Chapter 66: Atop Dingsheng Tower
Crackle pop!
Accompanied by the doors and windows exploding with a roar, wood chips flying everywhere, in the midst of the swirling smoke and dust, pieces of glazed tiles also flipped up, clattering as they smashed down to the street below.
With a muffled ‘boom’, the Poisonous Lady fell from the fourth floor of Dingsheng Tower like a broken rag doll, crashing onto the long street.
Large splatters of blood and shredded flesh sprayed out, landing on several nearby passersby and their faces. Even though these people had grown accustomed to fights in recent days, they were still startled.
The Poisonous Lady’s waist was nearly completely severed, her flesh, blood, muscles, and bones burst open, with only her last breath remaining as her hands stretched forward, weakly grasping at nothing.
Merchants, travelers, and martial artists on the long street were all drawn by the intense commotion, turning their gazes over.
From the taverns and inns on both sides of the street, probing gazes also fell down, some looking at the Poisonous Lady, others gazing in astonishment at Dingsheng Tower where tiles were still sliding down.
“What happened?”
Many were puzzled, and a few Jianghu people approached the Poisonous Lady stuck to the ground. As soon as they got close, they suddenly caught a whiff of a strange smell, immediately feeling their heads grow dizzy, their vision blurring, and their steps staggering backward.
“Bad news! It’s the Poisonous Lady, retreat quickly!”
Some experienced old Jianghu men hurriedly shouted, while sounds of drawing in cold air rang out: “Hiss! The Poisonous Lady died so miserably? Who killed this female demon?”
“She’s still warm, not dead yet…”
While the many Jianghu people were merely stunned, the elite anti-smuggling camp members and large group of sturdy salt workers brought by Zhou Wenjie, guarding at the base of Dingsheng Tower, had already panicked.
“Something’s happened!”
“Quick, go upstairs, protect the lord!”
Dingsheng Tower, fourth floor.
Cold wind poured in through the shattered doors and windows.
Amid the flickering lamplight, the Helian Brothers, Gray Scale Gang Gang Leader Tie Ao, ‘Ghost Scholar’ Cui Hao, and several other martial artists all moved together, surrounding Hong Yuan.
Everyone drew their weapons, their faces dark and uncertain.
They had been discussing here how to ambush the other side.
Who could have expected that Hong Yuan would strike first, accurately finding his way here, and launching a thunderous strike right away, killing the silver-haired old woman Insect Granny and the Poisonous Lady in a single breath.
The martial artists in the hall belonging to the Grain Transport Gang side had the ugliest expressions, cursing those Grain Transport Gang scouts in their hearts as useless.
Amid the clanging sounds of drawing blades, the twenty elite anti-smuggling camp members who had come upstairs with Zhou Wenjie reacted a bit slowly, splitting into two teams.
One team crowded around Zhou Wenjie to guard him, while the other raised their blades and advanced toward Hong Yuan with surging killing intent.
Zhou Wenjie let out a light breath, his expression as gloomy as water, staring straight at Hong Yuan.
He was an imperial examination official who first cozied up to Wei Zhenzhu, then leveraged connections in the state government to secure the position of Salt and Iron Commissioner. He didn’t know martial arts, yet he was truly frightened to the point of nearly collapsing.
Even though as Salt and Iron Commissioner he had directly or indirectly killed many people, situations where he himself faced mortal danger were still rare.
That earlier spear strike from mid-air was truly swift as lightning; if it had been aimed at him, he didn’t dare imagine the consequences.
Chen Jiulang slowly stood up, first glancing at the broken doors and windows, then fixing his gaze on Insect Granny. The old woman had been pierced through the chest by a spear and was long dead.
Chen Jiulang’s expression was icy cold, his gaze sharp as swords, stabbing toward Hong Yuan.
The Poisonous Lady was an evil sect master he had recruited with generous promises; her death was just a death. But Insect Granny was a Grain Transport Gang attendant, specifically here to help him.
For her to die right before Chen Jiulang’s eyes, he could not escape blame.
