A Long Grind to Daoist Monarch-Chapter 85 - 84: Presenting the Ancestral Tablet, Red Eyebrow Bandits
Bai Qi returned to the County City, no longer riding a cart, but instead on Song Qiying's Wind Chasing Horse.
In front, he held Ah Di, behind him Xiaotou tagged along, the three on a horse, leisurely traveling down the winding village path.
The well-fed, strong, and shiny-maned tall horse made him appear even more spirited.
The leather-wrapped wooden saddle did indeed reduce some of the bumpy discomfort.
The mountain folks, peddlers, and charcoal sellers on the road quickly stepped aside when they saw him.
Because in their understanding, those who ride horses are "heroes" that you definitely shouldn't provoke.
The late autumn climate was becoming increasingly unbearable, the chill penetrating through the cotton clothing.
Bai Ming exhaled a hot breath, and said softly:
"Brother, so many people."
Bai Qi held the reins steady and nodded, saying:
"They are all heading to the temple fair, it's the busiest time of the year, everyone wants to make some money to buy grains for the winter."
Not only were there groups of three to five on the rural roads, but there were also many more people, and even the boats across the Black Water River were more crowded than usual.
Even the laborers digging river sand and carrying mud bags formed a long line like a snake.
From time to time, the mixed sounds of overseers waving whips and cursing could be heard.
"I heard the Dragon King's Grand Festival invites opera troupes and acrobats, but unfortunately, the performances are inside the Inner City, which we don't usually get to see."
Xiaotou was full of envy, but this year, thanks to Ah Qi, he finally got to have a look.
His father's management of the fish business earned much more than he did going out to the river.
While the family was well off, they even bought a few warm cotton clothes and shoes.
"Ah Qi, are you planning to go to the County City in the future too?"
Xiaotou suddenly asked.
"I'm not planning to at the moment, I'll consider it after achieving the Second Training Great Success, no point thinking about the County City now without breaking through bone joints."
Bai Qi thought it's better to be practical, accumulate the family business, practice diligently, until he makes a name for himself.
If nothing else, let's set a small goal, for Black River County's three major families to have a Bai as a decision-maker!
...
...
Duijin Street, Yang Residence.
The night deepened, the third watch sounded, and the night wind grew colder by the gust.
The river water whooshed, washing over the dike mounds, gloomy clouds covered half a half-moon, enshrouding the silent Black River County.
Yang Meng sat in the backyard guarding that large coffin, hunched over like an old stray dog without a home.
"Godfather, we should start the funeral early, if we delay any longer, Brother Quan's spirit won't rest easy." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
The newly recognized godson, He Zhong, holding a candlestick and a bowl of dry rice, approached Yang Meng:
"Have a bite, godfather, don't ruin your health."
Yang Meng, dozing off a bit, lifted his eyelids and rasped:
"Leave it here. In two days, go to Xinyi Street to invite the Tea Master, hire a bustling funeral band, lots of people, Quan'Er liked lively events in life, it shouldn't be too cold now."
Joy flashed in He Zhong's eyes but was quickly concealed:
"Alright, godfather, it will be handled properly, Brother Quan won't leave alone.
I heard Tea Master on Xinyi Street have a ritual named the Eighteen Farewells, let's arrange it then!"
Yang Meng's old tree-bark like dead face moved, extremely lamentable:
"Yes, we must not let Quan'Er leave alone, he was the only offspring of the Yang Family."
He Zhong bent over, feigning sincerity:
"Godfather, the dead cannot come back to life, take care of yourself, Brother Quan is gone, but I am here, I will be filial to you."
Yang Meng fished out a book from his chest and gave it to He Zhong:
"You are a filial child, I've noticed, this is my own creation, the Tiger Crane Ten Extremes Hand, take it.
When I learned from the master at the Fishery, I mastered the Crane Form, and by pursuing the Heaven-defying Saber, I got a Tiger Form Fist book.
After years of pondering, I refined this Ten Extremes Hand killing technique."
He Zhong's heart trembled, he had heard the owner mention before, this old Yang Meng isn't without talent, he just started martial arts too late, otherwise, he might have broken through Mercury Blood Silver Marrow, further to acquire the Water and Fire Immortal Robe.
