Chapter 17: Heroes Gather

  "What?" Meng Lin and Lu Bing exclaimed in unison, while Xia Dade spat out a dry branch and shouted loudly, instantly drowning out the previous voices. Yang Feiyan turned her head and whispered, "Keep your voices down, we're almost at the city wall. If someone hears us, we'll be done for."

  "Shen Sen was caught, he couldn't escape and didn't dare to escape. Under the heaven, everything belongs to the king, where could he escape to? However, he was fearless, thinking that he had bribed all the high-ranking officials in the court. As a result, no matter who pleaded for him, it was useless. Emperor Taizu insisted on killing him, but unexpectedly, Empress Ma, whom Shen Sen hadn't asked for help, spoke a few words and it worked. Shen Sen wasn't killed, but was exiled to Yunnan. It wasn't until the 14th year of Hongwu that Zhu Yuanzhang attacked Yunnan, and the next year he recovered it, so the situation there gradually calmed down. However, small frictions continued, and the situation was not stable, so Shen Sen's life there was not easy. In the chaotic world, Shen Sen made a fortune by selling goods to the south and west of Yunnan, adding to his wealth through secret trade routes. He was still prominent for a while, but Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know what had happened to him, so he let him go." Ninth Master said.

  Meng Lin nodded: "This Shen Sen is indeed a talented person, although he has a foundation but can rise again from the east mountain, it's also a kind of courage, not relying on his wealth to do nothing, thoroughly crushing the saying that 'richness doesn't last for three generations'."

  The Ninth Master shook his head: "Where in the world is there a wall that doesn't leak wind? In the end, Zhu Yuanzhang found out. Coincidentally, at that time Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to deal with General Lan Yu. The descendants of the old Zhu family have always had the habit of burning bridges after crossing the river."

  Lu Bing was shocked by these words, if Zhu Houzhe really became the emperor, would he turn against himself? No, no! Lu Bing said in a low voice: "Nothing is absolute, it can't be because of a few people that you defeat a large group."

  Meng Lin smiled and said, "Third brother, you're still young. Which king in the world has a broad mind? Can anyone tolerate others snoring beside their bed? Only foolish kings can do that, like Zhu Houzhao now and Zhu Qizhen in the past, hehe."

  Lu Bing didn't make any excuses, and Jiu Ye suppressed his words, continuing with the end of the story: "Taizu thought that Lan Yu was arrogant and self-satisfied with his own abilities, but this was just Taizu's opinion. Anyway, Lan Yu was killed, and it also implicated Shen family's son-in-law Gu Xuewen, and then Shen family was dragged in. The Shen family had many branches and leaves, but this time they were almost completely eliminated, and those who escaped could only change their names and hide. Later, when we nine people were being hunted down by the previous emperor, some of us managed to escape and hide for a long time, and it was the Shen family that helped us. They didn't do it for any other reason, just to stir up chaos and take revenge on the world once more. But under our shared goal, we came together."

  "Shh, just a few more steps and we'll be there. Let's talk about it once we're inside the city." Yang Feiyan said as she turned her head around, the group followed silently without another word. Above their heads, they could hear footsteps of people walking back and forth, likely the city patrol soldiers. After walking for about ten more minutes, Lu Biao estimated that it was almost time, and saw a glimmer of light - a staircase leading up. Next to the stairs was an air vent, with several lanterns swaying back and forth, emitting an unstable light.

  Yang Feiyan handed the lamp to Jiu Ye, who felt around on the wall for a moment. The stone slab on the stone steps suddenly opened, and everyone walked out. The stone gate was in an inner courtyard, and several people jumped up, and the stone gate quickly closed again. It looked like any other place, with no difference at all, as if it were seamless.

