Early morning, Liu Manor in Hengyang City.
The usually bustling Liu Manor had taken on a desolate air over the past two days.
Everyone knew that the Mount Song Sect's retaliation was imminent.
Given the Mount Song Sect's formidable strength, Liu Manor would likely find it difficult to resist.
Even Liu Zhengfeng himself did not have much confidence.
Therefore, while selling off his properties, he had secretly sent his wife, children, and elders out of Hengyang City.
Once the dust had settled, if he was still alive, he would bring his family back.
Guest room in the side courtyard.
"Old Liu, stop pulling such a long face." As Su Chen swung the long saber in his hand to warm up, he said to Liu Zhengfeng beside him, "Trust my professional ability. I said I'd make sure you don't die. Even if the King of Hell comes himself, he won't be able to take you away."
Liu Zhengfeng forced a smile. "Then I'll have to rely on you, Lord Su."
Su Chen sheathed his saber and asked, "By the way, how is the silver coming along?"
Compared to Liu Zhengfeng's mood, Su Chen was more concerned with when the silver would be ready.
"Please rest assured, Lord Su. By noon today, all two hundred thousand taels of silver will be in place," Liu Zhengfeng replied.
"Very good!" Su Chen nodded in satisfaction.
In another half day, he would have two hundred thousand taels of silver. That made him quite happy.
Just then, Liu Zhengfeng's disciple Mi Weiyi came to announce a visitor.
"Master, Martial Uncle has arrived."
"Senior brother has come..." A trace of wistfulness flashed across Liu Zhengfeng's face.
The martial world had always claimed that the two leaders of the Hengshan Sect, Mo Da and Liu Zhengfeng, had never gotten along.
In truth, only the two senior and junior brothers themselves knew that their relationship was quite harmonious.
They might differ in certain beliefs, but when it came to important matters, they had always stood together.
Senior brother must have heard the news and come to help me. Liu Zhengfeng felt a touch of gratitude well up in his heart.
Then he looked at Su Chen and said apologetically, "Lord Su, please excuse me. I'll go welcome my senior brother first..."
Just then, an aged voice drifted over. "No need to welcome me. I am already here..."
As the words fell, a gaunt old man with a long, thin frame stepped into the courtyard.
The old man wore a blue cloth robe, washed until its blue had faded to white, with an erhu strapped across his back.
He looked strangely forlorn, like a consumptive ghost.
Su Chen's eyes flickered as he immediately recognized him. This was Liu Zhengfeng's senior brother, the current head of the Hengshan Sect, Mo Da, known in the martial world as Night Rain of the Xiang River.
Though his face was gaunt and he looked downcast, he was still an accomplished master.
In the original world, Mo Da had killed Fei Bin with a single sword strike. Though he had relied somewhat on the advantage of a sneak attack,
it was still enough to show how high the Hengshan Sect leader's martial arts were.
Fei Bin was already a Minor Grandmaster mid-stage expert. For Mo Da to kill him with one sword strike, he had to be at least at the late Minor Grandmaster stage.
"Senior brother, let me introduce you. This is Lord Su Chen. At the Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony two days ago, he was the one who saved my entire family," Liu Zhengfeng said as he introduced Su Chen to Mo Da.
"I have heard of Mr. Su's name quite often these past few days," Mo Da said, his voice still as aged as ever.
Ever since entering the courtyard, his gaze had remained fixed on Su Chen without shifting away.
He was extremely curious about this formidable saber wielder who had suddenly appeared.
Over the past few days, he had also heard of Su Chen's achievements.
The martial world had spread the word.
At the Golden Basin Hand-Washing Ceremony of Liu Zhengfeng, the Hengshan Sect's second-in-command, an exceptionally vicious saber wielder had appeared.
In the blink of an eye, he had cut down Ding Mian, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin, three Mount Song Protectors.
When Mo Da first heard this news, he had been stunned for a long while.
As a member of the Five Great Sword Sects, he understood the strength of Mount Song's Protectors quite well.
Among the Thirteen Taibao of Songshan, Ding Mian, Lu Bai, and Fei Bin ranked in the top three.
Not only did the three rank highly, but they were also the strongest among the Thirteen Protectors.
Mo Da had once assessed himself. With his strength, at most, he could kill Fei Bin without suffering injury.
As for Ding Mian and Lu Bai, against either one of them, he would have to risk his life, and the outcome would be uncertain.
Yet now, some saber wielder who had appeared from nowhere had effortlessly slain all three.
Especially since it concerned his own junior brother, Mo Da could hardly help but care.
With that in mind, Mo Da said, "Thank you, Mr. Su, for saving my junior brother's family. I am deeply grateful."
