Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 418 The Thief's Plot
In the deserted village.

A wisp of smoke rises.

Lei Zhen and Xiao Liu were already busy preparing lunch, and Yan Sanniang also walked over with light steps and offered to help.

Yan Sanniang always had a question in her mind, which was where Liang Jin had gone.

When she woke up in the morning, she couldn't see Liang Jin. Combined with the blurry figure that flashed by last night, she was certain that it was Liang Jin she saw last night.

However, seeing that neither Lei Zhen nor Xiao Liu had any intention of bringing it up, she had no choice but to suppress her curiosity and wait patiently for the opportunity.

Finally, after the busy work of the three, lunch was ready.

"Miss Yan, come and eat with us."

Lei Zhen greeted Yan Sanniang with a warm smile on his face.

Yan Sanniang did not refuse and walked over generously.

Seeing this, Meng Wei's stomach growled and he wanted to join in the eating, but Xiao Liu stopped him mercilessly.

"There's no food for you here."

Xiao Liu spoke in a cold tone, as if Meng Wei was an unwelcome stranger.

Lei Zhen didn't even bother to look at him and continued to busy himself with the work at hand.

Meng Wei was so angry that his nose was almost crooked, but he finally held it in. He could only walk aside in disappointment, took out some dry food and started eating in silence.

Just as the three of them were sitting together and about to start eating, Liang Jin's figure appeared in everyone's sight.

"Looks like I came at the right time."

Liang Jin smiled and calmly came to sit beside the crowd.

He took the food handed to him by Xiao Liu and started eating with everyone.

During the entire meal, Meng Wei, who was not far away, had a gloomy face and stared at Liang Jin with eyes as sharp as needles.

He keenly noticed that Liang Jin's body was stained with blood and had a faint smell of smoke.

This made Meng Wei suspicious and he secretly wondered what Liang Jin had done last night.

But Liang Jin seemed unaware and continued eating, completely ignoring Meng Wei as if he were air.

By the time they finished their meal, it was already noon.

The sun is high in the sky, and the sunlight shines on the earth without reservation.

The three Liang Jin brothers packed their luggage and prepared to continue their journey.

At this time, Yan Sanniang hesitated for a moment, and finally asked:
"Hero Song, excuse me, where are you planning to go next?"

Liang Jin had no intention of hiding anything and answered frankly:
"We plan to go to Yanshan Village."

When Meng Wei heard this, his eyes lit up slightly.

Yanshan Stronghold, that’s his territory!

He subconsciously wanted to say something proud, but when the words reached his lips, they seemed to be choked by something and he quickly swallowed them back.

After all, the wound on his face that had not yet healed began to hurt again, reminding him of his previous experience.

Yan Sanniang said seriously at this time:

"To be honest, I want to ask Hero Song to help my grandfather save the countless victims in Changzhou!"

Liang Jin was puzzled and asked:
"Who is your grandfather?"

"What ability does he have to save so many disaster victims?"

Liang Jin believed that he already had a comprehensive plan to rescue the victims.

He has already received disaster relief silver. With this silver, he can buy cheap food from his clones in Qingzhou, Dongzhou or Ximo, and then use the magical [Props Bar] to transport the food to Changzhou instantly without any loss.

After that, all you have to do is hand over the food to Miao Yuanzheng's group of Taiping Dao people and let them be responsible for distributing the food to the victims.

In his opinion, this was the best solution at the moment. It was hard to believe that Yan Sanniang's grandfather could come up with any better measures.

Yan Sanniang replied with a serious face:
"My grandfather is Yan Guhong, known in the martial arts world as the 'King of Thieves'."

After hearing this, Liang Jin did not react at all, but Lei Zhen and Xiao Liu were so surprised that they couldn't close their mouths.

Even Lei Zhen couldn't help but blurt out:
"The Thief Saint is actually your grandfather?"

Yan Sanniang nodded proudly, then carefully took out a dart from her bosom and handed it to Lei Zhen:
"Please have a look, hero Lei."

