Chapter 173: You Dare Insult Me, Boy!

The iron staff was entirely black and glossy, faintly emitting a dim light; on the tip that flew toward them was carved a grinning, snarling skull. It was the Spirit Snake Staff!

"Young master, be careful!"

The Spirit Snake Staff moved at extreme speed; not far away, Mu Nianci in a red robe had just shouted in alarm when a swift black flash, accompanied by a hissing blast, reached Niu Dingtian in an instant.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian's eyes narrowed slightly, yet amid the surrounding shouts he remained steadfast, and then his pupils instantly became calm and still.

At the same time, unnoticed by anyone, an invisible sword intent erupted from his body with a booming blast, as if to tear the void, and surged toward the Spirit Snake Staff.

The next moment, the onlookers felt a gust of air strike them, prickling the skin like needles and knives.

Clang—

The invisible sword intent collided with the Spirit Snake Staff, producing a harsh metallic clang that echoed through the noisy long street, lingering for a long time.

Bang!

Then a deep, muffled thud followed; as the crowd recovered, they saw that the once formidable iron staff had, at some unknown moment, been driven straight into the ground by Niu Dingtian.

The scene fell silent at once.

From afar, Ouyang Feng in the tavern saw the scene, his face turning pale as he widened his eyes in shock.

Did he make a move?

When he recovered, his incredulous gaze met the eyes beneath the rabbit-face mask, and Ouyang Feng's heart jolted sharply,

It was him!!!

Realizing this, the next instant he didn't even think of his son in the distance, and fled the tavern as if for his life, dashing toward the city outskirts.

He could leave his son behind to devise another rescue, but he dared not be sure that, having been defeated by Niu Dingtian this time, the opponent would spare his and his son's lives.

"If you want your son to live, be ready with a gift tomorrow at noon and meet me on Jiugong Mountain."

Just as Ouyang Feng was leaping across rooftops and had just slipped out a short distance, his heart eased slightly when an utterly indifferent voice, without warning, came from behind him and rang clearly in his ears.

It seemed as if the speaker were right beside him.

Ouyang Feng was startled!

Without thinking further, he instinctively flipped and leapt up, instantly darting to a nearby roof to take guard.

"You little mongrel, you dare to insult me!"

Seeing that Niu Dingtian did not pursue, Ouyang Feng recovered and his face turned a deep iron blue.

He gritted his teeth, glanced toward the distance, and after leveraging the ground a few times, his figure swiftly darted beyond the city wall.

This side.

Aside from the Spirit Snake Staff lodged beside Niu Dingtian, there were no obvious signs of battle around.

Moreover, the clash was so swift, a blur lasting only an instant, so to the onlookers the terrifying scene seemed as if it had never occurred.

"I recall someone shouting angrily just now, the shock still numbing my forehead; which of you saw clearly?"

"The iron staff seemed to come from that tavern; we only saw an old man with a fierce face, his eyes terrifying like a poisonous snake!"

"But we didn't see that man act just now; how did the iron staff stop? Was there someone hidden?... True, this is a martial arts gathering; what kind of martial arts masters aren't here?"

"No, no, he definitely acted! It was so fast that everyone missed it; when he struck that young master just now, weren't there several fleeting shadows?"

The onlookers exchanged remarks, pointing at Niu Dingtian and debating; finally, someone pointed to the broken half-flagpole, where the seemingly dying Ouyang Ke lay on the ground.

Niu Dingtian paid no attention.

But when he saw the axe and sword slash marks on the Spirit Snake Staff beside him, his eyes flickered slightly.

Having no sword can outmatch having one,

Attack in the formless.

This—

It is the invincible sword intent formed by sheer willpower, a spiritual cultivation that only innate strongmen can attain!

"Good child, we can't stay here any longer; get your things ready, and in a moment we'll take the chance to leave the city!"

On the other side, Yang Tiexin stared anxiously at Ouyang Ke on the ground; seeing him lie motionless, he hesitated for a long time, unwilling to approach.

The lesson from over ten years ago still lay before his eyes; now he felt an inexplicable dread of life-and-death cases, and finally, he only tugged at...

But the next moment, when his gaze shifted beyond the crowd, his anxious face suddenly changed color.

"Step back! Step back!"

"You! And you!"

"All onlookers, retreat to the side! No idle people may approach!"

It turned out that several squads of soldiers clad in armor and brandishing sharp weapons had already surged forward, quickly dispersing the onlookers and encircling the open area.

As the crowd dispersed, the leader Hu Zaixing slowly stepped out, casting a quick glance over the three people present.

