Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Acting
Chen Yuan and Wen Rou confirmed some details, finally deciding to make their move in three days.
After settling the matter, Chen Yuan asked, "Boss Wen, have any major events happened in the Jianghu recently? Do I have to pay for this information?"
Wen Rou looked at Chen Yuan strangely. "Common knowledge doesn’t cost anything, but why are you asking? You haven’t even left Lianshan City. What do these major events have to do with you?"
"Not much, I’m just curious. I may be a frog in a well, but if I can’t even hear the sounds from outside the well, I’d be a true fool."
Chen Yuan wanted to get some news about the outside world from Wen Rou, hoping to align the current timeline with some of the major plot developments he remembered.
Wen Rou didn’t press further and said directly, "There have indeed been quite a few major events in the Jianghu lately. Our Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower headquarters sends us news almost daily.
"The biggest event was a month ago, when the great titan of Yan Province, Zhi Shilang, raised the flag of rebellion on Changbai Mountain, establishing the Sun-Swapping Alliance to oppose the Court.
"He composed a song that goes: ’Before Changbai Mountain stands Zhi Shilang, clad in pure red silk with a brocade vest.’
"With a single rallying cry, Zhi Shilang gathered over a hundred thousand people. The heroes and vagabonds of Yan Province answered his call like clouds gathering, creating a monumental force. In just a few days, they conquered nine cities in Yan Province one after another. He then had King Yan Zhao Pan, a member of the Royal Family, beheaded and hung his head from the city gate tower for the birds to peck at.
"However, the Court quickly dispatched Grand General Xiahou Jiuxiao of the Dingnan Army to lead a punitive expedition. He repeatedly defeated the Sun-Swapping Alliance’s rebel forces and, in one fell swoop, recaptured five cities. Right now, the two sides are in a standoff.
"Half a month ago, the ’Sword God’ Xie Kunwu traveled alone to the Western Border to challenge Sonam Semo, the ’Descent Bright King’ and abbot of the Venerable Dharma Ability Temple, a major Esoteric Sect.
"No one dared to watch the battle up close, but someone more than ten li away saw a Great Sun Golden Light melting the snow on the mountains, its power immense.
"Afterward, Sword God Xie Kunwu severed Dorje Gomba, the holy mountain of the Venerable Dharma Ability Temple, with a single strike. The afterglow of his sword light only slowly dissipated several days later.
"The outcome of the battle is unknown. After his return, Xie Kunwu sealed Sword God Mountain and entered secluded cultivation. The Venerable Dharma Ability Temple also announced it was sealing its mountain and temple, refusing all visitors.
"Then there’s the appearance of the Divine Artifact, the Luofu Celestial Book, in Yong Province ten days ago.
"This Divine Artifact is said to record countless supreme Cultivation Techniques, and even Supreme Divine Skills that surpass the Celestial Level.
"Legend says that if someone can fully comprehend the Luofu Celestial Book, they can even shatter the void, break the limits of the Martial Dao, and achieve Ascension in the Daylight.
"The appearance of the Luofu Celestial Book caused countless Noble Sects and powerful Jianghu figures to fight over it, resulting in innumerable deaths and injuries in a short time.
"In the chaotic battle, the Luofu Celestial Book ultimately vanished. No one can be sure if it escaped on its own or was taken by someone. Some of the Major Sects in Yong Province are still tracking its whereabouts, and the aftershocks of this event are still being felt.
"Those are the major events that shook the Jianghu in other provinces. A lot has been happening here in You Province as well.
"A little over ten days ago, Qingyang City, not far from Lianshan City, was sacked by the Black Mountain Bandits. The city’s three major powers—the Liuhe Gang, the Zhang Family, and the Hong Family—were all wiped out.
"Even disciples of the Sun-piercing Alliance who were conducting business in the city were killed by the Black Mountain Bandits. Enraged, the Sun-piercing Alliance sent experts to annihilate the bandits and also posted a bounty, attracting countless experts from You Province.
"Also, the Demon Sealing Conference is about to be held in the Sealed Demon Valley, on the border of You Province and Ning Province. They’re inviting heroes from all corners of the Jianghu to participate. It’s said that this year’s Demon Sealing Conference will have some surprises, but who knows how it will differ from previous years."
Wen Rou rattled off a long list of major events happening across the Great Xia Nineteen Provinces and locally in You Province, and Chen Yuan now had a general idea of the situation.
Moreover, some of these major events weren’t in the plot at all, such as the duel between Sword God Xie Kunwu and Sonam Semo, the abbot of the Venerable Dharma Ability Temple.
In the original plot, the current timeline had just begun, and all the players were still in the Newbie Village.
These top-tier experts of the Jianghu only existed in legends, so of course, the events that transpired between them would not appear in the plot.
This served as another wake-up call for Chen Yuan. ’What I’m familiar with is just the plot I ’know,’ not the entire world.’
’Even the parts of the plot I do know might deviate due to the slightest change, straying completely from my memory.’
After confirming the time to act with Wen Rou, Chen Yuan stood up to leave.
"Doesn’t Master Chen want to stay a little longer with me? Why the rush to leave as soon as business is done?"
Wen Rou gave Chen Yuan a mournful look.
She looked like she was staring at a heartless lover who gets dressed and leaves right after finishing his business.
Chen Yuan gave Wen Rou a half-smile. "Everyone knows that the Wind Media Spies of the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower are experts at prying information out of people. I’m afraid if I keep chatting with Boss Wen, you’ll manage to trick me into revealing I wet the bed as a child."
Waving his hand, Chen Yuan went straight downstairs.
Behind him, Wen Rou let out a soft huff, grinding her teeth in frustration.
’That boy Chen Yuan looks young, like a Jianghu rookie who’s just starting out.’
