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

Chapter 157 I won't hand it over!

The Zhenfu Division's reaction speed is too fast.

It was so fast it was unsettling.

Moreover, the Golden Knife Alliance was wiped out overnight, with 127 members killed on the spot.

That Lord Su Bai killed Jin Tangjing as easily as killing a chicken.

Thinking of this, Liang Yan paused again.

He stood in the middle of the corridor, the morning light filtering through the carved window lattice, casting dappled shadows on his face.

His expression was unpredictable, his eyes flickered, and his brows were furrowed.

Or should we hand it over?

The moment the thought popped into his head, he ruthlessly suppressed it.

He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his cheeks tensing and throbbing.

No!

Zhong Ji was someone he had managed to recruit with great difficulty; a master of outer martial arts was hard to find even with a lantern.

If they hand it over, where will the Blood Blade Gang's reputation be?

How am I supposed to survive in Qingyuan County after this?

What will the brothers in the gang think of him?

What's more, Chung Chi has already started calling him "Brother".

If he were to hand this over, what kind of person would Liang Yan become? A treacherous and wicked villain?

He gritted his teeth and continued walking forward.

His steps were a bit firmer than before, but the knot between his brows still hadn't disappeared.

As they approached the second gate, they bumped into a minor leader.

When the leader saw him approaching, he immediately bowed deeply, his waist bent very low: "Boss, there are two men from the Zhenfu Division waiting outside the door."

Liang Yan paused in his steps.

two?

"How many?" he pressed, his gaze sharp as lightning.

"Two," the foreman said. "Just two people, wearing official uniforms, and they didn't bring many men with them."

Liang Yan was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth slowly turned up, first slightly upwards, and then the arc became larger and larger.

two?

Two people dare to come to the Blood Blade Gang demanding people?

He suddenly laughed, this time a genuine laugh, his eyes narrowing into slits, fine wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

He got it.

The garrison commander is just bluffing. Saying "you will bear all the consequences" is nothing but a scare tactic.

If they were really going to take action, how could they only send two people?

When they were suppressing the Golden Knife Alliance, they mobilized their entire force, with hundreds of people besieging and attacking them overnight.

This is just a formality.

Presumably, Su Bai heard that Zhong Ji had escaped to his place and, feeling embarrassed, had no choice but to send someone to demand his return.

But they didn't dare to really turn against the Blood Blade Gang, so they sent a few people over to make a show of it and say a few harsh words.

If he doesn't hand it over, those people will slink back home, and they can at least explain themselves: "We went to ask for the person back, but they wouldn't give it to us, so there was nothing we could do."

As for "bear the consequences yourself"—

Heh, what will the consequences be? Is his Blood Blade Gang the Golden Blade Alliance?

The Golden Knife Alliance was caught off guard. Jin Tangjing, that old bastard, was publicly beheaded at Qingfeng Tower, leaving the group leaderless, which allowed the Zhenfu Division to take advantage of the situation.

The Blood Blade Gang is different. Its headquarters is impregnable, and it has more than 300 members. If a fight breaks out, it's hard to say who will win!

No matter how arrogant Su Bai was, he wouldn't dare to turn against both major gangs at the same time.

The more Liang Yan thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, and the smile on his face grew wider.

He straightened his clothes, smoothed out the wrinkles on his collar with both hands, straightened his back, and strode towards the door.

The junior leader behind him quickly followed, jogging alongside him.

Seeing the gang leader's expression, with a smile on his face, he felt a little more at ease, and his tense shoulders relaxed.

As Liang Yan reached the door, he suddenly stopped.

"Boss?" the junior leader asked, peering at him with a puzzled look.

Liang Yan turned around, smiled at him, a smile that revealed an indescribable smugness, his lips curled up high, his eyes narrowed: "Go, call all the brothers over. Let them see how their gang leader scolds the Zhenfu Division people back."

The foreman was taken aback for a moment, then understood, a smile spreading across his face as he nodded repeatedly, "Yes!"

He turned and ran, jogging to call for help, his footsteps thumping away into the distance.

Liang Yan turned his head and looked at the five figures in official uniforms outside the door, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Just right.

This is a good opportunity to establish my authority in front of the gang.

Let them see that their leader is not someone to be trifled with. So what if he's a garrison commander? So what if he's a chief constable? In front of Liang Yan, they'll all slink away with their tails between their legs!

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving, and stepped out the door.

The main gate of the Blood Blade Gang's headquarters was tall and wide, with two vermilion wooden doors that were wide open. The door panels were thick and the vermilion paint was bright.

There are three steps of bluestone in front of the door. The steps are worn smooth and shiny from being walked on, and the edges have a bluish-gray luster.

Outside the gate, two constables from the Zhenfu Division stood in a row, dressed in blue official robes, with single swords at their waists, their expressions calm.

