novelapdf Chapter 185 The Grave Knife and the Girl
Chapter 185 The Grave Knife and the Girl
Perhaps fearing that she would cause trouble for Jiang Mu, Yan Zixiao insisted on leaving after taking a short break to catch her breath.
Jiang Mu tried to persuade and persuade the other party to stay several times, but seeing that the other party was determined to leave, she had no choice but to give up.
Jiang Mu still felt a little regretful.
He had originally planned to keep the bearded man around as bait and use him to lure Yang Feifei out.
I'll try to have a go with that vicious woman myself first.
If he could defeat them, he would kill them to eliminate any future troubles; if he couldn't, he could easily escape with one of them using his own abilities. But this bait, quite shrewdly, slipped away beforehand.
But he couldn't very well keep pestering Yan Zixiao right now, since he had more important things to do.
After parting ways with Yan Zixiao, Jiang Mu continued her journey alone.
He was secretly planning how to use the Demon Slayer Division's system to investigate Yang Feifei after returning home, and then take revenge when his sister or Xigua Ye arrived. He had already thoroughly offended the Yang family anyway.
One was crippled, and another was killed; this feud had long since become an intractable one.
Killing one more of Yang Qintian's younger sister wouldn't matter; I doubt the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard would have any objections.
The following evening.
The setting sun, like blood, dyed the sky a hazy yellow.
Jiang Mu, weary from his journey, finally arrived at the foot of a long mountain range bordering Huzhou City and Yan City.
However, when he found the mountain where the Heavenly Blade Sect was located, he was speechless.
The Heavenly Blade Sect has vanished.
Beside the ancient road at the foot of the mountain, there is a simple tea stall.
The tea stall was bustling with people from all walks of life.
Jiang Mu occupied a small square table all by herself.
To his right, a dozen or so men dressed in tight-fitting clothes sat at several tables that had been pushed together. Swords were leaning against the tables, and a caravan covered with a thick tarpaulin was parked not far away.
It was clearly a security escort team taking a break.
On the other side of the tea stall, a few wandering wanderers sat scattered about.
Jiang Mu, holding a teacup, stared at the tea stall owner in astonishment: "Boss, you just said... the Heavenly Blade Sect on this mountain is gone?" The tea stall owner was a lean old man in his sixties.
As he wiped the water stains off the table, he sighed:
"Yes, sir, that sect is long gone. About half a month ago, it collapsed and all its members scattered, closing down completely." Jiang Mu was utterly confused and asked in bewilderment:
"How could such a perfectly good martial arts sect just disband like that?"
The old man lowered his voice and leaned closer to say:
"Sir, you are unaware of this."
Some time ago, rumors suddenly spread in the martial arts world that the Heavenly Blade Sect was secretly hiding some extraordinary divine treasure.
When this news comes out, it will be a huge problem.
Many martial arts practitioners, like wolves drawn by the smell of blood, rushed up the mountain in packs.
They were constantly stealing and robbing, which caused numerous conflicts. People died.
Later, several other sects with long-standing grudges against the Heavenly Blade Sect took the opportunity to launch a siege. Although the conflict was eventually resolved, it is said that the Heavenly Blade Sect's leader, Duanmu Hanshan, was seriously injured, which damaged his very foundation.
Later, to protect his disciples from further repercussions, Sect Leader Duanmu announced the disbandment of the sect and dismissed all disciples.
After listening, Jiang Mu remained silent for a moment.
Unexpectedly, the Heavenly Blade Sect has experienced such a change.
Tang Guixin's greatest regret before her death was not being able to return to her sect. Now, even that last place of longing no longer exists. He pondered for a moment, then asked:
"After the sect disbanded, where did Sect Leader Duanmu and his daughter go?"
The old man shook his head:
"How could we know? They've probably gone into hiding in some remote, impoverished place, hiding under an assumed name."
After all, so many eyes in the martial arts world are still focused on that so-called treasure.
"If that father and daughter dare to show their faces in this martial world, they will surely be hunted down, and then they might not even be left with a complete corpse." Jiang Mu sighed inwardly, feeling helpless.
