Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

Chapter 130: Chapter 54: Triumphant Return to the City, The Crisis of Linfeng Hall

"Junior brother, there are a lot of people outside, all clamoring to see you. Won't you really meet with them?"

Xiao Zhi leaned against the door, peeking through the crack and teasingly said.

Shen Qing had already changed into clean clothes by then and was lying lazily on the freshly cleaned mud bed, indifferently saying, "They're all a bunch of climbers, flatterers. Seeing them would mean they'd bother you day and night; it's better not to meet them at all."

"True," Xiao Zhi agreed wholeheartedly, "I've seen plenty of such sycophants before in restaurants. They're all fair-weather friends, useless as farts. Ask them to lend you money, and they'll shrivel up immediately."

As he spoke, he sat down naturally beside Shen Qing.

Compared to those shriveled goods outside, he was able to get close to the ruthless man who had slain the tiger demon.

Such differential treatment brought a delighted expression to his face.

As if recalling something, Xiao Zhi asked, "Junior brother, that ghost disguised as a human looked just like the real thing, even the officer Lian from the Military Department didn't recognize it. How did you notice it?"

Shen Qing glanced at Xiao Zhi and said, "He said something to me, and just by his attitude, I immediately felt something was off."

"What did he say to you?" Xiao Zhi asked curiously.

Shen Qing said, "He actually said to me 'sorry to trouble you'."

Xiao Zhi was slightly taken aback, his face twisting awkwardly, "That... doesn't seem like much, does it?"

Shen Qing smiled and said, "When have you ever seen someone from the government office be polite to us?"

"Uh..." Xiao Zhi found himself at a loss for words, realizing that Shen Qing made a very good point.

The government office in Taiping County was notoriously arrogant.

Shen Qing continued, "Afterwards, when I saw how eager he was to point the way, it reminded me of how I used to guide prey into traps when I went hunting up in the mountains—it was clear something was wrong."

"Junior brother, I've realized that not only are you talented in martial arts, but your mind is also very sharp," Xiao Zhi gave a sincere compliment.

...

By the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Continue your journey on m|v-l'e -NovelBin.net

Wang Yanjun and a group of people had already woken up.

All being martial masters with vigorous Qi-Blood, even those who hadn't slept the night before were brimming with energy, showing no signs of fatigue.

After a brief period of tidying up and preparing, Wang Yanjun's voice broke the silence, "Return to the city!"

Under Wang Yanjun's call to action, the many martial artists stepped forward. Some helped carry the corpse of the tiger demon, while others supported their injured peers. The group marched impressively toward the official road back to Taiping County.

From the original fifty or more martial masters, now only half remained.

Linfeng Hall, in particular, was pitiful; from over a dozen members, only a mere three remained.

However, when they saw the Linfeng Hall disciple walking at the front, each person's face showed more or less a hint of respect and reverence.

Shen Qing was oblivious to the gazes behind him, just earnestly hurrying along.

He ignored everyone trying to cozy up to him, and Chang Yinfa's attempts to get close during the walk were all fruitless.

When the first ray of dawn shone on the vast land, Shen Qing and the others had already reached the official road.

The sun was brightly shining, with not a cloud in the sky.

In recent days, because of the scourge of the tiger demon, the surrounding villages had suffered greatly, and merchants were fearfully cautious, not daring to travel freely.

As a result, the city gate, normally bustling in the morning, now appeared exceedingly quiet, virtually deserted.

In the middle of the gate, the bored Taiping County guards were rubbing their sleepy eyes and yawning endlessly.

Suddenly, a strong smell of blood hit their nostrils, instantly alerting them. They looked forward curiously at what was coming.

The next moment, the corpse of a tiger demon as large as an ox was shouldered by the crowd and entered their line of sight.

Peoples' intention of making the tiger demon's gaping mouth appear alive by propping it with two sticks was quite successful; it lay over several logs, looking life-like, as if it were still alive.

"Tiger... tiger demon..."

The guards perked up, retreating a few steps in panic, drawing their daggers and closely watching the approaching crowd.