Lei Zhen took the dart and looked at it carefully.

This dart has a unique shape and is exquisitely carved. It even vaguely resembles a swallow, and is lifelike.

"It really is the Swallow Sect's keepsake! The Swallow Sect has long been destroyed, and the Thief Saint is the only heir left in the world."

"You were able to obtain this Swallow Dart, so it seems you are indeed the direct descendant of the Thief Saint."

After Lei Zhen carefully examined the dart, his expression showed admiration.

He carefully returned the dart to Yan Sanniang, as if the dart carried an extremely sacred meaning.

Liang Jin was confused and couldn't help asking:
"What does a thief saint do?"

"Judging from the name, could he be a thief?"

Liang Jin's words surprised everyone present.

Especially Yan Sanniang, who was so proud just now, realized at this moment that Liang Jin had never heard of her grandfather's name, and her face suddenly turned red with embarrassment.

Lei Zhen and Xiao Liu obviously did not expect that Liang Jin knew nothing about the title of the Thief Saint.

You know, that thief saint is a famous figure not only in Changzhou, but also in the whole world.

The two men had no choice but to start introducing this so-called Thief Saint to Liang Jin.

It turns out that in ancient times, there was a martial arts sect called the Swallow Sect, which was famous for its outstanding skills in lightness and stealing.

The Swallow Sect had always been suppressed by successive governments because most of its disciples were thieves and robbers. Under the siege of various forces, it eventually went to destruction.

It is quite dramatic to say that at the moment when the Swallow Sect was at its lowest point and on the verge of extinction, the most outstanding genius in the sect's history was born, the Thief Saint.

Decades ago, the thief king was dominating the world.

The thief saint at that time was famous and it was said that there was nothing in the world that he could not steal.

Moreover, he has his own principles. He never steals from poor people, but only targets the powerful and wealthy; he does not steal from the weak, but is only interested in the property of warriors.

To be more precise, he only chooses difficult challenges and plays only in peak matches in his life!

Someone once made a bet with the King of Thieves, saying that the palace was heavily guarded and it was easy to steal property, but it would be impossible to steal the heart of the emperor's favorite concubine.

Upon hearing this, the Thief King immediately disguised himself and sneaked into the palace.

He maneuvered skillfully in the palace and stayed there for three whole months. With his extraordinary wisdom and charm, he finally succeeded in capturing the heart of the concubine and making the emperor cuckold.

When the news came out, the emperor was furious and immediately ordered a nationwide manhunt for the Thief Saint.

Someone else made a bet with the Thief Saint, saying that the most powerful martial artist in the world was the then-leader of the Wulin Alliance, and that the leader's most valuable treasure was the "Cloud Sky Sutra." That person was certain that the Thief Saint could not possibly steal the "Cloud Sky Sutra" under the Wulin Alliance Leader's nose.

The Thief Saint also accepted the bet without hesitation, and spent three years searching for opportunities. Finally, when the leader of the martial arts world was slightly off guard, he seized the opportunity and successfully stole the "Cloud Scripture".

This action made the leader of the martial arts world lose face, and he bore a grudge against the Thief Saint from then on, and spent the rest of his life hunting down the Thief Saint throughout the martial arts world.

From then on, the Thief Saint's footprints spread all over the world, specifically choosing those targets that everyone thought were impossible to steal from, and he never failed!
This series of deeds made him famous and became a legendary figure praised by everyone in the world.

But at the same time, he also made countless enemies and attracted countless people to covet his head.

Afterwards, the Thief Saint married and had children and started a family.

For the safety of his family, he chose to hide his identity and quit the underworld.

Until now, several decades have passed and there is no news of him in the world.

However, he didn't expect that his granddaughter Yan Sanniang had already entered the martial arts world.

After listening to Lei Zhen and Xiao Liu's story about the Thief Saint, Yan Sanniang said solemnly:
"My grandfather originally planned to live out his life in Changzhou and never get involved in the affairs of the underworld again."

