A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 150 Keeping the Appointment

Inside the office, everyone looked at each other. Some lowered their heads, some looked out the window, and some tapped their fingers unconsciously on the table.

The excitement on the bearded man's face gradually faded, replaced by a frustrated bewilderment. He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse: "Then—then we just accept it like this? Have Lord Su go and apologize?"

"That's not what I meant." The middle-aged man shook his head, a few wrinkles appearing on his forehead. "But the current situation, whether it erupts or not, is disadvantageous to us."

He sighed, his voice low and rumbling like thunder: "If we retaliate, the Golden Knife Alliance is no pushover. If a real conflict breaks out, and Deputy Chief Inspector Feng isn't here, we might not be able to control it. If we don't retaliate, the morale we've just built up will immediately deflate, and the people of Qingyuan County will take us even less seriously in the future."

Silence fell over the office. The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, casting long shadows across the floor.

After a long silence, the young constable whispered, a hint of confusion in his voice, "So, Lord Su—he really acted impulsively?"

No one responded.

But the subtle atmosphere spoke volumes. Some turned their faces away, some stared blankly at the table, and some gently shook their heads.

The initial sense of satisfaction was gradually replaced by practical considerations. The public's opinion of the young chief inspector subtly shifted without them even realizing it.

It felt good to kill, but what about now?

How should this be resolved?

"I wonder what Lord Su—" the young constable murmured, gazing at the darkening sky outside the door, "Should we back down?"

No one could answer him.

The moon rises above the treetops.

Outside Qingfeng Tower, the lights are bright.

The streets were packed with people—or more accurately, packed with members of the Golden Knife Alliance.

Each of them looked fierce and menacing, wielding knives and clubs, the blades gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

They stared menacingly at the end of the street; some stood with their hands on their hips, some leaned against the wall, and some whispered among themselves.

In the open space in front of the building, there was an eight-immortal table with several dishes of wine and food on it. The wine pot gleamed with a dim yellow light under the lamp.

Several people sat around the table, the leader of whom was An Chen, the vice leader of the Golden Knife Alliance, a burly middle-aged man with a face full of scars and a sinister look in his eyes. He placed one hand on the table, his fingers tapping the surface intermittently, producing a dull thud.

"Where is he?" An Chen glanced at the sky, chuckled, and raised his thick eyebrows. "What time is it? Still no sign of him?"

A weasel-faced gang member standing nearby quickly smiled obsequiously and bowed, leaning forward: "Vice Alliance Leader, perhaps that Lord Su—dares not to come?"

"Don't dare to come?" An Chen sneered, his fleshy face twitching. "If you don't dare to come, you should at least give me an answer! What's the point of making people wait around?"

With his pointed snout and monkey-like face, his eyes darted around in their sockets, and he raised his voice, "Vice Alliance Leader, do you think that Lord Su really wet himself in fear? After all, he's just a young kid; he's never seen anything like this before."

As soon as he said this, the surrounding gang members burst into laughter.

"Haha, that makes sense! I heard he's only in his early twenties, barely even grown pubic hair yet!"

"Killing someone in public is pretty audacious, but seeing our force now, their legs are probably about to go weak!"

"What kind of chief constable is he? He can only show off his power in the government office; when it comes to real situations, he's a complete coward!"

"Come on, let's make a bet and see if he dares to come tonight! I bet he won't!"

"I bet he'd wet his pants on the spot if he came! To avenge Elder He!"

Laughter rose and fell, growing increasingly unrestrained. Some laughed so hard they were doubled over, some slapped their thighs, and some tapped the ground with the hilt of their knives.

An Chen sat at the table, a slight smile playing on his lips, but he didn't stop him.

He picked up his glass, took a sip, and the wine glistened on his lips.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

First, create a stir and put that Lord Su in a very difficult position.

If they come, they'll be served "good wine and good food"; if they don't come, that's even better—from now on, everyone in Qingyuan County will know that the new chief clerk of the Zhenfu Division is a spineless coward.

Regardless of the outcome, the Golden Knife Alliance will not lose out.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out on the outskirts of the crowd.

"Here it comes!"

"The garrison commanders are here!"

An Chen's gaze sharpened, and he looked up.

The laughter gradually subsided, as if it had been cut off by a knife.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path.

Under the moonlight, a figure was walking slowly and steadily.

She wore a black fish-scale outfit that gleamed coldly in the moonlight, each scale looking as if it had been soaked in icy water.

A dagger hangs at his left waist and a sword at his right, swaying gently with each step, the scabbards occasionally clashing together, producing a soft metallic sound.

The young man's face was expressionless, except for his eyes, which were calm as still water, like a bottomless ancient well.

