The young man wore a black robe and carried a long sword. Tall and elegant, he stood straight as jade, his hair tied behind his head with a hemp cord. He stood outside the threshold, stamped the snow from his long boots, and looked at the mess inside the temple.
"Another ruined mountain temple."
"Do you always pick ruined temples to conduct this kind of business?"
"And you even have the nerve to do it before Lord Guan, who protected his sister-in-law as he rode alone for a thousand miles. Quite courageous!"
He crossed the threshold, and his features gradually became clear. He was astonishingly handsome.
He had phoenix eyes, crescent brows, and fair skin. At first glance, it was hard not to mistake him for a woman disguised as a man.
Zhao Huaien gripped the hilt of his saber and asked coldly, "Which hero of the martial world are you? How dare you meddle in our affairs here?"
The man gave a light laugh and took a bronze token from his robes.
"I'm Zhang Yu, the flag master of the Wind Thunder Hall of the Sun Moon Divine Cult. I've come under orders to take command of the Wild Wolf Gang. What, have I come to the wrong place?"
Hope arose in Zhao Xia's heart, along with some worry.
The flag master sent by the Sun Moon Divine Cult was so young that he seemed not yet twenty. His martial cultivation probably wasn't very high, while Zhao Huaien was already a late-stage Dan Energy expert with years of battlefield experience and countless schemes. He was likely no match for him.
A person's reputation cast a shadow, as did a tree. Once the words "Sun Moon Divine Cult" were spoken, everyone in the martial world, righteous or wicked, had to weigh them carefully.
Panic flashed through Zhao Huaien's eyes, but he forced a smile. "So you're an honored envoy of the Divine Cult. You certainly haven't come to the wrong place."
"What happened to these people?"
Zhang Yu pointed at the eight or nine men sprawled across the floor, as well as the tall woman leaning against the altar, her pale, ample chest half exposed.
Zhao Huaien lowered his brows and spoke obsequiously. "They... they betrayed their oaths and couldn't endure hardship. Coveting the generous reward, they wanted to leave the mountain and join the Dragon Scale Association."
"By the way, they were also preparing to ambush the envoy sent by the Divine Cult. I'm the adopted son of Old Gang Leader Zhao and owe him a great debt. I was furious when I heard about it, so I struck first and drugged them."
Zhang Yu nodded. "I see."
Zhao Xia's eyes nearly spat fire. What a shameless wretch—he had completely twisted right and wrong. She hated Zhao Huaien to the bone. At the same time, she felt that the flag master sent by the Sun Moon Divine Cult was a fool. He had actually believed Zhao Huaien's nonsense so easily. She would most likely be sold to the Lin Family.
"What's the matter with this girl? And why did you strip her clothes?"
"I... I was conducting a thorough search for letters proving that she had dealings with the Dragon Scale Association."
"Did you find anything?"
Zhao Huaien smiled. "Not yet. If my lord is interested, you can search her first."
Zhang Yu looked tempted. "Right here?"
"Heh heh, there's still a bed in the right-side room. If my lord is in the mood, why not go inside?"
Zhang Yu laughed loudly. "Very well. I suppose I can make an exception. Trouble yourself to carry her into that room."
"Of course! Of course!"
Zhao Huaien concealed the hatred in his eyes. He had schemed so painstakingly, yet in the end he hadn't been able to offer the first incense. Instead, this man had stolen the opportunity from him. Once the Dragon Scale Association dealt with Liu Dachui, he would see how Zhang Yu died!
He bent down, one hand around Zhao Xia's waist and the other beneath her knees. Just as he was about to lift her, his back suddenly turned cold. A sharp black blade pierced through his shoulder, and blood sprayed down the sword.
How was this possible?
He had indeed kept some precautions in mind.
But although the black-clad swordsman had clearly been on the other side of the fire, he had appeared behind him in the blink of an eye. That speed... it was practically ghostlike.
The black-clad swordsman pulled out his sword. Cold light flashed, and the black blade stabbed into Zhao Huaien's right shoulder again, twisting as it went.
Zhao Huaien had survived countless battles, yet he never even managed to draw his sword. Both his arms were crippled, and he collapsed to the floor, howling in agony.
Shock appeared in Zhao Xia's eyes.
There was only one thought in her mind.
Fast. Far too fast.
She had never seen a man move so quickly.
Zhao Huaien had been facing away from the black-clad swordsman and had not experienced it directly.
