Chapter 136: You Wouldn't Understand |
Shangguan Qingqing had no idea why the coachman who had appeared out of nowhere had chosen to lend his help.
But seeing that her senior brother Qin Hao had not been finished off by Sha Wenshan and the others, she felt a heavy weight lift from her heart.
She had very nearly despaired just moments ago, and during the exchange with the young man in white had already steeled herself to die.
"It seems the martial world is not entirely without good people after all," Shangguan Qingqing thought to herself, and in the blink of an eye had arrived at Qin Hao's side.
She kicked away the White Sand Gang thug who had been restraining Qin Hao, then quickly helped him to one side, extended her slender fingers with True Qi condensed at the tips, and tapped out several points in quick succession to break the sealed acupoints on his body.
Qin Hao, restored to normal, said, "Thank you, Junior Sister."
Then he quickly circulated his True Qi, stepped in front of Shangguan Qingqing, and turned a wary gaze toward Sun Shao not far away, who still held his long spear.
Sun Shao had not moved from where he stood, neither checking on Sha Wenshan and the others' injuries nor moving to stop Shangguan Qingqing from rescuing Qin Hao.
Naturally, this was not because he had no wish to act, but because Cao Gaoshan standing above on the rooftop had him locked in his aura, leaving him not daring to move a single inch.
Before long, Qin Hao and Shangguan Qingqing seemed to realize this as well, and both raised their heads to look toward Cao Gaoshan with grateful expressions.
Both clasped their hands and were just about to open their mouths to offer their thanks, when a soft cough drifted over from the second floor of the inn not far away.
Qin Hao paid it no mind and continued clasping his hands toward Cao Gaoshan on the roof, saying, "Many thanks to Senior for lending your aid. This junior is deeply grateful. Might I ask Senior's name..."
But before he could finish, his junior sister's sudden exclamation cut him off entirely.
"Ah... the number one under heaven!"
Hearing this, Qin Hao furrowed his brow and turned to look at her, saying, "What do you mean, number one under heaven? Junior Sister, do not speak carelessly in front of a senior, you'll appear rude."
But then he saw Shangguan Qingqing with her mouth wide open and her eyes sparkling, staring toward the second floor of the inn not far away with a face full of delighted surprise.
Qin Hao's expression turned puzzled, and he followed her line of sight at once.
He saw, right there at the window on the second floor of the inn, a young man of handsome and striking features smiling warmly and waving toward his junior sister, saying, "Miss Qingqing, it's been a long time."
Shangguan Qingqing's spirited and pretty face lit up with bright, eager joy, and she waved both hands back at Li Musheng in enthusiastic response.
The look of fervent excitement on her face was, to put it one way, the spitting image of a devoted fan unexpectedly crossing paths with their idol.
"Who... is he?"
Qin Hao was momentarily taken aback. He and Shangguan Qingqing were quite close within the sect, yet he had never seen her like this before.
Hearing the question, Shangguan Qingqing kept waving toward Li Musheng, not even glancing at Qin Hao as she answered, "He's the number one under heaven, didn't I just say that? Senior Brother."
"Him? That's impossible."
Qin Hao naturally did not believe a single word of it. He glanced up at Li Musheng on the second floor, then looked at Shangguan Qingqing again.
He could only think that his junior sister must have been hit by some demonic technique and had her mind bewitched.
So he quickly tried to grab her hand to stop her from waving.
But Shangguan Qingqing deftly sidestepped him, then gave him a suspicious look, saying, "What are you doing, Senior Brother?"
"Junior Sister, have you lost your mind? That man is so young, how could he possibly be the number one under heaven?"
Qin Hao stared at Shangguan Qingqing up and down without stop, as though trying to find some other sign of bewilderment on her.
However, Shangguan Qingqing waved a hand with her usual spirited air, saying, "The number one under heaven is exactly like this. Senior Brother, you just wouldn't understand."
At this moment, Cao Gaoshan's expression shifted slightly. His gaze swept over Shangguan Qingqing, who seemed quite familiar with Li Musheng, then he turned back and clasped his hands toward Li Musheng in a bow of inquiry, saying, "Sir, how shall this matter be handled from here?"
The moment those words fell, Qin Hao, who had still been trying to talk Shangguan Qingqing out of it, suddenly froze entirely.
He snapped his head toward Cao Gaoshan, and saw that the man was bowing respectfully toward Li Musheng, his entire demeanor deferential.
For a moment, Qin Hao's expression shifted with stunned uncertainty, and he said, "Senior, that person is..."
"It was at Sir's instruction that I lent this young lady my aid. If you wish to give thanks, there is no need to thank me."
Cao Gaoshan said plainly, keeping himself turned toward Li Musheng at all times as he waited quietly for the man's further instructions.
The moment those words fell, Qin Hao was visibly unable to believe what he was hearing. He opened his mouth, but for a moment could not find a single word to say.
At the same time, Shangguan Qingqing, upon hearing that it was Li Musheng who had helped her, felt her eyes grow even more luminous than before, and she shot a glance at Qin Hao, saying, "See, Senior Brother? Not only is he the number one under heaven, he's also a true hero worthy of the name. You've benefited from your junior sister's connections this time."
At this point, Li Musheng, having finished exchanging greetings with his little admirer, turned back to Cao Gaoshan with a look of pleasant satisfaction and waved a hand, saying, "Handle the rest of this for Miss Qingqing. You don't need to ask me about it anymore."
Then he called down to Shangguan Qingqing, saying, "Come up and have tea with me once you're done with your business, Miss Qingqing."
Hearing this, Shangguan Qingqing nodded eagerly and called back in agreement, then immediately turned to urge Qin Hao beside her with impatience, saying, "Senior Brother, what are you planning to do with them? Please don't hold things up for me."
Qin Hao came back to himself and instinctively glanced up at Li Musheng on the second floor, then seeing that the man was no longer paying attention to this side, turned his gaze toward Cao Gaoshan.
Cao Gaoshan noticed his look, and in the next moment moved to stand at the two of them's side, saying calmly, "Since Sir has given his instruction, rest assured. With me here, you can deal with them however you see fit."
Hearing this, Qin Hao drew a deep breath, then looked toward the pit in the stone-paved street.
At this moment, the young man in white was carefully helping Sha Wenshan crawl out of the pit on his back.
Meeting Qin Hao's gaze head-on, his expression turned dark at once.
Yet when he saw Cao Gaoshan standing at Qin Hao's side, a flicker of genuine fear crossed his eyes.
Even so, he gritted his teeth and said with forced bravado, "I'd advise you not to push your luck. The power behind the White Sand Gang is not something any of you can afford to provoke."
At this point, Sun Shao, who had remained rooted in place without moving, shifted his gaze slightly and at last looked toward Cao Gaoshan, speaking up, saying, "Senior, this matter is a dispute between myself and Qin Hao. In consideration of the God-Slaying Spear Sect's standing, I ask that Senior allow today's events to be settled here."
At this moment, Sha Wenshan, gravely wounded, raised his eyes slightly and spoke in a faint voice, saying, "I can give my word here and now. As long as you let us go, the White Sand Gang will offer up anything you want with both hands."