Lei Chong's Death, Li Xian's Innocence, the Langjiang Position, Awaiting Its New Master
Seeing the situation before him, Lei Chong knew he could not resist. Knowing his life was about to end, he resigned himself to his fate. Qingyao extended two fingers, pressed Lei Chong's acupoints, and took a black burlap sack, which she tightly Lei Chong's head. The sack contained the stench of blood and rotting flesh, which immediately pierced his nostrils, causing hot tears to stream down his face.
He felt his shoulders being grabbed and forcibly lifted. Half of his body was numb and sore, while the other half could move slightly, allowing him to walk with a limp. He was thrown into a carriage and forcibly taken away from the Black Market.
Wei Qinghuang, Seven Heads, and Lei Chong headed to the Five Mountains. Qingyao went to Jujube-Pasture Residence in Gold Ingot Ward and saw Li Xian practicing martial arts. His swordsmanship was quite commendable, and his skill was superb. Qingyao couldn't help but think, "It's been a long time since I've seen him, and he has become even stronger." Seeing the young man so focused on his martial arts practice, she couldn't bear to disturb him and stood on the wall to watch quietly. Li Xian was so engrossed in his martial arts that although he noticed, he pretended not to. After a while, although Qingyao found Li Xian's swordsmanship elegant and wished to watch a little longer, she dared not delay or neglect the Commandery Princess's order, so she jumped down from the wall and interrupted him with a soft sound.
Li Xian sheathed his sword and smiled, "Sister Qingyao, long time no see!" Qingyao blushed and said, "You still call me sister? We're not even that close!"
Li Xian asked, "Sister Qingyao, did the Commandery Princess have something to instruct you to come here?" Qingyao replied, "The Commandery Princess has ordered you to go to the Five Mountains; a great gift awaits you."
Li Xian frowned, immediately thinking of "Lei Chong". He put on his armor and followed Qingyao to the Five Mountains. Five Mountains was located in the southwestern suburbs of Jade City. It was a remote place with few people and the surrounding vegetation was withered and desolate.
Beneath a banyan tree, Commandery Princess Anyang Wei Qinghuang of Anyang sat in a crimson armchair, reclining slightly with her legs crossed. Her elegant palace dress accentuated her graceful figure, and she appeared quite relaxed and content. Two men knelt beside her: a gaunt old man, the assassin Seven Heads, and Lang General Lei Chong. Li Xian, summoned by the messenger, called out, "Commandery Princess!" Wei Qinghuang nodded slightly and said, "You saved my nephew's life, requesting that I kill Lei Chong to take his place as Lang General. Now that the man has been brought here, I will personally carry out the final act."
Li Xian said, "Thank you, Commandery Princess!" and immediately drew her sword, aiming for Lei Chong's head. Lei Chong with hatred and anger, unwilling and helpless, but his body was numb and he could not dodge the sword at all. But when Li Xian's sword struck, a "clang" was heard. The blade was deflected by a thrown object, and the blade deviated by half an inch, failing to hit Lei Chong.
It was Qingyao who threw the hidden weapon. Wei Qinghuang said, "You're still young and Blood Qi. If it were just about beheading him, why would I have sent you all this way?" She said to Lei Chong, "Raise your head and look directly at this county." Lei Chong raised his head and looked directly at her. Wei Qinghuang threw down a horizontal sword and a whip, and said, "Do you recognize these?"
Lei Chong trembled. He had two sons, Da Lang and Er Lang, both strong and talented in martial arts, who could both learn martial arts and join the army, inheriting their father's legacy and strengthening the Lei family. Lei Chong was skilled in both sword and whip techniques. Da Lang was tall and powerful, even more so than Lei Chong, so Lei Chong gifted him a precious sword. However, Da Lang was still young and in the stage of cultivating his character and practicing martial arts, so the sword had never been drawn. Er Lang was still small, and when he drew lots, he drew a precious whip, which Lei Chong liked and praised. However, he still had difficulty walking, let alone wielding a long whip.
These precious swords and long whips belonged to Lei Chong's second son. Lei Chong said, "Lei Chong die today, it's just a matter of the victor taking all. My family shouldn't be implicated. My foolish wife and children don't know that Lei Chong an enemy of the Commandery Princess and Li Xian. I beg the Commandery Princess to show mercy and spare them. If possible, Lei Chong suicide immediately without hesitation."
