Chapter 154: Twelve Palm Strikes
Beneath Yuxing Tower, it was a scene of chaos.
Sun Xiao watched the figures on the ground groaning, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves as they clutched their heads and rolled back and forth; he was nearly driven mad.
Old Chen, oh Old Chen, is this how you clear the place?
Way too simple and brutal!
Upstairs there were still Sun Jun and Jiu Chan Hui, two genuine True Intent Masters. Even when Instructor Lin went to exchange blows a few days ago, he hadn’t gained any advantage and was beaten black and blue by Jiu Chan Hui.
How was this going to end today?!
But…
When his gaze swept once more over the faintly visible Red Seal at Chen Shun’an’s waist, he suddenly froze.
The more he looked, the more familiar this Red Seal seemed, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
How was it similar to Shopkeeper Li’s seal?
A vague and shocking thought rose in his heart, leaving him shocked and uncertain, temporarily suppressing his panic.
Most of the diners around had fled downstairs.
Only a few bold ones here and there hid behind tables in the corners, munching on black and white melon seeds and salted fried peanuts, staring at this side with both fear and shining eyes.
“Where’s Instructor Lin? He hasn’t come yet?”
Sun Xiao grabbed a brother nearby who was equally pale-faced and asked urgently.
“We already sent someone to invite him on the way here; he should be on the road, right?”
That man replied with trembling lips, clearly also frightened by Chen Shun’an’s thunderous methods.
Whoosh!
An arrow tore through the air like a flash of dark lightning, flying from the gap in the stair railing leading from below to the top floor.
A pale-faced archer hid at the corner, looking at Chen Shun’an’s back, a flash of vengeful pleasure in his eyes.
Finally, I seized this opportunity!
He actually dared to come to the door demanding justice?!
No matter that you, Chen Shun’an, are some Three Refinements Martial Body or whatever, today you’ll be crippled right here!
Today’s Chen Shun’an reminded him of Lin Shou Zhuo before he had broken through to the True Intent Realm.
Both second-rate invincible!
How did another top-notch thug like this emerge under Zhao Guangxi’s command!
Fortunately, Master Guo had ultimately suppressed Zhao Guangxi, and Landlord Zhao Guanghui had always been on good terms with Master Guo.
All in all, it was equivalent to Landlord Zhao Guanghui suppressing Zhao Guangxi!
Chen Shun’an flicked his sleeve, knocking the man in front of him to the ground; a sharp whistling sound came from behind his ear.
His expression unchanged, he raised the dagger in his hand, and a streak of snow-white brilliance fell from the air like a shooting star with a trailing tail; suddenly sparks flew, and the chisel-headed arrow snapped in two.
And in the instant the arrow broke, Chen Shun’an’s figure had already vanished from the spot!
In a flash of swift action, he grabbed the archer, and blazing strength swept out, lightly tapping his arms and legs.
“Ah!!”
Amid the piercing scream, the archer tumbled down the stairs like a broken-line kite, joining the ranks of the rolling gourds downstairs.
Chen Shun’an was extremely measured in his strikes; all the injured had one arm and one leg broken without exception, showing ruthlessness yet not taking lives.
“It’s over, it’s over; there’s no way to wrap this up now.”
Sun Xiao watched this scene, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
At this moment, thumping footsteps came from downstairs.
Sun Jun and Jiu Chan Hui came down one after the other.
Behind them followed Peng Lang, Kong Chengping, and a few others, their faces smug with borrowed authority, as if they could already see Chen Shun’an deflated, entering upright and carried out sideways.
Sun Jun looked at the rolling gourds all over the floor, first stunned, then his pupils contracted sharply, and an uncontrollable killing intent surged into his eyes like a tide!
Especially since Chen Shun’an, seeing him appear, showed no fear at all, standing silently in place with his chin slightly raised, revealing a hint of arrogance.
Beating my men in my face, and still arrogant?
Sun Jun cursed loudly,
“Chen Shun’an, I **** your ancestors!! You, a goddamn refugee from Longnan who almost lost your life after being harmed, a mere Water Carrier, what right do you have to strut around here?”
“You’re cursing me, an old man?”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an’s gaze turned gloomy.
“So what if I curse you!”
