Chapter 78: The Rise of Smoke and Clouds in the Imperial Capital

  In a luxurious clubhouse with a traditional Chinese quadrangle courtyard style, a tall and slender young man sat quietly on the sofa, his pen straight up, two sword-like eyebrows slanting into his temples, a pair of eyes gazing through the dense beaded curtain in front of him at the men and women gathered not far away, holding wine glasses, laughing and chatting loudly. However, his eyes remained clear as water, as if the scene of debauchery and revelry before him had only flashed across his mind for a moment, then disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

  On the low table in front of him, a small ceramic jug was placed, with an ancient and elegant packaging that revealed a clear and sweet wine fragrance. This young man looked very handsome and elegant, although not too tall, but his temperament was deep and refined, with a noble demeanor.

  In his hand was a white porcelain wine cup, crystal clear like jade, with greenish-blue liquid inside. His fingers were slender and long, strong and powerful, just like the hands of someone playing the piano. The fingertips had faint yellow calluses, which were still visible despite being carefully trimmed.

  A captivating aura wafted through the air, as the melodious sound of a guqin drifted in, settling gently on the ears, evoking an otherworldly elegance amidst the bustling streets. The young man's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression serene and carefree, setting him apart from the crowd, and naturally drawing the attention of several beautiful women in the club, who cast admiring glances his way.

  Nowadays, beauty is meant to be indulged in, and people should seize the moment to have fun, release stress, which is the most yearned-for lifestyle for men and women in the city. In the midst of a dark night, one-night pleasure, see you tomorrow, just passersby.

  A proud and humble woman in a bar is forever unpopular, every time there's a glimpse of a beautiful newcomer. Can't help but walk up, lift the bead curtain to chat, this young man also slightly raises an eyebrow, looks away, doesn't speak, two gazes sharp as swords, cold as water, as if congealed into substance, sword-like piercing deep into the heart, instantly making these usually bold beauties lose color, hastily turn around and leave, no longer daring to look back.

  His gaze is too bright, as if it can penetrate into the softest part of a person's soul, piercing people all over!!

  Everyone who comes and goes in this club knows that this young man is different from the others, he's a weirdo in everyone's eyes. Although he must come every night, he just sits quietly in the corner for two hours, drinking a jar of top-grade "Zhu Ye Qing" liquor, never speaking to anyone, and leaving immediately after finishing his drink.

  Seems to be deeply fascinated with the environment here.

  "In the past, my master taught me swordplay, first training internal bravery, then external skills, and finally teaching hand techniques and footwork. After three years, chasing after steep cliffs and precipices, galloping for months on end, only those who could pierce a flying ape with a bamboo branch would be granted the true essence of swordsmanship. But I, Song Jue, sought to find stillness in turmoil, tempering my heart in the red dust, practicing day and night to cultivate my spirit. Today is my last day here; from now on, there's no need for me to come again."

  After drinking the last drop of wine in his cup, the young man reached out and grabbed a long strip of cloth bundle placed beside him, muttering to himself softly. Just as he was about to get up and leave, the door outside suddenly creaked open, and a woman rushed in hastily, her eyes scanning the hall for a moment before spotting the young man behind the bead curtain, then hurriedly walked over with a rustling sound.

  "What's going on? Lin Mei, how did you end up in a place like this?" The young man furrowed his brow slightly and gently placed the cloth bag on his knees, saying to the woman who had pushed open the beaded curtain and rushed in, clearly they were also very familiar with each other.

  "Song Jie, you're still indulging in drinking and having a good time? Don't you know that something big has happened?" The woman plopped herself down on the sofa, speaking as she poured herself a full cup from the wine jug on the table and took a big gulp.

  "Oh? You still think there's something that can be considered a big deal in your eyes? Lin Mei, are you messing around again? Want to get grounded by your old man and specially ran over to ask me to plead for you, ward off disaster? Let me tell you, last time I pretended to be your boyfriend was the last time, this time don't even think about me helping you!" Song Jie snorted a laugh, nonchalantly shook his head at the woman, stretched out his hand and snatched the wine cup from her hand, turning it upside down on the table.

