Rumble...
Thunderclouds rippled across the sky, while the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn.
Forgetful River Mouth, outside Lake Mouth Town.
Five empty official boats lay moored on the water, and three thousand embroidered-robed men guarded the Forgetful River Mouth. After a night without finding any clues, they had begun to silently mourn for the new recruits.
On the lead ship, Ruan Jinyu had originally found a grand chair to sit in.
But after being glanced at by the scheming Flower Judge, he stood up again and continued to pose with his three colleagues.
Mei Wuchang's posture remained almost unchanged as he gazed at Chu Hannu standing on a distant fishing boat.
Chu Hannu held an umbrella in his hand, his air of being a lone warrior unchanged, but his brows gradually furrowed.
After all that night, not only did they not find anyone, but they didn't even find a single clue. Are all the people on Black Dragon Island pigs?
Jiang Jinjiang certainly couldn't go back to rest, nor could he sleep.
With Chu Hannu standing there to maintain order, Jiang Jinjiang could only stand by in the rain. He was stunned to find that the thousands of incompetent officials hadn't reported anything, and he even considered handing over the head of the hall, Qian Zhong, to take the blame and have the authorities arrest him.
But clearly, the imperial court came for the Fate-Robbing Saber; even if he handed himself over, the matter wouldn't be resolved.
Standing on the boat, Luo Xuanqing's eyes began to glaze over after a night of waiting. He tried to calm himself, but scenes from the past few days kept flashing through his mind:
When that guy was drinking with her, he saw the amazed look in her eyes as she sipped the water from her glass...
After her triumphant return, I felt a little smug as I cooked and served her dishes...
Outside Linyang, with his back to the boundless raging flames, the sensation of him lying on her body, covered in blood...
Returning home late at night, the embarrassing scene of secretly taking a shower at her house...
Stealing a glance at her, my blood was boiling, and then there was that apology as she rode away on her galloping horse...
He's only eighteen or nineteen years old, what did he do wrong?
He was perfectly fine at the inn a few days ago, why did I bring this kid here...?
How will she explain this terrible news to her parents...?
Luo Xuanqing was in turmoil, filled with self-reproach, and his killing intent grew stronger. Seeing the first light of dawn on the horizon, he spoke again in a cold voice:
" Jiang Jinjiang! Why haven't you confessed yet?"
A clear, melodious voice echoed across the lakeshore, igniting the fervor of the martial arts heroes who had been waiting all night.
"Yes, a real man should take responsibility for his actions. What does it mean if you don't speak up?"
"Yeah, could you at least make up a reason?"
Jiang Jinjiang was filled with grievances, but at this moment, all he could say was:
"Jiang's whereabouts are indeed unknown..."
Mei Wuchang had already given them enough face, and upon seeing this, he slightly tilted his head:
"Search. Arrest and interrogate all those involved; you must find out their whereabouts."
"Yes!"
Several commanders immediately gave orders to the embroidered men scattered around the area, who then rushed into the docks and town to begin the search.
Jiang Jinjiang's face turned pale, but there was no reason for him to stop it anymore.
Chu Hannu had nothing to say and turned to leave the Forgetful River Mouth.
But just as chaos erupted along the riverbank, a thunderclap suddenly echoed across the gloomy sky!
Rumble rumble rumble~~~
The thunder rumbled from afar, growing louder as it approached.
Chu Hannu was the first to raise her eyes, followed by the powerful figures of the martial arts world around her.
But then the thick rain clouds above the Forgetful River Mouth suddenly began to churn and surge, as if some enormous creature were hunting above the clouds, stirring up wind, thunder, rain and storms!
As the roar drew closer in an instant, the churning sea of clouds suddenly tore apart, as if an invisible force had ripped open a circular sinkhole, and the first rays of dawn and the last stars could even be seen behind it!
No one saw any physical form.
But the rain curtain below was enveloped by an invisible force, and in an instant it transformed into a water dragon that plunged into the air, like a dragon returning to the sea, and plunged into a small boat on the lake.