Wei Qinghuang said, "It seems you recognize this item. Very well, it saves me some trouble. I'll give you a chance. Pick up the sword and whip, and if you can kill Li Xian, I naturally won't mind letting your wife and children go."
Lei Chong asked, puzzled, "But... but isn't Li Xian one of the Commandery Princess's people?" Wei Qinghuang replied, "You are not qualified to ask this princess."
Lei Chong thought to himself, "I, Lei Chong, come from humble beginnings and have struggled to this day, only to be betrayed by that beast Zhang Qiusheng. Today, regardless of victory or defeat, I am destined to die here. This Commandery Princess, the assassin Seven Heads, and the woman in the green dress Non-Self capabilities. Even if I fight to the death, I will only be courting my own demise and endangering my wife and children. My wife and children are innocent. Right now, I can only follow her instructions and fight Li Xian to the death, hoping that my wife and children will not be implicated." He said, "Alright! I am willing to follow the Commandery Princess's instructions."
Wei Qinghuang laughed, "This is a true man." Qingyao extended two fingers and pressed on Lei Chong Chong's acupoints. Lei Chong himself up with his left hand, set his right hand, picked up his horizontal sword and long whip, and slowly turned to look directly at Li Xian.
Wei Qinghuang laughed, "Li Xian, I've done so much for you, don't disappoint me. If you lose to him, I won't help you." Li Xian cupped his hands and said, "No need for the Commandery Princess to intervene, I will avenge myself."
Wei Qinghuang said, "Qingyao, take out the ' Shadow-Hiding Pearl ' that I asked you to bring." Qingyao took out a milky white pearl. As she channeled it into her inner energy, the pearl gradually revealed an image, which was Li Xian and Lei Chong facing off in a life-or-death duel.
Countless wondrous objects exist in the world, some of which can leave behind images for future generations to observe. This "Shadow-Hiding Pearl" serves the purpose of "concealing images within the pearl." It turns out... Wei Qinghuang wanted to acquire the "Shadow-Hiding Pearl" to further control the situation, manipulate the eyes and hands of all parties, and bind their interests together.
Wei Qinghuang watched with great interest, thinking, "I always felt that this guy was hiding his true strength from me. It's perfect to have Lei Chong fight him to the death and test his abilities. My pieces have never been able to escape the chessboard."
Li Xian pondered, "This Commandery Princess ordered me to personally kill Lei Chong and retrieve the Shadow-Hiding Pearl, intending to find something on me. From now on, even if I rise rapidly in rank, if I dare disobey her orders, she can use various methods to ruin my reputation and put me in a perilous situation. This woman is notoriously greedy and exploitative. When I arrived, I inquired with Qingyao and learned that Commandery Princess Anyang has taken everything from Lei Chong's residence, business, and profits. Even the ten thousand taels of gold she paid for the assassin were completely taken. It's truly a risk-free and highly profitable business. The more I reveal, the more she will covet. When fighting Lei Chong, I must neither be careless nor overly show off."
He gradually came to a conclusion. Observing Lei Chong's sunken cheeks and gray hair, he seemed like a completely different person after not seeing him for several days. He thought with a heavy heart, "The Commandery Princess's methods are more profound than I thought. With a little manipulation, even Lang General like Lei Chong has been thoroughly tormented."
Lei Chong adjusted his breathing, holding a whip in his left hand and a horizontal sword in his right. He said loudly, "Li Xian, I never thought that we would have to fight after all." As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he swung his long whip. Li Xian parried with his sword, but the whip was very tough and wrapped around the blade.
Lei Chong overjoyed, knowing that Li Xian's swordsmanship was exceptional. This whip strike, named "Coiling Serpent Climbs the Staff," was designed to disarm the enemy. With a flick of his wrist, the whip seemed to come alive, winding along the blade and wrapping around Li Xian's wrist. If Li Xian didn't abandon his sword, he would be entangled by the whip; if he did, he would lose a great asset. Li Xian stood firm, refusing to abandon his sword, and channeled his inner energy into the blade, engaging in a struggle with Lei Chong's whip technique. The long whip was stretched taut, emitting a buzzing sound. Lei Chong frowned deeply, not expecting Li Xian's Inner Steam to be so powerful; in the struggle, he found it difficult to forcefully disarm him.
