Chapter 283: Chapter 157: First Signs of Chaos
Shen Zhiheng turned to Chen Cheng, cupped his fists, and said solemnly, "Chen Cheng, for saving Qingyao this time, the Shen Family owes you a great debt."
From Shen Qingyao’s account and the signs of battle at the scene, he could tell that Shen Qingyao’s victory over the Shadow Eighteen Bandits had been a stroke of luck.
The most crucial factor was that Chen Cheng had broken the Shadow Eighteen Bandits’ Battle Array. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Chen Cheng also cupped his fists and replied, "It was all due to Senior Sister Qingyao’s formidable Sword Momentum. I merely provided assistance from the side."
Shen Zhiheng had inspected the bandits’ corpses. He knew that thirteen of the eighteen men had been killed by a Long Saber, the cuts clean and decisive—the work of a Perfect Level Saber Technique. How could he not realize Chen Cheng was just being modest?
He nodded repeatedly in praise. "To be so young and yet know not to be arrogant about your achievements is truly rare."
Just as he was speaking, the Shen Family’s Hospital Martial Artists who had followed Shen Zhiheng arrived. Their strength couldn’t compare to Shen Zhiheng’s, so they were naturally a bit slower.
The torches held by the men brightly illuminated the mountain path. All eighteen bandits had been decapitated, and dark red blood pooled on the ground.
The twelve bandits armed with broadswords were in an especially gruesome state, missing arms and legs as if they had been dismembered. Not a single one of their bodies was intact. The scene was utterly horrific.
All the Hospital Martial Artists wore grave expressions, their hearts pounding in shock. They looked at Shen Qingyao with great reverence.
Only Shen Zhiheng glanced at Chen Cheng with a complicated expression.
A moment ago, without the torchlight, Shen Qingyao hadn’t felt much. But now, with the torches illuminating such a gruesome scene—the first she had ever witnessed in her life—the color drained from her face.
Seeing everyone’s gazes on her, Shen Qingyao subconsciously pointed at the five relatively intact corpses and said, "I only killed these five. Chen Cheng killed the rest."
Only after the words left her mouth did she feel it was inappropriate. ’Isn’t killing bandits who are steeped in evil a matter of course? Why do I feel the need to explain myself?’
It was only then that everyone noticed Chen Cheng was bathed in blood. His Long Saber was completely crimson, the blood on it not yet dry. The metallic stench clinging to him was overpowering. Combined with his deep, dark eyes and calm expression, he looked just like a God of Slaughter.
"Er..." Chen Cheng grinned and chuckled. "The bandits were wearing Heavy Armor, and my Deer Cutting Saber Technique isn’t very refined, so I used a bit too much force and couldn’t hold back."
Decapitating people while chatting and laughing—now that was true terror!
The gazes of the Hospital Martial Artists grew even more reverent.
Even Shen Qingyao’s lips twitched involuntarily.
’It seems I still know far too little about Chen Cheng.’
The name "Fierce Ah Cheng" was definitely not just an empty rumor!
"We shouldn’t linger here. Clean this place up. We’ll talk more when we get back."
The events of the night concerned Shen Qingyao’s whereabouts, so Shen Zhiheng naturally didn’t want to draw attention and waved his hand to give the order.
The Hospital Martial Artists acknowledged the order and began to clean the scene, dealing with the corpses of the Shadow Eighteen Bandits.
They were clearly not new to this kind of work. Their movements were extremely efficient; some carried away the corpses, while others covered the bloodstains with dirt...
Chen Cheng secretly assessed them and found that the twenty-odd Hospital Martial Artists were all at Skin Grinding Realm Perfection or higher. The two leaders even seemed to be Perfect Martial Artists of the Muscle Strengthening Realm.
These Hospital Martial Artists were likely only a small fraction of the many guards under the Shen Family’s command.
This gave a glimpse into the Shen Family’s power.
’And the even more powerful Jiang, Qin, and Wang families are likely stronger still. I must be careful from now on.’
...
After entering the city, Shen Zhiheng and Shen Qingyao returned to the Inner City.
Chen Cheng, on the other hand, went back to his home on Bailu Avenue. After changing out of his blood-soaked clothes and washing up, he inspected his gains in his bedroom.
The Shadow Eighteen Bandits were infamous, but apparently quite poor. Chen Cheng had searched all of them, but the total amount of silver coins he found was just over three thousand.
In addition, there was one Low Grade Muscle Strengthening Pill and two Cultivation Technique Manuals: *Blood Evil Mad Saber* and *Blood Evil Battle Array*.
*Blood Evil Mad Saber* was a Superior Saber Technique, but the Secret Manual didn’t contain a Fundamental Diagram.
As for the *Blood Evil Battle Array*, it was a Battle Array used in coordination with the *Blood Evil Mad Saber* technique once it reached the Perfect Level.
The power of this Battle Array was immense, especially suited for encirclement and annihilation. According to the Secret Manual, if dozens of Perfect Level *Blood Evil Mad Saber* martial artists joined forces to execute the *Blood Evil Battle Array*, they could trap and kill a one-hundred-man Military Array.
Furthermore, as people trapped within the formation were killed, the Blood Evil Qi would intensify, making the *Blood Evil Battle Array* increasingly powerful.
’These two Secret Manuals are worth a glance at best. They’re pretty useless to me.’
The *Sleeve Universe Skill* Secret Manual he’d bought from Hundred Treasures Studio, on the other hand, was quite good. Chen Cheng studied the section on the Concealment Secret Skill Heart Method again. In just half an hour, he actually increased his correction progress on the Concealment Secret Skill by 1 point.
