Chapter 21: Shrouded

Surviving In A Martial Arts World To Become A Saint

In the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane, outside a dilapidated earthen house.

Chen Qing pressed tightly against the cold wall, keeping his breathing extremely low.

His gaze penetrated the alley entrance ahead, locking onto the two figures who had just emerged from the earthen house, Wang Ying and Duan Ye.

Both were obvious strength masters of the Black Water Gang, burly in build, their faces bearing arrogance and impatience.

Wang Ying rubbed his neck, cursing, "Damn it, another wild goose chase! That little widow is like a rat, slipping away so fast!"

Duan Ye spat thick phlegm and glanced at the deep, shadowy alley, "Don't worry, with that old fool around, she can't run far... sooner or later she'll be in our pocket."

At this moment, the two were completely unguarded, completely unaware of the lurking killing intent.

Just as Wang Ying's cursing ended and he lifted his foot to leave.

"Whoosh!"

He burst from the shadows at the corner, his feet silent, his speed so fast it left only a blurred afterimage.

The ordinary waist sword had somehow already appeared in his hand, the blade reflecting no light in the dim illumination, cold and restrained.

Three steps! Just three steps to cross several zhang of distance!

His target was Wang Ying's unprotected nape.

Chen Qing's arm muscles instantly tensed like bowstrings, without any flourish, the blade tip precisely piercing into the gap between Wang Ying's cervical vertebrae, his wrist twisting and slicing in one motion.

"Puchi!"

A teeth-grinding sound of sharp blade cutting through bone and flesh.

Wang Ying didn't even have time to react, only feeling a coolness at his nape, followed by scalding liquid gushing out.

He made gurgling sounds in his throat, his body lurching forward, the ferocity in his eyes instantly replaced by terror and death, crashing heavily onto the blue stone slabs covered with sewage.

The blade light didn't cease!

Almost as Wang Ying fell, Chen Qing used his forward momentum to twist his waist and spin, his movements fluid without a trace of stiffness.

The waist sword carved a deadly arc, from bottom to top, directly toward Duan Ye's jaw.

This was exactly a variation of "Wind Sweeping Remaining Clouds" from Swift Wind Blade Technique, changing from chopping to thrusting, faster and at a more cunning angle.

Duan Ye caught a black shadow in his peripheral vision, and in his shock had just managed to turn half his body when bone-piercing cold rushed straight at his throat!

"Eh?!"

His pupils contracted sharply, instinctively wanting to draw his blade to block, but it was too late.

That flash of blade light, quick as lightning, precisely cut in through his slightly open mouth corner, along the jawbone diagonally upward, straight through the skull cavity.

"Crack!"

The blade tip, carrying fresh blood, emerged near Duan Ye's temple.

Duan Ye's body seemed to have all its bones removed, convulsed violently once, then softly collapsed, falling on top of Wang Ying's still-warm corpse.

The entire exchange took less than two breaths.

The alley was extremely quiet, only the sound of blood flowing.

Chen Qing quickly searched the two bodies, stuffing several broken silver pieces and copper coins into his chest.

His gaze cold as ice, he swept over the two corpses still twitching slightly, delivered several more cuts to destroy evidence, then quietly departed.

...

The night was ink-black, thick enough that it couldn't be dissolved.

The brightly lit courtyard in the depths of Hundred Flowers Lane was particularly glaring.

This was the Black Water Gang's temporary hall.

In the main hall, oil lamps cast several human shadows on the mottled walls.

Gang leader Jiang Hui was burly, wearing an open silk shirt that revealed an old, hideous scar on his chest.

He irritably slammed his wine bowl on the table, "Damn it, where are those two bastards Wang Ying and Duan Ye? What are they dawdling about?"

Jiang Hui's voice carried the effects of alcohol and impatient hostility, "We agreed to discuss important matters tonight, where the hell did they go?"

A lean man below, nicknamed 'Skinny Monkey,' quickly bowed, "Brother Hui, calm down, our brothers... just ran into a pretty widow at the alley entrance, probably... heh heh, wanted to 'have some fun' before coming over, got delayed a bit."

