บท 137: Obstruction
บรรณาธิการ: Translation Nation
"There’s poison?" Shen Zhen’s face fell.
"That’s right. It’s to scare everyone else away, and also to poison you." The lady facing him gave a cold laugh before clapping her hands. At this point, twenty stocky men started shouting with rage and killing intent as they charged towards him.
"Bastard, you dare to teach my household’s dagger techniques to other people." With the flash of his dagger, it whistled through the air and counterattacked the first person who struck at him. The dagger whirled through the air once more, and again. He had used the final three techniques.
A shout rang out as their shadows broke apart from each other. Three people were completely torn apart, maimed by Shen Zhen. Raindrops assaulted the corpses, mixing rainwater and blood together. The second wave of attackers looked at the three people on the ground and knew they could not save them. They eyed the victims, as if contemplating their next moves.
He had only killed three people, and yet the fatigue and exhaustion on his face was evident. Shen Zhen turned around in a bid to leave.
"Arrest the suspect!" Several bailiffs rushed forward, their swords raised, in an attempt to capture Shen Zhen. Meng Luo Gong raised his hands and the remaining men who had surrounded Shen Zhen. At this point, a cry of agony rang out. Several warriors emerged from the group of people, all of their faces were masked. The servants who blocked the entrance from the crowd earlier all had their throats slit, as fresh blood poured out. The initial chaotic scene was thrown further into havoc, as people started pushing and jostling their way out. Nobody dared to watch on further. Everyone screamed as they made their way for the exit.
The banquet had been emptied out, and there were no casual spectators anymore. Pei Zi Yun however was using his chopsticks to pick out some meat, as he drank some wine in between mouthfuls of food. He occasionally glanced at the activity on the floor.
"As for the performance put up by the veiled woman and man, it was too dramatic and fake. It’s a pity that Shen Zhen could not see through it."
"And this Zhang Ping is such a ruthless person as well. He dared to risk his reputation all on an act. Although being made a cuckold off was not real, when word gets out it would still damage his reputation, and yet he was still willing to go along with the play."
At this point, Pei Zi Yun did not think of intervening. He picked up another piece of beef and placed it in his mouth, sampling the quality of the food. It was actually pretty good. Many fleeing people around him were extremely shocked at this young man who was still feasting in the midst of such pandemonium. They were thinking, "Who is this person? Does he not want his life anymore? To still be eating in such a situation, he must have a death wish."
As he was eating, two men stepped forward rhythmically and charged across. Pei Zi Yun wiped his mouth casually before tossing the wine jug onto the ground. He then charged into the crowd as well, chasing after all of them. When he looked at the ground, he saw more than ten men on the ground, bleeding profusely. Dozens of people had stepped over them in the chase. Even if these men were still alive before they had been trampled on, they would not be alive for much longer.
At this point, more than ten men were chasing after a poisoned Shen Zhen and his group of masked assailants.
"All of you will not escape." The chasing group of people shouted. Meng Luo Gong was chasing far behind as well. His eyes radiating with fury and killing intent as he commanded his men, "Kill them all!"
"Young Master! Hurry! Leave first!" Someone shouted. Shen Zhen turned around to look at his masked men. He hesitated for a moment before turning around and running as fast as he could.
The few masked men turned around to meet the group of ten as they clashed furiously. Their killing sounds were like thunder, as daggers flashed all over. Before long, their shadows broke apart. The few masked men had all been slain.
Shen Zhen had already escaped. He saw a horse by the road side and slashed the rope which bounded the horse to a pole. With a nimble leap, he sat on horseback before urging the horse on, "Ride, ride!"
Pei Zi Yun gave a cold laugh. Seeing the group of people chasing after the horse, he turned around and returned to Zhang Mansion soundlessly. Amidst all the chaos, nobody realized that he went back.
Pei Zi Yun strode across with confidence, as if he knew the place like the back of his hands. There was a small block, where a red lantern was lit. He jumped up to the second floor and noticed that a woman was guarding a door. Pei Zi Yun advanced on her even without her realizing. She didn’t even have time to cry out. Pei Zi Yun tapped her on her head and she passed out immediately.
When he opened the door, he saw a woman lying down on the bed, still unconscious. It was Shen Wan Lin.
