Misty Rain of the Old Times

The river bandits of Fanjiang Village had already surrounded and approached. Chen Xuan ended his brief exchange with Liang Ren, looked at the Xiantian leader on the opposite sailboat, skipped the basic polite opening remarks, and didn't even bother to raise his hand. He smiled faintly and said, "We are passing through this place. Your faces are ferocious and you don't seem to be friendly. May we ask what brings you here?"

Upon hearing his words, the 'Grandpa Hong' opposite him turned cold, as if he had been deeply stung.

Originally, this was just Chen Xuan's personality; he was indifferent and unperturbed by anything. But in Grandpa Hong's eyes, it was clearly an arrogant attitude, which made him very unhappy.

To put it bluntly, he had gotten used to acting subservient in prison. Even as a master of innate cultivation, he had to put on a smiling face when facing a lowly jailer. Having had such an experience, he couldn't hate such arrogant people more than anything.

It has to be said that he is quite a character. He was able to bend and stretch in prison for so many years and eventually managed to escape with his cultivation intact. But he acted like a grandson in prison and was looked down upon when he got out. Wasn't that a waste of his time?

Since you can tell we're not good people, why are you acting so confident? Who do you think you are?

Of course, this also reflects Chen Xuan and his group's confidence. After all, they are the kind of people that even two innate masters of the Chongyan Sect have to go to great lengths to deal with. However, they are so young, so it is also possible that they are bluffing.

With a cold smile, Old Master Hong, despite his displeasure, did not act rashly. Instead, he smiled gently and said, "We have come uninvited. If we have caused any disturbance, we hope this young master will forgive us. It seems that you are not one to waste words, so I will get straight to the point. We are currently short of money and hope that you will generously contribute. Since we are only after money, we hope you will obediently surrender and cooperate. After all, swords have no eyes, and if a fight breaks out, it will not be good for anyone if it damages our relationship. What do you think, sir?"

Despite his pleasant words, the threat and probing were palpable in his tone, and a fiery glint flashed in his eyes as he glanced at Du Juan and Su Roujia beside Chen Xuan.

His gaze made Chen Xuan extremely uncomfortable, and he immediately lost the will to talk nonsense. He shook his head and said, "You're all capable people, why do you have to do this kind of robbery and plunder? Since you've already stated your purpose, why not listen to my opinion? Either you surrender and let us decide your fate, or we'll see if you have the ability."

"Haha, I wonder what you plan to do with us if we surrender? And what if we have the ability?" Old Master Hong said with great interest. He liked to torture people and didn't mind playing around with them before taking action.

In any case, he was not a blindly impulsive person. He understood his situation and purpose. Whenever he saw that things were not going well, he would decisively give up and run away. Anyway, the Chongyan Sect's affairs had nothing to do with him, and the people of Fanjiang Village never took them to heart. Of course, if he could take the opportunity to make some money, that would be even better.

He still has a significant advantage, with three innate masters and two powerful members of the Chongyan Sect. Unless a grandmaster-level expert personally arrives, he has a high chance of winning the battle, and if all else fails, he is also very confident of escaping unscathed.

The reason for this confidence is that, in the end, innate masters are not as common as cabbages; it's rare for people to even see one normally, so it's not so easy for them to capsize.

“You should be on the list of those to be eliminated by the imperial court. If you surrender, you will be handed over to the government for trial under the law, and we can receive a considerable reward. As for your abilities, let me be clear, I personally suggest that you surrender. Really,” Chen Xuan shrugged and laughed.

Grandpa Hong shook his head and chuckled, "I don't care who you are. Anyway, you're quite interesting. I just don't know if your abilities are as great as you say. I'll give you one last chance. We only want money. Aren't you going to consider cooperating?"

If we can make Chen Xuan and his group hesitate to act, achieving our goal at the lowest possible cost, why not? Once Chen Xuan and his group obediently comply, we can do whatever we want afterwards. Credibility is something that righteous people only consider; it's a joke in their eyes.