He winked suggestively, his meaning clear.

"Have some fun?!"

Jiang Hui slammed the table hard, "Sons of bitches! Playing with women is more important than the serious business I assigned? Don't they know this batch of goods being sent to Warm Jade Workshop in the prefecture city is precious!?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The subordinates below fell silent as cicadas, nodding repeatedly.

Jiang Hui took a deep breath, thinking of something, "That Yang family girl is indeed top-grade goods. I heard her mother is a daughter of the Chen family from Firewood Fish Market?"

Skinny Monkey sneered, "Gang leader, don't worry! We've investigated clearly. That Old Master Chen is just an old fisherman, his second son Chen Wen is a rice-eating parasite, only his grandson Chen Heng is mixing around at Guangchang Martial Hall. Heh, that kid is just a pretty facade, only knows how to drink flower wine and brag with his martial brothers all day, I heard he can't even practice obvious strength properly. As for that eldest son of the Chen family, the one called Chen Qing..."

Someone beside him said disdainfully, "He's registered at the River Office, just an errand runner, what ability could he have? The gang leader is about to touch the threshold of hidden strength, still afraid of him? Besides, behind us..."

Jiang Hui interrupted Skinny Monkey's words, "A small River Office soldier, a martial hall waste, plus a few mud-legged relatives, they dare block my path to wealth? If the Chen family is sensible, they should obediently take the silver and send that girl over! Not sensible? Hmph!"

A flash of cruelty passed through his eyes as he drained the remaining wine in his bowl, "Perfect opportunity to make an example of them, let everyone in Firewood Fish Market see what happens when you offend my Black Water Gang!"

Before his words finished, the hall door was crashed open with a 'bang.'

A man covered in mud and filth, clothes in tatters, staggered in. His face was smeared with blood and mud, making his features unclear. One hand covered his waist and abdomen, seemingly severely injured, breathing rapidly as he shouted hoarsely, "Brother Hui! Bad news! Something... something happened!"

The hall instantly fell silent.

Jiang Hui's brow furrowed into knots as he barked, "What's the panic!"

The 'injured' man gasped heavily, "Brother Hui, Brother Wang Ying and the others were cornered at the 'Old Locust Tree'! The target is tough! The brothers can barely hold on! Brother Duan Ye sent me to get help! He wants you to quickly bring brothers to rescue them! If it's too late, then... then..."

His body swayed, nearly falling, only staying upright by leaning against the door frame.

"Old Locust Tree? Cornered Duan Ye?"

Jiang Hui stood up abruptly, hostility erupting on his face, "Who the hell has the guts to mess with my Black Water Gang people? Grab weapons! Follow me..."

Something's wrong!

Jiang Hui's steps stopped abruptly! He had fought his way up through bloodshed, his alertness extremely high.

How could a small fry who was cut up and fled in panic to seek help still unconsciously maintain this kind of... stable lower body stance almost like a martial artist's stance work in such confusion?

Moreover, this person's voice was hoarse, as if deliberately suppressing his throat...

Jiang Hui's hair stood on end instantly. He whipped around, his eyes fixed deadly on that 'messenger's' face, "Wait! Who the hell are you?! How come I've never seen your face?! And your blade... where did that blood come from?!"

This roar was like thunder! The subordinates in the hall were startled by the shout, instinctively following Jiang Hui's gaze toward that man and his blade.

This person was none other than Chen Qing.

The moment Jiang Hui shouted the last word, the last trace of disguise in his eyes completely faded, replaced by ice-cold killing intent!

"You'll know when you go down there!"

Chen Qing's voice was bone-chillingly cold!

Before his words finished, his left hand covering his waist and abdomen suddenly released.

What was revealed at the wound wasn't flesh and blood, but a long blade.

Simultaneously, his entire being was like a fully drawn strong bow suddenly released!

"Swish!"

The waist sword shot from its sheath like a venomous dragon, bringing up a trail of bitter cold light.

