Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 282 Hunting!

The waiter rushed over, all smiles: "Gentlemen, what would you like to order? We have beef noodles, plain noodles, and freshly braised beef!"

"Two bowls of noodles, with extra beef."

Shen Lian gave the order, but his eyes remained wary as he scanned the crowd on the street.

The noodle shop was packed with江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people from the martial arts world), and several burly men at the next table were talking in hushed tones:

"I heard that someone couldn't hold back last night and forced his way into Guangyuan Temple. He didn't even get to see Abbot Xuankong, nor the two head monks. They were killed by the Demon-Subduing Staff Formation."

"So what? There are at least fifteen, if not twenty, innate masters coming this time. Can that old monk Xuan Kong stop them?"

Jin Yichuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said to Shen Lian in a low voice, "It seems that all parties are waiting for the right moment to make their move."

Shen Lian nodded, and was about to speak when he saw a sudden commotion on the street.

An old man dressed in hemp clothing walked slowly down the street, carrying a corpse in his hand. The corpse was the burly leader of the Songshan Sect who had just bullied the old man.

There was a bloody hole in his chest, clearly indicating that he had been killed in one blow.

The old man's face was expressionless. His gaze swept over the noodle shop, and then he vanished into the crowd in a flash.

"It's the Old Monster in Hemp Clothes from Zhongnan Mountain. I didn't expect him to still be alive."

Shen Lian, standing to the side, spoke in a very low voice to the other two, saying that although the other party had already gone far away, they didn't know what tricks this old monster had up his sleeve.

"He's here. Thirty years ago, he wreaked havoc in the martial arts world, had his arm broken by the Wudang Grandmaster Tai Xuan, and escaped alive."

"I reckon he doesn't have much time left to live; he's here to fight to the death."

"This town is probably going to turn into a battlefield," Jin Yichuan said in a low voice.

Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes. The old monster in hemp clothing was ruthless, killing without hesitation, clearly driven to madness. And there were quite a few such old monsters in the town.

Others may not recognize these people, but the three of them, having been transferred here, have naturally already studied the archives carefully.

Whether they are seasoned veterans or newly emerged masters, they all know the truth.

Two steaming bowls of beef noodles were served, but neither of them had much of an appetite.

The conflicts on the streets were increasing, and the sounds of clashing swords were constantly heard. These people were somewhat more restrained towards ordinary people, but since they were all from the martial arts world, the Imperial Guards could not interfere when conflicts broke out.

Before the steam from the beef noodles had even dissipated, a series of steady footsteps echoed from the entrance of the noodle shop.

Shen Tong, dressed in the robes of a commander of a thousand men, with a stern face, walked straight through the noisy crowd to the three-person table, plopped down, and made the wooden stool creak.

"Have you found anything?" he asked in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.

Lu Jianxing put down his chopsticks and shook his head: "The streets are full of Jianghu people, a mix of all sorts of people. We haven't found any trace of Black Stone yet, only a few scattered Dongchang agents. We didn't dare to alert them."

Shen Tong nodded: "The commander has instructed us not to interfere with the Eastern Depot."

Shen Lian nodded in agreement: "All forces are watching and waiting. The people from Black Stone are hiding very well, but the old monster in hemp clothing from Zhongnan Mountain just killed a disciple from Songshan on the street, and the situation is already a bit out of control."

Shen Tong's gaze finally landed on Jin Yichuan, and seeing that his eyes were fixed on a certain direction outside the window, he raised an eyebrow.

Jin Yichuan did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window.

The three of them followed his gaze and saw a man in a blue cloth jacket leaning against the corner of the wall across the street.

He was of medium build, with an ordinary face that would be easily lost in a crowd. He stood with his hands on his hips, watching the wandering martial arts figures on the street with a bored expression, occasionally kicking a pebble at his feet, seemingly indifferent to everything.

“Him?” Lu Jianxing frowned. “He looks like an ordinary traveler.”

“He was too relaxed. He seemed completely unconcerned about the chaos on the streets, and even seemed happy to see it.”

Jin Yichuan's eyes were sharp, and his voice was very low: "Moreover, he has a three-inch-long scar on the back of his hand. He was among those who kidnapped Lord Liu that night. Although his face was covered, his sleeve slipped down when he made the move, and I saw the scar clearly."

He concealed the portrait Ding Baiying had given him; in fact, he hadn't even seen the back of his hand clearly that night. He was just making up an excuse not to mention Ding Baiying.

Shen Tong's eyes instantly darkened, his fingers instinctively pressing on the embroidered spring knife at his waist, and his aura suddenly became solemn.