"Sleeping drug?" Pei Zi Yun looked at her shut eyes and understood. Since he had no antidote on him, he had no other option. Without any further hesitation he held a hand over her head, a white ray of light swirled around his hands before encircling her. Soon after, she woke up.
"Who is it?" Shen Wan Lin woke up, her first instinct was to find her dagger. At such a juncture, Pei Zi Yun could then see her true colors, and her natural instinct to defend herself.
Pei Zi Yun smiled, her expression changed to surprise. After some time, she asked, "Where am I now?"
"Zhang Mansion." Pei Zi Yun answered plainly. "Your uncle drugged you up and delivered you here. However, something very interesting happened outside."
He explained everything that happened earlier. The more he spoke, the whiter her face turned. Before long, her face was as pale as a sheet of paper.
"I guess you now understand everything that’s happened?"
"Zhang Ping collaborated with your uncle in the act, with intention to lure your brother out and kill you. What do you think he treats you as?"
"The image of being made a cuckold was not solely worn by a person. In fact, the image would stick with the entire clan and household. And yet your uncle had chosen to bring you here out of all the places in the world. This goes to show that Zhang Ping is still infatuated by you, even if it’s just for your body. Eh, in a few days you would definitely die under their hands."
"Stop speaking." Shen Wan Lin cried out, her entire body was trembling. She was an intelligent woman and understood everything that had transpired. Since something like happened, nobody would have agreed to keep her under the Zhang household, as their reputation would be further dragged down if they accepted her. If she had woken up at her uncle’s house, she might still have a chance of survival. However, she had been drugged and delivered to Zhang household, which meant only one thing. They would rape her first before killing her.
She then whispered menacingly, "You… You’re so vile."
Pei Zi Yun did not know if she was speaking about him, Zhang Ping or her uncle.
She then started crying again for some time. When she was finished, she wiped the tears off her face with her handkerchief. She then stood up before falling on her knees, "Thank you for saving my life Young Master. I now plead to you to rescue my brother."
"Done!" Pei Zi Yun’s confident smile did not wane from his face. He extended a hand to help her up as they leapt off the building into the night.
Dragon Tiger Temple
Shen Zhen gripped his dagger tightly in his hands. He exhaled loudly before stabbing his dagger into the ground. More than ten people gathered around him and surrounded him.
Meng Luo Gong stood right in front as he eyed him coldly, "Frankly speaking, even after I had acquired your Shen family’s dagger technique, should I fight a lone battle with you, my chances of winning would only be 30% at most."
Shen Zhen gave a pained laughter, "That’s why you decided to use my sister in the ploy, hoping to lure me out. But have you thought about this, in doing such a thing, how could she hope to marry anyone in future?"
Meng Luo Gong replied coldly, "To accomplish big things, one must give up small things. What’s it to me then that I sacrifice a niece? Shen Zhen, hand over the manual, <Eight Steps to Clarity> and I might even spare your life."
Shen Zhen then asked, "Why did you have to do this? Uncle, you are my uncle. All these years I’ve never done anything to disappoint or hurt you. Many years ago, my father even passed on the sacred techniques of our family’s craft to you. Why did you have to force me into a corner?"
"Haha, Shen Zhen, you do know that your father handed me the martial arts skills, but refused to hand over the manual for entering the Dao. All these years, every time I thought about how I’m unable to ascend the Dao, my heart was filled in intense sorrow. I’ve always wanted to annihilate your entire family just to still my resentfulness." Meng Luo Gong used his whip to whip the ground, causing dust particles to burst forth.
"But you’ve forgotten how my father looked after you all these years? This manual was handed only to the sons of the Shen family. That’s how sacred it is. Even if my father decided not to hand you the Dao manual, don’t tell me you would kill everyone just to get your hands on it?" Shen Zhen’s face bore a look of utter disbelief.
"What is a little looking after his own brother-in-law? Since you refused to hand over the Dao manual, that’s a crime in my opinion. If the Young Master hadn’t pointed it out to me, I might have been deceived by you, and would not even have known of its existence." Meng Luo Gong said coldly, "Come, hand over the manual."
Noticing that back blood was seeping out of his wound, Shen Zhen’s face turned even whiter, as he panted for breath, "Pui, even if I should die I will never hand it over to you."
"Oh? You really wouldn’t hand it over? Think of your beloved sister. If you refuse to hand it over, she will not live. Haha." Meng Luo Gong started laughing deliriously.
