Chapter 65

In the courtyard, the torchlight flickered uncertainly.

"Two years ago, a team of craftsmen was sent to repair the Buddha statues at Mingde Temple. Do you know what happened to them?" Wei He asked in a deep voice.

"Two years ago? Craftsmen?" The young man was a bit confused and looked at the slender man with a severed hand beside him.

Both were newly promoted, and two years ago, the young man didn't even know what the Kōdō Sect was.

"I know!" The slender man spoke through the pain. "That team... we sent people to investigate at the time. The team of craftsmen was taken away by One-Ear. When we tried to negotiate, One-Ear cut off the ears of our messengers. It led to a conflict, and two of our major altar masters had to mobilize to drive One-Ear away."

"One-Ear? Are you sure?" Wei He countered. "In that team of craftsmen, there was a junior of an enemy of mine. If it was really One-Ear, he did me a big favor, and I owe him a great favor."

He deliberately said the opposite to avoid the two men deliberately leading him in a certain direction.

Hearing about the great favor, the slender man's eyes flickered, and he glanced at the young man.

The young man was completely clueless, showing no reaction. Communication failed...

"Senior, it was indeed One-Ear who took the craftsmen. I dare not hide this. If you want to find them, you can only go outside the city," the slender man said helplessly.

"Think carefully. If you lie..." Wei He didn't say more, but his eyes turned cold, and he suddenly raised his hand.

A wooden chair beside him was casually thrown out, hitting the two people who had quietly rushed in at the door.

The chair shattered, and the two men, who had tried to ambush him, were thrown back by the impact, falling into the courtyard.

With three levels of qi and blood and the refinement of the Five Ridge Palm, Wei He's strongest point was his hands.

Even with just one-tenth of his hand strength, the chair he threw was more than these two ordinary men could bear.

The two men lay in the courtyard, their bones broken, groaning in pain.

The two men inside swallowed hard, their hearts trembling.

"Junior and I would never lie. This is known by more than one person. The head of the Redstone Town branch, Zhao Shaogang, also knows. Senior can ask him."

The slender man, a capable person, didn't forget to shift the blame to his competitor at this moment.

Wei He didn't bother with his petty thoughts.

"Alright, where are the gold notes and the exotic beast meat?"

"Um... I'll lead you there, Senior!" the slender man said first.

"No, you come," Wei He pointed at the young man.

The young man was bewildered, his heart filled with distress. He had been hit by a palm that had cracked his hand bones and now needed immediate treatment, or his arm might be crippled. But since he was chosen, he had no choice but to step forward.

A moment later, with two cries of pain, the courtyard gate opened, and a figure darted out, disappearing at the end of the street.

Actually, he didn't plan to kill them, but the young man's palm strength was indeed formidable, not much weaker than Xiao Ran. To eliminate future troubles, he had to cut off the root.

At such a young age, the young man could have such palm strength. What would happen if he grew up? What if he came to seek revenge?

Since they were already enemies, he might as well kill them to end it all.

The night grew deeper.

Wei He ran quickly down the street, recalling the information he had just extracted.

Among it was information about the Guan family.

The Guan family, where Guan Ye was from, was one of the top pharmaceutical merchants in Feiye City. Now, they were planning to withdraw, which seemed unproblematic on the surface.

But since the Guan family had gradually become arrogant after the encirclement and killing of a three-level qi and blood expert years ago, their business had grown larger and larger.

Now, their withdrawal had caused dissatisfaction among the Seven Families Alliance, and all the hidden dangers of the past might erupt at this time.

From the Kōdō Sect, he learned that the teacher of the three-level qi and blood expert who was killed, Chen Jun of the Broken Lance, had decided to settle the grudge.

Chen Jun of the Broken Lance was a guest expert of the Seven Families Alliance in the inner city, known for his low profile and dislike of public appearances. He was already in his fifties, a contemporary of the old man Zheng of the Back Mountain Fist.

From the Kōdō Sect, Wei He learned that Chen Jun seemed to have quietly found a special method to counter the Guan family's poison water network, giving him a high chance of success.

Wei He hesitated. This information was almost openly known. Whether the Guan family's withdrawal or Chen Jun's declaration to settle the grudge, everything was clear and open.

'Unfortunately...' Wei He hesitated. He was still far from a veteran three-level qi and blood expert, with a very low chance of winning.

He fell silent. His relationship with Guan Ye was not enough to make him face a veteran three-level qi and blood expert.

'The Guan family must have a plan if they dare to announce their withdrawal. They have stood in Feiye City for so many years; if they were so easy to be in trouble, they would have been in trouble long ago.'

Wei He analyzed and refocused his mind on the exotic beast meat and gold notes he had just seized.

The gold notes were only a few dozen taels, and the exotic beast meat was over thirty pounds of wild bear meat...

This meat was identical to what the Shaoyang Sect paid, seemingly from the same source.

