Chapter 31: The Four Little Strongmen Reunite

Duan Fengyun looked at Qin Shuang and Nie Feng, who had saved him, and laughed embarrassedly: "Brother Shuang, Brother Feng, how did you know I was here?"

Qin Shuang glanced at Duan Fengyun's injuries and said: "Junior Brother Duan has been so prominent lately, how could we not know? Junior Brother Duan has now surpassed Junior Brother Yun to top the Tianxia Hui kill list. Brother Feng and I certainly had to come and see the style of this number one."

Nie Feng added: "I heard about the alliance between the Qingyi Sect and the Divine Blade Gang, and worried about your safety, Junior Brother Duan, so I rushed here. I happened to run into Brother Shuang on the way."

Duan Fengyun said shamefully: "Brother Shuang, you are joking. Here, I thank both brothers for your concern for me."

Qin Shuang asked seriously: "Junior Brother Duan, in my eyes, you are not the type to engage in such mass slaughter. Why have you killed so wantonly this time?"

Seeing this, Duan Fengyun had no choice but to tell them the whole story: "Kong Ci was buried by Brother Yun in the Imperial Mausoleum, and the Separation Stone outside the mausoleum requires a divine weapon to open. I have killed so wantonly this time only to let the Fire Scale Sword drink its fill of blood and reach its strongest state, so it can help Brother Yun obtain the Peerless Sword. The competition for the Peerless Sword is bound to be fierce, so I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure."

He told the two about Bu Jingyun's situation while concealing his own covetousness for the Peerless Sword. He was not such a saint; in the face of such a peerless divine weapon, he could hardly avoid the desire to seize it.

Qin Shuang and Nie Feng were slightly stunned to hear the name Kong Ci. Thinking of this person with whom they had over a decade of friendship, someone closer than a sister, they suddenly felt sorrowful in their hearts.

Nie Feng looked at Duan Fengyun's injuries, took two Blood Bodhi from the pocket at his waist, handed them to Duan Fengyun, and said: "Junior Brother Duan, you must have been seriously injured in your battle with the Tianchi Twelve Killers. These Blood Bodhi can help you heal your wounds; take them quickly."

Duan Fengyun took the Blood Bodhi handed over by Nie Feng, then looked at the Snow Drink Saber in his hand. Nie Feng had still obtained his fortuitous encounter in Lingyun Cave.

He swallowed the Blood Bodhi in one gulp and said to Nie Feng: "Brother Feng, it seems you must have gained quite a lot from your trip to Lingyun Cave. Both a precious saber and Blood Bodhi."

After finishing, he looked at Qin Shuang and discovered that Qin Shuang's internal energy had also greatly increased. He teased Qin Shuang: "It seems Brother Shuang has also had a fortuitous encounter."

Qin Shuang responded to his teasing: "Don't ask about us. You clearly have had a great opportunity yourself, otherwise, how could you have contended with the Tianchi Twelve Killers with your original strength?"

Thus, Duan Fengyun told Qin Shuang and Nie Feng the same words he had told Bu Jingyun, and incidentally told them about Bu Jingyun's experiences as well.

Qin Shuang and Nie Feng also recounted their own experiences.

After Nie Feng finished speaking about his experiences, the three of them sighed, noting that great opportunities are always accompanied by great dangers.

They all deeply admired Bu Jingyun.

Duan Fengyun thought for a moment and proposed to the two: "Since the three of us are all here, why don't we go find Brother Yun? I believe I know where he is."

Qin Shuang and Nie Feng agreed without a second thought. Since parting at Tianxia Hui, the former Four Little Strongmen of Tianxia Hui had not seen each other for a long time.

Duan Fengyun guessed that at this time, the Sword Casting Villa had not yet invited the Three Poisons of Greed, Truth, and Ignorance to the villa, so Bu Jingyun should still be at Yu Family Village.

Thus, Duan Fengyun, accompanied by Qin Shuang and Nie Feng, inquired about the location of Yu Family Village all the way, beginning their journey to find Bu Jingyun.