  In the main hall directly opposite, there was a large hall filled with people, all of whom turned their heads to look at Jiuye and his group. There were at least a hundred people in the hall, who all bowed their fists and called out in unison: "Jiuye!" Lu Bing and the others couldn't help but straighten their backs, feeling a flush rise to their faces. But what moved Lu Bing's heart even more was that everyone opposite him seemed to be a skilled martial artist, with piercing gazes that suggested they were all masters of their craft. Jiuye received the admiration of so many heroes, and no matter how unruly or arrogant one might be, upon seeing Wang Mingxiao, they would all bow their fists in respect and call out "Jiuye". This was what it meant to live a life as a great man!

  "Hahaha." A loud and clear laughter came from the hall, a majestic and tall long-bearded beauty walked out, his hair was white but his long and flowing beard was black, looking like a middle-aged man, but with a sense of thickness that only an old man would have. The deep atmosphere was enough to suppress the heroes, making people feel both safe and a little oppressed. Behind him followed a similarly tall but slightly thinner man in his thirties. Ninth Master introduced them, the majestic and powerful one was Fifth Master Wang Zhenzi, and the slender one was Seventh Master Yang Dengyun.

  Lu Bing was still in doubt, as if he had heard this name somewhere before. Suddenly, Yang Feiyan rushed over and shouted: "Dad!" Yang Feiyan hugged Yang Dengyun tightly, and Yang Dengyun laughed: "You're all grown up now, but you're still so attached to your dad. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by heroes everywhere?"

  Yang Feiyan released Yang Dengyun, turned her head to glance at the crowd of good men, gently stroked her hair and suddenly shouted loudly: "Who dares to mock me? I'll dig out his dog's eyes!" The crowd was stunned and lost their smiles. How did the gentle and lovely woman from just now turn into a female demon? They couldn't help but sigh that women are unpredictable.

  Everyone was talking and making a fuss, but they didn't come up with any substantial conclusions. Mostly Yang Dengyun, Wang Mingxiao, and Wang Zhenzi, the three brothers, chatted about some trivial matters, such as "Flying Swallow hasn't caused any trouble" and other ordinary topics. Then the group of heroes began to curse and denounce Zhu Houzhao and Jiang Bin, the treacherous officials. In short, they were just some flashy but unrefined words, without any concrete measures. This made Lu Bing feel somewhat disappointed, and even suspect that he had come to a mental hospital or a gathering place for angry youth, rather than a heroic assembly.

  After everyone went to their respective rooms to rest, the real meeting began. This time, there was no Lu Biao's matter, and only Wang Ming-shao, Yang Deng-yun, and Wang Zhen-zi were present in the hall. Ninth Master Wang Ming-shao said: "Did you see those three people I brought earlier?"

  Yang Dengyun nodded and said, "The oldest one, looking white and clean, but with a shifty gaze, is not a good bird at first glance. We must be careful of this person, don't let him be the imperial court's dog again."

  "That won't happen, but it's hard to say for sure. I'll take good care of him, mainly because he doesn't have much power now and still has to rely on his two brothers. Fifth Brother, what do you think about the remaining two people?" Wang Ming Shao asked.

  "Old Master Wang Zhenzi thought for a moment and said, 'I quite like that rough and simple big fellow. He's got some of the spirit I had when I was young, straightforward and not too cunning. He can be entrusted with important tasks.'"

  "Does Fifth Brother mean to have him lead the vanguard and directly participate in the assassination?" Yang Dengyun said. Wang Zhenzhi shook his head and said, "It's not that, I think this kind of person can be used several times, let him serve as cover, or cut off the rear, such a sturdy fellow blocking the path is definitely a one-man army. Hopefully, we won't need to use him, judging from his appearance, he should be a loyal and dedicated soldier."

  Yang Dengyun smiled and said: "Fifth brother, how come you're not silly now?"

  "Get out of here, old seven! If I were still so naive, I probably wouldn't have made it to today. People can change, but the heart is hard to change. Sometimes I'm too kind and too loyal." Wang Zhenzi shook his head and sighed.

