Chapter 258 - 259: Not a Sword Cultivator
Back at the small, rundown house, Fang Niannian’s little cheeks were puffed up, her crescent-shaped eyes glaring sideways at Zhu Minglang, with a grievance that seemed almost ready to emanate from her.
“All this meat cost eighty gold, do you think money grows on trees? With eighty gold, I could buy you a ranch back in Ancestral Dragon City!” Fang Niannian chided without any hesitation.
“There’s no helping it, everything here is extremely expensive, meat is even rarer than gold and silver, and this is already with a discount the old man gave me for being the new City Lord,” Zhu Minglang said helplessly.
“Big Black Tooth’s supply is gone, and this whole cart of meat won’t even be enough for one of its meals.” Fang Niannian, responsible for managing the finances, found it most unacceptable to spend too much money on things that weren’t worth it!
Zhu Minglang’s behavior was exactly what she, Fang Niannian, couldn’t stand!
It wasn’t like they hadn’t lived through lean times before, even if they were richer now, they absolutely couldn’t waste money recklessly!
“This meat is for us,” Zhu Minglang said.
“What about Big Black Tooth? It will get hungry. Ever since it reached the Lord Level, its appetite has tripled, and ordinary black pork can hardly provide any energy. It’s no different from drinking water,” Fang Niannian said.
Zhu Minglang stroked his chin, his gaze unintentionally wandering towards Hao Ye, who was deeply engrossed in practicing his swordsmanship nearby.
Hao Ye, for some reason, was silent and absent-minded today, practicing as if he were a sword-wielding machine, tirelessly slashing at the weeds, making the vegetation of the entire courtyard neatly trimmed.
“Hao Ye,” Zhu Minglang called out.
“Junior Uncle, you actually remember my name!” Hao Ye turned around with a smile blooming on his face like the splendid flowers of summer, feeling as though his soul, which had been scattered to the heavens, had returned to his body.
Zhu Minglang was utterly puzzled.
He shot Fang Niannian a look, who returned a “I don’t know either” expression.
Strange, Wu Feng hadn’t mentioned anything about Hao Ye being ill.
“Hao Ye, you’ve practiced well today, but the vegetation is after all static; next, you should use some wild beasts to fine-tune your swordsmanship. Over the next few days, hunt down some monsters and Demon Spirits, preferably those with excellent meat quality and delicious taste. Remember to bring back the prime cuts, the more, the better,” Zhu Minglang instructed Hao Ye.
“As you command, Junior Uncle!” The once stagnant look in Hao Ye’s eyes sparkled.
Practicing, double the practice, practicing madly according to Junior Uncle’s guidance, he had to make a name for himself so that everyone would remember him, Sword Master Hao Ye, and surely one day become renowned far and wide!
“I’ll go with him, I should choose, I know what Big Black Tooth likes. Along the way, I’ll look around to see if there are any other resources,” Fang Niannian said.
“Hao Ye, I’ll add a weight training task for you. Take Niannian with you and follow her instructions when you strike with your sword. You must precisely and accurately cut off those parts of the meat!” Zhu Minglang continued to instruct Hao Ye.
“No problem, Junior Uncle!” Hao Ye nodded.
As night fell, the Hu Family Siblings had already found their target and began their sweeping raids.
The Copper Knife Army had also been deployed by Li Yunzi near the city gate, putting on a show that this city now had a master.
Zhu Minglang felt that as the City Lord, he couldn’t just sit in the yard and enjoy his barbecue. He had specifically instructed the Hu Family’s Think Tank to keep an eye on a few warlords he was interested in during the day, while he went to meet them in person.
“Da da da da!!!!!”
Suddenly, the sound of iron hooves came thundering down the main street, shaking the old buildings nearby.
Zhu Minglang leaped onto the roof to look out and was surprised to find that his small house was surrounded by a large group of soldiers, among them a troop riding on tall and formidable Dragon Horses, with bodies three times the size of ordinary steeds and horned dragon-like faces, full of fiery spirit!
What’s going on here!
Weren’t they supposed to clean up the armed forces of Runyu City tonight?
How come an army has surrounded this place??
“Flatten this place for me, and slaughter every living soul you see!” bellowed the burly man riding the dark dragon horse, his entire being exuding an evil Qi!
“Gentlemen, which faction of heroes do we have here?” Zhu Minglang stood on the eaves and called out to question them.
“You don’t even recognize the Dragon Horse Camp and you’re stirring up trouble in Runyu City. Tell your master there’s no need for a controller here; we, the Dragon Horse Camp, call the shots in this city. You dare to issue a kill order against us, it seems like it’s you who are tired of living!” the leader of the Dragon Horse Camp said with a cold sneer.
“So, you’ve come to kill me, the city lord? On my hand I have the Contract Book, appointed by the Imperial Dynasty. If you lay a finger on me, you’ll be committing the crime of rebelling against the dynasty.” Zhu Minglang took out his Contract Book, tapping on the Imperial Dynasty’s seal with his finger.
“Imperial Dynasty?? Can the dynasty control this place? Let me tell you, no matter how many officials come to Runyu City, I’ll chop them all down. Kill them all, leave none alive!” The leader of the Dragon Horse Camp gave a grand wave of his hand.
Suddenly, a large group of soldiers surged over from the main street like a flood tide. They were clad in leather armor and military boots, and although they were helmetless, each one had a piece of cloth tied around their foreheads bearing the Dragon Horse Camp’s symbol.
At a glance, there seemed to be at least two thousand people, nigh filling the streets and alleys near the little house to the brim, completely encircling it without a gap.
They held various weapons in their hands—swords, spears, axes—while those riding dragon horses were all equipped with bows and arrows.
Upon the leader’s command, the mounted archers already had their bows drawn, their arrows remarkably special: they caught fire spontaneously without touching anything!
The entire arrow, enveloped in flame, assumed a powerful presence as they drew their bows to the max, like a heat wave sweeping through!
“Yunzhi, Ling Sha, be careful of the fire arrows!!”
Zhu Minglang cried out in alarm upon seeing this.
No sooner had his voice fallen than the arrows whooshed through the air, fire arrows streaking across the sky, instantly illuminating the nearby streets!!
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!!!!”
The mounted archers released their arrows swiftly. No sooner had one fire arrow been shot than another barreled towards the courtyard, the fiery curtain formed by the arrows carrying an overwhelming momentum as it descended upon the dilapidated mansion.
In the courtyard, Li Yunzi stood quietly, raising her face. Her beautiful eyes, reflected by the dense barrage of fire arrows in the sky, shone like dazzling agate.
She did not move an inch, merely gazing intently.
Suddenly, the sky full of flaming arrows seemed to hit an invisible wall of Qi, their plummeting speed slowing down…
More and more arrows, as if seized by some force, came to a complete stop above the courtyard!
The shabby eaves, covered with blackish-blue tiles, could easily be punctured by ordinary arrows, let alone these arrows infused with the power of flame.
Yet the arrows hovered above the roof tiles, like a brilliant display of lights, no longer able to fall.
Zhu Minglang stood on the eaves, watching the beauty in the yard with a hint of surprise.
Everything had stopped!
Staring at this curtain of arrows, she had brought them to a complete halt!
Could it be that Li Yunzi wasn’t a Sword Cultivator?