Lie King's Treasure

Chu Xisheng and Lu Luanli spent four full days in the cavern's lower levels.

In fact, they had noticed something was amiss on the very first day.

The Long Household's search efforts were practically nonexistent. The three of them wandered below for an entire day without seeing a single member of the household.

The next day, scattered herb gatherers even came down from above.

According to them, the Long Household had not only rescinded its ban allowing entry but forbidding exit, but had also withdrawn all its clan soldiers from Firebone Cavern half a day earlier.

The two suspected, however, that the Long Household was trying to lure the snake out of its hole, enticing them out of Firebone Cavern to surround and kill them in an ambush outside.

To be completely safe, they stayed inside for four full days before heading out.

By then, Tie Xiaosheng's external wounds had begun to heal, and his internal injuries had improved considerably.

That was what gave them the confidence to attempt a breakout.

The Iron Banner Gang's deputy banner chief claimed to have regained fifty or sixty percent of his fighting strength at his peak.

Yet even after they walked all the way to the cavern entrance, they saw no sign of anyone from the Long Clan.

Outside the entrance, the three also spotted more than thirty Iron Banner Gang members.

Tie Xiaosheng made no contact with them. He swept a glance over those gang members, then walked on as though he had seen nothing.

Once bitten by a snake, he feared even a well rope for ten years.

The reason Tie Xiaosheng had been wounded to the brink of death several days earlier was that a traitor in the Iron Banner Gang's Firebone Cavern branch had ambushed him from behind.

It was late at night, and there were scarcely any pedestrians in the market town.

Yet every wandering martial artist and herb gatherer along the way looked startled upon seeing Tie Xiaosheng.

Some were overjoyed, some paled, and others gloated.

Tie Xiaosheng ignored them all. His expression cold and grim, his bearing that of a fierce tiger, he held the Hundred-Forged Light Steel Saber Chu Xisheng had given him. Watching in six directions and listening in eight, he strode outward with a dragon's gait and a tiger's step.

As they passed the entrance to the market street, Tie Xiaosheng also forcibly "borrowed" three horses from the Fulong Carriage Company there and rode out of town with Chu Xisheng and Lu Luanli.

Chu Xisheng had learned a little horsemanship during his three months escorting caravans, but riding at a gallop was still beyond him.

Fortunately, Lu Luanli was there. She stuck a Lightness Talisman on Chu Xisheng, reducing his weight to less than seventy jin and leaving him floating on horseback the whole way.

The three galloped beneath the moonlight. Only when Xiushui Commandery's city walls came into view did Tie Xiaosheng's taut expression relax.

They were already extremely close to the docks, less than three li away. He was like a dragon entering the sea, a tiger returning to the mountains.

"My friends." A smile had appeared on Tie Xiaosheng's face. He dismounted and bowed solemnly to Chu Xisheng and Lu Luanli, his tone sincere and warm. "Those bastards from the Long Household disregarded the code of the martial world and ambushed me. Clearly, they mean to fight our Iron Banner Gang to the death.

"I imagine the docks are in turmoil too, so I won't invite you to our headquarters this time, Xisheng. Once everything in the gang is settled, I'll come thank you in person! You two saved my life and gave me a new lease on it. I would never dare forget that kindness."

Chu Xisheng understood how Tie Xiaosheng felt.

He had lost contact with the Iron Banner Gang after the attack, without exchanging any news for five or six days. How could he not worry?

Not to mention that after returning, Tie Xiaosheng would have to begin dealing with a formidable enemy in the Long Household. With countless affairs to handle, how could he have the time or energy to entertain them?

He immediately returned the bow. "You're too kind, Uncle Tie! Heaven watches over good men like you. Even without meeting us, you would have turned danger into good fortune. Besides, I have a feud with the Long Clan too. Helping you is helping myself. Our meeting in Firebone Cavern must have been fate-Heaven wanted to bring about this bond between uncle and nephew."

The smile in Tie Xiaosheng's eyes deepened. "Well said, this bond between uncle and nephew!"

Then his expression shifted slightly, and he hesitated to speak.

He truly admired Chu Xisheng's abilities and very much wanted to recruit this courageous, resourceful savior into the Iron Banner Gang.

But after careful consideration, Tie Xiaosheng swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

First, he still did not know the Iron Banner Gang's situation. If things were going badly, wouldn't he be leading his savior into a ditch?

