I'll Go

It was not only Zhao Qiushan who spoke up to stop him.

Ji Chengkong also bluntly said it was inappropriate.

Seeing his two brothers react this way, Qin Jianghe could not help but furrow his brow.

To stand by and ignore the safety of the one who had saved his life—

That was not Qin Jianghe's way.

Although—

If Little River Village had truly been occupied by the Whale Gang, the chances of Old Jiang and his family surviving were infinitesimal.

Still, he had to at least confirm whether they were dead or alive.

If they had truly met with misfortune and died, he would avenge them.

Only then would he be acting as a true hero!

"I'll go."

A voice cut into the conversation, clear as the ringing of a blade.

Shen Yi looked toward the three men.

With a flick of his hand—

The broken saber shot toward Qin Jianghe.

With perfect understanding, Qin Jianghe raised a hand across his body. With a clang, the broken saber slipped into its sheath, its sharpness completely concealed.

"Our deal has already ended. Hall Master Qin is no longer in danger, so I should have left long ago."

"The old man's family in Little River Village showed me kindness."

"I should go and investigate it properly."

Qin Jianghe narrowed his eyes slightly. Over the past few days, through their exchanges on martial arts, he had already gauged Shen Yi's strength.

His internal cultivation had entered the First-Class Realm.

His fist and kicking arts had reached perfection, carrying a style all their own. His talent for saber techniques was outstanding.

His real combat ability and adaptability on the spot were even more exceptional, one in a hundred.

But—

His opponent was the Whale Gang's Yaksha Faction.

As the saying went—

Two fists could not defeat four hands.

Not to mention that within the Yaksha Faction, there were nearly a dozen experts at the First-Class Realm or above.

Fang Yu, the leader of the Yaksha Branch, was an Acquired Realm expert just like him. His Water-Cleaving Sea Trident was strange and unpredictable.

This was far too dangerous for Shen Yi.

Qin Jianghe was about to refuse.

Zhao Qiushan immediately snorted coldly and said:

"Big Brother, Brother Chen Yu is highly skilled and possesses a great sense of righteousness. Why not let him go investigate?"

Ji Chengkong actually echoed him:

"Qiushan is right."

"Brother Chen Yu is not a member of our gang, and he is clever and alert. I believe he can uncover even more intelligence."

"If Brother Chen Yu proves no match for them and wishes to retreat, we can send brothers to support him and ensure his safety."

Qin Jianghe frowned slightly.

Ji Chengkong and Zhao Qiushan had seemed rather indifferent toward Shen Yi, yet now they were actually urging him to venture into danger alone.

He wanted to refuse again.

Shen Yi looked deeply at Qin Jianghe.

"Hall Master Qin, it is time for me to leave."

The Raging Tide Gang was no different from the Pacification Office.

I do not intend to stay.

Seeing the certainty in Shen Yi's eyes, Qin Jianghe could not help but let out a long sigh. "Brother, wait a moment. I will prepare some parting gifts for you."

Delight appeared in Zhao Qiushan's eyes.

At last, they were sending this outsider, Shen Yi, away.

Qin Jianghe gave Shen Yi two sets of clothes.

One black, one blue-green.

Inside were fitted martial garments, with a robe draped over them.

A black satin headband bound Shen Yi's loose hair, giving him a cold, unrestrained, sharp air.

And there was also a black, thick-backed saber with its sheath.

Its spine was thick, yet its edge was sharp.

The blade was deep black and straight, similar to the broken saber.

Qin Jianghe had commissioned skilled craftsmen from the Raging Tide Gang to forge it day and night. It had only been delivered today.

It was perfectly suited to the Hidden Edge Saber Technique Qin Jianghe had taught him.

Holding the thick-backed black saber, Shen Yi ran one palm across its blade and felt a cold, delicate texture.

Qin Jianghe smiled.

"This saber was forged from hundredfold-refined iron. It will serve you for a very long time. This is also what I promised you before."

Shen Yi felt rather moved.

Though his transaction with Qin Jianghe had begun with saber techniques, it had not ended there. Qin Jianghe had taught him lightness skill, forged a weapon for him, and given him clothing and travel money. He could indeed be called a man of loyalty and righteousness.

With people like this in the martial world, at least one's hot blood would not turn cold. Shen Yi became solemn and spoke sincerely:

"Thank you."

Qin Jianghe waved a hand.

"These are merely worldly possessions, nothing worth mentioning. You saved my life, so naturally I should repay you."