They stood ramrod straight, like two javelins planted in the ground, but upon closer inspection, one could see that their hands gripping the knife hilts were slightly clenched, and their knuckles were white.

The leader was a man in his thirties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and an air of composure and competence. Seeing Liang Yan emerge, he stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed slightly, saying, "Chief Liang, I am Liang Xing of the Zhenfu Division, here on the orders of Chief Envoy Su."

"Alright, alright."

Liang Yan impatiently waved his hand to interrupt him, waving his hand in the air as if shooing away flies.

He stood on the steps, looking down at him with disdain, his eyes and brows radiating contempt: "I know why you're here. You want him, right? You want Zhong Ji, right?"

Liang Xing was taken aback, then said, "Yes. Zhong Ji is a wanted criminal of the Zhenfu Division. I request that Chief Liang..."

"What else do you want from me?" Liang Yan interrupted him again, a cold smile playing on her lips, a smile laced with obvious mockery. "You want me to hand over the person? On what grounds?"

Liang Xing's expression changed slightly, his facial muscles twitched, but he still patiently said, "Chief Liang, Zhong Ji is a remnant of the Golden Knife Alliance, and the Zhenfu Division is hunting him down. Your gang is harboring a wanted criminal, which is against the law. Lord Su asked me to tell you, Chief, that you must hand over Zhong Ji by today, or else..."

"Otherwise what?" Liang Yan narrowed his eyes, making them two long, narrow slits. "Otherwise, you'll bear all the consequences?"

He suddenly laughed, laughing so hard he was doubled over, his shoulders shaking, tears welling up in his eyes.

He pointed at Liang Xing and said to the gang members who were gathering behind him, "Did you hear that? You'll face the consequences! Hahahaha!"

More and more members joined, pouring in from the door, the corridor, and from all directions, forming a dense, dark mass.

They joined in the laughter, the sounds rising and falling, filled with mockery.

Some people laughed so hard they slapped their thighs, some laughed so hard they bent over, and some pointed at the two constables, laughing so hard they couldn't speak.

Liang Xing's face darkened, turning ashen, and the muscles in his cheeks tensed.

The constables behind him also looked angry, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their fingers gripping the handles tightly.

Liang Yan laughed for a while, then suddenly stopped laughing. His smile vanished instantly, his face darkened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes, like a blade being drawn from its sheath.

He stepped forward, standing on the edge of the steps with his toes dangling over them, looking down at Liang Xing. He said, slowly and deliberately, "Go back and tell Su Bai—"

He paused, took a deep breath, and his voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder, shaking the surrounding area: "Get the hell out of here!"

These three words were uttered like three slaps to the faces of the two constables.

Liang Xing's face was ashen, a bluish-black hue, his cheeks clenched tightly, his jaw muscles bulging and throbbing.

His hand pressed on the hilt of the knife, veins bulging, fingers turning white from the force.

The constables glared at them, their eyes practically spitting fire.

Liang Yan, however, remained completely unfazed, becoming even more arrogant. He pointed at Liang Xing's nose, his finger almost poking his face, his voice booming like thunder, making everyone's eardrums ring: "I'm telling you right now: Zhong Ji is in my Blood Blade Gang, and nobody is taking him away! You, Su Bai, if you're so capable, come and demand him yourself! What kind of people are you, sending a few Tom, Dick, and Harry?!"

As he spoke, he suddenly laughed again, a sinister laugh filled with malice: "You two, while I'm in a good mood, get out of here. If you don't get out..."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice suddenly turned cold, as cold as ice shards in the dead of winter: "I'll just kill you all, and Su Bai won't dare utter a sound!"

The room fell silent after those words were spoken.

All the laughter stopped. The gang members looked at each other in surprise, some of them gasping in shock.

The two constables were ashen-faced and furious, their chests heaving and their breathing heavy. But they did not draw their swords; they simply stared intently at Liang Yan, their gazes like daggers.

Liang Xing stared intently at Liang Yan, his chest heaving violently, his breathing rapid and heavy. His lips were pressed into a thin line, turning pale. Finally, he abruptly waved his hand, his arm drawing an arc in the air: "Go!"

The two turned and strode away, their boots making heavy, hurried footsteps on the ground.

Their backs conveyed an indescribable sense of humiliation and anger; their backs were ramrod straight, as if they were trying their best to suppress something.

Liang Yan stood on the steps, watching their departing figures, and burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Laughter echoed in the morning light, arrogant and triumphant, making shoulders shake and chests heave.

Behind him, the gang members laughed and showered him with flattery: "Our leader is mighty!"

"The Garrison Command is nothing!"

"That Su Baimao isn't even fully grown yet, and he dares to cause trouble in our Blood Blade Gang?"

"Exactly! Don't they even know where they are!"

