The God of the Human Realm!

Chapter 27 My Good Brother, Here I Come

Snapped!
A chipped, flaked knife lay discarded in a dark corner of the alley.

Hong Yuan clapped his hands and stepped lightly out of the alley.

After all, it was just something I casually took from the Yang family martial arts school, so it can't be called a fine knife. It's not a pity to throw it away.

Hong Yuan had no obsession with weapons; he would take them whenever he needed them, and he was too lazy to bother with polishing and repairing them if they were damaged. They weren't like the Dragon-Slaying Saber or the Heaven-Reliant Sword, which were divine weapons that remained smooth and new even after a hundred battles and could cut through iron like mud.

Stepping out of the alley, the bustling scene of the county's commercial district came into view. Hong Yuan joined the crowd and felt that there was a cacophony of noise all around, like hundreds or thousands of ducks quacking at the same time.

News of what happened at the dock has spread.

It was as if a bomb had been dropped onto a calm lake, and most of the county town was in an uproar.

As Hong Yuan walked along, he saw people in restaurants and teahouses, as well as at street stalls, excitedly discussing how Yan Laosan, the former king of the docks, had been beheaded with a single stroke...

They talked about the young swordsman in black who killed someone with a flick of his finger, then laughed and sang wildly as he left...

The four lines of poetry, "Kill one person in ten steps," became even more famous. Many vagrants and idlers in the streets and alleys competed to copy them and recite them aloud in the street.

It won't be long before the poem spreads to other prefectures and counties through the extensive network of waterways and land routes.

Hong Yuan walked among the crowd, his posture upright, his appearance handsome, and his demeanor extraordinary and refined, attracting much attention.

Many people, upon a casual glance, couldn't help but be struck by his appearance, secretly praising him: 'What a handsome young man! Who is he, so outstanding!'

Although Hong Yuan did not change his clothes, no one associated him with the wandering knight at the dock.

After all, many people had heard that the wandering swordsman had killed hundreds of people single-handedly with his sword, like a demon descending to earth, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and blood flowing like water.

Such a fierce figure should be nearly ten feet tall, with a robust physique, a thick beard like steel needles, a leopard's head, and piercing eyes. How could he be such a dashing and handsome young man?

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

"Get out of the way!"

Accompanied by a series of hurried footsteps, a dozen or so county yamen runners, carrying knives and sticks, pushed and kicked aside pedestrians blocking their way, shouting and cursing as they hurriedly ran towards the dock.

Hong Yuan watched the group of constables leave in a menacing manner, but his heart remained unmoved.

Matters of the martial world should be settled within the martial world itself!
The government has never interfered in the fights and battles among martial arts practitioners; at most, it will intervene to clean up the mess and collect the bodies after the two sides have clashed.

For many years, this has almost become an unspoken rule between the martial arts world and the imperial court.

Since the central government of the Great Yin Dynasty completely lost its control over the local areas, incidents of martial arts practitioners breaking the law have become increasingly common.

As long as it's not too outrageous, local officials usually turn a blind eye, fearing that they might anger some lawless madmen and end up getting burned.

They're both porcelain, how can you go head-to-head with a tile?

As I walked, a little moisture spread across my face.

Hong Yuan looked up and saw sparse raindrops falling from the sky. The dark clouds above were as black as ink, with wisps of lightning flashing among them, like flying serpents.

A heavy rainstorm was imminent.

Hong Yuan was not surprised. Linjiang Prefecture is located on a plain with a dense network of waterways and has always been rainy. During the time he was practicing martial arts at the martial arts school, there were also occasional showers. One moment the weather was clear and sunny, and the next moment a downpour was common.

The wind gradually picked up, and large raindrops pelted his face, but it had a unique cool and refreshing feel to it. Hong Yuan was not in a hurry to return to the martial arts school.

He admired the scenery of this water town, looking at the bustling market and the still lively atmosphere in the restaurants and teahouses. Street vendors were packing up their stalls in an orderly manner, and pedestrians were no longer talking, walking hurriedly. Some people had already opened their oil-paper umbrellas.

Hong Yuan walked unhurriedly. When he passed a wine shop, he patted the wine gourd at his waist, which made a popping sound. It was almost empty, so he immediately filled it up.

The wine was homemade rice wine, which had a low alcohol content but a strong aftereffect. However, Hong Yuan was currently in a strong physique, and even if he drank ten or eight jugs of wine, he would not get drunk, let alone just one jug.

After taking a sip of wine and savoring its mellow flavor, Hong Yuan walked onto a stone arch bridge in the city and stood on the bridge to admire the surrounding scenery.

During this time, two or three young women of marriageable age came up to him and invited him to a banquet at a nearby restaurant, but Hong Yuan refused with a smile.

Thanks to the endless stream of absurd emperors of the Great Yin Dynasty, although the Great Yin Dynasty was far less open than Hong Yuan's previous life, it was not bound by any etiquette. If a woman saw a man she liked on the street, some of the bolder ones would go up and express their feelings.

