Chapter 154: A Sudden Turn of Events
Hong Chui, the Thunderclap, a high-rank expert, number one on the Blacklist, a man whose life had been a litany of atrocities.
There were some people in this world, villains who, despite their countless crimes, somehow managed to survive.
“Good men die young, while evil lives for a thousand years…” This saying perfectly described men like him.
Even the barbarian court could only tolerate his rule over Lingnan, unwilling to confront him.
The people living under his rule were practically slaves.
Huang Facai, the new leader of the Hanyang Gang, a fifth-rank expert with a mysterious background, had aroused much suspicion.
Many had suspected a connection to the demonic sects.
After all, only the demonic sects were so secretive and unpredictable.
But no one had expected him to be connected to Hong Chui, the Thunderclap!
This news shocked everyone.
Now, Shi Hao, his aura enhanced by his swift victory over Li Yan, publicly revealed this truth to Elder Jing and the assembled crowd.
All eyes turned to Elder Jing, waiting for his decision.
Elder Jing’s face flushed, then paled. He stood up, his voice firm, “Very well! The Nine Villages will unite and fight against this threat. The Hanyang Gang’s brutality is intolerable! So they’re connected to that villain Hong Chui! They want to control the Ba Mountains! If we don’t resist, we’ll be destroyed!”
His words ignited the fighting spirit of the Shennong Village members.
Gong Muhong and Daoist Chuan sighed in relief. Shennong Village had finally chosen their side.
Zhao Xuanding, the Canyon Stabilizer, stood up, “Brother Jing, if you’ve made up your mind, I’ll support you! I’ll ask you one last time, are you willing to oppose the Hanyang Gang?”
Elder Jing said loudly, “Yes! Shennong Village will fight to the…”
Suddenly, Zhao Xuanding’s palms struck Elder Jing’s chest.
“You…!” Elder Jing coughed up blood and was thrown backwards, his body flying towards Shi Hao.
Shi Hao instinctively reached out to catch him, then his expression changed, and he rolled to the side, shouting, “Don’t touch him!”
Gong Muhong and Daoist Chuan, who had also instinctively moved to catch Elder Jing, froze, startled by his shout.
In that moment of hesitation, Elder Jing crashed into the crowd.
“Shi Chongyun!” Zhao Xuanding, having struck down Elder Jing, didn’t hesitate, turning and fleeing, “Let’s see how long you can resist the Hanyang Gang! Hahahaha!”
He fought his way through the crowd, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.
Screams echoed as those who had caught Elder Jing clutched their throats, their hands turning black, the discoloration quickly spreading throughout their bodies.
Their eyes, bloodshot, bulged as they stumbled and writhed, their bodies contorting.
“Don’t touch them!” Shi Hao shouted again.
Those who had hesitated, wanting to help but afraid, now quickly retreated.
“Father!” Jing Zhenliang, standing some distance away, watched in horror, his voice filled with grief.
Shi Hao saw Zhao Xuanding leap over the village wall and escape.
His face darkened. He felt a sense of helplessness, a sudden, unexpected setback.
“Inform the Young Master!” someone shouted.
“Father!” Jing Zhenliang continued wailing, looking around in confusion and despair.
Shi Hao frowned, approached Gong Muhong, and whispered, “What kind of person is Elder Jing’s eldest son?”
Gong Muhong was about to reply when a commotion erupted in the distance.
Shi Hao’s heart sank. “This is bad,” he muttered, and rushed towards the commotion.
Gong Muhong, Daoist Chuan, Du Yuejiao, Xu Xiaoyan, and the others followed him, unsure of what was happening.
They heard someone shout, “The Young Master is dead! He’s been poisoned!”
They pushed through the crowd and saw a body lying on the ground, surrounded by several martial artists holding bloodstained weapons. A dead snake, its body mangled, lay beside the corpse.
Gong Muhong and Daoist Chuan exchanged glances, their faces grim.
Shi Hao’s expression darkened, and he turned and walked away.
Back in the courtyard, Jing Zhenliang, supported by a tall, thin man, jumped up and pointed at them, “It’s them! They killed my father! If they hadn’t forced him to choose sides, he would still be alive!”
Du Yuejiao, her temper flaring, said angrily, “That’s absurd! It was that villain who killed your father! What does that have to do with us?”