’But in reality, he’s completely impervious. He’s like a rock in a latrine pit—stinky and hard. There’s no way to get a handle on him.’
Three days passed in a flash.
For these three days, Chen Yuan had been focused on cultivating the Silk Binding Jade Hand.
The Cyan Wood Heart Method progressed too slowly. It was better to spend this time cultivating the Silk Binding Jade Hand. For one, he could use the Shattering Jade Strength and Silk Binding Strength to temper his Meridians and increase his power.
Secondly, increasing his proficiency with the Silk Binding Jade Hand would also significantly boost his combat strength.
Three days later, Chen Yuan arrived at Ping’an Square. He found the tallest restaurant in the square, took a seat by the window, and observed the activity below.
Diagonally across from the restaurant was an inconspicuous little noodle stall. It didn’t even have a sign—just a single cooking pot and four small tables.
A white-haired old man, blind in one eye, was there cooking noodles, his leg dragging with a limp as he walked.
A cute, delicate-looking little girl of about seven or eight followed the old man, helping him serve noodles and clear bowls, bustling about.
It was hard to say whether it was the old man’s skill or the little girl’s endearing cuteness, but the noodle stall’s business was quite good, with a constant stream of customers coming and going.
If Chen Yuan hadn’t known the plot, he would have found it hard to believe that this blind, lame old man before him was actually Zuo Xinglie, the former renegade titan who once dominated the Jiulong River, the Alliance Leader of the Thirty-Six Waterway Alliance.
Just then, more than a dozen Jianghu People dressed in cyan and white robes suddenly stopped in front of the stall.
These people were distinctly different from the local Jianghu People of You Province.
You Province is in the north, where the climate is frigid and cold most of the time. As a result, the local Jianghu People favored dark black clothes or fur-lined vests.
Lan Province, however, is in the south, so Jianghu People from Lan Province were generally accustomed to wearing light-colored clothing like cyan and white.
The leading Jianghu man sized up Zuo Xinglie, then suddenly sneered and said in a thick Lan Province accent, "I never would have thought... the ’Jiujiang Flood Dragon’ of yesteryear is now..."
Before he could finish, Zuo Xinglie abruptly flipped over the pot of boiling noodle broth, sending scalding water splashing toward the leader’s head!
"Fuck!"
The leader was, of course, a spy from the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower, with the strength of the Meridian Passage Realm.
He had intended to finish his lines before making a move, but he never expected the old man to be so decisive, catching him completely off guard.
In truth, their disguise was too good.
Zuo Xinglie was a renegade titan. Even though he had retired from the Jianghu and was hiding in Lianshan City, he hadn’t let go of his necessary vigilance.
From the moment they appeared, Zuo Xinglie had been ready to strike.
It wasn’t just their clothing and appearance, but also the fishy, damp smell clinging to their clothes—a scent that only comes from spending years on the water. Who knows where Wen Rou had dug up these outfits.
As Zuo Xinglie suddenly erupted, the leader brandished the long saber in his hand, slashing the soup pot away. But he was still doused with scalding water, making him grimace in pain.
Seeing this, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower spies behind him also drew their weapons and attacked.
Wen Rou had already told them to only pursue, not kill, but to make it look as real as possible.
Zuo Xinglie might be crippled, but he was once a Condensing Truth Realm master.
If they held back and ended up getting taken out themselves, it would be a complete joke.
The instant he threw the soup pot, Zuo Xinglie’s right hand shot out and pulled a bamboo pole—used as a carrying pole—from the cutting board beside him.
With a forceful twist of his hand, the bamboo pole shattered inch by inch, revealing a five-foot-long Miao Saber hidden within.
The blade swept out, magnificent and dazzling, like a fleeting, startling slash, accompanied by a resounding CLANG.
Zuo Xinglie’s single strike actually forced several people back. Its power was so immense that he didn’t look like a cripple at all.
But Zuo Xinglie didn’t linger to fight. Instead, he immediately scooped up his granddaughter, turned, and fled.
Although one of his legs was crippled, making it awkward for him to push off on a single leg, his speed was incredibly fast. In an instant, he had vanished around the street corner.
The leader, furious and flustered, roared, "After him!"
He really was furious.
He was supposed to be acting under orders, but who would have thought he’d be stunned and beaten right from the start by a crippled old man.
More than a dozen Wind Media Spies gave chase, and Chen Yuan followed close behind.
He knew Zuo Xinglie couldn’t last long.
Zuo Xinglie’s Meridians were all destroyed. He no longer had any Inner Strength; the move he had just made relied solely on his physical power.
But his physical body was also severely damaged, and he was lame in one leg. A man in his early sixties, he looked like he was in his late seventies or eighties. He couldn’t possibly hold on for long.
Zuo Xinglie clutched his granddaughter and desperately fled toward the city gates, but his one good eye was filled with despair.
’To think that after so many years, those bastards from the Profound Whale Gang still haven’t let me go.’
’I’m crippled now, my Cultivation is gone, and so is the ambition of my youth.’
’Back then, if my son hadn’t fought to the death to hold off our pursuers, I would have died on the Jiulong River.’
’It doesn’t matter if I die, but my granddaughter is the last of the Zuo Family bloodline. I have to at least leave her a chance at survival!’
The pursuers behind him were getting closer. Zuo Xinglie fought back desperately, but the hand wielding his saber grew heavier and his speed slowed.
Just then, a loud shout suddenly rang out.
"Don’t panic, old sir! I’m here to help you!"
A flash of a saber fell as Chen Yuan’s strike swept aside several Wind Media Spies. His face was a mask of righteous fury. "Jianghu feuds should not involve family! For a group like you to attack an old man and a child, ignoring all Jianghu Righteousness, is utterly shameless!"
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