Chapter 7: Stone Bridge
Faint green mountains loomed in the distance, along the banks of the Wuxi River. Shiliang Town.
Around the entrance of a civilian home, the townspeople had gathered in a tight crowd.
“It’s true.”
“I saw it… the Meng family’s daughter.”
“How can immortals be like this…”
“Didn’t you see yesterday? Constable Ling was injured by them…”
The crowd murmured in unrest.
Leading them were a young man and a middle-aged man, their faces grim and solemn, as though facing a formidable enemy.
Across from them, three young men watched the crowd with amusement, their faces full of playful smiles and disdainful mockery.
“You two, what are you here for?”
Behind them, a beautiful young girl looked at the middle-aged man and the boy with tear-filled eyes, her gaze nearly pleading.
The middle-aged man’s name was Zhao Fengcheng.
He steeled himself and said, “Fellow Daoists, this is Eastern Abyss Sect territory. Perhaps you could do me, Zhao, a favor…”
“Don’t waste my time with useless words.”
One of the young men yawned, seemingly bored by what he was hearing.
He spoke: “I am Lu Xiaowei. The three of us brothers were sent by our master to seek opportunities in this place.”
“We… haven’t done anything against heaven or reason.”
“As for Constable Ling…”
“Heh heh, that was merely a misunderstanding. We have already apologized. There’s no need to press the issue…”
Lu Xiaowei smiled wickedly, his fingers lightly tracing the girl’s cheek. “This Meng family daughter has considerable spiritual root talent. I’m simply being kind—I’d hate to see good potential go to waste. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, yes, yes, but even so…”
Zhao Fengcheng could only nod repeatedly, unable to continue with anything more.
The young man beside him immediately spoke: “The Meng family’s daughter does not wish to go with you.”
The young man was dressed as a bailiff. A small section of bandaged gauze was faintly visible on his left arm, suggesting he was injured.
“If you continue to pester this place, when the Eastern Abyss Sect immortals arrive…”
“Surname Sheng…”
Lu Xiaowei cut him off, his gaze cold. “I speak politely, and you actually think you’re something…”
His gaze swept over the crowd, undisguised disgust on his face, a flash of bloodlust in his eyes.
“A bunch of vermin! If Master hadn’t forbidden causing trouble, I should slaughter you lowly commoners all at once.”
His gaze lingered on Zhao Fengcheng.
“…Including you.”
“…”
Zhao Fengcheng furrowed his brows slightly, thinking to himself that things were not going well.
Sheng Nian’s breathing quickened, his hand already reaching for the saber at his waist.
This scene naturally did not escape Lu Xiaowei’s eyes.
“You dare to raise a hand against me?”
Lu Xiaowei grinned, a trace of bloodthirsty madness rising in his eyes.
“Exactly what I want.”
“This isn’t good, Brother Darong, should we go to the back mountain to find Xiao He?”
In the crowd, Sheng Yun looked at her brother with a face full of worry. Seeing that he was about to clash with the immortals, she could no longer hold back.
“No! Even Mr. Zhao doesn’t know about Xiao He. If the sect sends someone now, Xiao He will be in danger.”
“Then what do we do…” Sheng Yun was so anxious she was about to cry.
“If only Brother Nian were here…”
“A-Yan…”
Xu Darong’s voice suddenly sank. “A-Yan went to the immortal mountain, and for a year or two there’s been no news…”
He’s probably already forgotten these mortal friends by now…
He didn’t say it out loud.
Hummm—
“Ah…”
The crowd cried out in alarm.
Unexpectedly, it was Sheng Nian who struck first.
Sheng Nian knew with perfect clarity that if he struck first and died here, the other side would still be in the right. Even if the Eastern Abyss Sect intervened later, they probably wouldn’t be able to get any justice.
But the opponents were cultivators. If he didn’t seize the initiative, it would truly be a situation of certain death.
His master, Constable Ling, was still bedridden recovering from his injuries. To watch these so-called immortals bully the market and abduct common girls…
There was absolutely no way he could accept that!
