Chapter 363
Chapter 363
Shen Lang rode in a farmer's carriage, and Sword King Li Qianqiu once again acted as his driver.
“Young Master Shen, I have failed.”
Li Qianqiu sighed, his brow furrowed so deeply you could trap a mosquito between his eyebrows.
“I know.”
The Sword King's martial arts were exceedingly profound, even more so than those of Zhong Chuke or the Divine Maiden Xue Yin, but he had an inner demon—a kind of trauma. Born the son of desperately poor peasants, he had practiced martial arts every day since he was a boy. Despite becoming the new Sword King and master of the Sword Isle, he still shied away from the world. Titles like Sword King of the South Sea and Master of the Sword Isle sounded grand, but with no more than four people living on the isle, he had no real power to speak of. He trembled in the presence of high officials and nobles; when he had come to Xuanwu City before, he had never once set foot inside the count's estate. Later, when dealing with Viscount Zhu Nanting, he hadn't acted himself, forcing Shen Lang to take matters into his own hands.
And who was Su Nan? The leader of a century-old noble house, a high minister of the State of Yue, and an ambitious, overlord-like figure. How could such a man not be brimming with an imposing and domineering aura? Sword King Li Qianqiu would surely tremble upon meeting Su Nan. Shen Lang had anticipated that no matter how profound Li Qianqiu's martial arts were, his presence would be overwhelmed by Su Nan's.
“Senior Sword King, are Su Nan's martial arts very profound?”
“Very, very profound. And his aura is completely overwhelming.”
“Senior Sword King, I have a general idea about the poison afflicting your wife. However, it will require taking a considerable risk. We'll need to extract the toxins from her body and conduct several experiments to create an antidote.”
“As I've said before, if you save my wife, I will do anything you ask of me.”
He then sighed again and continued.
“But old habits die hard. I don't know if I can do what you've asked. I failed this time, didn't I?”
“Inner demons are difficult to overcome. The poison affecting your wife… it's likely from Mount Fudao, isn't it?”
“I don't know. But only Mount Fudao could produce such a virulent poison.”
“Grandmaster Xue Yin was also poisoned by a potent toxin from Mount Fudao. Grandmaster Zhong Chuke went to Mount Fudao to demand an antidote but has yet to return. Grandmaster Xue Yin has gone to rescue him. Until Grandmaster Zhong Chuke returns, I ask that you, Senior, instruct Big Dummy in martial arts.”
“No problem. I've already received two letters.”
One from Shen Lang, and one from Zhong Chuke.
“Zhong Chuke has devised a remarkable method. I will train Big Dummy according to his instructions.”
Li Qianqiu no longer acted as the driver; Thirteen took the reins of Shen Lang's carriage. Miserable days had returned for Big Dummy. It was truly a wretched sight, almost unbearable to watch. Even the Amazon warriors, Ning Yan's former guards, found the scene so pitiful they couldn't bear to look. Big Dummy once again spent his days being beaten, with Sword King Li Qianqiu launching surprise attacks on him at every moment. Even though Li Qianqiu wielded a wooden sword, Big Dummy had to constantly block his strikes. If Grandmaster Zhong Chuke had previously ambushed Big Dummy thirty thousand times a day, Sword King Li Qianqiu now attacked him fifty thousand times a day.
You read that right. Fifty thousand times! Two strikes per second, for seven to eight hours a day, from every conceivable angle. Zhong Chuke's swordsmanship was unpredictable and profound, and Big Dummy couldn't block a single move. But Li Qianqiu's swordsmanship was even more exceptional, so blocking was an even more distant dream. Moreover, the two practiced while on the road, often disappearing from sight. An hour later, they would have already arrived at their destination, waiting for Shen Lang's party, with Big Dummy collapsed on the ground like a dead dog, gasping for breath. It was a truly pathetic sight.
Thirteen, who had been despairing about his own martial arts training, now felt a renewed sense of hope. Not because he had suddenly become great, but because he realized that even Big Dummy trained with extreme difficulty, and that his strength was bought with blood and tears.
‘So everyone lives miserably. That means I, Thirteen, am just average.’
* * *
Five days later.
Shen Lang, leading several dozen male warriors and two hundred female warriors, entered Zhenyuan City, the westernmost city in the State of Yue. The Su Clan's main stronghold was located just a few dozen li from Zhenyuan City. In the distance, a majestic, towering snow-capped mountain was clearly visible. Not far from there lay the State of Qiang, and at the foot of that mountain was the village of Big Dummy's wife, Aruna.
Zhenyuan City was twice the size of Xuanwu City. Furthermore, about half the people on the streets were Westerners, with high-bridged noses and deep-set eyes. This was a city of trade, and countless shops owned by Western merchants lined both sides of the road. It was also a city under Su Nan's sphere of influence, so everyone greeted Shen Lang's arrival with hostile glares and cold indifference.
Everyone who saw Shen Lang and his force of over two hundred stopped in their tracks. They stood on the roadside and stared at them. Their cold gazes were not those of people looking at something inhuman, but of people looking at the dead. Their stares were chilling enough to make one shiver, even though it wasn't cold. Receiving a cold look from one person is bearable, but being surrounded by the icy glares of hundreds, even thousands, was extremely difficult to endure. The stares of thousands didn't say, 'You are not welcome here.' Instead, they seemed to say, 'You are welcome here. Welcome to your death.' It was like walking into a shop run by a dark syndicate, where everyone was ready to 'mince you up and make you into meat buns.' Shen Lang curled his lip and gave a disdainful smile.