  Jiu Ye burst out laughing: "Wu Ge, your Golden Bell Cover's external family kung fu has even reached your face! Impressive, I admire you! And you're still boasting about yourself. Stop fighting, stop fighting, my old arms and legs can't withstand a single punch from you. So what do you think of that youngest youth, Lu Bing? How is he?"

  "Zhang is not bad, with a hint of elegance in his masculine demeanor, and a sense of grandeur in every move he makes. Is he from a noble family or something? Why is Ninth Brother so particular about him?" Yang Dengyun said.

  Wang Zhenzi stroked his long beard and narrowed his eyes, saying: "Isn't it to help the Seventh Brother choose a son-in-law?"

  Yang Dengyun had a daughter in his old age, and he had always spoiled Yang Feiyan. He taught her all the ultimate skills, and Yang Feiyan was so pampered that she would not even give her father the moon if he asked for it. However, although they had only met once, Lu Bing indeed fit the image of a son-in-law in Yang Dengyun's mind. As the saying goes, "a daughter is not controlled by her mother, let alone her father." It was inevitable that she would get married sooner or later, and rather than letting her choose herself, it was better to choose someone like Lu Bing. Now, let's hear about Lu Bing's family background and see if they match up with Yang Dengyun's own status. Although Yang Dengyun was currently being pursued by the authorities and was considered a great thief, he still had high aspirations and did not want to find an ordinary person to marry his daughter.

  Jiu Ye said, "To be honest, this child is indeed a young master of a noble family, and his comprehension is extremely high. In just these few days, he has mastered the essence of my carefree wandering skills while walking and learning."

  "Really? That's a martial arts prodigy! This kid looks only average in terms of physique, but his brain is surprisingly useful. Old Nine's self-taught random skill emphasizes anticipating the enemy's moves, being flexible and adaptable, and striking at will. This kid has grasped it so quickly, it seems he not only has strong comprehension skills, but also impressive vision and brains.

  Yang Dengyun was even more pleased, thinking that he should take a closer look at Lu Bing. A talented young man like this would be popular among many unmarried women, and Yang Dengyun understood the principle of striking first to gain an advantage. He began to calculate in his mind, thinking that even if he couldn't make Lu Bing his son-in-law, acknowledging him as a godson due to his own status in the martial arts world was also possible."

  Jiu Ye suddenly said: "This person must be the vanguard of the assassination of the King, with him taking action it will definitely succeed. Moreover, if this son is not eliminated, later generations may become a great disaster, so he must be killed with one arrow."

  "What? Why?" Yang Dengyun and Wang Zhenzi exclaimed in surprise. Jiuye nodded and said, "Do the two brothers know about the Lu family's deadly thirteen knives?"

  Yang Dengyun and Wang Zhenzi's faces turned pale, Yang Dengyun said: "It seems that you taught him the 'Self-Generated Random Movement Skill' not only to kill the tyrant king but also to make him stand out. Besides him, who else can use this skill to kill someone?"

  Jiu Ye nodded firmly without any doubt. Wang Zhenzi asked: "How is his kung fu now, compared to yours, Old Jiu?"

  "Ah, I heard him say he only knows three of the thirteen killing knives," said Ninth Master with a slight pause. "I gave him the knife spectrum of the thirteen knives, don't be surprised, I'm not stupid, it's a fake one. Except for the first five moves, every move is missing a trick. This kid often comes up with unexpected moves in battle, making it hard to defend against. I think if we really fight, he and I would be evenly matched now. I think within a year, he will definitely surpass me, which is why I've made up my mind to get rid of him."

  The three of them fell silent, then each with their own thoughts, dispersed. As they were leaving, Wang Ming-shao said to Yang Deng-yun, "Seventh Brother, my daughter seems to have taken a liking to this young man."

  "Got it." Yang Dengyun responded without turning his head, walking away quickly. He secretly made up his mind to separate the mandarin ducks early, otherwise, with Lu Bing and Yang Feiyan being so young now, they would definitely be a doomed pair.

  The night is quiet and a bit chilly.

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