Moreover, only now did Chen Jiulang learn Insect Granny’s background: she was actually a mystic arts master versed in Gu Technique.
He had seen the scene of that gray box breaking open; though it was shattered to powder by Hong Yuan’s force in less than an instant, a few small bugs had escaped.
Chen Jiulang glanced from the corner of his eye at the several martial artists who looked wary as they surrounded Hong Yuan.
These people were still oblivious, but Chen Jiulang had seen clearly: several tiny flying insects had been flicked away by Hong Yuan’s sleeve and flown into the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth of two or three of them.
This absolutely could not be without consequences.
In the eight hundred years of the Great Yin Dynasty, amid the vast Jianghu, there were countless types of bizarre arts, messy and varied, but Gu Technique was undoubtedly one of the most vicious and mysterious few.
With the insidious strangeness of Gu Technique, even if Insect Granny herself was frail, she might still secretly harm one or two top masters.
If he had known earlier that Insect Granny was a Gu Technique master, the killing trap he set would have been several times more dangerous, rather than her dying so worthless now.
Of course, what puzzled Chen Jiulang most was that Hong Yuan’s sneak attack had first killed Insect Granny, then the Poisonous Lady, rather than assassinating him, the obvious main target.
Chen Jiulang’s gaze was deep, yet he saw that man, facing the tightening encirclement, still calm and composed, his gaze meeting his with a smile.
Chen Jiulang slightly raised his hand, stopping the others who were poised to strike, and said indifferently: “I was just about to ask Brother Hong for advice. Could you resolve my confusion?”
Hong Yuan chuckled in disbelief: “I just said it casually, and you really ask? You and I are enemies; you don’t really think I’d tell you, do you?”
“Even if you don’t say it, I can guess a thing or two. You’ve planted a mole in the Grain Transport Gang, haven’t you? And one in a high position…”
Insect Granny’s identity wasn’t even clear to him, yet Hong Yuan had targeted her precisely, clearly having a source of information.
Chen Jiulang’s mind raced, and he suddenly waved his hand: “Kill!”
Before the words finished, Chen Jiulang reached behind the chair, a cold gleam flashing as the Dragon Pattern Hook-Sickle Spear came into his hand. He turned into a fierce wind, suddenly pouncing to kill.
Actually, Hong Yuan’s presence here was all thanks to his keen spiritual sense.
These major forces like the Grain Transport Gang had many eyes and ears, but while they were watching him, they were similarly perceived by Hong Yuan, exposing themselves.
Half an hour ago, he had indeed been at White Stone Beach over forty li away, but that distance, with his current physique and strength, was just over a quarter-hour’s run.
Once entering the county town, he didn’t even need to inquire; he already knew where Chen Jiulang and the others were.
These people trusted their own scouts too much!
Hong Yuan even had the leisure to slightly recover his stamina, then leisurely leaped to the rooftop of Dingsheng Tower, followed by his spiritual sense alerting him.
To be honest, since Hong Yuan achieved success in martial arts, this was the first time he felt threatened, and strangely, his spiritual sense perceived it not as human.
Thus, he struck with thunderous might, lightning-fast.
After piercing the ceiling with one strike, his gaze took in everyone in the hall, and his senses grew even clearer.
The pressing urgency that pricked him like thorns came from the gray box held by the silver-haired old woman.
In an instant, Hong Yuan unleashed the Life-Snatching Throat-Locking Spear, killing the old woman, then shattering the gray box with Spiral Force. Though a few escaped, they no longer posed a threat.
As for the Poisonous Lady, with Hong Yuan’s tough root bone, the poisonous smoke from her hands only slightly discomforted him.
A cycle of qi and blood could easily dispel it.
As Chen Jiulang shouted “kill,” all the martial artists present moved.
Whoosh!
Immediately, some burst with true force—not one, but three: two blades and one axe carrying fierce force, slashing toward Hong Yuan’s head and arms.
At the same time, from his side and rear, surging force boiled, qi energy tearing the air with a sharp whistle, a thunderous fist pounding toward Hong Yuan’s back.