"Looks like we still have to make a move. Bring it on, I've already given you a chance," Chen Xuan said with a smile, beckoning with his finger. He was known as the most ruthless of bandits, nicknamed "Sang Biao."

Chen Xuan ignored the other person and turned to look at the nervous little girl, asking, "Roujia, you've been practicing martial arts for a while now. The martial arts I've taught you aren't the mainstream ones. Recently, I've also been providing you with plenty of pills. You said you wanted to practice martial arts well so you could share my burdens. Now is your chance. Do you want to practice and accumulate some practical experience?"

Upon hearing this, the little girl's gaze instantly hardened, and she nodded without hesitation, saying, "Yes, sir, I'll go get the knife right away."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around to get her weapon. Ever since she started following Chen Xuan, she had been worried that she was useless. She never dared to dream of the kind of life she had been through during this time. Only she knew how good her master had been to her. Now, let alone killing bad guys, she would not hesitate to go through firecrackers. Even if it meant death, she would be happy to do it.

Think about it, what family treats a little girl so well, like family, giving her whatever she wants? Even raising assassins wouldn't be this kind of treatment.

Soon the little girl carried a large knife out of the cabin. The blade was straight and gleaming, a full five feet long and palm-width wide. When stood upright, it was almost as tall as the little girl herself. She was already petite and delicate, and carrying the large knife made her look even more graceful.

She practiced the Nine Absolute Blade technique taught to her by Chen Xuan, which is a top-tier sword technique among superior ones. It would be a treasure of any prestigious sect. After Du Juan arrived, the two of them discussed and refined the technique, and they were already quite proficient. All they lacked was real combat experience.

Logically speaking, it shouldn't be suitable for her to practice with such a large sword, but Chen Xuan asked her before teaching her how to use the sword. She said that she practiced swordsmanship to make it easier to chop wood in the future. She was very diligent and never forgot her duty.

At the same time, Old Man Hong across from them turned cold and waved his hand, saying, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup! Men, what are you waiting for? Charge! Do you really think I'm so easy to talk to? I don't care if the men live or die, but remember, don't hurt the beauties!"

He remained completely still after the order was given, and he would not act rashly before he had a better understanding of Chen Xuan and his group's background. He was ruthless but also cautious.

"Kill! Brothers, let's go! Didn't you hear what Uncle Hong said? If we pull this off, we'll have plenty of good food and drink tonight!"

The numerous members of the Flipping River Stronghold surrounding Chen Xuan and his ship roared and screamed, their faces contorted with rage, shouting and clashing as they swung out grappling hooks, ready to board the ship.

Faced with this situation, Chen Xuan simply waved his hand, and Du Juan, quite tacitly, brought him a grand chair and sat down with an air of authority.

The palace maids and eunuchs on the ship, who were prepared in advance, directly revealed their weapons. The number of palace maids and eunuchs was half and half. The palace maids all carried three-foot-long thin soft swords, about the width of a thumb, which they drew from their waists and swiftly drew straight like snakes spitting their tongues.

The eunuch then pulled out several small crossbows that gleamed with a dark light from his wide sleeves!
The palace maids and eunuchs who were sent by Steward Hua to accompany Chen Xuan and his group were all highly skilled in martial arts, even if they were not top-notch in the martial arts world. Moreover, they were carefully trained by the royal family and practiced profound martial arts. They were usually cautious and timid, but when it came to fighting, their aura was chilling, especially their eyes, which were cold and ruthless, looking at people as if they were lifeless radishes.

The truth is that in their eyes, no one else is considered human except their master, and loyalty is the first lesson they learn in serving the royal family.

At that moment, Grandpa Hong across from him felt his pupils shrink and a chill run down his spine. He realized that he was definitely in big trouble!
The person before me is no noble young master; he is clearly a member of the imperial family. Otherwise, why would he have so many eunuchs by his side? This is an ironclad rule exclusive to the royal family, one that even noble families cannot transgress on the surface.

