Chapter 219: It

At the dock, Qiao Feng and Gu Qing had exchanged palms, so when he heard that Murong Fu's martial arts were no inferior to Gu Qing's, Qiao Feng felt immense pressure, convinced that in a direct fight he might not be the victor; thus, when he struck, he showed no mercy, ready to engage Murong Fu in a brutal battle.

He never expected Murong Fu to fall so easily.

So when Qiao Feng looked at Gu Qing, there was hesitation in his gaze, and he asked: "Is this Murong Fu?"

Qiao Feng suspected he had struck the wrong man.

Murong Fu couldn't hold it anymore and spat out another mouthful of blood.

Murong Fu's qi and blood were churning from Qiao Feng's palm strike; the best remedy would be to lie still for a while, but Murong Fu's proud nature refused to humiliate himself before the martial artists of north and south, so he forced himself to stand—his qi and blood already roiling, and now, hearing Qiao Feng's words, surged violently, spewing blood in a gush.

Gu Qing held back his laughter.

No one who watched the 1997 version of The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils really thought Murong Fu could bounce back like Xiao Jinlong…

"Young Master."

A Bi ran toward Murong Fu—this action answered Gu Qing's question for him.

Qiao Feng turned and fixed his gaze on Murong Fu.

In the martial world, it was long said: "Qiao Feng in the north, Murong Fu in the south." Qiao Feng had held great expectations for Murong Fu, but never imagined he would fall so swiftly.

At this moment, all eyes in the martial world were fixed on Murong Fu's face, whispers spreading.

The elders of the Beggar's Sect, who had just been arguing with Bao Budong and provoking Feng Bo'e, and who had mostly come seeking vengeance for Ma Dayuan's death, harbored deep hatred for the Murong family; now seeing Murong Fu toppled by a single blow from Qiao Feng, they erupted in clamor.

"Well done, Boss!"

"What kind of 'Southern Murong' dares to be named alongside our Boss?"

"Has the southern martial world run out of people, and sent out someone like this?"

The Beggar's Sect members, who had long wandered the streets and endured cruel words, now hurled each taunt with precision—words Murong Fu could not bear.

Murong Fu's face turned ashen with shame and fury; he drew his sword, broke free from Bao Budong and Feng Bo'e, and prepared to kill himself—but in the midst of his churning qi and blood, such a sudden movement caused him to stagger, then collapse to his knees.

"…"

"…"

The martial artists of north and south fell silent for a moment, then laughter slowly rose.

Murong Fu had lost all face today.

Murong Fu, tears in his eyes, held his sword across his throat, ready to kill himself.

"Clang!"

A powerful force slashed through the air—Murong Fu's long sword snapped cleanly in two.

Gu Qing stepped forward, caught Murong Fu with one hand, and said: "Brother Murong, think of Yan Longyuan—how can you kill yourself?"

Murong Fu, filled with humiliation and ready to die, heard the name Yan Longyuan—and his heart steadied, the desire to die vanishing.

"Thank you."

All of Murong's household retainers—A Zhu, A Bi—thanked Gu Qing.

Gu Qing accepted their gratitude without modesty.

A Bi glared at Gu Qing with bitter hatred, gritting her teeth: "It's all your fault!"

Gu Qing had deliberately exposed the enmity between Qiao Feng and Murong Fu, ensuring Qiao Feng would show no mercy—and that was why Murong Fu suffered such humiliation.

Now that Qiao Feng had decided to strike the Murong family, the entire Murong clan hung by a thread.

Gu Qing straightened his chest and said: "As a Song subject, I naturally serve my country to the utmost."

Qiao Feng had said the same words; Gu Qing repeating them now lent them a touch of heroic grandeur.

A Bi had no reply; she turned to Murong Fu and said: "Young Master, let's leave quickly."

Once Qiao Feng moves, we won't get away.

"Boss, this Southern Murong killed our Deputy Boss Ma. Let's bind him first, then punish him according to Beggar's Sect rules!"

Elder Song stepped forward and shouted to Qiao Feng.

Today, Qiao Feng had displayed divine might, toppling the Southern Murong in one blow—the Beggar's Sect had gained great face. Deng Baichuan, Gongye Qian, Feng Bo'e, and Bao Budong immediately formed a barrier before Murong Fu, each face flushed with anger; Bao Budong, seeing Murong Fu already fallen, could no longer muster bravado, and could only mutter: "Not so! Not so! Our Young Master did not kill Ma Dayuan."