  "Cut! You're so petty, it's just a drink!" Lin Mei made a face at Song Jie. In that instant when she saw this young man, all the things in the world seemed to be thrown behind her and were no longer important. Her mind, which was burning with anxiety, completely relaxed: "You know I'm just an illegitimate daughter, in the eyes of that old man in our house, having me is like not having me at all. He only cares about me not disgracing the Lin family outside! And now that Lin Yuanshan has been beaten up, he's anxious like crazy, how would he have time to care about me?"

  "Who dares to lay a hand on Lin Yuanfang? He's the old master's favorite, and besides, doesn't he always have Gao Qiru by his side? With his White Crane Spreads Wings skills, who can get close to him?" Weiwei felt a bit surprised, and Song Jie let out a sound of surprise, finding it somewhat strange.

  The Lin family's power is as high as the sky. Who else dares to dig earth on Tai Sui's head?

  "At that time, Old Gao was not by his side. Lin Yuanfang and Hongmen's Hong Changqing, Shao Nanhua went to attend Zhang Lao Yezi's banquet at the State Guest House yesterday, where he was beaten up. However, I saw him last night and he seemed fine, without a single injury on his body. I don't know how it happened that just one day later, he couldn't get out of bed? The old man even personally went to the Wushu Association to find a large group of people to help take care of him, and they said that someone had used some kind of internal martial arts technique to seal off his meridians. I remember you telling me about this internal martial arts technique before, Brother Song Jie."

  Lin's eyebrows were curved, her two eyes smiled like two crescent moons, her voice was crisp and clear, seemingly delighted to see Lin Yuanfang being beaten, with a thick layer of schadenfreude in the smile all over her face.

  "What? Song Jie's right hand, which was holding the cloth bag in front of his knees, tightened suddenly, and a low growl escaped from his mouth. At the same time, a metallic sound came from within the bag, as if something inside had suddenly moved. Lin Mei was startled, but all she saw was Song Jie's gaze shooting towards her like lightning, shining brightly and piercingly. It stabbed at her face, making her skin feel like it was being cut by a sharp knife. Her heart felt chilled to the core."

  "Neijia yinshou is a technique that can only be performed by someone who has mastered the internal power of Neijia after years of practice, and can control the release of internal energy at will. Nowadays, there are no more than ten people in the country who have reached this level, and even in the capital, there are only two or three people who possess this skill, aside from my master and grandmaster. Could it be that there is someone else? No, Neijia yinshou can't possibly be so easily mastered. I've heard that some evil martial arts have special techniques for cultivating internal energy, such as the Five Poison Hand, which requires one to soak their hands in deadly poison and use a secret method to absorb the toxic air, turning oneself into a poisonous person. After mastering this technique, one's fighting skills are almost indistinguishable from Neijia yinshou... perhaps I was mistaken?"

  Song Jie's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his emotions stirred, and his whole body seemed to be emitting a dense, cold aura like a sword. However, this state only lasted for an instant before disappearing, and he returned to his previous calm demeanor, his hands gently pressing on the fabric pouches on either side of his knees, unhurried and serene.

  "I don't know about that, I'm not a martial artist." Lin Mei, who had come to report the news, let out a soft sigh of relief. When Song Jie looked at her with one glance, she felt her heart racing wildly and couldn't help but feel a lingering fear, patting her chest, she leaned back heavily.

  "But it seems like things are getting out of hand, the old man is usually calm and collected, nobody knows what he's thinking, but today he's letting out all his pent-up anger. Except for your master and that elusive Master who only shows up at the beginning and end, almost every notable figure in the martial arts world in the capital has been invited, I arrived just as he was on the phone contacting the Central Guard Bureau, seems like he wants to invite some instructor or something."

  "If it's really an internal family Yin hand that hurt someone, then no one can do anything about it unless a master of internal family Kung Fu comes out to help. Otherwise, when the time is up, the Yin energy will dissipate and Lin Yuanfang will definitely be in danger. But if it's something like the Five Poisons Hand, an evil Kung Fu technique, then it should be effective. There are several masters at the Central Guard Bureau, even my own master often mentions them."

  "Your master always has a stern face, I'm afraid when I see him. He and your aunt are the same, with an attitude that's to die for. Whoever asks them for help with something will definitely owe them a huge favor, which they'll have to repay sooner or later. I reckon the old man is also aware of this, and won't ask your master and aunt for anything unless absolutely necessary."

