"Sir, people say you’re a good man."
"Just an old man, and you’re still so gentle with him; you’re really giving him face."
They left the manor at noon, and by the ti they returned, it was nearing evening.
Li Xian held a torch, leading the way. The nursing ho staff heard rumors of ghosts and felt a hidden dread.
The weather was freezing, and the Yin Qi was already thick.
Out of boredom, they sought conversation for relief.
"Bullying the weak is not my nature," Li Xian said. "If you want to advance further in martial arts, you should adjust your mindset. Those who bully the weak will also be bullied by others; only the strong can strengthen themselves."
"Yes, yes, Li sir is right."
All the nursing ho staff agreed repeatedly.
Li Xian glanced at them, knowing no one was listening. But he didn’t mind and continued leading the way. Turning into a mountain path, the area was densely wooded and difficult to traverse by night.
So stray branches extended, blocking the way overhead. Li Xian drew his sword and chopped them down, leaving scattered branches on the ground.
At this ti, people struggled to gather firewood.
It was hard to light a fire; even small twigs and leaves were picked up secretly by so and accumulated over ti.
Li Xian had lived through such tis, so he chopped away without minding the additional branches scattered around.
"By the way, do you think there are real ghosts in this world?"
Soone from the nursing ho, perhaps reminded of the Dongnong Village incident, asked suddenly.
"Ghosts?"
"Why not? If there are demons, how can there be fewer ghosts?"
"Let tell you, not to ntion other places, even in our manor, there have been hauntings!"
The nursing ho staff began chatting. Li Xian was also interested and asked, "Oh? Really haunted?"
Upon hearing Li Xian’s query, the staff beca more spirited, and one said, "Not just haunted, but fiercely so."
"It’s said that after people die, vengeful spirits linger and might turn into ghostly beings."
"Demanding life and wealth, bizarre and strange."
"Li sir, if you’re interested, I’ll tell you all about it."
As they were speaking.
Li Xian grew curious but suddenly furrowed his brow, sensing sothing unusual, and said intensely, "Sothing’s not right."
"Sir, what’s not right?" the nursing ho staff imdiately panicked, deeply fearing a ghostly disturbance.
Yet ghostly tales of the world never have a definite conclusion. The real troublemakers are always humans.
Li Xian lowered the torch, saying, "Look here."
They saw dozens of footprints on the ground, of varying depth, among which a wheel track was particularly noticeable.
And these footprints were freshly made.
No ghosts were seen, but there were many human traces.
"A group has co boldly, using the cover of night to approach the manor."
"And they haven’t lit any torches, traveling by night, suggesting they have ill intentions."
Li Xian thought quickly, imdiately pressed down the torch, and extinguished it with soil.
"Ah, sir, why did you put out the fire?"
"We can’t see anything now!"
The nursing ho staff exclaid.
"Quiet," Li Xian said sternly.
Everyone imdiately beca silent, not daring to make a sound.
"Sothing might be happening in the manor," Li Xian murmured, then said to a small path, "If we take the main road, we might run into them. Let’s take the small path and loop back."
The night was very dark, the path secluded. It was more difficult to walk, and many in the nursing ho were unwilling, but none dared to go against him.
Seeing Li Xian taking the lead, already stepping onto the path, they could only follow, keeping their complaints unspoken.
Li Xian ran and dashed, and after three-quarters of an hour, he erged from the woods and entered the manor through the east gate.
The manor covered a large area, with gates in all four directions: east, south, west, and north. The south gate was the main entrance, with each gate far apart, completely separate from one another.
Li Xian’s hearing was sharp, faintly hearing so noise, indicating activity at the manor’s main entrance.
He imdiately went to Panglong’s courtyard. Seeing no lights there, he knew Pang Long had already gone to the front gate. He then checked the nursing ho quarters, finding them empty as well.
"It seems this ti the visitors are indeed ill-intentioned!"
Li Xian furrowed his brow, tightened his grip on his knife, sensing a bad on. After a mont’s hesitation, he took a rarely known path to the main gate.
Concealing himself, he hid in the shadows.
Finally, he saw the situation clearly.
Only to see the vermilion-painted manor gate smashed into four pieces by two strikes. The severed edges were clean, as if cutting through tofu, indicating the door-breaker’s profound skill.
