Chapter 20. The Value of a Warrior (4)

The Tang Family of Sichuan.

A unique martial family renowned throughout the Central Plains for their expertise in poison (毒) and hidden weapons (暗器).

Poison and hidden weapons were difficult for the righteous and moral Bai Dao to accept, as they were specialized for assassination (暗杀) rather than fair and open combat.

The Tang Family was the first to break this prejudice. Though they were as venomous and ruthless as their primary weapons, they did not cross the minimal line.

Of course, to Yan Hozheng, such history was of no concern.

He unconsciously stroked his chest.

The sensation of the cow hair needle (牛毛针) embedded in his dying chest was still vivid.

'Tang Guan.'

Tang Guan, the deputy leader of the Wulin Alliance.

The snake and scorpion (蛇蠍) who had sent his body, heading to Sandaochuan, straight to the underworld.

He flinched!

The strength in his hand, gripping the iron bar, tightened involuntarily.

The instinct of the Black Shadow Sect, which never forgets a grudge, was awakening.

'......'

Yan Hozheng composed himself.

The opponent is not Tang Guan. Even if it were Tang Guan, he shouldn't attack out of grudge.

Because he was now the eldest son of the Yan family, not the Black Shadow Sect's leader. At least, rash actions were forbidden unless provoked first.

"By the way, who are these people...?"

"This is the eldest son of our main family, Yan Hozheng, and the second son, Yan Zhiping."

Han Homing greeted with a smile.

"Nice to meet you. I am Han Homing."

His greeting was not only plain but also brief.

Shen Mo's face stiffened slightly.

To Han Homing, they were just the children of another family, but this was still a gathering of the successors of the Seven Great Families. While the tone could be casual, he shouldn't treat them like subordinates by folding his arms.

Just as Shen Mo was about to protest,

"I greet you, Senior Hero Han. I am the second son of the Yan family, Yan Zhiping."

Yan Zhiping bowed respectfully.

Unlike Han Homing's arrogant greeting, Yan Zhiping's was meticulous and polite.

Han Homing burst into laughter.

"Ah, Junior Hero Yan. I've heard that the second son of Bishan is a very talented martial artist. Seeing you in person, it seems the rumors are true."

Yan Zhiping smiled.

"Thank you for your kind words. I am far from having such talent, and compared to my elder brother, I am nothing."

People's gazes naturally turned to Yan Hozheng.

Interest flickered in Han Homing's eyes.

"Junior Hero...?"

"Senior Chief Shen."

Shen Mo bowed.

"Yes, Eldest Son."

"I'm hungry. Let's find a place to eat first."

"Understood."

"Take turns on guard. There's no need to guard me here, so let the others rest."

"Understood."

Shen Mo said to Han Homing in a stiff voice.

"I'll go ahead. Please rest comfortably."

With that, the Yan brothers entered the courtyard with Chang Ying.

Han Homing's eyes darkened. The friendly smile had vanished.

"Even a blunt fang can bite, you know?"

At that moment,

"Warrior Han."

"Yes, Eldest Son."

The young man, Tang Yangxuan, who received Han Homing's respectful greeting, tilted his head.

"Is that arrogant fellow really the eldest son of the Yan family?"

"It seems so."

"Hmm? Is he sick or something?"

"Excuse me?"

"He looks quite solid, but the aura he carries is too ordinary. His level is really nothing special."

Han Homing said bluntly.

"According to street rumors, the eldest son of the Yan family is a typical son of a tiger (虎父) who is a dog (犬子)."

"Oh?"

"Unlike him, the second son is said to have talent surpassing the current family head."

"From the same bloodline, but their talents are at opposite extremes? That's interesting."

Han Homing bowed.

"From what I can see, there's no need for you to pay attention to him. It's best to ignore him."

"Hmm?"

"Excuse me?"

Tang Yangxuan shrugged.

"At least he has some presence. Showing such attitude in front of a Tang family member isn't easy."

There's a saying in the martial world: If you can defend against the Tang family's poison and hidden weapons, you can live ten more years.

If you offend the Wulin Alliance, you might have a hard time sleeping, but if you offend the Tang family, you should end your life immediately. People feared the Tang family's martial arts and ruthless nature to that extent.

"Anyway, we arrived too early. Let's take a look around Hefei after settling in."

"Understood."

The Yan family had already disappeared from their minds.

Because they arrived early, they could choose their rooms freely. The servants who had come to the courtyard in advance guided them.

