Chapter 186 - A phrase, a sword stroke
The people of Jianghu were known to play around, typically completely ignoring the Imperial laws. But when they truly encountered experts of the military that held true power, they would feel uneasy.
When they saw officers from the army such Liu Zongyuan, call the white-robed youth 'Brother Ye', the crowd was greatly shocked. At the same time, they realized that the wealthy white-robed youth was not as simple as they had previously imagined.
"Sorry to have kept my two brothers waiting." Ye Qingyu seemed as if nothing had occurred at all, as calm as clouds in a light breeze. With a slight smile, he stood up, "Let's go."
Liu Zongyuan nodded his head.
His gaze swept across the crowd of Jianghu people. Apart from the black-haired elder of the Crepe Myrtle sect, no one dared to meet the eyes of an expert from the army that was like a sharp cold blade. They all lowered their heads.
The [Flying Divine Monkey] Huang Ran was in an awkward position. Standing there, he could neither push forward nor retreat; he was like a stone sculpture.
And Wei Tianming in a far off table had a completely green face, not daring to say anything.
"Haha, good, let's go. Mad Tiger Wen is waiting anxiously; if we wait any longer, then he'll go crazy again," Liu Zongyuan said with a large grin.
Besides him, there was a little manager wearing golden silk clothing. His manner was extremely respectful towards Liu Zongyuan.
Seeing this scene, the Jianghu crowd became even more anxious in their hearts.
The [Breeze and Drizzle Building] was a particularly special place within Youyan Pass. It was famous outside and was also a significant place within Jianghu. The rules of this building, the people of Jianghu largely understood the rules of this building. People on the fourth floor and under would be received by the servers while those who were received by the little managers wearing golden fabric represented the true experts and powerful nobles.
For the little manager wearing golden fabric to be so respectful to the black armoured military officer, one could determine that his position within the army was absolutely not low.
For such an officer to be courteous towards this white-robed youth and vaguely seemed to respect him… this white-robed youth, just what was his identity?
The crowd could not help but be aghast with shock.
Ye Qingyu and Bai Yuanxing rose, then headed towards the [White Jade Stairs] accompanied by Liu Zongyuan.
When they passed by Huang Ran, Ye Qingyu did not speak, but Liu Zongyuan abruptly stopped.
As this iron blooded military warfare officer looked at the so called [Flying Divine Monkey] the smile on his face retreated. A killing intent was exposed as he spoke, "Huang Ran? Three months ago, you were in the Deer Mountain Range; under the Seven Flying Mist Waterfalls, you ambushed and killed the third generation disciple of the Crepe Myrtle sect, Liu Youtian. You also stole the [Crepe Myrtle Dailuo] cultivation technique manual from him, then shifted the blame to people of the Flying Mist sect. [JR1] Yet today, your relation is so good with the people of Crepe Myrtle sect?"
Before he’d even finished.
Huang Ran was as if struck by lightning; his face turning tragic.
His entire body quivered, screeching: "You… who are you? You are speaking nonsense; you are falsely accusing me…”
On the other side, the people of the Crepe Myrtle sect, including the [Flying Heaven Sword] Wei Tianming, completely changed their facial expressions.
[Shooting Star Sword] Liu Youtian had been killed three months ago. It was an incident that made the entire Crepe Myrtle sect tragic and furious. Afterwards, through their secret investigation, they suspected the perpetrator to be the people of the Flying Mist sect. Crepe Myrtle sect was currently preparing to eradicate Flying Mist sect, to pay blood back with blood. It was just that an elder class expert felt that this matter had some inconsistencies and temporarily halted the operation. Everyone from the Crepe Myrtle sect was furious, because the [Shooting Star Sword] was extremely popular within the third generation disciples of the sect…
Who would have guessed that this military officer would blurt out such a secret?
Seeing Huang Ran's reaction, those that were clever would most likely know that the accusation was true.
The atmosphere immediately became strange in the large hall.
After saying this phrase, Liu Zongyuan did not say anything more. He accompanied Ye Qingyu with a smile and left using the small scale teleportation formation [White Jade Stairs].