If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!
"If you ever need anything in the future, just say the word. Everyone in Hengshan will certainly give you our full support."
Mo Da's words were clearly mere politeness. Su Chen had wandered the martial world for three years, so he could tell immediately.
Of course, he had never expected to gain anything from Liu Zhengfeng and the others anyway, apart from silver.
"Master Mo, there is no need to be polite. I saved your junior brother only because he paid me."
As he spoke, Su Chen smiled at Mo Da. "If Master Mo needs anything in the future, you can hire me with silver too. I'll give you a discount."
Hearing Su Chen talk about nothing but silver, Mo Da was somewhat stunned.
He had originally thought that an unparalleled master like Su Chen would surely be an aloof man of noble character.
To his utter surprise, Su Chen was so obsessed with something as worldly as money.
For a moment, Mo Da did not know how to respond.
Just then, ethereal laughter drifted down from the air.
"Hahaha, I thought someone capable of killing Mount Song Protectors would surely be an extraordinary master. Yet upon seeing him today, he is merely a greedy fool. What a disappointment."
The voice was extremely ethereal, seeming to come from every direction. For a moment, it was impossible to pinpoint its source.
Liu Zhengfeng's expression changed. Gripping his sword, he looked up at the sky. "What petty rat dares play tricks here? If you have the guts, come out and answer me..."
The moment Liu Zhengfeng finished speaking, a Fanyang hat suddenly flew in from outside the courtyard.
The Fanyang hat came at tremendous speed, spinning through the air like a circular blade as it sliced toward Liu Zhengfeng.
Liu Zhengfeng did not know its true nature, but he could sense danger from the Fanyang hat.
Thus, he did not dare be careless in the slightest. He circulated his true qi, swung the longsword in his hand, and slashed forward.
Just as the sword edge was about to collide with the Fanyang hat,
the hat suddenly seemed to be tugged by a rope and spun straight back.
Liu Zhengfeng's sword strike hit nothing, and his face darkened slightly.
Meanwhile, after spinning back, the Fanyang hat landed in the hand of a linen-clothed man.
The linen-clothed man held the Fanyang hat and sneered. "Hengshan Swordplay is nothing special."
Hearing him insult Hengshan Swordplay, displeasure appeared on both Liu Zhengfeng and Mo Da's faces.
"Who are you to utter such wild words and insult our Hengshan Swordplay?"
The linen-clothed man did not answer directly, merely continuing to laugh. "Want to know this grandpa's identity? Catch me, and I'll tell you."
"Bold bastard!" Liu Zhengfeng flew into a rage and attacked with his sword.
His furious attack was several degrees faster than usual.
However, the linen-clothed man's movements were extremely strange. At times he flipped upside down, at others he rolled all over the ground.
It did not look impressive, but it was remarkably effective.
Liu Zhengfeng slashed and thrust dozens of times in succession, yet failed to touch even the corner of his clothes.
Seeing this, surprise appeared on Mo Da's face as well.
His right hand unconsciously reached behind him toward the erhu, ready to intervene at any moment and support his junior brother.
At this moment, Su Chen was also studying the linen-clothed man who had suddenly appeared, a thoughtful expression on his face.
After a moment, he recalled the man's identity.
"An underworld assassin, Qinghai One-Eyed Owl. He is the disciple of the unorthodox expert Whiteboard Fiend and has ties with Zuo Lengchan."
"It seems this man is Zuo Lengchan's vanguard."
Thinking this, Su Chen tightened his grip on the Ring-Pommel Saber in his hand.
Since he had been sent by Zuo Lengchan, he was part of the job.
When it came to business, Su Chen was serious.
At this point, Liu Zhengfeng was beginning to struggle to hold on.
Qinghai One-Eyed Owl's martial arts might not have been especially high, but they were strange and unlike conventional techniques. Liu Zhengfeng had never seen such unorthodox martial arts before, so he found it difficult to cope for the moment.
"Hengshan's Liu Zhengfeng, just average..." Qinghai One-Eyed Owl mocked again.
However, the next second, Su Chen suddenly struck. A flash of saber light shot forth, slashing straight at Qinghai One-Eyed Owl,
forcibly choking off the words he was about to say.
Su Chen had now reached the Grandmaster Realm. This saber light was extraordinarily fierce and incredibly fast.
Qinghai One-Eyed Owl wanted to dodge, but he could not evade it at all.
The next instant, the saber light cut him in two. He fell to the ground, utterly dead.
Seeing Su Chen strike and kill Qinghai One-Eyed Owl, Mo Da withdrew his hand from the erhu.
He turned to look at Su Chen, a trace of shock and uncertainty in his eyes.
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