Chapter 34: First Encounter
A hand suddenly landed on Fu Tingyun's shoulder from behind.
She was so terrified that her soul nearly fled her body. Her grip weakened, and the dagger clattered to the ground with a loud clang.
Everyone in the hall stared at Fu Tingyun in astonishment, unable to comprehend why she had gone from a tragic and resolute stance of preferring death to surrender just moments ago to dropping her dagger in fright. But when they glanced at the square-faced man’s ferocious expression, they seemed to find an explanation. Even the square-faced man, who was striding toward Fu Tingyun, wore a smug look.
The carefree man in the northwest corner frowned slightly, his expression one of deep disappointment.
Yet in Fu Tingyun’s ears, a low, indifferent voice sounded: "Find A Sen’s quarterstaff for me."
The tone was casual, almost indifferent, yet it brought tears to Fu Tingyun’s eyes.
It was Ninth Master, it was Ninth Master…
His quarterstaff had been reduced to a mere wooden stick during the fight with Feng Laosi.
She wanted to ask how his injuries were, wanted to turn around and see if he was unharmed… But with the square-faced man drawing closer, she didn’t dare delay. Stumbling, she picked up the quarterstaff that had rolled aside and handed it to Ninth Master Zhao.
Ninth Master Zhao’s face was flushed, his gaze unfocused. Leaning heavily on the quarterstaff, he swayed as he stood up.
The onlookers suddenly understood.
The square-faced man paused mid-step. Seeing Ninth Master Zhao’s gaunt frame, his expression relaxed into one of cruel mockery. "Another one here to die!"
"Hide behind me!" Ninth Master Zhao murmured to Fu Tingyun.
But Ninth Master was still ill!
Fu Tingyun hesitated for a moment, but as Ninth Master Zhao stepped forward to shield her, she quickly obeyed. She snatched up the fallen dagger and curled into a corner of the hall, her eyes never leaving his figure.
"Mountains remain unchanged, rivers flow ever on," Ninth Master Zhao said to the square-faced man, though his gaze lacked focus. "If I have offended you, warrior, I ask for your forgiveness…" His cheeks burned as if on fire, and he leaned heavily on the quarterstaff to stay upright. It was clear he was gravely ill, barely holding on.
The carefree man shook his head slightly, then turned away, whispering to the handsome man beside him as if losing interest.
The square-faced man laughed loudly, cutting him off. "That depends on whether you have the skill to earn my forgiveness!" With that, he threw a punch straight at Ninth Master Zhao’s face.
Ninth Master Zhao tilted his head, dodging the blow. His quarterstaff arced through the air with a sharp whistle and struck the square-faced man’s shoulder. A faint crack echoed as the man staggered back and collapsed to the ground.
Ninth Master Zhao stood quietly, leaning on his quarterstaff, exuding an unshakable calm and dignity that commanded respect.
"Oh?" The carefree man’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Ninth Master Zhao, a strange light flickering in his gaze. Behind him, the man who looked like a shopkeeper and the burly man exchanged glances—one resting a hand on his waist, the other clenching a fist behind his back.
The thick-necked man in the southwest corner had also set down his belongings and stood up at some point.
The square-faced man gaped at Ninth Master Zhao in shock.
He knew exactly what his punch could do.
Once, he had reduced a man’s face to pulp, leaving him unrecognizable even to his own parents.But this time, the sickly-looking man before him, who seemed like he might collapse at any moment, not only dodged his thunderous strike but also left him with a searing, bone-chilling pain where he had been hit.
A sense of foreboding crept into his heart.
Yet, with all eyes on him, how could he back down now? If he stopped here, how would he ever command his men in the future? Even the silver he had just received might slip through his fingers... His gaze fell on Ninth Master Zhao’s gaunt frame, and his confidence steadied slightly.
"Damn it, you consumptive wretch! How dare you sneak attack me when I wasn’t looking!" The square-faced man snarled, his eyes glinting with bloodthirsty cruelty as he turned and yanked the waist saber from the nearest man. Striding toward Ninth Master Zhao, he bellowed, "Charge together! Whoever kills this bastard gets the little lady beside him!"
Fu Tingyun’s beauty had not gone unnoticed by the men. With raucous shouts, they surged forward, their voices thick with unrestrained greed, excitement, and lewdness... The sound made Fu Tingyun’s legs tremble, her hands clutching the dagger so tightly they shook.
She would rather die than suffer such humiliation.
Ninth Master Zhao remained silent.
His thin lips pressed into a tight line, a flash of savagery flickered across his otherwise calm face. His brows arched slightly, and an icy aura of killing intent radiated from his entire being—so palpable that even the two groups on the far side of the hall sensed it. Yet the charging men, emboldened by their numbers, paid no heed to this change. Brandishing clubs and blades, they rushed in with wild swings.
The hall echoed with dull, firecracker-like thuds.
Those who charged were either knocked to the ground, paralyzed, sent stumbling backward, or howling as they clutched their heads and shoulders... Far from landing a hit on Ninth Master Zhao, they couldn’t even get close to him. Chaos reigned in the hall.
The carefree man watching Ninth Master Zhao gazed at him with renewed admiration.
However, Ninth Master Zhao could do little about those who fled—he didn’t pursue them. As long as they stayed out of range of his staff, they were safe.
Soon, the square-faced man—who had shouted the loudest, charged at the front, yet now stood observing from the sidelines—figured out the reason: Ninth Master Zhao was protecting the woman behind him. If he moved even a step, the barrier before her would vanish, leaving her vulnerable to their attacks.