"you sure?"

"It's true."

Following Jin Yichuan's hints, the three of them examined the man closely and indeed discovered that his posture concealed a secret. He appeared relaxed, but in reality, every movement he made could unleash his light-footed skill at any moment, allowing him to leave quickly.

The three immediately understood; they guessed it was a spy planted by Blackstone to monitor the town and relay messages.

"very good."

Shen Tong's lips curled into a cold smile. "Those bastards from Black Stone killed many of our brothers, and they still dare to act recklessly under the emperor's nose. Since they've come to our doorstep, they're not leaving."

Just as he was about to get up, Lu Jianxing pulled him back: "Commander, there are too many people on the street. If he shouts, the remnants of the Black Stone gang or other martial arts practitioners with ulterior motives will definitely get involved, and it will be difficult to surround and kill them then."

"I know."

Shen Tong's eyes flickered, and he lowered his voice: "The three of you stay here and keep a close watch on him. Don't let him escape, and don't alert him. I'm going back to the base to call in troops."

The garrison is only three miles away; it only takes the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to bring people over and set up a net that can't be put down.

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had over a thousand men under his command. Although some were stationed at the Zhenfu Division, three hundred elite troops were also left near the town, enough to form an encirclement and kill.

"clear."

The three of them responded in unison.

Although the three had different thoughts, Jin Yichuan even knew that Shen Tong also had secrets.

But that doesn't stop them from wanting to kill Blackstone.

Black Stone is a thorn in the side of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Over the years, they have assassinated officials and stirred up trouble in the martial arts world. The two sides have long been sworn enemies. Now that they have the opportunity to capture a prisoner and follow the clues to find Black Stone's lair, they will naturally not let it go.

Shen Tong said no more. He deliberately yawned as he got up, pretending that he had only come to ask the three of them to have a bowl of noodles. He turned around and slowly walked out of the noodle shop. His steps seemed casual, but in fact he walked faster and faster, and disappeared into the crowd in an instant.

Inside the noodle shop, the three continued to pretend to eat noodles, but their eyes were always fixed on the man in the blue cloth jacket across the street.

Lu Jianxing picked up the bowl of noodles, slurped down a mouthful of soup, and said in a low voice, "This kid is quite composed; he hasn't realized he's being watched at all."

Shen Lian rubbed the hilt of his sword with his fingertips: "When the commander's men arrive, first block his retreat, then make your move. Wait for Black Stone's men to provide support, then let the brothers show themselves."

Occasional clashes still occur on the streets, attracting many onlookers.

Lei Bin seemed to smirk slightly before reverting to his listless demeanor.

Just then, the man seemed to sense something, suddenly straightened up, and glanced in the direction of the noodle shop. Jin Yichuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his head, pretending to concentrate on eating his noodles. Shen Lian and Lu Jianxing also tacitly shifted their gaze, each adjusting their sleeves.

Lei Bin, wearing a blue cloth short jacket, lingered his gaze on the entrance of the noodle shop for a moment, seemingly noticing nothing amiss, before leaning back against the wall.

But he pulled his hands out from his waist and let them hang at his sides, his fingertips slightly bent, clearly indicating that he had become more vigilant.

He turned his body to the side, his back to the noodle shop where the three people were.

Lu Jianxing gave the two a wink and said casually, "I'm going out for a walk."

Shen Lian also said, "I'll go too."

The two left the noodle shop, each heading in a different direction, neither going towards Lei Bin's side.

Jin Yichuan sat for a while longer before getting up and leaving the noodle shop. He headed straight for Lei Bin's location.

Jin Yichuan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, calming the surging blood and qi within his body. He walked ten feet in front of Lei Bin, turned his head towards Lei Bin, and suddenly said:
"King Yama says, 'Tonight we'll enter Guangyuan Temple!'"

Lei Bin was very vigilant and had already noticed Jin Yichuan approaching, but he didn't show it. However, he didn't expect Jin Yichuan to say something so surprising.

I turned my head sharply and heard a low growl from my left.
"Do it!"

Shen Lian let out a low shout and his figure darted out of the noodle shop like an arrow. His embroidered spring knife was instantly drawn, and with a flash of cold light, it slashed straight at Shen Lian's back.

"The Imperial Guards are conducting an investigation! All bystanders, stand back! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without exception!"

Jin Yichuan and Lu Jianxing roared and launched their attack simultaneously, blocking the man's escape routes from both sides. Their embroidered spring knives sliced ​​through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

Lei Bin reacted extremely quickly. A flash of cold light appeared at his waist, and a short dagger was thrust out in a backhand motion, blocking Shen Lian's blade with a crisp "clang" and sparks flew everywhere.