After a short while, Hong Yuan stepped off the stone bridge and strolled back to the Yang Family Martial Arts School. He happened to pass by the "Guiling Hall" and couldn't help but glance at it slightly.

But as the heavy rain was about to fall, the area in front of Guiling Hall was bustling with activity. Men, women, and children, dressed in tattered clothes, held bowls and basins and lined up in two long queues.

Hong Yuan looked up and saw a wide red silk banner hanging above the plaque of Guilingtang. On it, dragons and phoenixes danced, writing "May the East Family Be Blessed with Heaven and May All People Be Prospered." The calligraphy was elegant and vigorous, clearly the work of a famous calligrapher.

On the walls on either side of the lintel, a large, festive floral ball hangs down.

In front of the stone steps of Guiling Hall.

Several pharmacy workers set up two large, steaming pots.

A short, stout old man with squinted eyes, who looked like he was in charge, slowly stepped forward, took a long wooden spoon from the waiter, stirred the pot with the spoon, then covered his nose, coughed a few times, and cursed at the waiter.

The portly manager moved a little further away from the pot and announced loudly, "Our Guilingtang owner has a joyous occasion recently, and you are all fortunate! To celebrate this good news, our shrine will be serving 'Ten Thousand Blessings Porridge' for three days. Those who wish to receive porridge, please line up! And remember to express your gratitude after you've received your porridge!"

After saying this, the fat manager waved to the pharmacy workers, straightened his brand-new long robe, and seeing that raindrops were already falling, not wanting to get wet, he immediately prepared to return to the pharmacy.

Hong Yuan greeted him, "Please wait a moment, sir."

He stepped forward, and a sour, rancid smell of swill hit his nose. He glanced at the two large pots boiling over, where the porridge was murky and yellowish rice grains were stirring around, and a few shriveled, blackened red dates were floating on the surface. He couldn't help but frown.

The portly steward turned around and saw that Hong Yuan had an extraordinary bearing and handsome appearance. He did not dare to be negligent and cupped his hands, saying, "Young master, what are your orders for this old man?"

"It's not really an order, I was just passing by and saw this spectacle and was a little curious. I wonder what joyous occasion your family has?" Hong Yuan said.

The fat steward laughed and said, "Our master is about to welcome another concubine into the family. Although we are not qualified to go and offer our congratulations, we would still like to send our best wishes to our master from afar and share in the joy."

"Your boss? Could it be that Master Huang Guiling, the Lord of Guiling Mountain? If I remember correctly, he's not young anymore, is he? In that regard..." Hong Yuan paused, glancing at the fat steward.

The portly steward chuckled, winking and grinning, "It is indeed Master Huang. Although Master Huang is nearly seventy, young master, do not underestimate him. Master Huang has taken in beautiful women every year, if not every year..." At this point, the steward's face lit up with envy, "Our Master Huang is incredibly vigorous and robust, still going strong in his old age. It is said that Master Huang is proficient in alchemy and bedroom arts, truly growing younger and stronger with age. Otherwise, how could he possibly handle so many beautiful women?"

Hong Yuan was also full of praise upon hearing this, and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, saying, "I never imagined that Master Huang would be so capable. May I ask when Master Huang's happy occasion is? Master Huang's beloved son, Brother Shaotang, and I are close friends and bosom buddies. Since the Huang family has such a joyous occasion, I cannot fail to offer my congratulations."

Upon hearing this, the portly steward became even more respectful and hurriedly said, "I didn't realize that you and Young Master Huang were old friends. My apologies! The master's wedding is in three days at an auspicious time. I am Chen Gui, and I am honored to be one of the managers of Guilingtang in Yangquan County, thanks to the master's high regard. I hope you will put in a good word for me then..."

Seeing his fawning expression, but with his face so wrinkled it looked like it could trap a fly, Hong Yuan shook his head. Even a beauty filter couldn't save him.

"Let's just restart it!"

Turn around and leave.

Chen Gui was stunned for a moment. As the other person's figure gradually disappeared into the distance, he couldn't help but spit out his mouth. What kind of person is he? If he didn't want to say nice things, he could have just said so. Why did he turn on him so easily?

Sure enough, the more handsome or effeminate a person is, the less likely they are to be a good person!
"Sigh, I'm really destined to be a workaholic. I just killed Meng Yue and that Yan Laosan, and now I have to run around again. I never get a moment's rest!"

Oh, vast heavens, why have you treated me so cruelly?

Hong Yuan looked up at the sky. The thick, dark clouds were like ink. Suddenly, a thunderclap rang out, accompanied by the 'patter' of raindrops breaking on the bluestone slabs and rooftops on both sides of the street. The rain suddenly intensified.

A torrential downpour suddenly began, and soon mud and water accumulated in the low-lying areas of the ground. Sparse pedestrians hurried past on the streets, splashing water everywhere they stepped on the ground.

Hong Yuan's robes were soaked through in the blink of an eye, clinging tightly to his body, but he didn't care at all and continued to walk slowly toward the martial arts school.

Being healthy means you can be this carefree.

