Chapter 888: The Rudder Master (Good luck on the Gaokao!)

Leaving the Ghost Market, Aaron sped along.

It was the dead of night, and even in Jinhu, a great many lamps had been extinguished.

No one noticed a nimble figure, moving like a spirit crane as he wove through the streets and alleys.

Suddenly, Aaron stopped in his tracks.

His ears twitched, and he heard an extremely faint sound of footsteps: "Who goes there?"

"Impressive, to actually be able to discover me. You are at least a ranked Martial Artist. I've caught a big fish this time."

'That is also possible. After all, the Qiankun Society does not yet have the ability to spread its branch rudders across the Great Xuan, and Cheng Dongnan has always been hiding and drifting...'

Before these words were finished, Yu Qiu ran out from somewhere unknown and covered his younger sister's mouth.

Bang! Bang!

In terms of true damage, it was not as serious as being hit by a shot from a Bird Gun earlier.

Aaron walked up and entered the ship's cabin, where he saw a youth with a rather amiable air, looking at him with a smile: "Daozhi, you have come?"

As he spoke, he took a package from under the table, unwrapped it layer by layer, and revealed a classic with a blue cover inside.

Aaron thought for a moment and walked up to this person.

It was only on the fifth day that he heard something had happened over at the Ghost Market, with patrol officers making arrests, and he immediately felt it was a bit strange.

The next day.

"Who?"

Baishu was covered in Hard Qigong; taking a few moves from the Black-Clad Guard head-on was no big deal.

The next moment, Aaron let go of his thoughts, letting them diverge continuously, and began to analyze the characters on the paper through a process of imagination and self-interpretation.

Aaron nodded and let the laborer lead the way.

The opponent's movement technique was like a swimming fish, skillfully dodging away.

"Report!"

"Yes, this is the hope that the brothers finally snatched after shedding blood and sacrificing their lives."

Baishu had been soaking in medicinal baths since childhood and practicing impact training, finally forging a body of Hard Qigong with skin of copper and bones of iron!

Although it could not defend against sharp blades or firearms, it could effectively reduce damage from blunt weapon attacks and even the fists and kicks of martial arts practitioners.

At this moment, there was still light in the main house.

Aaron lived in seclusion, claiming to the outside world that he was buried in writing a novel, occasionally going out to buy some herbs to treat his injuries.

"Lingering in the prosperity of Jinhu, I somewhat forgot the time."

Aaron took the opportunity to enter his own attic, hiding away in his small building to find unity, regardless of the spring and autumn outside the window.

'Now, is it because I am still useful, and a living person is more valuable than a dead one, that they are prepared to settle the matter like this?'

Aaron looked at the other characters and parsed out a few fragmented pieces of information, such as "Paper Clothing Art," "Black Blood Skill," and so on...

As soon as these words were spoken, Aaron felt a jolt.

"Rudder Master!"

The Black-Clad Guard licked his lips: "Originally I thought it was an accident, but now, I am certain, you must be a high-level member of the Qiankun Society!"

"Rudder Master... is this the Jingshi Book?"

Not far away, there was an ancient bluestone bridge.

"I will strictly follow the order of the Rudder Master!"

Cheng Dongnan addressed Bai Xuan this way, showing their closeness.

The Black-Clad Guard clutched his eyes and screamed, but the next moment, he was pressed by Aaron's claw onto his vital crown point, and he collapsed like mud.

"Don't pretend. We, the Sixth Rank Head, have long had an ambush at the designated location for that Qiankun Society signal... And he, the old man, is so brilliant that he even had us watch that wall; anyone who saw the mark and paused their movement, or changed direction, was an even bigger fish!"

Unaccountably, he associated this with the wax figures in the wax museum.

"What of it?" Yu Yu replied dismissively: "Brother has been there several times, and even stole money from home..."

Aaron performed a salute first, then sat down and placed the roasted chicken on the table, slowly tearing it apart to eat.

Any Martial Artist, upon seeing a Strange Art classic, would likely have this reaction.

'But looking at his emotions right now, they actually seem real. As expected, to deceive others, one must first deceive oneself?'

Amidst the flying sleeves, the cold-faced Sixth Rank Head arrived at the scene, and with just a slight glance, he knew what was going on.

"This Jinhu is a place of trouble. Why not leave early?"

'This is highly likely a fake...'

But the faint temperament on his body completely betrayed him.

Aaron grabbed with both hands, but did not catch the Black-Clad Guard.

"Sigh... do not call me Rudder Master. Back then, we Ten Great Brothers swore an oath of brotherhood, determined to oppose the Xuan, how high-spirited were we? Yet I did not expect that in just a few short months, we would lose so many brothers..."

Boom!

A cluster of colorful fireworks exploded in the sky over there.

