bookbashuk Chapter 79 Encountering an Old Acquaintance Again
Chapter 79 Encountering an Old Acquaintance Again
Chapter 79 Encountering an Old Acquaintance Again (5/5 Please Subscribe!)
Wu Cheng remained silent.
The rhetoric is exactly the same as that of the Longmen Ferry incident, except that it's "worth dying for."
If he had known An Jingru would recognize him, he would have used Li Changfeng's name.
Hopefully, these two can bring him some new tricks.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly heated, the two who were locked in a standoff finally made a move.
Wu Cheng had originally been standing with his arms crossed over his chest and a deadpan expression, but as the battle between the two intensified, his expression became more and more serious, eventually turning solemn.
He hadn't seen enough of the Dragon Gate Crossing. He possessed pure inner energy but didn't know how to use it, nor could he discern the subtlety of others' moves.
But things are different now. He has been completely transformed and has experienced several major battles. His perspective is no longer what it used to be.
This time he realized that while Li Changfeng and Wang Dang were indeed engaged in a lively sword fight, they were also putting on a show.
Yes, it was a performance.
Wu Cheng observed more closely this time. He noticed that although the two men's martial arts skills were indeed average, their teamwork was remarkably smooth.
Every slash and every sword strike, though seemingly dangerous, actually left room for maneuver, and they struck precisely the thickest part of each other's weapons. Although the noise they made was loud, neither of them could hurt the other.
However, upon closer inspection, one can detect that something is amiss.
Although the two of them used ordinary moves, Wu Cheng could tell that they were definitely experts!
These moves may look clumsy, but the effortless skill they exude is undeniable!
These two experts are deliberately feigning weakness!
After overturning three benches and smashing two tables, Li Changfeng and Wang Dang sheathed their swords, exchanged a smile, and then began to flatter each other as if no one else was around.
"Brother Li's Autumn Water Sword Technique has indeed improved rapidly; I am truly impressed!"
"Not at all, Brother Wang's Five Tigers Severing the Gate Saber Technique has only become more refined; I am truly ashamed of my inferiority!"
"Brother Li is too modest!"
"Brother Wang, you flatter me!"
Then the two left a dozen or so taels of silver and, feeling a sense of mutual respect, left hand in hand.
Well, they even knew prices would go up in Lin'an!
At that moment, the crowd erupted in cheers.
"good--!
""
"As expected of the Autumn Water Swordsman and the Five Tigers Breaking the Gate Saber, who are renowned throughout Yuzhou!"
"Croak! To see such a battle of masters! It would be worth dying for!"
Holy crap! There really were bloodthirsty spectators!
This audience member is either a pro or a plant hired by those two!
Wu Cheng rolled his eyes and was about to pull Bai Suyi and the others back to the third floor when he suddenly heard a loud shout coming from the crowd.
"What's so interesting about this! Back in Shen Family Village, I exchanged blows with the Lord of Extinction of Emotions right in front of a true disciple of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, and they were evenly matched! That's what you call a clash between masters!"
Wu Cheng looked in the direction of the sound and immediately burst into laughter.
Shen Tu Lie was holding a bowl of wontons in one hand and gesturing with the other, spitting as he spoke.
Several men dressed in coarse cloth and short tunics stood beside him; they were clearly his disciples and followers from the Burial Path or Fusheng Hall. Wang Laosan, whom he had met at Fusheng Hall in Luoyang, was also there.
Meanwhile, Shen Tu Lie was still spitting as he spoke, "And that kid surnamed Mei! No, it's surnamed Wu! The one who's number one on the Hidden Dragon List, Wu Cheng! That kid didn't dare utter a single word in front of me! I glared at him and he knelt down begging for mercy! I only spared his life because I'm kind-hearted!"
Wu Cheng walked over with a smile.
Shen Tu Lie was playing his flute with great enthusiasm when he caught a glimpse of someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. He waved his hand impatiently, "Go away! Don't disturb me while I'm eating my wontons!"
"Mr. Shentu, how have you been?"
Shen Tu Lie's hand trembled, and the wonton soup almost spilled.
He looked up abruptly and met Wu Cheng's smiling face.
"You...you...what are you doing here?!"
