Jianghu Qimen Lu

White Lightning knew in his heart that he wasn't lying, and he also knew that even if he had a hundred times the courage, he wouldn't dare to lie, but he despised this person's character! He coldly roared, "Even now, you still dare to argue! You spout nonsense, leading the bandit-suppression army to this godforsaken place, giving the Red Flower Society rebels hiding in Daming Temple a chance to escape! Shi Qian, do you know what crime you've committed? This is treason, colluding with rebels! It's an unforgivable crime, punishable by immediate execution! Moreover, you're lazy and idle, always stealing chickens and dogs, committing crimes, and have a terrible influence in the village, incurring the wrath of the villagers! Today, in your Shi Clan Ancestral Hall, you showed no respect for your elders, disregarded the laws of the Qing Dynasty, and dared to kill someone in public! Although the murder attempt failed, your wolfish ambition is blatantly obvious! Combining the above three major crimes, you are sentenced to beheading, to be carried out immediately! Soldiers, drag him out and behead him!" At his command, two Manchu soldiers rushed over, grabbed Shi Qian, and dragged him away! A short while later, a piercing scream echoed from afar; Sima Qian had met his end under the executioner's blade. Considering his life of wickedness and betrayal of his conscience, it was a fitting end, a karmic retribution.

When Shi Yanshi saw that Bai Shandian had actually killed his own nephew, although he grieved for his misfortune and was angry at his lack of self-respect, he was also deeply saddened. He knelt down in front of the main hall with a thud, tears streaming down his face, and said with trembling lips, "Ancestors above, your junior Yanshi respectfully begs for peace: Your unfilial descendant Shi Qian committed crimes and disregarded the laws and family rules, and has now finally been brought to justice! After much thought, I feel that I have an inescapable responsibility. I have failed to teach and guide him in my daily life, which led him astray, and his end is tragic and lamentable! I am guilty and am willing to accept the punishment of the ancestral spirits..." He was filled with sorrow and grief.

Red Moon whispered to White Lightning, "In my opinion, Shi Qian is right. The Red Flower Society must be hiding nearby! I have a feeling they're close by, I can almost smell their breath!" White Lightning was well aware of this. The mysterious knife-snatcher's appearance in the county government hall made him suspect it was Fujibayashi Junke, the pioneer of the Japanese ninja! His appearance was undoubtedly aimed at the *Complete Guide to the Martial Arts*! If Xiang Quan and Chou Jiao weren't at the Shi family shrine, Fujibayashi Junke wouldn't have appeared near Shi Family Village! Of course, seeing Fujibayashi Junke's elusive movements and astonishing martial arts skills, he was naturally worried about Xiang Quan and his group's situation, which is why he rushed over! Seeing that Xiang Quan and his group had hidden under Shi Yanshi's orders, he felt greatly relieved. However, Shi Qian, thinking himself clever, didn't know what was good for him and relentlessly interrogated Shi Yanshi. He feared that Shi Yanshi, being old, wouldn't withstand his torture and would betray him, revealing the truth. Therefore, he found a pretext to eliminate Shi Qian! Now even Red Moon was starting to doubt herself, so White Lightning could only sneer and say, "Intuition? Do you think we can catch the rebels just by intuition? Sister, we need to base our decisions on facts and the laws of the Qing Dynasty! We can't just blindly wait here, can we? Alright, I've made up my mind. Let's go to Daming Temple right now! Hopefully, Magistrate Gui Nan Na, being an official of the court, won't lie to us! Let's not leave you empty-handed again!" With that, she turned and walked towards the door! Red Moon and Yellow Mist looked at each other, sighed, and had no choice but to follow closely behind.

It was already broad daylight, the first rays of dawn painting the east a reddish hue. Bai Shandian, having mustered his troops, was about to depart when he suddenly saw several figures rushing towards him along the country path. Their speed was like that of shooting stars, their lightness skills exceptional! In the blink of an eye, they were upon him. Bai Shandian looked closely and saw six men in brocade robes. The oldest was about forty, the youngest at least twenty-five or twenty-six! Each one was fierce-looking, their eyes gleaming with malice, strong and powerful, and carrying strangely shaped weapons! They immediately spotted Shi Qian, his head severed, and their expressions changed drastically. They rushed to the front of the column, blocking their path!

