Chapter 89: I heard you want to find me?

Several days later, within Jia Shui Jun territory.

A run-down relay station.

The scholar was squatting by the fire, roasting a pheasant, when he cursed.

"How fierce are these Wokou causing trouble? Even people at such a remote relay station have all fled."

"Since entering Jia Shui Jun, the population has become ever sparser; now even this official relay station has run out of people."

Zhang Shan spat: "If you can escape, that's already good; what's frightening is not even having a chance to run."

"Hey, scholar, look at the map—where are we now, and how far is it to North Yun City?"

The scholar didn't even lift his head: "I checked this earlier; if this relay station isn't wrong, it should be Yun Tong Station, and at our current speed we should reach North Yun City in three days."

Zhang Shan looked at Shen Qing: "Shen Qing, North Yun is in chaos right now; when we get there, where should we start killing?"

Shen Qing bit into a roasted chicken leg: "Simple—whoever shows their head gets killed; someone's probably already eager to show theirs."

Suddenly, a shout erupted outside the relay station; all the Embroidered Uniform Guard leapt to their feet, drawing their long blades.

"Run! Don't stop, keep running!"

"Even if you're tired, you can't stop—the Wokou are coming right away!"

It seemed the Wokou were chasing someone; Zhang Shan furrowed his brows.

"How does this voice sound a bit familiar? Have I heard it somewhere before?"

Shen Qing also felt a sense of familiarity.

The voice sounded again.

"Keep running! Run forward! Run to Eternal Peace Prefecture! A fierce person has recently arrived there, called Du Shi Yan Luo Shen Qing—the Wokou dare not go there!"

The scholar raised his eyebrows: "Boss, your reputation has already spread to Jia Shui Jun!"

Shen Qing shook his head, chuckled, and already recognized whose voice it was.

"It hasn't spread that fast; Zhang Shan is right—it's definitely an acquaintance."

"Come on, let's go see."

A forest path.

A line of ordinary villagers ran past—none had any cultivation, with a few elderly men and women, appearing to be ordinary farmers from the village.

And at the rear of the group was Zhang Mo, the Crown Prince of Dong Ling.

After being reprimanded by Shen Qing that day, he also saw through the true faces of his companions; thus, after leaving Luo Shui City, he quit the Six Gates, wandered alone to Jia Shui Jun, where he became a roaming knight, specializing in intercepting Wokou and protecting civilians.

At this moment, he gripped a black‑long sword; its blade clearly bore several nicks, his face sported a palm‑sized scar, and his clothes were stained with blood—evidently he had endured consecutive high‑intensity battles.

Zhang Mo helped an old man up: "Why did you stop? Hurry, keep running!"

The old man trembled as he rose: "I truly can't move, sir knight—you should run; with us you won't get away."

"These past two days you've been kind enough to us, but bringing us along slows you down; the Wokou will soon catch up."

Before Zhang Mo could say anything, a teasing voice echoed from the forest.

"Hey, you don't want to leave? Then just stay here."

Zhang Mo snapped his head back, swung his sword, and a sharp black sword qi shot straight toward the treetops.

A violent explosion rang out; the great tree was split in two by the sword qi, sending up a huge cloud of dust.

Yet Zhang Mo's face showed no sign of relaxation.

As expected, the next moment that voice sounded again in the forest.

"Not bad power, but it's a shame—I'm bored with this; you all might as well die."

The next moment, several bitterless daggers shot out from the forest, also emitting a dark purple glow.

Zhang Mo raised his sword to block, hearing only a crisp crack.

His already scarred black long sword was actually snapped straight by the bitterless dagger, which then drove deep into Zhang Mo's chest.

Zhang Mo staggered back two steps and fell to the ground; he was already at the end of his strength, now without a weapon, utterly unable to resist.

From the woods, a man with deathly pale skin slowly walked out and approached Zhang Mo.

"Are you the heavenly talent of Great Wu? You're strong—able to match me even at the peak of the Innate Realm—but unfortunately I haven't even used a third of my strength."

