Chapter 14: Just Fear a Pig‑Like Teammate

Boss, boss, we're here.

At that moment, the scholar and company came running, drew their steel swords, and joined the fight.

With Xu Quan's addition as an Acquired Realm cultivator, the battle became a one-sided slaughter.

In the battle, Yang Yi looked at Xu Quan with a resentful expression.

"Xu Quan, you're not being fair—you called in such strong reinforcements without even telling me beforehand."

"You didn't see—just now the eldest Xu used a life‑risking secret art; if I had taken that hammer blow, I would have died."

"Guess what? Good fellow, not even the chief's skin got scratched."

Xu Quan's face showed a strange smile.

"We've only just begun."

"Just now on the road, even Xu Er couldn't hold out a few moves—Listening Rain Sword and Lan Yu both got their heads cut off."

"Listening Rain Sword? Lan Yu?" Yang Yi felt the names were familiar, but couldn't recall where he'd heard them.

Xu Quan continued speaking.

"However, Chief Shen isn't the reinforcements I summoned."

"You could never guess why he's here."

Afterward, Xu Quan briefly explained what had happened.

Yang Yi first froze, then his face turned oddly strange; he cleared his throat and spoke in a very loud voice.

"Ah! You mean Chief Shen Qing didn't come after receiving a reinforcement order?"

"It's because the Xu family's third eldest committed atrocities in Peaceful Town—defiling a maiden and wiping out a family—that Chief Shen was drawn here."

"That truly deserves death ten thousand times!"

Yang Yi's voice was unusually loud, and Xu Da heard every word clearly.

Xu Da's lips trembled uncontrollably.

He now clearly understood a saying.

"What the hell does 'not fearing a god‑like opponent, but fearing a pig‑like teammate' mean?"

Xu Da let out a roar.

"How is that possible? I don't believe it! I don't believe it! How could such a coincidence happen?"

He suddenly dropped to his knees before Shen Qing, clutching the blade with both hands, ignoring the blood flowing, and pleaded.

"Please! Tell me you came because you received an order from above! Please!"

Xu Da completely broke down; he would rather believe the opponent was one move ahead than accept that his loss was due to his teammates being stupid.

Shen Qing laughed, looking very pleased; usually, the dying person's last wish is granted by the opponent.

But Shen Qing refused.

Shen Qing grinned.

"Guess what? I really was brought here by your third brother."

Xu Da completely broke down, his eyes began to lose focus, and he howled like a madman.

Shen Qing raised his hand; the Azure River sword flashed, and Xu Da's head flew high.

Die in despair.

【Slain Acquired Realm sixth‑layer martial artist; looted trait: Proficient in Hammer Technique (green)】

Half a cup of tea later, Niu Jiao Shan had no more bandits—only the surviving Embroidered Uniform Guard members were cleaning the battlefield.

Xu Quan and Yang Yi stood aside, staring at each other.

"Chief Yang, our mission should be considered complete, right? The Xu brothers are indeed all dead."

"But none of them were killed by us, and the White Dragon Sect also got involved—how are we supposed to report this to our superiors?"

Yang Yi scratched his chin.

"Just tell the truth—what else can we do?"

"It's already lucky we kept our lives; if it weren't for Shen Qing, we'd probably have lost our heads by now."

Xu Quan also nodded; the mission was issued by the Pacification Office, but the lives are our own.

Yang Yi wiped the blood off his face and set his great axe aside.

"Let's not talk about that now—first go thank them, after all they're our lifesavers."

"If we saved them and gave no token of thanks, people would say our Wan'an City Embroidered Uniform Guard lacks manners."

Xu Quan also nodded, and the two walked side by side toward Shen Qing.

But before they could speak, they heard the sound of hooves; Xu Quan immediately drew his blade and went on alert.

"Could the White Dragon Sect have reinforcements?"

The hoofbeats sounded sparse, like only two or three horses.