Qiao Feng scanned the Beggar's Sect elders, noting their varied expressions, and guessed that Wang's letter had taken effect; his heart ached, and he said: "In my view, Deputy Boss Ma was not killed by Murong Fu."

Elder Song frowned: "Could Murong Fu not have done it?"

Qiao Feng had fought Murong Fu, and Murong Fu had collapsed instantly—this led the Beggar's Sect elders to unconsciously assume Murong Fu was weak.

All eyes turned again to Murong Fu, adding another layer of humiliation.

"Qiao Feng, why are you defending that dog Murong Fu?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man with refined features.

Qiao Feng recognized him at once—Quan Guanqing, the Ten-Fang Scholar, cunning and calculating, once his most capable subordinate in the Beggar's Sect; but now, with Quan plotting rebellion, he was a dangerous adversary.

As Boss, Qiao Feng was usually decisive; upon learning from Gu Qing of Quan's treachery, he should have executed him immediately. But since Elder Xu had not yet arrived, and Lady Ma had not appeared, the truth remained murky; so Qiao Feng waved his hand and said: "That dog Murong Fu's crime lies elsewhere!"

The word "dog" revealed Qiao Feng's stance clearly; Quan Guanqing said nothing and withdrew.

Qiao Feng turned and walked up to Murong Fu, demanding: "Murong Fu, your family has dwelled in Jiangnan, plotting rebellion—true or false?"

!

"Of course not!"

Deng Baichuan immediately denied it.

"Is that so?"

Qiao Feng's gaze sharpened as he swept over the crowd; from Gu Qing's words, A Bi's actions, and other clues, he was certain—so he raised his hand, ready to subdue the four household generals first, then lead the Beggar's Sect to search the Murong residence.

If proven true, he would rid the Central Plains of a menace.

"How is it not?"

A voice came from afar; a shadow flashed into the crowd—a monk stepped forward, coldly declaring: "The Murong family are descendants of the Yan state during the Five Barbarians' Rebellion. I once infiltrated their household and saw much. Your hiding in Jiangnan? It's to foment rebellion."

The speaker was Xuan Bei, who, after obtaining Murong Bo's handwritten copy of the Seventy-Two Secret Arts at Dali, had decided it was time to strike the Murong family with full force.

Shaolin had once slaughtered Xiao Yuanshan's family to prevent martial arts from leaking—now it could do the same to Murong Bo's family!

"Master Gu, Boss Qiao."

Xuan Bei greeted Gu Qing, then turned to Qiao Feng: "I carry the abbot's decree: I shall report the Murong family's crimes to Bianjing. The imperial court has dispatched officials to handle this—we may arrest the Murong family first, then hand them over to the authorities."

Xuan Bei must enter the Murong residence to burn the secret scrolls of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Secret Arts.

Qiao Feng had grown up at the foot of Shaolin, knew most of its monks; he now nodded, confirming the Murong family was indeed plotting.

Murong Fu's face turned ashen—he realized the Murong clan now stood at the brink of annihilation.

"Master!"

Amid the crowd, a white flash surged forward—Duan Yu rushed up and bowed to Gu Qing.

"This is the crown prince of Dali."

Xuan Bei introduced: "He has come as a witness."

Duan Yu looked at Gu Qing, his gaze drifting to Wang Yuyan beside him; he opened his mouth to speak, then saw a woman in pale crimson gauze step forward, curtseying to Wang Yuyan with concern: "Cousin, since your marriage, we've never known how you've been."

The speaker was A Zhu; sensing the situation turning dire, she rushed forward to mediate, hoping to use Wang Yuyan to make Gu Qing remember old ties.

At this moment, A Bi also hurried forward.

Wang Yuyan turned her face slightly, her eyes glancing toward Gu Qing.

The rhythm had been set entirely by Gu Qing; now that all elements converged, he would not resist the tide and make himself a burden—he turned to Zhong Ling and said: "Zhong Ling, you speak."

Zhong Ling had seen exactly how Gu Qing treated Wang Yuyan.

"Ah…"

Zhong Ling blinked, thought for a moment, and whispered: "She strikes nightly, sleeps with weapons at her pillow—she's doing quite well."

These words were not Zhong Ling's—they were Lady Wang's own assessment.

"…"

Wang Yuyan, Mu Wanqing, A Zhu, A Bi, and Duan Yu—all blushed.

Did I come here to hear this?

(End of Chapter)