Chapter 143: Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao

The current scene in Xiangyang City is truly desolate. Rumors are rampant, everyone feels a sense of impending crisis, and panic fills the air. Wealthy households, leading their families and pulling their children along, drive carriages and carts packed with large and small bundles as they flee the disaster area. The city gates are never idle for a moment; horses kick up flying hooves and dust scatters wildly in a scene of utter chaos...

When Zhou Qian and his companion finally arrived, the entire city was depressed in all trades and devastated in people's livelihoods. Everywhere the eye could see were figures in coarse and tattered garments. Those who could leave had already departed, but the common folk and the vast multitude of ordinary people still formed the majority, and leaving their hometowns meant no path to survival. Fortunately, fierce winds test the strongest grass, and turbulent times reveal true character. Prefect Huang displayed iron-fisted methods, dispatching yamen runners, sending out laborers, gathering vagrants from the streets, and releasing convicts from prison—all to make up for the shortage of hands, sending them to reinforce the dikes and consolidate the embankments. On the other hand, to pacify the populace, he opened granaries to distribute food, exempted corvée labor and service, and authorized constables patrolling the streets with the power of life and death over any illegal acts, which genuinely suppressed many wicked individuals and petty thieves. Amidst the danger and disorder, a remarkable sense of order was maintained.

"Little Liu, where are your senior martial brothers most likely to go?"

"These two fellows are dissolute and depraved by nature, utterly unable to endure loneliness. Near Mount Shennong, Xiangyang City is the most luxurious place, and they always love to come here to chase women and drink to their hearts' content. Master has disciplined them for this several times, but they are incorrigible and never mend their ways."

"Then if we run into them later, we shall act according to the plan. Patriarch Dongxuan has shown you grace, and your reluctance to treat him as an enemy is understandable, but those two have always been harsh and ungracious toward you. You must not hesitate to strike."

"Little Liu understands. I have endured those two for far too long. Brother Zhou, do not forget that I was once a man of the pugilistic world, and what we value above all else is repaying kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity!" Little Liu said through clenched teeth.

The two quietly made their way to the largest pleasure quarter in the city. Unexpectedly, the place was bustling with voices and extremely lively. Patrons were dead drunk, and courtesans smiled like flowers, which only added a touch of desolation to the scene. When facing a great calamity, not everyone possesses the resolve to fight bravely to the death. Is it not better to remain oblivious? A single jar of wine is all one needs to dispel a thousand sorrows.

The two changed their attire and slightly disguised their features with disguise techniques. As long as no one observed them closely, their true identities would not be revealed. Brushing past the soliciting courtesans, they carefully inspected every storefront. After half an hour, however, they still found no trace of Lu and Bai, causing a rising wave of anxiety in their hearts. Just at that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted not far away. The two exchanged glances and hurried forward.

Squeezing into the crowd, they saw that the ground in front of the largest brothel in the pleasure quarter was covered with people lying flat. All of them were bruised and battered, groaning miserably—they were the patrons from inside.

"Two vicious guests just arrived, driving everyone out and booking the entire establishment. How arrogant!"

"Those two ruffians possess freakish strength; even seven or eight men charging together were no match for them. Shouldn't we report this to the authorities?"

"Have you drunk yourself stupid? The yamen runners are worked to death; who cares about such filthy matters?"

Hearing the gossiping crowd pointing and chattering, the two exchanged glances. Zhou Qian gestured, bypassed the front entrance, and came to the latticed tortoise-back window on the left. Lifting a slit, he quietly peered inside. Sure enough, it was Senior Brother Lu and Senior Brother Bai, surrounded by a crowd of rouge-painted women, flirting, pouring wine, and making merry, completely ignoring the gazes of the onlookers.

Little Liu nodded to Zhou Qian, removed his disguise to restore his original appearance, and quietly slipped over.

"Ah! Here comes another one with a death wish! Daring to enter like that, I'm afraid he'll break his bones!"

"This brat must be so driven by lust that he can't care about anything else..."

Seeing him, both Lu and Bai found it novel. Senior Brother Bai bantered, "Isn't this Junior Brother Liuliu? What, have you come here to play as well?"

"I heard the mortals outside say that two mighty heroes had arrived here, both possessing extraordinary martial prowess, and I guessed it must be my two senior brothers. Sure enough, it is true!" Little Liu put on a fawning expression and flattered them.

"At least you have an eye for it. Now that you've said your piece, you can get lost!" Senior Brother Lu cast a sidelong glance with his small eyes and said in a muffled, sullen voice.

Amidst the awkwardness, Senior Brother Bai thought to himself that although this kid's days were numbered, establishing friendly relations now—given how important he seemed to be in their master's eyes—might bring some benefits. So he laughed heartily and said, "We are all martial brothers, there's no need to draw lines. Sit, sit, come on, a few girls, go entertain him!"

