strictlysupreme Chapter 76 Return
Chapter 76 Return
Chapter 76 Return (Please Subscribe)
The blade flashed, and Zhao Ming's desperate cries for mercy came to an abrupt halt. Liang Cheng sheathed his sword, looked at the fallen corpse, and felt no emotion whatsoever.
He rested for a moment, hastily bandaged his wounds, then went back into the water and retrieved Xu Cangming's body. He then began searching the bodies of Zhao Ming and Xu Cangming.
Aside from some loose silver coins, the most conspicuous thing on Zhao Ming's person was his deacon disciple token.
Liang Cheng touched his jade pendant to it, and a faint light flowed around it. When he saw the number that had been turned over, even with his composure, he couldn't help but be startled.
13,700 contribution points!
Even if a disciple of the Foreign Affairs Hall had some extra income, it would be impossible for him to accumulate such a huge sum of money. This could only be achieved through long-term embezzlement and misappropriation.
Xu Cangming carried an exquisitely crafted brocade pouch containing several large-denomination silver notes, totaling over five thousand taels.
The "Xu Family Elder's Token" was forged from a piece of black iron, with the words "Cangming" and intricate cloud patterns engraved on the back. There were also some unidentifiable pills, as well as a booklet made of tough animal hide with four sharp characters on the cover.
The Mysterious Yin Sword Technique.
Liang Cheng glanced at it briefly and found that the sword energy circulation method inside was exactly the same as that used by Xu Cangming, the River-Turning Dragon. It should be a sword technique of the True Qi Realm.
He suspected that the relationship between the Xu family and Fan Jiangjiao was probably more than just an employment relationship.
He hesitated for a moment, then carefully put away the silver notes, pills, and the booklet of "Mysterious Yin Sword Manual" close to his body.
The Xu family elder's slender sword, though of exceptional quality, is a fine item, but its distinctive features are too obvious, and once exposed, it could lead to endless troubles.
He endured the excruciating pain from his chest wound and the lingering chill raging within him, dragged the two corpses to the edge of the icy pool, tied them to a boulder, and sank them into the dark, frigid depths.
After doing all this, he was almost completely exhausted. Although the Great Perfection of the Bronze Armor Realm provided amazing defense, and Xu Cangming was old and frail, he was still a True Qi Realm expert. The sword energy he poured in before his death was insidious and sharp, and his injuries were very serious.
"We must leave as soon as possible and seek help from Elder Huang."
His face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Now, the only person he could trust and who was capable of treating this kind of injury was Old Huang.
Liang Chengqiang gathered his inner energy, discerned the direction, and used the Dragon Step to weave through the thick fog and strange rocks, stealthily heading towards Huang Lao's alchemy room.
Liang Cheng avoided several possible patrol points and returned to the back mountain of the Martial Academy in the middle of the night, arriving outside Huang Lao's alchemy room.
He was already at his limit. Leaning against the cold courtyard wall, he barely raised his hand and knocked lightly on the gate a few times.
-
"Old Huang, it's me, Liang Cheng."
A moment later, the courtyard gate opened silently a crack.
In the dim light, Old Huang glanced at Liang Cheng's wound, asked nothing, pulled Liang Cheng inside, and quickly closed the door.
The room was filled with the aroma of medicine.
Liang Cheng was helped to the straw mat in the cubicle, but he could no longer hold on and coughed up a mouthful of black blood mixed with ice shards.
Elder Huang quickly examined his injuries, his expression growing increasingly grave: "The Xuan Yin Sword Qi has invaded your internal organs, causing turmoil. The external injuries are secondary; you've encountered the River-Turning Flood Dragon again? How did it manage to sneak into the Martial Academy? How did Yan Song become the head of the Enforcement Hall? Is the Martial Academy riddled with holes?"
Liang Cheng weakly shook his head and briefly recounted the general situation, omitting the specific details of the contribution points and the "Mysterious Yin Sword Manual," only saying that he had managed to kill Xu Cangming and Zhao Ming by sheer luck.
After listening, Old Huang remained silent for a long while before sighing, whether out of emotion or headache, "Zhao Ming deserved to die for colluding with outsiders, but you are a real scourge, managing to kill Xu Cangming, an old man at the True Qi Realm."
Despite his complaints, his hands never stopped moving. He quickly took out a row of gold needles and, with lightning speed, pierced several acupoints on Liang Cheng's chest and back, temporarily locking down the rampant sword energy.
They then found several jade bottles and poured out pills of various colors.
"Fortunately, your strength has greatly improved this time, and you arrived here in time. As long as you take this bottle of Warm Sun Pill, one pill a day, you can dissolve the Yin Cold Sword Qi in your body."