Shen Lang's party soon arrived at the City Lord's manor. The Zhenyuan City Lord's manor was magnificent in its architecture and decorations, several times larger than the one in Xuanwu City. Hundreds of warriors stood in orderly formation in the training grounds outside the manor, fully armed. These warriors also stared at Shen Lang's party with cold eyes, as if looking at dead men walking. The manor's warriors, weapons in hand, looked ready to leap forward and cut Shen Lang down at any moment. Nominally, these warriors were supposed to obey Shen Lang's commands. Just then, a loud, exaggerated laugh rang out, and a man adorned in gold and silver walked out.
“Are you the newly appointed City Lord of Zhenyuan, Shen Lang? This humble one is Su Lin, the Registrar of Zhenyuan City. Welcome, Your Lordship.”
‘What do you mean, welcome? I am the City Lord of Zhenyuan, which makes me the master here. And yet you act like the host receiving a guest?’
Shen Lang glanced at the man.
‘But this is Su Lin? Marquis Zhenyuan Su Nan's nephew, the true local tyrant of Zhenyuan City? The one who drove out three previous city lords, causing two of them to die. Is this man part of Marquis Su Nan's direct faction?’
Shen Lang dismounted and laughed heartily, "Haha."
“Are you Lord Su Lin, nephew of Marquis Su Nan?”
The man replied with a smile.
“That is correct.”
Shen Lang spoke in an exceedingly friendly tone.
“Brother Su Lin, your younger brother, Shen Lang, greets his cousin.”
“Enough, enough. Now that you're in Zhenyuan City, we're all on the same side. Are you well, younger brother Shen Lang?”
Su Lin enthusiastically stepped forward, intending to take Shen Lang's hand and lead him into the manor. Shen Lang smiled even more brightly, his expression one of great intimacy.
“I have long admired you, brother, and to finally meet you today is a great fortune indeed. I hope you will look after this younger brother of yours in the future.”
“Not at all. We are all family, are we not?”
Su Lin replied with equal enthusiasm. Then, Shen Lang turned around, his expression instantly changing as he gave an order.
“Kill this man at once!”
The female commander Wu Lie, who was standing beside him, immediately stepped forward and cut Su Lin down with a single stroke. In an instant, crimson blood sprayed everywhere as Su Lin's head flew into the air, his body slumping to the ground.
Shen Lang quickly stepped aside to avoid getting a single drop of blood on himself. Now he could see that the arms and body of this 'Su Lin' were covered in nauseating syphilitic sores. That was why Shen Lang had ordered him killed instantly. This 'Su Lin', dressed in colorful clothes, had tried to hide the filthy disease spreading across his body with a bewitching and beautiful demeanor, all while attempting to grab Shen Lang's hand. This man was Su Nan's first "welcome gift" to Shen Lang upon his arrival in Zhenyuan City. He was using the very same method Shen Lang had once employed against him.
The hundreds of warriors standing outside the manor remained motionless, acting as if they hadn't seen or heard a thing when Shen Lang ordered 'Su Lin' killed.
“Hahahaha…”
Another laugh echoed from within the manor, and another man emerged. He stopped several dozen meters away from Shen Lang. This was the real Su Lin, the Registrar of Zhenyuan City and Su Nan's nephew. He was a bearded, middle-aged man of thirty-eight. Furthermore, he seemed to have some foreign blood in him.
He possessed profound martial arts and acted with a venomous and cruel heart. He had controlled Zhenyuan City for Su Nan for over a decade. In that decade, he had driven out three city lords and killed two of them. This was the very Su Lin whom Zhang Chong had impeached in his memorial and whom several other ministers had recently denounced. The man before him was a very important figure in Zhenyuan City, and he ranked quite high among the powerful and influential members of the Su Clan. As a mere registrar, he held such sway that he didn't even give a second thought to the Prefect of Baiye Commandery.
Shen Lang said loudly.
“So you must be the real Su Lin, my cousin.”
The real Su Lin replied.
“That's right. I am Su Lin! Are you well, brother-in-law? And are my aunt and uncle well?”
“They are all well. I was nearly scared to death because of you, brother. If I hadn't noticed the venomous sores on that man's body, I would have truly believed he was you. How dreadful to think he almost touched me. If that man, whose body is practically poison, had so much as brushed against my pure, untainted self, it would have been a disaster, wouldn't it?”
“My apologies. It seems I've startled my brother-in-law. That man is a clown from Zhenyuan City who contracted a filthy disease from sleeping around with men and women alike. His mind went long ago, and he spends his days impersonating others. Since this older brother of yours has some renown in Zhenyuan City, he has taken to playing my part from time to time. Hearing that my new younger brother Shen was coming, he must have decided to play me again.”
It was a nauseating first greeting, using the same tactic Shen Lang had once used to harm his enemies with a person infected with a filthy disease.
“Ah, so that's how it was!”
Shen Lang silently calculated the distance between himself and Su Lin. Just then, the voice of Sword King Li Qianqiu reached his ears.
“There's an expert with Su Lin. A top-tier expert.”
It was a situation he had fully expected. In truth, ever since his party had entered Tianshui Province, they had been within Su Nan's sphere of influence and were being watched at all times. Su Nan would have long since figured out who was with Shen Lang, and he would know more about Li Qianqiu's presence than anyone else. In contrast, they had no idea who the expert with Su Lin was. An expert from the State of Chu? Or one sent by the Hidden Yuan Society?