When he faced Niu Dingtian wearing the rabbit-face mask, his brows involuntarily furrowed; how familiar was this pretentious posture?

But when he saw Ouyang Ke lying on the ground, his eyes instantly hardened, staring intently at the nearest Yang Tiexin.

Damn it! The higher-ups repeatedly warned that no private fights are allowed during the gathering, even if five absolute masters appear they must be strictly dealt with! Your damn matchmaking duel almost killed someone!

"Who moved?" Hu Zaixing coldly demanded.

Seeing this, Yang Tiexin's heart tightened abruptly, and he instinctively glanced at Niu Dingtian.

But he was also a good man; after all, Niu Dingtian had just helped free his father and daughter, so there was no reason for revenge.

So he quickly pointed at the nearby iron staff, bowed his body and offered a wry smile, "Your Excellency, the one who acted earlier has long since left."

"Moreover, everyone knows the young master on the ground has profound martial skill; with my meager abilities, how could I have reduced him to this state?"

Hearing that,

Hu Zaixing's expression softened slightly.

If that were true, being of humble origin himself, he naturally would not wish to trouble the rag‑clad poor man before him.

He then grasped his treasured sword at his waist with his left hand, half‑crouched, and extended his right hand to probe Ouyang Ke's aura.

It's fine not to investigate, but this probing instantly made Hu Zaixing's face turn sour.

Could he be dead?

Yang Tiexin, standing nearby, felt his heart skip a beat, but the next scene made his eyes widen.

Clap—

A crisp crack rang out, and Hu Zaixing, his face flushed with anger, slammed a hard slap onto Ouyang Ke's already half‑swollen cheek and shouted:

"Damn your mother! I'm here and you still dare to play dead? Get up right now!"

Having said that, seeing Ouyang Ke still unresponsive, Hu Zaixing lifted his hand to deliver another slap.

"Enough!"

Before the slap could land, Niu Dingtian, who had been silent for a long while, suddenly sent a mental command to Hu Zaixing, ordering him to stop.

Without waiting for Hu Zaixing to react, he calmly said:

"Ignore me. Take him back to Jiugong Mountain and hand him over to Niu Kui for proper confinement. Be discreet; there may be people trying to snatch him en route."

Is he the sect leader?

Hu Zaixing was startled, and his hand in the air halted.

But as a military commander, his reaction was lightning‑fast.

A moment later, Hu Zaixing swiftly gestured left and right, pointed at Ouyang Ke on the ground, and said in a deep voice:

"Send two people to carry him back for proper treatment; the rest follow me and withdraw!"

After speaking, Hu Zaixing rose, exchanged a clasped fist with Yang Tiexin and his daughter, then turned his back and led his troops away.

"May I have a moment with you two? I have some matters to discuss."

When the soldiers had withdrawn and the surrounding crowd began to gather again, Niu Dingtian decisively stepped before Yang Tiexin, clasped his fist, and said.

Hearing that, before Yang Tiexin could speak, someone in the crowd immediately began to heckle:

"Young master's kung fu is remarkable; that little girl probably can't even endure a single move. Is this a failed marriage negotiation?"

"Exactly, exactly—if a fight accidentally harms the girl, the young master would feel sorry, no wonder he can't bring himself to strike."

Most are coarse street folk, always speaking in a boisterous manner.

Seeing the crowd ramble on, the pretty Mu Nianci's cheeks were already flushed, and she felt uneasy.

Yang Tiexin, seeing this, also felt uneasy, so he returned a clasped‑fist salute to Niu Dingtian and said:

"Young master's invitation, I dare not decline; later please lead the way."

After speaking, he gave his daughter a glance, then quickly bent down to pick up the iron spear, the pair of halberds, and the four‑character "Martial Contest for Marriage" banner.

With the luggage packed,

Under Niu Dingtian's lead, the three swiftly slipped away from the trailing crowd, reached the second floor of an inn, and finally settled at a window seat.

"Please bring out the shop's signature dishes, preferably Shandong style, and two jars of aged Immortal Drunk."

After speaking, Niu Dingtian handed the waiter a ten‑tael silver ingot.

When the waiter left cheerfully, he removed his rabbit‑face mask, brewed tea for Yang Tiexin and Mu Nianci opposite, and said:

"The wine and dishes will take a while; the weather is hot, please have some tea first."

When the tea reached Mu Nianci, seeing her suddenly uneasy, Niu Dingtian smiled kindly, unexpectedly causing the young lady to blush again.

Yang Tiexin, seeing this, felt the face was somewhat familiar and sensed something amiss.

