Chapter 747

Hu Xiaotian only now realized this was the Red Mountain Hall; previously he had someone investigate, and the Red Mountain Hall was the Black Hu merchants' association in Yongdu, the Black Hu people's stronghold in Yongdu. After Black Hu Fourth Prince Wanyan Chixiong arrived in Yongdu, he stayed here even longer than at the Yi Zhan, because most here were their own clansmen, and there were dedicated Black Hu chefs, making life more adaptable. Recalling Xi Yan's request for him to help eliminate Wanyan Chixiong, Hu Xiaotian immediately understood her rough plan for tonight.

This girl was clearly leading them here on purpose; who knows what she's plotting next? Feeling like being led by the nose was extremely unpleasant, Hu Xiaotian said to Tang Tiehan: 'General Tang, this seems to be the Black Hu people's hall; going in now might not be proper, right?' He didn't want to follow Xi Yan's plan step by step, so he reminded Tang Tiehan to act cautiously.

Tang Tiehan's head had already been clouded by anger, and he shouted: 'What does it matter if it's the Black Hu people's hall? Even if I have to dig three feet deep today, I will find that Lan-clad person!'

Hu Xiaotian couldn't plainly tell Tang Tiehan, silently cursing to himself: 'Done! Despite all precautions, that Demoness's scheme has succeeded; she likely intends to use Tang Tiehan and the Tiger Standard Battalion's troops.' But after a moment's thought, it wouldn't hurt him much—having come, he might as well make the best of it, at worst just stand by and watch the spectacle.

Tang Tiehan stepped forward, clenched his fists, and pounded twice on the gate with a dong-dong; in the deep night's silence, he struck with such force that the entire Red Mountain Hall could hear the commotion outside.

Tang Tiehan roared: 'I, Tang Tiehan, Commander of the Tiger Standard Battalion, am on night patrol by order!' His voice carried far away, rippling across the night sky.

Wanyan Chixiong jerked awake, the two Black Hu slave girls in his arms pressing their hot bodies against him, emitting soft cries in the darkness. He pushed the two alluring bodies away, sat up, and heard the shouts outside.

He left the bed, quickly dressed, opened the gate, and saw a soldier rushing forward to report: 'Your Highness, the Tiger Standard Battalion's men are outside on night patrol.'

Wanyan Chixiong's face darkened, he let out a cold snort and said: 'Tiger Standard Battalion? What is that? How could the Red Mountain Hall be a place they casually patrol?'

The soldier replied: 'General Lahan has already gone to investigate the situation; Your Highness, just go back and rest.'

Wanyan Chixiong furrowed his brows and said: 'I'll go take a look!'

The gate of the Red Mountain Hall opened slowly. Five Black Hu sturdy men emerged, the leader being a burly figure—none other than Lahan, the warrior under Wanyan Chixiong.

As soon as Lahan stepped out, he roared: 'Who's making noise here? Do you know what place this is?' By the firelight he saw only two people, both known to him: one was the Da Yong fierce general Tang Tiehan, the other the Dakang envoy Hu Xiaotian. Lahan had once been captured by Xiong Tianba and used as a hostage to exchange for Tang Tiehan, a matter he regarded as a great disgrace. Seeing Hu Xiaotian stirred up old and new grudges, his tiger eyes nearly blazed with fire.

Hu Xiaotian, seeing things had come to this, was happy to watch the spectacle, since Tang Tiehan would back him up anyway. He pretended not to have seen Lahan, looking around for any trace of the Lan-clad person.

Tang Tiehan clasped his fists and said: 'I am Tang Tiehan, Commander of the Tiger Standard Battalion of Da Yong. I have just pursued a suspect here and personally saw him enter the Red Mountain Hall. Please, sir, grant us convenience and let us enter to search thoroughly.'

Although Lahan knew Tang Tiehan was Da Yong's top fierce general, he showed no intention of backing down, coldly saying: 'General Tang, perhaps you don't know what our Red Mountain Hall is? His Highness the Fourth Prince is still resting inside; if you disturb him, I fear you won't be able to bear the consequences.'

Tang Tiehan said: 'The Fourth Prince? That's fine. Please have the Fourth Prince come out so I can speak to him face to face.' Before this, Tang Tiehan didn't know that the Black Hu Fourth Prince Wanyan Chixiong resided in the Red Mountain Hall.

Lahan said: 'His Highness is already resting; if there's anything, we can discuss it tomorrow!' He turned to leave.

Tang Tiehan shouted: 'Stop! I personally saw the suspect enter your Red Mountain Hall—how could I be mistaken? Go inform the Fourth Prince at once!'

Lahan was no mild-tempered either, visibly annoyed: 'General Tang, I've already told you—His Highness is resting, and our Red Mountain Hall is always heavily guarded; no suspect could possibly have entered.'

Hu Xiaotian, eager to stir the pot, said: 'What we saw with our own eyes could still be wrong? Are you colluding with the suspect? Otherwise why fear our search?'

Lahan snapped: 'Bullshit!'

Hu Xiaotian sneered: 'What did you say? You bastard, dare say that again?'

Lahan had long held a grudge against Hu Xiaotian, and he snapped: 'Little southern barbarian, if you know what's good for you, get out of here right now, or I'll throw you out!' He was also the sort of brainless oaf who blurts out whatever when angry; though his anger was aimed at Hu Xiaotian, since Tang Tiehan and Hu Xiaotian came together, he effectively cursed Tang Tiehan as well. In the Black Hu view, all lands south of Black Hu territory are southern barbarian lands.

