Black Flame Army Commander

Jiang Wang lay in a wicker chair, sipping tea with great satisfaction.

He had successfully sent Cai Tanggu away, carrying a bellyful of hatred.

Now he only had to wait for Cai Tanggu to bring people back for revenge.

The two cultivators in green robes had been utterly stunned by Jiang Wang's furious verbal barrage against Cai Tanggu.

It took them quite a while to recover their senses.

Although the White-robed Cultivator had guessed that perhaps Mr. Jiang simply did not fear Fish Abyss Academy, wasn't this taking things a little too far?

Seeing Jiang Wang not only free of the slightest worry, but practically overjoyed, the White-robed Cultivator had a bellyful of words yet had no idea how to say them.

The Old Butler, who had never shown himself from beginning to end, finally emerged from the Marquis Manor after Cai Tanggu left.

His expression carried some concern as well.

But seeing his young master brimming with confidence, he could only assume that his young master had long since planned everything out, and perhaps had more trump cards that he did not know about.

From the day Jiang Wang had been born, the Old Butler had cared for him with painstaking attention.

Though Jiang Wang had been within his sight most of the time, there were always moments when he slipped beyond it.

Just as Jiang Wang had once loved sneaking out of the manor, the Old Butler had protected him in secret every time, unwilling to let his young master encounter the slightest danger. Yet there had indeed been a few occasions when the Old Butler had failed to notice in time.

He felt that his young master must have encountered some fortuitous opportunity.

He only hoped it was not a bad thing.

"Mr. Jiang, that martial artist named Feng Linghuai hid himself very deeply. We have yet to find even the slightest trace of him, and strongly suspect that he has already left Hun City. We have therefore decided to return to Moonlit West Tower tonight and rely on its power. Even if we must dig three feet into the ground, we will drag him out."

The cultivators in green and white robes bowed to Jiang Wang. "Once we have avenged our great hatred, we will remain at Mr. Jiang's side, serving you before horse and after saddle. If Cai Tanggu truly returns for revenge, then so long as Mr. Jiang needs us, my brother and I will absolutely not hesitate."

Although Jiang Wang felt that the two of them did not seem particularly capable, and that every time they helped, they had not really accomplished much, their sincerity made it awkward for him to refuse. He said, "Then be more careful. I won't see you off."

After the two cultivators in green robes departed, Jiang Wang said to the Old Butler, "The Du Family matter must still be investigated, but have Shan Qiyu recover from his wounds first. Prepare more quality medicine and settle every injured member of the Black Flame Army properly."

The Old Butler nodded, then thought for a moment before saying, "If the Du Family truly intended to assassinate you, Young Marquis, this matter cannot be delayed. Why not have the Black Flame Army Commander act personally? I believe he can resolve the Du Family matter more quickly, lest Cai Tanggu return and leave us unable to attend to both matters."

Jiang Wang had indeed never met the Black Flame Army Commander, but since the Old Butler said so, this commander was surely far more formidable than Shan Qiyu. He nodded in agreement.

The Du Family, whose manor gates had already been torn down, was now shrouded in bleak gloom.

Du Heng had originally been waiting for the good news of Cai Tanggu's triumphant return, but it never came. He had just sent someone to investigate Qixia Street, only to receive news that Cai Tanggu had already left the city.

He had failed to defeat Xunyang Marquis Manor and simply run away?!

Du Heng's face turned deathly pale.

I said that act never should have been put on. How nice it would have been to stay put and behave ourselves.

What the hell were they supposed to do now?

He had thought that with Cai Tanggu backing them, there was no need to care about Xunyang Marquis Manor at all. Never had he expected Cai Tanggu to be a useless piece of trash putting on a show.

Du Zicheng lay on the ground, his face equally bloodless. Though his broken leg had been bandaged, was there really no one to carry him into a room to rest?

Su Lingyi had clearly broken an arm too, so why was the entire Du Family running about after him?

Whose home was this, anyway?

He suddenly regretted being so impulsive.

Things had become like this even though nothing had happened.

If Old Du learned that he himself had provoked the Black Flame Army into coming to their door, then it would not just be a broken leg. He feared he might lose his life.

Old Du would surely choose righteousness over family.

Even Cai Tanggu of Fish Abyss Academy was useless. Who else could he rely on?

Go to Xunyang Marquis Manor, kneel at Jiang Wang's feet, and kowtow to admit his mistake?

At the thought of that scene, he shook his head repeatedly.

He could not bear such humiliation.

At that moment, Du Yanruo emerged from the room where Su Lingyi was temporarily staying.

Upon hearing that Cai Tanggu had already fled, her body went weak as well.

How had things turned out like this?

Du Heng looked at his daughter, seeming to make up his mind. He said in a deep voice, "At present, there is only one way."

Du Yanruo did not understand. She could not think of any way out now.

Without Instructor Cai and without Fish Abyss Academy, the Black Flame Army could flatten the Du Family in an instant.

"Perhaps it is as I guessed. Jiang Wang merely had his pride wounded. If I bring you to apologize at his door, and you say a few soft words to give him enough face, the Du Family's crisis can be resolved."

Du Heng carried his fantasy through to the end. "After all, the alleged assassination is pure fabrication. How could there be such fools in my Du Family?"

Du Zicheng: "..."

Leaving aside Du Zicheng's feelings at the moment, Du Yanruo, upon hearing her father's words, said in humiliation and anger, "How can I do something like that before him? Who knows how he will mock me then? What if he makes some excessive demand..."