He felt the whip handle getting increasingly hot, burning his palm. Li Xian's "Yang Immortal Melody" emanated from the whip, which then burned bright red. Lei Chong gritted his teeth and flicked the whip. The Coiling Serpent Climbs the Staff transformed into Divine Dragon Sweeps Its Tail, sweeping down diagonally with a "whoosh".
Li Xian withdrew, and saw the whip crack as it struck the ground, leaving a ten-foot-long gash like a knife cut. Lei Chong turned and lashed out again, this time with the force of Ferocious Tiger pouncing, its power now sweeping through the mountains and forests with unstoppable momentum. Li Xian dodged again. The whip struck a large tree, and the tree crackled and popped, shattering into dust that scattered around.
Lei Chong back, and the whip, like a venomous snake, "bite" at Li Xian from behind with incredible speed. This whip was known for its "toughness" and didn't inherently contain poison. However, through martial arts evolution, if struck by this whip, it was like being bitten by a highly venomous snake, instantly inflicting venom upon the body—a truly miraculous effect. Li Xian, with his sharp eyesight, had already sensed the whip's approach. Seeing it attacking from behind, he neither dodged nor evaded, but Lei Chong.
Whip techniques are extremely powerful, with force building up inch by inch along the whip's shaft, far surpassing sword techniques. However, there is a drawback: an excessively long whip can be a constraint, as the force is like a surging tide, rising wave after wave. It can also be "one wave after another," with one wave subsiding before the next immediately follows, thus avoiding mistakes. If one wave has not yet subsided before another rises, there is a risk of two waves clashing, causing disarray.
Lei Chong's snake whip hadn't subsided when Li Xian closed in. Changing his whip technique now was too late. Lei Chong immediately drew his blade, meeting Li Xian's attack head-on. Upon contact, Lei Chong felt his scalp tingle, his body tremble, and his feet sank into the mud. A surge of immense force traveled along the blade. The instant their blades clashed, Lei Chong's snake whip was already striking Li Xian from behind. Li Xian Flash of Golden Light, appearing behind Lei Chong and slashing at Lei Chong's neck with his blade. In that instant, Lei Chong was plunged into immense danger!
Lei Chong's snake whip was originally intended to attack Li Xian from behind. Just now, Li Xian clashed with him head-on with his sword, and then, taking advantage of a flash of golden light, suddenly appeared behind Lei Chong. The snake whip's momentum had not subsided, and it struck towards Lei Chong instead.
Just moments after Li Xian's strike, a lingering Pivot Shadow followed the same trajectory, slashing again. Li Xian's true form flashed with Lei Chong, unleashing another strike simultaneously. In that instant... Lei Chong faced three perilous attacks!
Moreover, the attacks were simultaneous, both from the front and the back. Lei Chong's lips curled up, yet he remained calm. He had learned from the "Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb" that Li Xian had mastered "Pivot-Splitting Shadow-Transforming Style" and "Art Path; Golden Light," two moves that, when combined, were incredibly powerful. Therefore, when Li Xian rushed towards him, Lei Chong had already anticipated this scene. He twisted his wrist, and the snake whip, which had been a sudden and unpredictable attack, transformed into a coiling and strangling attack.
The whip coiled around Lei Chong's entire body, like a python coiling around him, adding a layer of thick armor! In this way, the perilous situation of being attacked from both sides and unable to cope was completely resolved in an instant. Li Xian's Pivot Shadow Killing Power was originally weak; if it hit the whip, it would only produce sparks and be difficult to have any effect. But Li Xian's True Blade Style, seemingly elegant and graceful, was actually very heavy. Even with the whip coiled around his body for protection, the force would inevitably penetrate into his body, damaging his internal organs.