Zhao Xia had watched with her own eyes as he drew his sword, circled around the fire, and thrust with perfect precision, leaving only a string of afterimages in the air. Forget facing away from him—even if Zhao Huaien had confronted him head-on, he probably could not have blocked that strike.
Zhang Yu sheathed his sword, walked up to the woman, and extended both hands with a smile.
Zhao Xia froze slightly and closed her eyes. A clear tear slid from the corner of her eye.
He was another murderous bastard. It seemed she would not escape disaster today.
At least he had not let that beast Zhao Huaien have his way. This man... this man had an impressive appearance, was an expert of the Sun Moon Divine Cult, and had crippled Zhao Huaien. If he could avenge her against the Dragon Scale Association, then so be it. She would simply consider it being bitten by a dog.
If he couldn't, I'll kill him.
Hm?
Zhao Xia opened her eyes, but saw only the man's back. Her clothes, meanwhile, had been pulled tightly closed.
A warm feeling suddenly welled up in her heart. So the martial world was not yet quite so despairing.
Zhang Yu kicked Zhao Huaien. "Where's the antidote?"
Zhao Huaien glared at him venomously. "I don't have one."
Zhang Yu smiled. "Selling out your father for glory and violating your adopted sister—you don't look like much of a tough man to me."
"You heard us outside?" Only then did Zhao Huaien realize that his opponent had been hiding outside the temple for a long time. He had pretended to be ignorant and foolish merely to confuse him. What deep scheming!
"Hand over the antidote, and everything can still be discussed."
"If you don't, I'll hang you over the fire and roast you slowly."
As Zhang Yu spoke, he dragged Zhao Huaien to the clay pot, scooped up hot porridge with a roof tile, and poured it down his throat.
One mouthful.
Two mouthfuls.
Three mouthfuls.
Zhao Huaien cried out in terror, "Cough, cough... What are you doing?"
Zhang Yu undid his belt, bound his hands, and draped the other end over a roof beam. With a hard pull, Zhao Huaien was hoisted into the air. The wounds in his shoulders were dragged by his weight, causing unbearable pain.
"You can still speak now. In a while, you won't even be able to open your mouth to talk."
Zhao Huaien was indeed no tough man. "The antidote is in my robes. The small blue bottle. Give one pill to each of them."
Zhang Yu searched his clothes and found two porcelain bottles, one red and one blue.
"What's this?"
"The small red bottle... Five-Spice... Muscle-Softening Powder."
The drug took effect quickly, and Zhao Huaien's speech began to slur.
"Where did you get it?"
"Lin Kun... bought it... from the Shennong Gang..."
Zhang Yu took a small pill from the blue bottle and tossed it into Zhao Huaien's mouth. After waiting a while, he saw that Zhao Huaien had indeed regained his strength. He secretly marveled at the medicine's miraculous effects. It truly was an essential remedy for traveling and venturing through the martial world.
He stuffed the small red bottle into his robes and claimed it for himself. Then he took out the antidote and fed it to the others one by one.
Zhao Xia had only drunk two mouthfuls of porridge, so the poison had not penetrated deeply. She also possessed internal energy and soon recovered.
She knelt on one knee and cupped her fists. "Zhao Xia of the Wild Wolf Gang greets the honored envoy of the Divine Cult. Thank you for saving my life."
"There's no need for such formalities."
"My lord, please let me deal with this traitor."
Zhang Yu nodded.
"Xia'er..."
Zhao Xia picked up the Xuanhua Great Axe and walked toward him step by step. A cold wind suddenly swept past, and the axe severed the belt suspending his arms. Zhao Huaien crashed heavily to the floor.
"Xia'er, I'm your adopted brother."
"We've known each other for twelve years. You can't treat me like this."
"I'm your only family left in this world. Please spare me this once, all right?"
Zhao Huaien looked at the Xuanhua Great Axe raised high overhead. Only terror remained in his eyes.
"Xia'er, I love you!"
The instant his words left his mouth, the great axe came down.
A spray of red liquid landed directly in the clay pot of porridge.
Zhao Huaien felt a chill at his neck. Then he seemed to fly through the air before someone lifted him up. His final consciousness froze on Zhao Xia's eyes, blazing with fury.
"I can finally look you in the eye as an equal..."
Zhang Yu looked at the head placed before Lord Guan. Its eyes remained open, as though it had died unwillingly, and he sneered.
"You call that love? You were clearly lusting after her body. You're utterly despicable!"
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