Chapter 95
In a post house a hundred miles from Ziyang City, the rain poured down heavily today, drumming against the eaves and shrouding the outside world in a thick mist.
Despite the torrential downpour, business at the post house thrived, with cups clinking and voices rising in a lively din.
“Did I set out too early?”
“But I’ve been waiting for two days…”
A young man wearing a conical hat, with a battered great sword strapped to his back, sat in a corner eating, occasionally glancing toward the entrance.
After a moment’s thought, Xiao Qin felt it wasn’t his fault.
In recent days, the post house had been rife with incidents—bloodshed and death, brutal and merciless.
Clearly, the Wujian Trial had begun.
“Humph, the Wujian Trial.”
At that moment, an aged voice echoed in his ear:
“I loathe those infamous rats, always lurking like a stubborn plaster.”
“If it weren’t for being targeted by two Di Sha assassins, I wouldn’t be in this predicament…”
Qianxing Wuzun clearly held no fondness for Xiyu Tower.
“Master, what exactly is Xiyu Tower?”
Xiao Qin couldn’t help but ask, curious.
Even his master had been forced into such a situation?
“In Xiyu Tower, the highest rank is the Thirty-Six Heavenly Killers, who take direct orders from the tower master, followed by the Seventy-Two Di Sha and the Three Hundred Sixty Slayers, along with countless lower-tier assassins.”
“Ha, those ruckus-makers from the past few days couldn’t even qualify to enter the tower.”
“Those who are eligible to enter Xiyu Tower are not mere brutes who duel in broad daylight; they are snakes that will stop at nothing for profit.”
“Xiyu Tower dares to assassinate even royal relatives.”
“Pay them, and they’ll do your bidding.”
Qianxing Wuzun had a profound impression of Xiyu Tower.
Xiao Qin pondered and asked, “Can their assassinations fail?”
“Failure means the payment wasn’t enough; they’ll just ask for more.”
“…”
In a way, Xiyu Tower was quite persistent.
Xiao Qin couldn’t help but feel a mix of respect and wariness toward the money-driven assassins.
He preferred dealing with someone like Li Xiong, a true gentleman…
At that moment, a figure burst through the rain and stepped into the post house.
The bustling post house fell into a deathly silence.
The newcomer was emaciated, a short knife hanging at his waist, and as he stood there, the ground gradually turned red.
What dripped from him wasn’t rainwater, but blood.
Clang—
Under the gaze of everyone, he walked straight to the seat opposite Xiao Qin.
“Brother, is it alright if I sit here?”
He said this while ordering a bowl of beef noodles from the waiter.
“Please, make yourself at home.”
Xiao Qin’s expression darkened.
His master had said this person was not simple…
“Sir, your beef noodles, just as you requested, without scallions.”
The waiter came over with a beaming smile.
The man squinted his eyes but didn’t touch his chopsticks; instead, he grinned and said, “But… I don’t eat beef.”
These words shattered the tense atmosphere, and the air turned deadly.
Whoosh—
The previously cheerful waiter suddenly flung off the towel draped over his shoulder, revealing a flurry of fine needles like rain.
In the post house, the sound of swords and knives being drawn echoed.
“Zuo Qiu Yang, today is your day to die!”
The diners, the shopkeeper, and even the muleteers, without exception, surged forward with murderous intent.
Xiao Qin: “?”
So the reason that man sat here was because…
In the entire post house, he was the only one who wasn’t an assassin?
How absurd.
Chapter 92: Who Smiles Like That?
The not-so-large post house transformed into a hellish battlefield in an instant.
Zuo Qiu Yang’s short knife was dazzlingly beautiful, and with a flash, a life was extinguished.
The sound of blades whistling through the air made one feel as if their heart was being gnawed by ants.
“Impressive.”
Xiao Qin felt a chill in his heart; the killing intent from the other side was overwhelming. If it came to a life-and-death struggle, he wasn’t confident he could defeat him.
His master had once said he was a standout talent among his peers.
But Xiao Qin always felt he was rather ordinary.
He had thought it was because he was in Qingyuan Sect, a place of exceptional people and spirits, but now that he was down the mountain, he had encountered this person again.
“Indeed, it’s the Wusheng Blade Technique; at his age, he has mastered it to perfection.”
Qianxing Wuzun let out a soft exclamation, also surprised by Zuo Qiu Yang.
“Do you know his martial arts style?”
“Of course, if I didn’t, why would I warn you?”
