Misty Rain of the Old Times

Inside the attic, apart from Chen Xuan who remained unmoved, the others found it difficult to maintain their previous composure, though each person displayed different emotions.

Xia Mei subconsciously moved closer to the little princess, her eyes narrowing slightly as she carefully probed the source of the voice. She said, "The newcomer's cultivation is profound, no less than mine. Their movements are ghostly and unpredictable, making them difficult to fathom."

It should be noted that Xia Mei's strength is comparable to that of the leaders of famous sects. Even she could not pinpoint the location of the person who spoke, which shows that the person was truly highly skilled.

However, if the other party doesn't have complete confidence, coming to this martial arts tournament with clearly ill intentions would be courting death.

Du Juan, Yun Lan, and the others looked wary, but not particularly nervous or afraid. After all, they were used to big scenes, and besides, Chen Xuan was calm and collected beside them.

Zhang Yu said in a deep voice with a solemn expression, "Who is it that dares to cause trouble here? Are they tired of living? This person's cultivation is unfathomable. Just the sound of his voice makes my blood boil. Moreover, judging from his tone, he is clearly targeting the martial arts practitioners present. How dare he? All of us here combined could sweep aside major martial arts sects. Even a grandmaster would have to think twice before confronting us head-on, not to mention the forces we all represent!"

Zheng Wanqian was caught off guard by this turn of events. Although she was used to seeing big storms and could handle deals worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver without batting an eye, she was still young. Her heart tightened and she almost stood up, but she quickly composed herself and said, "It seems you came prepared!"

Of course! This martial arts tournament has caused quite a stir, and everyone already knows which groups are being targeted by the follow-up actions. It would be strange if they didn't react. Are they just going to stay home and wait for these chivalrous heroes to come knocking on their door?

Taking a sip of the fragrant tea, Chen Xuan thought to himself that Zheng Wanqian, this rich woman, only brought out the best things. If he spent too much time with her, his palate would probably become too picky. Oh, our family isn't bad either. Well, never mind then.

He smiled and said, "Everyone, please be patient. It seems the real show is about to begin. What's the point of this conference if all we do is eat and drink? It's been a wasted trip."

Whether it was due to his emotions or his confidence in his abilities, everyone present felt incredibly at ease and calmed down instantly. It seemed that the sudden tension in the previously harmonious atmosphere outside was no big deal; the sky wasn't going to fall.

Zheng Wanxi glanced at Chen Xuan secretly, thinking to herself, "Is this what it feels like to have someone to rely on? It's so nice. Being by his side feels like the safest place in the world."

What does a girl want in life? Isn't it just a sense of security that she can rely on?

The little princess, however, didn't have so many concerns. Instead, she looked around curiously and asked, "Who's talking? I can't see anyone, and the voice is coming from all directions. How is that possible?"

Chen Xuan almost blurted out that it was very simple, just do this and then that, but he patiently explained, "To put it bluntly, it's just a little trick. It involves mixing true qi circulation techniques into the sound to vibrate the air and achieve surround sound within a certain range. It's not an amazing technique; even innate masters can do it. The difference is only in the range and the degree of concealment."

"Oh, I don't understand at all," the little princess blinked and smiled.

Chen Xuan was both amused and exasperated. Why did you look like you'd just had a sudden realization?

Zhang Yu hesitated for a moment before asking, "Young Master Chen, what do you think of this unexpected turn of events?"

Understanding her meaning, Chen Xuan shrugged and laughed, "What else can we do but sit and watch?" Then he paused and added, "What happens in the martial world is left to the martial world. I'm not a part of the martial world, so let them do whatever they want, as long as they don't drag me into it."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu nodded and said nothing more, understanding Chen Xuan's attitude: it was none of his business, and whether he would intervene depended on his mood.

The little princess was still curious about who was speaking and couldn't figure it out at all. She turned around and asked, "Husband, do you know where that person is?"

Chen Xuan casually pointed to the crowd and said, "Look, isn't that him? Look over there, that fat guy with his face all greasy from eating a fat chicken."

"Huh? It's him, but he was eating and didn't say a word," the little princess said, puzzled.

