Chapter 32: Rainy Night, No Umbrella And No Knife
Xu Yanwu died, nothing earth-shattering, nothing worth singing or crying about, just as he said he wouldn’t live past a month, exactly one month, and he passed away quietly.
Although they only spent a month together, as his master, apart from teaching martial arts, there was no emotional bond, like the wind, coming and going quickly, but he left him with a body full of excellent martial arts.
He didn’t seek anything in return, right away teaching martial arts and asking for ingredients, Li Ye sincerely acknowledged this favor.
Under the moonlight, Li Ye silently watched the lifeless Xu Yanwu, discovering for the first time that this stone-faced master looked quite gentle when smiling, he must have been a very gentle person before.
Nearby, Pan Zhengyang looked up, his eyes contrasting with the moonlight, as if they had absorbed the moon’s glow, but it quickly dissipated.
He sighed, walked over to Xu Yanwu, patted his shoulder, “Over thirty years, just this one friend to my taste. Back then when he was crippled, I insisted on staying in touch, otherwise he would have vanished long ago.”
With that, he grabbed a bottle of liquor, shook it at Li Ye, “Have a drink? You’ll keep watch tonight, no problem, right.”
“I’m the disciple, this is my duty.”
Li Ye called home, then sat with Pan Zhengyang by the stone table, no dishes, just some peanuts to go with the liquor.
“Your master was a big brother before, mild-mannered and powerful, very popular at school back then, but he was too much of a big brother, too concerned with his image. Instead, someone found an opening and struck him unexpectedly, poisoning him endlessly.”
Pan Zhengyang downed a cup in one go, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, exhaled a big cloud of smoke, and continued:
“Old Xu got into a top martial arts university with Nine Dragon Gate martial arts cultivation back then, at the peak of his fame, I also entered with Nine Dragon Gate, didn’t submit at first, but after getting beaten a lot, I did.”
“But my submission didn’t mean everyone submitted, there was a noble family scion in the capital city back then, lost and held a grudge, actually tried a sneak attack, but how could he be Old Xu’s match? Old Xu thought of being kind and spared him. And the result? Just two months later, while Old Xu was dealing with demonic creatures, that guy gathered a bunch of Second Realm fighters and crippled him.”
“This caused a big stir, and the higher-ups used it as an excuse for a major purge, but what good did that do? The man was still crippled, so I often say, these noble families all have original sin, killing them all isn’t realistic, but purging them in batches still feels unsatisfying!”
Pan Zhengyang raised his cup, clinked it with Li Ye’s, “You should learn from me later, when something happens, cut through the mess quickly, best to kill the whole family, no loose ends, then you can focus on proper business.”
Li Ye also downed it in one go, lit a cigarette too, and asked: “Like the Ren Family?”
“This kind of local power isn’t a true noble family, but it’s still disgusting.”
Pan Zhengyang asked: “Do you know about skin-peeling demons?”
Li Ye nodded.
This was a typical demonic creature, of course he knew.
A kind of demonic creature that wears human skin, disguises as handsome men or beautiful women to kill, born from corpses full of resentment, especially those related to lust.
“Yunxiu County has had a few skin-peeling demons recently, all born in nightclubs, foot bath parlors, and such establishments, check the reasons, either love murders or love suicides, even more infuriating are those who died at orgy parties.”
Pan Zhengyang said: “Skin-peeling demons appearing isn’t a big deal, just annihilate them in time, but skin-peeling demons have a feature, they peel human skin and devour flesh and blood, and the devoured flesh and blood forms essence. This stuff, if eaten by people, extends life, boosts vitality and vigor, to some extent, beneficial for martial arts.”
Li Ye frowned, “You mean the Ren Family is connected to this?”
Pan Zhengyang grinned ferociously: “The greatest poison of noble families is right here, one person killing, even ten a day, just over three thousand a year. When they act, they let demonic creatures run rampant, deaths by the tens of thousands. Who is really the demonic creature, can’t tell at all.”
“Whether the Ren Family did it isn’t clear yet, no glimmer visible, if there were real clues, I wouldn’t need evidence, I’d just go kill them. But to say they’re not involved, I don’t buy it, a local tyrant couldn’t even touch this kind of info?”
“Not reporting incidents in time, having influence but doing nothing, such existences need to be annihilated promptly. But it doesn’t concern you much, just listen. Your current task is to study hard and train hard in martial arts, no matter how big the issue, it’s irrelevant to you as a student.”
“You’ve learned the foundation establishment technique too, when school starts, enter the martial arts track, first priority is to advance to Seven Dragon Gate, get into a good university, temper and grow slowly, best to breakthrough at university. When you graduate, I’ll have you take my place, anyway you’re now considered in the Disinfection Bureau.”
Martial arts advancement also needs to fit reality, in ancient times it was learning civil and martial arts to sell to the emperor’s house, same principle now.
Whether dealing with demonic creatures or stopping evil, martial artists are needed to handle it.
Li Ye had no aversion to this at all, humans are inherently social creatures, he was going to face more demonic creatures anyway, why not join the staffing if there’s a chance?
Besides, Director Pan’s great favor is here, just this alone, he has nothing to say.
The night passed in their toasting and chatting.
Li Ye wasn’t really some seventeen- or eighteen-year-old kid, Pan Zhengyang was nearly fifty but straightforward, their chat was quite pleasant.
