Chapter 13. Escaping from One Stench, Another Stench

Xue Xue is one of the three major defensive techniques of Hougong, alongside 'Xu Yun' and 'Tong Ji,' and currently, it is only possible to use Xue Xue. The duration of Xue Xue is one hour. During this time, one can be free from the opponent's pressure point techniques, and if the opponent succeeds in pressing a point, one can take advantage of their moment of relief to counterattack.

However, where is this stench coming from?

It's not a mild odor; it's overwhelmingly foul. Outside, the commotion has already grown, and voices of confusion and curiosity are getting louder.

Hougong immediately called Songhua.

"Where is Songhua?"

"Hmm... Hmm..."

"Hmm?"

Songhua's response sounded like a strange moan.

After a while, Songhua entered, her nose and mouth tightly wrapped in cloth. Even with only her crescent-shaped eyes visible, she covered her mouth again with her hands and said, "Young Master, are you alright?"

Her words came out muffled but were still understandable.

"Ahem... I'm not fine. What is this smell?"

"I don't know either. It started suddenly."

"Hmm?"

"Young Master, what should I do? I feel like my body is rotting. What will happen to my beautiful skin?"

"That's a serious problem."

The stench was just that, and it didn't seem to affect the body.

Hougong went outside to investigate.

The surroundings were in chaos. Everyone looked bewildered, and they all had their noses and mouths covered with cloth, except for their eyes. The air was clear, with no smoke or fog, only the pure stench.

In the distance, shouts could be heard, and a group of about ten people were gathered, talking. Among them, a familiar voice was raised.

Yun's voice.

Yun was aggressively questioning Fumeng about what had happened.

Hougong rushed over.

"Brother, you're here."

Yun, who had been about to grab the youngest, straightened up and greeted him.

"What happened?"

"Fumeng seems to have tampered with the ventilation array while repairing the eastern entrance's formation."

"Hmm?"

Looking at Fumeng, Fumeng was pale and had a pained expression.

"Big Brother, please don't hit me. Please."

"Explain yourself."

"I didn't do anything strange. I didn't know the defensive formation at the eastern entrance was broken. I just fixed it, and suddenly this stench started. There were others with me, so I can prove I'm not lying. Big Brother, you have to believe me."

His expression was one of utmost injustice.

"Hmm..."

Hougong sighed.

Apart from Fumeng's aggrieved expression, there was no reason for him to lie. Fumeng, though somewhat naive, had never lied before and was not the type to do so.

Hougong searched his memories of Fan Xiang.

He recalled the formation at the eastern entrance, but finding an immediate solution was difficult. Moreover, Fumeng's talent in formations was on par with Fan Xiang, so Hougong's involvement wouldn't make much of a difference.

Therefore,

"Fumeng, thoroughly inspect and find the cause, then fix it. Yun, assist Fumeng."

"Yes, Brother."

"What do you plan to do, Brother?"

"I have other matters to attend to."

***

Hougong went outside.

A quick escape from the stench.

Four guards, including Songhua, accompanied him.

- Let's go!

With just those words, Songhua ran over, and the four guards approached with friendly expressions. They were grateful to be the guards of the heir, feeling it was a reward for their past hardships.

Hougong descended to the village, had a meal at a restaurant, and leisurely strolled through the bustling streets.

He observed the passersby but saw no one notable.

'There are no familiar faces.'

More accurately, no one was familiar to Fan Xiang.

He didn't come out just because of the stench. He also wanted to gather information on the current state of the martial world and the direction of the Martial Alliance after his "death." The self-immolation of the Martial Alliance leader was a shocking event in the martial world.

Before he developed depression, Fan Xiang had interacted with the children of prestigious families, so he thought he might encounter someone he knew, but he saw no familiar faces.

After one round, he found nothing.

Another round would be futile, so he entered an inn to quench his thirst.

After ascending to this floor, Hougong and Songhua walked to a window seat, and the four guards sat at a nearby table.

"Young Master, what is that smell?"

"I don't know."

"Could it be some strange plant growing?"

"Or maybe someone strange is inside."

Songhua laughed.

"Who would be in there?"

"An old beggar might be different."

"Indeed, the beggars of the Beggar Sect are so dirty. Why don't they wash themselves?"

"The Beggar Sect is hopeless."

"Ah, you know the Beggar Sect, Young Master?"

Songhua looked at him curiously.

The four guards at the nearby table also turned to look at Hougong.

"From a book."

Hougong replied casually.

They all nodded in agreement.

Books are numerous, and the heir's reading volume is beyond imagination.

Songhua smiled.

"Books are the best. Young Master, I don't think anyone is inside."

"I agree. The thought is terrifying."

The tea they ordered arrived, and Hougong sipped it while gazing out the window at the street.

Many people were passing by, but they were all ordinary pedestrians. A child holding their mother's hand, a few elderly people, and well-dressed young couples.

