A torrential downpour!
Thick, dark clouds, carrying hundreds of electric lightning bolts, pressed down upon the seven-hundred-mile -Dongyuan Lake.
The Wangchuankou Forgetful River Mouth lit, with countless ships sailing through it. The banks were teeming with heroes and villains, who rode in on horseback at any moment. However, the atmosphere was no longer as bustling as the night before, and even carried a sense of oppressive tension, as if an army was about to besiege the city.
After all, everyone in the martial arts world present knew that a great upheaval was about to occur!
The chaos was sparked by an unknown man and a legendary sword.
The various heroes present did not know who had lit the explosive barrel, but they knew that Black Dragon Island was about to face a life-or-death crisis!
Having obtained the Fate-Robbing Saber, the Great Yan had the opportunity to depose the Prime Minister of the Later Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, the four commanders all came out, using the pretext of searching for missing officials, to force Black Dragon Island to hand over its manpower and the Fate-Robbing Saber.
The common people don't fight against the officials; even normal sects would bow their heads when faced with this kind of situation.
But Jiang Jinjiang, the leader of Black Dragon Island, lived up to his title of " Subduer of the Three Rivers " and displayed an unusually tough demeanor!
Faced with the coercion of the four commanders of the Heaven-Observing Pavilion, Jiang Jinjiang insisted that he did not know anything, and even refused to reveal who had succeeded in the affair.
Thousands of people searched for a whole day and night, and they still can't find anything? That's just ridiculous!
Black Dragon Island is at least one of the Eight Great Sects of the Cang River, and Jiang Jinjiang is only ranked nineteenth in the Second Rank class. Does he think he's a good-for-nothing?
Faced with this attitude, even though Heaven-Observing Pavilion did not want to touch Chu Hannu's forces, it had no choice but to demonstrate the iron fist of the imperial court!
At this moment, a torrential downpour began outside Lake Mouth Town.
Five large official ships were moored side by side, carrying three thousand armed and cleaving guards. They were ready to rush ashore at a moment's notice and arrest any bandits who resisted law enforcement.
The four commanders stood atop the brightly lit lead ship, looking down at the lake below, their brows furrowed with hidden anger, resembling the Four Heavenly Kings descended from the heavens.
Ahead of the official ship was a small fishing boat.
Jiang Jinjiang stood alone at the bow of the ship, looking up at the heavenly soldiers and generals above, just like the Protector of the Horses being besieged on Flower-Fruit Mountain.
But Jiang Jinjiang clearly did not have the power to wreak havoc in Heaven.
After all, the four Heavenly Kings on the official ship were Gold List as follows:
The Ghost Scholar Mei Wuchang – Ranked 9th in the Second Rank Class!
Flower Judge Luo Xuanqing – Ranked 15th in the Second Rank Class!
Leopard General, Gongsun Yanwu – 50th in the Second Rank!
Ruan Jinyu Snake Eunuch – 74th in the Second Rank!
Moreover, all four of them were disciples of the First Rank Old Demon and had been treated as the sect's prodigies since childhood.
These four monsters together could wipe out any major martial arts sect without First Rank patriarch in charge. The three thousand embroidered-clothes warriors behind them are just a ceremonial guard.
Given Jiang Jinjiang's stature, he could normally only summon Flower Judge at most. To be honest, seeing the Four Heavenly Kings at the same time was all thanks to the good fortune of the Fate-Robbing Saber.
At this moment, Jiang Jinjiang wanted to humble himself and say something kind, but countless heroes from the martial arts world were watching from the lakeside. If he really bowed his head, his reputation would be ruined. He could only bite the bullet and respond:
"My lords, you have misunderstood. Yesterday, the officers from the Heaven-Observing Pavilion were arresting thieves at the dock when they accidentally killed one of my sect leaders. I wanted to find out why, but the officer was on official business and did not stay. I do not know his whereabouts."
Luo Xuanqing had been worried sick the whole way and was extremely anxious. If it weren't for his diminished power, he would have already rushed down to attack. At this moment, he coldly replied:
"The knife appeared on your turf, the person was searched by your men, thousands of them searched for a day and a night, and now you say you know nothing? Even if I believe you, ask the people outside if they believe you."
On the riverbank, figures from the Eight Great Sects of the Cang River gathered, along with a large number of wandering martial artists. At this moment, they were no longer seeking divine weapons or famous weapons, but rather wanted to see if Black Dragon Island was preparing to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace.
Upon hearing " Flower Judge's" ethereal voice, a commotion immediately erupted along the riverbank;
"Yeah, if they killed them, they killed them; if they didn't, they didn't. I don't know what to make of it?"
"Yesterday, when Li Yi got into trouble, you laid a trap, with the entire Forgetful River Mouth watching. You didn't catch him, so at least tell us where he ran from?"
"Yeah, and what exactly are those people...?"
Jiang Jinjiang's face turned green in the face of the commotion!
After all, he only saw four or five people on the island yesterday, and that group of people was of unknown origin. Despite being surrounded, they disappeared.