However, this kind of Skill didn’t help with combat ability, so Chen Cheng couldn’t be bothered to practice it for the time being.
After collecting his thoughts, Chen Cheng practiced his Deer Cutting Saber Technique a few more times before finally resting.
...
Meanwhile, Shen Qingyao and Shen Zhiheng returned to the Shen Family and reported their encounter with the Shadow Eighteen Bandits to the Patriarch, Shen Mingyuan.
Upon hearing their report, Shen Mingyuan was furious. To be cautious, he decided that from now on, Shen Zhiheng would accompany and protect Shen Qingyao whenever she went to the Black Market.
As for the matter of the Shadow Eighteen Bandits, it was clear that Hundred Treasures Studio had leaked the information beforehand.
However, considering the Taiyi Sect backing Hundred Treasures Studio, Shen Mingyuan, though enraged, did not choose to retaliate against the studio.
After all, even the Great Dao Sect didn’t dare to easily provoke a major power from the State City like the Taiyi Sect. The Shen Family was even more insignificant in comparison, so how could they dare to touch a faction under the Taiyi Sect’s control?
Chen Cheng’s performance, however, had greatly surprised Shen Mingyuan. He mentioned that he wanted to find an opportunity to meet this young talent and focus on nurturing him.
...
「Cold Crow Village Black Market, Hundred Treasures Studio.」
A masked Tang Xichen, dressed in black, hurried into the Cloud Pavilion. He sat down in a seat in the inner room and then fell silent, lost in thought.
Bi Ziqian stood respectfully by his side. He was secretly curious but didn’t dare to ask any questions.
After all, he was just a minor figure working for the Taiyi Sect, while Tang Xichen was an Inner Sect Disciple of the Taiyi Sect.
Never mind a Prefecture City like Linji City, even in a major place like the State City, Tang Xichen was a noble young master of distinguished status.
In Linji City, Tang Xichen represented the Taiyi Sect.
After a long while, Tang Xichen finally glanced at Bi Ziqian and said languidly, "Those two ’young masters’ from the Shen Family tonight... I’m afraid their identities aren’t so simple.
Shopkeeper Bi, you misjudged them."
Bi Ziqian was startled. He asked cautiously, "Young Master Tang, did the Shadow Eighteen Bandits’ attempt to kill those two stir up a huge mess and infuriate the Shen Family?"
Tang Xichen shook his head. "Quite the opposite. The Shadow Eighteen Bandits were killed by those two."
"That actually happened?" Bi Ziqian’s mouth fell open, finding it hard to believe.
Tang Xichen said, "When the Shadow Eighteen Bandits ambushed those two, this young master was watching from a distance.
Later, people from the Shen Family showed up and cleaned the scene. However, this young master went to investigate afterward. Based on the traces left behind, the Shadow Eighteen Bandits were likely all killed."
"This... Could it be that one of those two is a martial artist at Great Success in the Bone Forging Realm?"
Bi Ziqian was flabbergasted. "That shouldn’t be possible. Among the Shen Family’s younger generation, only Shen Qingyao and Shen Qingshuang, known as the ’Peerless Twin Beauties of Linji City,’ have any notable Martial Arts Power, and even they are only at Small Success in the Bone Forging Realm.
To kill the Shadow Eighteen Bandits, you’d need Shen Qingyao and Shen Qingshuang to team up. But of the two people tonight, while one might have been a woman disguised as a man, the other was definitely a man."
A glint flashed in Tang Xichen’s eyes as he said leisurely, "Perhaps, besides the ’Peerless Twin Beauties,’ the Shen Family has been hiding another young martial arts expert.
In this tiny Linji City, the fact that the younger generation has a Jiang Lang and a Wang Xiongba is already quite surprising to this young master.
To think that the Shen Family is also hiding such a young and powerful martial artist.
This is getting interesting. It wasn’t a wasted trip coming all the way here from Yun State."
Bi Ziqian said with some concern, "Since the Shadow Eighteen Bandits were killed, the Shen Family has likely discovered that it was our Hundred Treasures Studio that leaked the information.
Should we be on guard against the Shen Family’s retaliation?"
Tang Xichen snorted coldly. "Don’t you worry. I’ve already spread the word that Hundred Treasures Studio is under the Taiyi Sect.
A minor clan like the Shen Family wouldn’t dare to touch Hundred Treasures Studio even if you gave them ten times the courage.
Forget the Shen Family. Even the other three of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City, or even the Demon Suppression Department which is under the direct jurisdiction of the Great Dao Sect, wouldn’t have the guts!"
"Yes," Bi Ziqian replied respectfully.
Tang Xichen continued, "Whatever. The Shen Family killing the Shadow Eighteen Bandits was unexpected, but we still have a good show to watch.
The whereabouts of the Shadow Eighteen Bandits may be secret, but this young master knows their background. The Wang Family was backing them, which is how they managed to evade the Protectorate Army’s encirclements.
This young master originally planned to wait until the Shadow Eighteen Bandits had killed the Shen Family ’young masters,’ and then reveal the bandits’ collusion with the Wang Family to the Shen Family. But now, that won’t be necessary.
The Wang Family has lost the Shadow Eighteen Bandits and will surely be furious. They will inevitably move against the Shen Family behind the scenes.
Marquis Zhenbei’s Mansion, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sutra of Ultimate Sect have all sent people here. Linji City is bound to descend into chaos.
You and I just need to do our part and add a few more flames to this chaotic situation..."