Their leader was a middle-aged man with a goatee, wielding a strange weapon—a seven-colored umbrella made of black iron. He pointed it and shouted, "Where did you come from, soldiers? Why did you kill our seventh brother?!" Bai Shandian knew the other six of the Shi family's seven heroes had arrived and coldly asked, "What are your names? What is your purpose in coming here? Why are you blocking the army's path?!" Before the goatee-wearing man could speak, a burly, dark-faced man leaped out, brandishing his three-section staff, the steel rings clanging, and roared, "I..." "You are all heroes, renowned throughout the surrounding area, known as the Seven Heroes of the Shi Clan! My eldest brother is asking you a question: which region's officials are you from? Why did you kill my seventh brother? Speak!" Seeing his reckless and endearing manner, Bai Shandian laughed and said, "Oh, so it's the other six heroes of the Seven Heroes of the Shi Clan! I, Bai Shandian, am here on imperial orders to apprehend the remnants of the Red Flower Society. Unfortunately, your seventh brother has violated the laws of the Qing Dynasty, so I have no choice but to execute him! If you all form gangs and deliberately cause trouble, the same applies! I will kill you without hesitation!"

"Damn, how arrogant!" The burly, dark-faced man shouted, flicking his wrist and sending his three-section staff flying. He instantly created distance, the foremost section of the black iron staff aimed straight for Bai Shandian's face, faster than lightning! Bai Shandian quickly lay back on his horse, barely dodging the attack with a swift, almost lightning-fast, bridge-like movement! Then, with lightning speed, he reached out his right claw, grabbing the end of the staff. Using his inner strength, he pulled and swung it violently, sending the burly man's massive body flying into the air before slamming him into a field more than ten feet away! Bai Shandian then coldly sneered, holding the seized staff: "Anyone else want to try their skills?!"

The middle-aged man with the three goat-like beard was the eldest of the Seven Heroes of the Shi Clan. Known for his mastery of the mysterious weapon, the Seven-Colored Iron Umbrella, he was nicknamed the "Wind and Thunder Umbrella." Seeing his fifth brother, Black Millstone, wielding a three-section staff, being thrown to the ground by White Lightning without a single exchange, he was greatly surprised. He quickly gave a signal to his left and right: "Let's attack together! I don't believe this skinny, corrupt official can take on ten men!" Immediately, they surrounded White Lightning! Red Moon whispered to Huang Miwu, "Let's see how things go first! If Lightning is struggling, Uncle Huang, you can rush forward and lend him a hand!" Huang Miwu bowed and said, "Yes!" Since the battle at Lonely Mountain, Huang Miwu had become her disciple, willingly serving her. Red Moon, seeing his sincerity, felt indebted and still addressed him respectfully as "Uncle." Thus, mutual respect grew, and the bond between master and servant deepened daily.

The Wind and Thunder Umbrella struck first, its closed shape resembling a long sword aimed at Bai Shandian's face. Taking advantage of Bai Shandian's momentary dodge, the Wind and Thunder Umbrella suddenly activated, its seven-colored, black iron hilt bursting open. With a few hissing sounds and flashes of white light, eight sharp blades, thin as arrowheads and as delicate as cicada wings, protruded from the eight black iron ribs! He twisted the handle, causing the umbrella to spin rapidly, the blades transforming into streaks of cold light, sweeping straight towards Bai Shandian's neck! A direct hit would instantly decapitate him, a fate reminiscent of Sima Qian's tragic end! Bai Shandian hastily blocked with his three-section staff, a clanging sound echoing as sparks flew from the staff, despite its black iron construction! The Wind and Thunder Umbrella activated again, its closed shape instantly. Grasping the umbrella with both hands as if wielding a staff, he struck Bai Shandian's waist with a whoosh! In the blink of an eye, the umbrella opened and closed unpredictably, and he used the fierce fighting techniques of three weapons in succession: longsword, Emei dagger and eyebrow staff. His moves were truly flexible, varied and unpredictable, making it impossible for anyone to defend against. He was really amazing!

Bai Shandian was taken aback by the unexpected presence of such a formidable figure in this remote rural area. He quickly pressed down on his saddle, leaping into the air and swinging his three-section staff down at Feng Leisan! As the martial arts classics say, "A spear pierces a line, a staff sweeps across a vast area." Now, the three-section staff swirled in the air, creating a whirlwind, like a proud dragon opening its blood-red maw, soaring and swirling, ready to devour! Instantly, five of the Seven Heroes of the Shi Clan scattered like birds and beasts, frantically trying to avoid the attack! Bai Shandian landed gracefully, retrieving his staff. Unexpectedly, the fifth of the Seven Heroes, Hei Mopan, suddenly appeared from behind, grabbing Bai Shandian's waist and shouting, "Brothers, come quick! I've caught him!" Feng Leisan and the other four heroes were overjoyed, their spirits lifted, and they quickly somersaulted back, surrounding Bai Shandian once more!

White Lightning burst into laughter, then suddenly grabbed the three-section staff with both hands and snapped it against Black Millstone's elbow. Black Millstone felt a tingling, electric-like pain in his arms and quickly released his hands as if avoiding a snake or scorpion, jumping to the side!