Yan Zhiping glanced at Yan Hozheng.

"Um..."

"Hmm? What is it? Do you have something to say?"

"Is it okay?"

"What is?"

"The Tang family."

Yan Hozheng tilted his head.

"Why them?"

Yan Zhiping involuntarily swallowed.

'Them'? If a Tang family member had heard that, they would have been furious.

"Did you do something wrong?"

"Excuse me? No! It's not that..."

"Chief Shen, did I make a mistake?"

Shen Mo said in a respectful voice.

"Absolutely not."

Absolutely not. The words were funny, but Yan Zhiping couldn't laugh. Shen Mo's face was serious.

It wasn't because of Yan Hozheng. He was angry at Han Homing's arrogant behavior.

So angry that Shen Mo added another word.

"Rather, I think you did well."

"Did I do well?"

"Yes. While it's said that you can know the depths of a ten-foot river but not the depths of a man's heart, sometimes you can understand a lot from a single action."

"In other words, it's best not to associate with them?"

"This is a gathering of the successors of the Seven Great Families. Even if you don't belong to one of them, you should show respect to the children of the other families."

Yan Hozheng said with a smile.

"Well, my posture was a bit off, but it wasn't a big mistake, right?"

"If it was unintentional, I wouldn't have said this much."

"Did you know?"

Shen Mo bowed silently.

Yan Zhiping asked curiously.

"Know what?"

"Wasn't it Han Homing? His rude behavior wasn't just his own will."

"Really?"

"It was the Tang family's doing."

"Really?!"

Yan Hozheng shook his head.

"Curiosity piqued, but he didn't want to take the lead himself. When he wants to provoke someone to learn something, he uses his subordinates."

"......!"

"Isn't it a classic move that makes you yawn? It's so obvious, it's boring now."

"Then, did you ignore them on purpose, Brother?"

"From the beginning, I had no intention of talking to them. But why would I get involved when they act like that?"

Yan Zhiping gasped.

He felt ashamed. He had been worried for nothing, not realizing what was happening.

Yan Hozheng patted Yan Zhiping's head.

"In that sense, you are definitely growing up well."

"Me?"

"Yes. I ignored them, but you treated them with the manners you learned from the family. That's not something you can learn just by being taught. Especially at your age."

Yan Zhiping blushed.

"No, that's not it..."

"Father once said that enduring an insult is not patience but cowardice. But he also said not to bark back when a dog barks."

Yan Zhiping cleared his throat.

"I didn't call the Tang family people... dogs..."

"It's just a figure of speech. I and Chief Shen are a bit twisted, so we can't live by the rules like Father or you."

Yan Hozheng looked at Shen Mo and asked.

"Right, Chief Shen?"

Shen Mo smiled and replied.

"That seems to be the case."

"See? Ignoring the opponent is easier. Everything is difficult when done by the rules."

Yan Zhiping's face showed confusion.

"I don't understand."

"It's not difficult. Just live as you've been taught and as you've lived so far. I hope you become more flexible, but don't lose who you are now."

"......Am I wrong?"

"Absolutely not. You are upright and idealistic. There will be many fools who mock you for being unrealistic, but they are just fools who can't understand that the world is built on ideals, even if they die and come back to life."

"Then what about you, Brother?"

"Me?"

"Yes."

Yan Hozheng said with a bitter smile.

"A fool who can't distinguish between dogs and people."

* * *

The two days passed quickly.

Until the day of the gathering, Yan Hozheng stayed in his room. The same went for Yan Zhiping. Yan Hozheng reviewed his martial arts and planned for the future, while Yan Zhiping pondered his identity.

The successors of the other martial families didn't arrive until the night before the gathering. They seemed to be exploring the market streets of Hefei.

There was no further conflict with the Tang family side, who had a slight confrontation on the first day. Their lodgings were too far apart.

Thus, the two days passed peacefully.

On the morning of the gathering day,

While practicing qigong in his room, Yan Hozheng heard Shen Mo's telepathic message.

[Eldest Son.]

[Speak.]

[The successors of the Nangong and Peng families have arrived.]

Yan Hozheng's eyes opened.

The refined Bila Zhen Qi, now more mature, gathered in his eyes. A faint but clear blue light flickered in his pupils and then disappeared.

Yan Hozheng got up and walked to the window, which offered a good view of the courtyard.

A group of people entered through the main gate.

'Nangong.'

A tall, handsome young man caught his eye.

He wore an extraordinary sword at his waist and had a confident expression. His aura was refined, even from a distance.