Chen Xuan laughed and said, "You have to admit they're quite capable. If they didn't even have that much skill, would they dare to cause trouble?" Then, Chen Xuan looked at Zheng Wanqian and the others and added, "It seems your martial arts tournament's screening wasn't thorough enough; someone has already infiltrated."

"I suspect it was someone impersonated. But what you're saying, Young Master Chen, is that something that's been done by someone else? How could an ordinary person possibly guard against it?" Zhang Yu glanced in the direction he was looking and said helplessly.

As they were commenting on the man, he paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, then continued munching on his fat chicken and nervously looked around with the others, feeling puzzled and subconsciously sensing that something was wrong, but unable to pinpoint the reason.

The entire venue erupted in chaos. Some people with low cultivation levels couldn't even withstand the sound. Some fainted on the spot, while others suffered from nosebleeds and became listless. There were quite a few of these people, accounting for nearly one-tenth of the total. The originally harmonious atmosphere was suddenly thrown into disarray.

The speaker, who couldn't understand what was wrong with him, didn't take it seriously. While secretly being wary, he sneered inwardly, thinking, "They think they can target me? Today I'll make them a laughingstock. But after they're all dead, they probably won't see anyone laughing at them anymore."

"Who are you, you coward! What kind of skill is it to hide your head and tail? Have the guts to step forward!" Qin Yun of the Flying Feather Sect suddenly stood up and shouted coldly. She carefully searched with her eyes and ears, but she could not find any trace of the person who spoke. Her heart sank slightly. Either the other party's cultivation was far superior to hers, or he had extraordinary abilities. No matter what, she should be extremely vigilant.

The speaker secretly scorned her. "Women are just women. They can't keep their tempers up at all. They tried to provoke me with just one sentence. With a brain like that, they shouldn't be in this world. They should just stay home and take care of their children."

Seeing the chaotic situation, Xuan Qing's calm voice echoed around: "Everyone, don't panic. The newcomer is just bluffing. We were caught off guard and that's why we fell into his trap. First, check on the wounded and help each other. No matter who he is, we will make sure he doesn't leave here alive today!"

The priority right now is to appease everyone; otherwise, if everyone falls into chaos, how will we deal with the situation that follows?
Although the previous sound stunned and injured many people, it did not cause any deaths. It was only effective on those with low cultivation levels. Moreover, it had the advantage of being unexpected. If people were prepared, probably not many would have been stunned. Even if the opponent had high cultivation, they were too scattered to cause serious consequences. If a single sentence could render everyone unable to resist, then it would be better to just wait to die.

He was, after all, an elder of the Tai Xuan Sect, and his status and strength were undeniable. With just a few words, he put people at ease, as if it were no big deal. This place was a gathering place for half of the Jianghu forces in the Jing Kingdom; how could the other party possibly cause any trouble?

As Xuan Qing spoke, he exchanged glances with Hu Feng, Xie Ting, Zhu Hong, and the others, and they all shook their heads almost imperceptibly, because even the top cultivators present had failed to spot the person's whereabouts immediately.

Thus, though they appeared calm, their hearts were heavy. If they weren't careful, something terrible might really happen today. If everyone died here, the resulting turmoil in the martial world would be unimaginable.

When the 'Alliance Leader' was jointly elected, the group of people with the highest cultivation and status who participated in this conference had already gathered together. There were a dozen or so Xiantian experts in a group. Although they felt heavy-hearted, they were not very afraid. So many experts together were a terrifying force that even the imperial court had to be wary of.

Among the crowd, Zhou An, whose identity as the leader of the alliance had been confirmed but not yet officially implemented, was the calmest. He was tall and had the refined and gentle demeanor of a scholar, as well as the heroic spirit of a soldier. The two qualities did not conflict, but rather complemented each other perfectly.

The two sentences from before flashed through his mind, and in a moment he had a clue. He didn't deliberately look in any particular direction, but chuckled and said, "Since you're here, why bother hiding?"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Qing and the others merely raised their eyebrows slightly, but they did not doubt that Zhou An had already confirmed the identity of the person who came. If he didn't even have this much quick wit, what merit or ability did he have to command thousands of troops?
Once the identity of the visitor is confirmed, it becomes easy to deduce the truth, and many people have realized this.

"It's him?"

