Chapter 63: A Succession of Bad News

Late at night, inside Zou City.

Zou City was a small city even smaller than the former Lianshan City. It had only prospered and developed from a small town into a city over the past century because it was situated on a major commercial thoroughfare.

The strongest figure in the city was the Zou Family Head of the small Zou Family; his strength had barely reached the Early Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Inside the Zou Family mansion at this moment, the Zou Family Head, who was already over seventy years old, was hosting a banquet for Zuo Feiyu and a group of Jianghu heroes he had recruited.

“Young Master Zuo and everyone else, your presence truly brings honor to my Zou Family.”

“My Zou Family has been established in this small city for decades, yet we have always been like frogs at the bottom of a well, unable to see the bright moon in the sky.”

“I never expected that the bright moon would descend of its own accord today, willing to accept my Zou Family. I am truly beyond grateful.”

“Though my Zou Family is weak, we are willing to go through fire and water for Young Master Zuo and the Nine Sword Alliance without hesitation!”

The Zou Family Head bowed as he toasted Zuo Feiyu, maintaining an extremely humble posture.

Unlike the Iron Clad Gate, the Zou Family was weak, and their Legacy Cultivation Technique was not even worth mentioning.

So when Zuo Feiyu came to recruit them, the Zou Family decided to join the Nine Sword Alliance without a second thought, hoping to secure a future for their descendants.

Just as the Zou Family Head was about to bow, Zuo Feiyu supported him and helped him up.

“Old Family Head Zou, you are too polite. Ning Province is in chaos. My father formed the Nine Sword Alliance precisely because he wanted us to huddle together for warmth.”

“The Nine Sword Alliance does not belong to my Zuo Family alone; it belongs to everyone here.”

“I, Zuo Feiyu, am not the bright moon. Only when we stand united can our Nine Sword Alliance be like the bright moon in the sky, establishing a foothold in the Ning Province Jianghu!”

“So today, I toast to everyone! A toast to you all, and a toast to our Nine Sword Alliance!”

Zuo Feiyu picked up his wine cup with both hands and bowed to everyone present, his attitude extremely sincere and earnest.

The Jianghu People present were either Loose Cultivators or from small families and Sects.

Usually, the Disciples of major Sects they encountered were either arrogant and rude or supercilious. Where had they ever seen someone as courteous and humble toward subordinates as Zuo Feiyu?

Regardless of whether he was faking it, at least he was willing to put on a show in front of low-level Martial Artists like them, wasn’t he?

Some of the younger Martial Artists were even more excited, raising their cups and shouting, “A toast to the Nine Sword Alliance! A toast to Young Master Zuo!”

Zuo Feiyu drank the wine, a slight smile touching the corners of his mouth.

Some of these bottom-tier Martial Artists were truly simple-minded—excessively so, in fact.

As long as he said a few nice things and showed them a modicum of respect, they would truly risk their lives and fight to the death for him.

Thus, he found it quite incomprehensible why those great families and clans that had endured for centuries or even millennia were so arrogant that they didn’t even bother to recruit people.

Just then, a Martial Artist from the Iron Clad Gate rushed in, crying out, “Young Master Zuo! The Sect Leader has been killed!”

The room instantly fell silent. Zuo Feiyu frowned and asked, “Your Sect Leader was killed?! Explain clearly, what exactly happened!”

“That Chen Tian actually dared to infiltrate the Iron Clad Gate and launch a sneak attack to kill the Sect Leader! He also killed all the Disciples left behind before strolling away!”

In truth, Chen Yuan hadn’t really relied on a sneak attack; he had killed Wei Guangming in a head-on confrontation.

However, in the eyes of the Iron Clad Gate Disciples, how could a Foundation Establishment Realm Martial Artist like Chen Tian possibly kill their Sect Leader without a sneak attack?

He must have used a sneak attack!

Upon hearing this news, a look of horror appeared in the eyes of everyone present.

Wei Guangming was quite famous in The border between You and Ning.

He had developed the Iron Clad Gate from an obscure little Sect into the dominant force in Panyang City.

He had also cultivated a Body Refining technique like the Iron Chain Across the River Skill to the Major Achievement stage, which was no easy feat.

This man was quite extraordinary in terms of both ability and strength.

Someone at the level of the Zou Family Head would have to act humble and bow and scrape when meeting Wei Guangming.

And yet, Wei Guangming was dead? Moreover, he had died at the hands of a Foundation Establishment Realm Martial Artist. How was that possible?

Was the Loose Cultivator Chen Tian, whom Zuo Feiyu had gathered everyone to hunt down, truly that terrifyingly strong?

The Iron Clad Gate Martial Artist wailed loudly, “Young Master Zuo, my Iron Clad Gate has already joined the Nine Sword Alliance. Now that our Sect Leader has been killed, please, Young Master Zuo, uphold justice for my Iron Clad Gate!”

Zuo Feiyu set down his wine cup, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.

The border between You and Ning wasn’t very large, and there were only a few outstanding figures.

Wei Guangming was someone he valued and had personally humbled himself to recruit.