The saber was drawn, slashing straight toward Lu Xiaowei.
“An ant trying to shake a tree. Truly laughable.” Lu Xiaowei sidestepped casually, dodging with ease. With a casual clench of his hand, a golden light condensed in his right palm.
“Geng Sword Qi.”
Sheng Nian’s pupils contracted sharply as a life-or-death sense of crisis violently expanded in his heart.
“Heh, next life, be an honest pig…”
“And don’t go sticking your neck out for others anymore.”
He grabbed Sheng Nian’s shoulder, the golden light in his hand pressing toward Sheng Nian’s chest.
“Whoosh—”
A teacup flew rapidly from an unknown direction, striking Sheng Nian’s right shoulder.
He stumbled backward. The teacup deflected, splashing scalding tea toward Lu Xiaowei’s face.
“?! “
The golden light in his hand dissipated. A faint protective spiritual qi spread out, blocking the tea.
“Who is it?!”
The two young cultivators behind Lu Xiaowei could no longer sit still. They hurried forward, scanning their surroundings warily.
“What are you standing there for? He’s already attacked. Shouldn’t you put him to death?”
The voice came from an unknown direction.
Hummm—
Hearing that incredibly familiar clear voice, Sheng Nian could no longer contain the long-simmering rage in his heart. He immediately lunged forward, his saber wishing he could shove it straight into these immortals’ mouths.
“Die!”
Lu Xiaowei was startled by this momentum and instinctively retreated.
Bang bang bang…
Six azure vines suddenly burst from the ground, entangling the three men’s feet.
The three were instantly immobilized.
“?! “
Lu Xiaowei’s heart lurched. He quickly formed hand seals, but the blade was already inches away. He could only pour all his spiritual energy into strengthening the protective spiritual qi around his body.
Sheng Nian slashed with his saber, but it felt like cutting into thick mud—unable to move an inch.
“Heh…”
Lu Xiaowei snorted coldly, about to counterattack.
Rustle rustle—
The green vines on the ground suddenly extended, wrapping around Sheng Nian’s saber. In the blink of an eye, they had covered the entire blade.
“Hmm?”
Boom!
Without any warning, a great fire suddenly ignited on the green vines. In the blink of an eye, the vines were burned away, but the flames did not dissipate—they clung to the blade!
“…!”
Sheng Nian focused his mind. The inner breath of a mortal martial artist circulated at full power, and the blade crackled within the burning flames.
Hummm—
The saber hummed with tremendous force.
Lu Xiaowei’s protective spiritual qi shattered instantly. Before his eyes of shock and disbelief, the blade cut into his flesh, carving a deep gash across his chest.
Pfft.
A scarlet light flashed.
“Oh? A protective spirit talisman…”
Sheng Nian was repelled by a tremendous force, flying backward, but was cushioned by a gentle wave of spiritual energy and was not injured from the fall.
Lu Xiaowei collapsed to his knees, coughing up mouthfuls of fresh blood.
His two junior brothers had no time to bother with Sheng Nian and hurried to stop his bleeding.
“Who? Who is it really!”
One of them shouted sternly: “Hiding and lurking, playing ghostly tricks!”
“We are disciples under the Xinshan Sanren…”
Suddenly, that voice came again, cutting him off: “My fellow disciple Zhao should have already made things very clear.”
“So why are you fellow Daoists still lingering here and refusing to leave…”
But this time, everyone heard where the voice was coming from.
The crowd parted, and there, at a nearby tea stall, sat a person in a gray robe and bamboo hat, relaxed and unhurried. Having finished speaking, he took a sip of fresh tea from his cup.
He stood up, removed the bamboo hat from his head, revealing a young boy’s face.
“I am Song Yan, a disciple of the Eastern Abyss Sect…”
The boy’s tone was warm, his smile friendly.
“If you fellows have any difficulties…”
“Perhaps I should see you Daoists on your way?”
(End of Chapter)