"But Choshu has suffered from severe drought and famine for years, and the people are suffering terribly."

"Grandpa couldn't bear to see this tragedy, so he decided to return to the underworld and steal again for the people of the world."

"This time, what he wants to steal is a soul jade. As long as he steals this soul jade, the people of Changzhou will be saved!"

After hearing this, Liang Jin's face was full of distrust:
"Are you kidding me?"

"How can the drought in this entire state be solved by just one soul jade?"

Liang Jin had seen the power of soul jade. Although the blue soul jade in his hand was quite powerful, its power was ultimately limited.

Although Lei Zhen, Xiao Liu, Meng Wei and others did not know what the Soul Jade was, based on common sense, they felt that relying on a piece of Soul Jade to solve the drought was simply a fantasy.

Yan Sanniang said seriously:

"Hero Song, I'm not kidding."

"I wonder if you've ever heard of the Red Soul Jade?"

Liang Jin was slightly stunned when he heard this.

Red soul jade?

He naturally knew that soul jades were divided into four grades: white, blue, purple, and gold.

He himself possesses a blue soul jade, while Yu Linglong of Hualongmen holds a purple soul jade and a golden soul jade.

In his understanding, golden soul jade is already the highest grade of soul jade.

However, when Liang Jin's clone in Hualongmen was learning about soul jade, he also heard the elders of Hualongmen tell a strange story.

It is said that in ancient legends, there is actually a more advanced red soul jade among the soul jades!

The origin of this red soul jade is impossible to verify, and even the elders of Hualongmen have never seen it with their own eyes.

But the only thing that is certain is that this red soul jade contains a terrifying and powerful power beyond imagination!

This kind of power has far exceeded the scope of mortal cognition and reached an unimaginable level.

However, since no one even in a big sect like Hualongmen had ever seen the red soul jade, Liang Jin had always thought that it was something that existed in myths and legends, and probably did not exist in reality.

Now, he heard from Yan Sanniang about the red soul jade, which really surprised him.

Liang Jin immediately said in a deep voice:

"The red soul jade is illusory, how can it be taken seriously?"

Yan Sanniang said firmly:
"My grandpa never lies!"

"The Red Soul Jade does exist, and my grandfather knows its power. This Red Soul Jade can bring heavy rain to Changzhou."

"As long as it rains heavily, the drought will end immediately, which will surely benefit countless people." Liang Jin was still full of doubts when he heard this.

The power that brought heavy rain to the entire Choshu?

This has already exceeded his understanding of the world of martial arts. It must be a power that only appears in the world of fantasy!
Liang Jin has been in the martial arts world for a long time and has seen many masters.

For example, the peak third-grade master of the Great Snow Mountain Sect can use his skills in the valley to create a snowfall, and even freeze the entire valley, but this effect cannot last.

Liang Jin had also seen second-grade warriors like Tu Xie Wang and Yu Linglong, who could cause great damage with just a wave of their hands and a move. If they wanted to change the temperature or climate of a city in a short period of time, they might be able to do it.

Liang Jin had also encountered a giant snake that was comparable to a first-grade warrior. The giant snake had an extremely strong body and amazing power.

But the giant snake was not a human being after all. Liang Jin was unable to witness it exerting its full strength, nor did he know to what extent it could do.

But Liang Jin was certain that even the giant snake, which was comparable to a first-class warrior, would not be able to cause heavy rain in the entire Changzhou.

Each piece of soul jade is condensed from the power of a dead soul.

It is said that even if a first-rank warrior sacrifices himself, all he can create is a golden soul jade.

Liang Jin guessed that if the red soul jade really existed, it would probably require multiple first-grade warriors to sacrifice themselves and condense all their strength to create it.

I don’t know how many first-rank warriors’ lives must be exchanged for the power to make heavy rain fall in Changzhou.

Liang Jin thought for a moment and asked:
"You're telling us this so that we can help your grandfather steal the red soul jade?"

