Disappearance

Of course, Li Musheng had no intention of fleeing at all. Sitting on the stone steps, he did not so much as shift his backside.

At the same time, Zhu Fang glanced at Yu Zhentian, who was locked in a fierce battle with the Scum River Seven Bandits. After hesitating for a moment, he scrambled to his feet and hurriedly fled toward the courtyard gate, not bothering with Yu Ermei and the others in the slightest.

Seeing that Yu Zhentian was too occupied to attend to anything else, the other martial arts school disciples and apprentices also seized the chance to flee for their lives. Who still had the mind to save anyone?

"Did I say you could leave?"

At that moment, Scum Second, who had yet to make a move, struck out with a palm from afar. A surge of force, almost solid in substance, slammed into the courtyard wall.

The entire brick wall ahead was blasted apart. Dust billowed as fallen bricks and stones piled up, blocking the only path through which everyone could escape.

The sheer power of that palm strike frightened Zhu Fang and the others into stopping dead before the rubble, none daring to advance another inch.

"Traitorous disciples! Every last one of you is a traitorous disciple!"

Yu Zhentian let out a furious roar. Naturally, he had seen every bit of what Zhu Fang and the others had done.

The disciples he had valued most had turned cowardly in the face of death and betrayed him, while the two apprentices he had looked down on most remained by his side through thick and thin. The mixed feelings in his heart were beyond words.

"Take Ermei and the others. I'll cover your escape!"

Yu Zhentian's inner strength surged as he swept his sword sideways, forcing back Scum Third and the others who had surrounded him.

Then, borrowing the force of the strike, he flipped through the air and descended from the rooftop before Zhang Dazhuang and the others.

Yet he saw that the two martial arts school apprentices were standing where they were, staring at each other helplessly.

"I can probably carry Second Miss, but I'm not sure I can run very far with her on my back."

Zhang Dazhuang muttered. His natural physique and aptitude were both abysmal.

After so many years at the martial arts school, he had learned little martial skill. His strength was only somewhat greater than that of an ordinary person.

Otherwise, like Li Musheng, he would not have spent twenty years as nothing more than a martial arts school apprentice.

Still, Zhang Dazhuang ultimately set down Yu Xian and walked toward Yu Ermei.

After all, no matter how one looked at it, he was far stronger than Li Musheng, who was a full size smaller than him.

Seeing this, Yu Zhentian relaxed slightly and glanced at his second daughter.

He thought that if they survived this ordeal, the first thing he would do was force her to lose weight. Otherwise, when life and death were on the line, no one would even be willing to carry her away.

"Stay close behind me!"

Yu Zhentian gave them a grave warning. Then his gaze shifted, only for him to discover that Li Musheng beside them had not moved.

Just as he was about to call out to him, Scum Third and the others had already closed in.

At the same time, Scum Second moved, landing nearby with his saber in hand to stand guard.

"If you don't hand over the item, none of you are going anywhere."

Scum Second was expressionless. Inner force roiled around him, and killing intent radiated from his body. The aura he displayed was actually even stronger than Yu Zhentian's.

Yu Zhentian's pupils contracted, and his face immediately turned extremely grim.

"Old Yu, it's not that I want to call you stingy, but what could possibly be so precious that you'd rather have all of us buried with you?"

Li Musheng asked curiously. Hearing this, Yu Zhentian instinctively shot him a glare.

But when he recalled that this boy was one of only two apprentices willing to stay and help, he could only take a deep breath and say,

"This has nothing to do with you. Don't ask questions!"

Li Musheng shrugged and turned to Scum Second.

"How about you tell me what exactly you people want from him?"

Scum Second swept his gaze over Li Musheng. Seeing that he still looked wet behind the ears yet actually dared question him, a sinister smile curled across his lips.

"Come here, and I'll tell you."

"Kid, I think you're tired of living!" someone among the besieging Scum River Seven Bandits cursed.

His saber came down in a swift strike. The blade light tore through the air, carrying an explosive whistle as it slashed straight toward Li Musheng.

Seeing this, Yu Zhentian immediately flashed forward and drew his sword to block it. Yet in the next instant, his gaze froze.

Yu Zhentian discovered in shock that at the very moment he made his move, Li Musheng's figure had vanished from his sight.

Then, amid the piercing clang of saber against sword, Scum Five, who had struck out with his saber, was forced half a step back by Yu Zhentian's sword.

Yet rather than look at his opponent, his pupils suddenly widened as he stared at the spot where Li Musheng had been standing and cried out in alarm,

"Where did that kid... go?"

The moment those words were spoken, Scum Third and the others, who had been about to rush in with their sabers again, forcibly halted. Their expressions instantly turned wary and uncertain.

A living person had abruptly vanished right before their eyes. How could they possibly ignore it?

They immediately began searching all around for Li Musheng. Just then, a voice rang out from behind Scum Second.

"I've come over. Shouldn't you tell me now?"

In an instant, every hair on Scum Second's body stood on end, and his expression changed drastically.

But he had weathered countless fights in the martial world and reacted swiftly. He made a snap decision, slashing backward with his saber at lightning speed.

At the same time, he circulated inner force into his legs and raced forward at top speed, intending to put distance between himself and the person behind him.

Yet Scum Second's saber struck nothing but air, while Li Musheng's voice behind him followed like a ghost, clinging to him like a shadow.

"Running the moment I come over? That's no fun."

As his words fell, the entire martial arts school courtyard suddenly fell silent.

Before the disciples and apprentices of the martial arts school could understand what had happened, they saw in shock that six black-clad men, including Scum Second, had all become like wooden carvings and clay statues, standing completely motionless.

"I sealed their acupoints."

Li Musheng's voice came from beside Yu Zhentian.

Yu Zhentian abruptly turned his head. Upon seeing him, he instinctively retreated several steps.

"You... who exactly are you?"

Yu Zhentian stared in disbelief at this unremarkable martial arts school apprentice, his aged face full of vigilance.

Li Musheng shrugged, reached out to pat Zhang Dazhuang on the shoulder, and tilted his head as he said,

"Brother Zhang, please don't stare at me like that. Though I know you've always been jealous of this handsome face of mine."

"Huh??"

Zhang Dazhuang shook his head. After coming back to his senses, he looked at the acupoint-sealed Scum River Seven Bandits, then at Li Musheng, before drawing a deep breath and saying heavily,

"Asheng, you make me feel like I don't know you anymore!"

Li Musheng chuckled and turned toward Yu Zhentian.

"Old Yu, I'll leave these bandits to you."

As he spoke, he held out his hand toward the other man.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you. I won't be staying at the martial arts school anymore. You promised me five taels of silver after I washed my hands of this, so don't dock my pay and renege like you did before."

Yu Zhentian stared fixedly at Li Musheng, the shock on his face refusing to fade.

"Are you really that brat Li Musheng? But I remember you being a complete martial arts good-for-nothing. How could you be this..."

Yet Li Musheng directly cut him off and asked,

"You're not planning to renege on the payment, are you?"

Yu Zhentian's heart jolted. He hurriedly waved his hands.

He searched through his robes for a while. He had no silver on him, only managing to pull out a one-hundred-tael banknote.

But before he could speak, the banknote vanished from his hand and landed in Li Musheng's.

Li Musheng said with a beaming smile,

"Not bad, not bad. It's rare for you to be generous for once. I'll take this banknote!"