Little Liu was not lacking in worldly sophistication; he simply despised the two of them from the bottom of his heart. Now harboring his own calculations, his flattering remarks flowed endlessly, which slightly diminished the disgust the two felt. Senior Brother Lu no longer spoke of driving him away. The two men were lustful and, relying on their mastery of a few Daoist arts, cared nothing for the ordinary mortals around them. Their words and actions were obscene; right there in the main hall, they stripped several courtesans down like white sheep, hands and feet roaming everywhere, drawing continuous cries of misery. They were practically ready to mount up right then and there, frightening even the surrounding rouge-clad women so much that their faces turned pale. When the madam stepped forward to say a few words, she was sent flying with a single slap, lying on the ground with only outgoing breaths left. Little Liu watched coldly: the sins of heaven may be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins are inescapable!

Perhaps annoyed by the excessive chatter of the bystanders, or perhaps still retaining a shred of shame, the two men each took five or six fair-faced courtesans into the inner rooms. Senior Brother Bai even asked Little Liu with a cheeky smile if he wanted to join in, and showed no anger when refused. Before long, sounds of lewdness and debauchery drifted from both rooms. Little Liu also took two girls into a room, but instead of doing anything, he knocked them unconscious. For him, the good show was yet to come!

In the evening, he quietly approached Senior Brother Lu's door and tapped gently a few times. After a long while, Lu Niu finally opened the door stark naked. Seeing Little Liu, he was about to curse when something was shoved into his hand. Looking closely, it was a small wolf-headed sword with black light circulating along the blade; at a glance, one could tell it was no ordinary item. He hurriedly channeled his spiritual power to probe it and discovered one hundred and eight layers of restrictions—it was a Genuine Heaven-Consummate magical artifact!

One must know that Patriarch Dongxuan had always been stingy. Given his status as a disciple, he didn't even own a single Earth-grade flying sword, let alone such a prized treasure. His eyes immediately widened with blinding greed. Seeing Little Liu gesture outward, he hesitated for a moment before following along. Since such a precious artifact had been produced, he simply had to see what scheme the other was plotting—

Stepping outside, they arrived at a dark and secluded spot. Only then did Little Liu ask, "Senior Brother Lu, is this treasure to your liking?"

Senior Brother Lu put on an indifferent act for a moment before saying, "It's somewhat interesting. What is it you want to do?"

Little Liu then spun his tale: he had accidentally discovered a Demonic Sect expert's immortal cave within the Xiang River and originally wanted to investigate it himself. However, the protective array within the cave was bizarre and unfathomable, and unable to break it on his own, he had only managed to acquire this treasure from the outer perimeter. He now wished to invite his senior brother to explore it together, and any treasures found would be split evenly between them.

"I was wondering why you were being so deferential today. So you have a favor to ask of me. But why did you only invite me and not Senior Brother Bai?" Senior Brother Lu gave a mocking, chuckling laugh.

"As for that, Little Liu knows that Senior Brother Lu is honest and straightforward, while Senior Brother Bai is cunning and shrewd. If Senior Brother Bai were included, there probably wouldn't be a share left for Little Liu. But if Senior Brother Lu takes action, perhaps he will leave Little Liu a scrap to eat," Little Liu said with a feigned sheepish expression.

Although Senior Brother Lu remained calm on the surface, he was ecstatic within. He thought to himself: *Old Bai, oh Old Bai! For all your scheming and plotting, you couldn't match my art of biding my time by playing the fool! This treasure was simply meant to be mine!*

Revealing nothing of his thoughts on his face, he indifferently said, "I, Old Lu, am not an ungrateful person. If there really are treasures, what harm is there in giving you half? When shall we set out?"

"The sooner the better!"

Two beams of escaping light flashed across the dark night, soaring out of Xiangyang City. Turning southward, after half an hour they arrived at the water dam and descended. In the distance, pinpricks of firelight flickered amidst the roaring sound of rushing water, presumably laborers working day and night to rush the repairs on the embankment.

"Whereabouts underwater is that immortal cave?" Senior Brother Lu asked anxiously.

"Senior Brother, look..."

Before his voice had even faded, a piercing white sword-ray abruptly surged, flashing and slashing directly toward his back in the blink of an eye. Senior Brother Lu was startled. Without time to think, he spat out a mouthful of black Qi that transformed into a dark curtain blocking his front. Who would have thought the flying sword was so sharp? It sliced through the demonic energy and scattered it as easily as carving through butter. The person launching this sneak attack had actually mastered true sword-rays! Could it be some long-famed sword immortal?

He hastily summoned a banner—a Water Ghost Banner, which sealed within it an ancient ghost from a well that he had expended immense effort to subdue. Possessing deep cultivation, the ghost materialized, dripping wet and footless, emanating a foul stench. With a single stretch of its hand, it froze the sword-ray mid-air. Zhou Qian, hiding in the shadows, felt a massive wave of force slam against his sword blade and could only bite his bullet and hold his ground! The shockwaves caused the surrounding earth to tremble repeatedly as if in an earthquake.