If the enemies were surely hostile, yet upon seeing Shen Qing sitting calmly to the side, they all let out a sigh of relief.

It was as if they had taken a calming pill.

No matter how many come, Shen Qing will kill them all.

Not long after, three black horses approached, with Old Li bringing two strongmen; looking closer, a person was being dragged behind the horses.

The person was covered head to toe in mud, with not a scrap of good flesh—obviously dragged all the way here, and it was Xu San.

Old Li jumped off his horse and shouted, "Boss, Xu San has been brought!"

Shen Qing opened his eyes; having just killed someone, he was looking for some fun.

"Wake him up."

Upon hearing that, Old Li grabbed Xu San and slapped his face repeatedly with a dozen or so slaps.

At this moment, Xu Lao San's face was swollen and red beyond compare, and he woke up wailing.

"Stop hitting, stop hitting, I admit my mistake, I admit my mistake."

But Old Li seemed deaf, and he kept slapping, delivering over ten slaps until all of Xu Lao San's teeth were knocked out and his face swelled into a pig's head before he stopped.

"Boss, the prisoner has awakened; we can interrogate him now."

Xu Lao San's eyes had swollen to nothing but a slit, and he with difficulty turned his gaze toward Shen Qing.

"Sir... sir... I was wrong, please, just kill me."

Shen Qing gave a light laugh and stood in front of Xu Lao San.

"Don't panic, I'll give you another chance; answer one question correctly, and I won't kill you."

Xu Lao San swallowed a mouthful of blood, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

"Sir... this time for real."

Shen Qing smiled.

"Rest assured, I'm absolutely serious."

"What has four legs but does not move?"

Xu Lao San's mind raced: "Is it a table?"

Shen Qing laughed, very happy, and reached out to pat Xu Lao San's head.

"You are very smart."

On Xu Lao San's pig‑like face appeared an ugly smile.

But the next moment, Shen Qing grabbed Xu Lao San's chin, twisted his head, and laughed maniacally.

"But it's a pity you guessed wrong! It's your eldest and second brothers—he just beat them to death and hung them on a tree."

Not far away, two sturdy corpses hung from a tree, limbs dangling, completely still.

Xu Lao San opened his mouth wide, but could not utter a sound.

He knew that Xu Lao Da had summoned the White Dragon Sect, so he deliberately revealed the location of Niu Jiao Shan.

As long as Xu Lao Da and the White Dragon Sect killed Shen Qing, he would also be saved.

But he never expected Shen Qing to be this strong, killing them all.

So, did I bring harm to my eldest and second brothers?

Xu Lao San could not accept this fact.

Shen Qing was very pleased with Xu Lao San's reaction.

Lifting a foot, Shen Qing caused Xu Lao San's head to burst like a watermelon.

Standing to the side, Xu Quan and Yang Yi exchanged a glance and swallowed.

Is this too evil?

They had thought being in the Embroidered Uniform Guard was already crazy enough, but now it seems they're just playing house.

Shen Qing turned his head and glanced at the two: "You looking for me?"

Just now I saw the two walking toward me.

Xu Quan and Yang Yi stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Xu Quan/Yang Yi, thank you, Sir Shen, for saving our lives."

Shen Qing also couldn't be bothered to put on airs; the other party's attitude was already low enough, and Shen Qing wasn't aloof either, so he chatted with them off and on.

From the conversation he also learned why they were pursuing the Xu brothers.

The Xu brothers, under Wanan City's jurisdiction in Shuangqiao Town, raped and killed seven or eight girls and wiped out several families, over forty people in total.

"Right, Sir Shen, the bounty for capturing the Xu brothers is substantial, and there's also the sudden situation with the White Dragon Sect, but the reward will certainly be no less than that for the Xu brothers."

"Or, brother, I'll directly report both together; when the time comes, the reward will be sent to Bai Yun County for you."

Shen Qing waved his hand.

"That's excellent."

"Since someone is willing to help, Shen Qing naturally won't stand on ceremony."