Not striking directly at Jiang Hui, but lightning-fast slashing toward Skinny Monkey, who was closest and still in a daze!

"Puff!"

The blade entered flesh, blood light bursting forth!

Skinny Monkey didn't even have time to scream before his head, wearing an expression of disbelief, flew into the air!

"Attack! He's an assassin!"

Jiang Hui's eyes nearly split with rage.

"Enemy attack!"

The remaining men's drunkenness instantly sobered as they cried out in alarm.

Ever since killing the Golden River Gang leader last time, Chen Qing had no more reservations.

At this moment, having already killed Duan Ye and Wang Ying, his battle spirit surged, killing intent boiling. His entire body's qi and blood erupted, the whole person terrifyingly calm, like an enraged wild beast.

His long blade continuously chopped and slashed, the angles strange and cunning, and extremely fast.

The throats of the remaining three Black Water Gang members were also struck, instantly falling to the ground convulsing, entering a dying state.

"Who exactly are you?"

Cold sweat seeped from Jiang Hui's back, all drunkenness gone.

Chen Qing didn't answer, his form exploding upward, the long blade chopping straight at the crown of the head. Jiang Hui hastily dodged to the side, the fierce blade wind scraping his face painfully.

"Boom!"

The wooden table exploded on impact, wine jar fragments flying everywhere.

Jiang Hui took the opportunity to draw his blade and counterattack, two sharp edges weaving dazzling sparks in the moonlight.

At this moment Chen Qing's spirit was tense to the extreme, because real combat was different from sparring matches, once defeated he would become a soul under the blade.

Although Jiang Hui had drunk large amounts of alcohol, his nerves numbed and speed somewhat slowed, he was after all a peak obvious strength master with rich combat experience.

"Clang!"

The clash of metal and iron hurt the eardrums.

Chen Qing's eyes narrowed, 'Spirit Snake Turning Body' directly avoiding the frontal collision, his long blade spinning with blade wind chopping toward Jiang Hui's waist and soft ribs.

Jiang Hui felt sudden cold, instinctively retreating backward, then extended his sleeve, his callused palm revealing several flying needles.

Swish swish swish swish!

Flying needles shuttled through the black night toward Chen Qing's brow.

Jiang Hui had survived countless dangerous passes relying on flying needle hidden weapons, this was also his signature skill.

This moment was also night, exactly the best time to use hidden weapons.

Clang!

Blade light flashed.

Chen Qing exerted his full strength, crisp sounds exploding. The broken courtyard wall before him shattered under the sharp blade wind, turning to rubble that completely buried the flying needles.

Bang bang bang!

Those fragments then poured toward Jiang Hui.

"This kid is a tough one!"

Jiang Hui was greatly alarmed and turned to flee.

Seeing this, Chen Qing flicked his blade tip, sending wine jar fragments shooting out like arrows.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Sharp pottery shards tore through the air, producing piercing whistles.

Jiang Hui dodged hastily but still felt his back turn cold, warm liquid trickling down his spine.

The next moment, a powerful fist attack came.

Through-arm boxing!?

Jiang Hui's pupils contracted sharply, recognizing the origin the moment the palm wind arrived.

He had no time to think, survival instinct drove him to take this palm strike head-on, trying to borrow the force to escape but he really underestimated Chen Qing's killing intent. This palm strike used almost all his strength, qi and blood pushed to the limit, crisp sounds echoing throughout the courtyard.

Boom!

The explosive sound of palms clashing shook snow from the eaves.

Jiang Hui's entire right arm instantly lost sensation, his body flying backward like a broken kite, directly smashing through the earthen courtyard wall.

Chen Qing was also pushed back several zhang by the recoil, his boot soles plowing two deep furrows in the frozen earth.

"Cough cough..."

Jiang Hui crawled up from the pile of bricks and stones, blood foam at his mouth corners, then staggered into the dark alley.

Chen Qing steadied himself and quickly gave chase.

He knew Jiang Hui was now severely injured, this was the best opportunity to kill him.