Chaotic Times and Disasters: I Hunt Down Martial Arts Masters and Become a God

The main hall fell silent.

Jun Wuyou looked down at the dark blue back of the blade beside his neck. His fingers trembled slightly as he loosened his grip, and the longsword clattered to the ground.

He looked down at the sword on the ground. "What level are you in?"

"Six levels of meridian opening."

Jun Wuyou's face flushed red instantly. Being overpowered by someone below the sixth level of the Meridian Opening Realm at the eighth level, especially at his own birthday banquet in front of a hall full of guests, felt like a piece of dough had been thrown on the ground and stomped on hard.

He clenched his fists and remained silent for several breaths, then bent down to pick up the sword from the ground, turned around, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Fu Qing.

"General Fu, I have lost. It is not unjust for An Sheng to lose to you."

Fu Qing sheathed his sword, smiled slightly, and said, "Young Master Jun, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Helian Meng, standing nearby, put down his wine jar, slapped the table, and burst into laughter.

"The eldest young master of the Jun family has been outmaneuvered by his inferior! An eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator can't beat a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator! Haha, interesting! Old Master Jun, your grandson has really earned you face today!"

He raised the wine jar towards Jun Tianhao, "Grandpa, this is a toast to you. Your grandson made a beautiful mistake!"

Jun Tianxiao's eyelids twitched, but he quickly regained his composure, feeling helpless against this brute.

He raised his wine glass to Fu Qingyao and said, "General Fu is indeed worthy of his reputation. It's not shameful for Wuyou to be defeated by General Fu."

Jun Tianhao did not show any displeasure. Instead, he stroked his beard and looked at Fu Qing thoughtfully.

Ling Moxie took a sip of tea, a slight smile playing on her lips.

The birthday banquet continued, with toasts flowing freely in the main hall. The heads of various families in Quzhou took turns toasting Jun Tianhao, making it as lively as a New Year celebration.

Ling Moxie sat in the host's seat, holding a cup of sake in her hand, while Qingluan stood by her side, pouring her sake from time to time.

When it was Ling Moxie's turn, she sat in the main seat and raised her wine glass.

The noise in the main hall gradually subsided, and everyone's attention was focused on the third princess who had come from Jingjing.

"My lord, I toast you, wishing you boundless happiness and longevity."

Jun Tianhao bowed, raised his cup in return, and smiled broadly. "Your Highness is too kind. I have lived for two hundred years, and it is my honor to have Your Highness personally come to celebrate my birthday."

Ling Moxie downed the wine in her cup in one gulp. "Grandpa, my mother loved Quzhou's osmanthus cakes before she entered the palace. I'd like to bring some back with me this time, as a way of returning home on my mother's behalf. Does Grandpa know which shop in the city makes the most authentic osmanthus cakes?"

The table fell silent after he said that.

Jun Tianhao's smile froze, and the atmosphere in the main hall suddenly became subtle.

Most of the family leaders present knew about the Jun family sending their daughter to the palace, and also knew about the Jun family daughter's tragic end after entering the palace.

On the surface, Ling Moxie was asking about Guihua Gao, but in reality, she was publicly reminding the Jun family that her mother was sent to the palace by them, and they still owed her a life.

Jun Tianhao quickly regained his smile, put down his wine glass,

"Your Highness is so kind. I will have someone prepare it tomorrow. The osmanthus cake from Old Chen's shop on West Street was your mother's favorite when she was a child. She would buy a bag every time she went to West Street, and if she couldn't finish it, she would hide it under her pillow."

He shook his head and sighed, "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. The princess looks just like your mother."

Ling Moxie nodded slightly, "Thank you, sir."

...

After the banquet, the guests took their leave one by one.

Fu Qing did not rush back to the east wing, but instead strolled slowly along the corridor of the Jun family mansion.

The holly bushes on both sides of the corridor were trimmed neatly. After turning a corner, he saw a person leaning against a pillar, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold.

Sword Without Dust.

The Heavenly Sword Sect Master was tall, thin, and aloof. He nodded slightly when he saw him approaching.

Fu Qing stopped. "The Sword Sect Master didn't leave with the others?"

"I'm not good at drinking, so rather than staying inside socializing, I'd rather come out for some fresh air."