Since the Mao Hour, they had walked for half an hour.

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By the time the sun was three poles high, Shen Qing and the rest of the troops had finally made their way under the gates of Taiping County.

"It's Team Leader Wang..."

Someone recognized Wang Yanjun's identity and exclaimed in astonishment.

Standing beside her, walking shoulder to shoulder with her, Shen Qing's eyes were calm as water, casting a glance at the guards. However, the sharp gleam and murderous aura in his gaze made them involuntarily shudder.

Wang Yanjun stepped forward and said to the guards in a deep voice, "Go inform the County Magistrate right away. Tell him that the tiger demon has been slain, and the one who slew it is Shen Qing from Linfeng Hall."

Hearing this, the faces of the guards at the gate filled with shock, and they instinctively glanced at the man standing next to Wang Yanjun, hurriedly responding, "Yes!"

After speaking, one of them dashed into the city, unfastened the reins of an official horse, leapt onto its back, and sped away towards the government office.

The remaining guards automatically stepped aside, allowing Wang Yanjun and the others to enter the city smoothly.

At this time, the inner city was already bustling with activity, and the streets were crowded with people.

Upon hearing that the tiger demon had been slain, people came pouring in from all directions, eager to see the excitement.

When they saw the fierce expression of the slain tiger demon, all of them gasped with horror.

In an instant, the street was abuzz with voices, gathering more and more people.

Walking within the troop, Shen Qing slightly furrowed his brow, displeased with such a manner of entering the city.

"Brother Qingzi, Brother Qingzi!"

Just then, Shen Qing heard a familiar voice from within the crowd.

He looked around.

"Over here, over here!"

"Xiao Hu?"

Shen Xiaohu squeezed to the front of Shen Qing, panting with urgency, his face full of anxiousness.

"What are you doing here?" Shen Qing asked in surprise.

Shen Xiaohu quickly said, "There's trouble, something's happened at the hall. The Mi Gang came to challenge us and Senior Brother Wu was beaten to death right in front of Uncle Hall Master!"

"What?" Shen Qing, upon hearing this, immediately realized the severity of the situation and, without even a goodbye to the others, hurriedly broke away from the group.

Linfeng Hall.

The usually quiet inner courtyard was now filled with a throng of people.

A robust man in a short tunic sat grandly in a Taishi Chair, enjoying his tea with an air of contentment.

In front of him, Senior Brother Wu of the fourth rank lay on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, lifeless, his eyes open in death.

"Master, I didn't expect Linfeng Hall's direct disciple to be so frail. I hardly exerted any strength and he just died," said a burly man with a sneer, standing next to the robust man.

As he spoke, he cast a mocking glance towards the people of Linfeng Hall standing in front.

Even the usually mild-mannered Li Linfeng couldn't suppress his anger and stepped forward, saying, "Sun Tiangai, if there's a debt of vengeance, it should be directed at the one responsible. You're welcome to settle it with me!"

"The sparring between disciples can sometimes lead to unfortunate injuries or even deaths. It's hard to avoid," replied Boss of Mi Gang, Sun Tiangai, setting down his teacup on the table with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Besides, you killed my son back in the day, and now I've killed your disciple. We're even."

"What exactly do you want?" asked Li Linfeng.

Sun Tiangai said, "I'm here for a challenge at your hall, what's so agitating about that, Master Li?"

As soon as these words came out, Li Lingchan, Ouyang Tiezhu, and others hiding behind Li Linfeng turned pale.

In the courtyard, just the disciples of Mi Gang in the Bone Refining Realm numbered no less than five, and there was one disciple with innate strength whose cultivation reached the Qi Cultivation Realm.

And now, with many of Linfeng Hall's disciples called away to hunt the tiger, the ineffective direct disciples left the hall severely weakened and utterly incapable of facing the aggressively approaching Mi Gang.

This time, the Mi Gang had explicitly come to annihilate Linfeng Hall.

"Next one, who will it be?" said the burly martial master, scanning those present.

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