Chapter 172: This Handwriting Is Truly Ugly

Chapter 172: This character is truly ugly.

In fact, at the Spring Rain Pavilion, Chen Yi had intended to wait until the reward was in hand before departing.

But in the end, everyone else had left, and he received no chance to claim any reward.

He clearly understood that Black Tooth or Female Tiger was keeping a close watch on him and Liu Lang.

Leaving the Spring Rain Pavilion was no different.

He appeared to move at a leisurely pace, yet all the while he remained vigilant, eyes scanning the surroundings.

At the same time, he covertly scattered the immortal wine and the clear wind wine along the way.

Only upon nearing Black Tooth’s territory did he see no signs of life or movement, and he naturally knew the intentions and plans of the one approaching.

After some thought, he decided to settle the matter here, eliminating the tail behind him.

Only then would their foothold not be exposed.

Old Fang the Demon knew none of his intentions, but he had heard his curses, and his eyes grew colder by the moment.

"You three have insulted me repeatedly, and yet you dare to rely on your Grand Completion sword and martial arts to challenge me?"

As he spoke, he took a step forward, advancing steadily.

"I have roamed the world for decades, and I have never encountered such scum as you, rushing to reincarnate."

Liu Lang saw this, pressed his palm against the hilt of his blade, and gently drew out two inches, revealing a chilling glint.

"If we were to settle matters solely by cultivation levels, soldiers in the army would surrender directly to enemy generals, would they not?"

"In the end, it all comes down to this: Old Fang, even if your cultivation is higher, your techniques are unrefined, and you are still far from the pinnacle of strength."

"After all, in life-and-death battles, what fear do I have of your fists and feet?"

As his words fell, the blade moved with them,

Like a silver-white thread slicing through two zhang, it struck before Old Fang.

Swift, domineering, and sharp, its edge fully exposed.

Old Fang felt that cutting force but did not flinch or dodge, instead relying on his spiritual energy to shield himself.

His robes fluttered and surged.

*Clang!*

A sound like a blade cleaving an iron shield rang out.

Through the rain, it seemed as though sparks flew from Old Fang’s body.

He deflected the blade, yet was forced backward a step.

Still, he stood his ground.

Old Fang gazed at the two, his eyes twisted with a grotesque, icy sneer: "Blade Madman? Hah, your blade is neither wild enough nor sharp enough!"

No sooner said than he took a sudden step forward, his hands condensing spiritual energy into claws.

Then, with both hands, he swung two talons,

Heavy with imposing might, they wove through the world’s spiritual energy and a hint of fist energy,

Barring the gale and rain outside the claw-shaped barrier.

In the blink of an eye, he pierced the rain veil and arrived before Liu Lang and Chen Yi.

Seeing Liu Lang about to draw his blade for a direct clash, Chen Yi casually exhaled one character: "Dodge."

The two stepped aside in opposite directions.

Immediately, thunderous booms roared from behind.

Chen Yi glanced sideways, saw the building at the end entirely collapsed, and the nearby wall bore the imprint of two claw marks the size of a pan.

The sheer force of Old Fang’s technique was evident.

Liu Lang also realized the two of them together were no match for Old Fang, for their cultivation gap was too vast.

Even if Old Fang’s fist technique was imperfect, merely a minor success,

He had the spiritual energy of a third-grade cultivator surrounding him, and his defensive barrier alone could withstand their Grand Completion realm, standing firmly on an unbeatable foundation.

Liu Lang, watching Old Fang, turned his body and drew his long blade from his waist, signaling Chen Yi: "Boss?"

Chen Yi glanced at the blade, seeing it was only as long as a palm, utterly unsuited for combat. He could only sigh in frustration: "Hasn’t he thought to get a better blade in these few days?"

"Not yet found something handy."

"So, should we run or fight?"

Chen Yi shook his head, saying, "Not yet. Let’s wait."

Then he looked toward Old Fang, who was charging again, and shouted loudly: "Black Tooth, if you don’t come out, go collect his corpse!"

Liu Lang paused, feeling a bit strange.

The boss was confident, but how could they possibly kill Old Fang?

On the other side, Old Fang heard the words and grew furious: "You brat, you’re after death!"

Instantly, he planted his foot and thrust his arms out to both sides, his body diving like a hawk.

At that moment, a cold voice rang out: "Stop!"