Hong Yuan had never forgotten that his good friend and classmate, Huang Shaotang, had sold him into the 'Biwu Wonderland'.

After killing Yan Tieshan, he had already dissipated most of his murderous intent and planned to continue cultivating for another ten days or half a month before seeking revenge. However, he unexpectedly learned that Huang Guiling's "happy event" was about to arrive.

We can't wait any longer!
We can't let Huang Guiling have his fun!

If a son inherits his father's debts, then the father must also inherit his son's debts.

Hong Yuan was a cultured scholar who valued father-son reunion, so he wanted to give them a happy ending.

"Good brother, wait a little longer, I'll be right there to see you!"

Hong Yuan wasn't going to set off immediately. Yangquan County and Qingxu County were only fifty miles apart, and with his current strength and physique, it wouldn't take him more than half an hour to run there.

When they arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school, they happened to see Yang Erhu seeing the group of four out.

Yang Erhu's clothes were soaked through, and his face was slightly gloomy. The leader of the four people he saw off was a fair-skinned, handsome young man in brocade robes, who was in his early twenties.

Beside this young man in brocade robes were two men in gray robes. One of them held an oil-paper umbrella to shield the young man from the wind and rain, while his own clothes were soaked through. However, he remained as calm as a rock, and his expression did not change in the slightest.

Hong Yuan did not stop. As he looked around, he stepped onto the steps of the martial arts hall and met the four young men in brocade robes.

Hong Yuan recognized the fourth person, who was thin and withered, and was the old man who had appeared in the town on the night they escaped from the 'Biwu Wonderland'.

'The Dragon King's Gathering?'

This thought came to Hong Yuan's mind.

That night, while spending the night at a tavern in the small town, he overheard Yang Erhu, Wu Duxiong, and the old man arguing. He learned that the old man belonged to an organization called the "Dragon King Society," and that the Dragon King Society was behind Yang Erhu and the others' ability to find out about and even break into the "Azure Phoenix Wonderland."

At the time, he was still thinking that Yang Erhu and the others had stormed into the 'Biwu Wonderland', but in the end they only killed some small fry. They didn't capture any of Wei Zhenzhu's so-called fairy maidens. The Dragon King would have spent a lot of effort but ended up with nothing. He probably wouldn't let it go.

Now it has come true.

The Dragon King Society has come knocking on our door.

The young man in brocade glanced at Hong Yuan, who was walking towards them, and with a polite smile on his face, he turned to Yang Erhu and said, "Master Yang, I hope you will consider my words."

"No need, I won't agree." Yang Erhu's face was ugly, but he resolutely refused. "Young Master Hua, please go back."

The young master Hua remained unperturbed, his smile unchanged, and said softly, "Nothing is absolute. If Master Yang doesn't agree now, perhaps he'll change his mind after a few more days of consideration."

Then, his gaze shifted to Hong Yuan, and after looking him up and down for a few moments, he smiled and said, "And this is..."

The withered old man bowed respectfully and said, "This person comes from that place, but he has now been taken as a disciple by Master Yang."

"Oh!" Young Master Hua raised an eyebrow and nodded with a smile: "Indeed, a handsome man... Master Yang, you have a worthy successor. It's a pity I came in a hurry and didn't prepare any congratulatory gift, which is impolite."

Without waiting for Yang Erhu or Hong Yuan to reply, he stepped into the continuous tarpaulin with a light laugh, surrounded by two guards.

"Teacher, who are these people?" Hong Yuan asked, watching the four figures disappear into the rain.

“A bunch of unrelated people, no need to say more.” Yang Erhu shook his head, looking tired. He rubbed his temples and noticed that Hong Yuan’s clothes were soaked. “Go change into some clean clothes!”

"That's not urgent, teacher. I have something to tell you."

Hong Yuan had no intention of hiding his actions from Yang Erhu today; it was pointless.

Moreover, Meng Yue's background also needs to be explained to Yang Erhu.

Seeing Hong Yuan's solemn expression, Yang Erhu perked up, nodded, and the two went inside one after the other.

Not all the apprentices, including the nominal disciples, left the martial arts school; seven or eight disciples stayed under the eaves to avoid the rain.

Hong Yuanchao nodded to his apprentices, walked through the corridor, and arrived at the backyard.

Yang Erhu looked at Hong Yuan, wanting to know what he wanted to say. Hong Yuan smiled and said, "Teacher, take a look at this first."

As he spoke, he walked through the dense rain to the jujube tree stump in the courtyard, shouted, exhaled, and punched it.

Bang!
As one fist imprinted on one of the jujube wood stakes, Hong Yuan didn't stop. He spun around like the wind, his feet moving as swiftly as a rabbit, and then punched the other two jujube wood stakes twice more.

Just as Yang Erhu was puzzled, he heard three loud cracking sounds, almost simultaneously. The three jujube wood stakes that had been hit by Hong Yuan's fist exploded in the middle, with wood fragments flying out.

Yang Erhu's eyes widened instantly, and he was completely dumbfounded!
(End of this chapter)