He hadn't expected that the person before him, whose martial skill was concealed, was such a young fair‑skinned youth, with a face softer than a woman's.

In the end, he's just a pretty boy proficient in martial arts, and such a youth actually attracts inexperienced girls.

He thought that if he were a commoner's youth, he might match his daughter, but judging by his attire, bearing, and the generous moves just now, it's clear the other is a rich or noble young master.

Such a lineage is far beyond what a poor, miserable lowly like him could marry into.

Realizing this, Yang Tiexin decisively stood, clasped his fist to Niu Dingtian, and formally said: "Thank you, young master, for your warm hospitality!"

"It's just that my father and I have urgent business and must leave the city soon; if you have matters to discuss, feel free to speak, and I certainly won't decline any request within my ability."

You really won't decline?

At that moment, meeting Yang Tiexin's gaze, Niu Dingtian suddenly felt an urge to ask that question.

However…

If I really latch onto this and act like a bully, it would be overstepping, damaging my own reputation, and Yang Tiexin would certainly flip the table on the spot.

After thinking, Niu Dingtian set down his teapot and, without showing emotion, asked: "I heard Uncle Yang is looking for someone?"

At those words, Yang Tiexin's face instantly changed color, and his rough hand under the table instinctively reached for the iron spear propped against the table.

Having hidden his name and fled for over a decade, hearing that familiar surname made him immediately assume Niu Dingtian was a government official.

"If I wanted to strike you, you wouldn't even have a chance to grip the spear; why would I invite you here?" Niu Dingtian glanced at the rust‑stained spear and said calmly.

This time, he didn't call him Uncle Yang; if they truly discussed seniority, the other could not accept that title.

Hearing Niu Dingtian's words, Yang Tiexin's tense body relaxed slightly, and he slowly released the spear, a wry smile appearing on his face.

"Father? Are you alright?"

Mu Nianci asked softly from beside.

She was also a bit curious why the man opposite had called him 'father' and 'Uncle Yang'.

But seeing his extreme reaction, the usually obedient and sensible girl still suppressed her doubts as usual.

Yang Tiexin, seeing this, gave his daughter a slight shake of the head, then seemed to recall something; when he looked at Niu Dingtian, his eyes were faintly excited.

"I wonder which old acquaintance you are, young master? How do you know my true name?"

"Both, and not."

Niu Dingtian said calmly.

"I came today to find you; actually I want to ask two questions that have puzzled me for many years."

Upon hearing that, not only Yang Tiexin was bewildered, but Mu Nianci also looked over with a curious expression.

"The first question…"

While speaking, Niu Dingtian looked at Yang Tiexin and asked with utmost seriousness:

"If your sworn brother and your wife both fell into the sea, and aside from you neither could swim, and time only allows you to save one, whom would you save?"

Having said that, ignoring Yang Tiexin's slightly changed expression, Niu Dingtian's eyes burned as he stared at his evasive gaze.

"I know you, Yang Tiexin, are from a prestigious family, and even for the honor of your ancestors you would not betray your conscience with false words."

"Of course, if you cannot answer, you may choose not to, and I will not ask the second question either." Niu Dingtian continued without blinking.

The words themselves were fine, but the moment they fell, they forced the words Yang Tiexin had been about to utter to be swallowed outright.

Seeing this, Niu Dingtian felt a surge of satisfaction; that damn thing had been stewing on the street for a long time, and finally he thought of a way to deal with Yang Tiexin.

Today, regardless of whether the other answers or not, he can strike back from the moral high ground.

Thus, Niu Dingtian stared fixedly at Yang Tiexin, his gaze giving no respite. Meanwhile, Yang Tiexin, for some unknown reason, began to grimace in painful struggle.

Half an hour later,

The dishes on the table had grown cold, and seeing Mu Nianci on the opposite side cast a fierce glare, he was about to speak.

Niu Dingtian pulled an object from his pocket, slammed it onto the table, and said coolly to Yang Tiexin:

"Since you couldn't answer the first question, there's no need to ask the second either."

"Sign this, then!"

Having said that, Niu Dingtian surprisingly pulled another brush from his pocket and handed it over.

Sign?

Yang Tiexin, seeing this, slowly came to his senses; when he lifted the paper on the table and unfolded it, within two breaths his hands suddenly began to tremble.

In the next instant, a "Bang" erupted, soup splattered across the table, and Yang Tiexin's massive fist slammed onto the tabletop.

Then his eyes turned blood‑red, he rose thunderously, stared at Niu Dingtian, and shouted angrily:

"You brat, how dare you insult me!" (End of chapter)