"Black Tooth, this is a grudge between us. Even if you’re the Longtou Laozi, you can’t interfere!"

Seeing Old Fang showed no intention of stopping, Black Tooth, like a ghost, rushed forward to block Chen Yi and Liu Lang.

Then he flicked his fingers toward Old Fang.

In a moment, a sound like a gentle breeze rustling willow branches arose, and Old Fang’s advancing momentum halted, his body flying backward.

He landed at the alley’s end, only managing to steady himself with his hands and feet.

He looked up, glaring at Black Tooth: "You?!"

Black Tooth still wore that mask, his cold eyes meeting his gaze: "What?!"

Old Fang looked at him, then at Chen Yi and Liu Lang behind him, biting his teeth:

"...Black Tooth, today I’ll spare them for your sake."

"But I don’t mean to let them go permanently. This matter isn’t over!"

As he spoke, Old Fang turned and walked away.

But before he had taken three steps, suddenly his vision went dark, his limbs grew weak and numb, forcing him to lean against the wall.

"I’m... I’m..."

Old Fang swayed, unable to maintain consciousness, collapsing to the ground.

A splash of water erupted.

"Huh?"

Black Tooth paused, then understood, turning his head to look at the rear of Chen Yi, his eyes shifting in an odd manner:

"Brother Liu, what a clever trick."

Chen Yi met his gaze, glancing at Old Fang, feigning displeasure:

“So this is the person you came across?”

“With a mind like that, you couldn’t handle even basic tasks, let alone major endeavors. I’d say your skills in field operations are lacking.”

“If it weren’t for the face of your Moonlit Tower, he would’ve been dead by now.”

Hei Ya said nothing, his silence heavy.

After a moment, he exhaled softly: “Brother Liu, forgive me. This matter will be settled to your satisfaction.”

“Then all’s well.”

“Otherwise, those short-sighted folk would keep causing trouble, and we’d never get our plans underway.”

“Brother Liu speaks wisely.”

After a few polite words, Chen Yi studied the struggling figure in the distance—Fang Lao Mo—and smiled faintly.

“They’ve been a bother to you, then.”

With that, he led Liu Lang away toward the western market.

Hei Ya watched them disappear into the distance, standing still for a moment before turning back to Fang Lao Mo.

“They?”

“Anyone else?”

Not long after, as Hei Ya reached Fang Lao Mo’s side and glanced at the scene in the Fireworks Alley, he burst into laughter.

There was bewilderment, joy, and a hint of doubt in his laughter.

From the Spring Rain Tower to his current position, a mere hundred paces away, lay over a dozen black-clad corpses scattered haphazardly.

Among them were his own Moonlit Tower disciples and other cultivators who’d come to partake in this transaction.

Even the delicate-framed Lady Yu Xue had been struck down, leaning against a wall at the corner, tilting her head to gaze at the sky, letting the icy rain rinse her thoughts clear.

As he laughed, Hei Ya’s eyes caught sight of Fang Lao Mo rising to his feet. A chill flickered through his gaze.

“I can forgive your weak strength and simple mind, and overlook your impulsive actions.”

“But you must never, ever dare to bring disgrace upon my Moonlit Tower.”

Fang Lao Mo blinked at him, dazed: “What—?”

Before he could comprehend, a shadow flashed past, and suddenly the world spun.

*Thud.*

His skull cracked against the wall, then his head bounced to the ground, rolling several times. His eyes widened in shock as he stared blankly at Hei Ya:

“Y-you—”

“Hmph!”

Too lazy to bother with words, Hei Ya flicked his finger, unleashing a strike.

*Bang.*

A flash of red and white exploded in the rain.

He glanced once more, then strode toward the Spring Rain Tower.

As he passed Lady Yu Xue, he coldly intoned: “Clean this up.”

His figure vanished into the rain-soaked darkness.

After a while, Lady Yu Xue swayed, regaining her senses to see the bodies strewn about. A flash of anger crossed her eyes.

“Brother Liu!”

…

Chen Yi and Liu Lang took a wide detour, soon arriving at the scene—

[Certification: Moonlit Tower Convenes Numerous Evil Cultivators to Discuss Matters. Reward: Crushed Peak Fist Technique elevated to Peak Level, Fortune +100.]

