madnovel Chapter 22 Threat
Chapter 22 Threat
Zhao Xiuxiu suddenly stopped being in a hurry.
But when she looked at Mo Zheng again, her gaze changed. There was doubt, confusion, surprise, and above all, disbelief.
When did the disciples of the county martial arts school become so skilled in swordsmanship that they could subdue even a martial artist who had mastered external martial arts in one move?
It was too fast; even she might not have been able to react to that sword strike.
How did you train to use such a fast sword?
At this point, Zhao Xiuxiu didn't consider the possibility that Mo Zheng had already mastered the art of swordsmanship; she only thought that Mo Zheng practiced fast swordsmanship.
It's not her fault; the subtlety of swordsmanship is something that very few disciples in the entire martial arts hall can achieve.
External martial arts are difficult to master. If one can break through to the subtle sword path before the age of thirty, one can be considered to have talent.
In fact, even in the martial arts hall, those who could cultivate external skills to the basic level of mastery before graduation were all outstanding disciples.
As for Mo Zheng's identity, he was merely a disciple of a martial arts school in a small county town. He looked even younger than her, so Zhao Xiuxiu instinctively looked down on him.
Liu Jiang was completely terrified.
His mind was no longer filled with the pursuit of mastery of external martial arts or the subtleties of swordsmanship; only the fear of death remained.
That long sword was really pressed against his neck, and it really did cut his neck!
With just a slight twitch of his hand, Mo Zheng could take his life.
Therefore, Liu Jiang at this moment was not as nonchalant and carefree as he had been at the beginning. The anger in his heart was completely extinguished by the coldness of the sword. His mind was filled with only two thoughts: fear and regret.
Although he knew Mo Zheng wouldn't kill him, the threat posed by the sword still made his body tremble.
"Spare...spare my life..." Liu Jiang pleaded, his voice trembling.
He deeply regretted listening to others' instigation and coming to provoke this kid. The person Zhao Xiuxiu had her eye on was indeed extraordinary; she could defeat him in one move.
"Brother Liu, what are you saying?"
Mo Zheng smiled and said, "It's just a friendly spar; why would I want your life?"
Then move your sword away!
Seeing that the other man's sword was still pressed against his neck, showing no sign of moving, Liu Jiang took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and said coldly, "What do you intend to do?"
"Just now, Brother Liu said, 'If you're a man, come out and fight. If you don't dare, then get out of the martial arts hall.' Did I hear that right?" Mo Zheng said with a smile, but he emphasized the word "get out" a little more.
Liu Jiang understood.
Feeling the pain and chill in his neck, he hesitated for a moment, then replied, "I'll get out."
I'm at their mercy, what can I do but scramble for the meat?
"happy!"
Mo Zheng took half a step back, pointed his longsword diagonally at the ground, and said, "Please."
Liu Jiang looked at the long sword in Mo Zheng's hand, watching his own blood gather on the tip of the sword and slowly drip to the ground, and he thought of the sword strike just now.
His longsword was already drawn, but the sword was too fast. If it came again, he still wouldn't be able to defend against it.
That's enough, a true man can bend and stretch!
He gritted his teeth, ultimately daring not to go back on his word. He closed his eyes, resigned himself to his fate, and lay down on the ground, gradually rolling away from the pavilion.
Seeing this, Mo Zheng sheathed his sword, a look of satisfaction on his face. Did they really think he was made of clay?
In Shangyin County, who doesn't know that Constable Mo is the kind of person who seeks revenge for every wrong done to him?
So be jealous. You keep calling me a pretty boy and telling me to get out of the martial arts academy. Let me show you what I'm made of.
Seeing Liu Jiang's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Zhao Xiuxiu said with a wry smile, "Junior Brother Mo, you've really offended Liu Jiang to death."
"Senior sister, didn't you ask me to help you? How's the result?" Mo Zheng asked with a smile.
Zhao Xiuxiu's face showed even more bitterness. This was not just good, it was too good. After all, the pavilion was open and there would be many disciples who saw this scene.
If this matter gets out, anyone who wants to harass her in the future will definitely have to think twice about this sword and whether they want to end up like Liu Jiang.
However, they completely offended Liu Jiang, who probably now hates them both.
The key point is that Mo Zheng just left, indifferent to this hatred, while she is still here.
"Senior sister, don't forget what you promised me. You had to write to the sect leader to ask for some Qi and Blood Pills. That's why I took action," Mo Zheng joked.
"Don't worry, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits."
Zhao Xiuxiu knew he was joking. Given the talent he had shown in the other's swordsmanship, her father would never hesitate to train him.
However, she secretly made up her mind to write to Zhao Feng and find out more about the background of this Junior Brother Mo.
At such a young age, his swordsmanship is so fast; before he turns eighteen, he may very well reach the level of "microscopic skill".
That would be amazing.
After all that commotion, during the latter half of their stroll around the martial arts hall, no one dared to jump out and cause any more trouble.
Zhao Xiuxiu became even more enthusiastic towards Mo Zheng and gave him a more detailed introduction.
