The Four Beasts of Qingcheng

Though she didn't understand the words again, Yue Lingshan could tell from Wang Jingyuan's expression that he was up to no good. Her face fell too. "The senior brothers from the Mount Tai Sect came to tell us you three ran into Tian Boguang. Father and Mother left early this morning. Do you know how worried I was about you?

"By the way, where are Big Brother and Junior Disciple Brother?"

Wang Jingyuan found it a little strange. "Qunyu Garden isn't far from here. How could they still not have arrived?"

"What did you just say? Qunyu Garden?" Yue Lingshan seized on the key point. "How many times have I told you?! You're not allowed to go to places like that! Why won't you listen?! Is it really that much fun in there?!"

Wang Jingyuan frowned. "What are you talking about? Who was having fun? I was working myself to the bone in there for Huashan's rise. It was exhausting."

Yue Lingshan stomped off again. Behind her, Wang Jingyuan muttered, "She's no help at all, and she makes a fuss all day long. If I had a control panel, I'd send her right off the map."

Still, Yue Lingshan's words had reminded Wang Jingyuan of something. He had gone to take care of something first and already returned to the inn, so why were Linghu Chong and the others taking so long to get back?

Wang Jingyuan decided to look for them. Linghu Chong didn't matter much; whether he was there or not, he basically never interfered with Wang Jingyuan completing his missions. But Lin Pingzhi couldn't be allowed to come to harm. He was an important link between Huashan and the Fuwei Escort Agency. They couldn't afford to lose him.

With that in mind, Wang Jingyuan turned to find the two of them. Finding people was much easier for him than for ordinary folks, since nameplates weren't blocked by cover.

Strangers, being neutral units, all had yellow health bars. Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi, meanwhile, had green ones. He only had to run along the main roads to find them.

Sure enough, Wang Jingyuan hadn't gone far before he spotted their health bars. For some reason, the two of them had returned to Huiyan Tower.

More interestingly, there were four red health bars beside Linghu Chong. Wang Jingyuan took a closer look. Their names were "Hou Renying," "Hong Renxiong," "Yu Renhao," and "Luo Renjie."

Weren't these the Four Beasts of Qingcheng? Wang Jingyuan took a piece of black cloth from his inventory, wrapped it around his head, and went up to the second floor. Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi stood with swords drawn against the four beasts. Wang Jingyuan didn't know what had caused the dispute, but it didn't really matter to him.

Though Wang Jingyuan had covered his head, he hadn't changed his clothes.

Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi recognized him at a glance, and both looked startled. Wang Jingyuan quietly crept up behind the four men, then called out, "Hey, you idiots!"

The Four Beasts of Qingcheng instinctively turned around. Wang Jingyuan unleashed the killing move he'd practiced countless times. The four men saw a flash of white, followed by intense pain.

"Ah! Lime powder!"

"Which despicable bastard ambushed me?!"

Wang Jingyuan took two small hammers from his inventory and said in a muffled voice, "I conceal neither my name nor my surname. I am Jade-Faced Lime King Li Zhuoguang.

"I just heard the Four Beasts of Qingcheng were headed this way. I hear you've been committing rape, looting, and every other evil deed in Shu. Today, I'll take justice into my own hands!"

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Four Beasts of Qingcheng couldn't beat Linghu Chong even four against one. Linghu Chong was one of the best among the younger generation of disciples in the Five Great Sword Sects.

If Wang Jingyuan faced the four of them head-on, he might be able to catch two off guard and kill them with Bixie Swordplay. The other two, however, would be much harder to deal with.

But as everyone knew, what proper player would fight fair and square? If there was a way to cheese a fight, players would use whatever dirty trick they could think of.

Like the lime Wang Jingyuan was using now.

With lime in their eyes, the four men couldn't muster even thirty percent of their power. Wang Jingyuan beat them with his two forging hammers until they wailed for their fathers and mothers. One of them swung his sword wildly, but the result was—

"I hit him!"

"You bastard, you hit me!"

But they soon found a way to respond: they stood back-to-back, warily watching their surroundings.

Hou Renying: "He stopped."

Hong Renxiong: "Don't let your guard down. Keep your swords pointed outward!"

Yu Renhao: "What do you think? Has that bastard already left?"

Luo Renjie: "Possibly."

"I think so too."

Luo Renjie: "Why does it feel like there's one more of us?"

Hou Renying shouted, "Quick, spread out! He's standing back-to-back with us!"

And so things went back to how they'd been at the start, with the Four Beasts of Qingcheng once again getting beaten until they wailed for their fathers and mothers. Wang Jingyuan was getting tired of pounding on them, and he couldn't exactly kill anyone in front of the whole crowd.

He gave Lin Pingzhi a meaningful look. Lin Pingzhi understood and said, "Brother Li, although I have some grievances with these four from the Qingcheng Sect, we're all members of the righteous path.

"I'd be glad to see you give them a beating. But if you keep going, someone's going to die, and I can't just stand by and watch."

Wang Jingyuan cupped his hands. "Who are you two? What are your names?"

Linghu Chong cupped his hands in amusement. "I'm Linghu Chong of Huashan."

Lin Pingzhi followed up, "I'm Lin Pingzhi of Huashan."

Wang Jingyuan pretended to be astonished. "Huashan? The Huashan that's known for 'fists from Shaolin, swords from Huashan'? The Huashan whose leader is the righteous and honorable, peerlessly skilled Master Yue, who's famed as the 'Gentleman Sword'?"

Lin Pingzhi was a little dazed. "...I suppose so?"

Wang Jingyuan spoke with a hint of disdain. "You call yourself a Huashan disciple, yet you consort with people from the Qingcheng Sect? Does your master know you're making friends with bandits?"

Lin Pingzhi had no idea what Wang Jingyuan was getting at, so he could only play along. "I ask that you spare them out of respect for Huashan."

Wang Jingyuan shook his head in exasperation. How could Lin Pingzhi be so inflexible? If his mischievous friends were here to play along with him, they could probably send the Qingcheng Sect's reputation in Hengyang City plummeting into the negatives with a few back-and-forth lines.

Still, he'd more or less achieved his goal. Wang Jingyuan cupped his hands and said, "Hmph! I'll let it go today for the sake of Master Yue of Huashan. But I advise you not to associate with these scoundrels from the Qingcheng Sect."

With that, Wang Jingyuan left, leaving Linghu Chong and Lin Pingzhi behind, struggling to hold back their laughter. When Wang Jingyuan returned to the inn, he went straight to his room and pushed open the door. "Oi, Shinichi, are my clothes washed yet?"

Qu Feiyan didn't answer. She just looked at Wang Jingyuan with an amused smile. He took a closer look and saw someone else in the room: Qu Yang.

Wang Jingyuan was puzzled. Had Qu Yang finally read the book he'd written and come over to kill him out of anger?