Silver light flashed; the Life-Snatching Throat-Locking Spear in Hong Yuan’s hand suddenly thrust out like a bright silver ribbon— not to counter the four, but the swiftly charging Chen Jiulang.
His figure swift as an eagle in flight, when suddenly within a zhang, the Hook-Sickle Spear broke through the air.
“Unrivaled, Startled Swan Spear?! Taste my Chen Jiulang’s ‘Tidal Wave Spear’!”
The force Chen Jiulang cultivated was called Tidal Wave Force, a secret Grain Transport Gang technique said to be comprehended from surging tides.
Now, as his spear thrust, the red-gold dragon patterns engraved on it seemed to come alive, wind howling like dragon roars amid Yangtze waves.
Then it abruptly halted, with a massive clash of metal; the Hook-Sickle Spear collided with the Life-Snatching Throat-Locking Spear.
Spear tips met, instantly exploding in sparks, centered on the tips, fist-sized qi blast rings faintly detonating.
Chen Jiulang shuddered, his tiger mouth numbing from the mountain-crushing force, yet a ferocious grin spread on his face.
Because the four martial artists’ attacks nearly simultaneously struck Hong Yuan’s vital points; with true force’s explosiveness, even a Microscopic Level hit from an ordinary Entering Force martial artist would cost half a life.
In a flash, with a crisp “ding,” Chen Jiulang saw the opponent’s silver spear suddenly snap into two.
One section remained in the opponent’s hand, the other shaken free by his Hook-Sickle Spear, tumbling skyward.
Hong Yuan held the short staff, twisting mid-air; the two blades and axe closing in suddenly snapped, metal shards exploding.
His body agile as swift wind, with a light shift he dodged the rear fist strike, the short staff suddenly coiling, snagging a metal shard and “rip”—piercing the throat of the punching martial artist.
The three whose weapons were shattered roared fiercely, wanting to continue, but two suddenly convulsed violently, blood seeping from eyes, ears, nose, mouth.
Their strength seemed stripped by some eerie force.
“What’s happening?” The two were horrified, legs buckling, staggering like drunks.
“Hm? Gu poison acting up?” Chen Jiulang glanced, eyes flashing with terror.
Hong Yuan also saw this; before he could react, fierce shouts rang again as the Helian Brothers struck together.
The three brothers, same mother, moved as one despite being three, their strange steps wondrously synchronized.
Eldest brother Helian Tao’s Bintie Long Pole whistled fiercely, tip piercing air; second and third’s steel sabers gleamed coldly, attacking Hong Yuan’s flanks.
Qi energy surged, killing intent thick.
Their combined assault nearly airtight, even making Tie Ao and Cui Hao, who wanted to charge, halt, unable to find an opening.
This hall spacious for dozens at a banquet felt cramped in combat.
Swish!
The short spear fell; Hong Yuan met it with his staff, force turning seamlessly to reform as one, countering the Helian Brothers.
“Eh?!”
Clashing with the three, Hong Yuan instantly sensed the wonder: long pole and twin blades in perfect harmony, endless assault like a desert storm, tightly entangling.
Hong Yuan could break it with brute force, but in technique, he gained little advantage.
Slightly interested, he was enveloped by long pole and twin blades.
Helian Tao also felt the hall too narrow for their trio’s power; the long pole lashed out, shattering nearby doors and windows.
The three—Bintie pole and twin blades—clashed with the silver spear, fierce offense suppressing the silver gleam; Helian Tao grinned ferociously: “Force him off the building!”
As he spoke, their assault grew fiercer, whistling winds like gales!
“As you wish!”
Hong Yuan laughed, figure flashing out through the air to land on glazed tiles, then lightly to the rooftop ridge of Dingsheng Tower.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Figures leaped up; Helian Brothers, Chen Jiulang, Tie Ao, Cui Hao and others pursued, instantly reaching the peak, surrounding from all sides.
“He’s out!”
At the same time, from Jinshi Market’s long street inside and out, many martial artists and merchants drawn by the noise turned their gazes!