Cheng Dongnan grabbed Aaron's hand, moved: "As everyone knows... the Xuan Dynasty was founded on Strange Arts. If we want to resist, we must also possess Strange Arts... Now that Prince Pingyang has come to Jinhu in person to suppress us, I am afraid the Jingshi Book in my hands cannot be kept... My target is too large; I will draw fire for you. You must take the Jingshi Book and flee immediately, as far as you can!"

Aaron scanned it roughly, and it could indeed correspond to the Jingshi Book he had seen that day.

"It's just that... I seem to have come to the wrong place."

Yu Yu rolled her eyes: "Sir, did you not go to the residence of the lady teacher?"

Aaron bowed.

At the same time, Aaron saw a hieroglyph resembling a corpse lying down.

At this thought, an expression of anger appeared on Aaron's face: "Ma Dang is not a good person... Previously, I stayed behind to cover for the brothers and was seriously injured as a result. He actually wanted to abandon me and flee for his own life. Later, when my injuries improved and I wanted to leave, he tried to stop me, and when that failed, he directly tried to kill me... I suspect he is a spy for the Xuan court! I accidentally killed him in the struggle!"

Before the words had even faded, a gust of wind rushed toward his face!

Just a moment ago, although Aaron had not struck the Black-Clad Guard's vital points, his Internal Energy, unleashed through the air, had still instantly injured him!

……

They are both rebel groups; do they think they can just quit whenever they want? Are they joking?

If he said this, wouldn't Cheng Dongnan turn hostile on the spot?

"Whoosh!"

'He probably knew everything that happened in the ruined temple long ago and was just waiting for me.'

"Is there such a thing?" Cheng Dongnan's brows furrowed, as if he were thinking, or perhaps feeling sorrow: "Brother Ma swore a blood oath with us back then, but I never imagined he would end up in such a state..."

Arriving at Yu Laotou's house, Aaron pushed open the courtyard gate.

The attic.

A Black-Clad Guard stepped out from the shadows, a playful smile on his face: "Speak... why were you staring at that mark in the corner of the wall?"

Suddenly, his expression changed.

'This Cheng Dongnan is trying to make me a scapegoat!'

"What is going on?"

Pfft!

"Ah!"

The fact that the Qiankun Society could find him meant their hidden influence was clearly not small.

Aaron carried a roasted chicken and a bag of steamed buns back to Yu Laotou's house.

'You know too much.'

'This is likely a copy made by Cheng Dongnan of the content from the real Jingshi Book.'

Aaron answered loudly.

Because in the corner of Yu Laotou's house, a man wearing a felt hat was squatting, looking just like any common laborer one might see anywhere.

Aaron didn't care about that; he simply calmed his mood and then sat cross-legged on the bed: "It seems... it really is time to move."

Yu Laotou's house.

He had rich experience in reading such classics.

He went ashore there, reached the main street, found a rickshaw, and continued to take a ride home.

A Black-Clad Guard galloped over, knelt on the ground, and reported: "Sixth Rank Head, we have discovered Qiankun Society rebels in the Ghost Market again, and they have also... also disturbed the Princess of Pingyang!"

The two of them twisted and turned through the alleyways until they reached the side of a small river.

Seeing this scene, Aaron sighed.

The small alley returned to calm.

After all, it seemed the target was not him.

'Hmm, anyway, they are looking for the Qiankun Society rebel Bai Xuan, what does that have to do with me, Baishu?'

While hurrying back, he was also calculating in his heart.

If he had known the enemy was this powerful, he shouldn't have been greedy for this credit!

"Let's go!"

Aaron tilted his body slightly to avoid his vitals, letting the bloody palm strike his body, producing a sound like a drum being beaten.

Aaron threw the blood-stained mask into the river, then turned and headed toward Yu Laotou's house.

……

"Qiankun is boundless, Righteous Qi lasts forever!"

A look of shock, excitement, and even a hint of longing and Greed appeared on Aaron's face.

At the same time, as his palm brushed over this Jingshi Book, he sneered in his heart.

The surrounding Black-Clad Guards lowered their heads, knowing that the brighter this Sixth Rank Head smiled, the more it meant he was furious inside and likely to vent his anger on others; at this moment, no one dared to say another word.

In a daze, his perspective was pulled upward bit by bit, as if he were leaving his own body.

A moment later, more Black-Clad Guards chased over: "No good... Chief Zhuo has been killed..."

This person saw Aaron and directly made a gesture.

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Find the best Hounds and investigators, start searching from here, and even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find that person for me!"

Stepping out of the Black-Awning Boat, Aaron discovered he was already in a different stretch of water.

'My inspiration has a slight reaction, but it is not very strong... it lacks the Weirdness of the Wax Figure I saw that day and the intensity of Nangong Miaomiao from before...'

"Whatever the Chief Rudder Master commands, I will do without hesitation!"

It was just that later, it seemed even Yu Laotou and his wife were woken up, and then they started cursing and swearing.

