Pagoda Hand Ding Mian, Crane Hand Lu Bai, Great Songyang Hand Fei Bin—the Three Great Protectors of the Mount Song Sect, three renowned masters of the martial world—had now suffered two deaths and one crippling.
Ding Mian, now a cripple, lay on the ground. Of his entire body, only his eyes could still move.
He stared at Su Chen with venomous hatred.
His gaze was like spears and halberds, as though it wished to pierce several bloody holes through Su Chen.
Noticing Ding Mian's gaze, Su Chen smiled faintly and flicked the remaining blood from his blade.
"I've always seen my business through from beginning to end. Since I took Liu Zhengfeng's two hundred thousand taels of silver, I'll make sure to kill every last one of you."
Muttering to himself, Su Chen raised his hand and sent out a flash of blade light.
Then he casually sheathed his saber.
"Click."
As the mechanism of the saber entering its sheath sounded, Ding Mian's head was severed from his neck by the blade light and rolled away.
Seeing this, Lin Pingzhi among the Huashan disciples suddenly became excited, his face flushed red.
This scene was so similar to the time outside Fuzhou City, when Su Chen had swung his blade and cleaved apart the mountain god temple.
This moment was exactly like that moment.
"If only one day I could become a man like him." Lin Pingzhi looked at Su Chen with envy and longing in his eyes.
Beside Lin Pingzhi, Lao Denuo wore a face full of shock.
While secretly trembling in fear, he also felt some regret.
"I already sent news of this Nameless Swordsman back to Mount Song."
"From the looks of it, Master seemingly didn't take my report seriously."
"Otherwise, if he had sent a few more martial uncles, today's situation might have been different."
Thinking of this, Lao Denuo shook his head again.
"Well, it's understandable. Master had every reason not to believe a single letter from me."
"And who could have imagined that this swordsman would get involved in Liu Zhengfeng's affairs?"
"Forget it. What's done cannot be undone. I should find an opportunity to quickly send word of this matter to Master."
At this moment, Lao Denuo still did not know that his earlier letter had never reached Zuo Lengchan's hands.
All he could think of was informing Zuo Lengchan of today's events as quickly as possible.
Thus, while everyone was still stunned and had yet to recover, he secretly slipped out of the crowd and began preparing to send a letter.
Meanwhile, the several dozen Mount Song disciples had already become panic-stricken dogs.
Without the Three Great Protectors to rely on, they were no different from lambs awaiting slaughter on Liu Zhengfeng's territory.
Shi Denda and the others, who had been arrogant and overbearing moments ago, now had faces filled with horror.
They no longer cared about Liu Manor's family members. Turning around, they fled, only wishing their parents had given them a few more legs.
But how could Liu Zhengfeng let such a chance to beat a dog when it was down pass by?
With a wave of his hand, all his disciples attacked and surrounded the Mount Song disciples.
The Mount Song disciples had long since been scared out of their wits and had even forgotten to resist.
In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, they were all put to death.
Watching this scene, all the gathered heroes fell silent, their hearts shaken.
Today's events had truly taken one twist after another, leaving their emotions unsettled.
Three Great Protectors of Mount Song had appeared together, accompanied by several dozen elite disciples, and launched a sudden attack.
With such a lineup, let alone Liu Zhengfeng—
Even if any one of the other four Five Mountains Sword Sects had been pulled out alone, they likely would have found it difficult to withstand them.
The destruction of Liu Zhengfeng's entire family had seemed inevitable.
Yue Buqun, Abbess Dingyi, Daoist Tianmen, and the others had even begun considering what gifts to send to Liu Zhengfeng's funeral.
Who could have expected that the appearance of a single Nameless Swordsman would completely turn the situation around?
Liu Zhengfeng's family was safe and sound, while every Mount Song Sect invader had instead been slain.
Yue Buqun and the others were thoroughly shocked. They stared blankly at the black-clad figure in the field, like a god of slaughter, and none dared make the slightest move.
At this point, Liu Zhengfeng had finally dealt with the remaining Mount Song disciples and settled his relatives and family.
After straightening his clothes, he hurried over to Su Chen.
"Lord Su, please accept my bow." Liu Zhengfeng clasped his hands before him and was about to perform a formal salute to Su Chen.
But at that moment, Captain Xing, who had been hiding on the roof all along, also jumped down.
He came to Su Chen's side and looked at Liu Zhengfeng with a grin.
"Oh? Brigadier General Liu, why the change now?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Let me think how to put it." Captain Xing clicked his tongue twice, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Right—arrogant before, respectful after. That's the phrase, isn't it?"
Liu Zhengfeng's conduct today had indeed been arrogant before and respectful after.
Now that Captain Xing mocked him to his face, he could not utter a single word in rebuttal.
His old face had turned beet red, and he felt incomparably embarrassed.
Yet he did not feel the slightest resentment.
If Su Chen had not stepped in to help, he would likely have already become a ghost beneath a blade.
How could he still have the chance to speak of resentment or the lack of it?
"Captain Xing, Liu was shortsighted and failed to see the situation clearly. Please don't mock me any further."
"Hmph." Captain Xing gave a haughty snort, but said nothing more.
Only then did Liu Zhengfeng finally breathe a sigh of relief and continue expressing his gratitude to Su Chen.
"Thank you, Lord Su, for putting aside our past unpleasantness and saving me. Liu is endlessly grateful."
"If there is ever anything you need from me, my lord, just say the word. I will not refuse."
Su Chen had no interest in listening to Liu Zhengfeng's empty words.
He said bluntly, "There's no need for thanks. I didn't help you—I just wanted to earn your silver."
"Now that Ding Mian and the other two have all been dealt with, it's time for you to make good on the two hundred thousand taels of silver you promised."
Liu Zhengfeng hurriedly replied, "Please rest assured, Lord Su. The two hundred thousand taels will be delivered into your hands without a single tael missing."
"However, I only have one hundred thousand taels in cash at present. I will need time to sell off land and property to raise the remaining one hundred thousand."
"I must trouble you to stay in my residence for a few days."
Su Chen knew he was telling the truth. Though he did not wish to remain at Liu Zhengfeng's home for long, for the sake of the silver, he could only stay temporarily for a few days.
"Give me the first hundred thousand taels now. Gather the rest as quickly as possible."
"Please rest assured, my lord. It will definitely be gathered within five days."
Afterward, Liu Zhengfeng personally led Su Chen and Captain Xing toward the guest rooms.
Only after Su Chen and his group had left did the gathered heroes in the courtyard finally let out long breaths.
"That swordsman's presence was terrifying. With him there, I barely dared to breathe."
"Isn't that so? He slaughtered Mount Song's three Great Protectors in a row. He's practically a god of slaughter."
"He killed three of Mount Song's Great Protectors in one go. Once Zuo Lengchan receives the news, he likely won't let this rest."
"So what? That swordsman looks extremely powerful to me. He may not lose to Zuo Lengchan. When the time comes, Zuo might fail to take revenge and get himself killed instead. Now that would be amusing."
"Where did such a god of slaughter come from? Why have we never heard his name in the martial world before?"
"I heard Liu Zhengfeng keep calling him Lord Su, and he even has Imperial Guards at his side. Could he be an official of the imperial court?"
The crowd discussed endlessly, all talking about Su Chen.
Yue Buqun, Abbess Dingyi, and Daoist Tianmen exchanged inscrutable looks.
They glanced at one another and came to a decision.
"Later, we must ask junior brother Liu for a clear explanation."
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