From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

On the painted boat, gilded lanterns hung silently, the boat lying still like a stranded giant beast, motionless.

"Whoa—"

Huo Qianshan pulled on the reins, his brows furrowed.

Seeing this scene, Ma Sanjiang felt a pang of anxiety. "Why is it so quiet?" Logically, Yuan Lie should have sent someone to wait outside.

Now, not only is there no sign of anyone, but the pleasure boat is also completely silent.

This situation is very wrong.

"Let's go up and take a look!"

Huo Qianshan leaped off the saddle without a word and headed straight for the painted boat. Ma Sanjiang followed closely behind without hesitation.

……

Inside the painted boat.

Zhu Hong leaned back in his armchair, his black sword resting on the ground, his fingertips casually tapping the scabbard.

Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps could be heard outside the door, approaching from afar.

"Yuan Lie!"

The person arrived before the voice.

Huo Qianshan stepped into the cabin, his figure suddenly freezing. Ma Sanjiang couldn't stop in time and bumped into his back, exclaiming in surprise, "Hall Master Huo?" Seeing no reaction from Huo Qianshan, he followed his gaze, and his expression changed instantly upon seeing him.

"How...how is this possible?!"

The hall was littered with corpses, and blood gushed out, winding into a stream.

From the headless corpse of Yuan Lie to the place where Li Hang lay, all the skilled fighters raised by the charitable hall were killed, not one was left alive.

"Oh, right, the plate."

Ma Sanjiang suddenly remembered that his son was still on the pleasure boat. His heart tightened, and his eyes swept frantically across the pile of corpses. He kept praying in his heart, "Please don't let anything happen, please don't let anything happen..."

Suddenly, he froze.

A corpse lay in the corner; the sight of its clothes pierced his heart. He quickly rushed over, bent down, and turned the body over.

The moment he was revealed, Ma Sanjiang felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

It's a horse compass.

His biological child.

He looked terrified and died with his eyes wide open.

"Plate!"

He cried out in grief and indignation, his voice filled with anguish.

Huo Qianshan glanced at him and remained silent.

Yuan Lie died, along with seven or eight of his trusted followers, leaving him a tyrant with no one under his command.

"Good, good, very good."

Huo Qianshan took a deep breath, abruptly turned his head and stabbed straight at the figure leaning against the chair, "You are Zhu Hong?!" The man was dressed in a dark blue outfit, with a black knife hanging at his waist, and was pouring himself a drink, looking relaxed.

"They've finally arrived."

Zhu Hong gently set down the wine bowl, his tone as calm as if he were greeting a close friend: "I've been waiting for ages, if you don't come soon, the wine will get cold."

Huo Qianshan's eyes were bloodshot as he asked through gritted teeth, each word distinct:

"You were the one who killed all of these people?"

Zhu Hong glanced up indifferently, a slight smirk playing on his lips, and gave a soft "hmm," his tone nonchalant, as if he had only killed a few chickens and dogs.

"Those who don't know what's good for them shouldn't be kept around."

"No, no, what a terrible thing to do!" Huo Qianshan trembled with anger, his chest filled with resentment that seemed about to explode. "I've been in Jinyang for decades, and this is the first time I've ever seen such a brat as you."

Zhu Hong smiled faintly and simply said:

"That's too kind of you."

Seeing his attitude, Huo Qianshan knew that today's matter was a fight to the death, so he no longer hesitated.

He drew his thick-backed cleaver with a backhand motion; the blade, reflecting the candlelight, gleamed coldly. "If you manage to leave this pleasure boat alive today, I, Huo Qianshan, will write my name backwards!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Hong slowly stood up, his left hand still resting on the scabbard, while his right hand picked up the wine pot and poured himself another bowl.

"You must be Master Huo."

He raised his wine bowl and toasted Huo Qianshan from afar, saying, "It's too early to say that; you won't have a chance to write it backwards."

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

"court death!"

With a roar, Huo Qianshan brought his thick-backed cleaver down on his head.

The wind howled fiercely, and the candlelight in the cabin was suddenly dimmed.

