Chapter 239: Chapter 159: Plot
"Brother Chu, why would you say such a thing?"
Zheng Xiu asked.
"Do you have any idea who that Xie Luohe is? Yunhe Village in Shuzhou is full of ruthless bandits who kill without batting an eye. Three thousand of them, all savage folk who eat raw meat and drink blood! And that Xie Luohe is the Big Leader of Yunhe Village! Besides the Weapon Manual, the Martial World also has the ’Top Ten Villains List.’ Xie Luohe is number one on that list!"
Chu Chengfeng’s smile vanished. "There was a rumor three years ago. They say Xie Luohe set a rule. There’s a beacon tower at the foot of the mountain below Yunhe Village, a full three *li* from the main camp at the summit. If any man wants to take her as his wife, he must light the beacon. As long as he can reach the gates of Yunhe Village safely, it doesn’t matter who he is—even if he’s no better than pigs and dogs—he can spend a night of passion with Xie Luohe that very evening!"
Hearing this, both Gongsun Mo and Zheng Xiu himself were stunned. "How preposterous! Did anyone ever succeed?"
"Succeed? Succeed!" Chu Chengfeng sneered. "They all succeeded in becoming piles of dry bones! So, it’s fine to covet her beauty. All men in this world are lecherous, I understand that. But whatever you do, don’t actually get any real ideas about her."
Chu Chengfeng patted Zheng Xiu’s shoulder, his tone grave and full of meaning.
Zheng Xiu: "Brother Chu, you came all this way just to tell me this???"
"Aiya!" Chu Chengfeng slapped his forehead. "Your old bro here almost forgot! The prison cart escorting the Former Imperial Tutor is about to enter the city!"
"For real!"
"Of course. I promised I’d show you around and let you see the world." Chu Chengfeng took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back to stare at Zheng Xiu. "That’s right, there’s one thing you have to promise me first."
"Please, Brother Chu, go on."
"Things in the city are about to get chaotic, but there’s an unwritten rule in the Martial World, one that most righteous practitioners abide by. And that is: the affairs of the Martial World do not harm the common people. Even though you’re with me, if a real fight breaks out, no one will give you, a mere Scholar, any trouble. Doing so would only cause them to lose face and become a laughingstock in the entire Martial World. That being said, what you have to promise me is this: if we run into any of my acquaintances, don’t say anything you shouldn’t, and don’t ask anything you shouldn’t."
"Of course." Zheng Xiu bowed politely with his hands clasped, then his brow furrowed. "Brother Chu, you’re not planning to..."
Chu Chengfeng laughed heartily and waved his hand. "How could I! Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault is a huge deal. Do you really think anyone can take it all for themselves? Although I’m ranked thirty-eighth on the Weapon Manual, that’s just an empty title. I know my own limits, so I naturally won’t fight for this stuff. It’s not worth fighting and fighting only to end up dead without even getting a taste of the prize. But a man in the Jianghu can’t just hide in the back and watch from the sidelines. I’m just here to join the crowd, get a little closer to see who comes and who goes. Maybe I’ll even run into an old friend and we can have a couple of drinks. Wouldn’t that be great? Of course, if I happen to skim a little profit off the top by accident, that would be for the best."
Chu Chengfeng said all this in one breath. When he finished, he led Gongsun Mo outside.
Zheng Xiu didn’t know if Gongsun Mo understood any of it, but from his perspective as an observer, Zheng Xiu understood perfectly.
Everyone wanted Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault, Chu Chengfeng included. But he was afraid he’d have the life to fight for it but not the life to enjoy it, so he didn’t dare make a rash move. His plan was to join the commotion and fish in troubled waters. What if... he got lucky?
’What an old fox.’
Zheng Xiu sighed to himself. This Chu Chengfeng seemed boisterous and carefree, but in reality, he was extremely shrewd. His rough-and-tumble act was his best disguise.
’Probably most of the Martial Artists gathered in Kang City right now have the same idea as Chu Chengfeng.’
The corner table on the second floor of the teahouse seemed to be Chu Chengfeng’s personal spot. He led Zheng Xiu straight upstairs and sat down at his usual seat.
"Hero Chu, the usual three?"
The waiter wiped down Chu Chengfeng’s table and asked smoothly.
"The usual three!"
Yellow wine, braised chicken, and peanuts.
A casual question later, Zheng Xiu learned that Chu Chengfeng had permanently reserved the spot. No wonder he sat at this table every day.
People came and went in Kang City today, and Zheng Xiu noticed there were far more shady-looking Martial Artists on the streets than usual.
This time, he didn’t need Chu Chengfeng’s reminders; Zheng Xiu’s own eyes were sharp enough to spot quite a few hidden Martial Artists.
It was like playing one of those "spot the difference" games. The ones who stuck out like sore thumbs among the common folk were them.
The Martial Artists hid themselves amongst the city crowd, remaining unusually silent as they kept a close watch on the street’s every movement.
Even the atmosphere in the teahouse was subtly different. Although the patrons were still chatting loudly and boasting as usual, Zheng Xiu could faintly sense a repressive tension in the air.
A line suddenly came to Zheng Xiu’s mind.
The wind howls through the tower, heralding a coming storm.
"Huh? This is bad!"
Chu Chengfeng, who had been happily enjoying the spectacle, suddenly frowned, his drinking motion freezing mid-air.
Following Chu Chengfeng’s gaze, Zheng Xiu looked downstairs and saw a tall man in a blue robe enter the teahouse. He had delicate, almost feminine features, and carried a theatrical sword on his back.
The moment this person entered, Chu Chengfeng had cried out, "This is bad."
"You know him?" Zheng Xiu asked curiously.
"Know him? It’s more than that. Pear Blossom Manor, Wen Shishan... he has deep connections with my family." A rare, bitter smile appeared on Chu Chengfeng’s face, but he seemed hesitant to say more.
Downstairs, the delicate-featured man abruptly looked up toward the second floor. Chu Chengfeng’s expression changed drastically. He actually ducked his head down and muttered, "You can’t see me, you can’t see me, you can’t see me..."
Huh?
Zheng Xiu blinked, then nodded to himself.
’There’s a story here.’
"Sir, the second floor is full. This way, please."
The waiter had just started to greet him when the delicate-featured man’s right hand shot out like lightning, grabbing the waiter’s neck. He sneered, "Get lost."
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