'I'll go to the outskirts again in a few days and investigate One-Ear thoroughly.'

Wei He planned his schedule, accelerated his pace, and ran swiftly along the shadows of the street, disappearing into the night.

......

......

......

In the Guan family garden.

Guan Ye gently played with a medicinal root similar to a potato, constantly wiping the surface with a damp towel, carefully observing the patterns and texture.

The night was hazy, and the moonlight was gentle.

In the garden stood a man and a woman, the two chief managers of the Guan family pharmacy in Feiye City: Dong Danian and Yang Jie.

"Miss, Chen Jun of the Broken Lance has confirmed that he will ambush the convoy after it leaves the city. We can't determine how he will act," Dong Danian, a heavy and steady man, said. He was in charge of one of the two poison water teams under Guan Ye and was a trusted confidant sent by her father.

"That's fine. It was determined long ago that Chen Jun would act," Guan Ye smiled. "Once the poison water formation is set, that old man won't dare to get close, only daring to shoot from a distance. Unfortunately, with the heavy shield formation, even his arrows are useless. With the two formations working together, even another three-level qi and blood expert can be defended against."

"That's true. Compared to Chen Jun, I think we should be more concerned about One-Ear. Outside the city, the terrain is complex, with wild beasts everywhere and dangers lurking. Our people can't always be on high alert, so we need to allocate our energy well," Yang Jie, a woman who had climbed to the position of chief manager, said, emphasizing attention to detail.

"Indeed." Guan Ye nodded. "I have already written a letter to ask the Mountain River Gang to help smooth things over with One-Ear. It shouldn't be a problem."

The three of them discussed the details of the withdrawal under the moonlight, continuously refining their plans.

At the same time, in a private room of the Drunken Flower Pavilion in the inner city.

Chen Jun of the Broken Lance sat at a table, a telescoping chain spear on his back, his gray beard fluttering in the night breeze that blew through the window.

Chen Jun was fifty-seven years old, considered old in an era where the average lifespan was around sixty.

But due to his martial arts and abundant qi and blood, he still looked like a man in his thirties, strong and robust.

Any martial artist, even women, had a muscular build. Some women might look slender, but their sleeves would reveal muscles.

Strength, speed, precision, and techniques were all essential for victory.

Over the years, Chen Jun had taught many disciples and grand-disciples in the city.

His proudest disciple was Zhang He of the Broken Forest Spear.

Unfortunately.

Zhang He was dead. He was killed by the Guan family in a closed courtyard, poisoned by their poison water.

To avenge him, Chen Jun had tried every method, but the Guan family had plenty of money and resources, attracting many skilled hands willing to sell their lives for them.

The Guan family was also skilled in mechanisms and poisons, with numerous traps and ambushes, making it difficult to defend against their poisons.

Several times, he had infiltrated to assassinate important figures of the Guan family but almost got himself trapped.

While his lack of skill in sudden attacks and speed was a factor, it also showed the Guan family's formidable and unpredictable strength.

Chen Jun sat alone at the table, waiting quietly.

Soon, the door to the private room was slowly pushed open.

Two equally robust and muscular men walked in, one after the other.

"Chen Jun, you're really determined this time, putting everything on the line. That's pretty ruthless!" one of them laughed.

"Indeed. The Guan family relies on the poison water formation and the heavy shield formation. If this doesn't work, there won't be another chance," Chen Jun said calmly.

He stood up and clasped his hands.

"So, I'm counting on you."

A three-level qi and blood expert wasn't easy to hire. Each of them was a well-known figure, holding important positions. How could they easily risk their lives for a little profit?

Even with a substantial reward, these two agreeing to help was a significant favor.

......

......

......

Three days later.

On the city gate road, iron-black armored wagons were slowly pulled by armored oxen, moving forward step by step.

The wagons formed a long convoy over a hundred meters long, with a clear flag at the front and back: Guan.

Leading the convoy was the leader of the Guan family's trained assassins. In these times, there were plenty of people willing to sell their lives for a living. Even as assassins, they could live longer and more comfortably, at least enough to feed their families.

On both sides of the convoy, over a hundred people followed the ox carts at a steady pace.

Guan Ye, the two chief managers, and her brother Guan Qing were in the middle of the wagon, giving orders through signal flags.

The wagons were surrounded by iron plates, with no blind spots on all sides, and hidden with numerous mechanisms.

Guan Ye looked back at Feiye City through the curtain, somewhat silent.

She had thought that many friends would come to see her off, but no one did.

None of the friends who had been so loyal at the banquet were present.

"This is reality, little sister. You understand now, right? No matter how well you treat them, they won't appreciate it. They'll just think you're foolish," Guan Qing said bluntly.

He was the young man who had come to warn Guan Ye that night. Now, he looked at his sister with a mocking expression.

"I don't expect them to help, but not even to see me off?" Guan Ye said, disappointed.

"Would they dare? Haha." Guan Qing laughed coldly and said no more.