As for this bottle of chalcedony ointment, it's applied externally to wounds to promote tissue regeneration and bone healing. And this bowl of medicinal soup, drink it now to strengthen your constitution and replenish your vital energy.
Liang Cheng took the medicine as instructed, and a gentle warmth quickly spread through him, relieving his almost frozen meridians.
"Thank you, Elder Huang." His voice was hoarse.
"Thanks my ass!" Old Huang glared at him. "Consultation fee, medicine fee, hush money, and compensation for your worry—give me your jade token!"
Liang Cheng was taken aback upon hearing this, but Old Huang became anxious, "Don't try to renege on your debt, kid. Zhao Ming is no good person. I don't believe you didn't siphon off his contribution points!"
Liang Cheng marveled at Huang Lao's shrewdness, took out his identity jade token, which Huang Lao happily accepted. After a faint light shimmered, he returned the jade token.
"I've always been a kind person, so I'll leave you some contribution points. You also have some True Qi Realm pills on you, which are useless to you, so I'll use them to offset part of the debt. But remember, kid, the debt isn't paid off yet."
Liang Cheng took the jade token, glanced at it, and saw three hundred contribution points. He truly kept a little.
But when Old Huang carefully cleaned Liang Cheng's wounds and applied ointment, looking at the old and new scars on Liang Cheng's body, he still sighed that this kid had indeed accumulated a lot of experience.
Those who can kill someone at the True Qi Realm level who is above their level can be called geniuses.
The Martial Arts Academy has truly found a gem.
However, given the martial academy's style of letting disciples raise Gu and fight each other, and their attitude of simply letting them grow up without any real Qi Realm disciples, this kid is likely to suffer a bit.
Fortunately, this kid is extremely cautious. If it were someone else, they would probably be dead by now. But he has no intention of changing the way the martial arts academy operates.
Those who survive are geniuses; those who die are just trash!
"These next few days, you'd better stay here quietly and don't go anywhere. The Xu family probably won't let this go."
After bandaging his wounds, Elder Huang wiped his hands and said, "However, the Martial Academy isn't exactly a saint either. Just stay here and recover. Don't think about anything else."
Liang Cheng nodded, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him, and under the influence of the medicine, he fell into a deep sleep. Old Huang looked at him and couldn't help but shake his head.
This kid trusts me.
Xu Mansion.
Night had fallen, and the lights in Xu Zhang's study were still on. The atmosphere was heavy, and Xu Zhang, his son Xu Zhi, and Xu Feng sat together, their faces extremely grim.
"Uncle San hasn't returned yet?" Xu Zhi's voice was somewhat flustered.
"My third uncle has not returned since he entered the Thousand Miasma Valley with Zhao Ming this morning. As agreed, we left people at the three contact points outside the Martial Academy, but we still haven't heard from him."
Xu Feng's voice was cold, but his eyes showed astonishment and disbelief.
"Where is Zhao Ming?"
"And there has been no news since."
The study was deathly silent, with only the occasional crackling sound of the lamp wick popping.
Xu Zhi clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white: "Father, could it be that Third Uncle—"
"Shut up!" Xu Zhang interrupted him abruptly, his eyes bloodshot and his chest heaving violently. He dared not think about that possibility.
Xu Cangming was the only True Qi Realm elder in the third branch besides himself. He had cultivated the Profound Yin Sword Technique for decades and his swordsmanship was shrewd. He was a well-known figure in Linwu City. How could he possibly fail to kill a mere beginner who had reached the peak of the Transformation Realm?
But the truth is, the person did not return.
"Second Uncle, according to Zhao Ming's intelligence, could it be Elder Huang from the alchemy room on the back mountain of the Martial Academy who made the move?"
"It's not impossible, but the Martial Academy hasn't made any moves yet. If Elder Huang were to take action, he would probably have already come to question them."
"But no matter what, we have to be prepared for both possibilities. Zhi'er, you should send someone to the Qiao family to propose marriage tomorrow. There's no time to lose. Remember, you can agree to help the Qiao family get back into the top tier of the Chamber of Commerce."
"what?"
"What? Hurry up and get ready."
Xu Zhi looked bewildered, but still respected his father's arrangement and went out to prepare. Xu Zhang looked at Xu Feng and said, "Feng'er, your second uncle begs you, if I can't escape this time, I will take full responsibility. Please protect Zhi'er and let him live as an ordinary wealthy man."
Xu Feng was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically, "Okay."
Xu Zhang watched Xu Feng leave, and then sat silently under the oil lamp for a long time.
