Chapter 43: Slaying the Iron Clad Again

Each time Zhu Chengzhong returned from the Huangji Sect, it was like a triumphant homecoming in silken robes.

This time was no different, a return in grand style, but his home was gone.

Inside the Zhu Family manor, the corpses of his father and eldest brother had already begun to rot, and their heads were nowhere to be found.

They had likely been tossed into the sea like common trash.

A former Retainer of the Zhu Family knelt before Zhu Chengzhong, evasively recounting everything that had happened.

This Retainer was originally a Martial Artist from Gushan City; he had fled when the Zhu Family collapsed and returned only after feeling the heat had passed over the last two days.

He hadn’t expected Zhu Chengzhong to return as well, and was captured immediately.

After listening, Zhu Chengzhong bared his teeth in a grimace, unsure whether to cry or laugh.

He was different from the rest of the Zhu Family; having joined a top-tier Sect like the Huangji Sect, he could be considered someone who had seen the world.

Because one brother wanted to marry a woman and destroyed her Family when she refused, yet failed to pull up the roots, his own Family ended up being exterminated.

What was this?

It was a joke!

Moreover, although the corpses were rotten, one could tell at a glance that his eldest and third brothers had died killing each other.

The fall of the entire Zhu Family was like a farce.

Zhu Chengzhong took a deep breath and asked in a low voice, “Have you seen the appearance of the murderer who destroyed my Zhu Family?”

The Zhu Family Retainer trembled as he said, “I… I suppose I have, but it was at night, and the other party was wearing an Iron Bamboo Hat, so it wasn’t very clear. I could only recognize half of his face.”

“Describe him. Find a painter to draw it.”

Zhu Chengzhong brought in a painter and had the Retainer describe the man, making constant revisions.

After a dozen revisions, the likeness on the portrait was finally eighty percent similar to Chen Yuan, though it only showed the half of his face beneath the bamboo hat.

The Retainer nodded repeatedly, “That’s the one! That’s what he looks like!”

Zhu Chengzhong nodded, then suddenly thrust a finger onto the Retainer’s crown.

True Qi surged through, and a bloody hole instantly appeared, with red and white fluids trickling out.

The other Huangji Sect Disciples nearby didn’t feel there was anything wrong with what Zhu Chengzhong had done.

This man was a Retainer of the Zhu Family, yet he had fled in panic during the Family’s crisis; he was a typical betrayer of his master.

What use was a dog that wouldn’t listen?

The Senior Brother sighed, “Junior Brother Zhu, my condolences. How about we head to the Murong Clan first, and you stay here in Gushan City to handle your Family’s affairs?”

Zhu Chengzhong shook his head and said solemnly, “Senior Brother, give me one day. After I bury my Family, we will set off for the Murong Clan.

The Sect mission is still at hand. How can I be absent because of private matters?”

The Senior Brother nodded and gave Zhu Chengzhong an appreciative look.

To have one’s Family destroyed—such a thing would cause anyone else to be consumed by grief and suffer an emotional breakdown.

Yet Zhu Chengzhong kept his emotions restrained, showing neither joy nor anger, and maintained a clear state of mind.

This trip to offer birthday congratulations to the Old Ancestor of the Murong Clan in Long City was a Sect mission. Those sent were all outstanding Disciples of the younger generation, intended to show their faces before many Jianghu People.

Zhu Chengzhong chose to handle the funeral simply and not give up this opportunity to make a name for himself; this was the wise move.

Taking a deep breath, Zhu Chengzhong stared intently at the portrait of Chen Yuan, as if to carve it into his mind… Ten days later, Chen Yuan galloped south all the way, arriving at Wangbei Town on the border of Ning Province and Youzhou.

This small town was a mandatory passage from the Central Plains to Youzhou. There were many Traveling Merchants coming and going, making it very prosperous.

Currently, there were still two weeks before the Demon Sealing Conference, and the Demon Sealing Valley had not yet opened, so Chen Yuan chose to rest here for the time being.

Chen Yuan also noticed that there were an extraordinary number of Jianghu People in Wangbei Town at this time, mostly Martial Artists from Youzhou and Ning Province, some having come in groups from small Sects or Families.

These were clearly people coming to participate in the Demon Sealing Conference, waiting in Wangbei Town ahead of time.

Wangbei Town was incredibly lively. Chen Yuan went to two restaurants in a row and found them both packed. He circled around twice more before finding a shop with an empty seat.

After sitting down, Chen Yuan ordered all of the restaurant’s signature dishes.

He had been racing on the road during this period, with no post stations to rest at in between; he usually just made do with dry rations.

Now he could finally have a hot meal to satisfy his cravings.

“Guest, as you can see, there are really too many people in the restaurant. The food might come out a bit slowly, so please bear with us.”

The waiter came over and explained pitifully.

“No matter. Bring a pot of tea first.”

Chen Yuan drank his tea while waiting for the food, listening to Jianghu gossip in the meantime.

Many people were discussing the Demon Sealing Conference, though there wasn’t much new information.

The Demon Sealing Conference was held once every ten years. Normally, the Demon Sealing Valley was not open to the public, and the Three Demon Clans never communicated with the outside world.

Therefore, no insider information could be gathered before the Demon Sealing Valley opened.

Just then, a tall, travel-worn Martial Artist walked into the restaurant.

He carried a long spear on his back, its tip covered with burlap.

Seeing this, the waiter quickly walked over and said with a forced smile, “Guest, there’s no more room in the restaurant. Please try another place.”