'Hmm?'

The young couples.

Two men and two women. The two young men were familiar to Fan Xiang.

'Zhang Ye of Yanhua Pavilion and Ximen Xian of Ximen Family.'

They weren't close friends, but they were acquaintances.

The two women were unfamiliar.

Not everyone had to be known. Two were enough. He just wanted to get a general sense of the martial world, and Zhang Ye and Ximen Xian were suitable conversation partners.

The four of them also sat at a window seat on this floor.

They were too engrossed in their conversation to notice anyone watching them from across the street.

'I should give them some time to chat. I won't rudely interrupt. Hehe...'

They were in the prime of their youth. Just being together must be enjoyable.

After spending about half an hour, Hougong sipped his tea, planning to talk to them.

At that moment,

"Bring the owner here immediately!"

A loud shout echoed through the inn.

The shout came from a middle-aged swordsman sitting by the window, two tables away.

He was sitting alone near the entrance, with a square jaw and sharp eyes. He had been looking outside occasionally, as if waiting for someone, but suddenly shouted.

The innkeeper hurried over.

"Customer, what's the matter?"

"Are you the owner?"

"Yes, I am."

"Did you plan to kill me?"

"Me?"

"Why did you put a mosquito in the soup?"

"Customer, we didn't put a mosquito in the soup. How could we do that intentionally?"

"If it wasn't intentional? You didn't put it there to annoy me, but you hid it deep at the bottom, so I only found it after finishing the meal!"

"We tried to be careful, but we must have missed it. I apologize. I'll give you a free bottle of wine and waive the bill."

The innkeeper bowed deeply.

"That's not acceptable. I ate a lot of soup with the mosquito boiled in it!"

"Then, what would you like?"

"Compensation."

"How much?"

"Ten taels of silver should suffice."

"Ten taels?"

The innkeeper's eyes widened.

Ten taels of silver was a huge sum, equivalent to a month's revenue for a regular inn. The innkeeper's face turned pale.

'The martial world is still the same.'

Hougong inwardly sighed.

There are always unreasonable people.

"Customer... ten taels..."

"It's too little, isn't it?"

Swish~

The swordsman drew his sword, which he had leaned against the chair, and placed it at the innkeeper's neck.

"How about this? Will you change your mind?"

The innkeeper trembled in fear.

The four guards looked at Hougong for permission, but he shook his head.

There are always such people.

Killing them all would be exhausting.

He didn't want to cause trouble now.

"Songhua."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Go and pay the money."

"Yes, Young Master."

Songhua understood the intention to handle it quietly.

It was her first outing since the memory loss and recovery, and her first outing in years. She approached the middle-aged swordsman with both hands clasped, as respectfully as possible.

The swordsman was puzzled.

"Who are you?"

"Hello."

"Hello...?"

The swordsman was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a beautiful girl who greeted him kindly.

"So, hello... Who are you?"

"Are you upset about the mosquito in the soup?"

"Yes, what about it?"

"Seeing how upset you are, our Young Master has offered to give you ten taels of silver."

The swordsman looked Songhua up and down, then glanced at Hougong.

'Oh!'

The maid is pretty.

The young master is well-dressed but looks frail and has a delicate face.

He has four guards, but they don't seem particularly impressive. If he had real skills, he wouldn't need to offer money.

"That's not bad."

Songhua took out the silver and placed it on the table.

"Hehe..."

The swordsman laughed and shook his head.

"Thinking about it, ten taels is far too little. Thirty taels would be more appropriate."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have more right now. Can't we make it work?"

"Hehe, no, we can't."

Hougong couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.

There was no reason to give him a second chance.

He looked at the guards and nodded slightly, then called Songhua.

"Songhua, let's go."

The swordsman answered.

"Hey, scholar. Where are you going? No one can leave without my permission."

The swordsman smiled, but his eyes were fierce.

But Hougong wasn't the only one who had changed.

Hougong crossed his arms and nodded at Songhua.

That was enough of a signal.

Songhua's demeanor changed instantly.

She directed a cold aura at the swordsman.

"Stop it. Do you really want to die?"

"What? You!"

The swordsman's pupils dilated.

In an instant, he swung his sword, aiming to cut from Songhua's thigh to her shoulder. It was incredibly fast, but the sword only sliced through empty air.

Songhua had already moved back.

"?"

The swordsman was puzzled.

The distance between them was close.

He had almost been within reach, but he never expected her to dodge so far away.

In that moment, Songhua's aura had completely changed.

Her eyes glowed, and a chilling cold emanated from her entire body.

The cold was so intense that it filled the entire inn, causing the other two customers to flee, and the innkeeper and waiter to shiver as if they were in a winter mountain.

The shy girl who had just said "Hello" was nowhere to be seen. The swordsman's lips curled up.

"Strange woman. Why did you act so subservient if you know martial arts?"

He lunged with his sword.