Behind him followed a large group of soldiers from the Zhenfu Division.

The sword was drawn, the bow was strung, and their expressions were tense. Their footsteps were orderly and heavy, making a dense sound on the bluestone pavement.

Su Bai walked ahead at a leisurely pace, as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.

The moonlight shone on him, casting a long shadow.

Wang Muzhi followed behind him, his hand on the hilt of the knife, his palms sweaty and so wet that he could barely grip the hilt.

Looking at the dark mass of people ahead, at their fierce eyes, and at the cold glint of the blades in the moonlight, his heart pounded, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He couldn't help but lean forward, lowering his voice to ask, "Sir, is it really alright for us to do it this way?"

Su Bai didn't stop walking; he simply waved his hand.

"With me here, what are you afraid of?"

The voice was very faint and soft.

But this inexplicably startled Wang Mu.

Under the moonlight, Su Bai continued walking forward.

Ahead lay a dense crowd, menacing members of the Golden Knife Alliance, a large table laden with food and wine, and a sinister gaze from behind it.

He appeared calm and walked with a measured pace.

It was as if this journey was not to a trap.

Instead, they went home.

At the entrance of Qingfeng Tower.

The night was as thick as ink, completely enveloping the entire street.

The lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed slightly in the night breeze, casting a patch of light that flickered on and off, leaving swaying shadows on the ground.

Vice Alliance Leader An Chen remained seated at the table, his broad palms resting on the surface, his fingers tapping the tabletop with a dull thud.

The sound was slow and steady, one beat at a time, like a dull knife cutting flesh, making one's heart tremble with fear.

He squinted, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling, gazing at the end of the street, a sinister smile playing on his lips, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, it just floated on his face.

"Have you arrived yet?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse.

"Not yet—" The weasel-faced creature beside him had just begun to speak when it suddenly stopped, its neck craning out sharply, its eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. "Wait! It's coming!"

The crowd stirred.

All eyes turned to the end of the street at the same time.

The moonlight, like water, poured down through the gaps in the clouds, spreading a silvery white across the bluestone path. Under the moonlight, a group of people were walking unhurriedly.

The leader was dressed in a black fish-scale robe, the fabric shimmering faintly in the moonlight, with a knife at his left waist and a sword at his right.

The hilt of the sword was wrapped with a thin black rope, and the scabbard was dark and dull, like two lurking black dragons.

His steps were steady and unhurried, as if he were taking a walk in his own backyard.

With each step, the soles of his boots touched the bluestone slabs, making a very soft "tap" sound, one tap after another, which subtly matched the rhythm of An Chen tapping the table earlier.

The moonlight shone on him, casting a long shadow that meandered across the ground, undulating slightly with his steps.

Behind him followed a large number of officers from the Zhenfu Division.

The sword was drawn, the bowstring was nocked, and his expression was tense.

The constables, their eyes sharp as lightning, vigilantly scanned both sides of the street, their fingers pressed tightly against the hilts of their swords, ready to launch a sudden attack at any moment.

"Is that all the people you have?" someone scoffed.

"I thought the Garrison Command would have a big entourage, is this all?"

"Hahaha, they've come here to die, haven't they?"

Laughter began to rise and grew louder, spreading like a tide through the crowd.

Some people laughed so hard they were doubled over, some slapped their thighs, and some pointed at the group of people, tears welling up in their eyes.

But Su Bai kept walking.

He walked straight ahead, his gaze calm as still water, as if the mocking laughter were merely the chirping of insects in the night wind.

His gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the lights shining from the top floor of Qingfeng Tower, his eyes showing no emotion.

The crowd automatically parted not to make way, but rather subconsciously backed away.

Nobody knows why.

The other side was clearly only one person, while our side had fifty or sixty people, a dark mass filling half the street. The chief inspector was obviously too young, with fuzzy hair on his upper lip, looking no more than twenty years old.

But when he approached, those fierce-looking gang members involuntarily took a step back.

The rustling sound of boot soles scraping against the ground rang out.

Two steps.

Three steps.

A passageway automatically opened up for Su Bai to pass through.

Some people snapped out of their daze, their faces flushed, and tried to step forward, but were held back tightly by those around them. Some gripped the hilt of their knives tightly, their palms drenched in cold sweat. Some swallowed hard, their Adam's apple bobbing, only to find their mouths dry and unable to swallow anything.

An Chen's gaze narrowed slightly, and the muscles at the corner of his eye twitched.

He stood up, his movements somewhat stiff, the fat on his face twitching as he forced a smile: "Lord Su, you have quite the airs. You've kept us waiting."

