Chapter 44
“They still refuse to retreat, they insist on meeting the village master.”
“Just tell them I’m heavily sick and it’s inconvenient for me to see them. If someone dares to charge in by force, no need to be polite, just shoot them dead!” Sick Yellow Tiger had his two hands over the stove. This cold really wasn’t a weather to let out a cool cat.
“Chief Hunter Yellow has a big tone, will you also shoot this certain Yang to death?” A voice suddenly sounded from outside the door. The door broke into pieces and a fierce gale rushed inside. A middle-aged man with refined features and a longsword at his hips stood inside the doorway. His sharp eyes twinkled like shiny swords, not as mild as he looked on the surface.
Sick Yellow Tiger didn’t dare neglect him. He jumped up, hugged his fist and said “Suzerain Yang, long time no see!”
Inside a hundred miles, there was only one person who could be called a suzerain. The newcomer was precisely the Dragon Gate Sect’s suzerain, Yang Anzhi. His Dragon Gate Sword Art was renowned far and wide, while his movement technique was even more masterly. Based on merely martial arts, he could be called Suncheer’s first.
As long as sons from great families and clans in the vicinity wanted to learn martial arts, they’d all send them to the Dragon Gate Sect. Those sons of gentry were all gathered together, so it was hard to avoid giving rise to arrogance and despotism. But at the same time it was an enormous influence. If one had to assess it, it would be the prime power of the righteous dao in Suncheer.
Yang Anzhi observed Sick Yellow Tiger up and down: “Your disease is indeed cured, no wonder you refused to meet even the elders from my sect. I’m not going to waste any time, where’s the spirit ginseng?”
Sick Yellow Tiger said: “I haven’t seen any what spirit ginseng, is the suzerain bullying us humble men of Horse Rein Village?” Several dozen bows pointed at Yang Anzhi. All of the village’s hunters had already reacted.
Yang Anzhi said: “If we added a Stone Rending Bow on top, perhaps you could truly make me stay behind forever. Why doesn’t chief hunter Yellow give it a try.”
Sick Yellow Tiger squinted his eyes: “What’s your meaning?”
Yang Anzhi said: “Camp master Xiong is just outside the door. Your Stone Rending Bow already killed his third boss, do you also want to provoke my sect at the same time?”
Sick Yellow Tiger laughed out loud in ridicule: “The dignified leader of Suncheer’s righteous way is unexpectedly mixing up together with the cruelest bandit gang leader, do you really not want any face anymore? Oh right, I forgot, there’s not much differences between you, you both rely on strength to bully the weak and push honest folks around. If I were to evaluate things, it’s still suzerain Yang who’s better at making money!”
Anger appeared on Yang Anzhi’s face and his hand fell on his sword hilt, but the noise of bowstrings pulled taut all around stopped his movements. He threatened coldly: “Perhaps chief hunter Yellow isn’t afraid, but I wonder how many people of this village can survive if we were to truly go to war?”
Sick Yellow Tiger said: “I’ve already eaten the spirit ginseng. No matter how ruthless suzerain Yang’s words are, you still won’t be able to take it back.”
Yang Anzhi said: “So the spirit ginseng is indeed in your hands. Cease your lies, the spirit ginseng isn’t something that can be digested overnight. It’s also not something you can hog to yourself, you’ve already used it for so long, now hand it out. I’ll remember your friendship, perhaps I can help you withstand the Black Wind Camp.”
Sick Yellow Tiger said: “If I say I ate it then I ate it. If you don’t believe this chief hunter, don’t hesitate to come and try to snatch it by force.”
Bows were fully pulled, longswords were draw from their scabbards, and a great battle was on the verge of breaking out.
Little Black suddenly said from the side: “We haven’t seen any what spirit ginseng. Our chief hunter’s disease got better after drinking wine given by Li Qingshan, if you want to look for someone then go look for him!”
Yang Anzhi’s eyes brightened. Sick Yellow Tiger became infuriated and shouted: “Shut your mouth!”
Little Black said with a straight back: “Chief hunter, he’s only an outsider. He gave you spirit wine and also took the Stone Rending Bow away. We don’t owe him anything, why should we protect him at the risk of our lives. I’m also thinking of the village!”
Yang Anzhi smiled: “So it was like this. A certain Yang erroneously blamed brother Yellow. No wonder that kid’s martial arts flew up by leaps and bounds like this. Then I’ll leave it at that and say my goodbyes.” He operated his movement technique and fluttered away. If Li Qingshan were there at this moment, he would know that this man’s movement technique was ten times more profound compared to his son Yang Jun or that group of disciples.