Lei Chong, as expected of the experienced Daoist, drew his sword the instant the whip wrapped around his body, pressing it against the back of his head from behind. This combination of whip and sword allowed him to barely withstand Li Xian's strike. However, he was still forced back several steps. Lei Chong used the momentum to create distance, simultaneously lashing out with his whip again, the whip's end aimed at the target. This whip strike was like a rhinoceros charging, aiming to pierce through the entire area, its killing intent terrifying! The whip technique Lei Chong used was called "The Whip of a Hundred Beasts," a mid-level martial art. Acquired at great expense, this whip technique doesn't aim to split mountains and shatter rocks, but rather to observe the movements of various beasts. Attached to the whip, it has many applications. Li Xian parried with his sword, the whip's tail lightly touching the blade, producing a piercing sound. Li Xian retreated several steps to steady himself. Lei Chong was extremely surprised; this "Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon" style was enough to pierce armor as easily as tofu. Although the Mirror Gold Guardian Tiger Saber was tough and sharp, it couldn't withstand the killing power of this move. But Li Xian's blade only bore a shallow mark, which was truly strange.
Without a second thought, Lei Chong unleashed the "Great Ape Moves the Mountain Stance, his whip wrapping around a boulder as he slammed it down. Li Xian, with his graceful movements, was about to dodge when Lei Chong tightened his grip, crushing the boulder with the whip. Countless fragments of stone flew out like countless sharp shards. Li Xian used the Pivot-Shadow Transformation School, rapidly drawing his blade, Pivot Shadow multiple shadows that blocked all the fragments. At that moment, a whip, mixed with dust and mist, lashed out.
This was utterly unexpected. Lei Chong was overjoyed, knowing the whip's power was immense; even the slightest touch would either kill or severely injure. The whip lashed out, but suddenly pierced through, scattering the mist. Lei Chong's heart pounded with alarm. "This is bad! While the gray mist blinded him, this boy used the Divine Mist Intent-Transformation Technique to create a similar figure. He must be using this opportunity to stealthily approach me!"
He suddenly sensed murderous intent gathering. Li Xian was already beside him, slashing horizontally with his blade. The blade was extremely sharp, and intense flames emanated from its surface, making it extremely hot. Lei Chong had already closed in twice and knew that close combat would be difficult to deal with Li Xian. But he had no other choice at this moment, so he immediately drew his blade to block, while simultaneously activating the "Divine Jade Body-Protection School," causing a pale green jade-like light to burst forth from his body to deflect the oncoming flames.
The moment their swords clashed, Li Xian's Pure-Gang Steaming Garment, glowing with fire, enveloped Lei Chong's blade. Lei Chong tried to retract his sword, but felt it was stuck. He vaguely recognized it as the "Pure-Gang Steaming Garment," and felt both envy and resentment. This robe, pulling and tugging, rendered his swordplay shapeless. In just a brief moment of close combat, Lei Chong was covered in burns, knife wounds, and Pivot Shadow wounds. If not for the Divine Jade Body-Protection School, he would have been dead. Martial arts battles are ever-changing. Even with a deep foundation in martial arts, one cannot always fully utilize all techniques depending on the situation. Lei Chong had indeed learned several fierce sword techniques, but at this moment, he was too busy parrying to use them effectively. Just like in this sword fight, although Li Xian had the upper hand and possessed considerable martial arts knowledge, he had no opportunity to unleash his "Demonic Sound Soul-Shaking Melody" and other martial arts techniques.
Suddenly, a loud "thud" was heard. Lei Chong's sword was knocked away, and he was shaken off balance by the force. At that moment, Li Xian unleashed several slashes in an instant, accompanied by more than a dozen Pivot Shadow, crashing towards them like a surging wave.
Lei Chong hard, and his body suddenly flew backward. It turned out that while he was forcefully resisting, the whip had actually wrapped itself around a tree trunk. He used the distance of the whip to create some distance and temporarily escape danger. Li Xian had already observed this scene, but noticing that Wei Qinghuang was watching, he was unwilling to reveal his full strength, so he pretended not to notice and let Lei Chong escape.
The instant Lei Chong flying backward, he lashed out with his whip, ensnaring the thrown sword. Using the whip as a weapon, he unleashed his swordsmanship mid-air, engaging Li Xian in a fierce battle. This position put him in a virtually invincible position. He was several feet away, exchanging blows; even though his swordsmanship was inferior and he suffered a disadvantage, his opponent found it difficult to strike him. He used the force of the whip to amplify his power, making his swordsmanship even stronger and more unstoppable. Covered in blood, Lei Chong declared, "Li Xian, in terms of the Heavenly Pivot Saber Method, I am inferior to you. But my swordsmanship is not necessarily weaker than yours!"