He was clearly the successor of the Nangong family. The aura he exuded was similar to Nangong Shanghua's, even before considering his appearance.

But that wasn't Yan Hozheng's focus.

He turned his gaze to two other young men. They were about the same height as the Nangong successor but much more robust.

'Peng family!'

Yan Hozheng's eyes deepened.

Hummm.

The Bila Zhen Qi in his dantian instantly circulated through his entire body. The noble Xuanwu Qi rose from his waist and cooled his head.

Sssss.

His senses became more acute.

He could hear the chirping of birds in the distance, smell the incense in the room, and feel a speck of dust on his skin.

'......'

Yan Hozheng frowned.

'What? The aura is completely different.'

To understand precisely, he needed to see their internal energy cultivation methods and the detailed atmosphere of their internal energy.

But the aura was so unique that it seemed pointless to do so. The Peng family's aura was so different from the attackers that there was no connection at all.

'It won't work.'

Checking from the window had its limits. Yan Hozheng quickly left his room and walked to the main gate of the outer courtyard.

"Hmm? Who is it?"

"I don't know... but he doesn't seem to be a servant."

The Peng family's successors said this, trying to speak softly, but their voices were as loud as their size.

As a result, everyone's attention was on Yan Hozheng. But he ignored their gazes.

Standing next to a tree, Yan Hozheng crossed his arms and watched the Peng family's successors.

'Sure enough.'

Yan Hozheng's expression naturally turned grim.

'I need to confirm more, but...'

No matter how he looked, it wasn't them.

He would continue to observe just in case, but his intuition told him the Peng family wasn't it.

Could the leaders of the Peng family be different?

Logically, it was possible, but he was certain in his heart. As Shen Mo said, the Peng family seemed to be a family where one action could reveal a lot.

'......'

What should he do?

Yan Hozheng made his decision.

'I'll check the Ming family last. There's plenty of time. No need to rush.'

At that moment,

"......Can't you hear me?"

Yan Hozheng turned his gaze to the faint voice.

It was Nangong Xian.

"I don't know who you are, but staring so intently at someone you just met is rude, don't you think?"

The Peng family's successors burst into hearty laughter.

"Haha! Brother Nangong, there's no need to be so serious. We're fine. Right, brother?"

"Even if it's not a competition, what's the big deal?"

"See?"

His tone was rough, but there was a sense of simplicity.

Yan Hozheng, whose momentum had been dampened, bowed.

"Sorry. He looks like someone I know."

"Ha ha ha! Another tough guy like me? The world is indeed vast!"

"Brother. Could it be me?"

"You're joking. If you looked like me, you'd run away first, crazy guy. There's no better bandit than you."

"Forgot? We're twins."

"Just because we're twins doesn't mean we have to look alike."

"......What do you mean by that?"

Now that he looked, they seemed to have as lively personalities as their size. Such personalities couldn't be faked.

"By the way, who are you?"

"I am Yan Hozheng."

"Yan Hozheng?"

"From Bishan Yan family."

"Wow! Bishan Yan family!"

Yan Hozheng could see it. Nangong Xian's eyes changed instantly.

Peng Daohu, the second son of the Peng family, rushed over and grabbed Yan Hozheng's hand.

Yan Hozheng's eyes sparkled.

His fingers naturally moved towards Peng Daohu's pulse.

"Ha ha ha! You're from the Yan family? What a coincidence! I've always wanted to meet someone from the Yan family!"

"Hmm?"

"Ha ha! Just personal curiosity, that's all! I'm Peng Daohu! And the bandit behind me is Peng Manhu, my brother who is as lacking as a bottomless pit!"

He shook Yan Hozheng's hand so vigorously that it was hard to focus.

Even if he wanted to check the pulse, he couldn't with the commotion. But he could analyze the energy more clearly through the touch of the hand.

'For now, I'll put the Peng family at the back.'

At that moment,

The main gate opened again.

"Oh! Who's coming now? Who could it be?"

Creak!

The gate opened, and a brother and sister entered, accompanied by a group of guards.

Nangong Xian's eyes widened. The Peng brothers were stunned.

The young man was impressive, but the beauty of the woman was truly remarkable. Even without wearing particularly luxurious clothes, her beauty illuminated the surroundings.

Nangong Xian muttered unconsciously.

"Zhilian?"

"Excuse me?!"

Zhuge Zhilian pointed to the group.

When Nangong Xian smiled slightly and raised his hand,

"Zheng'a!"