"Lang Jingfeng, also known as the Water-Severing Mad Blade, was imprisoned by the imperial court for more than ten years. He regained his freedom after His Majesty ascended the throne and granted a general amnesty. Now, he has returned to the martial world and boasts that he will unify all the major water fortresses in Haozhou!"

"That's not surprising. The martial arts tournament is being held in Haozhou. If he wants to stir up trouble, he'll be the first to suffer. It's no wonder he can't sit still." "But how dare he? This is a gathering of martial arts practitioners. Instead of running away, he's come here on his own initiative. Could it be that he's been imprisoned by the imperial court and it's made him stupid?"

As Zhou An finished speaking, the slightly calmed meeting room erupted in gasps of surprise.

Lang Jingfeng, disguised as the starving fat man, was surprised. He hadn't expected to expose his identity after only two sentences. He had originally wanted to play a trick on everyone, but who was this person who revealed his identity? He had never seen or heard of him before. Could it be that he had suddenly appeared in the past few years since he left the martial world?

He dared to appear here with complete confidence; now that his identity had been exposed, he had no intention of pretending anymore.

He devoured the plump chicken, bones and all, in a few bites, then roughly wiped his greasy hands on his clothes. Looking around, he laughed arrogantly, "Stop looking! I'm right here! Hey, you look neither scholarly nor martial, who are you? State your name, so when I kill you, I'll know who I'm killing."

When he said these words, he didn't continue to play elusive tricks, nor did he adopt a cat-and-mouse mentality to launch a fatal attack with sound waves. He simply and openly admitted to showing himself.

Upon hearing this, those nearby panicked and scrambled to scatter, causing a stampede. Within a few breaths, there was not a single person left within twenty or thirty feet of him, and he stood brazenly in full view of everyone.

Is this Lang Jingfeng? He's a greasy, fat guy, which doesn't match the rumors. Could he be pretending to be reckless just to show off and have some fun?

Believe it or not, there are quite a few oddballs like this in the martial arts world.

Amidst the astonishment and uncertainty, Zhou An, facing Lang Jingfeng's undisguised, icy killing intent, slightly cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "I am Zhou An, a junior scholar. Senior Lang has been famous for many years and has been away from the martial world for a long time, so it is normal that you do not recognize me."

Even when facing a massive army, he wouldn't flinch; how could he be intimidated by a single glance from Lang Jingfeng?
"You've got guts. Although your gaze makes me very uncomfortable, just for your courage, I'll definitely give you a quick death when I kill you later," Lang Jingfeng grinned, with bits of meat still stuck between his teeth.

Zhou An's gaze seemed familiar to him, and he immediately thought of the jailers who had once guarded him—weren't they somewhat similar? This intensified Lang Jingfeng's murderous intent; he would kill Zhou An first!

As he spoke, the image of the greasy, fat man changed rapidly; his body shrank and became firm as if deflated, while his height increased.

He quickly changed his appearance, becoming a tall, imposing man nearly two meters tall, with casually disheveled hair, a sharply defined face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes that exuded arrogance. Just standing there, he emanated an invisible pressure.

"How dare you speak so arrogantly! It seems you haven't repented after so many years in prison. Lang Jingfeng, this is not a place for you to run wild. Since you're here today, we'll save you the trouble of looking for us. So stay here," Hu Feng, carrying a longbow, stepped forward and sneered, his eyes sharp as a hawk's.

Raising his hand and beckoning to Hu Feng, Lang Jingfeng sneered, "Speaking of which, we're old acquaintances. Twenty years ago, you shot an arrow into my heart, and it still aches faintly. You couldn't kill me back then. I wonder how much you've improved over the years. I'm right here. Can you let me stay? Do you have the ability?"

As the saying goes, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. If Lang Jingfeng had been hiding in the shadows, people would have been wary of him. But now that he has revealed himself, there's nothing to worry about. These people aren't made of clay. Even if he didn't have the cultivation of a Grandmaster, the people present combined would still have the strength to contend with him.

But this is not enough to make people let their guard down; on the contrary, it makes them even more vigilant.