Liang Cheng rested in Huang Lao Dan Fang for three days. The wound on his chest had scabbed over, his breathing was stable, and he was out of danger.
As the morning light streamed through the window, he opened his eyes and said, "Old Huang, I want to appear directly."
-
"Have you thought it through?" Old Huang was sorting medicinal herbs, not even looking up.
"Well, since the Xu family already knows I'm alive, there's no point in hiding anymore. It's better to show myself openly; that way, they won't be able to make a move."
"At least you're not completely stupid," Old Huang tossed over a porcelain bottle. "It's for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Apply it externally. For internal injuries, continue drinking the medicine I prescribed."
Liang Cheng took the medicine bottle: "Elder Huang, about the Thousand Miasma Valley—"
"Xu Cangming?" Old Huang narrowed his eyes. "Who knows where he went? Zhao Ming colluded with outsiders and died out there. What's it to you?"
"Anyway, you've stuck to the story that you barely escaped from the Flipping River Dragon Sword and have been in seclusion recuperating ever since. You've kept Xu Cangming's matter to yourself."
Liang Cheng nodded: "This disciple understands."
When Liang Cheng walked out of the alchemy room, it was already broad daylight.
Martial Arts Academy.
Liang Cheng made no attempt to conceal himself, walking along the bluestone path towards the Heavenly Abode. The disciples practicing their morning exercises by the roadside were first stunned, then wide-eyed—
His eyes widened.
"Senior Brother Liang?!"
"You've already—"
Liang Cheng nodded to them without stopping, but the disciples were in an uproar and turned to run away.
In less than half an hour, the news of Liang Cheng's return spread like wildfire throughout the martial arts academy.
A dwelling for people.
Li Mu was practicing his stance training, his clothes soaked with sweat. As the noise outside the courtyard grew louder, he frowned but did not become distracted.
"Li Mu! Li Mu!" Several familiar disciples rushed into the courtyard, their faces flushed. "Senior Brother Liang is back!"
"Someone saw him come down from the back mountain and die!"
Li Mu's expression changed, and he lost his footing: "Senior Brother Liang is back?"
"It's absolutely true! The River-Turning Dragon personally took action, and Senior Brother Liang actually managed to escape from a True Qi Realm sword strike. His strength is simply terrifying!"
Li Mu took a deep breath, turned around and ran outside.
Tianshe, Lu Qingzhou's secluded courtyard.
Lu Qingzhou was practicing a set of soft boxing in the courtyard, his movements fluid and graceful, when the steward hurried through the moon gate and whispered, "Young Master, Liang Cheng has returned."
Lu Qingzhou paused in his punching motion.
"How is he?"
"He seems to be alright and has already returned to his own yard."
A glint of light flashed in Lu Qingzhou's eyes.
"Prepare a high-quality set of qi- and blood-tonifying herbs; I will personally deliver it to you later."
"Yes."
Land dwelling.
Yun Jinghong had just sheathed his sword, and before he could even wipe the sweat from his brow, he heard the excited chatter of the disciples outside the door and pushed the door open to go out.
"Liang Cheng is back?"
-
The disciples were startled and quickly nodded, "Yes, Senior Brother Yun."
"Where is he?"
"Return to Heaven and Earth."
Without saying a word, Yun Jinghong turned around, went back into the house, grabbed his longsword, and walked out.
"Senior Brother Yun, where are you going?"
"Practicing swordsmanship."
His voice was calm, but the knuckles of his sword-wielding hand were white and the veins were slightly visible. Liang Cheng's escape from the Flipping River Dragon Sword was definitely not just luck.
The opponent has become stronger.
But his progress is still too slow.
Yun Jinghong stepped into the Foreign Affairs Hall and headed straight for the west wall where high-risk missions were displayed. At the highest point, a list with a blood-red sign was glaringly obvious:
[Suppress the bandits of Xishan - Contribution Points: 3,000]
He reached out and tore down the list.
The Xu residence, study.
Xu Zhang leaned back in his armchair with his eyes closed, while the steward knelt below him and said, "Master, news has come from the Martial Academy that Liang Cheng has appeared."
""
Xu Zhang opened his eyes: "How is he?"
"They appear to be unharmed and have already returned to the Heavenly Abode."
"Where is Third Uncle?"
"No news yet."
Xu Zhang closed his eyes again, his fingers unconsciously tapping the sandalwood armrest. The Three Swords of the Overturning River Dragon had failed to kill him; his Third Uncle had personally intervened, and now his whereabouts were unknown.
But he swaggered back to the martial arts academy.
"What other moves has the Martial Academy made?" Xu Zhang asked in a hoarse voice.