After finally arriving at Yu Family Village through constant inquiries, and once Duan Fengyun confirmed the location of Yu Chuchu's home, the three went to town to buy a pile of food and wine. The four of them, reunited after a long time, were going to get properly drunk.

Chuchu was startled and at a loss when the three men suddenly appeared in her home. Fortunately, Chuchu still remembered Duan Fengyun, otherwise, she probably would have started screaming.

Duan Fengyun introduced Qin Shuang and Nie Feng to Chuchu, and also introduced Chuchu to Qin Shuang and Nie Feng.

The four placed the food they had bought on the table, waiting for the out-and-about Bu Jingyun to return.

Bu Jingyun returned from outside, and as he walked to the house, he heard the voices of several men inside. Thinking that Xiongba's killers had arrived, he channeled the Cloud-Veiling Palm in his hands and walked into the room.

When he walked into the room and saw the three of them—Duan Fengyun and the others—he was stunned.

He asked the three in surprise: "Brother Shuang, Junior Brother Feng, Junior Brother Duan, why are you here?"

Duan Fengyun replied: "We missed you, didn't we? Judging by your tone, are you not welcoming us? Did we disturb your and Chuchu's world for two?"

Chuchu's face turned red on the side, and Bu Jingyun feigned anger: "You brat, have you not been disciplined for too long?"

Watching Duan Fengyun and Bu Jingyun bickering, Qin Shuang laughed heartily. He had missed such a scene for a long time.

Nie Feng shouted to the three: "What are you staring at? Eat quickly! Miss Chuchu must have been hungry long ago."

Thus, the four sat at the table, each grabbing a jar of wine, chatting and drinking just like that, as if they had returned to the days at Tianxia Hui.

Seeing this, Chuchu finished her meal quickly and tactfully left.

Duan Fengyun looked at the departing Chuchu and said to Bu Jingyun: "Brother Yun, Chuchu is a good girl; you must learn to cherish her."

Bu Jingyun took a large gulp of wine and said painfully: "I know, but you also know that Ni Pusa said my fate is cursed by the Lone Star; everyone around me meets a bad end. My stepfather's whole family was like that, and Kong Ci was the same. I really don't want to see Chuchu end up like that again."

Hearing this, Duan Fengyun moved away from Bu Jingyun as if a mouse had seen a cat, saying as he moved: "According to what you say, shouldn't we stay away from you too?"

Unexpectedly, to Duan Fengyun's joking words, Bu Jingyun replied righteously: "Yes, you had best stay far away from me. You are all brothers closer to me than my own kin; I cannot bear to let you be dragged into this vortex of mine."

Duan Fengyun had not expected that his joking words would cause Bu Jingyun to say such things.

He, along with Qin Shuang and Nie Feng, quickly spoke up: "Junior Brother Yun/Brother Yun, you just said that we are brothers closer than kin. Your affairs are our affairs, and we are willing to face the difficulties with you."

Seeing the three brothers revealing their true feelings before him, Bu Jingyun was deeply moved. He raised the wine jar in his hand to toast the three, and Duan Fengyun and the others raised their jars in response.

True brothers are always those who silently support you from behind.

With Bu Jingyun's matters discussed, the group turned their attention to Duan Fengyun.

Qin Shuang asked Duan Fengyun with a smile: "You told Junior Brother Yun to cherish Miss Chuchu. Then how do you intend to treat Youruo?"

Duan Fengyun, who had been wearing a mischievous grin, stopped smiling. He said in a very conflicted manner: "The four of us and Xiongba are already in a life-or-death situation. I don't know how to face Youruo either; I can only take it one step at a time."

Qin Shuang replied: "Since Youruo could defy her father for your sake, you must cherish her well."

Duan Fengyun picked up the wine jar again and said: "Let's not talk about these unhappy things. Come, drink."

Seeing this, the three said no more. The four brothers, who had not seen each other for a long time, drank until they were dead drunk amidst their back-and-forth chatter.