Why do I have so many masters?

Chapter 756: Chapter 54 Long Time No See (2/2)(5400)_3

“One-Leaf Pavilion’s private matters, please stop here!”

“Otherwise, a great calamity will befall you, do not say you were not warned.”

People subconsciously halted their steps, a moment of hesitation flashing across their faces, but the situation seemed to have no solution. Across from them, Ye Zhuhua’s unexpected interruption in the teahouse foiled the original plans, an unforeseen event no one could have predicted. Right then, they tore off their pretenses.

Any further and they would be near One-Leaf Pavilion.

There, a man hailed as capable of becoming a Great Grandmaster, a renowned figure of the world, resided.

With the Shao Yu Sword, famous far and wide, they were just ordinary Jianghu brutes, stirred by righteousness, yet to seek out such sure death would still invoke their innate hesitation, a natural human reaction beyond control.

But at that moment, it was crucial.

Ye Zhuhua’s heart relaxed slightly, for he had been somewhat worried these brutes might truly disregard life and death. His sudden shout, however, made the strong horse they had been riding bellow tragically, collapsing onto the ground and nearly throwing them off. Ye Zhuhua’s expression drastically changed as he awkwardly leaped up, using his movement technique.

Tian Zhide and his companion stared dumbfounded as the Iron Guard, who should have been securely tied up, discarded the hand crossbow he’d somehow produced, and, almost before Ye Zhuhua could react, leaped up and soared several meters, slamming down with a palm.

Ye Zhuhua, his expression severe, braced himself against the surge with his Inner Qi, only to be overwhelmed by a torrent of Inner Qi far surpassing his own, his Sixth-Rank True Qi proving futile as he was forced back continuously, his face turning deathly pale, and then alarm bells rang in his mind.

How could such an expert be brought down by his prior sword scabbard technique?

How could he be humiliated by ordinary Martial Artists like Situ Che?

It could only have been deliberate.

Ye Zhuhua’s expression changed dramatically, turning furious again.

Putting together that day’s events and what Xu Shihua had told him, he instantly realized he had been used as a blade to eliminate two subordinates who were not to his liking, while not a single core Iron Guard of the Xiahou Family was lost.

He gritted his teeth in secret, about to resort to his ultimate technique, when a gentle right hand rested on his shoulder. In the next instant, a terrifying brute force erupted, pressing him down into a half-kneel on the ground.

He coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

The simple-looking servant stood behind with crossed arms, seemingly as if he had been waiting there all along.

From the teahouse, two diners who had been talking hurried out, each holding a Break Qi hand crossbow and a Break Martial hand crossbow. The loud sound of the mechanisms echoed as crossbow bolts entered Ye Zhuhua’s body, scattering his Qi Mechanism.

Then they abruptly knelt down, addressing him as Young Master.

The atmosphere was charged with a deadly icy tension, obviously from individuals accustomed to killing.

The Hidden Guard’s face had transformed into that of a handsome young man, his phoenix-like eyes looking indifferently at Ye Zhuhua kneeling on the ground, a hint of ruthlessness flickering within as he slowly lifted his foot and placed it on Ye Zhuhua’s right hand, gently saying:

“Earlier, was it this hand that touched her, was it not?”

Ye Zhuhua couldn’t speak, a chill running down his spine.

Xiahou Xuan smiled, his pupils filled with escalating malice as he pressed down hard. The robust True Qi, acquired from a multitude of sources, bore down fiercely. With fingers connected to heart, Ye Zhuhua’s face turned ashen, and he couldn’t help but let out a miserable scream.

Wu Qiong snapped back to his senses, grinding his teeth:

“These people, the ones you talked about earlier, did you arrange all this?!”

“It’s a lie!”

As Xiahou Xuan’s foot ground down, shifting from side to side amidst the screams, he said indifferently:

“Before acting on words, to see who a person truly is, one should look at their actions, not what they say. Is this not what you taught me, Mr. Wu? Old age brings forgetfulness, but it seems you have forgotten too quickly.”

“I have calculated this matter myself, and if previously there was only a sixty to seventy percent chance, now there is over ninety percent.”

“In a little while, it will be a hundred percent.”

Wu Qiong was at a loss for words, muttering:

“Then, the other day I heard you talking to yourself about Zixiao Mountain Villa…”

Xiahou Xuan laughed out loud, his laughter carrying a chilly tone that was quite different from his gentle appearance, and said:

“If it weren’t for that, why would Ye Zhuhua dread you so much? If it weren’t for the fact that the best place to set up an ambush is merely thirteen miles away from here, how would he brazenly attack here, by any means necessary?”

“However, now that you have clearly understood the cause and effect of this matter, I expect that The Number One Manor in the World will not stand idly by.”

Sikou Tingfeng squinted her eyes slightly.

When it came to matters involving Grandmasters, even she could not make promises lightly, but her dislike for this handsome young man grew ever stronger.

Jiang Lan stood behind Xiahou Xuan, and for a moment, she felt as if she were in a trance. Subconsciously, she reached out her hand, when Xiahou Xuan suddenly pointed down the road ahead and said calmly:

“I have told you what you need to know.”

“As for the road ahead, whether you wish to proceed forward to meet with One-Leaf Pavilion, going against the odds, or whether you wish to make other plans and strategize at a leisurely pace, that is for you to decide.”

“Miss Jiang Lan, righteousness now lies with you. If you do not return to One-Leaf Pavilion, Zhang Zuosheng’s position will be unjustifiable, and although Jianghu is a place where people prey on each other, principles still matter.”

“The people in this teahouse, as well as the martial artists behind you, have all heard with their own ears. There is much to be done here; it’s a strategy of betting little to win big.”

“Regarding the subsequent matters, I expect that The Number One Manor in the World will not stand idly by. My Xiahou family has always had a harmonious relationship with One-Leaf Pavilion. This time, it is the righteousness of Jianghu that compels us to lend a hand, and incidentally, to eliminate the spies in our house. We both get what we need, and there’s no need for thanks.”

His voice paused for a moment, then he continued with self-mockery:

“This time, with both human and physical evidence in place, it ought to be true, shouldn’t it?”

Jiang Lan’s outstretched finger stiffened, and then she withdrew it woodenly.

Xiahou Xuan closed his eyes for a moment, then raised his gaze to look at the honest servant who had been ready to act from the beginning. His eyes shone with sincerity, and anyone from the Xiahou household who knew him well would have seen the happiness and a provocative glint in the Young Master’s eyes that had not appeared for a long time, and he said:

“It seems you’ve understood.”

Wang Anfeng sighed and said:

“How could I not have seen the hidden guard who has followed you since you were five years old? Besides, with your show-off nature back then, if you had this hidden guard four or five years ago, you would have certainly regretted not bringing them along, wouldn’t you?”

Xiahou Xuan laughed heartily, then as if to signal with a code, he said:

“You, oh you, adept at face-changing techniques and striking viciously, are you by nature cold-hearted?”

A warm feeling rose in Wang Anfeng’s heart as he remembered the youth in front of Liuxu Villa, where two young teenagers, imitating the talk of adults, competed with each other in secret, thinking back to when they parted, saying “see you again in Jianghu.”

Smiling, he said:

“Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire. Can one be called a gentleman?”

Xiahou Xuan laughed loudly, seemingly unintentionally stomping hard on Ye Zhuhua’s right hand, eliciting a scream of pain, and then spread his arms to welcome the other, his smile beaming.

“Long time no see!”

PS: Here is the second update of today…