[Evaluation: Cultivator, voice heard, scene witnessed. Participated in Moonlit Tower’s affairs under the guise of a spy, earned trust from Moonlit Tower and its guards. Designed the assassination of Fang Zhi Tai. Drove away numerous evil cultivators, performance commendable.]

As visions of the Peak-level Crushed Peak Fist Technique’s mysteries flooded his mind, Chen Yi exhaled in relief, signaling Liu Lang to return to the landing point.

Not long after, the two entered the courtyard, awakening Zhang Da Bao to fetch a towel.

Chen Yi dried himself, then handed the towel to Liu Lang.

Liu Lang took it, wiping his long hair while puzzlingly asking:

“Boss, when did you slip me that daze powder? I didn’t even notice a thing.”

“If you could detect it, how much more so those far stronger than you? Fang Lao Mo wouldn’t have fallen for it.”

“…Give me a good knife, and I’ll slit his throat!”

Chen Yi’s heart stirred slightly at the words. He smiled: “In a few days, I’ll get you a fine blade.”

“How good?”

“It’ll be from the Xiao Family’s treasury, you know.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Lang grinned: “I knew the boss had ties to the Xiao Family. Looks like you finally let your guard down.”

Let him let his guard down?

Chen Yi chuckled inwardly. He’d simply trusted Liu Lang a little more lately, seeing his recent performances.

Plus, he’d already pieced together some details about Hei Ya’s situation, giving him direction for future schemes.

Some things, he decided, didn’t need to stay hidden from Liu Lang anymore.

After some idle chatter, Liu Lang dried his rain-soaked clothes and mused: “I’ve got one question I can’t figure out.”

“Since we had the chance, why summon Hei Ya instead of just killing Fang Lao Mo outright?”

Chen Yi leaned back in his chair, pondering the next steps while replying:

“No need. It’d only cause trouble.”

“Our goal was merely to attend that transaction, not clash with those evildoers.”

“If we’d killed Fang Lao Mo, it’d alert Hei Ya, which would be worse.”

Pausing, Chen Yi glanced out the window, a hint of a smile on his lips: “Though I suspect Fang Lao Mo won’t fare much better.”

Liu Lang shook his head, sighing: “I don’t know how you manage to think so perversely.”

He found clever minds more of a burden than straightforward combat.

Chen Yi smiled, choosing not to dwell on his thoughts.

If he were strong enough now, he wouldn't need to trouble his head at all—he'd have already gone to Chun Rain Building to put those people to the sword.

After a moment of contemplation,

Chen Yi opened his mouth: "There are two matters that require your trouble next."

Liu Lang arched an eyebrow: "Would that good knife be exchanged? Or is it counted among the thirty tasks I promised to handle for you?"

"Your choice."

Chen Yi, unbothered, continued: "First, you must ascertain the whereabouts of the Liu family in Jingzhou by tomorrow. Later, we need to pay a visit to that Liu Er Gongzi."

"To meet them? For what purpose?"

"With your intellect, you'd know if I'd said anything useful?"

"...The boss decides."

Chen Yi ignored the resentment flickering in his eyes and pressed on: "Don't you recall thanking Xiao Jinghong for her mercy in not killing you?"

"Now's the chance."

"I need you to write a letter to her in your name."

This time, Liu Lang understood. "You wish to inform General Jinghong of this matter?"

Chen Yi nodded, then had him fetch paper and ink to write a few characters.

Though Liu Lang was puzzled, the sting from their earlier mockery made him take the brush and write clumsily.

The strokes were uneven—horizontal, vertical, left-flick, right-flick—as if ready to tear apart before my eyes.

Noticing Chen Yi's gaze, Liu Lang scratched his head, slightly embarrassed: "Before, Master never let me read or write..."

Chen Yi waved it off, mistaking it for his own post-enlightenment perfectionist neurosis.

Then, suppressing his urge to tear the paper to shreds, he forced himself to write in Liu Lang's clumsy hand.

[General Xiao Jinghong's kind reminder:

Black Teeth Gang has gathered a host of evil cultists at Moonlight Tower, planning to burn the three cities' summer supplies. Please prepare in advance.

Also, the perpetrator may be a spy among the three cities' soldiers.

——Blade Madman.]

After finishing, Chen Yi glanced over it and sneered: "These characters are truly**ugly."

Liu Lang: "..."

(End of chapter)