"Thus it seems the heavenly talent of the Great Wu Kingdom can't compare to ours in the Empire!"

"We will surely conquer this land sooner or later, and you shall become the first Great Wu heavenly talent I slay!"

Zhang Mo lifted his head: "What are you pretending? You're still calling yourself a heavenly talent?"

"Have you ever seen a true heavenly talent? If you really think you are one, keep going down this road—head straight into Luo Shui City in Eternal Peace Prefecture, go to West City, find the Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred Households Office; there's someone called Du Shi Yan Luo Shen Qing there."

"Go find him! See if you can force him to use a third of his strength."

"After three punches from him, you won't even make it past the seventh watch!"

The man chuckled: "Oh, Du Shi Yan Luo Shen Qing? I've memorized that name."

"I'll go find him—and then kill him!"

Suddenly, the wind in the forest seemed to cease.

The man's body suddenly stiffened.

He threw a mighty punch behind him, but a pale, slender hand lightly caught it.

"I heard you want to find me?"

The man's forehead beaded with sweat as he tried to pull his fist back, but no matter how hard he strained, it wouldn't budge—as if clamped in an iron vise.

Under the moonlight, Shen Qing's stern face was revealed, along with a faint, almost imperceptible sneer at the corner of his mouth.

"Is this the Wokou's heavenly talent? I can't even force out a third of my strength."

The man roared: "How is that possible..."

Boom

With a crisp sound, the man's skull was sent flying by Shen Qing's palm strike, and his expression of disbelief froze on his face.

Zhang Mo lifted his head and looked at the man who was like Yama himself.

He had also imagined that someone might descend from the heavens to save him.

It could be his father, or even someone from the Six Gates.

But he never imagined that the person who would save him would be this man who was like a nightmare in his heart.

Shen Qing reached out and grabbed Zhang Mo, pulling him up.

"Quite embarrassing."

Zhang Mo stared, dazed. Had he just been pulled up by Shen Qing?

At that moment, Zhang Shan popped his head out from the side: "Yo, isn't that Zhang Mo? You look miserable after not seeing you for a few days."

Zhang Mo didn't hear his words; his mind was filled with countless thoughts.

"Did I not say anything wrong just now?"

"I was praising him."

"Yes!"

"I didn't say anything wrong!"

Pan Ruhai also walked out: "Young Master Zhang? Why are you here? Why are you fighting the Japanese pirates?"

Zhang Mo came to his senses, glanced cautiously at Shen Qing, then honestly recounted the whole story.

There was a group of Japanese pirates called the Tianjiao who roamed Jia Shui Jun daily, needing no troops, just specialized in hunting alone as Innate and Grandmaster realm cultivators.

They also killed people for fun.

Yesterday at noon, Zhang Mo encountered several Japanese pirates attacking villagers; his blood surged and he directly fought several Japanese pirates. As the Heir Apparent of the Dongling King, he had some skill, taking on five and slaying all five Innate-realm Japanese pirates.

Later, this incident provoked a Grandmaster-realm Japanese pirate, who chased Zhang Mo all the way here like a cat toying with a mouse.

Suddenly, Zhang Mo thought of something, got up, and ran to Shen Qing.

"Sir Shen! Before an incense stick burns out, I had several companions bring some villagers in another direction; the Japanese pirates pursuing us were more than one, but only one came to me."

"The others definitely went after them."

"Sir Shen! I know we have a grudge; earlier I was wrong, I know what I did was not right."

"But my companions are innocent; they are also protecting the people of Da Wu."

"I, Zhang Mo, admit my fault; I accept any beating or scolding."

"But I beg Sir Shen to save their lives!"

After saying that, Zhang Mo bowed deeply to Shen Qing, his head lowered so far he dared not look at Shen Qing.

Shen Qing patted Zhang Mo's shoulder: "If you had spoken like this earlier, why would I have beaten you in the first place?"

"Speak, where are the people?"