Yan Sanniang nodded and said sincerely:

"I just want to ask Hero Song for help!"

"For this operation, my grandfather intends to gather heroes from all over the world to work together to save the people of Changzhou."

"Then Yanshan Stronghold will also respond to this operation. I originally planned to go to Yanshan Stronghold to make contact after robbing the official silver. By then, I can introduce him to Hero Song."

Meng Wei, who was standing by, was a little surprised when he heard this. It was obvious that he didn't know that Yanshanzhai would be involved in the Thief Saint operation.

But if you think about it carefully, this is understandable. Meng Wei is not a core figure in Yanshan Village, so it is normal that he does not know about such a confidential high-level operation.

Liang Jin just smiled faintly and said:

"Your grandfather is so powerful that he doesn't need our help."

These words clearly rejected Yan Sanniang's request.

Liang Jin didn't even ask where the red soul jade was, and directly refused.

Let’s not talk about whether the red soul jade really exists. Even if it does exist, the Thief Saint’s actions this time are so high-profile. He is recruiting heroes from all over the world and asking Yanshan Village for help. It is obvious that it is a big move.

The bigger the movement, the greater the risk.

Liang Jin felt that there was absolutely no need for him to get involved.

He didn't need the Soul Jade and had his own way to save the people, so there was really no need for him to get involved in this mess.

When Yan Sanniang heard Liang Jin's refusal, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

But she was not discouraged, she just said:
"Since Song Yingxiong has no intention, we will not force him."

"But since we are all going to Yanshan Village, could Hero Song take me with you?"

Liang Jin gave her a puzzled look.

Meng Wei also opened his mouth, as if he couldn't understand why Yan Sanniang suddenly made such a request.

Yan Sanniang explained:

"After this failed attempt to rob the government silver, I realized that I have many shortcomings, so I want to learn more about the green forest from these three heroes!"

"I also ask the three heroes to take me with you. If you encounter any danger, you can ignore me. You can even ignore me on ordinary days and pretend I don't exist."

"I'm good at stealing, so maybe I can be of use to the three heroes."

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin and the other two exchanged glances.

Xiao Liu always listens to his two brothers, but Lei Zhen doesn't care about it, so Liang Jinlai has to make the final decision.

After thinking for a while, Liang Jin said:
"If you don't mind the difference between men and women, then follow me if you want."

Liang Jin naturally wouldn't want to bring a useless burden along.

But since Yan Sanniang has already made it clear that he doesn't need to care about her life or death, Liang Jin doesn't care anymore.

Yan Sanniang immediately bowed and expressed her gratitude.

Liang Jin and the other two mounted their horses and continued their journey.

Seeing this, Yan Sanniang hurriedly jumped on her horse and followed closely behind.

Seeing this, Meng Wei hurriedly climbed onto his horse and followed Yan Sanniang, intending to try to persuade her.

At this moment, Liang Jin suddenly pulled the reins and stopped.

He turned around and gave Meng Wei a cold look, then said to Yan Sanniang:

"If you want to continue to carry this disgusting piece of trash with you, then don't follow us."

The waste he was referring to was naturally Meng Wei.

In Liang Jin's opinion, there was at least nothing disgusting about Yan Sanniang, but this Meng Wei was the one who took the initiative to stir up trouble and wanted to cause them trouble.

Although Liang Jin taught him a lesson, he still hated him in his heart and naturally didn't want to see him.

Meng Wei was furious when he heard this and shouted:
"you!"

Liang Jin turned his head and looked at Meng Wei with disgust and contempt.

There was a hint of coldness in that look.

It was as if he would beat Meng Wei up again if they had any disagreement.

Meng Wei really wanted to have a good argument with Liang Jin, but the old wound on his face was still painful, and he really didn't want to add any new injuries to himself.

He could only grit his teeth and close his mouth.

But his face turned red again because he knew he had embarrassed himself again in front of his beloved goddess.

Liang Jin didn't bother to say anything more to him and rode his horse forward.