If nothing unexpected happens, those beautiful and charming women must be palace maids.

Which esteemed person dressed in white dragon fish robes did I offend on my journey?

The small crossbows held by those eunuchs were chilling to look at. They gleamed with a dark light and were definitely made with precious black gold. Even the crossbow bolts were mixed with black gold. Ordinary shots could easily pierce armor, and if infused with internal energy, they could even break through innate true qi!

This is clearly a lack of martial ethics and is extremely bullying. Is it really necessary to bring out something like this?
Moreover, the fact that even his attendants could possess such deadly weapons, enough to warrant execution for a private individual, suggests the person's true identity is unimaginable. 'That damned Chongyan Sect misled me; is it too late to regret it now?'

Old Master Hong, who was somewhat knowledgeable, was terrified. He dared to gather people in the mountains and forests to fight against the local government, but when facing the imperial family, he had to back down. In this era, the whole world belonged to the king. Although one's innate cultivation could indeed make one arrogant like a king, how many people would dare to assassinate the king?

Once someone of this status is dealt with, there will be nowhere left to hide in the world. Even fleeing to another country won't help. If a country sends a letter of apology, it will see them as a thorn in its side. After all, if you dare to assassinate a member of the royal family of a country, what if they target us one day?

At this point, Grandpa Hong's concerns were no longer simply about retiring, but about how to protect himself and, ideally, how to make amends for his mistakes.

As for cleaning up the desolate wilderness, he had considered it, but he dared not. When important figures get into trouble, the investigation will be thorough. The imperial court has many extraordinary people who will not reason with you. If there is any suspicion, they would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go free.

However, once the arrow is released, there is no turning back. In the blink of an eye, these thoughts flashed through Grandpa Hong's mind, and the two sides had already started fighting.

The situation was a one-sided massacre, with the two sides being on completely different levels.

Dozens of palace maids and eunuchs guarded the area around the warship. The grappling hooks thrown at the ship were torn apart and sent flying by the maids' slender swords before they even reached the side of the ship. Meanwhile, the eunuchs were firing crossbows with precision. Each bolt, flashing with black light, cut through the air and emitted a deathly note. The henchmen of Fanjiang Village could not dodge or block them. Their heads were easily pierced, and they did not even have time to let out a dying scream.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the members of the Flipping River Stronghold surrounding the ship were shot dead. To be honest, their worthless lives were not even worth a single crossbow bolt mixed with black gold.

Even the most elite army will collapse if it suffers more than half of its casualties, let alone these bandits who only dare to bully the weak and fear the strong.
The casualties caused in an instant left the remaining people stunned, their minds blank and at a loss.

Just as the eunuchs were about to unhesitatingly shoot down all the members of the Flipping River Stronghold, Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "Leave the rest; let Roujia practice and gain some experience."

Upon hearing this, they stopped immediately. Chen Xuan then looked at the little girl and encouraged her with a smile, "Go, Roujia. Don't be afraid. Your master is here. If you're really scared, that's fine. I won't blame you. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Chen Xuan wouldn't be so tolerant of other servants, but he always treated the little girl like family and wouldn't force her to do things unless absolutely necessary.

"Master, I'm not afraid. I... I won't let you down," the little girl said solemnly. Then she took a deep breath, channeled her inner energy, and wielded her broadsword as she darted toward a small boat a few feet away.

Having inherited the Azure Cloud Floating Willow Lightness Skill, her movements were elegant and swift, her figure elusive and unpredictable. Even though her internal strength was somewhat lacking, her superb lightness skill allowed her to cover several feet in a single step. However, it was somewhat incongruous that her petite frame held a large sword.

After boarding the ship, she saw several river bandits from Fanjiang Village who were terrified and stunned because most of their companions had died in an instant. She hesitated for only a moment before her eyes turned cold and she swung her knife. Her knife skills were ruthless and cunning, and the blade had a cold, sharp edge that flashed. With a wave of her hand, a life was taken. Some heads flew off and some bodies were torn in half.

