"Boss, it's them." Outside a herbal tea shop, Tian Shu led Xie Zi and the others to Li Fucheng's group, who were resting their feet.
Mm... six people, all wearing straw hats and straw shoes. The women have fine figures, and they're all outsiders. They really do resemble the Ma Qing group Third Brother described. Nodding, Xie Zi turned to Da Leng. "You and Bie Niu keep watch here. I'll report to Third Brother."
"Alright, leave it to us." Da Leng patted his chest in assurance.
Nodding, Xie Zi turned and blended into the crowd, slowly departing.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xie Zi used a secret signal to meet Chen Yuanzhou, who was inhaling Colorful Moth Powder in a large estate outside town.
"Third Brother, I found Ma Qing."
"Oh?" Chen Yuanzhou, his face somewhat flushed, exhaled a mouthful of murky green vapor. "Are you sure?"
"There are six of them. They all wear straw hats and straw shoes, exactly as you described."
"Very good." Chen Yuanzhou rose and smoothed his somewhat disheveled hair, packed away a bundle of grayish-white powder beside him, and tucked it into his robe. "Come, take me to have a look."
"Yes, this way, please."
Using several special contact signals, Xie Zi brought Chen Yuanzhou to the town market and successfully found Da Leng and Bie Niu, who were still keeping watch.
"Third Brother." "Third Brother." At the sight of Chen Yuanzhou, Bie Niu and Da Leng hurriedly bowed.
"Where are they?" Chen Yuanzhou asked.
Bie Niu immediately answered, "They went into the Pickle Shop. Tian Shu is watching them inside."
Nodding, Chen Yuanzhou walked straight into the Pickle Shop and saw Li Fucheng's group of six.
"Senior Brother, these pickles look so crisp. Let's buy some to try."
"Alright. They look pretty good to me too."
After picking out a jar of pickles, Li Fucheng and the others left the shop.
Just as the owner was about to put the money into his cashbox, he suddenly heard someone shout, "Wait."
Startled, the owner looked up in some displeasure. But upon seeing who it was, he immediately put on a smile. "So Master Chen has honored my humble shop with his presence. Forgive me for failing to welcome you from afar, forgive me."
"Cut the nonsense. Give me the copper coins those people just paid."
The owner's heart gave a thump, but he did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately presented the money with both hands. "That's all of it. Please take it, Master Chen."
Casually taking one of the copper coins from the owner's hand, Chen Yuanzhou's gaze sharpened. As expected, it's a Three Treasures Coin from the Huainan Region.
Once he had confirmed it, Chen Yuanzhou tossed the copper coin back to the owner, glared at him, and said, "Don't tell anyone you saw me, or you know what will happen to you." With that, he turned and left the shop.
Tian Shu, who had followed him in, slapped the table and roared, "Did you hear him, old man? If you dare let it slip..." He raised a fist at the owner.
Having been threatened for no reason, the owner repeatedly promised obedience. Only after the two fiends had left did he let out a long breath, realizing his back was already drenched through.
"What the hell was that..."
After leaving the Pickle Shop, Chen Yuanzhou found Xie Zi and the others again. "Find two people and stir up some trouble around them."
"Yes, I'll get right on it." Xie Zi gave a clever nod and swiftly turned away.
Although Chen Yuanzhou was already seventy percent certain that this group was the one Gu Louqing had encountered before, he chose to test them once more to be even more certain. Gu Louqing had said that among them was a little girl who could even fall for Ghost Cry Granny's scam. She was probably one of those hotheaded greenhorns.
After the time it took to burn an incense stick, Li Fucheng and the others had nearly finished touring the entire market and were preparing to find an inn for the night when a commotion erupted ahead.
Bang! Clang! Thud!
The crashing of tables and chairs and the shattering of bowls and plates rang out one after another.
"Ah! Martial Grandfather! Please stop smashing things, stop! I'll kowtow to you! I'm begging you!"
"Damn it! You dare open a shop when your Sesame Paste tastes this awful? I'm tearing down your place to rid the townsfolk of Sunset Glow Town of a scourge! Pah! You black-hearted profiteer!" As he spoke, Martial Grandfather kicked over another table.
The owner could do nothing but kowtow and beg for mercy.
Li Fucheng frowned when he came over and saw the scene. Behind him, Tang Tingshuang's delicate brows had already drawn together and her phoenix eyes widened in fury. If the Young Master had not told them earlier to keep a low profile, she would have rushed up long ago.