"Discussions are rife among the disciples, but the higher-ups have yet to take any action."
Xu Zhang suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes bloodshot: "He came back alive, yet he didn't mention Third Uncle's matter. This boy is cunning and we must be wary of him."
He paused. "Where is the young master?"
"Young Master went to the Qiao residence early this morning to discuss the details of the marriage."
"When he returns, tell him to come see me immediately."
"Yes."
The steward withdrew.
Xu Zhang sat alone in his dimly lit study. He had to get his hands on that item from the Qiao family as soon as possible.
As for Liang Cheng, now that he has missed a good opportunity, he should make plans as soon as possible.
The Qiao residence, in the back garden.
Qiao Zhi had just seen Xu Zhi off when the wedding date was set, and there was no turning back.
A maidservant, lifting the hem of her skirt, trotted in: "Miss! Young Master Liang is back. He said he escaped from the sea and has been in seclusion to recuperate from his injuries. He only showed up this morning."
Qiao Zhi stood still for a moment, then suddenly chuckled softly, her laughter revealing neither joy nor anger: "To escape from the Flipping River Dragon Sword, his life is truly—"
It's hard.
The maidservant asked cautiously, "Miss, about the marriage—"
"On the eighth day of next month, since you're getting married, let's make it a grand and spectacular affair, so that the whole of Linwu City can see it."
Madam Qiao appeared by the door at some point, her eyes slightly red: "Zhi'er, why are you doing this to yourself?"
"Suffering? If the Qiao family can regain its top rank in the Chamber of Commerce, what is this little bit of suffering? I can't rely on others, so I'll rely on myself."
"6
"Once you get married, you'll no longer be a member of the Qiao family."
Qiao Zhi paused, "So what? Xu Zhi promised me that the second male heir would be surnamed Qiao."
Tianshe, Liangcheng Courtyard.
Liang Cheng pushed open the courtyard gate. The stone lock was still there, and the bluestone ground was as clean as ever, as if he had never left.
Just then, there was a rapid knocking on the courtyard gate. Liang Cheng got up to open the door, and Li Mu stood outside, panting and sweating.
"Senior Brother Liang!"
When Li Mu saw him standing there calmly, his eyes suddenly welled up with tears. A thousand words stuck in his throat, and in the end, he could only clasp his hands tightly, his voice trembling.
-
"It's good that you're back!"
Liang Cheng patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go inside and talk."
Just as the two sat down, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard again.
Lu Qingzhou, dressed in a white robe with gold trim, personally carried in a carved mahogany box, his smile as warm as ever: "Junior Brother Liang, you're finally back."
Li Mu quickly got up and stood awkwardly to the side.
Lu Qingzhou placed the wooden box on the stone table. Inside, old ginseng, lingzhi mushrooms, and other items were neatly arranged, emitting a fragrant aroma: "A small token of my appreciation to help my junior brother strengthen his foundation and cultivate his vitality."
Liang Cheng cupped his hands in thanks: "Senior Brother Lu, you've gone to so much trouble."
"Junior brother, you are too kind. How dare the River-Turning Flood Dragon attack a disciple of my Martial Academy! This matter must not be left unresolved. I have already sent word home to do everything in my power to investigate the Black Tide's whereabouts and to seek justice for you."
"I appreciate your kindness, senior brother," Liang Cheng shook his head, "but I want to settle this score myself."
Lu Qingzhou gave him a deep look: "Good ambition, then I'll wait for good news."
Just then, a disciple from outside the courtyard came over: "Senior Brother Liang, Master Lü requests your presence."
Liang Cheng stood up and said apologetically to the two of them, "The Master has summoned me, and I must go."
"Business comes first."
Liang Cheng left with the disciple in charge. Lu Qingzhou glanced at Li Mu, who was standing respectfully to the side: "Junior Brother Li, right? If you need anything in the future, you can come to Tian She to find me."
Li Mu was somewhat flattered and thanked him repeatedly. He walked out of the courtyard in a daze, and when he returned to his quarters, his emotions were still turbulent.
At this moment, they saw several disciples from the fishing gang waiting outside the door. The triangular-eyed youth in the lead forced a smile and handed over several jade tokens.
"Junior Brother Li, the brothers were ignorant a few days ago and offended us a lot. Please take this contribution and forgive us."
Looking at the jade tablets, Li Mu suddenly felt a surge of disgust.
If it were half a month ago, he might have accepted it, and might even have felt relieved, but at this moment, he was extremely calm.
"No need, it's nothing between fellow disciples."
