Zhou, you are here."

This person's name was Zhou Yue, the Hall Master of the Lingyue Martial Academy, and his relationship with Liu Qingshi was quite good, with frequent dealings.

Therefore, Jiang Ye was no stranger to this person.

"Old Man Jiang, your complexion is as good as ever!"

Zhou Yue greeted Jiang Ye politely and then stepped into the Wu Yuan.

Jiang Ye stood outside the gatehouse, watching Zhou Yue's figure disappear behind the moon-shaped gate deep in the Wu Yuan, his aged eyes narrowing slightly, a trace of thoughtful, ghostly light flashing in the bottom of his eyes.

"Zhou Yue coming at this time, I'm afraid there is something important to say."

Inside the Wu Yuan study, tea fragrance curled.

Liu Liu Qingshi poured a cup of hot tea for Zhou Yue, and the two sat opposite each other.

The sunset's afterglow shone through the window lattice, spreading a piece of warm gold on the desk, but it could not dispel the solemnity faintly floating in the air.

"Why, not teaching punches today? Have the leisure to come over."

Liu Liu Qingshi picked up the teacup, a faint smile on his face, his tone as steady as usual.

Zhou Yue first lowered his head and took a sip of tea, tasting it for a moment, then raised his eyes, looking at his old friend with a half-smile, and said: "It's not that I heard your Wu Yuan produced a traitor, so I came to comfort you."

Hearing this, Liu Liu Qingshi couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, the smile carrying a bit of genuine helplessness: "Good news doesn't go out, bad news travels a thousand miles; this news really spreads fast enough."

"The Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall's methods are getting more and more despicable these years. They want to dig up any seedling, regardless of whether their eating style is ugly or not."

Zhou Yue sighed lightly, then changed the subject, his gaze carrying a bit of scrutiny, "However, your disciple's problem is also not small, being deceived by a little bit of petty profit; his temperament and determination are, after all, a bit lacking in heat."

Liu Liu Qingshi did not answer.

He looked down at the tea leaves floating and sinking in the cup, his face solemn, not knowing what he was thinking.

Seeing this, Zhou Yue did not mention this matter again.

He put down the teacup, cleared his throat, and his expression gradually became solemn:

"Forget it, let's not talk about this, let me tell you something important."

He raised his eyes to look at Liu Liu Qingshi and said:

"You should know about that batch of martial artists who fled from Lushan County."

Liu Liu Qingshi nodded slightly.

"The people who fled this time are not simple." Zhou Yue lowered his voice, his tone carrying a bit of solemnity, "Three martial arts hall masters, all Transformation of Force martial artists, and those disciples under their doors, there are also several Hidden Force masters, and even more Bright Force ones."

He paused, his voice even heavier: "Combined, this is a force that cannot be underestimated."

"I have already heard that the County Magistrate's meaning is to accept them and let them take root in Anxi County to strengthen the local martial power."

Liu Liu Qingshi's brows moved, faintly guessing what would follow.

Sure enough, Zhou Yue continued: "Three days later, the Martial Arts Meeting will be held as usual. And..."

He paused deliberately, "Let those martial artists who came from Lushan County participate together."

"What?!"

Even Liu Liu Qingshi, who was usually as steady as a mountain and did not show his emotions, had a flash of undisguised shock in his eyes at this moment.

"The situation is so turbulent, and the Martial Arts Meeting is still to be held?"

In Anxi County, this Martial Arts Meeting was an annual grand event that had continued for more than ten years.

Every time this day arrived, the three major martial arts halls and several martial arts academies in the county would gather at the martial arts arena in the North City, sending disciples under their doors to the stage to exchange pointers.

At that time, it would not only be a grand gathering of martial artists but also the focus of the entire county.

Those disciples who performed excellently on stage would not only earn fame for their own martial arts halls and attract more students.

They themselves could also be spotted by wealthy families in the city, such as the Su family or the Zhang family, and receive funding, having a better future.

Liu Liu Qingshi originally thought that after the news of the Lushan County civil unrest spread, this year's Martial Arts Meeting would mostly be canceled.

But he didn't expect that not only would it be held, but those "over-the-river dragons" who fled from Lushan County would also participate.

He could almost foresee that those foreign martial artists who were eager to prove themselves in order to gain a foothold in a foreign land would burst out with amazing ruthlessness and fighting spirit on the stage.

"This is not good news."

Liu Liu Qingshi frowned, picked up the teacup and took a sip; the tea had cooled completely, and the bitterness entered his throat.