Thinking of everything they had gone through along the way, as well as Tang Tingshuang's not-yet-healed wound, Li Fucheng was just about to say, "Let's leave," when he suddenly recalled something his brother Wang had once told him.
"You made it safely from Huainan all the way to Jiangbei. Do you really think it was because you were that capable?"
At that thought, Li Fucheng suddenly said, "Tingshuang, Xiao Ni, go help."
Tang Tingshuang was startled, but her brows immediately relaxed as she said happily, "Yes!"
The reason Li Fucheng had ultimately made this decision was because he wanted to confirm whether Third Uncle was truly nearby. If he was, Li Fucheng wanted very much to see him and pour out all the bitterness he had endured on the road. It had truly been too difficult.
"Thugs! Stop right there!" Tang Tingshuang cried sharply as she charged forward.
Not far away, Chen Yuanzhou watched Tang Tingshuang rush in and became completely certain. This group was absolutely the same group Gu Louqing had encountered before. He did not continue watching, merely told Xie Zi and the others, "Keep watching them," then turned and left.
"They really don't put our Yellow Gang in their eyes at all!"
In a magnificent hall, after hearing Chen Yuanzhou's account, a tall, thin man shouted loudly.
After pondering for a while, Gu Louqing, seated to one side, said, "They clearly suffered a loss before, yet they still insist on meddling in this sort of business. It seems they really have great confidence in their own strength."
"Heh! I say they beat our Hall Master Gu and now think our Yellow Gang has no one worth mentioning, which is why they're acting so arrogantly."
Hearing that mocking tone, Gu Louqing immediately drew the Purple Copper Saber at his waist and shouted at the man opposite him, who held a folding fan, "Meng, if you've got the guts, come outside and fight me one-on-one. Stop disgusting me here."
"Fine! Let's go! Who's afraid of whom?" The man snapped his folding fan shut and abruptly stood up.
"What are you all shouting about!"
Just as a great battle was about to erupt, a middle-aged man slowly entered the hall.
At the sight of him, the two men, who had been at daggers drawn moments ago, immediately turned and bowed. "Greetings, Deputy Gang Leader."
"I heard the people have been found?" Cheng Qingheng asked, glancing at Chen Yuanzhou.
"Reporting to Deputy Gang Leader, yes. There are six of them, and they appear to be from Huainan. I've already sent people to investigate their background."
"How old do they look?"
"The leader is around sixteen or seventeen, and the others following him are about the same age."
Cheng Qingheng pondered for a moment after hearing this. "Sixteen or seventeen, yet capable of suppressing Lao Liu? What sect's genius disciple could this be..."
Gu Louqing's face alternated between green and purple as he listened, but he did not dare speak up in rebuttal. He could only lower his head in silence.
"Third Brother."
Hearing the Deputy Gang Leader call him, Chen Yuanzhou hurriedly answered, "Here."
"Take me to see them. Young prodigies like this are rare. I need to confirm it personally."
"Yes!"
Cheng Qingheng acted with thunderous speed. As soon as he spoke, he had Chen Yuanzhou take him into town.
Once they reached the market, Chen Yuanzhou discovered that Li Fucheng's group had not left yet. Moreover, a young man in a white robe had joined them, and the two sides appeared to be chatting quite happily.
"Deputy Gang Leader, those wearing straw hats are the people we're looking for."
Cheng Qingheng nodded and looked toward Li Fucheng.
At that moment, Li Fucheng happened to remove his straw hat and clasp his hands toward the White Robe Youth. "I am Gu Qingyue of the Azure Cloud Sect. Thank you, brother, for your righteous intervention just now."
"No need for thanks, no need for thanks. I had intended to act first, but I never expected Brother Gu's people to beat me to it. Still, it is no loss to make the acquaintance of a chivalrous man like Brother Gu because of it. Hahaha! I am Zhou Guican of the Linqi Sect. It is a pleasure to meet you all, fellow heroes."
Heavens Sword—Zhou Guican!? What is he doing here? Chen Yuanzhou froze upon hearing this. This Linqi Sect disciple had been in the limelight lately, challenging quite a few gangs throughout the Shanxi-Shaanxi Region. Yet he had actually come here.
Although Cheng Qingheng was also somewhat surprised by Zhou Guican's name, what surprised him even more was Li Fucheng's face.
That face looks so familiar... Where have I seen it before?
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