The hunters didn’t receive any order and didn’t dare casually let out their arrows. Yang Anzhi left a sentence from far away: “Chief hunter Yellow’s management indeed follows the right path, the children of the village already show concern for the larger picture.”
Sick Yellow Tiger’s expression was even uglier. Any powerful leader needed absolute authority. As long as he made a decision, no matter right or wrong, he couldn’t allow his subordinates to easily go against it.
“Li Qingshan is my life-saving benefactor. He took out the spiritual wine in spite of the dangers because he could have faith in me, otherwise no one would know he carries the spirit ginseng. What you did trapped me in injustice.”
Little Black knelt down: “Little Black is willing to receive death!”
A group of hunters gathered around them and tried to persuade him: “Chief hunter, Little Black was also doing it for the village!” “So many days have gone by, who knows where Qingshan has escaped to, there’s absolutely no need for us to resist so stiffly.”
Li Qingshan watched the big burly man frantically scrambling away to report his presence, then his eyes fell on the sturdy man left in front of the gates who was trembling in trepidation. He mumbled to himself: “Am I so frightening?”
The tall fellow left behind only hated himself for being too slow and let his companion rush out first. As to the question about frightening or not, he didn’t dare answer. He only knew that the young man in front of him had killed several dozen bandits with his own hands. Even more, he’d obtained inside information and knew that he’d tortured to death the third boss who had great fame in Suncheer. If this kind of man wasn’t frightening, who was frightening?
One was a hero of the martial world over thirty and a face full of viciousness. Any ordinary person would feel fear when they saw him. The other was a young man aged fifteen with a face that hadn’t yet shed off all of its childishness, and not a single shred of ferociousness.But the former seeing the latter was like a mouse seeing a cat. It was really a little strange.
Li Qingshan suddenly understood that his fame had already been established. Although it had started with this “Tiger Descending the Montains” nickname that didn’t sound really too great, it was still already enough to awe villains.
In a short moment, Dragon Li came to welcome him outside the gates. His heart jumped without warning when he saw Li Qingshan, and his gaze didn’t dare face Li Qingshan’s eyes. He once again remembered the bloody scenes he’d seen in the mountains some days ago, and a fear impossible to repress rose from his heart.
He said with his face full of an unnatural smile: “So it’s.. it’s Qingshan, our gate master sends you an invitation!”
Li Qingshan followed him and crossed inside the gates, bypassing a screen wall with the word “Martial” written on it. They went through the courtyard and came to the martial training field. He saw able-bodied fellows with their chests bared split into two rows as they lined up in welcome, but their expressions were all unkind.
The Iron Fist gate master Liu Hong sat with a heroic posture on the great lion chair and said in a heavy tone: “You are Tiger Descending the Mountains Li Qingshan?”
Li Qingshan frowned, because of this attitude making an initial show of strength, and even more because of this Tiger Descending the Mountains nickname. If someone told him at this moment that he only needed to do in a certain someone to change to a better sounding nickname, he would definitely charge out and do that guy in with no hesitation.
“The gate master asked you something!” The fellow closest to Liu Hong shouted with a voice resembling a great bell. His body was covered in vigorous muscles and filled with tattoos, his temples slightly protruding out. He was obviously a master practicing both internal and outer martial arts in tandem.
Li Qingshan estimated that this man’s strength was above the third boss. No wonder he dared to talk to him like this. Since the Iron Fist Gate could proclaim itself heroes and tyrants inside Suncheer City, they also had some tricks to show off with.
Dragon Li hurriedly said: “Eldest brother quell your anger. Qingshan comes from the village and hasn’t experienced the world.” Then he pulled on Li Qingshan’s sleeve: “Why aren’t you greeting my master yet.”
Li Qingshan casually arched his hands and said: “Greetings to Old Hero Liu!” without much deference. Liu Hong frowned, while the Iron Fist Gate disciples on both sides all exposed angry expressions.
Dragon Li silently blamed him for being insensible. You already offended the Black Wind Camp, the only way to settle things down is to invite master to take the lead and also have Horse Rein Village’s Sick Yellow Tiger step in. Master is a grand second-grade master, isn’t he worth showing some respect to?
“This is my sect’s head apprentice brother, men of the rivers and lakes call him…” Li Qingshan waved his hand and interrupted: “There’s no need to remember the nicknames of small fries.” He wasn’t one to be rude, but he would definitely not be polite if someone else showed him rudeness first.
There was a delay in Dragon Li’s voice. Eldest brother’s face flushed bright red in an instant. The bones on his body exploded in crackling rumbles, aggressively threatening Li Qingshan.