Compared with the martial arts hall disciples, their academy disciples were already a bit inferior.

Plus those "over-the-river dragons" from Lushan County...

The intensity of the competition in this year's Martial Arts Meeting would likely far exceed previous years.

Zhou Yue looked at his old friend's tightly locked brows and couldn't help but sigh.

"I came over just to give you a heads-up. In this Martial Arts Meeting, our academies are afraid they will be suppressed and beaten by those martial arts halls and outsiders."

He stood up, walked to the window, his voice carrying a bit of complexity:

"The County Magistrate has his own considerations; in troubled times, having more martial power is having more protection. But for us who teach punches, seeing our own disciples being stepped on, it's always not a good feeling."

Inside the study, it fell into a short silence.

The news that the Martial Arts Meeting would be held as usual three days later was like a stone thrown into a lake, instantly rippling in the Wu Yuan.

The first to explode was the outer courtyard.

These young disciples who didn't even have the qualifications to go on stage were the most excited group.

They gathered in twos and threes at the edge of the martial arts arena, lowering their voices to exchange inside information they had inquired about.

"Have you heard, have you heard? The batch of martial artists who fled from Lushan County are also going to participate!"

"Doesn't that mean there's a good show to watch? I want to see how Lushan County's fist technique is different from our Anxi County's!"

"I heard there is a disciple in a martial arts hall over there who is already at the Hidden Force realm at seventeen. Is it true?"

"Whether it's true or not, it doesn't matter to us anyway, we can't go on stage..."

"That's true, hehe, just watch the fun."

Compared to the relaxation and excitement of the outer courtyard disciples, the atmosphere in the inner courtyard was much more complex.

During the practice intervals, groups of inner courtyard disciples gathered under the corridor or by the wooden dummy, and the topic revolved around the Martial Arts Meeting three days later without exception.

On these young faces, expressions were different; some were excited and eager to try, while others were frowning and gloomy.

"Martial artists from Lushan County are also going to participate? Doesn't that mean we will have a lot more opponents this year?"

"It's a good opportunity to see how much strength the martial artists from Lushan County have!"

"You are big-hearted. I heard that among the batch who fled, there are three martial arts hall masters, at least twenty or thirty disciples under their doors, a lot of Bright Force ones, and Hidden Force ones..."

"So what if they are Hidden Force? Our inner courtyard is not without Hidden Force senior brothers."

"I don't know who from our academy will go on stage this year..."

While the inner courtyard disciples were discussing, they subconsciously looked at Liu Liu Yiyi, Su Yan, and Zhao Gang, these core disciples.

By the corridor pillar, Liu Liu Yiyi stood with her hands behind her back, wearing a plain white sportswear, her sleeves gently fluttering in the evening breeze.

She was still as cold as snow, as if the surrounding discussions, whether excited or anxious, were separated from her by an invisible water curtain.

Only those clear eyes were looking at the setting twilight on the horizon, not knowing what she was thinking.

On the stone steps not far away, Su Yan practiced her punches with a focused heart; she had reached the peak of the Bright Force realm.

Especially after the "absurd battle" with that white-haired old man a few nights ago, she felt that a certain point in her body had been pierced through.

She had a premonition that she would be able to break through to the Hidden Force realm soon.

"Truly... absurd to the extreme, I actually have to rely on that kind of thing to stimulate myself to break through..."

Su Yan subconsciously flashed the scene of her "fierce battle" with the white-haired old man in her mind, and her fair ears were quietly dyed with a layer of blush.

Her breathing also became rapid inadvertently.

Moreover, it carried a trace of seductive heat.

What was even more fatal was that Liu Liu Yiyi, not far away, seemed to look over with a sense of feeling.

Their eyes met.

I don't know if it was her own illusion, but Su Yan seemed to see a layer of faint water in Liu Liu Yiyi's eyes, which were as cold as snow.

"Could it be that Liu Yiyi is also thinking about that matter..."

Su Yan just had this thought flash in her mind.

Liu Liu Yiyi instantly moved her gaze away.

However, judging from her slightly heaving chest, the young girl's heart seemed not to be calm.

In the center of the martial arts arena, Zhao Gang was dismantling moves with several junior brothers, every move and every style as steady as a mountain.

As the Zhang Zhang Shixiong of the martial arts hall, he had always been the backbone of the inner courtyard disciples.

At this moment, he still had his usual honest smile on his face, but under that smile, a trace of solemnity that was hard for others to detect was hidden.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

The daylight was not yet bright, and the east only had a very faint fish-belly white. On the open ground in front of the gate, an aged figure was already standing there.