Huang Ran was currently loudly explaining something.
One of Liu Zongyuan's trusted expert following behind turned around to look at Huang Ran. With a chilling smile, he said, "You did it, but you don't dare admit it. So many useless words… The person surnamed Huang, I've heard that your thirty-seven moves of the wind and lightning staff is known as invincible for all under twenty Spirit springs."
Huang Ran right now felt hatred and anger. Hearing this, he screamed, "What about it?"
This trusted armoured soldier was only at most twenty or so years of age, with a fair face. He coldly smiled, "Then bring out your wind and lightning staff!”
Huang Ran hesitated.
The trusted soldier gradually took out the long blade at his waist, the cold glimmer of the blade bursting out. Holding the hilt of the blade in one hand, he said, "Bring out your wind and lightning staff."
Huang Ran only just understood the opposing party's intention.
He was instantly enraged.
The previous black armoured officer’s strength was powerful; he perhaps was not his opponent. But for a tiny little soldier to dare unsheathe his blade in front of him, did they really think that the fame of Jianghu was false?
Huang Ran drew his hand across the air, a copper staff appearing in his hands. It was the thickness of a duck's egg, with coiling dragon patterns[2] and was flickering with light. It was evidently a Spirit weapon.
"Why don't you act…” With a staff in his hand, Huang Ran's aura greatly increased and he said these words in a mocking manner.
Today I will let you experience the power of the wind and lightning staff.
Before he could finish his words a cold light, like the light of the galaxy descending to mortal land, had already met him.
Huang Ran lifted his staff to meet his opponent.
Pang!
An explosive clash of metal meeting shook one’s eardrums.
When the standard military issue blade met the staff, the wind and lightning staff was like an anaconda that had been frightened, madly struggling and vibrating in Huang Ran's hands. This huge power caused the skin of Huang Ran's hand to drip fresh blood, as if the bones in his wrist had been broken. His arm immediately could not be lifted anymore…
Heavens, what was this power?
Too terrifying.
The next instant, the standard military blade had already pressed against his throat.
Huang Ran was completely dumbfounded, cold sweat dripping down. His face was deathly pale, like a dog from a mourning family, with a decrepit expression.
The young armoured soldier coldly smiled, "With your standard, you are fit to be known as invincible under the twenty Spirit strings? You are really a frog in the well. If I casually chose any of the soldiers with fifteen Spirit springs and above in the Vanguard, they could completely slaughter you in a second. Like a clown, with your foolish conceit, to dare jump out. To not even know your own death you dare make trouble for Master Ye."
The cultivation of the young soldier was nineteen Spirit springs.
The truth speaks louder than words.
Huang Ran did not even dare say a word, deathly afraid that the blade would draw across and end his life.
As the young soldier finished, his wrist shook.
The standard military blade turned into a flash of lightning, cutting apart Huang Ran’s interdimensional pouch. An assortment of items fell to the ground. Within the items, there was a violet manual, which attracted the most attention… "[Crepe Myrtle Dailuo] cultivation technique?" A Crepe Myrtle disciple screeched, so shocked that he screamed.
The young soldier coldly smiled, sheathing his blade. He did not say anything else, turning and leaving.
He did not need to say anything else.
At this time, everyone in the hall no longer paid any more attention to this young soldier.
In an instant, every Crepe Myrtle disciple's gaze fell on this manual.
"Why is it that the [Crepe Myrtle Dailuo] cultivation technique of senior brother Liu Youtian would be on your body? Huang Ran, give me an explanation…" Wei Tianming could no longer hold back his shout.
Connecting the words that Liu Zongyuan had previously said, the truth was already evident.联
The third generation disciple [Shooting Star Sword] Liu Youtian's death most likely had something to do with the [Flying Divine Monkey] Huang Ran.
Huang Ran had panic on his face; his mouth was stuttering and was not able to say anything. He did not have any of the confidence he felt when he was plotting against Ye Qingyu.