Meanwhile, the other side, caught in the internal strife, had their underlings search high and low, but to no avail. They had no idea where the Fate-Robbing Saber was.
Jiang Jinjiang tried to explain the truth, but neither the government nor the gangsters believed that he, the dignified " Subduer of the Three Rivers," could be such an incompetent fool!
Jiang Jinjiang didn't know whether to be pleased or angry, and gritted his teeth in response:
"Jiang sent people to search because he was worried about the safety of that official; he had absolutely no intention of harming him, and indeed, there was no trace of him."
The Ghost Scholar Mei Wuchang is here on a mission to retrieve the Fate-Robbing Saber. Whether Ye Xingge is dead or not is secondary; the blade must be brought back to the capital. He will directly inquire:
Who obtained the Fate-Robbing Saber?
"I don't know. At the time, Gold-Chasing Gentleman was killed, and then that group of people started fighting amongst themselves. One side seemed to be agents from the Heaven-Observing Pavilion..."
"Who are the other group? How many of them are there?"
"Four or five, their identities are still unclear..."
Where have our staff fled to?
"I don't know..."
"Where did the other group break out from?"
"I don't know..."
"..."
The assembled martial arts heroes were all speechless.
Ruan Jinyu stood at the bow of the boat with his hands tucked into his sleeves, seemingly indifferent to the situation.
But Chen Xiaobao, who had connections nearby, couldn't help but interject:
"Lord Ruan led eight hundred embroidered-clothes men, but failed to find Yang Tuyan. They were all scolded by Duke Zhang as good-for-nothings!"
"Sect Leader Jiang is Second Rank nineteenth in the second class, with three to four thousand men under his command, and the assistance of the thirty-two gangs of Dongyuan Lake in the encirclement!"
"Several groups of people caused trouble in your home, killed the temple master and stole the divine weapon, and then left without you even knowing how many of them there were."
"Does Master Jiang think he's running a brothel? Coming and going as he pleases?"
The martial arts heroes watching the show along the riverbank also looked on with disbelief, and interjected:
"Yeah, that's really stubborn!"
"If this is true, what's the point of calling it ' Subduer of the Three Rivers'? From now on, let's call it 'Three Rivers Madam,' where anyone can get laid for money..."
"They didn't even pay, they just left after they were done, and there were two groups of them. Calling them 'Rotten Crotch' would be more fitting..."
"I reckon they've already killed the person, and they're hiding some divine weapon or treasure they dare not say, otherwise they wouldn't be so stubborn..."
Upon hearing these words, Jiang Jinjiang's face turned as green as night.
But this matter is really not Jiang Jinjiang's fault.
The Mountains and Rivers Association is the leading force in the southern martial arts world, while the Return to Origin Cult is the largest underworld faction.
Moreover, the Mountains and Rivers Association specifically caused trouble at his venue to dampen the arrogance of the River-Spanning Pavilion faction.
Two major forces are vying for power in his home; Black Dragon Island didn't even have a choice. What explanation can there be?
Hearing the gossip, Luo Xuanqing realized that Jiang Jinjiang might have already killed Ye Xingge and was only being stubborn because he couldn't explain himself. He immediately flew into a rage.
"Seize him! Search every town and village on every island. I demand to see him alive or dead. Anyone who dares to obstruct me will be killed without mercy."
"Yes!"
The more than three thousand embroidered-clothes men on the official ship behind were already furious at this attitude. They immediately obeyed the order, jumped off the ship, and scattered throughout the entire Forgetful River Mouth.
Dozens of Night-Walking Lieutenant leaped down, ready to apprehend Jiang Jinjiang.
Jiang Jinjiang frowned upon seeing this.
After all, you can tell what a " Dark Goods Wharf " is just from the name.
If the authorities really search the place, it's definitely going to be ruined.
However, in cases of violent resistance to arrest, the imperial court would directly suppress the bandits.
With all four Heavenly Kings of the Heaven-Observing Pavilion present, Jiang Jinjiang had no choice but to grit his teeth and say:
"My lords, everything I have said is true, and I have not lied in any way! Please give me one day, and I will certainly give the court an explanation."
The four commanders had lost patience and ignored them.
However, just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, a voice still came from deep within the rain:
"There are many people along the coast, and it would be inappropriate to disturb them in the middle of the night. Lord Jiang also doesn't have the courage to detain the officials. Could you gentlemen please grant Lord Jiang the night to investigate? I will personally thank Duke Zhang afterwards. If there is no trace of them by dawn, the imperial court will search according to the law, and Lord Jiang should not obstruct it."
As soon as the sound was made, the noise on the lakeshore vanished without a trace.
Everyone turned to look and saw a small boat approaching from the center of the lake.
At the bow of the boat stood a middle-aged man holding an umbrella. He had a broad face and a refined demeanor, and his expression was quite peaceful. He looked up at the official boat above.
"This... this is Pavilion Master Chu?"
"Even the current First Rank was shocked..."
"The sheer charisma of a one-man army..."
Upon Mei Wuchang slightly toned down his condescending attitude and stopped the embroidered-clad man from disembarking.
