The Prodigal Disciple of Mount Hua: Seizing All Opportunities

After several days at sea, Fuzhou Port was now in sight.

"Brother Guo, Sister Huang, Brother Yang," Chen Qianyang said, cupping his hands in greeting. "You may wish to find an inn to rest first. I need to go and meet up with my senior brothers and sisters from the Huashan Sect. They should already be waiting here."

Guo Jing nodded in agreement: "Alright. Then let's stay at Juchun Garden Inn, the largest in Fuzhou. Brother, come find us as soon as you've finished your business."

Chen Qianyang agreed.

Following the Huashan Sect's contact code that Yue Buqun had previously given him, he began searching near the dock.

However, repeated searches and investigations yielded no results.

"Where did my senior brother and the others go?" He was filled with doubt.

After lingering near the dock for a while and confirming that there were no more clues, he turned around and returned to the city, heading straight to the Juchun Garden Inn where Guo Jing and the others were staying.

After informing Guo Jing of the unsuccessful search, Guo Jing frowned slightly: "Could it be that your senior brothers and sisters... encountered some unforeseen accident?"

Huang Rong, standing to the side, glanced at him and gently shook her head, saying, "Brother Chen, I don't think it might have been an accident. Perhaps... they're just hiding their whereabouts for some reason and don't want to be found by outsiders for the time being?"

She was quick-witted and immediately thought of another possibility.

Chen Qianyang secretly praised, "This Huang Rong is indeed incredibly intelligent."

He had also suspected this, but it was inconvenient for him to say it openly.

"Regardless of the reason, now that we're here, we need to find out the truth," Chen Qianyang said in a deep voice. "Please settle here first, and I'll go into the city to investigate further."

"Brother Chen, I'll go with you!" Yang Guo, with his youthful spirit, had been bored on the boat for a long time, and immediately jumped up upon hearing this.

"You stay here!" Guo Jing's face darkened.

Although Yang Guo was unwilling, he had no choice but to sit down reluctantly.

Seeing this, Chen Qianyang stopped talking and went to a corner of the inn's lobby to order a pot of local herbal tea.

He beckoned the waiter to refill his water and casually asked, "Waiter, I'm new here. Has anything been happening in Fuzhou lately?"

Upon hearing this, the waiter hurriedly looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "Sir, you've come to the right place... Everything else is fine, but please, whatever you do, do not go towards the south of the city!"

"Oh? Why is that?" Chen Qianyang feigned ignorance.

"Sigh!" The waiter sighed, his voice even lower. "It's the Fuwei Escort Agency in the south of the city! I don't know what evil spirit they've offended, but they've been surrounded by a group of fierce men with Sichuan accents for several days now!"

They shout and curse at the gate every day, making a terrifying scene. Normally, Chief Escort Lin of the Fuwei Escort Agency is a well-known figure in Fuzhou, but this time it's very strange; not a single escort from the agency dares to leave the premises, and even the government... well, they all seem blind and deaf, pretending not to see anything..."

Sichuan accent? Qingcheng School?

Chen Qianyang's heart stirred slightly.

Has Yu Canghai's operation already begun?

He simply nodded, thanked the waiter, and got up to walk towards the guest room on the second floor, his mind already racing.

……

Meanwhile, in the south of Fuzhou, at the Fuwei Escort Agency.

"Bang...bang...bang..."

The sound of the door being pounded was like a death knell from hell, each thud striking the hearts of everyone inside and outside the escort agency.

This put young Lin Pingzhi on edge.

He was only eighteen years old and had grown up under the protection of his parents and the flattery of the security company. He had never personally experienced such a desperate situation.

At that moment, he was trembling all over, his back pressed against the pillar in the lobby.

Although he was gripping the longsword tightly in his hand, the hilt was already soaked with cold sweat from his palms.

The once solemn and dignified main hall of the security escort agency is now in complete disarray.

The few remaining镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) who had miraculously survived were wrapped in strips of cloth stained with blood, their faces ashen, and their eyes devoid of any light.

"Father... Mother..." Lin Pingzhi's voice was choked with sobs.

Sitting in the main seat, Lin Zhennan, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of the Fuwei Escort Agency, a once formidable martial arts figure in Fuzhou, was now deathly pale, his eyes unfocused, and he had lost all his former prowess.