Sun Jun laughed in fury, speaking without thinking: “You think having Bai Shan Ren bloodline in your ancestry means I can’t curse you? A mere second-rate, heaven-damned serpent, daring to act like a rooster and lecture your Master Sun?”
With that, Sun Jun unleashed another barrage of curses, grinding his teeth, as if determined to vent all today’s anger.
“Such vicious cursing, truly too lacking in rules.” Chen Shun’an sighed.
“Old Chen?”
A roar came.
Lin Shou Zhuo’s burly figure swept into the building like a gale, leaping up to the floor in a few bounds.
Seeing the scene, his eyes narrowed, his aura exploding outward; his already robust body seemed to swell another size, like an enraged giant ape, stepping in front of Chen Shun’an to confront Sun Jun head-on!
Lin Shou Zhuo snorted coldly: “Sun, if you want to fight, then fight; stop yapping like a long-tongued woman.”
“Instructor Lin, it’s fine; let him curse.”
Suddenly, Chen Shun’an’s voice came.
Lin Shou Zhuo turned back and saw that Chen Shun’an’s face showed no anger, but rather a profound and inscrutable smile.
A sly glint like that of an old fox, somewhat familiar to him, flashed in his eyes.
Lin Shou Zhuo’s heart stirred.
Old Chen, about to scheme against someone again?
As I thought, Old Chen wouldn’t fight unprepared, charging in with brute courage to brawl!
He came fully prepared.
Lin Shou Zhuo’s gaze inadvertently glanced at the Red Seal at Chen Shun’an’s waist, suddenly sharpening, his eyes lighting up, yet he remained outwardly composed.
“Brother Sun, calm your anger; I have words for them.”
From behind Sun Jun, Jiu Chan Hui stepped forward, hands in Flower-Picking Finger, his lama robes billowing in the wind, his solemn face full of compassion.
“Master Jiu Chan Hui, please…” Sun Jun forcibly suppressed his rage, barely squeezing out a smile.
Jiu Chan Hui walked up to Lin Shou Zhuo and Chen Shun’an, performed a Buddhist salute, and said,
“World Honored One above… I wonder if Brother Shou Zhuo and Brother Shun An are willing to change allegiance, seek a better master, and join Landlord Guo’s command?”
Lin Shou Zhuo blinked, somewhat bewildered.
Wasn’t this a fight? How did it turn to recruitment?
Chen Shun’an, however, gave the lama a deep look.
Meanwhile, Sun Jun, hearing this, instantly stiffened his neck, his face turning from green to red, shocked and furious inside.
If not for his extreme fear of Jiu Chan Hui’s strength and the Guo Guanfu behind him, he would have exploded in curses on the spot!
This wasn’t here to help; it was here to sabotage!
“Those who understand the times are outstanding people; you two must be well aware of the current situation.”
“After Master Guo became the Wuqing wellhead, he naturally must reorganize internal affairs and reclaim the territory. Landlord Zhao reduced to deputy is constrained everywhere… Why hang yourselves on a single tree?”
Jiu Chan Hui pressed his palms together, looking at Lin Shou Zhuo and Chen Shun’an, also moved by a heart that cherishes talent in his heart.
Though Lin Shou Zhuo was only at Slaying One Bandit realm, he had persisted five exchanges under his hand, though partly because he hadn’t used full strength.
But it was enough to show Lin Shou Zhuo was valiant and good in battle, a general fit for charging and breaking through.
And Chen Shun’an was a Late Bloomer with Three Refinements Martial Body; as long as he didn’t perish midway, Slaying Two Bandits or Slaying Three Bandits wouldn’t be his end.
Chen Shun’an was silent for a moment, then said: “Master, please return. If you must intervene today, draw the line. Speak no more of these words. Chen Mou’s loyalty to Landlord Zhao is as clear as the sun and moon; how could I betray him!”
Lin Shou Zhuo said: “Me too!”
In the corner, sitting behind an Eight-Immortal Table, silently brewing a pot of jasmine tea for himself, “someone” nodded in satisfaction, feeling utterly pleased inside.
Chen Shun’an didn’t even glance in “someone’s” direction, seemingly utterly unaware.