The figure with the red umbrella on the small boat looked like a tiny grain of millet under the vast heavenly might.
The water dragon swooped down so fast that the people on the lakeshore hadn't even had time to keep up before a roar echoed across the lake:
Boom--
The center of the lake has sunken into a giant bowl shape.
Then, a huge wave, several meters high, surged into the sky and destroyed the small boat that Jiang Jinjiang was on.
The massive waves spread outwards in a ring, and in the blink of an eye, they affected several giant official ships anchored in the distance.
Mei Wuchang, Ruan Jinyu, and the others were all horrified at the sight and took several steps back.
The embroidered-clothes man behind him instantly fell to the ground, staggering and falling, and even the treasure ship was pushed back several feet.
Tens of thousands of scattered soldiers on the lake shore were startled by the aftershocks of the energy and scattered in all directions. Even those with considerable skill turned pale as they gazed at the towering waves in the center of the lake.
"What happened?!"
"Did the Dragon King come crashing down?"
Where is Pavilion Master Chu?
Mei Wuchang, ranked ninth in the Second Rank, was already at the top of the pyramid. However, upon seeing genuine methods of achieving immortality, he still felt a sense of awe and wonder, as if " Second Rank looking at First Rank is like an ant gazing at the sky."
Seeing the chaos and intimidation among his soldiers, Mei Wuchang said in a deep voice:
"It was Duke Zhang who made the move, so there's nothing to worry about!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Xuanqing assumed that Duke Zhang had instructed them to massacre Dongyuan Lake, and immediately wanted to order revenge for Ye Xingge.
But when everyone looked up at the center of the impact, their expressions turned to astonishment once again.
The lake, hundreds of feet deep, was almost instantly emptied, with the aftershocks even reaching the edge of the lake shore.
But the small boat still floated on the water, only rising and falling slightly with the aftershocks.
Chu Hannu, dressed in a brocade robe, had no umbrella in her hand; instead, an arrow was pointed directly at her brow.
Despite the surging waves around him, his figure remained as steady as a pine tree, almost unchanged from before.
Splash...
Waves surged on the lake's surface, and the noisy martial artists along the shore, upon discovering this overwhelming power and the fact that Chu Hannu was unharmed, lowered their gazes to disbelief and fell silent.
Jiang Jinjiang, who had been swept into the water by the aftershocks, surfaced from the waves, looked around in horror, and then looked at Chu Hannu:
"Sect Leader Chu, what's going on?"
Chu Hannu gazed northward, remained silent for a moment, and only when no second arrow flew over did he turn his gaze to the arrow, noticing a message tube attached to it.
Shasha~
The tens of thousands of people around were completely silent, unaware of what was going on.
Upon seeing this, the four commanders realized that it was Duke Zhang who had sent the "swift and powerful arrow."
As for not giving them directly to the four of them, it was probably because they were afraid they wouldn't be able to handle it; among those present, only Chu Hannu was qualified to be the "arrow receiver."
Luo Xuanqing was too confused to know what the news was, so he immediately asked:
"What are your instructions, Duke Zhang?"
Chu Hannu's right hand was actually trembling slightly; after all, the second-best arrow in the world was not so easy to catch.
However, after reading it carefully for a moment, a hint of surprise flashed in Chu Hannu's eyes. She put the paper back into the mailbox and tossed it lightly with her hand.
call out--
The arrow appeared out of thin air, parting the surface of the hundred-foot lake and embedding itself in the official boat.
The giant official ship, laden with countless embroidered-clothes officials, was shaken and slid backward again, creating ripples on the lake.
Chu Hannu's words also echoed at the Forgetful River Mouth:
" The Fate-Robbing Saber has been returned to the Heaven-Observing Pavilion by a young friend named Ye Xingge. This matter is caused by the Return to Origin Cult and has nothing to do with Black Dragon Island. Please return."