After wandering around for another half an hour, Mo Zheng had seen most of the sights. He escorted Zhao Xiuxiu to her bedroom door and then prepared to take his leave.
Under the moonlight, the two stood at the door of their bedroom, looking like a perfect couple, attracting many envious glances.
"Then goodbye, Senior Sister Xiuxiu," Mo Zheng said without any hesitation.
Beautiful women are desirable, but they are not something he can consider right now.
Back home in Shangyin County, there are still two children waiting for him to earn money and awaken their potential!
"I'll visit you in Shangyin County after I've had my annual leave for a while," Zhao Xiuxiu replied.
"Then please give my regards to the curator."
After saying that, Mo Zheng turned and walked towards the gate.
Zhao Xiuxiu was taken aback. What did he mean? He wanted her to greet her father for him, but shouldn't he be the one to greet him for her?
……
Mo Zheng strode towards the entrance of the martial arts hall, but there were several people holding lanterns standing at the entrance.
"Don't fight!" someone called out to him.
Were they sent by Liu Jiang to retaliate?
This was Mo Zheng's subconscious thought, but he was not afraid. At most, a martial arts hall disciple could find an entry-level martial artist, and even entry-level martial artists might not get involved in such trivial matters of jealousy.
He's the kind of person who's killed martial artists who've crossed over into the country!
However, once he looked closely, the thought vanished without a trace.
There were four people waiting at the door. The one in the lead was a handsome young man dressed in fine clothes, who was obviously from a wealthy family. Behind him were an old man and three men carrying lanterns, each of which had the character "He" written on it.
It's obvious that this must be the young master of that prestigious family in Jinqing Prefecture, but what does he want with me?
"Who are you...?" Mo Zheng asked.
"My name is He Feiyang, and my father is He Zhaohui," the elegantly dressed young man said, his tone somewhat condescending.
I've never heard of He Feiyang, but what about He Zhaohui?
Mo Zheng felt that the name sounded very familiar. After thinking for a moment, he immediately knew the background of the person who came.
The current prefect of Jinqing Prefecture is named He Zhaohui.
This must be his young master; no wonder he speaks so arrogantly.
"So you're the prefect's son. What brings you here?" Mo Zheng asked.
"It's simple, just stay away from Zhao Xiuxiu," He Feiyang replied.
"Oh?"
Mo Zheng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow; yet another suitor for Zhao Xiuxiu had arrived.
My senior sister is incredibly popular at the Jinqing Prefecture Martial Arts Hall!
However, the prefect of Jinqing Prefecture had no jurisdiction over him; he would simply pack up and leave after tonight.
"What happens between me and Senior Sister Xiuxiu seems to be none of your business."
He Feiyang couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.
He said, "Mo Zheng, are you really that clueless, or are you pretending? Why am I standing here to let you leave Zhao Xiuxiu? The woman I've set my sights on is not someone you're qualified to take, understand?"
Mo Zheng had been here for less than an hour.
But within an hour, He Feiyang had already found out a lot of information.
For example, he bribed the gatekeeper with ten copper coins to deliver the message, and he also defeated Liu Jiang by surprise attack.
A disciple from a martial arts school in Shangyin County, skilled in swordsmanship.
That's enough.
What kind of small place is the Shangyin County Martial Arts School?
Even within the Jinqing Prefecture Martial Arts Hall, there aren't many who are qualified to compete with him for a woman.
"I know you are a young man with great talent in martial arts, but the more talented you are, the more you should cherish the talent you have. People are born different. Some people can only live an ordinary life, while others can cultivate all the way to become a martial artist and have great strength and wealth."
"And there is another kind of person who is born high and mighty, able to control the life, death and fate of countless people."
"For example, my father is the king of Jinqing Prefecture. Even martial artists have to obey his orders, or they will die."
"Uncle Liu, is that right?"
With his last words, he looked at the old man standing beside him.
The old man laughed and said, "Young master is right. In Jinqing Prefecture, the master can be said to have no taboos. He can even take the life or the death of a martial artist. If it weren't for him saving me back then, how would I have the good fortune to serve the young master today?"
He suddenly slammed his fist into the ground.
Boom!
With a muffled thud, the ground trembled. The stone slabs were blasted into a hole about a foot in diameter by the punch. Numerous cracks extended outward from the hole, like a spider web, covering an area of about ten feet in diameter.
The commotion immediately alerted the gatekeeper, who peeked out to see what was going on, but when he saw the lantern with the character "何" written on it, he quickly pulled his head back in fright.
"Uncle Liu is only a Stone Skin level martial artist, please excuse my ignorance." He Feiyang looked at Mo Zheng, "Jinqing Prefecture is very large, and it's not safe at night. Almost every night several people go missing. I wonder if it's safe for you to walk alone?"
This is a blatant threat.
His father is the king of Jinqing Prefecture, and he can also order martial artists at the Stone Skin level to ambush and kill Mo Zheng at night. If they don't obey, they will die!
Mo Zheng didn't answer, he just laughed.
A martial artist at the Stone Skin level?