Now that the Heavenly Blade Sect has disbanded and its headquarters are deserted, the letter and tokens can no longer be sent.
It seems we can only rush back to Yancheng first, utilize the intelligence network of the Demon Slayer Division, and then slowly search for the whereabouts of Duanmu and his daughter.
"Young man,"
A middle-aged bodyguard with a full beard at the next table suddenly turned around, smiling as he sized up Jiang Mu.
"Judging from your travel-worn appearance, you must have heard the news and come here looking for treasure, right?"
Jiang Mu shook his head and said, "Uncle, you misunderstand. I came here because of your reputation and want to go up the mountain to become your apprentice."
The middle-aged bodyguard smiled without saying a word.
Putting aside the fact that the Heavenly Blade Sect has now disbanded, even before it disbanded, it was at most a third-rate sect in the martial arts world, on the verge of collapse.
Who would be so stupid as to travel all this way to a place like this to become an apprentice?
The middle-aged bodyguard picked up his wine bowl, took a swig, picked up a peanut, and sighed:
"Back in the day, the Heavenly Blade Sect was a major sect in the martial arts world, on par with the Divine Sword Sect, with thousands of disciples. How prestigious it was!"
I never imagined that I would end up in such a state of collapse, with all my followers scattered. Life is truly unpredictable.
It's a pity that all those chivalrous martial artists who flocked up the mountain these past few days turned the entire mountain upside down, but they didn't even find a trace of the divine artifact; it was all for nothing.
Just as the middle-aged bodyguard was reflecting on the situation, a bald, muscular man at another table suddenly stood up.
He walked to the table where the bodyguards were, plopped down, and asked in a deep, thunderous voice:
"You're from the Four Seas Escort Agency, right?"
The middle-aged bodyguard frowned, but his years of experience as a bodyguard quickly restored his composure.
He clasped his hands in a respectful yet assertive manner and smiled:
"Brother, you have a good eye. I am the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Sihai Escort Agency. May I ask what advice you may offer?"
The bald, burly man sneered, his gaze sweeping over the crowd to the carriage wrapped tightly in oilcloth not far away, and asked in a gruff voice:
"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance, but I'm simply curious, what kind of precious red dart did your Four Seas Escort Agency manage to escort this time?"
Upon hearing this, the faces of the other bodyguards around him darkened.
Their hands had already quietly rested on their respective weapons.
The middle-aged bodyguard's face stiffened slightly, but he still managed to force a smile:
"Brother, you're joking. We outlaws have our own rules: if you take someone's money, you have to solve their problems."
Our escort agency is only responsible for delivering the goods entrusted to us by our clients safely to their destination. As for whether the boxes contain gold, silver, jewels, or scrap metal, we escorts don't ask, and neither should our friends in the underworld.
This is against the rules; I hope you will do me a favor and show some leniency.
The bald, burly man sneered:
"If I don't tell, then it's a dirty dart."
Since it's a dirty dart, anyone in the world can take it. I'm going to open my eyes and see what's inside today!
Having said that, he suddenly stood up and strode toward the caravan.
The dozen or so bodyguards around him stood up in unison, drawing their broadswords with a clang, their faces darkening as they glared at the bald, burly man. The bald man, a cold smile playing on his lips, cracked his neck, producing a crisp, sharp sound.
"With your mediocre skills, you dare to brandish knives in front of me?"
The middle-aged bodyguard's face turned completely cold.
His arms suddenly jerked.
In an instant, a thick cloud of cyan gas surrounded his arms as if it were alive.
As the energy flowed, the cuffs of his sleeves billowed and fluttered.
The middle-aged bodyguard stood in front of the bald, burly man:
"If a friend wishes to have a cup of tea, my Sihai Escort Agency will naturally treat him to fine wine and meat."
But if you insist on defying the reputation of my Four Seas Escort Agency, then don't blame me for showing no mercy in the martial arts world!
"Master Zhong, there are some things you'd better not get involved in. If you do, you'll easily get your hands dirty and you might even lose your life."
Just then, a soft, feminine voice suddenly rang out from the other side of the tea stall.