Cheng Dongnan's eyes turned red, and he almost shed tears: "You volunteered to stay behind to cover the retreat back then; what happened later? Did you meet up with Ma Dang?"

Unfortunately, there was only one name, but it could be seen that this Jingshi Book seemed to be the master outline connecting many Weird evil arts!

"Cough, cough..."

"The Princess of Pingyang?"

And... that Wax Oil Corpse Scripture!

"So the Jingshi Book records part of the content of the Wax Oil Corpse Scripture, or rather, are they one and the same? No, no..."

This was the contact signal for the Qiankun Society; since the other party could find him here, there was no point in him hiding anymore.

"Greedy for merit and advancing rashly, pursuing alone is one thing... but to be discovered by the opponent and killed in a counter-attack, that is truly excellent, truly excellent indeed..."

The Sixth Rank Head spoke with a stern voice, then suddenly looked toward the Ghost Market.

The Black-Clad Guard in Jinhu is not quite enough; could it be that those new recruits must also end their training early and come out to gain experience?

At this moment, he naturally would not open his mouth to say anything about preparing to withdraw.

At this time, Aaron coughed a few times, an unnatural flush appeared on his face, and he turned and left quickly.

He was just about to open his mouth to lie, saying he had been separated from Ma Dang earlier, when he suddenly felt something was wrong.

However, despite vomiting blood, the Black-Clad Guard still tried his best to counterattack; his palm turned crimson as blood and struck toward Aaron.

Not only was its appearance exactly the same as the genuine article, but inside it was also filled with dense writing in a Weird script.

"Taoism" was a "word" fabricated by Bai Xuan.

Although he was 99% sure in his heart that this book was a fake, Cheng Dongnan had clearly spent a fortune to make it look real.

His tone seemed to come from the utmost sincerity, but Aaron felt a chill run down his spine:

"This person... is a bit wrong."

Aaron gave a hollow laugh and wanted to return to his attic.

Under a bridge.

"Ma Dang? I already beat him to death long ago! Could it be that the main headquarters didn't receive the news?"

The Sixth Rank Head looked shocked, glanced bitterly at the corpse on the ground, and said, "Most of you go back with me first; leave one team to guard the scene."

Aaron frowned and replied coldly.

"Trash!"

He had self-taught quite a bit of Medicine, so diagnosing himself was not much of a problem.

Cheng Dongnan reached out to stroke the pure blue cover of the classic, then suddenly tossed it to Aaron: "Brother Bai... please send this book to Tiannan quickly. We have brothers there who are building a stronghold in the deep mountains to protect themselves and training in Wu... If you can Can the mysteries of this book, it will surely be of help to our great cause."

"Don't talk nonsense."

In a flash of Electric Light, just as this Black-Clad Guard thought of this point, he already saw the enemy's fingers in front of him form a beak shape and peck fiercely at his eyes!

"Good brother."

But just at the moment of dodging, Aaron turned his claws into palms and struck through the air!

Pfft!

The Black-Clad Guard spat out a mouthful of blood directly: "No... this is... have you already entered the Heavenly Rank?"

Aaron lit the Lamp and slowly opened the Jingshi Book in his hand.

Aaron's thoughts turned a thousand times, but on the surface, he could only put on a look of sorrow as well.

Aaron coughed: "As a girl, how do you know about that kind of place?"

The laborer whistled a few times, and a Black-Awning Boat was seen slowly sailing over from somewhere.

The black cloak behind the Sixth Rank Head fluttered in the wind: "Were remnants of the Qiankun Society discovered in the Ghost Market again?"

A moment later, Cheng Dongnan wiped away his tears: "Since Ma Dang is dead, I still have to have someone take care of his old mother to fulfill filial piety... I am very comforted that you, Brother Bai, could come to Jinhu to help me."

But a tiger claw had already arrived before his eyes, its nails cutting through the wind with terrifying power capable of disemboweling him!

It turned out that as soon as the Black-Clad Guard was speaking, Aaron had already used the "Double Cranes Spread Wings" to sprint and rush in front of him; beneath that white mask with fluid lines was a pair of indifferent eyes.

Names like "little brat" and "old ghost three" were heard incessantly.

And at this time, enduring a few palms from the opponent was naturally to end the battle quickly, so as to avoid the arrival of enemy reinforcements!

Aaron looked at the obscure and difficult text and began to understand it according to his own interpretation.

On the day he beat Ma Dang to death with his fists, Xiaohuan and a large number of Qiankun Society members saw it; if he lied again, wouldn't he seem guilty?

He immediately felt regret in his heart.

Yu Yu ran out, and seeing it was Aaron, she was a bit surprised: "Bai Xiansheng, why are you back so late today?"

Just as Aaron's gaze was gradually drawn by the content of the book and he could not move it away.

A cool sensation, like a sudden enlightenment, poured down from the top of his head.

(End of this chapter)