How dare they attack and kill Zhou Xian in front of him?
The head constable of the Six Doors with the Golden Seal is a fifth-rank official. According to the Great Yan Law, all officials of the fifth rank and above are martial artists of the Bone and Tendon Realm.
This is a mandatory requirement.
Moreover, he wanted to test the newly purchased throwing knife to see if the stone skin of a martial artist was harder, or if the force he used to break the stone was harder.
……
Just as the two were talking, several young men and women walked together outside the gate, heading this way.
"I've really learned something today. I actually met two disciples from the Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall, and they're both from our Jinqing Prefecture. Impressive, impressive."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but that young man named Zhou Xian, who's acquainted with Master, has the Six Doors' golden seal hanging from his waist. He's probably already a martial arts expert at the Bone and Tendon Realm. How old does he look?"
"I wish I were that skilled, but unfortunately I'm too old. I don't know when I'll be able to break through to the next level of subtle swordsmanship!"
The group chatted and laughed, appearing to be Ding Kaishan's disciples.
They had just finished eating and were preparing to return to the martial arts hall.
"I think that Senior Brother Zhou Xian might not be as powerful as that young man sitting across from me in the future."
A woman suddenly said, "Think about it, he is only fourteen years old this year. He has already reached the subtle level after practicing swordsmanship for two years. With such talent, he will probably have already comprehended the Unity Realm by the time he reaches our age. His future is limitless."
"She's also very pretty," another woman commented.
"Haha, Junior Sister Yanran is tempted, but she's a disciple of the Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall, so I'm afraid she won't even look at us," a senior brother joked.
"So what if it's Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall? Our Junior Sister Yanran is no less impressive. She's a direct descendant of the Lu family, and her patriarch is a genuine Bone and Tendon Realm martial artist. If she stomps her foot, Jinqing Prefecture will tremble." The woman who spoke first replied.
The senior brothers laughed, but the girl named Yanran blushed slightly. She was the youngest among them. Although she came from a large family, she was cheerful and kind, which made her quite popular with her senior brothers and sisters.
Thinking of the young man named Mo Zheng from today, her heart stirred slightly. She secretly thought that if he were a few years older, she would really want Master Ding to act as matchmaker, since the disciples of the Liangzhou Martial Arts Hall were all highly sought-after.
"Hey, what's going on over there?" a senior student suddenly pointed ahead.
This immediately attracted everyone's attention. They had all cultivated for many years, the weakest being at the Great Perfection of Qi and Blood Realm, and the strongest being at the Entry-Level Martial Artist. Their five senses were sharp and their eyesight was amazing. By the light of the fire, they had already seen the situation clearly.
"They are from the He family, with He Feiyang leading the way."
"Look, look at that young man, isn't that the one we bumped into at the restaurant today? What's his name again?"
"Call him Mo Zheng," Lu Yanran replied.
"Hahaha, Junior Sister Lu remembers so well. What a coincidence, we've run into each other again," the senior sister laughed.
Lu Yanran, being outgoing and unconcerned about her senior brothers' jokes, said, "Let's go see him. We didn't even get to exchange more than a few words at the restaurant earlier."
Everyone agreed; everyone was curious about the prodigy.
……
"Young people should not make mistakes."
Uncle Liu said, seemingly out of kindness, "Once you become a martial artist, what kind of wealth and women can't you get? But what if you offend the He family? You should know that my master has personally killed a martial artist at the Bone and Tendon Realm. Even the Governor of Liangzhou Prefecture values my master highly. Don't ruin your martial arts path over a small matter."
"Alright, Uncle Liu, there's no need to say any more."
He Feiyang looked at Mo Zheng and said, "I have already told you what I needed to tell you. If I see you coming to the Martial Arts Hall to look for Xiuxiu again in the future, and something happens, don't blame me."
"Cousin, what are you doing here?" a clear female voice called out.
Mo Zheng looked over upon hearing the sound, and the others also looked over, seeing several of Ding Kaishan's disciples.
"It's Miss Yanran, and her senior brothers and sisters," Uncle Liu said in a low voice.
The servants immediately showed humble smiles, and He Feiyang, who had always been arrogant towards Mo Zheng, also smiled as he looked at them.
Jinqing Prefecture has several powerful families, each with a master of the Bone and Tendon Realm. These families have been passed down for generations and wield considerable influence in the area. Even his father dared not underestimate them.
The Zhao family, from which Zhao Xiuxiu came, is like this, and so is the Lu family, from which Lu Yanran came. Moreover, the Lu family and his family are related by marriage. If his relationship with Zhao Xiuxiu doesn't work out, it might even involve the eldest daughter of the Lu family.
He Feiyang's attitude was, of course, different.
"Sister Yanran, everyone, I didn't expect to meet you here so late." He greeted her with a smile.
"Cousin, I never expected you to know Junior Brother Mo."
Lu Yanran blinked her beautiful eyes gently and said in a sweet voice, "Junior Brother Mo, I didn't expect we'd meet again?"
"Junior Brother Mo?"
Upon hearing this address, He Feiyang's expression immediately turned ugly.
……