Chapter 134
Chapter 134: Reinforcements
Upon hearing Li Mu Sheng’s reply, Murong Xiao Ya timidly shrank back her neck. She quickly lowered her head, hugging her teacup tightly, as if that single question had already pushed her shy self to its absolute limit.
Beside them, Hu Rui An deeply observed Li Mu Sheng. He silently noted that although this Eighth Prince had only recently been acknowledged, his bearing already carried the unmistakable air of royalty.
At that moment, Wu Shang, who had been quietly standing nearby, suddenly let out a soft gasp, his gaze fixed on the street below.
On the street, the two youths who had previously fought evenly and parted ways were now on their feet, locked in another tense confrontation.
But suddenly, groups of fierce-looking men brandishing swords and knives burst out from shops along both sides of the street. These men had previously hidden inside the stores when the gong sounded, blending among ordinary shoppers, shopkeepers, and assistants.
Yet now their identities had changed drastically. They encircled the muscular young man with malicious intent.
A hurried gallop of hooves echoed through the street. Quickly, three tall horses thundered into view, stopping precisely in the middle of the thoroughfare.
Mounted upon them were three middle-aged men. The leading figure, clad in white robes, had a beautifully groomed beard and narrow eyes set in a gloomy face.
He surveyed the street with a quick glance, then cupped his fists politely towards the tall young man wielding the spear. “Nephew Sun, you’ve done well. Now that we understand his martial skills, you may leave him to me.”
Sun Shao nodded calmly. He withdrew his long spear, holding it vertically behind him, and said slowly, “His blade techniques are exceptional. He must belong to a renowned sect in the Martial World. If my guess is right, he and his group likely come from Qing Province’s Heavenly River Blade Sect.”
Hearing this, Sha Wen Shan’s brows knitted deeply. He turned towards the muscular youth surrounded by his men, muttering quietly, “If he truly belongs to the Heavenly River Blade Sect, this situation will become troublesome.”
At this moment, the muscular youth, Qin Hao, leaned heavily on his broad blade. His gaze passed through the men encircling him, landing directly on Sha Wen Shan. His expression grew grim as he asked, “Are you people from the White Sand Gang?”
Sha Wen Shan did not answer. Instead, he turned towards the two middle-aged men beside him and commanded, “My brothers, join me in capturing him. He must possess the other half of the map.”
The two middle-aged men nodded silently and leaped off their horses without hesitation, rushing towards Qin Hao.
Sha Wen Shan immediately followed, and the three men erupted simultaneously with a martial aura stronger than even Sun Shao’s, creating invisible walls of Qi that sealed off all escape routes.
Qin Hao’s face turned pale. He circulated his internal Qi, gripping the broad blade with both hands. He unleashed the full extent of his Heavenly River Blade Technique, weaving an impenetrable barrier of blade energy around him. Blade Qi surged to the skies as he desperately tried to hold off the combined assault of the three martial masters.
Yet, deep in his heart, Qin Hao knew it was futile. His skill was not sufficient to withstand the simultaneous attack of three experts. Eventually, he would be captured or killed.
He briefly considered escaping, but with the three masters surrounding him, and Sun Shao eyeing him coldly nearby, that chance seemed slim.
At this critical moment, a flash of red darted swiftly along the rooftops, rapidly approaching from the end of the street.
The figure in red hurled throwing knives from her hands continuously. They shimmered through the air, swift silver streaks aimed precisely at the vital points of Sha Wen Shan and his companions.
“Senior Brother Qin, hold on! I’m coming to help you!”
A clear, melodious female voice echoed distinctly, and the red figure rapidly closed the distance.
“So he still has allies.” Sha Wen Shan glanced back briefly, though his attack did not slow.
Facing the incoming knives, he remained indifferent. The martial Qi around him coalesced into a thick, shadowy armor, effortlessly deflecting the lethal silver flashes.
“Junior Sister, run! You’re no match for them! Return to the sect quickly and tell them to avenge me!”
Qin Hao shouted urgently, spinning his blade into a defensive whirlwind.
The Heavenly River Blade Sect was known for fiercely protecting its disciples. The reason Qin Hao challenged Sun Shao was precisely to seek justice for the junior brother and sister who had been killed. His own death mattered little; his elders would avenge him later. But if no one carried word back to the sect, it would all be meaningless.
However, the red-clad young woman ignored his desperate plea and continued her determined charge forward.
Meanwhile, Li Mu Sheng, previously uninterested in the Martial World conflict playing out below, suddenly raised an eyebrow.
He glanced curiously toward the swiftly approaching red figure and remarked in mild surprise, “Huh? What’s my little fan doing here?”
At these words, Hu Rui An and the others around the table exchanged bewildered looks, turning their eyes toward Li Mu Sheng.
They didn’t understand who Li Mu Sheng’s “little fan” was, but it was clear from his tone that he was familiar with the woman in red.
Previously, when Li Mu Sheng had shown no interest in the fight below, Hu Rui An had likewise lost interest. To him, these battles were like chickens pecking at each other, beneath notice. As long as their own party wasn’t affected, he wouldn’t interfere.
But now things had changed slightly.
If Li Mu Sheng indeed knew and had ties with the woman in red, they would need to tread carefully.
“Young master, do you need me to intervene?” Wu Shang, who had spent years navigating officialdom, immediately understood how to react.
Li Mu Sheng glanced briefly at him, stroked his chin thoughtfully, then remarked, “Not to discourage you, but facing those martial artists, your strength might still be somewhat lacking.”
At that moment, coachman Cao Gao Shan’s weathered face suddenly appeared from the courtyard below. With a humble smile, he asked hopefully, “Young master, how about me? Ever since that last blade strike, I seem to have gained some insight. May I trouble young master to watch my skills again?”
Li Mu Sheng eyed him carefully, then gave an approving nod.
He needed to maintain good relations with his admirers, especially as she was his first little fan. Having encountered her here, it wouldn’t be right to ignore her plight. Still, such a small-scale confrontation hardly motivated him to personally intervene. He was perfectly content to have someone else handle this matter for him.
Seeing Li Mu Sheng’s assent, Cao Gao Shan’s expression brightened. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished swiftly from the courtyard.