Chapter 13: The Young Master Has Struck Someone Down!

No words were exchanged throughout the night.

At dawn, Ye Jingtang leaned against the corner of the wall, alert to every rustle outside. Birdie nestled quietly in his arms, likely due to the presence of strangers, sleeping a bit more normally though still with a tilted head.

The heroine Luo seemed not to have slept deeply; every fifteen minutes, she would feign turning over and sneak a glance at him, probably to see if he was making any improper moves toward Zhe Yunli.

Zhe Yunli, on the other hand, was obedient, sitting three feet away, clutching her blade motionless, and had not rested her head on his shoulder throughout the night.

The eastern sky gradually lightened.

Seeing the dawn, Ye Jingtang rose with Birdie in his arms. At the slightest movement, the nearby young woman suddenly drew her blade halfway out, eyes sharp and wary on him.

“What are you doing?”

“Going out to work.”

Ye Jingtang patted his robe, gesturing toward the room. “Do you think I’m like you highborn sect folk, doing nothing but eating and drinking?”

Zhe Yunli blinked, sheathing her blade and rising, patting her stiff backside. “What work? Need help?”

Luo Ning, lying on the bed, propped herself up with a trace of sleepiness. “Yunli!”

Rested through the night, Luo Ning’s complexion had recovered greatly, her original beauty reemerging. Like a languid young wife, she lifted her body, her long hair spilling like rippling water, and her sleepy yet slightly angry peach blossom eyes could instantly awaken the drowsy or mesmerize the awake.

Ye Jingtang had sensed Luo Ning’s uncommon beauty the day before; now at dawn, she seemed graced with an ethereal aura, as if she were one of the Seven Fairies deceived home by the Cowherd, impossible not to steal a few glances.

Noticing his scrutiny, Luo Ning immediately lay back down, pulling the covers over herself, her gaze turning cold.

Seeing Luo Ning’s restraint, Zhe Yunli smiled brightly, replying, “Madam, I’m not going out for fun, just gathering information. It’s safer to follow him.”

Ye Jingtang took up his blade and stepped outside. “You’ll be safe, but what about me? I’m no one’s ally. If you lead the Black Court’s Six Fiends here, I’ll be caught in the middle, neither able to fight nor flee. Wouldn’t that drag me down?”

“I’ll pretend to be your wife; no one should suspect…”

“Yunli!”

Luo Ning suddenly sat up, fury burning!

Zhe Yunli sighed helplessly, “It’s all just a game…”

“What game?”

The word incensed Luo Ning; having Yunli pose as this little thief’s wife would surely give him free rein. She was already...

That would make them master and disciple sharing the same man...

“You’re an unmarried girl; how can you do such a thing?”

Zhe Yunli pondered. “Then I’ll pretend to be his sister... Hey?”

Before she finished, Ye Jingtang had already disappeared beyond the courtyard gate.

On the other side, at Tianshui Bridge, the grand Shao family mansion.

At dawn, Shao Xiangjun sat in the main hall, fingers tapping the desk, brows furrowed.

At the head seat sat the widow of the Shao family’s eldest son, Madam Zhang Yulian, her brow shadowed with worry. She held a white porcelain tea cup, gently rubbing the lid against its rim.

“Outsiders in the jianghu are becoming increasingly ruthless. Wang Xiangzhu went to visit the Zhou family about the Qingjiang Wharf matter, but didn’t even meet the heads, only the steward. Our Qinglong Hall has fallen so low; how can we still command respect among the major halls of the Red Flower Pavilion?”

“Sister-in-law, I’m well aware. In the jianghu, strength speaks louder than words…”

Madam Zhang, as the ‘Boss’s Wife’ in the underworld, had lost the eldest and second sons of the Shao family, leaving only her son Shao Luo. Shao Luo had no martial talent and was the sole heir; she dared not tell him about their underworld affairs. Now, aside from relying on the present mistress, who else could she trust?

Knowing how hard Shao Xiangjun worked to uphold the Red Flower Pavilion, she sighed softly.

“Third Mistress, I’m not blaming you, but the situation... right now, we can only hope the second brother’s son, Jingtang, can shoulder these matters. After his father’s death, Jingtang followed the will and traveled thousands of miles to deliver the family estate—he must be loyal and upright. Perhaps you could teach Jingtang the spear technique and let him—”

Shao Xiangjun shook her head slightly. “I know Jingtang is upright and handsome, fit for great deeds. But distant help cannot quell immediate dangers. The spear and saber arts take a lifetime. Even if he has a good foundation and talent, mastering the spear will take at least three to five years, plus three more for real combat experience.”

Madam Zhang, with no other hope, said, “Perhaps Jingtang is gifted and can learn the Shao family spear in a month. There’s a gathering at the Loyalty Hall next month with all the major hall leaders. You could take him along...”

Shao Xiangjun was helpless. “Forcing growth ruins the best seedlings. Even if Jingtang mastered the spear in a month, with no jianghu experience, who could he possibly defeat?”

“Mistress, something’s wrong…”

Mid-conversation, footsteps sounded outside. Xiu He rushed in, eyes anxious.

Both women frowned. Shao Xiangjun stood. “What happened?”