"Huang Ran you bastard. 'One knows the person's face' but one does not know the person’s heart.' To think that you did such a thing." "I peh[3] [1], to think that I called you hero Huang just then, I really was blind." "Everyone, I think that the [Flying Divine Monkey] has already fallen to the evil ways. To ambush the great hero Liu Youtian. Today we must not let him escape alive…”
The men of the Jianghu in this hall changed their stances quicker than flicking through a book. Previously they called him hero Huang, but at this moment, they were all cursing and insulting him.
The [Flying Heaven Sword] Wei Tianming slapped the table and rose. "Huang Ran, to think that I previously thought of you as my brother and treated you sincerely. I introduced so many people of the Jianghu to you and have always protected you. Who would have guessed that you had the face of a human but the heart of a beast? To dare steal the secret manual and kill my senior brother Liu Youtian, this is really unforgivable. Today, I will take revenge for my senior brother Liu Youtian!"
As he said this, his long sword shot out.
Wei Tianming turned into a ray of light, flashing and arriving to kill.
The longsword[4] in his hands became a dragon-like ray, extremely rapid, the surrounding air exploding. Everyone in the hall felt as if the radiance of the sun had shone into their eyes; no one was able to open their eyes, using their hands to cover their faces…[5]
The burning light flashed by and was gone.
When the vision of everyone returned to normal, there was a sword embedded in Huang Ran's chest.
This sword was held in Wei Tianming's hands.
"You… I… you…" Huang Ran had eyes of disbelief as he looked at Wei Tianming. Within his eyes there was a thick hatred and unwillingness to accept this. He struggled to say something but, instantly, Wei Tianming retrieved his sword and added another palm strike to his chest.
Huang Ran spat out fresh blood, his figure meeting the heavens[2].[6]
His eyes were round and open, not dying in peace.
"Brother Liu, I've taken revenge for you!" Wei Tianming let out a long sigh.
The surrounding people all went and comforted Wei Tianming.
The black-haired, middle-aged Shishu in the table far off had a trace of suspicion that flashed across his eyes. It was unknown what he was thinking about…
As for the gorgeous girl Nan Hua, her eyes were always in the direction of the teleportation formation [White Jade Stairs].
Ye Qingyu and the others’ figures had already disappeared within the small scale teleportation formation.
However, Nan Hua did not recover for a long time.
"Who would have thought that the history of that white-robed youth is not little. Most likely he is some young master of some noble family. No wonder he is handsome and elegant, with an exceptional quality. But this is really a pity. If only I knew about this earlier, I already had several opportunities to interact with him; I've let it go in vain…”
Nan Hua could not help but regret this.
But very quickly a self-confident smile once again appeared on her lips.
"Since I'll be in the Pass for a very long time, there's plenty of opportunities for me[7] . For such a hot-blooded youth, he is probably easily handled. I'm not afraid that he won't get hooked. I'll find an opportunity and use some methods; it'll be very easy to [8] [9] [10] figure out his background. Haha, this wealthy white-robed person can be considered a decent backup…"
The girl of the Crepe Myrtle sect thought.
The hall settled down very quickly.
The corpse of Huang Ran had already naturally been taken care of by the restaurant. The laws of the Snow Empire were extremely strict, but it did not restrict people of the Jianghu from taking vengeance on each other. Wei Tianming killing Huang Ran was a matter between the people of the Jianghu; the military would not pursue this further.
The matters of the Jianghu would be left to be solved by the Jianghu.
This was a tradition.
The atmosphere and mood of the Jianghu people on the fourth floor receded a lot.
Everyone from the sects originally was in an energetic mood, feeling that they were invincible. They were immortal characters here to save the mortal world; their self-confidence surging too high. Coming to Youyan Pass, they were in the role of a saviour, but they never would have thought that they would encounter such an incident.
Before they had even entered the battlefield, they were fiercely struck on the head by the white-robed youth and the young armoured soldier.
One phrase, a sword stroke, made them so shocked that they did not even dare to speak any longer…
At this moment, everyone was not as arrogant and conceited as they were before…
Everyone became much more honest.
"Just what is the identity of that white-robed youth?"
This was the question in many people’s hearts.
There were many people quietly discussing this.