A single, seemingly casual remark landed at the Forgetful River Mouth, yet the ripples it stirred seemed even greater than the arrow that had just cleaved the heavens!
Mei Wuchang frowned, his first reaction clearly being doubt about its authenticity.
Luo Xuanqing had her doubts, but these words were like a ray of light in the darkness, and she immediately drew out the arrow to check.
Gongsun Yanwu quickly arrived, and soon confirmed the news, his eyes widening in astonishment!
As for the heroes of the martial arts world along the coast, after a moment of stunned silence, they also began to discuss among themselves:
Who is Ye Xingge?
"Never heard of that, what does it mean?"
"The Fate-Robbing Saber has already been obtained by Ye Xingge and returned to the Heaven-Observing Pavilion..."
"So fast? The accident happened just yesterday morning, even with an express courier service, it wouldn't be fast enough!"
"Pretty much. They killed Gold-Chasing Gentleman and left immediately, arriving in Yong Capital that evening. They're only sending word now; I reckon their journey was quite leisurely..."
"So that means Ye Xingge killed Li Yi and Gold-Chasing Gentleman at the Forgetful River Mouth, fought a battle with the Return to Origin Cult, and completely ignored Black Dragon Island from beginning to end?"
"Isn't it obvious? It's just Rotten Crotch; they come and go as they please. You expect them to clean up the mess for Black Dragon Island afterward?"
"Huh!"
"Oh right, I remember now, the guy who killed Yang Tuyan in Hexi a few days ago seemed to have the same name..."
"Yeah?!"
The noise along the shore was incessant, and the commotion quickly spread from the lakeshore into the town.
The embroidered-clothed man, who was observing the situation, was clearly also shocked by the news. Some of the Inspection Bureau even took the initiative to introduce the situation to the martial arts practitioners.
"Not only that, between Yang Tuyan and Gold-Chasing Gentleman, Lord Ye also single-handedly killed Winnowing Basket Water Leopard and more than thirty bandits at the capital's opera house, wiping out their entire family from top to bottom..."
"Is that so?!"
"How many people has this Lord Ye killed in the past two days?"
"Hmm... less than fifty."
"Humph!"
Chen Xuance was also worried about Ye Xingge's safety, and he felt relieved after hearing the news.
However, amidst the joy, there was also a touch of embarrassment. A quick glance conveyed the following meaning:
This kid is unbelievable! At least say hello! Doesn't this make us look like complete idiots?
The other military officers felt similarly. After all, they had come out in full force, charging all the way to Forgetful River Mouth, only to spend the whole night arguing with the martial arts world and accomplishing nothing.
And who is Ye Xingge?
Pegasus comes, kills and then leaves, and no one cares about these reckless gangs. This is the "imperial power charter, kill first and report later".
If you wear these clothes and still try to be polite and reasonable with people from the martial arts world, then what's the point of wearing these clothes?
But the happiest person among them was actually Ruan Jinyu.
On the official boat, Mei Wuchang, Luo Xuanqing, and Gongsun Yanwu were all reading the letter written by Duke Zhang, each with a different expression.
Ruan Jinyu leaned back in her armchair, accepted the tea Chen Xiaobao brought, and sneered:
"Now it seems that it's not unreasonable for the four of us commanders to be on equal footing, is it, Xiao Bao?"
Chen Xiaobao has a very powerful background, so he doesn't speak very formally. He nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, it's fortunate that Lord Ye went to the Judicial Review Bureau. If he had come to our Inspection Bureau first, who knows who would have been whipped into a whirlwind by Duke Zhang..."
Luo Xuanqing knew this was a sarcastic remark directed at her, but at this moment she couldn't muster any anger. She put away the briefing and coughed lightly.
"It takes skill to recognize and utilize talent. Don't you know why Ye Xingge doesn't join your ranks?"
Ruan Jinyu laughed and said, "I understand, you're the only woman among the four commanders."
"You..."
Luo Xuanqing immediately glared angrily.