The first and second training experts differ from third and fourth training masters not just by a word, but like a mountain apart in ability.
"Thanks, godfather!"
He Zhong was overwhelmed with joy, almost unable to contain it, hurriedly kneeling and kowtowing, a habit seemingly ingrained.
"Practice well, this Ten Hand Killing Technique was painstakingly conceived by me, don't disappoint the owner's expectations."
Yang Meng seemingly concerned, advised.
"Understood, godfather."
He Zhong opened the detailed secret book, the initial moves leapt to his eyes.
"Eye Gouging Absolute Blindness, Forehead Breaking Absolute Head, Neck Locking Absolute Pulse, Throat Squeezing Absolute Breath, Hand Cutting Absolute Arm..."
He couldn't help but take a sharp breath, each move aimed at fatal areas, with a bloody ferocity to them.
"What's wrong? Can't understand it?"
Yang Meng leaned closer, the candlelight casting on his tree-bark like withered old face, looking ghost-like, scaring He Zhong into taking two steps back.
"Go now, let me be alone with Quan'Er for a while."
Seeing Yang Meng wave him away, He Zhong hurriedly left, silently cursing inside:
"That half-buried old bastard still scares the hell out of me!"
...
...
Yang Meng stood up, facing the altar, removing the yuanbao candles, melons, fruits, and pastries, revealing a tablet made of black ebony wood.
In the vast backyard, only his hunched figure cast a shadow on the wall, resembling a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
He reached out to touch the words "Yangquan," slightly trembling:
"Son, just wait a little longer, soon the road to Yellow Springs will be bustling, many will accompany you."
Yang Meng straightened his back, his bones emitted a crackling sound like beans popping. His shoulders spread wider, and his back instantly expanded a circle larger; his supposed withered qi and blood surged like the rampant Black Water River, carrying a heavy, viscous feeling.
"Second Training Great Perfection, Mercury Blood Silver Marrow! Staying at the Fishery truly buried your potential; had you not started martial arts too late, exhausting your potential, you absolutely could have hoped for the Water and Fire Immortal Robe!"
A figure leapt out of the dry well, landing on the ground without stirring even a speck of dust; undoubtedly, it was a practitioner versed in body technique.
It was the same middle-aged man with a bluish complexion from last time, whom the Water Thieves called their boss.
"Given the current situation, Boss, let's be upfront with us. While that bunch of experts from Black River County are away, let's kill our way into the He Family, take some hostages, and demand ransom. Do we need over a hundred blades?"
Yang Meng's large hand pressed on the heavy coffin lid that hadn't been nailed down yet, suddenly pushing it to open a crack.
The firelight from two candles leaked in, astonishingly reflecting a cold gleam!
"Younger Brother Yang, you must be cautious in doing business, never reveal your bottom line, nor blame us."
The middle-aged man coughed twice, lightly chuckled:
"Winter is almost here. With so many brothers from Heaven-defying Saber, is ten thousand taels enough to fill them up? Since it's said to be big business, the scale must not be small, right?"
Yang Meng's hair bristled, as if realizing something:
"Zhang the Fifth, what are you up to?!"
The Boss of Heaven-defying Saber raised the hand he had hidden behind his back, tossing out a coarse cloth package soaked like a blood gourd, which rolled twice, revealing a disheveled dead head.
"Younger Brother Yang might not recognize this fellow. His name is Dong Dageng, a tax collector sent from Yihai Prefecture, whom I've eliminated midway.
His accompanying soldiers, not one left, all dead clean."
Zhang the Fifth said it casually, while Yang Meng's face twitched violently, unable to remain calm.
Killing a tax collector from the County City? Isn't that akin to revolting against the Dragon Court?
Has Zhang the Fifth gone insane?
No need for the Daoist Official to act; with a few Tributors from Pai Bang, they could completely annihilate Heaven-defying Saber.
"Younger Brother Yang, perhaps you have forgotten how our Heaven-defying Saber came to be?"
Zhang the Fifth's eerie laughter echoed lowly in the backyard:
"About ten years ago, the Red Eyebrow Bandits swept Yihai Prefecture, converging at Fulong Mountain, dominating Nu Yun River with such grandeur.