Meng Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Yan Sanniang:

"Sanniang, we don't need to follow him at all."

"Come back to Yanshan Village with me. There are countless true heroes in our village. If you want to learn about the ways of the outlaws, you can learn from them."

Yan Sanniang shook her head slightly.

She clearly remembered her grandfather once saying that although Yanshan Stronghold had strong soldiers and horses, the leader only knew how to guard his own piece of land and wait for the price to rise. He had no ambition at all. Such a power was doomed to not last long.

Yanshanzhai once asked someone to recruit my grandfather to go up the mountain, but of course my grandfather refused without hesitation.

Yan Sanniang went to Yanshan Village to make contact on behalf of her grandfather and had no intention of staying there for long.

However, Song Jiang suddenly became famous in the world. His style of doing things made him look like a man with great ambitions, and his actions were always helping the people of Changzhou.

Yan Sanniang knew in her heart that she and Song Jiang were like-minded people.

As for Meng Wei, just as grandpa said, he is the kind of person who has no ambition.

Although he participated in the robbery of government silver, his purpose was only for the sake of love, but he did not have enough courage and ambition.

Immediately, Yan Sanniang said to Meng Wei:
"Brother Meng, we have different ambitions, so let's say goodbye now."

As a child of the green forest, Yan Sanniang has always acted decisively and naturally would not procrastinate.

Meng Wei was stunned and said in disbelief:
"Sanniang, I have been through a lot with you these days in order to rob the government silver."

"Especially since all the brothers left you last night and I was the only one who stayed by your side."

"How could you abandon me like this for an outsider?"

At this moment, Meng Wei was extremely depressed.

He felt even more hatred towards Liang Jin. If it weren't for Liang Jin, how could Yan Sanniang abandon him?

Yan Sanniang shook her head slightly.

Everything Meng Wei did was just his wishful thinking, and no one ever asked him to do it.

But now, he is actually using these things to try to make Yan Sanniang feel guilty?
Isn’t this emotional kidnapping?

As a man of integrity, yet he was so persistent, Yan Sanniang really looked down upon Meng Wei even more.

Then Yan Sanniang said in a slightly apologetic tone:
"Brother Meng, I will always remember your help during this period. I will definitely repay you when I have the chance."

"But now that the robbery of the government silver has failed, it is indeed time for us to go our separate ways."

"The mountains remain green, the water flows on forever. Brother Meng, we'll meet again if we're lucky!"

After saying this, Yan Sanniang solemnly clasped her fists towards Meng Wei, then rode away on her horse.

She had already noticed Meng Wei's feelings for her, but she didn't have any special feelings for him.

Yan Sanniang knew clearly that if she hesitated to make a decision now, it would only cause more troubles in the future.

So after she apologized in a few words, she left decisively.

Meng Wei looked at Yan Sanniang's departing back, gnashing his teeth in anger and saying bitterly:
"Okay! That's great!"

"So you're excluding me alone, right?"

How could Meng Wei not feel sad when he saw his beloved woman abandoning him and running after another man?
This even made him feel like his wife was taken away from him.

Although he knew in his heart that Yan Sanniang was at most a friend to him in a strict sense, and was far from being worthy of the title of "wife".

But Meng Wei just couldn't stand this feeling!
After all, he is a bandit from Yanshan Stronghold. From childhood to adulthood, he will try his best to steal anything he wants.

But now, he feels that his beloved woman has been taken away by someone else. How can he swallow this?
But at the moment, he was no match for Liang Jin and it was impossible for him to catch up and snatch Yan Sanniang back.

Yan Sanniang had already abandoned him, so there was no way he could continue to follow her.

"Song Jiang, just wait for me!"

"I'm going back to Yanshan Village to find my father and all my uncles."

"When you come to Yanshan Village, I will let you know what regret is!"

Meng Wei reached out and touched his still bandaged cheek.

He secretly swore that he would never let go of this beating and humiliation!

　Sorry everyone, I was delayed today and I am updating now. I will try my best to resume the update rhythm.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)