Jing Zhenliang, his voice filled with rage, shouted, “They killed my father! Get them out of here!”
The tall, thin man beside him shouted, “Did you hear him? With the Elder and the Young Master dead, Second Master is in charge now! He wants them gone!”
A group of men surged forward, pushing and shoving, trying to force them out. Others stood around, looking confused and uncertain.
Gong Muhong, Daoist Chuan, and the others looked at Shi Hao.
Shi Hao said quietly, “Let’s go.” He turned and walked away.
They left Shennong Village in silence.
“I think that Second Master had something to do with his brother’s death,” Du Yuejiao said, her eyebrow twitching, her voice filled with suspicion.
Hong Ou, Cui Ling, Zi Shao, and Lan Tan also murmured among themselves, their suspicions similar to Du Yuejiao’s.
Gong Muhong, however, shook his head, “Whether he did or not is irrelevant. The fact is, Elder Jing and his eldest son are dead, and Jing Zhenliang is now the leader of Shennong Village. We’re outsiders; we can’t interfere.”
“Even if we did, it would be a waste of time and effort, with no guarantee of success.”
They returned to Wudang Monastery in the late afternoon.
Shi Hao turned to Zhao Peng, “Please return to Azure Dragon City, Mr. Zhao, gather your forces, and contact Heshou Village, Yinping Village, and Jiming Village. We need their support.”
He then looked at He Guangtao, “The leader of Goupan Village is your uncle. You’ll handle them.”
He turned to Gong Muhong, “Clan Leader, return to Mount Nangong, prepare your men, and strengthen your defenses. And you four,” he looked at the women from Wu Village, “please accompany Clan Leader Gong and assist him in defending Mount Nangong.”
The four women nodded and left with Gong Muhong.
Hou Bomin, his back hunched, approached, seeing their grim expressions, and asked, “What happened?”
Xu Xiaoyan sighed, “We finally convinced Elder Jing to join us, and then he was killed right before our eyes. And his eldest son is also dead. The new leader, his second son, is hostile towards us.”
Hou Bomin was stunned.
Shi Hao rubbed his temples, “I need to rest.”
He returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm his mind.
His thoughts were a jumbled mess, his earlier confidence shaken.
He had successfully persuaded Wudang Monastery, the Gong family, and Wu Village, and at Shennong Village, he had even used his eloquence and martial arts skills to provoke and kill Li Yan, forcing Elder Jing to make a decision.
He had felt invincible, his plans unfolding flawlessly.
And then, everything had fallen apart.
This sudden setback had rattled him.
Every step, since arriving in the Ba Mountains, had followed his carefully laid plans.
Now, he finally understood the meaning of “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
He didn’t know what to do next.
What would the Holy Jade Immortal and Su Mei do in this situation?
He couldn’t help but wonder.
Unfortunately, the next full moon was still some time away. He wished he could ask for their advice.
He had never felt so… lost.
A knock came at his door.
He took a deep breath and said calmly, “Yuejiao, come in.”
Du Yuejiao entered, wearing a honey-colored dress with a butterfly pattern, a yellow bodice peeking out from the neckline, a colorful sash tied around her waist, and light purple embroidered shoes.
She walked to his bedside and whispered, “Are you alright, Brother Shi?”
Shi Hao sat on the low wooden bed, his gaze level with the exposed yellow bodice.
His chaotic thoughts momentarily vanished, his mind becoming still.
“Brother Shi,” she whispered, her voice soft and gentle, her arms around his neck.
Shi Hao embraced her, his face buried in her robe, inhaling the sweet fragrance.
Outside, the setting sun cast a golden glow through the window, the light gradually fading as darkness descended.
The cool autumn air filled the room.
But a warmth, like a flickering flame, replaced the fading sunlight.
The room grew warmer…
At the same time, in the back garden of Wudang Monastery, Xu Xiaoyan, dressed in a simple dress, a seemingly ordinary wooden stick tucked into her sash, walked towards Xiang Gu, who sat on the grass, surrounded by her bottles and jars.
The last rays of the setting sun bathed the mountaintop in a golden glow.
Xiang Gu looked up at the approaching girl, her shadow stretching across the grass.
Xu Xiaoyan smiled faintly, “I want something from you.”
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