Liang Yan turned around, stood with his hands behind his back, chest puffed out, accepting the crowd's adoration and flattery.

The morning light shone on his face, which was now full of pride. His eyes were narrowed into slits, the corners of his mouth were turned up high, and his eyes and eyebrows were full of smiles.

He was secretly pleased with himself.

See that?

This is the power and prestige of Liang Yan.

What about the Garrison Command? What about the Chief Envoy?

If you lure him forward, won't you just slink away in disgrace?

Those constables will surely relay the message when they return. Upon hearing this, Su Bai will either fly into a rage or swallow his anger.

So what if you're furious? Do you dare to run wild in Blood Blade's Hall? No way.

He just destroyed the Golden Saber Alliance, and now he's going to attack the Blood Saber Codex. Isn't he afraid that the Iron Palm Codex and other aristocratic families will join forces against him?

Therefore, all we can do is swallow our anger.

In this round, Liang Yan won.

Win beautifully.

As he thought about it, the smile on his lips deepened. Hui Tao glanced towards the inner hall, his resolve growing stronger: he was determined to take Zhong Ji under his wing. From now on, this master of outer sect hard skills would belong to his Blood Blade Scripture.

value!

Too much value!

The main hall of the Zhenfu Division.

This is a spacious hall, simply furnished yet exuding an air of solemnity.

The floor is paved with blue bricks, the joints between them straight. Four vermilion pillars support the roof, and cloud patterns are carved on the pillars.

In the center was a desk, on which were neatly stacked documents and books.

Behind the desk was a grand master's chair, made of rosewood, with a lifelike carving of a mythical beast, Bi'an, on the back. It was a sign of the Zhenfu Division.

At this moment, Su Bai sat on the armchair, holding a thin booklet in his hand, and was flipping through it.

Morning light streamed in through the window, beams of light falling obliquely on him, with tiny dust particles dancing in the beams.

The black armor with its scale-like markings gleamed faintly in the light, and the scale-like armor plates reflected the light slightly.

He was focused, his gaze following the pages of the book, moving them from left to right, from top to bottom, pausing occasionally as if deep in thought.

On the desk, there were more than a dozen booklets neatly stacked, all of which were martial arts manuals copied from the Golden Knife Alliance last night.

"The Twelve Styles of the Golden Knife," "The Mountain-Splitting Knife Technique," "The Wind-Splitting Knife Secrets," and "The Tiger's Roar Knife Manual"—each book is a knife technique.

Some of the covers are new, some are old; some have smooth edges, some have rough edges; and the paper colors vary.

The Golden Knife Alliance established its rules based on knife techniques, and its collection naturally focuses on knife skills.

In addition, there is the Hai Ben Henglian Kung Fu, including "Iron Shirt", "Diamond Body" and "Pai Da Gong", all of which are introductory skills of external hard kung fu. The seal is damaged, which means it was frequently read.

Su Bai turned the last page, gently closed the book, and Feng You touched his palm, making a soft "snap" sound.

He closed his eyes in thought, his eyelids drooping, his eyelashes casting faint shadows in the morning light.

Before my eyes, that familiar golden finger quietly appeared, its semi-transparent light screen shimmering faintly:

[Discovered a mid-level martial art: "The Twelve Forms of the Golden Saber," should it be recorded?]

[Discovered inferior martial art: "Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique," should it be recorded?]

[Discovered inferior martial art: "Wind-Splitting Saber Technique," should it be recorded?]

[Discovered inferior martial arts technique: "Tiger's Roar Saber Manual," should it be recorded?]

[Discovered inferior martial art: Iron Shirt Technique. Record it?]

He made a note of each point, and with a slight thought, he guided his fingertips to tap lightly in the air.

As the light of the Dao flashed, the contents of those techniques were imprinted in his mind, clear as if engraved. Every move, every method of movement, every breathing rhythm was vivid and clear, as if he had practiced them hundreds of times.

Inferior martial arts.

All of them are inferior martial arts techniques.

It's just a mid-level martial arts manual.

He opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the stack of books. Looking at the yellowed pages and worn edges, he suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

When Zeng Hai was born, he begged for a copy of "Midnight-Noon Bone-Piercing Needle Technique," and he had to do it secretly, carefully, and with fear of being discovered.

Now, you have to worry about being coveted by others.

At that time, even a low-level martial arts manual was an incredible opportunity for him, worth risking his life for.

Can be used as bait—

The Ten Thousand ...

What are you begging for?

He is now the head of the police force.

The Beggars' Town Commander had just destroyed the Golden Knife Alliance.

Because the beggar was strong.

Power and influence.

This is the power of authority.

He leaned back in his chair, his back pressed against the backrest, his gaze fixed intently out the window.

The sky outside the window is very blue, as if it has been washed clean. Hundreds of white clouds drift by, changing shapes and moving about.