In just one encounter, the little girl killed four or five bandits from Fanjiang Village before they even had a chance to react.

Blood splattered, staining the little girl's dress red. It was her first time killing someone, and she didn't have much experience. After the attack, she was somewhat dazed.

'I... I killed someone. It doesn't seem that difficult. The master is watching; I can't let him down. Besides, these bandits are utterly wicked; they're not even human!'

In a flash of thought, the little girl no longer hesitated. Her gaze swept indifferently over the other small boats. She drew her knife and used her lightness skill to rush forward. Her movements became increasingly composed as she raised and lowered her knife. She wielded the Nine Absolutes Blade with even greater decisiveness and ease.

In just a short time, she clearly grew a lot. In fact, a person's growth often happens in just a moment. Once you take the first step, you have already entered a new stage.

"The Nine Absolute Blades emphasize relentless advance and deadly strikes. No matter how skilled the young girl had been in the past, she always fell short. Now, she's finally grasped the basics, but she lacks experience. Dealing with these amateurs doesn't require her full strength; her techniques alone could easily kill them. Yet, she pushed her internal energy to the limit, overexerting herself. But it's her first time, so it's understandable. She didn't realize her own level; these amateurs couldn't compare. She'll gain experience after a few more tries."

Having witnessed everything, Chen Xuan secretly commented that he was not worried that the little girl's inner ferocity would be completely unleashed after this battle, causing her personality to change drastically. With kindness in her bones, how much could she change? At most, her attitude towards different people would just become more obvious.

Moreover, ever since the day she followed Chen Xuan, she was destined to experience these things. It's always better to grow up as soon as possible than to be forced to face this situation in the future.

Meanwhile, the strategist on the sailboat felt a chill run through him and collapsed onto the deck. He had warned these people that they were not to be trifled with, but the new leader just wouldn't listen. What should he do?
Realizing the situation was dire, Old Master Hong acted decisively, rushing away to escape without hesitation. He then lowered his voice and called out, "Young master, we meant no harm. It's all a misunderstanding. My mother is about to give birth, and I must return to care for her. I'll take my leave now, and will certainly come to apologize in person later."

"Want to leave now?" Chen Xuan said lightly, his voice clearly reaching Grandpa Hong's ears, making him fall silent in fear and run even faster using his lightness skill.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan said lazily, "Sister Juan, take him down. If he dares to resist, do whatever you want, even if he lives or dies. Forget it, just kill him. Keeping this kind of person around is just asking for trouble. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Please wait a moment, sir," Du Juan replied to Chen Xuan with only these four words, and then disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

As an assassin by trade, she might not be able to defeat some seasoned veterans in a head-on fight, but when it comes to killing, she is the professional. That was before she joined Chen Xuan. Now, having cultivated the Azure Cloud Floating Willow Lightness Skill and the Nine Absolute Blade, two top-tier martial arts, her strength has more than doubled. She is confident that she can hold her own against any innate realm cultivator for several moves, let alone that bandit leader who has already lost his will to live.

Chen Xuan had a lot of confidence in her. During this time, she had had a lot of sparring experience with Xia Mei, a top-tier expert. If she couldn't handle this little thing, she would probably get a good spanking to teach her a lesson.

Looking at the sailboat, Chen Xuan hadn't forgotten that there were two ill-intentioned guys hiding on it.

He was about to ask Xia Mei to go and capture them when, before he could even give the order, the two of them jumped out on their own initiative.

Two men in black, both seasoned veterans of the martial arts world, appeared on the deck of the sailboat in an instant. Instead of attacking Chen Xuan and his companions, they immediately knelt down, prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling like leaves, and pleaded, "Young Master Chen, spare our lives! We were just passing by and had no intention of offending you. We beg you to show mercy!"

Upon seeing this, Chen Xuan chuckled. "He knelt down already?"

Not too stupid.

...(End of chapter)