Madam Lin, née Wang, stood close to him, which added to her sorrow.

"Ping'er...don't be afraid...your father is here..." Lin Zhennan's voice was dry and hoarse. "I...I have sent a message to your grandfather by carrier pigeon...he...he will definitely send people to help as soon as he hears the news!"

And...and those friends my father makes in the martial arts world, they...they certainly won't stand idly by and watch the Qingcheng Sect humiliate us like this..."

"Rescue?" An old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) looked up, a bitter smile on his face. "Chief镖师, even now, don't you understand? The Qingcheng Sect has been besieging us for three whole days! Every single one of the brothers we sent out to ask for help was killed as soon as they stepped out the back door..."

Which of the officials in Fuzhou dares to interfere in the affairs of the Qingcheng Sect? Where are those 'friends' who used to call each other brothers? The Wang family of the Golden Knife Sect? No matter how prestigious their name, Luoyang is a thousand miles away; how can distant water quench a nearby fire?

These words were like ice water poured over someone's head, extinguishing any remaining glimmer of hope.

Despair, like the deadliest plague, spread wildly in everyone's heart, devouring the last bit of courage.

Why?

Why was the Lin family's "Evil-Repelling Sword Technique," which my father relied on to be famous throughout the martial arts world, so easily defeated by the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect?

Can't even defeat an ordinary disciple?

Why is it that none of those martial arts practitioners who usually drink and make vows with my father have shown up to help me?

Grandpa... the invincible Golden Saber who is famous throughout Henan, will he really come?

is there time?

He couldn't help but recall that seemingly ordinary afternoon a few days ago, when he was at a tavern outside the city, trying to save an ugly girl who was being bullied, and accidentally stabbed Yu Renyan, a Qingcheng Sect disciple, to death for speaking rudely...

At the time, they thought they were just doing their part to uphold justice, but who would have thought that it would bring such a devastating disaster upon the Fuwei Escort Agency!

"Lin Zhennan! You cowardly rat! If you keep cowering like a turtle in there, we grandpas are really going to burn down your lousy security company!"

Outside the door, the shouts and curses of the Qingcheng Sect disciples grew clearer and more piercing.

"BOOM—!!!"

A deafening roar suddenly erupted!

The already shaky, crimson wooden door, which had been struck countless times, finally gave way and shattered inward with a crash!

Amidst a cloud of flying sawdust and dust, Lin Pingzhi was horrified to see dozens of men dressed in blue Taoist robes and wielding gleaming longswords surge in like a tide!

The blinding sunlight streamed in through the broken door, making the swords in their hands gleam with a cold light.

"Kill! Leave no one alive!"

"It's...it's all over..." Lin Zhennan's face turned pale, and he closed his eyes in despair.

Lin Pingzhi let out a piercing scream. Driven by his survival instinct, he instinctively thrust his longsword forward wildly: "Don't come any closer! Don't kill me! No!"

"Heh, so this is the young head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Fuwei镖局 (escort agency)? He's all show and no substance!" The tall, thin Qingcheng disciple in the lead easily dodged the chaotic sword strike, his face full of contemptuous mockery. He then kicked Lin Pingzhi hard in the chest.

"Ugh!" Lin Pingzhi felt a strong force coming from him, and his chest hurt terribly. He was sent flying backward and crashed heavily onto the cold ground. His longsword also flew out of his hand.

Before he could even get up, the tip of the sword was already pressed against his throat, and the chill of death instantly spread throughout his body.

"Where's your Lin family's 'Evil-Repelling Sword Technique'? Show it to us Taoists!" The Qingcheng disciple looked down at him, his tone full of mockery.

I'm going to die...

Lin Pingzhi was utterly despondent, his body stiffened, and he could only close his eyes in despair.

"stop!"

At that moment, a deep and resonant shout suddenly rang out!

The shout contained an indescribable majesty and power, which suddenly silenced the noisy hall, and everyone's ears were ringing!

Lin Pingzhi suddenly opened his eyes.

But then a tall, imposing figure appeared, blocking his path. The man was as majestic as a mountain, shielding him from all the menacing killing intent and sword light.

It was Guo Jing who rushed over upon hearing the commotion!