Yet, while he was still shouting about being like the bright moon in the sky and establishing a foothold in the Jianghu, Wei Guangming was killed. This slap in the face had come far too quickly and suddenly.

Even though Zuo Feiyu was mature beyond his years and deeply calculating, he couldn’t maintain his composure at this moment.

“Sect Leader Wei was the first to agree to join my Nine Sword Alliance. Although the ceremony hasn’t been held yet, he was already one of us!”

“The villain Chen Tian killed a brother of my Nine Sword Alliance. This debt must be repaid, just like this cup!”

As he spoke, an extremely sharp burst of True Qi erupted from Zuo Feiyu’s hand, crushing the wine cup to powder!

Just as Zuo Feiyu was about to give the order to head to Panyang City to corner Chen Yuan, another Martial Artist ran in to report.

“Young Master! Han Dong and the others from the Dongjiang Five Swords encountered Chen Tian in a town. The five of them besieged him, but they were all killed by Chen Tian instead!”

Everyone present looked at each other in dismay.

Although the Dongjiang Five Swords were Loose Cultivators, they were rare experts among them.

These five had been sworn brothers for over a decade and coordinated perfectly. They could even hold their own against a Lunhai Realm expert. To think they had still died at the hands of Chen Tian.

Are we the ones hunting him, or is he the one hunting us?

The people who had been full of passion moments ago now cooled down.

They hadn’t seen the benefits of joining the Nine Sword Alliance yet, but the danger seemed to be right before their eyes.

Hearing this news, Zuo Feiyu could no longer contain himself. He slammed his palm onto the table, leaving a deep handprint on the bluestone surface.

“Go notify Old Daoist Qi. Tell him to take his men to Panyang City immediately to hunt down Chen Tian and avenge the Dongjiang Five Swords and Sect Leader Wei!”

The banquet, only half-finished, came to an abrupt end.

Led by Zuo Feiyu, the group headed straight for Panyang City.

Meanwhile, Old Daoist Qi, who was in Fanglin City, also received the news.

Fanglin City was also a small city. Relying on Zuo Feiyu’s reputation, Old Daoist Qi had recruited over thirty people there, but most were bottom-tier riffraff.

The reputation of the Yinshan Five Ghosts was, after all, not very pleasant, even after Old Daoist Qi had sought refuge with Zuo Feiyu.

After receiving the news, Old Daoist Qi led his men toward Panyang City while his heart pounded with unease.

He never expected that Wei Guangming would actually die at the hands of that fellow Chen Tian.

Wei Guangming had reached the Major Achievement stage of the Iron Chain Across the River Skill and was extremely difficult to kill. Even if he were to fight Wei Guangming to the death, he had no confidence in being able to kill him.

How on earth did Chen Tian manage to slay a Lunhai Realm expert while only being in the Foundation Establishment Realm?

As he walked, Old Daoist Qi performed a divination for himself, but the result was not very good.

However, he was a fake Daoist. He had practiced a bunch of messy evil arts, but he hadn’t even finished reading a single orthodox Daoist scripture.

If the result was bad, he told himself it was because he hadn’t mastered his craft.

If the result was good, then it was the Daoist Ancestor showing his favor, and the trip would be smooth sailing.

Old Daoist Qi led the group along a forest path.

Although the main road was flat, it was too circuitous. To catch up with Chen Yuan as quickly as possible, Zuo Feiyu had specifically ordered Old Daoist Qi to take the shortcut.

Just then, a confused voice came from the crowd.

“Where did He Laoba go? Why is he gone?”

“Maybe he went to take a dump?”

Old Daoist Qi frowned and scolded, “All of you, get serious! If you’re still acting this slovenly when we see Young Master Zuo, what will he think?”

Although Old Daoist Qi himself was no righteous figure, he truly felt that these bottom-tier Jianghu riffraff were unpresentable.

“No, He Laoba is really gone. He was right behind me just now…”

Before the man could finish speaking, a soft ‘puchi’ sound clearly echoed through the night.

Everyone present, regardless of their strength, had experience in battle. They were very familiar with that sound.

It was the sound of a weapon tearing through flesh!

And because the weapon was extremely sharp, even this sound was very faint.

“Blood! Yang Dayan has been killed!”

An exclamation of alarm came from the crowd. Everyone immediately looked terrified and drew their weapons, pointing them at their surroundings.

Old Daoist Qi’s expression changed. He quickly unsheathed the black Daoist sword at his waist and stared into the darkness behind them.

“Who is it?! Stop playing tricks and come out if you have the guts!”

In the dim night, Chen Yuan’s voice drifted over.

“If I remember correctly, your Yinshan Five Ghosts also became sworn brothers and took an oath, didn’t you?”

“As for me, the thing I value most in life is ‘loyalty’.”

“When you’re out in the world, loyalty must come first.”

“Sworn brothers don’t ask to be born on the same day, but they do ask to die on the same day. Only that can be called loyalty.”

“Your four sworn brothers are all waiting for you down there. I’ve come today to send you on your way and fulfill the loyalty between you brothers!”