Jiang Ye slowly set up his stance, the Five Animal Fist starting move.

His figure sank suddenly, his spine arched like a tiger ready to pounce, then he tapped his feet lightly, and his whole person was like a spirit deer in the mountain stream, leaping lightly in a square inch, landing without sound.

Immediately after, his shoulders and back tilted slightly, a bear lean, hitting the void, and there was actually a muffled sound...

Several kinds of forces transformed into each other, merging with each other.

Jiang Ye stood still, his eyelids raised slightly, his gaze falling on a blue stone half the height of a person nearby.

That stone was a leftover material from when the gatehouse was repaired a few years ago, heavy and solid, weighing at least two hundred pounds, and had been thrown in the corner ignored by everyone.

Jiang Ye would occasionally glance at it when sweeping the floor, never thinking much about it.

At this moment, looking at that stone, his right hand suddenly raised, his five fingers loose and drooping, as if he had lost his strength, and he pressed a palm onto it lightly.

Bang.

A light sound.

The surface of the blue stone remained motionless.

There wasn't even a crack.

But if someone were to squat down at this moment and look closely, they would be horrified to find that the bottom of the stone, the side touching the ground, was rustling down with fine powder.

The powder was extremely fine, as fine as sifted flour, piling up silently on the ground, raising a small patch of faint dust in the morning light.

Jiang Ye withdrew his palm, lowered his eyes to look at the blue stone, which was intact on the surface but completely collapsed on the inside, a look of satisfaction flashing in the bottom of his eyes.

Host: Jiang Ye

Lifespan: 85

Strength: Hidden Force (Late-Realm)

Fate: Ladder to Divinity 【Effect 1: Superb Comprehension】

Martial Arts Mastered: Five Animal Fist 【Great Success, 808/1000】

Intent Mastered: Tiger Walk Like Sickness, Spirit Ape Thousand Changes

It had to be said that the effect of superb comprehension was truly terrifying. After three days of practice, Jiang Ye's strength had already improved to the Late-Hidden Force realm.

He was not far from the Transformation of Force realm.

It was just a matter of these few days.

"Old Jiang, are you not going to watch the Martial Arts Meeting?"

Liu Liu Qingshi's voice interrupted Jiang Ye's thoughts.

He had changed into a solemn dark robe, followed by disciples ready to go.

Jiang Ye waved his hand, "I'm old, young people fighting and killing is too exciting. I'd rather guard this door and seek some peace."

He had followed to watch the fun a few times before, and every time the one who stole the show was nothing more than that Extreme Fist Martial Arts Hall.

Moreover, he had other things to do today.

Seeing Jiang Ye refuse, Liu Liu Qingshi didn't persuade him much, nodded slightly, and led the mighty team toward the North City.

Footsteps, whispers, and the sound of clothes rubbing against each other went further and further away, finally blown away by the morning breeze.

Jiang Ye stood by the gate, watching the group of young figures disappear at the end of the long street.

Once the last trace of aura went away, he turned around and returned to his room unhurriedly.

When he pushed the door and came out again, the person standing there was no longer that old gatekeeping man.

His figure was tall, his spine straight, his face gaunt and cold, and a fierce aura that forbade strangers from approaching was etched between his brows.

He looked down at this strange shell, moved his knuckles, and confirmed it was correct.

"Time to end it!"

He left the Wu Yuan silently and headed toward the Zhang family mansion.

Through the discussions of the disciples in the courtyard these past few days, he had already learned that the beast Zhang Xu was still alive.

Since the other party was not dead yet, Jiang Ye had to make him die thoroughly today.

According to what he knew, the Zhang family supported a Transformation of Force martial artist, whose whereabouts were uncertain and who rarely appeared.

But today was the day of the Martial Arts Meeting, and the prominent martial artists in Anxi County would likely gather in the North City.

That Transformation of Force supporter, he thought, would not miss such a grand event.

Therefore, today was the best time to assassinate Zhang Xu.

About half an hour later.

Jiang Ye's figure appeared in a quiet alley outside the Zhang family mansion.

He didn't rashly climb the wall but hid in the shadows, listening quietly.

Then, he heard a piece of news from the Zhang family servants that left him speechless.

That beast Zhang Xu, despite being seriously injured and just having stabilized his breath, was actually taken to the Martial Arts Meeting by servants to watch the fun today.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ye could only take a detour to the North City to see if there was a suitable opportunity.

No matter what, Zhang Xu had to die today. ===== CHAPTER 32 =====