“The young master was on his way today and somehow clashed with the Six Fiends.”

“The Six Fiends?”

Shao Xiangjun frowned, thinking.

“Surely it happened near Mingyu Tower, where they brandished blades, arousing suspicion from the Black Court. They sent someone yesterday to verify Jingtang’s identity. Jingtang can’t wield the Eight-Step Mad Saber; letting them test him shouldn’t cause trouble.”

Xiu He hurriedly shook her head. “No, no. It wasn’t them. The Black and White Impermanence were involved. No informants nearby. They say Iron Arm Impermanence came out bleeding heavily from his left arm...”

“Ah?!”

Zhang Yulian stood, incredulous. “Jingtang actually wounded Black Impermanence?”

Shao Xiangjun quickly shook her head. “Nonsense! Jingtang doesn’t know any formal techniques. How could he injure Black Impermanence’s iron-like skin? He’s a master from the Black Court’s outer family!”

Xiu He anxiously said, “That’s what people say outside. Hurry and see. The young master seems blocked by White Impermanence...”

Seeing this, Shao Xiangjun dared not delay and hurried out.

Dark clouds pressed down on the city. Though dawn had come some time ago, the streets remained dim.

Ye Jingtang led his horse out of Shuanggui Alley and went near Tianshui Bridge. At a street corner steamed a basket of buns from a shop; he ate breakfast with Birdie while pondering what the two women inside might be eating, wondering if he should have Birdie bring them some buns.

Before he could decide, he caught a figure watching him from a nearby alley.

Looking up, Ye Jingtang recognized Yang Guan, the man he had beaten yesterday.

Yang Guan’s hand was bandaged, his face sullen. He beckoned him with a curl of his finger before disappearing into the alley.

Ye Jingtang sensed something amiss. He raised his hand slightly, and Birdie spread its wings, soaring overhead.

Moments later, Birdie returned, chirping thrice, signaling three people.

Yang Guan reappeared—clearly the matter was unresolved.

Ye Jingtang thought for a moment, tossed some copper coins aside, drew his waist blade, and entered the alley.

The alley ran deep. At the corner was a dead end, flanked by high walls and a narrow passage in the middle.

Under the gloomy sky, two figures stood side by side in the center of the alley, each wearing a straw raincoat and bamboo hat—typical jianghu attire. One was tall and broad-shouldered; the other leaner. Neither carried weapons.

Yang Guan stood behind them.

Ye Jingtang stood alone at the alley’s mouth, eyeing the two straw-hatted men before turning to Yang Guan.

“Not convinced?”

Yang Guan was confident. “Newcomer, you dare cause trouble in the capital relying on your skills? Do you think no one can stop you? If you give up your arms and legs, I’ll let you go. Otherwise, I’ll beat you to death today. You’re just a sworn son of the Shao family—no one will stand up for you.”

Ye Jingtang said no more, gripping his blade and stepping forward. After two steps, his body suddenly exploded with speed, charging the two straw-hatted men.

His momentum was strong, but he never dreamed that a street thug collecting protection fees would bring along such formidable fighters.

As his blade left the scabbard, the taller straw-hatted figure slightly lifted his hat, revealing a sharply defined face. In the next instant, he was upon Ye Jingtang.

Sensing danger, Ye Jingtang swung his blade at him, but the straw-hatted man raised his right arm to block.

Clang!

The sharp clash of metal rang out.

Ye Jingtang initially thought the man wore iron bracers, but after slicing through the sleeve, he was stunned to see bronzed skin beneath.

The muscular forearm bore only a white scar; not a speck of skin was broken.

His eyes wide with disbelief, Ye Jingtang briefly thought he was hallucinating.

There was no time to exchange words as they fought.

The tall figure blocked the long blade with his right arm and punched straight at Ye Jingtang’s chest with his left.

Thud!

The punch was heavy, but Ye Jingtang’s foundation was solid, though his offensive power was lacking; he could endure blows well.

The punch struck his chest, yet he barely reacted, planting his blade in the ground and sliding back a few steps to steady himself.

Just as he stopped, a cold wind swept from ahead, ruffling his hair.

Whoosh—

A chill ran through his heart as he leaned back to dodge.

Next moment, a ghostly figure swept overhead like a straw raincoat blown by the wind, lacking substance.

But beneath the bamboo hat was a pale face—cold and real—gazing at him, the body swaying with the wind as if boneless.

Though Ye Jingtang did not believe in ghosts, he hesitated.

He raised his blade to slash the apparition, but the blade only brushed the raincoat, which flowed with the cut, offering no resistance.

His slash passed without harming it; his right arm was lightly grazed.

The ghostly 'shoulder tap' was so light that Ye Jingtang felt only fabric brushing against him.

Yet his shoulder soon went numb and aching, a coldness seeping to his bones, his right arm weakening instantly.

His mind jolted. He spun, sheathing his long blade, gripping the handle backward with his left hand, back against the wall, eyes sharp, watching the two figures flanking him.

The ethereal ghost now silently blocked the only exit, its bamboo hat lowered, utterly still like a wooden statue.

The tall figure mirrored this stillness.

Though neither moved, the oppressive silence in the alley was palpable, as if two mountains towered on either side...