After all, Chu Hannu outwardly supports the rule of the Great Yan Dynasty, and a few years ago he even cooperated with the imperial court to suppress Cloud and Rain Tower.
As he ranks eighth in the world and governs the seven-hundred-mile- Dongyuan Lake, the imperial court, wanting to support him as the new leader of the Southern Jianghu of the Great Yan, would inevitably give him ample face.
At this moment, Mei Wuchang looked at the small boat and replied:
"Pavilion Master Chu was worried about disturbing the people, so he came out to vouch for Jiang Jinjiang one night."
"However, to prevent those who deceive their superiors and secretly transfer our personnel or even Fate-Robbing Saber, the Embroidered Robe Guard must keep watch on the perimeter. Does Pavilion Master Chu have any objections?"
Chu Hannu stood in front of the small boat, holding an umbrella. He didn't display any outward brilliance, but with his back to the boundless wind and rain, he did exude an imposing aura of a lone soldier.
"Please do as you please, Lord Mei."
Seeing this, even the four great leaders of the martial arts world were somewhat puzzled by Chu Hannu's quick agreement.
Jiang Jinjiang's statement that there was no such thing is likely a lie.
However, Chu Hannu doesn't need the Fate-Robbing Saber to level up and is on the side of Great Yan, so it's impossible for him to hide the truth with her. The fact that he stepped forward to vouch for him shows that he believes Jiang Jinjiang is not harboring anyone.
But if Jiang Jinjiang was telling the whole truth, what kind of incompetent fool would he be?
The nickname "Rotten Crotch" is probably going to be confirmed...
Luo Xuanqing, on the other hand, breathed a slight sigh of relief.
As long as Jiang Jinjiang is not lying, then Ye Xingge has not yet been captured by Black Dragon Island and still has a glimmer of hope.
But the Forgetful River Mouth Pass was surrounded by an inescapable net; if this boy hadn't been captured, where could he have hidden?
With such a large commotion, Ye Xingge should have seen it long ago; if he had, why wouldn't he have come out?
Could he have fainted...?
Thinking of this, Luo Xuanqing was extremely anxious. He looked around at the Forgetful River Mouth under the rain curtain, waiting for Ye Xingge to suddenly appear.
Unfortunately, time passed slowly in the silence, and there was no movement on the lake.
As time passed past midnight, dawn gradually approached.
Everyone inside and outside the lake had their hearts in their throats again.
After all, Black Dragon Island hasn't been able to offer any explanation this time, and even Chu Hannu can't cover it up...
The cargo ship sailed smoothly on the Cang River and unknowingly arrived at the border between Jingzhou and Yongzhou, where it docked for rest and resupply.
Ye Xingge leaned against the lower deck, and slept for an unknown amount of time until he came to his senses when he heard a commotion outside.
Then I found that my arms were very warm, my chin was pressed against my hair bun, and my body was soft and fluffy, as if I were pressing down on a large lump of hot tofu.
?
Ye Xingge raised her hand and rubbed it, then opened her eyes to look around, only to find that it was already dark outside.
He was leaning against the wall, and Great Beauty, exhausted from a day and a night, had fallen asleep. Somehow, she collapsed onto him.
Her cheek rested on her shoulder, she lay on her side, a heavy, soft mass pressing down on her arm, it felt quite substantial...
Ye Xingge became a little more awake and tilted his head to look around. He could see that even after Great Yu'er fell asleep, she was wearing a disgusted expression.
Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her long eyelashes trembled, and she occasionally bit her moist red lips, lost in a dream...
"Huh~..."
Ye Xingge laughed out loud.
Then, her peach blossom eyes opened silently. At first, their eyes met with confusion, and then she quickly sat up straight.
"What you do?!"
Ye Xingge had rested for a day and was in much better spirits. He shrugged slightly at the moment.
"I sleep soundly, I didn't move at all."
"?"
After a brief inspection, Hongyu discovered that Ye Xingge did indeed appear to have not moved.
Surely she couldn't have leaned on him?
"Cough..."
Hongyu tidied her hair slightly, skipping over this boring topic:
"The ship has docked. Let's set sail back to Yong Capital. You go first, so as not to arouse suspicion."
Ye Xingge rolled over and stood up, straightened his tattered robe that looked like it had been chewed by a dog, and then took his spoils of war, including the watermelon knife:
"Okay, let's go back and have a table at the Myriad Phenomena Tower first, it's on me!"
Hongyu was indeed a little hungry, but as the leader of the Mountains and Rivers Association, she certainly couldn't act like a little foodie, so she just said:
"Save your money for climbing the rankings, don't waste it. If you really want to celebrate, um... about the hot pot you mentioned the other day, just make something simple at home..."
Ye Xingge noticed last time that Da Piao Great Beauty was craving it, so he thought about it and got a few more pieces closer:
"Okay, I'll cook, you bring the wine. If you eat for free, you'll have to pay me back with your body."
"Um?"
Hongyu's eyes darkened, but she didn't retort. She picked up her cloak and draped it over the two of them, like two little mice, sneaking off the cargo boat...