Zhong, the bodyguard, felt a chill run down his spine and looked in the direction of the sound.
A handsome young man dressed in brocade white robes was sitting leisurely at a corner table.
He was holding a piece of what appeared to be a delicate pastry that he had brought with him, and he was savoring it.
Most strikingly, below the corner of the man's right eye was a bright red birthmark resembling a peach petal, which, against his fair face, made him look rather eerie and sinister.
"Do you recognize me?"
Zhong, the bodyguard, remained vigilant and secretly made a hand gesture to his subordinates behind his back.
The bodyguards immediately understood and quickly formed groups of three to protect the caravan.
The blades pointed diagonally, forming a defensive formation.
The young man slowly finished the last bite of pastry, took out a snow-white silk handkerchief from his sleeve, elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth, and then slowly raised his eyelids, chuckling softly:
"I naturally recognize Zhong Tiebi from the Sihai Escort Agency."
"I've heard that Master Xie of your esteemed escort agency has reached the pinnacle of martial arts, and I've long admired him. I'm preparing to pay him a visit sometime to learn a thing or two." He casually tossed the silk handkerchief onto the table, his gaze turning intently to Escort Zhong.
"If Master Xie were here today, he would surely give me some face after hearing my reminder."
Master Zhong, listen to my advice.
Some darts are not for people like you to handle. Put down your weapons, take your people and leave; you might still save your lives.
Zhong, the镖师 (bodyguard/escort), snorted coldly, and the azure true energy on his arms grew even more intense:
"Since you recognize the name of my Sihai Escort Agency, you should know the rules of our escort business."
The salvage is with the man; the salvage is with the man!
Regardless of who you are or what powerful figures are behind you, this escort mission is the business of the escort agency. Once you accept the assignment, you must deliver; that's the rule.
"If you would be so kind as to grant me this favor today, I would certainly welcome you with open arms and utmost courtesy when you visit our escort agency for tea in the future. But now... please step aside."
The young man shook his head helplessly:
"Since Master Zhong is so stubborn, then I have no choice but to offend you."
The word "offend" had barely left his lips when the bald, burly man suddenly sprang to his feet, throwing a punch that sent a gust of wind flying towards the caravan.
Wherever the fist passed, the air emitted a sharp whistling sound.
Zhong, the镖师 (bodyguard/escort), changed his expression and immediately unleashed both palms, transforming his azure qi into a wall of energy to meet the attack.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A series of muffled explosions echoed in front of the tea stall, kicking up clouds of dust.
Just as the bald, burly man launched his attack, a swordsman in black, who had been sitting at the table next to the man in white, suddenly drew his sword.
The sword flashed like a venomous snake's tongue, swift as lightning, and pierced straight towards the side of the caravan.
"Stop him!"
The镖局 disciples immediately formed a sword formation, their blades flashing and intertwining to fight off the men in black.
Jiang Mu simply sat on the stool, holding her teacup, and watched coldly from the sidelines.
I'm too lazy to get involved in these kinds of江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances).
He considered going up the mountain again to confirm if the Heavenly Blade Sect had truly disbanded. If it had, he would hurry back to Huzhou City to avoid any unforeseen complications.
The battle on the field has reached a fever pitch.
The bald, burly man possessed immense strength; every punch he threw carried the force of a thousand pounds.
Although Zhong Biaoshi possessed powerful Qing Gang Qi, his arms went numb after taking more than a dozen punches.
"Get the hell out of my way!"
The bald, burly man found an opening, let out a roar, and suddenly raised his thick, tree-trunk-like thigh, delivering a powerful and heavy kick to Zhong the镖师's chest.
"puff!"
Zhong, the镖师 (bodyguard/escort), spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, crashing into a镖车 (escort cart) behind him and cracking the cart shaft.
The other bodyguards were also swept away by the black-clad swordsman, falling haphazardly to the ground, groaning in pain.
"Hahaha!! You dare to protect a caravan with such paltry skills!"