Du Heng sighed. "This is the cruelty of the world. Without strength, we can only allow others to bully us. I had thought that once you entered Fish Abyss Academy, my Du Family would eventually gain great power. But now it seems Fish Abyss Academy cannot be relied upon either."

Du Yanruo gritted her teeth and lowered her head in silence.

Du Heng thought for a moment, then said, "If Jiang Wang truly makes some excessive demand, then at worst we will fight like fish and net torn asunder. But before it happens, we must at least give it a try. Such a great Du Family cannot be destroyed just like this."

Just as Du Yanruo had no choice but to agree, Du Zicheng's voice suddenly rang out.

"All these years, you always kept bringing up my sister, as if you loved her beyond measure. But at the critical moment, all you can think of is pushing her out. I never thought you were this hypocritical."

Du Heng seemed only then to notice that his son with the broken leg was still there. He angrily shouted, "Stop talking nonsense!"

"This is a plan to save the Du Family. What do you mean, pushing Yanruo out? If you had shown even a little promise, then even if you could not cultivate, if you had achieved anything on the path of martial arts, my Du Family would not be this passive!"

Du Heng was so furious that his beard quivered and his eyes bulged. "Look at you—good for nothing and ruining everything! The sight of you makes me angry!"

Du Zicheng sneered. "No matter how useless I am, I still know I am a member of the Du Family. Unlike you. Back then, you coveted the Marquis Manor's power and begged for Jiang Wang to marry my sister. Then, because of Fish Abyss Academy, you could not wait for my sister to marry that Su fellow. No matter how incapable I am, I still have some shame. Unlike you, you have no face and no skin!"

Du Heng's chest heaved violently, and fire nearly burst from his eyes. "You bastard! You are infuriating me to death!"

He pulled off his waist rope and was about to step forward.

Suddenly, waves of hoofbeats sounded. More than a dozen Black Flame Army soldiers dismounted and headed straight into the Du Family residence.

"Looks like we arrived at just the right time. Your Du Family is quite lively."

The leader also wore black armor, but his bearing was clearly different. He was tall and brawny, with a long saber hanging at his waist. As he walked, wind surged around him like a tiger, giving him the air of a ferocious fiend.

Du Heng recognized this man.

Though he had only watched from afar back then, he still knew that Sun Qingya was the Xunyang Marquis's second-strongest expert, and had even once fought a cultivator without losing.

To Du Heng, who had once regarded cultivators as immortals, the terror Sun Qingya inspired was not the least bit weaker than that of the Xunyang Marquis.

He had never expected this baleful god to still be in Hun City!

Du Heng merely glanced at him before his calves went weak with fright.

"Commander Sun... Commander Sun, there is some misunderstanding here. I was already preparing to apologize to the Young Marquis. No matter what the Young Marquis asks, we will do our best to satisfy him. Why did you need to make this trip personally? You... don't come any closer!"

Watching Sun Qingya draw nearer and nearer, Du Heng collapsed directly to the ground.

"If it is a misunderstanding, why apologize? If you must apologize, then there is no misunderstanding."

Sun Qingya drew his saber and pointed it at Du Heng, a grim smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"There truly is no misunderstanding. I was the one who found Jianli to assassinate Jiang Wang."

Du Zicheng lay on the ground, turned his head to look at the Black Flame Army soldiers, then fixed his gaze on Sun Qingya. In a low voice, with the tone of one who regarded death as home, he spoke.

Sun Qingya blinked.

He had only just arrived and done nothing, yet the case was already solved?

Du Heng and Du Yanruo both looked at Du Zicheng in disbelief.

Du Yanruo believed that her younger brother was trying to protect her, unwilling to let her be humiliated by Jiang Wang.

After all, before going to Fish Abyss Academy, Du Zicheng had been somewhat mischievous, but he had not been as unbearable as their father claimed.

Du Heng, meanwhile, felt that his son was being rebellious, putting on this heroic display of being willing to sacrifice himself for the Du Family in order to defy him.

But no matter what he thought, that was still his biological son.

He immediately rebuked him furiously, "You unfilial wretch! You are spouting nonsense again!"

He hurriedly explained to Sun Qingya that the truth was not like this.

Watching the fine play before him, Sun Qingya was quite interested. He smiled and said, "But your son's eyes are very sincere. He is not lying. Since you are cooperating so well, I am also a reasonable man. The Du Family may remain. Your son, as well as that Su fellow, will come with me."

Du Heng said anxiously, "You can take Su Lingyi, but you cannot take my son!"

Sun Qingya said coldly, "Then I will chop you to death and take your son."

Du Heng opened his mouth, then fell silent.

Seeing this, Du Zicheng was deeply disappointed.

Sun Qingya waved his hand.

The Black Flame Army soldiers behind him lifted Du Zicheng up. They soon found Su Lingyi, who was still unconscious, dragged him directly across the ground, and brought him back to Sun Qingya's side.

Without saying another word, they mounted their horses and rode away with Du Zicheng and Su Lingyi.

Du Heng seemed to have aged many years in an instant.

Du Yanruo glanced at her father, thinking that she absolutely had to rescue her younger brother and Senior Brother Su, no matter what price she had to pay.

Just then, Cai Tanggu suddenly appeared and asked with a frown, "Where is Su Lingyi?"

Du Yanruo did not become agitated. She merely said flatly, "He was taken to the Marquis Manor."

Cai Tanggu's expression turned extremely ugly.

He had returned solely because he wanted to take Su Lingyi away. He had not expected Jiang Wang to truly be determined to become enemies with Fish Abyss Academy.