Recently, there were too many Jianghu People in Wangbei Town, either expert Loose Cultivators or those with backgrounds from prominent Families and Sects. They couldn’t afford to offend any of them and spoke very cautiously.

Otherwise, if a single word was said wrong, they might lose their lives with no way to seek justice.

The man didn’t get angry, but instead smiled bitterly, “I say, little brother, I haven’t had a proper meal in days. If it really doesn’t work, just bring me the food and I’ll eat it crouching on the floor, alright?”

Of course, the waiter couldn’t agree to that. He scratched his head for a while and said, “How about this, I’ll go ask if anyone is willing to share a table.”

“Fine, fine, fine. Sorry to trouble you, little brother.”

The waiter looked around the restaurant and saw that only Chen Yuan was alone.

He walked over and asked carefully, “Guest, could you do us a favor? That newly arrived guest would like to share a table.”

Chen Yuan nodded.

When away from home, showing kindness to others is showing kindness to oneself.

Of course, it was mainly because the other person had a good temperament; hearing there were no seats, he didn’t force the waiter and even offered to eat on the floor.

Unlike some Jianghu People who had little skill but a huge temper.

Upon hearing there were no seats, they would curse at the waiter and demand the restaurant owner come out, needing to be begged and pleaded with before they would leave.

Chen Yuan had already seen several groups of such people before this.

When the waiter went over to tell him, the man was overjoyed.

He walked over and cupped his hands to Chen Yuan, “Thank you, brother, for being willing to do me this favor. This meal is on me.”

As he spoke, he planted his long spear on the ground, leaning it against the wall.

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes.

When the spear hit the ground, it actually made a vibrating sound; one could imagine how heavy it was.

Having been far away just now, Chen Yuan only now took a close look at the man.

This Martial Artist looked a bit older than Chen Yuan, about twenty-five or twenty-six. He had a simple and honest appearance with rough, reddish skin, clearly having spent many years traveling outdoors.

Chen Yuan could feel that his Aura was steady and deep; his strength was at the Foundation Establishment Realm at the very least.

Furthermore, Chen Yuan could faintly detect a sense of iron-blooded slaughter from him.

After the Fusion with the seven killing stele, Chen Yuan was very sensitive to killing intent.

The man likely had a military background; even if he wasn’t from the Great Xia military, the number of lives he had taken was definitely not small.

“No need to be so polite, brother. We are all people of the Jianghu; showing kindness to others is showing kindness to oneself.”

The man shook his head and said, “My Foster Father said that when you meet someone who treats you well, you have to treat them twice as well.

When you meet someone who wants to harm you, you must also strike back twice as hard and show no mercy.

This meal must be on me, otherwise, I won’t feel right in my heart.”

As he spoke, the man reached into his robe to pull out money.

However, as he fumbled, his expression suddenly became awkward.

“Oh no! It seems my silver fell out while I was jolting on the horse!”

Chen Yuan could see that the man wasn’t trying to get a free meal; he was truly embarrassed.

“It’s fine, this meal is on me. When you have money, brother, just treat me back double next time.”

“Hehe, then I shall accept your kindness.”

The man smiled sheepishly. Just as he was about to introduce himself, a sudden gust of wind whistled outside the door, and a grey shadow smashed toward them.

The Martial Artist, who had seemed simple and honest, suddenly had a fierce look on his face.

“Son of a bear! These bastards just won’t quit!”

He waved his large, fan-like hand and slammed a grey wheel that was flying toward their table into the ground.

Chen Yuan looked closely and saw that it was the Iron Bamboo Hat of the Iron Clad Gate.

Outside the restaurant, four Martial Artists of the Iron Clad Gate in the Foundation Establishment Realm charged in aggressively.

“You think it’s that easy to leave after killing members of our Iron Clad Gate?”

The four of them looked coldly at the Martial Artist, but then turned their gaze toward Chen Yuan, and a surge of killing intent instantly erupted in their eyes.

“It’s you! You’re the one who killed eight of our Iron Clad Gate Disciples at the Yellow Dragon Post!”

Chen Yuan wasn’t surprised at all that they could recognize him.

Although he had killed everyone from the Iron Clad Gate during the battle at the Yellow Dragon Post, many people had witnessed that fight.

It was inevitable that someone would be talkative, wanting to claim a reward from the Iron Clad Gate by describing his appearance.

The simple-looking Martial Artist frowned and said, “Hey, hey, hey, I only killed five of your people. When did I kill eight of you at the Yellow Dragon Post?

I’ll take credit for the people I killed, but don’t go pinning other people’s business on me!”

“They are talking about me.”

Chen Yuan picked up the Azure Dragon Blood Drink and said calmly, “Let’s take this outside. Don’t disturb the owner’s business.”

The simple-looking Martial Artist was suddenly delighted, “Brother, we truly have fate! Eating at the same table and having both killed these iron lumps.”

He picked up his long spear and even turned back to shout at the waiter, “We’re going out to kill these Iron Turtles, you guys just bring the food as usual.”

Seeing that the two of them didn’t take them seriously at all, the four Iron Clad Gate Disciples were instantly fuming with rage.

“You’re looking for death!”

The four of them moved, about to rush into the restaurant.

But Chen Yuan and the simple-looking Martial Artist were even faster.

The man jerked his long spear, and in an instant, a dark light unsheathed itself, lunging forward like a black dragon.

Chen Yuan was even faster than him. The Azure Dragon Blood Drink left its sheath, and just as the sound of the blade’s cry rang in the ears of everyone in the restaurant, the brilliant blade light, like a startling rainbow, arrived before the four members of the Iron Clad Gate!”