The bald, burly man grinned maliciously, taking long strides as he charged forward, his fist, as big as a sand bowl, raised high, aiming to smash down on the head of Zhong, the镖师 (bodyguard/escort), who was slumped in front of the镖车 (caravan). Suddenly...
The wooden crate on the caravan behind Zhong the镖师 (bodyguard/escort) instantly shattered into pieces.
Amidst the swirling wood chips, a petite figure emerged from the box.
The figure moved with lightning speed in mid-air, delivering a fierce spinning kick that struck the bald man's arms, which were crossed in front of his chest.
"Bang!"
A sound of bones colliding rang out.
The burly man's massive body was kicked and sent flying three zhang (approximately 10 meters) away, crashing into two withered trees as thick as bowls before landing awkwardly on the ground. The petite figure gracefully flipped in the air and landed amidst the mess.
Jing was a girl who looked no more than twelve or thirteen years old.
The girl was extremely beautiful, with skin as white as snow and delicate features as if meticulously painted by a painter, her eyes and brows still exuding a childlike innocence and charm.
She wore a fitted navy blue dress that accentuated her slender figure, giving her a sharp and crisp silhouette, reminiscent of a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil.
However, beneath this petite and charming appearance, she exudes a chilling aura.
It's like a peerless, solitary blade just pulled from a glacier.
She stretched out her hand, her five fingers spread, and loosely clenched it.
"boom!"
Another box on the caravan exploded.
A large knife flew into her delicate palm.
The blade was heavy, and when it landed, it made a "thud" sound, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
The knife is 1.5 meters long and 90 centimeters wide.
Heavy and without sharp edges.
From a distance, it looks like a huge, dark tombstone that exudes an aura of death.
When this tombstone-shaped broadsword is held upside down in the hand of a petite twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, the extreme contrast in size creates a bizarre scene that is both violently aesthetically pleasing and slightly comical.
"The Five Realms?!"
Jiang Mu, who had been watching with a detached, spectator's mindset, nearly spat out his tea, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.
Holy crap, what kind of inhumanly monstrous prodigy is this?!
Is he this amazing at such a young age?
"Heh heh, interesting, it really is inside."
Upon seeing this, the effeminate man laughed with great interest.
He picked up a delicate pastry from the table, waved it lightly at the girl, and said in a flippant tone:
"Little girl, you must have been suffocating in that stuffy box for so long, right?"
Are you hungry?
"Would you like some sweet and sticky pastries to tide you over, big brother?"
A wisp of the girl's jet-black hair fell across her forehead, obscuring half of her eyebrows and eyes, highlighting her fair and snow-white face.
She lowered her head slightly.
Through the gaps in her hair, those cold, emotionless eyes stared at the bald, burly man and the black-clad swordsman in front of her.
"Bang!"
With a push of her feet, the girl's petite figure shot towards the two of them like an arrow released from a bow!
The bald, burly man and the black-clad swordsman roared and charged forward from the left and right respectively.
For a girl of her size, the enormous tombstone knife was far too heavy to wield with the same agility as an ordinary swordsman using the strength of her wrist. But she found another way.
Using the momentum of her forward charge, she channeled all her strength into the blade, her slender waist twisting slightly as she unleashed a powerful, sweeping black crescent moon strike. "Boom!"
The black-clad swordsman raised his sword to parry, but it felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, and his sword shattered instantly.
The swordsman was sent flying several meters before regaining his balance, his blood boiling.
The giant sword continued its downward momentum, crashing into the ground.
Just as the blade was about to touch the ground, the girl's delicate toe, clad in an exquisite deerskin boot, precisely kicked the side of the blade.
"Bang!"
With this ingenious kick, the enormous weight that was originally falling was transformed into an upward rebound force.
The massive blade, like a black dragon raising its head and roaring, carried a violent, upward-flowing aura as it slashed at the bald, burly man who was lunging from the side.
The whole set of actions flows smoothly.
The petite and agile body and the heavy, exaggerated giant blade worked together seamlessly in the kicking, flicking, and spinning movements.
Each strike carried the power to split mountains and cleave peaks.
The effeminate man marveled.
"So this is the legendary 'Grave Blade'? It truly lives up to its name."