msmithbooks Chapter 258: The Beggar Sect’s Revenge — Seeking Justice
Chapter 258: The Beggar Sect’s Revenge — Seeking Justice
The case of nearly three hundred deaths in Rong County seemed, to the Jianghu, nothing more than a topic of conversation over tea.
After a few days of heated discussion, it was gradually replaced by other news.
The nearly three hundred wronged souls were slowly forgotten by many.
After returning to the Sanjiang Branch Helm, Wangchuan instructed several people to gather intelligence on the Yulong Gang, Rong County, and the Beggar Sect’s Sanhe Commandery Sub-Branch. Everyone was told to remain vigilant.
He also ordered Li Qing to closely monitor any unfamiliar martial artists entering Hejiang Town—especially if Third-Rank or higher martial artists appeared. Any such presence had to be reported immediately.
He knew that by standing publicly with Yang Feiyue this time, he might well attract the Beggar Sect’s hatred.
Safety came first in all matters.
He had no intention of having his head removed for no reason.
Over the next five days,
he trained by the riverside in 《Water Strider》.As his mastery advanced to Minor Mastery, moving across water became smoother and more natural. The distance he could initially run across the water—seven or eight meters—gradually increased to thirty meters. Now he could already glide across relatively narrow sections of the river, carrying himself with noticeably more of an expert’s bearing.
Wangchuan moved across the water step by step. His posture became increasingly upright, and he had completely grasped the rhythm of breathing and circulation. His footwork grew steady and effortless.
With coordinated movement, each step carried him nearly two meters forward. In about fifteen steps he could traverse more than thirty meters across the water.
Both his step length and his limits had far surpassed the Entry-Level stage.
He calmed his Blood and Qi and repeated the cycle.
As he trained—
DING!
A system notification sounded.
《Water Strider》 has advanced from “Minor Mastery” to “Practice Makes Perfect.”
Reward: +2 Agility.
His Agility attribute reached 50 points, and Defense reached 10 points.
Wangchuan smiled.
At this point, his Third-Rank martial arts included 《Qingcheng Sword Art》, 《Wudang Sanshou》, 《Black Tortoise Art》, 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》, and 《Water Strider》.
His internal cultivation method, lightness technique, body-protection technique, and both fist and sword martial arts had all reached at least the Practice Makes Perfect stage.
He could now be considered a veteran Second-Rank martial artist, with no significant weaknesses remaining.
“Phew.”
“Next, I can continue training 《Water Strider》 and improve the speed of my movement across water.”
“With 《Black Tortoise Art》 and Underwater Killing Techniques, if I can push 《Water Strider》 to an even higher realm, I will be completely agile in combat above and below water.”
“Even against a Third-Rank martial artist, I would not necessarily lose.”
“With a Heart-Piercing Crossbow in hand, I might even kill a Third-Rank martial artist underwater.”
Wangchuan had a very clear understanding of his own positioning.
Since he made his living through the Caobang’s river transport operations, it was only natural that he should hone his skills both on the water and beneath it.
Therefore—
《Water Strider》 still needed further training.
Again!
Wangchuan stepped across the water once more.
At the Practice Makes Perfect stage, the power of 《Water Strider》 flowed far more smoothly now. His body felt light. With a single tap of his foot, water splashed beneath him as he shot forward like a skipping stone for nearly one zhang.
Wangchuan’s eyes lit up.
His steps were steadier and farther.
His body lighter and faster.
His breathing consumed less energy, leaving him far more composed.
This time, he stepped on the water twenty times in succession and traveled more than sixty meters before his breathing rhythm finally began to falter, forcing him to head toward the shore.
“Not bad!”
“I can cross more than sixty meters of river in a single breath. If a ship were attacked in mid-river, I could use 《Water Strider》 to reach the shore.”
Wangchuan continued training with his head lowered in focus.
However, his training speed now seemed to slow. After an entire hour of practice, he could only gain 3 experience points. The speed was almost approaching that of cultivating an internal method.