Mei Wuchang's expression was rather complicated. After all, he was the "successor to the Heaven-Observing Decree," and Ye Xingge's performance was clearly putting pressure on him. Seeing the two arguing again, he frowned and said:
"Alright, let's call it a day."
Leopard General Gongsun Yanwu, who had been fired up all night and was just waiting for a fight, spread his hands and said:
"Since we're already here, we should at least capture two people, otherwise how can we face going back to report?"
Mei Wuchang thought about it and agreed, then gave the order:
" Black Dragon Island has a terrible reputation; it's not wise to kick it while it's down. Search the coast on the way back."
"Alright..."
Luo Xuanqing was a little anxious to go back, but then he thought about it again and looked at the sky:
"The assessment is supposed to last three days, but it hasn't been three days yet, has it?"
Gongsun Yanwu also remembered this matter and said solemnly:
"Including the journey, it only took two days and three nights. This kid initially said three days, which was a conservative estimate. He really dares to think and act."
"At this rate, it probably won't be long before one of the four commanders is replaced."
Upon hearing this, the group of people all glanced at Ruan Jinyu.
The other military officers on the ship, and even Chen Xiaobao, all gave him the same look, which shows the reputation of " Snake Eunuch ".
Ruan Jinyu gave hundreds of glances, let out a faint hum, and got up to return to the ship's deck.
Countless embroidered-clad officials quickly returned to their positions, and the five official ships sailed away...
Meanwhile, the center of the lake remained unnoticed.
The wind and rain blew, and the waves surged.
The snickers and gasps of astonishment along the riverbank turned the once strictly regulated Forgetful River Mouth into a scene of utter devastation.
Chu Hannu had already left silently, leaving only a small boat drifting on the rippling water.
Not far away, Jiang Jinjiang floated on the lake. As one of the leaders of the Eight Great Sects of the Cang River, he looked like a drowned rat.
" Rotten Crotch, come and go as you please..."
"So, after all this time, this is what Black Dragon Island is like..."
Harsh words drifted to his ears with the wind and rain. Jiang Jinjiang's face flushed red and then turned pale as he looked up at the businesses and reputation he had built up over half his life, and the five official ships that were gradually sailing away.
After a long silence, a sentence suddenly came to mind:
"Master Jiang's business is indeed the envy of outsiders. However, in the martial world, at best he's just a wealthy man. Ultimately, the world is ruled by those who wear official hats..."
As the words echoed in his ears, Jiang Jinjiang's expression slowly calmed down.
As his disciples sailed to the vicinity, Jiang Jinjiang cautiously extended his hand. Instead of scolding or punishing him, he lightly leaped onto the deck and patted his soaked brocade robe.
" Qian Zhong, go find someone who's bold, tight-lipped, capable, and fearless. Name your price."
Hall Master Qian Zhong was on tenterhooks, thinking the sect leader would kill him outright, but he was startled by the sound:
"Is the Ye Xingge leader planning to eliminate Ye Xingge to avenge himself?"
Jiang Jinjiang did not mean that; he wanted people to act as assassins and curry favor with influential figures in Beijing.
But if a martial arts sect's rules are broken and they can just leave without even showing respect, how can they maintain their standing in the martial arts world?
After a moment of silence, Jiang Jinjiang added:
"Find another hidden reward, five million coins, and within seven days, have this boy's body float back down the Cang River."
Hidden rewards were anonymous bounties offered by employers to prevent them from openly provoking the imperial court.
Drifting down the Cang River is a subtle indication of Black Dragon Island's location, showing the martial arts world that Black Dragon Island is not unresponsive.
But in reality, even a single Dust-Returning Robe costs more than that. Those who actually kill people are definitely not doing it for such extra money, and they wouldn't dare to claim the bounty after killing someone.
Qian Zhong was furious, but he knew he couldn't personally take action on Black Dragon Island, so he reluctantly conceded.
"I'll go right away..."