In his moment of crisis, he gained profound insight. He had once heard Li Xian impart the secrets of the Heavenly Pivot Saber Method, which required "using the body as the pivot" to achieve "everything changes." Lei Chong was unfamiliar with the "Four Directions Fist" and found it difficult to "use the body as the pivot," but he was secretly determined to succeed and practiced on his own. However, due to various obstacles, he made no progress. At this moment, out of desperation, he wrapped his sword with a whip and suddenly had an epiphany. He vaguely grasped the meaning of "using the body as the pivot" and, by analogy, understood "using the whip as the pivot." This time, when he used the Heavenly Pivot Saber Method again, his strength increased several times over.
The technique subtly blends the "Myriad Beasts Observe Me Whip" with the "Heavenly Pivot Saber Method," incorporating the forms of a hundred beasts within its saber movements, yet constantly changing in an instant. A snake transforms into a tiger, a tiger into a wolf, a wolf into an ape... the transformations are natural and incredibly captivating.
Lei Chong was indeed quite capable, with combat experience and adaptability far surpassing that of ordinary bandits. He made the most of his strengths and avoided his weaknesses, doing everything he could to suppress the enemy's power. Even Wei Qinghuang applauded lightly, showing her great appreciation.
Li Xian thought to himself, "Although Lei Chong is narrow-minded, he has risen to the rank of Lang General despite his humble origins, so he must have some skill. We've fought to this point, and it's time for a victor to emerge. With the Commandery Princess watching, I can't reveal too much. But I can't remain completely hidden; before I can completely escape and kill her, I must ensure I don't become a pawn." With keen observation, he found a weakness, and with a flick, sweep, and tremble of his blade, he used exquisite swordsmanship and subtle control to loosen Lei Chong's whip. Although Lei Chong had grasped the concept of "using the whip as a pivot," his swordsmanship was far inferior to Li Xian's. For Li Xian to display his "Perfection" swordsmanship and easily break his tricks would be incredibly easy. Li Xian grabbed the whip and pulled hard.
Lei Chong stood firm, refusing to relinquish the whip, and the two engaged in a fierce Inner Steam. Li Xian snorted coldly and increased his strength. Lei Chong cried out in alarm, and the whip flew from his hand. Li Xian retaliated with the whip, striking Lei Chong in the chest with a resounding "bang." Lei Chong suffered severe internal injuries and was on the verge of death. Li Xian lashed out with the whip again. Lei Chong's eyes widened, unwilling to die. The battle finally came to an end. Wei Qinghuang said, "Truly worthy of being Commandery Princess soldiers!"
Li Xian said, "Commandery Princess, Lei Chong is dead. I hope you can put in some effort to secure this position of Lang General Commandery Princess." Wei Qinghuang said calmly, "This matter depends on your fate. If you have it, you will have it; if you don't, you won't."
Wei Qinghuang said, "You should go back now. Someone will take care of things here. Just pretend you never encountered Lei Chong." Li Xian Li Xian, "If I may ask one more question, what will the Commandery Princess do with Lei Chong's wife and children?"
Wei Qinghuang smiled meaningfully and said, "How would you like to deal with it?"
Li Xian thought to himself, "Although Lei Chong and I were mortal enemies, he is now dead, and the enmity has been absolved. I've heard that his wife is virtuous and doesn't concern herself with worldly affairs, and his two sons are still very young and haven't yet matured. If his wife and children truly don't know of my existence, there's no need to risk their lives." He then said, "Lei Chong did say something quite right. If his wife and children are unaware that Lei Chong is my enemy and that the Commandery Princess exists, sparing their lives wouldn't be unreasonable."
Wei Qinghuang was displeased. Her phoenix eyes fixed on Li Xian, her invisible aura pressing down on him. Then, she flicked her sleeve and said, "Step back. It's none of your Commandery Princess what I do."
After Li Xian left, Wei Qinghuang said, "Seven Heads, the matter of Lei Chong is entrusted to you. Make sure there are no loopholes." The old man, Seven Heads, replied, "Yes!"