“To break through to Entry-Level Mastery requires 500 experience points...”
“It will take seven or eight days.”
He sighed.
“Just keep training.”
Fortunately, Bai Yuhui had made some progress during these days. With Li Qing acting as his sparring partner, he had forcibly pushed 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》 into the Entry-Level Mastery realm.
Li Qing also brought a Second-Rank fist technique and a Second-Rank staff technique to Entry-Level Mastery, greatly increasing his strength and bringing him one step closer to the Second Rank.
But Bai Yuhui’s brief window of rapid progress soon ended, and he returned to his usual routine of hard training.
…
Days passed one after another.
Just as Wangchuan began to believe that the Beggar Sect would not cause further trouble for the Yulong Gang, a piece of terrible news arrived from the Yulong Gang’s Water Stronghold and reached the Sanjiang Branch Helm.
…
Yulong Gang Water Stronghold.
Morning.
Thick fog.
Several Inner Disciples who had risen early for the shift change took over the lanterns from their companions at the dock.
More people began arriving at the dock to locate their boats, preparing to begin their routine river patrols and collect protection fees while escorting ships.
As the river fog gradually dispersed—
a dark object hanging from the mast of a large ship finally caught the attention of one of the Inner Disciples.
“What is that?”
The disciple climbed up along the mast to take a closer look. When he brushed aside the obstruction, he discovered a grim, cold human head.
“AHHH!!”
His face turned pale with terror. He stumbled back down onto the deck in panic.
“A head…”
“A human head!”
The scream echoed across the dock.
More and more Yulong Gang disciples gathered around.
At that moment, a martial artist who had recently advanced to First Rank stepped out from the crowd.
“Brother Fei Zai!”
“Go take a look.”
“No one knows who hung that head on the ship.”
Fei Zai.
As he approached the dock, he had already begun to tremble.
Because he recognized the head on the mast.
That profile. That outline.
“Hall Master… Vice Gang Leader!”
Fei Zai’s face turned deathly pale.
Realizing what had happened, he forced down the churning nausea in his stomach and leapt upward, retrieving the head from the mast.
Behind the hair hung the ashen face of a middle-aged man drained of all color.
Fei Zai’s hands trembled uncontrollably as he held the head. When he landed back on the deck, his knees buckled and he fell to them, shouting toward the sky:
“Report to the Gang Leader immediately!”
“The Vice Gang Leader has been murdered!!”
He Haisheng, the Yulong Gang Hall Master who had recently been promoted to Vice Gang Leader, had his head silently hung high above the Water Stronghold dock.
As soon as the news spread, panic swept through the entire stronghold.
The Yulong Gang disciples were stunned.
He had disappeared for only a single night…
And the Vice Gang Leader was dead.
There had been no sounds of fighting.
A Second-Rank martial artist had been beheaded.
Yang Feiyue rushed over in haste.
In that instant, he seemed to age ten years. When he saw the head of He Haisheng—the man who had been managing the Water Stronghold’s affairs for him—his body slowly hunched over as a pained sob escaped his throat.
The Beggar Sect’s revenge had finally arrived.
Unable to locate his own residence, they had instead killed Vice Gang Leader He Haisheng.
The assassin was at least a Third-Rank martial artist.
“Send a carrier pigeon message.”
Yang Feiyue lifted his head and shouted in grief,
“Notify the Sanjiang Branch Helm. The Vice Gang Leader of my Yulong Gang has been murdered. We suspect a Beggar Sect expert has carried out this revenge!”
“Request that the Caobang uphold justice for my Yulong Gang!”
Someone hurried away to deliver the message.
Yang Feiyue’s face was filled with fury as he continued issuing orders:
“All Yulong Gang disciples, listen to my command!”
“The enemy may still be nearby. From this moment on, remain poised for battle!”
“Form groups of ten and search the entire Water Stronghold!”
“We must find the killer!”