"You!" Shen Zhen then spat out a mouthful of blood, as he stumbled forward. The wound which he had sealed up using his internal energy had split opened. He clutched onto the handle of his dagger tightly.
Seeing Shen Zhen in this state, Meng Luo Gong opened his mouth once more to speak, "By the way, many years ago, it was I who accidentally killed your father. That year, I knew that your father was in possession of an even more powerful manual, a set of mnemonics. I’ve thought about getting my hands on it day and night, and yet your father was as stubborn as a mule, and refused to hand it over. I drugged him before chaining him up. When he came to, I delivered seventy one cuts to him, and yet he refused to speak. That was around the same time you escaped."
Meng Luo Gong seemed to be speaking to himself more than anyone else, and did not notice Shen Zhen spitting out more blood, "That day you escaped, I organized a search party to relocate you. When I could not determine your whereabouts, I was devastated. Hence, I depended on your close relationship with your sister, and placed all my hopes on my niece. I raised all these years in anticipation of her wedding to lure you out. Now that you’ve seen your sister for the final time, I’m sure you’ve brought the manual with you as well to hand it over to her didn’t you? Honestly, if you hand the manual over I might even spare your life."
Meng Luo Gong was still smiling evilly, gazing coldly at Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen’s lips were covered in red blood, dripping down onto the floor. It seems like the poison was fast reaching his heart.
"Since we’ve already caught him alive, and he’s been poisoned. Having ran so far to get here, his martial arts skills must’ve depleted his stamina considerably. This is my chance to strike. All of you, charge at him!"
Meng Luo Gong looked at Shen Zhi, and knew that the poison was close to reaching his heart. The poison, his wounds, his elevated heart rate all were tell tale signs that he was severely weakened. This was why he had spoken all these heart wrenching truths, to further demoralize and weaken him.
"Kill!" Following Meng Luo Gong’s orders, more than ten men rushed forward menacingly.
"Die!" Shen Zhen’s dagger flashed as the throat of the nearest person was slit. Shen Zhen sprayed out more blood from his mouth. He covered his mouth before realizing there was movement behind him. When he turned around, he noticed that someone had crept up behind him, trying to use some chains to choke him out from behind.
Shen Zhen twisted his dagger in a flurry of attacks before stabbing it into the man behind, as fresh blood sprayed all over his face. He then turned around to enter the dilapidated temple.
Meng Luo Gong looked at the wretched state his nephew was in and burst out in laughter, "Shen Zhen, why are you still trying to flee. You’re already hurt, and I have so many men with me. Do you really think you can escape? Hand over the manual, and you and your sister will live happy lives. If not… Hm hm!"
"Even if I hand over the manual, you will not spare my sister. Someone like you will seek to eliminate my entire family lineage and leave no survivors. I only hate myself for not listening to my old butler earlier." Shen Zhen spoke, his eyes were bloodshot, "You forced me to a corner. I know that if you do not all die here, my sister will never have a moment of peace."
"Eight steps of clarity." Shen Zhen closed his eyes as he whispered to himself. His pale and ashen face was replaced by a red and rosy glow on his cheeks.
"No!" Meng Luo Gong gave a shocked cry, as his face fell, "The Vitality Immolation Technique, to burn one’s life energy and convert it to strength. You even learnt how to do that? So what if you can convert your vitality into strength? So what if you possess the Eight Steps of Clarity techniques? We have so many people here, what should I fear? How many people can you kill before you eventually succumb?"
"Kill him, do not show mercy. Since he’s already used his last resort, it’s clear that he wished to fight to the death with me. Do not spare him, kill him off." Meng Luo Gong’s face was ashen as he acted decisively. Although his strength and skills were greatly weakened due to the poison and his wound, this technique would enable him to strengthen himself and increase his fighting capabilities by 300%, which would mean he’s back to full potential, or even stronger. That would be enough to threaten the life of Meng Luo Gong himself.
At this point, everyone froze as they heard the sound of someone slow clapping, "What a good plan. What good martial arts skills. What tough resolution. However, Young Master Shen, why did you have to resort to that? Things were not getting out of hand yet.
"Who is it?" Shen Zhen and Meng Luo Gong were taken aback. When they turned around to look, they saw that a young man had jumped down from the wall.
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