Ranking in order of seniority are seven seats, led by 'Heaven-defying Saber,' followed by 'Ghost Head Monk,' 'Eight-armed Ape,' 'Blood Vajra,' and other masters.
Their eyebrows were red, many had tattoos, specifically killing merchant ships, even daring to target Celestial Water Prefecture's tribute, forcing Pai Bang and the Daoist Official to join forces and surround them!
Our group of Water Thieves, named 'Heaven-defying Saber,' adopted the name of that Boss."
Yang Meng exerted his palm to close the coffin lid, his eyelids heavily twitching:
"This matter, when I was the Guard Commander at the Fishery, I've heard so much that my ears grew calluses! No need for you to repeat it!"
Zhang the Fifth clutched his chest, coughed again:
"Although Heaven-defying Saber is dead, among the rest of those seats, someone escaped secretly.
I almost got killed by an instructor's palm back then, managed to narrowly escape by swimming quickly!
Many brothers died, got hurt. Lei Xiong, that bastard, kept pressuring, led teams several times into the reed marsh to chase and kill.
Fortunate that heaven opened its eyes, allowing me into the temple to worship the true Buddha!
Younger Brother Yang, to be honest, this time, we're merely paving the way for the vanguard, a hundred swords, dozens of practitioners, plus..."
Zhang the Fifth's eyes gleamed with immense excitement, licking his somewhat salty lips:
"Plus three seats of the Red Eyebrow Bandits! Three great outlaws from Fulong Mountain! Altogether three thousand troops, enough to turn Black River County upside down?"
Yang Meng felt cold inside, seemingly unprepared for Zhang the Fifth to go this big!
But considering the Daoist Official overseeing Yihai Prefecture, the Pai Bang experts swallowing Nu Yun River, plus... Ninghai Zen, he still thought Zhang the Fifth was courting death!
"Not enough! The instructor is at the fourth practice, Circulation of Qi! The top seat of the Red Eyebrow Bandits, Heaven-defying Saber is merely at this level…"
Zhang the Fifth laughed heartily, seemingly calm and composed:
"Ninghai Zen is not in Black River County! Even if he were, a Flood Dragon in a pond, a king in a mud pit, a fourth practice is absolutely not a match for the Demon King!"
Yang Meng's throat was dry, as if squeezing out those few words:
"Demon? You… collude with demons?"
According to the Four Great Martial Arts Practices' correspondence, demonic beings also have layers.
Named as Demon Soldier, Demon General, Demon Marshal, and Demon King.
Theoretically, within the same realm, martial artists are seldom a match for demons submerged in Turbid Tide!
"Younger Brother Yang, you are confused! Under the Dragon Court's rule, what difference is there between humans and demons?"
Zhang the Fifth's eyes reddened, glaring at the bewildered Yang Meng, his bluish face revealing patches of crimson:
"You, born a Fisherman, a lowly household working like an ox and horse! Had you not sold yourself to the Fishery, nor colluded with Water Thieves against conscience, what future could you possibly have?
As for me, born in Zhang Family Gully, generations farming the land, when Turbid Tide came, alongside demonic disaster, nearly eradicating hundreds of lives, I luckily survived, but only to endure hard labor!
Had Turbid Tide not disdain me, how much I wished to become a 'demon'! So I could kill all those filthy mongrels drinking our blood and eating our flesh!
Colluding with demons, huh, Younger Brother Yang, I wish to be a great demon myself, to savor the delight of treating humans like mere weeds!"
Zhang the Fifth's silhouette fell against the gray wall, shaking wildly with claws bared, instantly overshadowing Yang Meng's aura.
He squinted his eyes, sinisterly asked:
"Younger Brother Yang, you've boarded this pirate ship, do you truly want to disembark?"
Yang Meng clenched his jaw tightly, his withered old face tense, after a moment said:
"No! I'll join you! But… it must be with more money!"
Zhang the Fifth was momentarily stunned, then met Yang Meng's fierce gaze:
"Besides the East Market Shop's Liang Laoshu, add one more death! Ninghai Zen's disciple, Bai Ahqi!"