"7
The man with the triangular eyes was taken aback for a moment, then quickly smiled ingratiatingly, "Junior brother is very generous. In the future, if you need anything in the outer courtyard, please don't hesitate to ask!"
Li Mu nodded and closed the door.
The faint sounds of a few people talking with a sigh of relief could be heard outside the courtyard.
He stood in the courtyard, unmoved, practicing his stance training.
Mingxin Pavilion, Lü Bingchen's study.
Lu Bingchen sized up Liang Cheng, who was standing in Lingfang, his gaze lingering on his chest for a moment: "How are the scars?"
"I am much better now, thank you for your concern, Master."
"I heard that the sword strike from the 'Overturning River Dragon' was extremely dangerous."
"I was lucky to escape with my life. I managed to deflect some of the sword energy by the flow of water and also relied on my basic martial arts skills."
"It is already remarkable that you were able to escape from the sword token of a mid-stage True Qi Realm expert. The Martial Academy will not treat its disciples unfairly. The allowance you did not receive during your recovery period will be made up for later."
"Thank you, Master."
"Yes, go back and rest well. The Martial Academy will handle the Black Tide matter itself."
Liang Chengxing withdrew.
-
Walking on the bluestone path back to the courtyard, the disciples along the way all turned their heads to look at me, and the sound of my footsteps echoed in the air.
Just as he arrived at the courtyard gate, a handyman disciple rushed over and said, "Senior Brother Liang, Master Chengwei has arrived and is waiting in the courtyard."
Liang Cheng's heart tightened, and he hurried inside: "Master, what brings you here? But it's my mother—"
"Your mother is fine. The moment the news of your accident came, I had Xiang Yuanzi Zhou Hu personally watch over her and hide her in a safe place where no one would know."
Liang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked Cheng Wei to sit down. Cheng Wei then briefly recounted the events that had transpired during his disappearance.
When he spoke of the old fisherman's family, he sighed: "The money you gave them back then made them targets. A few remnants of the Sea Serpent Gang sneaked into our house at night. Yongzi robbed them, and the old fisherman's son, trying to protect their belongings, had his leg broken—"
"They begged their way back to the village and brought back some medicinal herbs for Master Paiya, but the shock they experienced may have left them with a chronic illness."
Liang Cheng remained silent. "What about the other villagers?"
"They haven't had much contact with you in the past two years, so they haven't been implicated. The girl you specifically instructed, Sandou, hasn't been bothered either. She's still doing needlework in the village and has even settled down with a family. She's living a peaceful life."
Liang Cheng finally felt relieved. He hadn't deliberately helped her back then because he was afraid of this situation.
Since he was still young and inexperienced, any closeness he showed could become a weakness that Liang Ya could exploit, bringing disaster upon himself.
Only when one advances to the True Qi Realm and truly possesses the means to establish oneself can one even begin to speak of protection.
At the Martial Academy, True Qi Realm experts can bring their closest relatives over. Even if they perish, the Martial Academy will provide compensation and protection for their families.
After saying this, Chengwei rubbed his hands together, his expression unusually awkward.
Liang Cheng took the initiative to ask, "Master, is there anything difficult? Please feel free to ask."
"The Xu family sent Ya to formally propose marriage the day before yesterday, and the Qiao family has accepted the order," Chengwei looked at him and hesitated, "I came here today to ask for your opinion."
Liang Cheng looked out the window at the wind rustling through the bamboo leaves, and finally spoke, his voice calm but each word clear.
"Master, the Xu family was probably the one who ordered the Jiangjiao to assassinate me at sea."
Cheng Wei was taken aback at first, then his expression changed drastically. He slammed his palm on the stone table, and the stone table cracked in several places.
His chest heaved violently, his eyes filled with lingering fear. He abruptly stood up: "I'll go to the Qiao residence right away!"
"Master!" Liang Cheng tried to stop him, but Yang Wei had already strode out of the courtyard.
Outside the Qiao residence.
Chengwei was politely stopped at the door by two guards from the Qiao family.
"Master Cheng, Miss Fuya is not available to receive guests today. Please leave."
"Let me in, I have something important to tell Zhi'er!"
During the argument, the old servant Wang Bo hurriedly came out, looking troubled, and handed over a note: "Master Cheng, this is what Miss asked me to give you."
Chengwei took it; there was only one line of delicate handwriting on the paper:
【What business is it of yours? If the Qiao family wants to live, I have to marry. When I begged you to let Liang Cheng help me, did you even consider the bond between father and daughter? Now you're playing the role of a loving father, how utterly ridiculous!】
Chengwei held the note, his fingers trembling, and stood there motionless for a long time.