A middle-aged man walked into the hall, with Zhao Ping following behind.
In addition to them, there were four imposing n, each with a sharp glint in their eyes and bulging foreheads—clearly experts of the Martial Way. Upon their arrival, the four imdiately fixed their gazes on Lin Mu and his companions.
The middle-aged man was none other than Zhao Hedong, the owner of Forgotten River Hall and the Patriarch of the Xi Jiang Zhao Clan.
"So it's Patriarch Zhao." Liang Sheng hurriedly stood up and clasped his fists. "Patriarch Zhao, it has been a long ti."
With a smile that didn't reach his eyes, Zhao Hedong replied, "Yes, it has been a long ti indeed."
Sensing the coldness in Zhao Hedong's tone, Liang Sheng felt a sense of foreboding. "Patriarch Zhao, we have co this ti to..."
Zhao Hedong interrupted him. "Boss Liang, let's talk about business later. Right now, soone wants to et you."
"et ?" A trace of unease crept into Liang Sheng's heart.
Zhao Hedong stepped aside to clear a path. "Lord Sang Tu, you may co out now."
THUD! THUD!
Heavy footsteps resounded as a tall, bare-ard man walked in.
The man's body was covered in tattoos resembling a black dragon. Its tail and claws seed to wrap around his limbs, with the dragon's head positioned on his chest. Although they were just tattoos, the black dragon gave off a sinister and ferocious aura, lending the man a nacing air.
This person was none other than Sang Tu, Ma Liuye's subordinate.
"Lord Sang Tu, please take a look. Are these the people?" Zhao Hedong asked respectfully.
Sang Tu's eyes swept over Lin Mu's group before finally settling on Qing Yu Daoist. He sneered, "Not bad, Zhao Hedong. You've done well and secured your Zhao Family's lineage."
"Lord Liu will surely rember this."
Overjoyed, Zhao Hedong quickly responded, "It is an honor for my Zhao Family to serve Lord Liu."
Liang Sheng's expression finally changed. He pointed at Zhao Hedong and snapped, "Zhao Hedong, what is the aning of this?"
"What do you an?" Zhao Hedong let out a cold laugh. "Boss Liang, are you still going to play dumb with ?"
Liang Sheng's face fell, his heart pounding with alarm. "They are..."
Zhao Hedong sneered, "That's right. They're with Ma Liuye!"
"Zhao Hedong, my Liang Family has worked with your Zhao Family for so many years! You'd sell us out over such a minor issue?" Liang Sheng demanded. "If word of this gets out, who will dare do business with your Zhao Family again?"
"A minor issue?" Zhao Hedong said with a look of pity. "Boss Liang, it seems you still don't realize who you've provoked."
"The Huang's Three Brothers you killed were all Lord Liu's n. Not only did you kill them, but you also burned down Lord Liu's dogfighting ring. Are you tired of living?"
At this, Zhao Hedong sighed. "Boss Liang, we've done business for many years, so I know the kind of person you are. If you just tell who really did this, I can plead with Lord Liu to spare your life."
This was a sincere offer. He truly didn't believe Liang Sheng had the strength or the audacity to touch anything belonging to Lord Liu.
"Impossible!" Liang Sheng flatly refused. "Zhao Hedong, it seems I misjudged you. But if you think you can fra , you'll have to get through first!"
"Hmph!" The mont Liang Sheng finished speaking, a figure lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at him.
"You'll agree whether you want to or not!" Sang Tu snarled as his fist descended.
Liang Sheng's expression changed drastically as he moved to block the attack. However, Sang Tu was too fast, and his strength was even more astonishing.
A single punch sent Liang Sheng flying backward.
"Dad!" Liang Shanshan cried out, reaching for him.
But another figure was faster, stepping forward and placing a hand on Liang Sheng's back. A current of True Yuan flowed out, instantly neutralizing the force that had invaded his body.
"COUGH! COUGH!" Liang Sheng steadied himself and said gratefully, "Thank you, Daoist Master Qing Yu."
If Daoist Master Qing Yu hadn't intervened, he would have been seriously injured. Even so, Liang Sheng's face was pale.
"Dad, are you all right?" Liang Shanshan rushed to support him, her face etched with worry.
"I'm fine." Liang Sheng caught his breath and stared at Sang Tu. "It seems you're one of that Ma Liu's n as well."
Sang Tu glanced at Qing Yu Daoist, a dangerous glint in his eyes. This man's cultivation level is not to be underestimated. He easily dispelled my Internal Energy... So, it really is these four!
Sang Tu said in a sinister tone, "That's right. Lord Liu has ordered to take you all back. If you know what's good for you, you'll co quietly."
"We didn't kill anyone! Why should we go with you?" Liang Shanshan's face flushed with anger. "You attack and try to kidnap people for no reason. I'll call the police right now!"
"Call the police?" Sang Tu scoffed. "In Thunder Mountain, Lord Liu is the law. Who would dare to touch him?"
Zhao Hedong sighed and tried to persuade him. "Boss Liang, listen to my advice. I don't believe you're the real murderer, but Lord Liu's n were killed and his property was destroyed. Soone has to answer for it. You should just tell us who did it."
"Lord Sang Tu is right. In Thunder Mountain, if Lord Liu wants soone dead, they won't live to see the next day. If you don't want to bring disaster upon yourself, I hope you'll make the wise choice," Zhao Hedong urged, his tone full of sincerity.
Liang Sheng sneered. "Hmph. Zhao Hedong, do you really think I'd believe you?"
"You ungrateful fool!" Zhao Hedong snapped angrily. "In that case, the cooperation between our two families is over!"
At these words, Liang Sheng's expression changed dramatically. The Liang Family sourced most of its dicinal herbs from the Zhao Family. If their partnership was severed, their business would suffer a devastating blow.
"And let be frank," Zhao Hedong continued with a cold smile, "without Lord Liu's permission, no one in all of Southern Sky will cooperate with the Liang Family. Let's see how long your family can last without the supply channels from Southern Sky."
"You..." Liang Sheng was furious, but he would never betray Lin Mu.
"We didn't kill them, so why are we being dragged into this?" Liang Shanshan interjected. "It was clearly..."
"Shut up!" Seeing his daughter was about to say Lin Mu's na, Liang Sheng's face went white. He clapped a hand over her mouth. "Do you want to bring complete ruin to our Liang Family?"
Losing a business partner is one thing. But offending Lin Mu could truly make the Liang Family vanish from River City.
"Dad, I..." Rebuked by her father, Liang Shanshan felt deeply wronged.
Zhao Hedong smiled faintly. "Boss Liang, it seems you do know what happened."
Liang Sheng's face was a mask of grim determination. He said nothing.
Sang Tu grew impatient. "Why waste ti talking to them? Just take them all back! I have my ways of making them talk!"
To deal with soone like Liang Sheng, Sang Tu had a hundred thods to loosen his tongue.
"As you command, Lord Sang Tu," Zhao Hedong said at once.
"n, take them all away!" Sang Tu commanded with a wave of his hand. The four burly n stepped forward, ready to seize them.
"I killed the n. It has nothing to do with them."
A calm voice cut through the tension.
Everyone looked up to see a young man slowly rising from his seat. It was Lin Mu.
Lin Mu took a few steps forward, t Sang Tu's gaze, and said, "Let them go. If you want soone, co for ."
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