"Be careful on this trip. Your priority is to gather intelligence."

"I have already persuaded Qiushan to take some brothers with you."

"Once my injuries have healed, I will gather our brothers and join you to strike back against those yakshas of the Yaksha Branch!"

Shen Yi was slightly startled.

He knew this was Qin Jianghe's goodwill.

So he did not refuse.

Qin Jianghe said:

"This saber has just been forged and has no name yet. Brother, give it a name. It belongs to you now."

Shen Yi held the saber horizontally and stared at it, thinking for a moment.

"Let's call it Cold Night."

Clang.

Cold Night returned to its sheath.

After changing into his new outfit, Shen Yi turned and strode away.

Outside Broken Blade Hall.

The tower-like Zhao Qiushan stood unhappily at the entrance, two enormous Xuanhua Axes strapped across his back.

Behind him stood a group of Broken Blade Hall disciples dressed in sea-blue garments.

There were around twenty of them.

Each was powerfully built, all elite members of the hall.

In Zhao Qiushan's view, Qin Jianghe cared far too much about Shen Yi's safety. Not only had he ordered Zhao Qiushan to accompany him, he had even deployed all the elite trusted men Zhao Qiushan had painstakingly cultivated to support him.

Yet Zhao Qiushan had no choice.

He knew Qin Jianghe had always been such a loyal and righteous man. If not for that, Zhao Qiushan himself would never have willingly acknowledged him as his big brother.

It was simply that he did not like Shen Yi.

He believed Shen Yi had saved Qin Jianghe with an ulterior motive—he had wanted Qin Jianghe's profound saber techniques, not acted out of genuine sincerity.

In truth, Shen Yi also spoke of transactions whenever he opened his mouth and promises whenever he shut it, yet never once mentioned the bond formed through shared hardship.

But Qin Jianghe did not care.

Or perhaps he had seen through Shen Yi's nature. Because Shen Yi had suffered losses before, he did not easily open his heart.

But Qin Jianghe did not mind. In all he did, he only sought a clear conscience. Escorting Shen Yi to the hall entrance, he instructed:

"Qiushan, you must ensure Brother Chen Yu's safety."

Zhao Qiushan reluctantly cupped his hands and answered:

"Yes, Big Brother."

Shen Yi gave Qin Jianghe a slight nod, then said calmly to Zhao Qiushan, "Elder Zhao, let's go."

Shen Yi wore a black fitted martial outfit, a long saber hanging at his waist.

He walked with the gait of a tiger.

With a wave of Zhao Qiushan's hand, the brothers all followed after him.

Qin Jianghe stood at the hall entrance and watched from afar. Even after the group swiftly vanished at the end of the distant mountain road, he had yet to move.

"Hall Master, they have already gone far."

"You should return and rest."

"You still need to take medicine after eating to nurse your body back to health."

Ji Chengkong, dressed in scholar's robes, stepped out through the door. He too looked toward the empty mountain road, his tone calm and unruffled.

Qin Jianghe nodded slightly and turned to walk back inside. He felt that Ji Chengkong seemed to be in quite a good mood today.

"By the way, Chengkong."

"How has the investigation into the mole gone these past two days?"

Ji Chengkong followed behind Qin Jianghe and bowed slightly.

"This person is hiding very deeply. I am still investigating."

"For that reason, I deliberately sent out every colleague ranked incense master and above to gather intelligence on the Whale Gang."

Qin Jianghe halted.

"Oh? Why?"

"To lure the snake from its hole."

Ji Chengkong smiled faintly.

"I will keep an eye on those hall officials who insist on returning to check on your condition. Their suspicions will be greater."

Qin Jianghe found this reasonable.

So he nodded.

"Then I will have to trouble you with it."

Elsewhere.

Shen Yi was worried about Little River Village's safety.

He traveled at full speed.

Even when passing Clear River Town, he did not enter.

Instead, he crossed the river and entered the mountains.

He avoided the Whale Gang lookouts that might have been stationed along the banks of the Clear River.

Zhao Qiushan led the Broken Blade Hall brothers after him. After all, these Broken Blade Hall disciples were a notch weaker in cultivation.

After rushing onward for more than half a day—

They gradually began to run out of stamina.

Watching Shen Yi continue onward in the distance without slowing his steps, Zhao Qiushan could not help but complain, "What a lone wolf!"

"I truly do not know why the deputy hall master recommended that Big Brother send me to escort you. What rotten luck!"