Tang Tiehan's black face turned bluish-black; without waiting for Hu Xiaotian to fan the flames, he coldly stepped toward Lahan and said: 'Who are you calling a southern barbarian?'

Lahan, a stubborn sort, glared at Tang Tiehan and said: 'I'm talking about you—so what?'

Tang Tiehan gave a hollow cold laugh: 'What? Don't you see whose territory you're speaking on? I'll weigh your worth!' As soon as he finished speaking, he threw a punch straight at Lahan's chest.

Seeing Tang Tiehan strike, Lahan also threw a forward punch; for such fierce generals, force is the most direct and effective way to settle disputes—whoever has the harder fist gets the say.

Lahan had twice been defeated by Xiong Tianba's hands, while Xiong Tianba himself couldn't even withstand a single round against Tang Tiehan; Lahan and Tang Tiehan were not on the same level. Before their fists even met, Tang Tiehan's thick, domineering fist wind surged like a stormy wave, pressing in and nearly making Lahan's breath catch. He let out a roar, gathering his whole body's strength into his right arm, his massive fist shooting toward Tang Tiehan like a meteor.

Tang Tiehan's expression remained indifferent as he punched; his arm had a subtle inward rotation, this slight motion giving his fist wind a rotating, expanding helical force. Lahan's fist came straight on, entering the vortex of Tang Tiehan's fist wind like a stone sinking into the sea, its strength rapidly diminishing as it advanced. When the fists met, Lahan felt as if he hadn't exerted his strength, because his fist was being restrained by Tang Tiehan's helical force.

At the instant the fists touched, Tang Tiehan's power burst forth; his mastery of punch force had reached a minute level, transmitting force along Lahan's arm, yet the explosive point was in his chest. Lahan's burly frame shuddered violently, his feet unable to stay planted, as if an invisible giant hand had seized him and hurled him hard into the courtyard.

Behind him, the four Black Hu warriors seeing Lahan blown away by a punch rushed forward to grab him, but the moment they touched his body they were blown away by the tremendous force—Tang Tiehan's punch actually felled all five Black Hu warriors to the ground.

Hu Xiaotian stood nearby, having watched the exchange clearly, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: 'No wonder Tang Tiehan is called Da Yong's number one fierce general; at such a young age he possesses such overbearing strength, probably comparable to Zhou Mo's martial prowess.'

At that moment, hurried hoofbeats came from all directions—it was the brothers of Tang Tiehan's Tiger Standard Battalion, who had received the signal and rushed here in time.

Zhou Mo and Xiong Tianba also came running, their only concern being Hu Xiaotian's safety.

Seeing the crowd arrive, Tang Tiehan immediately ordered: 'Surround the Red Mountain Hall for me, seal off all exits, no one may come or go at will.'

Lahan crawled up from the ground, dusty and disheveled, and Xiong Tianba, seeing his sorry state, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Hearing the laughter, Lahan looked over; although his fall had been ugly, Tang Tiehan hadn't used full force to injure him, since Tang Tiehan understood he was a member of the Black Hu envoy, and wounding him seriously would be hard to explain.

Having been knocked flying by Tang Tiehan's punch, Lahan already knew the strength gap between them, feeling both shame and anger; yet even if furious he dared not seek revenge on Tang Tiehan, for no one is a fool—knowing they'd be beaten, why invite humiliation? Xiong Tianba, however, was different; Lahan always believed Xiong Tianba's previous victory over him in the mountain villa ruins was mere fluke, that this big oaf was merely stronger in brute force, while in grappling technique Lahan would far surpass him. Picking the soft persimmon, as people often do, is a common mindset.

Although the facts proved Xiong Tianba was not a soft persimmon, compared to Tang Tiehan he was still somewhat weaker; Lahan, ashamed and angry, focused on saving face, roaring: 'Little southern barbarian, you dare laugh at me!' This guy also had some spine; upon getting up, his first move was to charge at the bear cub.

Xiong Tianba was the type who loved a good show and feared missing out; if not for Zhou Mo keeping him in check, he'd stir up who knows what trouble, and not provoking others would be best. Now seeing his old rival Lahan rush over again to pick a fight, he felt no anger—rather, he was delighted enough to show his back teeth, shouting: 'Big idiot, you still dare seek death!' He darted out in a leap, like a tiger bursting from its gate.

Xiong Tianba couldn't produce Tang Tiehan's helical force; like Lahan, he went straight in, meeting force with force, and the bear cub truly feared no one.

Their fists collided; Lahan stumbled back three steps with a deng-deng-deng, his strength ultimately inferior to Xiong Tianba's by a notch; though he seized the initiative, he was still repelled by Xiong Tianba's punch. Xiong Tianba belongs to the super-aggressive type; once fighting, he won't stop until a victor is decided, and he followed up with three consecutive blows, peng-peng-peng.

Two chapters guaranteed, as usual—fifty Monthly Tickets earn an extra chapter, a hundred tickets mean two chapters. It's not that Zhangyu isn't working hard; it's just that these two chapters indeed took a lot of mental effort. I dare not claim perfection, but after all we need to wrap up the story logically and reasonably, so as not to become a laughingstock. Of course the hardest part is already behind us, so we dare to burst forth, thus we ask for votes—we beg brothers and sisters to make it happen! (To be continued~^~)