"That's what I should be asking you." Wu Cheng sat down on the bench opposite him. Qing Que stood expressionlessly behind him, while Bai Suyi, Damo, and Xue Jianren subtly surrounded them. "Isn't Mr. Shentu running Fushengtang in Luoyang?"
How did you end up in Lin'an?
Shen Tu Lie's scar twitched, and he sheepishly put down his wonton bowl, lowering his voice to say, "It's all because of you!"
"Because of me?"
"You killed Prince Yu and the magistrate of Luoyang in Luoyang, so I have to run away! What if the court traces it back to me and finds out I saw you in Luoyang? I'm finished! My old bones can't take this!" Shen Tu Lie said with a pained expression. "All the business I built up in Luoyang over the years has gone down the drain!"
Wu Cheng laughed. "So you brought your disciples and followers to Lin'an?"
"Lin'an is a big place, with many people, making it easy to hide." Shen Tu Lie looked around, then lowered his voice, "Besides, I have connections in Lin'an, and I can still do business in funerals."
Wu Cheng looked at him with a half-smile, "Mr. Shentu, aren't you afraid I'll sell you out? Since you've seen the Hidden Dragon List, you should know my identity."
Shen Tu Lie was taken aback, then stared at him warily. "What do you want?"
"I don't want anything." Wu Cheng took out a silver ingot from his pocket and tossed it to him. "But since Mr. Shentu has connections in Lin'an, I'd like to ask him for some information. Consider it hush money, how about it?"
Shen Tu Lie looked at the silver in his hand, then at Wu Cheng, and suddenly grinned. "If you want to find information, you shouldn't come to me. You should go to Zui Xiang Ju."
Wu Cheng asked in confusion, "Zuixiangju? A restaurant?"
"Of course not." Shen Tu Lie chuckled strangely.
Wu Cheng and the others were somewhat bewildered, but Xue Jianren's expression changed drastically, and he raised his hand to stop them, "Don't..."
Unfortunately, Shen Tu Lie had a mouth, and he was forced to utter the very words that Xue Jianren desperately tried to stop him from saying.
"It's a brothel."
"A brothel?!"
Wu Cheng's voice immediately rose eight octaves.
Xue Jianren was startled and instinctively turned to look at Bai Suyi and Qingque.
But he noticed that the expressions on the faces of his two junior sisters had not changed much. Junior Sister Bai still had her carefree smile, and Junior Sister Qingque was still as cold as ice.
Huh? Do they not mind that His Highness goes to brothels?
"Your Highness," Qingque said coldly, "that place is dirty, and you are still young. It's not too late to start your education when you're two years older."
"Junior brother," Bai Suying said lightly, "I know you're curious about places like that, but you certainly didn't go there to seek pleasure, did you?"
Wu Cheng's expression turned serious. "Of course! I'm just going to be critical!"
It's not about comparing it to those K-pop videos I saw online in my past life!
"criticism?"
Everyone was puzzled: what does visiting a brothel have to do with criticism?
Wu Cheng explained, "You see, Mr. Shentu said that Zuixiangju has the most intelligence, right?"
Shen Tu Lie nodded. "It was Lao Tzu who said it, but what does that have to do with criticism?"
"Heh, having a lot of intelligence means that those who go to Zuixiangju are all high-ranking officials and nobles. And a brothel that can entertain high-ranking officials and nobles without anyone causing trouble... do you believe that there isn't a big shot behind it?" Wu Cheng said calmly.
Xue Jianren slapped his forehead. "That's right! I've been to Zuixiangju so many times and I never thought of that! Uh..."
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He suddenly froze, turned around with an awkward smile, only to find that no one cared about him at all.
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""
Xue Jianren silently shrank into a corner.
"This is it." Wu Cheng looked at Bai Suying. "Senior Sister, are our Wentian Sect and the Demonic Sect irreconcilable enemies?"
Bai Suying glanced at Shen Tu Lie, who had suddenly become even more like a quail, then nodded almost imperceptibly, "I suppose so."
.
"That's it!" Wu Cheng slapped his thigh. "The Drunken Fragrance Pavilion must be backed by the Demonic Sect! The Demonic Sect's Holy Maiden infiltrating a brothel disguised as a virgin is a common trope in vernacular novels! So I have to go to the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion with a critical eye!"