  "This has nothing to do with me, it's the grievances between them, and I'm not qualified to get involved! However, Shao Nanhua, who went with Lin Yuanfang, is also a great master of overseas martial arts, his ancestors were all escorts, and he is proficient in the family-style Gongzi Fuhuquan, which is excellent. Moreover, he is well-versed in the skills of using hidden weapons to harm people, so it's not easy to hurt Lin Yuanfang under his nose."

  Song Jie paused for a moment, his eyebrows slightly furrowed: "Unfortunately, I had something to do last night and couldn't go to the State Guest House. Otherwise, I might have been able to see this commotion with my own eyes. When did Beijing produce such an unscrupulous person again? Even Lin Yuanfang dared to take action, aren't you afraid of your old man blowing his top?"

  "He's not afraid of you, you don't know yet, this person is just like what you said, he's not from the capital at all, but came back with Lei Feng to attend Old Master Zhang's dinner party and now lives in Lei Feng's place. Calculating it, aren't you and Lei Feng master brothers? If you don't understand, just make a phone call to ask, I'm also confused right now!"

  Lin Mei gave Song Jie a glance, seemingly enjoying the atmosphere in the club, her eyes even started to narrow.

  "Oh, so it was with Lei Ting together, no wonder! Speaking of my nominal senior brother, he can be considered the top master under the National Security Bureau. His iron shirt kung fu has been practiced from the outside in, his internal energy is fierce and violent, and his fist technique follows the most lethal path of the Wudang school. In the past when I fought with him, I always ended up with a swollen face. But later I switched to swordsmanship, while he went to join the army, and after he returned and joined the National Security Bureau, I was sent abroad by my master and rarely saw him. I wonder if now, holding a sword in hand, can he still defeat me?"

  This young man named Song Jie had a calm tone, spoke slowly and deliberately, with a sharp air between his eyebrows and eyes. When he talked about Lei Feng, even the sound of his voice began to emit a sense of heroic spirit, like the clanging of golden armor.

  "Do you know what his name is and how old he is this year?"

  "Hmm, I know this one. Lin Yuanfang was scolding him loudly all day, and I heard it from the side. It's a young man named Wang Chan, not even thirty years old. He's said to be ruthless and brutal, killing people without batting an eye. That's the one you just mentioned who's good at using hidden weapons, Shao Nanhua. He was beaten to death by him in the State Guesthouse, and it's said to be a terrible sight. And then there's Hong Changqing, one of the top figures in the Hongmen organization in the country, also killed by him. Tsk tsk, this guy's got some serious guts!" "He's indeed a fierce man!"

  Lin's eyes sparkled slightly, with a hint of flirtation.

  It seems that this woman, although also a member of the Lin family, has no good feelings towards Lin Yuanfang and is clearly not on the same path.

  "Oh, with such a big nerve, Shao Nanhua used hidden weapons to attack him, but still couldn't kill the person?" Song Jie immediately grasped the key point, his pair of sword-like eyebrows fiercely raised.

  "Also, I want to tell you that after I came out, I specifically asked someone about this Wang Chan. The news wasn't much, but each piece was shocking." Lin cleared his throat and continued: "Your National Security has a person named Zhang Xiuer, who is my university classmate. She called me today and said that Wang Chan is ruthless, originally from the mountains of Daxing'anling, and within half a month of coming down from the mountain, he had already taken tens of lives. Lin Yuanshan was involved with him during his trip to Northeast China, and as a result, the Hongmen's executive, Red Pole Tang Niu, was killed by him in a martial arts match."

  "Huh? Even Tang Niu was killed by him? It seems that this Wang Chan is indeed quite skilled, the Bagua Palm Knife of the Tang Clan's ancestral hall is unique and exceptional. Their family's passed-down Bagua Rolling Knife Hand is even more ruthless than the real thing. This Wang Chan has really eaten the heart of a leopard. Doesn't he know that Tang Niu's grandfather was one of the top ten elders of the Hongmen General Hall? Now, he's probably stirred up a hornet's nest. After killing Tang Niu, he also killed Hong Changqing and Shao Nanhua... truly unaware of the heavens' height and the earth's thickness."

  "But such a person, if not ignorant of the world and superstitious about martial power, would be truly terrifying. Focusing on fist techniques and martial arts, with a heart as hard as iron, unmoved by external things... If such a person can avoid being eliminated, they will definitely become a master-level figure in the martial way. I really want to see them for myself."

  Thank you all for your support, Lao Lu bows to you!!!