Upon hearing this, Hu Feng's gaze turned cold and he was about to step forward, but Zhou An raised his hand to stop him. After all, Zhou An was the leader of the alliance recognized by everyone, so this amount of face had to be given. Hu Feng immediately stopped.

Looking at Lang Jingfeng, Zhou An, who had spent many years in the military, saw that he was fearless and knew that he had come prepared. However, he still calmly said, "Senior Lang, since you have been planning this for a long time, why don't you call out your men?"

Amidst this tense and serious atmosphere, a member of the Beggars' Sect, dressed in tattered but clean clothes, looked around blankly and said, "Huh? Is there anyone else? I thought it was just him. That's normal. How many people would he bring?"

This statement immediately relieved the oppressive atmosphere, but was it perhaps a bit inappropriate?

A hint of helplessness flashed in Zhu Hong's eyes. He turned back and gave the man a feigned glare before awkwardly looking around, saying, "I'm sorry, everyone. I originally brought my men here to broaden their horizons, but I didn't expect them to be so ignorant of the rules. I'll teach him a lesson when we get back."

Then the person realized he had done something wrong, shrank back and hid behind others.

You know what, this little incident left Lang Jingfeng somewhat speechless. He merely glanced coldly in that direction before turning back to Zhou An with a slightly narrowed gaze, saying, "As expected of the alliance leader chosen by so many, you actually guessed that I wouldn't venture out alone. Thankfully, you reacted quickly and made thorough preparations. If we had missed today, with you leading the way, we might have really been in trouble."

Zhou An was almost speechless. Dude, do you even need to guess? It's obvious even to a fool. If everyone in the martial arts world had a brain like yours, if I weren't afraid of being overturned because of my insufficient cultivation, wouldn't it be easy for me to unify the martial arts world?
Compared to his past military career, Zhou An always felt that fighting with people from the martial arts world was just child's play. If it weren't for unavoidable factors, he wouldn't have bothered to join in the fun. Wouldn't that be bullying people? If word got out, his former colleagues would probably laugh him to death.

With things having come to this point, Zhou An had no choice but to continue, saying in a deep voice, "Further words are useless. Call your men out."

"Hahaha, that's hilarious! You, Zhou An, are you a scholar? Do you think this is child's play? In the world of martial arts, people will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Who would be polite to you before resorting to force?" Lang Jingfeng laughed, clutching his stomach.

Zhou An remained unmoved, thinking to himself, "So you still know it's just children playing house? If it weren't for the old man's love of playing and trying to please him, it would be easy for him to deal with you."
Thinking this to himself, the expressions of those around him changed drastically. One of them pointed at Lang Jingfeng and said in a deep voice, "This is bad! You're despicable! You poisoned him!"

"Hmph, only now do you realize? Too late, you're all going to die here today!" Lang Jingfeng immediately adopted a confident and triumphant demeanor.

At this moment, someone else exclaimed, "Oh no! Look, we're surrounded!"

Chen Xuan, watching from the distant pavilion, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He thought to himself, "This is the world of martial arts! Where can you not engage in verbal sparring before the action begins? It's not a personal grudge, but a contest of stances that concerns the future landscape of the martial arts world. We have to make a big show of it."

When Chen Xuan, who was watching the show, heard what the Beggar Clan disciple blurted out, he was completely taken aback and almost spat out the mouthful of tea in his mouth.

He knew it! His playful father-in-law would never miss such a lively event; he must be hiding in the Beggars' Sect. No wonder he couldn't be found.

With this discovery, it becomes clear that the current leader of the Beggars' Sect, Zhu Hong, is actually Wang Gonggong in disguise. Otherwise, why would he casually make such a statement and let it pass so easily?
If it weren't for the fact that Old Deng's cultivation level was really too low, then the Beggar Clan leader would probably be out of a job right now, and there wouldn't be any need for Eunuch Wang.

Then Chen Xuan suddenly realized why Zhou An, a retired general who had led troops into battle, would be here and would be leading a group of martial arts practitioners to suppress bandits. If it weren't for Lao Deng teaching him, would he be interested?

Old Deng was Zhou An's former boss, and even though he's retired now, you still have to entertain him if he wants to.

So where is the real leader of the Beggars' Sect right now?

He was probably knocked unconscious and thrown into some remote corner... (End of Chapter)