Hearing this, Jiu Chan Hui shook his head in disappointment, his robes fluttering as he appeared several zhang away.
“I do not wish to intervene in today’s matter; carry on as you please.”
Peng Lang and the others looked rather unpleasant.
Yet Jiu Chan Hui didn’t take these people seriously at all, completely ignoring their attitudes.
Colleagues?
Trash don’t deserve to be this monk’s colleagues!
“Hmph!”
Sun Jun snorted coldly, gave Jiu Chan Hui an unkind glance, then turned to Chen Shun’an and the others.
“Then let’s see true strength in action!”
With that, Sun Jun stomped the ground and vanished from the spot, holding a pair of Kunshan Steel Thorns, instantly thrusting several times in the air; surprisingly, he took on two at once, attacking both Chen Shun’an and Lin Shou Zhuo simultaneously.
The speed so fast, the aura so strong, it made people feel plunged into an icy abyss, the view filled with phantoms and raging gales.
The other Water Carriers grunted dully, shaken back several steps, not daring to approach.
Then, everyone saw Chen Shun’an unhurriedly remove the Red Seal from his waist and hold it out, saying,
“Sun Jun, what do you see this as?”
I don’t care what this is!
Sun Jun said nothing, swinging his Steel Thorns and thrusting fiercely!
Then, he saw on the Red Seal the familiar standard pattern unique to the Water Station.
Knob on top, water patterns on the sides.
Looking closely, the front clearly bore inscriptions like “North Grand Canal Branch,” “Wuqing County,” “Well Shopkeeper,” and such.
Sun Jun’s face changed drastically; he hastily withdrew his Steel Thorns, retreating several steps, his qi and blood churning chaotically, throat roiling, instantly filling his mouth with the taste of rust.
Chen Shun’an still held his chin slightly raised, in an arrogant, superior posture, smiling faintly as he said,
“Sun Jun, cursing me, Chen Mou, is one thing, but today you also cursed me for lacking rules, unqualified to teach you… That equals insulting the Well Shopkeeper, slandering the Landlord, and trampling the face of the entire Water Station trade!”
At this point, Chen Shun’an’s voice turned stern, roaring,
“This is subordinating the superior, disrespecting trade rules and family law! Where is Lin Shou Zhuo?!”
Lin Shou Zhuo glared and said: “Here!”
“According to our Water Station rules, how are those who insult the shopkeeper punished?”
“Mouth-movers get twelve palm strikes; hand-movers get thirty imperial rods; those who harm get expelled from the Water Station, never to be hired again.”
“Then do it.”
“Yes!”
Lin Shou Zhuo was thrilled, immediately pouncing forward to land in front of Sun Jun.
Sun Jun’s face alternated between green and white, pointing at Chen Shun’an’s Red Seal, his mouth still trembling,
“You you you…”
Smack!
A loud slap landed squarely on Sun Jun’s face, making him stagger.
Sun Jun’s face swelled red at a visible speed, a clear handprint appearing.
Sun Jun was furious to the point of madness, his eyes turning red.
Chen Shun’an suddenly raised his voice: “What, Sun Jun, you dare resist and rebel?”
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
Lin Shou Zhuo delivered slap after slap without hesitation, afraid Sun Jun would react and desperately resist, unwilling to cooperate.
After twelve palm strikes, Lin Shou Zhuo leaped back, pulling away from Sun Jun and returning to Chen Shun’an.
His fingers rubbed together, as if still savoring the sensation.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Those still wailing on the ground also fell deathly silent, covering their faces with hands, peeking through finger gaps.
Even Jiu Chan Hui was somewhat slack-jawed, hurriedly reciting a round of past Living Buddhas and World Honored One dharma names in his heart.
Though he wanted to hammer Sun Jun and the others, right now it was only stirring in his heart.
Chen Shun’an?
This man truly is remarkable… He should be converted and take refuge in my Buddha!
Behind Chen Shun’an, Sun Xiao and the others glanced at Chen Shun’an, then at Sun Jun whose face was flushed red, seeming on the verge of qi and blood explosion.
Somewhat bewildered.
Old Chen, how did he become a shopkeeper?!
Then now, shouldn’t he be called Shopkeeper Chen?!