“Master, then why didn’t you warn me about the oddities in this post house?”
Xiao Qin moved to a corner to hide.
With hidden weapons flying everywhere, he had no choice but to pick up a broken sword and wave it.
“None of these even qualify as lower-tier assassins.”
“And they’re not here to kill you.”
Xiao Qin nodded; he hadn’t received a summons, and there were no innocent bystanders caught in the fray.
However…
Suddenly, a hidden weapon he had deflected pierced the chest of an unfortunate soul.
“That thick-browed, big-eyed guy, I always thought he was in cahoots with Zuo Qiu Yang!”
“Kill him!”
A portion of the blades and swords swept toward Xiao Qin.
Qianxing Wuzun seemed to smile knowingly: “Now it is.”
“…”
Xiao Qin fell silent, reluctantly drawn into the fight.
Both he and Zuo Qiu Yang were geniuses capable of fighting above their level.
Yet this group of disguised assassins didn’t even have anyone at the Neixi realm.
The outcome was, of course, predictable.
This skirmish quickly came to an end.
The post house was littered with corpses; aside from the disguised cook and shopkeeper who had fled, everyone else lay dead.
Zuo Qiu Yang heavily returned to his seat, wiped the blood from his face, and began to eat noodles, pushing all the beef into Xiao Qin’s bowl before he started.
“Is this a form of gratitude?”
Xiao Qin sat down, the corners of his mouth twitching.
Zuo Qiu Yang swallowed the noodles whole and shook his head: “Not really, but I can give you a piece of advice.”
“It’s still not too late to leave now; those who come to kill me next won’t be the same rabble as before.”
“More people are coming?”
Xiao Qin fell into thought.
But he still needed to wait for someone here.
Seeing him not budge, Zuo Qiu Yang frowned: “Have you heard of the Huai Mountain Three Scoundrels?”
“I’ve heard of Huai Mountain; there’s even a town there.”
Xiao Qin shook his head; he had been in Qingyuan Sect for several years and wasn’t very familiar with outside matters.
The only reason he remembered Huai Mountain Town was that he had passed through it on his way from Mianhe Prefecture to Ziyang Prefecture.
Zuo Qiu Yang’s expression shifted slightly: “The town… is gone, not a soul left. Three years ago, it was taken over by a band of robbers.”
“The leader calls himself the Huai Mountain Three Scoundrels, and they are blood brothers, skilled in combined attacks.”
As he spoke, he clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
“Oh?”
Xiao Qin’s expression changed slightly: “Doesn’t the government or the sect do anything about it?”
He hadn’t seen any similar missions from the Outer Affairs Hall.
Zuo Qiu Yang’s lips curled into a sneer: “Huai Mountain is located at the border between two prefectures. The Ziyang government claims Huai Mountain Town is too close to Mianhe Prefecture and doesn’t fall under their jurisdiction, while Mianhe Prefecture says it’s separated by a river, and any issues the villagers have should be handled by Ziyang Prefecture.”
“They keep passing the buck, and it’s unclear whether they’ve forgotten or just haven’t sorted it out yet.”
As he said this, he glanced at the corpses on the ground, murmuring to himself: “It’s a pity, the Huai Mountain Three Scoundrels are merely accomplices; the one who killed my master is still at large…”
It seemed he sensed Zuo Qiu Yang’s sorrow and hatred.
The short knife at his waist began to hum softly, vibrating with a chilling intent.
The killing intent in the hall surged once more, sending shivers down one’s spine.
“Let’s go; this is for your own good.”
Zuo Qiu Yang’s voice was filled with a chilling aura, almost devoid of humanity.
Xiao Qin felt a heaviness in his heart.
Qianxing Wuzun sighed and said: “The Wusheng Blade Technique kills others and oneself, devoid of emotion and humanity; it is a superior martial art of Xiyu Tower.”
“But those who practice this blade technique usually don’t end well; they either die at the hands of others or by their own hand.”
“He’s advising you to leave because he fears that if he goes mad later, he might take you down with him.”
Xiao Qin: “…”
So this is what he meant by “for your own good.”
After Zuo Qiu Yang finished speaking, he fell silent, quietly gathering his killing intent to reach his peak.
At that moment, three figures broke through the rain and drew closer, and they were…
Moving a bit too fast?
Bang—
Two wretched figures, resembling torn burlap sacks, flew into the post house, crashing heavily into a pile of tables and chairs.
It was none other than the cook and shopkeeper who had fled earlier.
Table of Contents