Jian Wuchen looked down at the cold cup of tea in his hand, then casually placed it on the railing.

"General Fu, are you free tonight? I would like to invite you to visit the Heavenly Sword Sect."

Fu Qing glanced at him and nodded.

The Heavenly Sword Sect is located in the east of Quzhou City. It is a three-courtyard mansion. Jian Wuchen led Fu Qing into the main hall, personally brewed a pot of tea, and pushed it in front of Fu Qing.

"General Fu was sent by the imperial court, so I won't beat around the bush. My branch was attacked last month, resulting in the deaths of several disciples and injuries to dozens more. The attackers were from the Iron Sword Sect."

"I went to the Jun family to seek justice, but Jun Tianxiao said that this was a matter of grudges between the martial arts world and that it was inconvenient for the Jun family to interfere. However, the Iron Sword Sect and the Qu family are both related to the Jun family by marriage. What benefits have the Jun family not received from the goods they robbed and the territory they occupied? I would like to ask the imperial court to give the Heavenly Sword Sect a fair judgment."

Fu Qing picked up his teacup and took a sip, not responding to Jian Wuchen's words.

"Sect Master Jian, I, Fu, have been ordered to come to Quzhou to investigate a stolen imperial seal. Rumors in the martial world say that this item has entered the Jun family. Sect Master Jian has been in Quzhou for many years; have you heard of it?"

Jian Wuchen's eyes lit up. "A treasure seal? What does it look like?"

"The seal knob is a coiled dragon, and the seal face is engraved with nine ancient seal characters."

Jian Wuchen remained silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, "This old man knows nothing of any precious seal, but I heard that at the end of last year, the Qu family sent a batch of treasures to celebrate Old Master Jun's birthday..."

"I haven't seen what exactly it was, but the Qu family made a big show of sending gifts that time, with several carriages and the boxes were sealed tightly. After those things entered the Jun family, they were stored in the basement, and no one has seen them since."

He paused, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"I've said all I can say. General Fu is a wise man and should understand what I mean."

Fu Qing narrowed his eyes slightly. The treasures sent by the Qu family had entered the Jun family's vault?

If the seal was among those treasures, then it should still be in the underground vault.

"I have remembered what the Sword Sect Master said."

Fu Qing stood up. "As for the grudges between the Iron Sword Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect, once I have investigated the case of the precious seal, if the Iron Sword Sect has indeed acted improperly, the imperial court will give the Heavenly Sword Sect justice."

Jian Wuchen stood up and cupped his hands in greeting. "With General Fu's words, I am relieved... I remember there is a very unique rockery in the Jun family courtyard. General Fu may take a look at it when you have time."

Fu Qing raised an eyebrow at him. "The Sword Sect Master certainly knows a lot..."

Jian Wuchen chuckled but remained silent.

...

After returning to the Jun family, Fu Qing took another stroll around the Jun family mansion and looked at the locked, independent courtyard in the backyard.

The courtyard wall was half a section higher than the rest of the courtyard, and there were several withered bonsai trees and several old, broken vats piled up at the entrance.

Two servants stood guard at the door, with knives at their waists. They stood lazily but their eyes were sharp.

Fu Qing noticed this place the day he arrived. It was an abandoned courtyard that required two guards. He didn't know whether to call the Jun family stupid or what.

Fu Qing circled around to the vicinity, but before he could get close, he was politely stopped by a servant.

"General Fu, this is an old courtyard filled with miscellaneous items, there's nothing to see here. If you'd like to take a walk, the garden in the front yard has a much better view."

Fu Qing smiled and nodded, then turned and walked away.

...

child time.

The entire Jun family mansion fell silent. Fu Qing changed into night clothes, revealing only his eyes.

He quietly emerged from the east wing and walked along the wall towards the backyard.

When he arrived near the courtyard, he squatted behind a clump of holly and observed for a while. The two guards were still there. One was sitting on a stone stool by the door, yawning, while the other was leaning against the courtyard wall, holding a knife, and glancing around from time to time.

As Fu Qing was pondering how to distract the two men, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine—a sensory instinct honed on the battlefield.

He rolled sharply to the left, and an arrow grazed his ear before embedding itself in the ground where he had just been crouching.

"Where did this petty thief come from, daring to provoke us!"