He used the momentum to turn around, and with his other hand, he threw out three poisoned needles, aiming straight for Jin Yichuan's face. At the same time, he pushed off with his feet, trying to break through Lu Jianxing's blockade and escape into the alley next to him.

"Want to run?"

Lu Jianxing snorted coldly, swept his long sword horizontally, the wind from the blade was fierce, forcing the man to take half a step back.

Because Jin Yichuan and Lu Jianxing gave a warning in advance, and the two were wearing flying fish robes, the surrounding people quickly left the scene. Those who had been around the capital for a long time knew that when the Embroidered Uniform Guard was handling a case, they had to get away as soon as possible.

People from the martial arts world also cleared a space, but no one left; they watched the spectacle from afar.

The three men who attacked Lei Bin were all experts who had cultivated internal strength. Lei Bin was an expert in hidden weapons, but his close combat skills were not very good.

After exchanging only ten or so blows, Lei Bin was slashed on the arm.

He dodged left and right, trying to escape, but was caught by the three of them. In the midst of the struggle, a colorful chain fell from the sky, and a brightly dressed man with a knife descended from the sky. Seeing this, Lei Bin forcibly turned around.

Even at the cost of being stabbed in the back, he rushed to the colorful chain.

But this time the Imperial Guards were prepared; the trick of using the "trickster" was an old tactic.

"Swish swish~"

Shen Tong had already arrived with his men and lay in ambush nearby. It wouldn't be a problem for Jin Yichuan and his two companions to take down Lei Bin, so he didn't need to intervene. Therefore, he was just waiting for the Black Stone people to come to his rescue.

Just as Lei Bin and the magician stepped onto the colorful chain, several chain knives flew out from around them, slashing at the chain and breaking it, causing the two to fall to the ground.

Suddenly, a large number of Imperial Guards emerged from both ends of the street, each wielding a brocade spring knife, bows strung and swords drawn, quickly forming an encirclement around the two men.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is handling this case. Those who don't want to die, step back!"

The junior officer leading the group shouted in a loud voice that was deafening.

Upon seeing this, the onlookers from the martial arts world retreated. A few Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) were alright, but a well-organized force of several hundred Jinyiwei, armed with bows and crossbows and fully armored, was far more formidable.

"Fire arrows!"

With a gesture from Shen Tong, the Jinyiwei guards who had surrounded him immediately lowered their crossbows and fired arrows the next moment.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

Arrows rained down from the sky, but they were all aimed at the lower bodies of the two men, because Shen Tong wanted to capture them alive.

Such a dense rain of arrows would quickly deplete the inner strength of even a master of innate skill, let alone Lei Bin and the magician who couldn't release their inner strength externally.

"Puff puff~"

Both men were riddled with arrows, their lower bodies riddled with them. A ruthless glint flashed in Lei Bin's eyes, and with a flick of his dagger, he slashed at his own throat.

Knowing the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he preferred to commit suicide rather than be captured alive.

"Want to commit suicide? Not so easy!" Jin Yichuan flashed forward, kicking the broken knife on the ground with his toe. The blade shot out with a "crack," and Lei Bin screamed as the short dagger flew out of his hand.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Lian and Lu Jianxing stepped forward and each struck the two men in the back with a palm, shattering their meridians.

He grabbed the chin, pulled hard, dislocated the chin, and pried out the poison pill from between the teeth.

He took out iron chains and tied the two of them up tightly.

"take away!"

Shen Tong's voice came from outside the crowd. He quickly walked over, glanced at the bound man, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

"Yes!"

The Imperial Guards responded in unison, lifted the two men who had collapsed to the ground, and escorted them toward the thousand-household garrison outside the town.

As the commotion subsided, the onlookers from the martial arts world dispersed, their eyes filled with a hint of apprehension.

No one expected that the Embroidered Uniform Guard would suddenly take action at this moment, and their actions were so swift and ruthless that they seemed to take these martial arts practitioners seriously at all.

The group walked along the road toward the garrison.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard has a total of six commanders, four of whom were transferred to the town to guard four different directions. The commanders' garrisons are located outside the town.

Shen Tong's commandery was located to the south.

We just left the town.

Shen Tong, who was riding in front, suddenly raised his hand and called for everyone to stop.

"Since you've come all this way, do you think a master of the Innate Realm would try to rescue someone from three hundred Imperial Guards?"

(End of this chapter)