After all, Senior Brother Lu possessed profound cultivation. Just as he was about to employ other methods, a cry rang out: "Senior Brother, watch out!" Following that, five rays of golden light tore through the void—they were precisely the Disconnecting Five Hooks. He hurriedly pinched a hand-seal and spat out a fiery ball the size of a bushel basket, which was the Blood Spirit Flame. Being a true-transmission disciple, unlike that Dao-robed woman who was merely a concubine, Patriarch Dongxuan had indeed imparted this formidable divine ability to him and aided him in mastering it.

Seeing this, Little Liu merged the five golden rays into a single stream of golden rainbow that encircled the roaring flames without attacking, for he too had received teachings from Patriarch Dongxuan and knew the terrifying might of the Blood Spirit Flame. Waving his five fingers, the Five-Poles Demonic Fire transformed into black threads that cordoned off Senior Brother Lu. Opening his mouth once more, he expelled dozens of Yin-lightning beads. Instantly, thunder and fire intertwined, neutralizing and scattering each other simultaneously.

Fighting in such haste and forced to deploy various techniques back-to-back, it was inevitable that he would become flustered and reveal a fatal flaw. Catching this prime opportunity, Zhou Qian split his sword-ray into ten Taiqing sword qi. With a swift twist of his hand, he executed the "Ape Offering Fruit" sword stance. The sword momentum was intricate and profound, sealing off all directions around his target in an instant. Senior Brother Lu managed to dodge only three of them, while the remaining seven pierced through his hands and feet, nailing him firmly to the ground. Deprived of magical support, the water ghost glared with hatred at Senior Brother Lu before being recalled into the banner's surface. The wicked banner dropped to the ground with a crisp snap, and the Blood Spirit Flame likewise dissipated into the empty air. Zhou Qian recalled his Invisibility Banner and stepped out from the void.

By this point, how could Senior Brother Lu still fail to understand what had transpired? He cursed bitterly, "Damn you, Little Liu! Colluding with disciples of Mount Qingcheng, you filthy beast!"

Zhou Qian secretly gestured, and Little Liu put on a cold expression, saying, "The Old Monster Dongxuan attempted to use me as a cultivation vessel. Since he was unrighteous first, don't blame me for being unjust afterward! If you know what's good for you, tell the truth of this matter and clear my name before the immortals of Qingcheng. Perhaps then your life can be spared!"

"Are you speaking the truth?" Although Senior Brother Lu looked vicious, he was also a coward terrified of death. Hearing this, he asked in a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Stop wasting words! Just kill him, and I will naturally discern right from wrong!" Zhou Qian suddenly interjected, murderous intent flashing as he prepared to strike!

"I'll talk! I'll talk! Master—no, the Demonic Monster Dongxuan's lifespan is running out, and all these years he has been searching everywhere for treasures to prolong his life. One day, True Person Five Desires visited Mount Shennong and told him that the immortal cave of Master Taiyin True Person might contain such an item. Unfortunately, the treasure manifested ahead of time and it all proved to be in vain. Upon returning, he happened to see Little Liu here, with his profound root-nature, and was seized by the desire to perform a body-seizure. Our martial brothers all knew of it, only he was kept completely in the dark..."

Hearing these words, Little Liu instantly turned pale, swaying as if about to collapse. Zhou Qian quickly urged, "Calm your mind and steady your spirit, lest you suffer a deviation!"

Hearing this, he closed his eyes and remained silent for a long while before finally opening them, speaking in a hoarse voice: "Brother Zhou, what should I do?"

"You and I are both people of the pugilistic world. Do you really need to ask what must be done?" Zhou Qian countered.

Little Liu drew a deep breath, raised his foot, and crushed Senior Brother Lu's skull. Reds and whites splattered all over the ground. With cold finality, he pronounced each word distinctly: "Repay kindness with kindness! And enmity—with enmity!"

As dawn broke, Senior Brother Bai woke up from a tangle of jade arms and pink legs, feeling immensely pleased with himself. Wanting to find his Junior Brother Lu to boast a little, he pushed open the door only to find him missing. When he asked the sleeping courtesan, she replied that Lu had gone out and had yet to return by morning. Only then did a sense of unease creep into his heart, and he hurriedly pushed open Little Liu's door.

He found a single sheet of paper left on the table, upon which was written: *If you want both Lu Niu and Little Liu to survive, have your master, True Person Dongxuan, come to the peak of White Fruit Mountain in three days! Overdue and he will not be spared!*

Resting on the paper was a severed hand and a severed finger. Senior Brother Bai recognized the hand; it belonged to Lu Niu. Therefore, that finger must surely belong to Little Liu!

Cold sweat immediately broke out all over his body. Lu Niu didn't matter, but Little Liu was the vessel prepared for his master's body-seizure. Absolutely nothing could go wrong with him right under his watch...