Realizing this, the square-faced man’s excitement surged. "He’s protecting the woman! Grab her, quick!" he roared at his men.
His reminder snapped them into action.
They redirected their assault toward Fu Tingyun.
Ninth Master Zhao stood firm before her, striking down fists and disarming blades with ease. Several more men crumpled to the ground, motionless.
Fear flickered across the faces of those remaining.
They exchanged glances, encircling Ninth Master Zhao but hesitating to attack first.
"Idiots!" the square-faced man fumed from the sidelines. "We outnumber him, and he can’t move! Take turns blocking him—even if he’s born with divine strength, he’ll tire eventually!"
The men’s eyes lit up with understanding. In small groups, they began taking turns engaging Ninth Master Zhao in close combat.
Listening to the square-faced man’s commands, Fu Tingyun seethed with hatred. If only A Sen were here, she thought bitterly, he might have taken the square-faced man by surprise and killed him... Without their leader, this rabble would surely collapse!
The thought made her worry for A Sen.
Had he managed to find a doctor yet?Did you encounter any danger?
Counting the hours, he should be back by now... I just hope he doesn’t barge in recklessly!
She grew increasingly anxious inside.
Ninth Master Zhao’s movements began to slow.
Seeing this, his attackers all revealed expressions of delight.
A loud boom suddenly echoed through the hall, shaking even the roof tiles. The men surrounding Ninth Master Zhao staggered backward in disarray.
The attackers retreated to a distance of ten feet.
Fu Tingyun saw that the staff Ninth Master Zhao had been wielding was now planted firmly on the ground, while the neatly laid stone tiles beneath had cracked like a spider’s web.
"If you still refuse to recognize your folly, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!" Ninth Master Zhao roared, his voice reverberating through the hall like thunder, oppressive enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.
The attackers glanced at Square-Face, then back at Ninth Master Zhao, hesitating—neither advancing nor retreating.
Silence fell as the two sides stood in tense confrontation.
Fu Tingyun’s nerves were stretched taut.
The longer this dragged on, the more advantageous it became for Square-Face and his men... She had to find a way to break this deadlock!
The thought had barely crossed her mind when she noticed Ninth Master Zhao sway slightly.
Her face paled.
Ninth Master... was likely at the end of his strength!
Her heart twisted with pain, and she couldn’t help but blame herself.
Why had she been so cowardly!
If she hadn’t dropped the dagger in fright earlier and had instead decisively taken her own life, Ninth Master might have escaped.
Even knowing he was injured, she had clung to a sliver of hope when she saw him fighting Square-Face’s men—perhaps, as before, he would emerge victorious with a single strike... If she had resolutely chosen to end her own life then, Ninth Master wouldn’t have been burdened by her and trapped here.
Her eyes stung.
Then Square-Face’s voice rang out, sinister yet triumphant: "Hold on, brothers! That guy’s done for!"
Ninth Master Zhao’s staff whistled through the air like a storm, hurled straight at him.
Square-Face barely had time to react before the staff struck his chest.
The residual force sent him stumbling back seven or eight steps. The staff clattered to the ground, and Square-Face’s legs gave way. Clutching his chest, he collapsed face-first onto the floor, motionless.
"Big Brother!" The attackers rushed toward him.
Ninth Master Zhao swayed once more, then toppled backward like a felled tree.
"Ninth Master!" Fu Tingyun screamed in despair, lunging forward. "Ninth Master..."
His eyes were shut, his face as pale as parchment.
"Ninth Master!" Her tears fell drop by drop onto his face.
The burly man who resembled a butcher heard Fu Tingyun’s cry. His gaze shifted, and he abandoned Square-Face, snatching up a broadsword from the ground before charging toward her.
A gleaming rapier, swift as a viper, pursued him—piercing his back in an instant.
The burly man froze mid-step. Only when the rapier was withdrawn did blood gush from his body, and he crumpled to the ground with a thud .
Among those gathered around Square-Face, someone noticed the disturbance and shouted in alarm.
The others looked up.
There stood the unassuming, silver-tongued merchant—now holding a rapier beside the butcher’s corpse, his face still wearing a genial smile.Everyone couldn't help but shiver, seeing fear reflected in each other's eyes.
"Kill them all!" suddenly declared a man who appeared remarkably carefree in demeanor.
His cold voice carried the indifference and authority of someone long accustomed to power.
A burly man responded loudly with "Yes!", his tone actually tinged with excitement.
He strode forward and threw a punch at the nearest person.
A faint cracking sound echoed through the hall as the man's face immediately caved in, collapsing silently without another movement.
The shopkeeper-like man wielded a rapier swift as a viper, striking with lethal precision.
The square-faced man came to his senses and clamored to flee outside.
Yet there was no escaping the two killers' reach.
In an instant, the great hall became a slaughterhouse.
Fu Tingyun froze.
Her impression of these people in the northwest corner couldn't have been worse.
With such overwhelming martial superiority, why had they refused to help those in need?
Her gaze involuntarily flickered toward the southwest corner.
The burly, rough-faced man had actually disappeared!
Horrified, she looked around frantically.
She didn't spot the rough-faced man, but saw the shopkeeper-like figure methodically thrusting his rapier straight through the chest of every fallen body in the hall.
A wave of nausea churned in Fu Tingyun's chest.
Unable to hold back, she turned away and vomited.
Someone approached: "Miss, are you alright?" offering a handkerchief.
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A classmate I hadn't seen in ten years visited today, so the update's a bit late...⊙﹏⊙b sweat...
PS: The novel will be available for purchase on May 1st, with double pink votes during that period. Reserve your pink votes now!
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(End of chapter)
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