By daytime, Pan Zhengyang carried Xu Yanwu on his back, all the way to the funeral home.
He had no family or relatives, just an orphan, disciple Li Ye handled it on his behalf, per his last wish, holding the urn of ashes, scattering them with the wind on the highest mountain, merging with heaven and earth.
In the following time, Li Ye worked his part-time job at the Disinfection Bureau routinely, accessing information to learn, then checking where demonic creatures needed handling, the rest of the time practicing moves in this large courtyard house.
Ten days later, Li Ye finished his part-time at the Disinfection Bureau, said goodbye to his shift colleagues, and rode his electric scooter home.
The sky was very overcast today, thunder rumbling, Li Ye left at already ten at night, pouring rain, except for occasional passing cars, no one around.
Li Ye wore a raincoat, soon returned to the residential community, under the downpour, everything around was dim, couldn’t see anything clearly.
Of course, he didn’t spot that person hiding in the nearby greenery and darkness, hanging on the wall like a spider.
Wu Yongnian in black clothes, sword in hand specially painted black, quietly hanging between the fourth and fifth floors, eyes fixed on the community road below.
He and Huang Qingyi graduated from the same university, learned the same martial arts, graduated with Six Dragon Gate results, entered the Disinfection Bureau, and in a few years reached Seven Dragon Gate.
Disinfection Bureau work is dangerous, but the treatment is good, status high, the resources one can access are beyond ordinary people, no matter their social status, they have to flatter him.
Wu Yongnian was very satisfied with this job.
The info about Li Ye’s magic treasure was leaked by him.
He knew about Li Ye, just a student, coincidentally favored by the bureau chief, assigned a part-time with white-collar salary, but how could he compare to him, the main force killing demonic creatures?
But he never imagined, just leaking a bit of info, and he got investigated, now even fired!
He lost everything!
Wasn’t it just the Ren Family, nothing even happened, he only leaked a little intel.
Why did it end up like this!
Finding other work couldn’t match the high-and-mighty feeling at the Disinfection Bureau, he couldn’t accept that drop, with his talent, without the Disinfection Bureau’s treatment, martial arts was basically hopeless.
He learned martial arts to be above others, not to settle for mediocrity!
Luckily the Ren Family came to him, gave him an option, their young master going abroad, wanted him to accompany, and would supply his martial arts training resources during that time.
Abroad is a good place, way more lawless than Shenzhou.
Wu Yongnian agreed, but felt even more indignant inside, what gave that Li Ye the right to get him fired, this indignation grew deeper, eventually becoming a man-eating venomous snake, hating everyone at the Disinfection Bureau, especially that student!
Anyway going abroad, Shenzhou couldn’t touch him, might as well do it openly, to vent his hatred!
He spent a few days scouting Li Ye’s route, and today it was pouring rain, perfect to cover all traces.
Even heaven was helping him.
In the rain curtain, Wu Yongnian spotted Li Ye in raincoat, riding the familiar electric scooter forward, corners of his mouth curled up, gripped his sword tighter.
Here he comes!
Just as Li Ye’s position aligned parallel with his, Wu Yongnian kicked off with both feet, charging straight down from the rain curtain, sword vibrating at high frequency, shaking off falling raindrops, thrusting straight at the person below.
Clear Net Gale Quick Sword—Breaking Net Piercing Gale!
The sound of piercing air masked by the rain curtain, couldn’t hear any noise, under the night and rain, Wu Yongnian broke through.
At that moment, Li Ye seemed to sense something, suddenly turned his head.
For a student, noticing his move was already impressive.
Wu Yongnian smirked, sword tip straight to Li Ye’s brow center, “Die!”
Ding!!
The crisp clang stood out sharply under the downpour.
Wu Yongnian’s eyes widened, watching his rock-piercing sword stop at Li Ye’s brow center, faintly, he seemed to see some blood on the tip, but it was quickly washed away by rain.
Li Ye quickly twisted his body aside, sword tip sliding past his brow center, he pushed off with both feet upward, as he left the electric scooter, one hand reached straight for his heart.
“Golden Dragon Grasp!”
Wu Yongnian inexplicably felt his hairs stand on end, instinctively tried to turn his body, just as he spun away.
Sizzle!!
Blood sprayed, tearing several large gashes in Wu Yongnian’s left ribs, making his body stumble and fall downward.
What is this?!
What did he do?!
Isn’t he One Dragon Gate?!
Wu Yongnian couldn’t hide his shock, intense crisis forcing him to prop up with one hand and leap from the ground, turning to run.
Bang bang!
Two gunshots muffled lightly under the rain curtain, one of Wu Yongnian’s legs burst with blood, hole through knee and calf, whole body fell to the ground, sliding forward some distance.
He turned to look, saw this student in raincoat, expression hidden, right hand still with some flesh and bones, left hand holding a gun, slowly walking over.
“Ah”
Bang!
He was about to cry out, but as the sound started, Li Ye raised the gun and blasted his head.
“Master told me not to learn from him.”
Li Ye stretched out his hand, letting the downpour wash the bloody flesh scraps from it, then wiped the slight scrape on his brow center.
He lowered his head, looked at the black-clad man with shattered head, took out his mobile phone, and dialed.