At that moment, Ma Sanjiang pounced on him from the side, his eyes bloodshot, panting heavily, and with his short blade in hand, he recklessly stabbed straight for Zhu Hong's heart.

This thrust was completely unorthodox, yet it carried a ruthless intent to perish together with the enemy.

"I kill you!"

He roared hoarsely, "You killed my Pan'er, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

With Huo Qianshan in front and Ma Sanjiang behind, they were attacked from both sides.

Zhu Hong remained calm and composed.

He brandished his black sword, sheath still attached, and with a clang, parried Huo Qianshan's fierce slash. He slightly shifted his body, effortlessly dodging Ma Sanjiang's short blade, and his left hand reached out to grab the opponent's wrist holding the blade.

"Let go!"

Ma Sanjiang struggled desperately like a mad beast, ignoring the excruciating pain in his wrist, and punched Zhu Hong in the face with another fist.

Zhu Hong frowned slightly and exerted a little force in his hand.

"Click."

Ma Sanjiang's wrist bone broke instantly.

The short blade clattered to the ground, but he seemed oblivious to the pain. With red eyes, he opened his mouth and bit Zhu Hong's neck.

"That's insane."

Zhu Hong gave him a light push with his left hand, and Ma Sanjiang staggered three or four steps before falling to the ground. He got up and tried to rush forward again, but Huo Qianshan grabbed him.

"Sanjiang!"

Huo Qianshan hissed, "Wake up! Charging forward like this is just suicide."

Ma Sanjiang trembled all over, tears streaming down his face. He pointed at Zhu Hong, his lips quivering, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Huo Qianshan felt a mix of emotions.

This man had followed him the longest, from the founding of the charity together to becoming its deputy manager. His only son was the one he loved most in his life. Although Ma Pan was not a good son, he was like his lifeblood to Sanjiang.

Now that his manhood is gone, how could he not go mad?

"Three Rivers".

Huo Qianshan said in a deep voice, "His skill is not weak, you should step back." He looked at Zhu Hong with the gaze of a wolf and the eyes of an eagle:

"today.

"I will take his life to avenge Pan'er."

Ma Sanjiang's body trembled, and he choked up as he bowed deeply, calling out an old title he hadn't uttered for many years: "Brother Huo... Sanjiang begs you!" After saying that, he stepped aside.

"Those scoundrels from the gutter have no right to talk about loyalty and righteousness."

Zhu Hong pretended not to hear, his gaze remaining cold and fixed on Huo Qianshan.

After just one exchange, he already knew in his heart that the strength of a Martial Apprentice was indeed extraordinary.

"Wu Sheng Dacheng?"

Seeing that Sanjiang had left, Huo Qianshan's gaze returned to the young man.

Wasn't this person a new recruit who had only recently joined the public service? How could he have reached such a level? Moreover, the steady strength with which he caught the knife was definitely not something a newly accomplished master could possess.

"However, in any case?"

He slowly raised his thick-backed machete, his aura rising steadily: "He's doomed."

In the blink of an eye, Huo Qianshan had already leaped into the air.

He was a martial arts disciple at the Refining Tendon Realm, and his strength had long since permeated his tendons and bones. Wherever he went, he was respectfully addressed as "Master Huo".

With a single swing of the blade, it truly possessed the power to split rocks and cleave mountains.

Zhu Hong's expression tightened slightly, and he dared not be careless. He shifted his feet slightly, and his figure, like a leaf falling in the wind, lightly dodged the attack.

"clang--!"

The blade struck the ground with a buzzing sound.

Having gained the upper hand, Huo Qianshan was unwilling to stop.

One move after another, each strike aimed at Zhu Hong's vital points.

Zhu Hong could only parry with his knife, struggling to defend himself. In a short time, he was forced to the side of the cabin wall, with nowhere to retreat.

"Kid, you're not all that capable, are you?"

Huo Qianshan let out a sinister laugh, channeling all his strength into his arms, and thrust his blade straight at Zhu Hong's head like a mountain crashing down.

……