Su Bai didn't stop walking, not even glancing at him, and went straight into the building. The hem of her black fish-scale robe swayed gently with her steps, like a fish swimming into a deep pool.

An Chen's face stiffened, his smile froze on his face, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

The weasel-faced gang member quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Vice Alliance Leader, what do you think of this?"

"Shut up." An Chen gritted his teeth, squeezing out the two words from between his teeth. His gaze was dark as he stared at Su Bai's back, his eyes like the forked tongue of a viper. "Let him go upstairs. The Alliance Leader is waiting for him upstairs."

Su Bai paused at the entrance of the building.

He turned his head and glanced at Wang Muzhi. The moonlight shone on his face, outlining his cool and aloof features, his eyes and brows devoid of any expression.

"You all wait downstairs."

Wang Mu was taken aback: "My lord—"

"Half of you stay outside, and the other half come upstairs with me," Su Bai interrupted him, her voice calm, as if she were simply commenting on the nice weather. "Those outside, catch up with your friends from the Golden Knife Alliance."

As he said this, his gaze swept over the members of the Golden Knife Alliance.

A very faint glance.

This caused the gang members to take another step back. Some bumped into people behind them, some stepped on others' feet, but no one made a sound.

Wang Muzhi took a deep breath, his chest heaving, and bowed with his hands clasped: "Yes!"

Su Bai stepped into the building.

The black figure blended into the darkness inside the door, leaving only the sound of boots tapping on the ground, one tap after another, gradually fading away.

Behind them, the officers of the Zhenfu Division split into two groups.

A small group followed closely behind, filing in one after another, their steps quick yet orderly, the rubbing of their armor plates producing a soft metallic sound.

Most of the remaining people stood outside the building, their hands on the hilts of their knives, confronting the dark mass of Golden Knife Alliance members.

The night wind howled.

The torches flickered and roared, their flames twisting and struggling in the wind, stretching and shortening everyone's shadows, contorting and straightening them. Light and shadow danced on everyone's faces, flickering and shifting.

Their gazes met in the air, as if one could hear the clang of swords clashing.

No one spoke; only heavy breathing and the whooshing sound of the wind blowing the torches filled the air.

The top floor of Qingfeng Tower.

The lights were on full display, as bright as day.

A dozen oil lamps burned simultaneously, their flames dancing quietly within them, illuminating the entire floor in minute detail.

In the very center was an eight-immortal table, on which a sumptuous feast of food and wine was served, steaming hot.

The braised pork knuckle glistened with oil, the steamed fish emitted white steam, several plates of cold dishes were neatly arranged, and the wine pot was filled with wine, the aroma of wine mingling with the aroma of the dishes.

Behind the table sat a man in his fifties, with a lean face, three long wisps of beard neatly combed, wearing a black robe with the hem hanging to the ground, exuding a calm and composed demeanor.

It was none other than Jin Tangjing, the leader of the Golden Knife Alliance.

Behind him stood more than ten experts from the Golden Saber Alliance, each with a calm demeanor and piercing gaze.

Some stood with their arms crossed, some with their hands on the hilts of their knives, and some with their hands behind their backs, their bodies motionless, like clay sculptures.

The vice leader, An Chen, had already gone upstairs at some point and was now standing beside Jin Tangjing. His face was even more sinister, and his eyes and brows were filled with ruthlessness.

Su Bai appeared at the top of the stairs.

He went upstairs at a leisurely pace, as if he were attending an ordinary banquet.

The soles of the boots creaked softly on the wooden steps, one step at a time, with a steady rhythm.

Behind them followed Wang Muzhi and seven constables, but their steps were noticeably more tense, and some of them had beads of sweat on their foreheads.

Jin Tangjing looked up and his gaze fell on Su Bai.

young.

This was his first impression.

too young.

In his early twenties, in the world of martial arts, he was nothing more than a greenhorn just starting out.

His eyes and brows still held a hint of youthfulness, but his jawline was already showing signs of sharpness.

Yet this is the same person who dared to kill his elder in public at Qingfeng Tower and dared to bring more than a dozen people to his treacherous banquet.

interesting.

Jin Tangjing's lips curled slightly, but he did not stand up. He simply raised his hand in a gesture, his finger drawing an arc in the air: "Lord Su, I have long admired you."

Su Bai walked straight to the octagonal table without stopping.

The soles of the boots stomped on the floor, making a dull "thump, thump" sound, one after another, unhurriedly.

Jin Tangjing's eyes flickered slightly. He remained seated, using his status to intimidate others.

If the chief inspector hesitates because of this, he will have already lost the upper hand in terms of momentum.

But the other party's calm and unhurried demeanor surprised him somewhat.