Zhang Zhen had already had his wounds bandaged. He stood in the distance, watching Zhao Ping'an leave, his face ashen with terror.
As for the three remaining guards and Old Liu, they were all well and truly dead.
As Zhao Ping'an walked home, he felt that his idea of hiding his cultivation seemed rather laughable.
As the saying went, "The poor studied, the rich practiced martial arts." His training required not only a large amount of herbs and Spiritual Medicines, but also an enormous supply of food to maximize the Deduction Points he gained. Hiding his cultivation was just making things hard for himself.
"Looks like I'll have to leave this place. It's far too poor..."
"But before I go, I need to leave Master, Mistress, and my senior brothers and sisters with something to live on. I wonder if the Sun Family will disappoint me?"
After putting his weapons beneath the bed and changing into his last set of new clothes, Zhao Ping'an arrived at Senior Disciple Brother Ji Xiangming's small courtyard once more, before night had fully fallen.
Only this time, he was sprawled out on the roof.
Most of the people in the courtyard had already left. Only a few Blazing Blade Sect inner disciples remained, tidying up the scattered belongings under the direction of Senior Disciple Brother and Third Senior Brother.
Second Senior Disciple Brother and Third Senior Sister had also stopped guarding the gate. They were sitting in two chairs, drinking tea. After standing all day, they were exhausted.
"Where'd Little Junior Brother go? Everyone's left, and I still haven't seen him. Second Brother, did you see him leave?"
"I've told you how many times not to call me Second Brother! I'm your Second Senior Disciple Brother!!!"
"Hmph, beat me first. If you win, I'll call you Second Senior Disciple Brother!"
"You!... A gentleman doesn't fight with a woman. I didn't see him!"
"What are you two arguing about now? If you've got the energy to argue, come help us. The food will be here soon!"
The Senior Disciple Brother called out to the bickering pair.
"Food? Where's the food?"
Zhao Ping'an's head suddenly appeared above the eaves. His eyes lit up as he asked.
"Zhao Ping'an! You little brat, you were hiding up on the roof sleeping! All you ever think about is food. Get down here, and I'll skin you alive!"
Third Senior Sister Mu Yunmeng was in one of her feisty moods again.
"Senior Sister, if you put it like that, it sounds like you don't want me to come down. I'm not stupid, you know?"
Zhao Ping'an had just stood up, but immediately ducked back down.
"All right, Ping'an! Hurry down. Your senior sister's only joking. When did you climb up there? How come none of us saw you?"
"I climbed up not long after I got here at noon. There were too many people downstairs, and I didn't know a single one of them..."
Thump!
As he answered the Senior Disciple Brother, Zhao Ping'an casually leaped down from the roof, more than three meters high, and landed steadily on the ground.
"Senior Brother Ji, the food's here!"
"All right. Set it out on the table. Thanks for all your hard work, brothers!"
They stayed there until the moon had drifted west and the stars had vanished from the sky before finally falling asleep, slumped over the table.
"Crack! Bang! Bang!"
Deafening firecrackers rang out nonstop. Senior Disciple Brother Ji Xiangming, dressed in a bright red groom's robe, rode a tall chestnut horse in the middle of the procession. A band of musicians led the way, while behind him came the bridal sedan, carried by eight bearers, and the procession of betrothal gifts. They wound through the streets toward Zhao Mansion.
Of course, Zhao Mansion wasn't their destination. They were headed to the neighboring residence, which also belonged to someone surnamed Zhao: the home of Mistress Zhao Xiuyun's second uncle.
Her second uncle was nowhere near as capable as her father. He wasn't exactly a good-for-nothing, but at best he was an ordinary wealthy man, and he owed even that much to Zhao Jinlong's support.
So he and Senior Brother Ji Xiangming were well matched.
This was Zhao Ping'an's first time attending a wedding straight out of ancient times: the elaborate betrothal rites, the eight-bearer sedan, the music and ceremony, the bows to Heaven and Earth, the elders, and the parents, all the way to the bridal chamber and wedding candles!
The complicated rites and the lively gathering of countless guests were a feast for Zhao Ping'an's eyes.
But they also made him keep his distance from the whole affair. They had started preparing at sunrise and didn't finish until seven or eight in the evening, after night had fully fallen.
Luckily, they had rented an entire restaurant for the banquet. Otherwise, it would have been even more troublesome.
Still, Zhao Ping'an had gotten a clear picture of most of the major and minor forces in Nanling City.
After all, it wasn't just Senior Disciple Brother Ji Xiangming's wedding day. Their Master and Mistress were seated at the parents' table, too.
They weren't called "Master" and "Mistress" for nothing.
As a Seventh Level Innate Realm expert, Zheng Hetong was among the handful of people at the very top of South Ridge City. Most of the forces had come because of his reputation.
The Sun Family, whom Zhao Ping'an had waited on all day, had even sent someone with a gift to offer their congratulations, but they hadn't mentioned their second young master at all.
Meanwhile, the bodies and bloodstains in Pear Blossom Alley had been cleaned up completely, as if nothing had ever happened.
But obviously, that was impossible...
By evening, the guests had all left. Zheng Hetong and his wife took Zhao Ping'an in a carriage toward Zhao Residence.
Ever since arriving in the city, he had been busy arranging his eldest disciple's wedding: the music, the restaurant, some of the betrothal gifts, invitations to all the important guests, and so on. He'd been rushed off his feet.
Now that everything had finally settled, he could at last get a good night's sleep.
"Whoa!"
The coachman suddenly yanked the carriage to a halt. Everything inside the carriage lurched and toppled about.
"Elder, it's the Sun Family! They're here to cause trouble..."
Outside the carriage door, a Blazing Blade Sect disciple reported in a hushed voice.
"The Sun Family? Ping'an, stay in the carriage with Mistress. Don't come out. I'll go take a look."
Zheng Hetong frowned and instructed the two beside him.
He hadn't provoked anyone from the Sun Family, had he?
"Master, I'll come with you. They're probably here for me."
"For you? How did you manage to offend the Sun Family?"
"It's a long story. I'll explain later!"
Zhao Ping'an stepped past his Master and headed out of the carriage first.
The carriage was on a broad street. The sun had already set, and some of the shops had closed early. The street was deserted.
A crowd of more than a hundred people blocked the road ahead.
Everyone except the few at the head of the crowd wore matching green martial artist outfits. The golden character "Sun" on their chests made their origins clear.
At the very front stood an old man over fifty. His black-and-white hair was neatly combed and pinned in place with a jade-green hairpin.
He wore a black robe embroidered with gold and stood ramrod straight, gripping a sheathed long saber in his hand.
The Sun Family Head, Sun Heyu—a Ninth Level Innate expert and the Sun Family's second strongest fighter! He was also Sun Shize's father.
Zhao Ping'an didn't recognize the old man, but Zheng Hetong did.
"You're Zhao Ping'an? What nerve! You actually dared to sever my son's tendons and kill an Attendant of the Sun Family?"
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