Li Xian returned to Jujube-Pasture Residence, washed and cleansed himself of the blood, and savored the fierce battle he had just fought. Lei Chong's swordsmanship was strong, and his whip skills were exquisite; he was no ordinary opponent. Lei Chong Second Martial Realm for many years, reaching the fourth or even Fifth Advance, making him a cut above Li Xian. However, fearing Li Xian's swordsmanship, he intended to use his whip skills to attack from a distance. Li Xian thought to himself, "Although I won this martial arts battle smoothly, I cannot underestimate the heroes of the world. Although Lei Chong is only at the Second Martial Realm, his martial arts are superb, even surpassing the elders of the Flower Cage Sect. This shows that the world is vast, full of hidden talents, countless in number."
He sorted out his thoughts, reviewed the details of the night, and, feeling that he had not made any mistakes, went to sleep peacefully. The next day, there was no major disturbance in Jade City. Li Xian went on duty as usual, accepted a "Fifth-Rank Important Task," and pursued the culprit and caught the thief as usual.
After searching for clues for half a day, Li Xian passed by the "Dew Cicada Shop" and went in to take a look. Xiao Wu and Xiao Chao were very diligent in serving the customers. The Dew Cicada Shop's business was gradually stabilizing. Although there was no worry about selling the Enlightenment Cicada, Mountain Treasure Leaf, and Bitter Ginseng, Li Xian's supply was limited, and no matter how he managed it, it would be difficult to break through the bottleneck. Li Xian thought to himself, "This Dew Cicada Shop is just a small test, a stepping stone and a probing stone for my business in Jade City. The income in October was 2,700 taels of silver, and it will stabilize thereafter, mostly around 2,500 taels. For such a small shop to be able to steadily earn 2,000 taels of silver is already extremely rare. Although this Dew Cicada Shop is small, it has helped me accumulate wealth. If I see the right opportunity in the future, I can expand the business and open some restaurants and other businesses."
As evening fell, Li Xian, along with Bai Qinghao, Iron Fu, and others, rode swift horses to hone their polo skills. The day was calm and uneventful, a peaceful and leisurely affair. Li Xian gazed at the lonely moon, longing for Tao Xiangrong's warmth and affection, and felt a deep yearning. However, knowing that the "Lei Chong" incident was still unresolved and the situation uncertain, he dared not indulge himself. Thus, two days passed peacefully, Li Xian performing his duties, practicing martial arts, and living his life as usual.
On the third day, Lei Chong's long-standing absence stirred up trouble. The Copper-Faced Gentleman's unexplained disappearance was a case with far-reaching implications. The Truth-Inspecting Guard and the Divine Cavalry Guard jointly investigated the case. Peng Qiuluo of the Truth-Inspecting Guard and "Zhou Qingshen" of the Divine Cavalry Guard led the investigation, first questioning Xu Shaoqian to understand the details. Xu Shaoqian did not cover up the truth and told Peng Qiuluo and Zhou Qingshen that Li Xian had a long-standing feud with Lei Chong and was the prime suspect. Peng Qiuluo frowned slightly and, according to the law, imprisoned Li Xian Li Xian, repeatedly questioning him to investigate the case.
Li Xian insisted that he knew nothing and cooperated fully with the investigation. Peng Qiuluo and others tried to probe him several times, but to no avail. Li Xian sat quietly in prison, calm and fearless. After some investigation, Peng Qiuluo and Zhou Qingshen gradually learned that before Lei Chong died, he had sold off his wealth and raised enough gold and silver to amount to ten thousand taels.
Following the clues, it was discovered that Lei Chong, harboring resentment due to being publicly tortured, wanted to "hit a killer" to murder Xu Shaoqian, while simultaneously seeking advancement—a two-pronged approach. However, the killer double-crossed him, obtaining the money and then betraying Lei Chong, tricking Lei Chong into killing him on the Black Market and absconding with the money. This case had nothing to do with Li Xian; he was indeed innocent.
Peng Qiuluo investigated several times, sought confirmation from others, and deduced logically, and all his findings were Wu Cuo. Lei Chong's death was indeed regrettable, but hiring someone to commit murder was even more despicable. Peng Qiuluo and Zhou Qingshen brought Li Xian out of prison, restoring his freedom. Lei Chong's death thus came to an end.
The position of Jian Jinwei Lang Jiang (a military officer) has finally become vacant.