Outside the gate, there seed to be many people. They didn’t light torches, making it hard to estimate their numbers. But by the montum, it was certainly not few.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
A series of thunderous drumbeats exploded from the darkness.
Keeping everyone awake that night.
Pang Long looked distressed, performing Qi movent with a shout: "Who is beating the drum, do you not want to live!"
The sound wave was overwhelming, even surpassing the drumbeat, causing the drumr to stagger back a few steps.
"It is I, Zheng Xuezhang, beating the drum!"
An even more furious shout ca.
Seeing Zheng Xuezhang taking a step forward, formally stepping into the manor. This man was burly, full of stubble, exuding an overbearing aura, carrying a long sword on his back.
Li Xian whispered to himself, "Could he be here for ?" His heart tightened, still not revealing himself, but he didn’t regret killing Zheng Caiqi. This person was narrow-minded, a source of endless trouble whether killed or not.
"If things go south, I’ll escape imdiately." Li Xian felt fortunate to be in the dark, quietly observing.
"Zheng Xuezhang, your Black Water Gang is going too far!" Pang Long shouted angrily.
Zheng Xuezhang replied, "You’re the ones going too far!" His eyes glanced, and seeing a nursing ho staff nearby, he flew into a rage, grabbing the person and twisting their limbs, throwing them outside like a dead pig.
"You!"
Pang Long was infuriated; first, the man broke the door, then injured soone.
"Your Yihetang Manor uses our Black Water Gang’s water, yet you dare plot against my son. Today, I won’t rest until I destroy you."
"Who is Li Xian, co out now!"
As Zheng Xuezhang spoke, he attacked another nursing ho staff. Using a grappling technique, the staff was Level C, but seed like a clay chicken in front of such an expert.
Terrified and unable to move, watching as they were about to be captured.
Pang Long shouted, as he couldn’t sit idly by. He imdiately stepped forward, tossing the staff behind him, and struck a palm towards Zheng Xuezhang.
"Good!"
Zheng Xuezhang transitioned from claws to palm, facing Pang Long head-on. Their palms clashed, with a "bang" sound, snow mist swirling beneath their feet, circling them.
Pang Long exerted all his strength. The firelight revealed a rainbow phenonon on his shoulders.
"So skill, have you reached half-step Food Essence?" Zheng Xuezhang still managed to speak, the difference determined in one strike.
"Hmph!"
Just a cold snort, he flicked his left hand, sending the swirling snow mist towards the crowd. The force was imnse, toppling over a dozen nursing ho staff, rolling several tis.
Pang Long was barely holding on.
He moved Qi throughout his body, channeling it to his palms. "Ha!" Another shout, adding his other palm, barely contending with Zheng Xuezhang.
"Overestimating yourself." Zheng Xuezhang lightly trembled, emitting a layer of blood mist all over.
His strength and Inner Qi suddenly multiplied several tis; this was the "Blood Wheel Skill," an entry martial arts, extrely formidable. Instantly, he forced Pang Long back, falling to one knee, spitting several mouthfuls of blood.
Pang Long rallied his Qi power, saying, "You dog, daring to trespass my manor, face my strike!" Ignoring everything else, he used his ultimate technique, "Red Ridge Long Fist."
This fist technique, once executed, overwheld like a mountain, its montum surging. Yet it was not straightforward, instead possessing the dexterity of a twisting mountain pass.
Qi was inherently formless. But through martial arts, it beca visible to the naked eye, and was very mysterious.
The two exchanged several blows, each move astonishing, every punch and kick with imnse force. Zheng Xuezhang, a Food Essence master, naturally had an edge over Pang Long.
Pang Long gathered strength for a punch, bravely attacking. Zheng Xuezhang, composed, said, "Let see you handle this!" Turning around, exposing his back.
Pang Long struck his back. Zheng Xuezhang stomped, a rebounding force surged.
Only to hear cracking sounds, Pang Long’s right hand bone fractured, his screams echoed in pain.
Zheng Xuezhang laughed heartily.
This visit was partly for avenging his son.
But also to test Yihetang Manor’s limits. If the water was shallow... he would directly take over.
"I heard you have a lady in your manor?"
"Let her co see !"
Zheng Xuezhang, after a great victory, was imnsely pleased.
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