Second, during their days in Firebone Cavern, he had repeatedly sounded Chu Xisheng out in conversation, but Chu Xisheng always avoided answering and changed the subject. He clearly had little interest in joining a gang.

Tie Xiaosheng sighed inwardly, then grew solemn. "You must both be extremely careful after returning to the city. Though the City Guard and Six Fan Gate are there, along with the court's laws, men like Long Heng stop at nothing. They may well strike at you inside the city.

"If you encounter danger, find some way to send word to the eastern docks. As long as I'm still around, the Iron Banner Gang will spare no effort to help!"

After delivering those earnest instructions, he gave Chu Xisheng's shoulder another firm pat, then galloped off toward the docks.

Watching Tie Xiaosheng's receding figure, Lu Luanli remarked mildly, "This Tie Xiaosheng is someone of note. His speech and bearing are both quite exceptional."

Chu Xisheng chuckled despite himself. "He and his brother built all this in just five years, practically taking control of every dock and water transport business in Xiushui Commandery. Naturally, they're no ordinary men."

"But you're impressive too." Lu Luanli eyed him sidelong, clicking her tongue. "Look at you. Less than two days after Tie Xiaosheng woke up, you were already calling each other dear nephew and uncle. The way he looked just now, he practically wished he could take you as his godson. You really are remarkably good at serving up that soul-bewitching brew."

In truth, she was the one who had been bewitched.

Lu Luanli simply could not understand why she had insisted on accompanying Chu Xisheng to Firebone Cavern.

Being his bodyguard and drudge was one thing, but she had even been forced to spend four days in that place where daylight never reached.

She sniffed her clothes, and all she could smell was sourness.

Chu Xisheng acted as though he had not heard Lu Luanli's barbs.

On this trip to Firebone Cavern, Lu Luanli had effectively saved his life too. Letting her complain a little was nothing.

Dawn was approaching, and the city gates were already open.

After entering the city, Chu Xisheng returned the horses to the Fulong Carriage Company.

He did not know whether the manager here had received word in advance, but when they returned the horses, the man not only made no trouble, he spoke quite respectfully.

By then, Lu Luanli's heart was an arrow flying home. She wanted only to get back quickly, heat some water, and bathe, and hurried toward Zhengyang Martial Academy.

When the academy's southern main gate appeared before them, Chu Xisheng immediately relaxed.

The endless stream of people here, along with the breakfast stalls and vegetable stands lining the street, all exuded peace and tranquility.

Thinking of the past few days and those perilous fights, Chu Xisheng felt as though a lifetime had passed. He could not help murmuring, "The academy really is safer."

"Safer?" Lu Luanli scoffed. "Dark currents are surging through the academy. You just can't sense them."

Chu Xisheng looked at Lu Luanli in surprise.

With mockery on her face, Lu Luanli said, "Just this month, news of that God-Defying Banner has spread throughout the martial world. There are also rumors that Qin Muge may have obtained the Lie King's Treasure, and that clues are hidden in Zhengyang Martial Academy and the Formless Divine Sect. Who knows how many people are itching to make a move now?"

Chu Xisheng frowned. "The Lie King's Treasure?"

Was this the treasure Lu Luanli wanted to find?

"Wulie Heavenly King Ming Qianqiu! He's the last person clearly recorded in history to have wielded the God-Defying Banner. Since the banner fell into Qin Muge's hands, the treasure the Wulie Heavenly King left behind must naturally be in her hands too."

Lu Luanli pointed toward the academy's southern gate ahead. "So don't be fooled by how peaceful this academy looks. Murderous intent is already lurking within. Haven't you ever paid attention to your fellow disciples? I alone have found seven suspicious people, and another three have simply had their identities replaced.

"For example, there's someone named Li Ming among this year's inner disciples. Seven days ago, he still had a square face and small eyes, but on the day of the inner disciple tournament, his eyes suddenly grew bigger. Then there's Wang Zheng. I saw him use the Yan Yun Art with my own eyes. That's a leaping technique unique to Northern Heaven Gate-huh? What are you doing?"

She saw Chu Xisheng tear off a piece of cloth, then take a lump of charcoal from the breakfast stall beside them to write with.

Chu Xisheng wrote two lines on the cloth, then looked at her expectantly. "Keep talking. I'll write it down."

He had just been worrying about what intelligence he could use to fob off the Embroidery Guard.

The information Lu Luanli provided would be enough to give Cao Qianhu an account.

He had not taken the Embroidery Guard's pay for nothing!