Killing Monks

It took Guangyuan two whole days to completely fill and compact the deep tunnel and cellar with soil.

He straightened up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and felt the cool autumn breeze.

He calculated the date and realized that today was already August 17th.

Logically speaking, Lu Fei's "family banquet" should have ended long ago. He's not one to procrastinate; he should have come to meet me as soon as he finished his business.

Even if the Tang family treated him so well that he "forgot about home" and stayed for a couple more days, they should still send someone to deliver a message.

How could there be no news at all?

Guangyuan felt a vague unease in his heart.

Without further delay, he immediately descended the mountain and returned to Qujiang County.

They asked around on the street and soon found the location of the Tang residence.

However, unlike the bustling scene he had imagined, the Tang residence was now deserted. The vermilion gates were tightly closed, and the stone lions in front of the gates stood solemnly, exuding an unusual desolation, even... oppressive atmosphere.

Guangyuan stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

After a long while, a side door for servants to enter and exit creaked open a crack.

A doorman peeked out, and upon seeing Guangyuan's monk attire, frowned slightly. Before Guangyuan could speak, the doorman interrupted, saying:

"Master, my master is not in the house today. He does not receive guests or offer meals. Please leave."

His tone was curt, clearly conveying a perfunctory attitude and a desire to get rid of him.

Guangyuan shook his head and said, "I'm not here to beg for alms; I've come to inquire about someone. May I ask if a martial arts friend named Lu Fei, who was invited to a banquet at your residence a few days ago, is still at home?"

"Or did they leave a message?"

Upon hearing the name "Lu Fei," the man's expression changed drastically, a flicker of panic and wariness crossing his eyes, as if he had heard a name he shouldn't have mentioned.

He waved his hands repeatedly, his voice urgent:

"No, not here! There's no such person here! Master, you've come to the wrong place!"

Having said that, without giving Guangyuan any further questions, she slammed the side door shut with a loud "bang," the sound of the bolt being inserted clearly audible.

Guangyuan stood in front of the tightly closed side door, his brows furrowed.

Something is wrong!

Lu Fei clearly said that he was invited to a banquet at the Tang residence, but the gatekeeper of the Tang residence denied it outright and reacted in such a panicked manner.

Lu Fei isn't here?

Where did he go?

What unexpected events might occur when attending a family dinner?

The doorman's comment just now, "My master is not here," seemed to have a hidden meaning...

It seems that knocking on the door in broad daylight and asking won't get us the truth.

Guangyuan didn't linger. He pretended to leave, but secretly walked slowly around the Tang residence, looking for any weak points he might be able to infiltrate. He needed to go in and find out what was going on.

As they walked along a relatively quiet street on the side of the Tang residence, passing a bustling restaurant, they suddenly heard a commotion coming from inside.

"What a beautiful woman! That face...tsk tsk!"

"Absolutely! Even when he drinks, he looks so dashing. It's making my heart itch!"

"When did such a celestial beauty emerge from our Qujiang County? Which wealthy family's daughter secretly ran away to have some fun?"

"Look at her outfit, all tight-fitting and short-sleeved, and she's even carrying a sword. Doesn't she look like someone from the martial arts world? Hey, a female knight-errant drinking makes it even more interesting!"

Upon hearing this, Guangyuan casually glanced into the restaurant.

He was stunned by just one glance.

On the second floor, by the window, a familiar figure was alone, burying his head in empty wine jars and chugging them down.

The man was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, with a face like a peach blossom, eyes glazed over with drunkenness, and cheeks flushed red like fire. He was not a beauty, but he was more beautiful than a beauty.

It is none other than the Mad King of Chu!

Shouldn't he have gone to the Kowloon Martial Arts Academy with high spirits to enroll and pursue his dream of "masculinity and might"?

Why are you drinking alone here?

And he's so drunk that he's attracting so much attention?

In Qujiang County, first, Lu Fei mysteriously disappeared after attending a banquet, and the Tang family's strange attitude of closing their doors to guests became apparent. Then, Chu Kuangjun, who should have been at the martial arts academy, was found here drinking heavily...

There's something strange about Qujiang County!

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the noisy restaurant, went straight up to the second floor, and came to Chu Kuangjun's table.

Chu Kuangjun was looking down at yet another newly opened jar of wine when he heard footsteps approaching. Without even looking up, he waved his hand irritably.

"Get away! Don't bother me! Today... nobody should bother me!"

He has been drinking here for the past two days, and because of his striking appearance, he has attracted countless lecherous men and women who have tried to flirt with him and harass him, which has become quite annoying.

However, he heard a familiar voice in front of him:

"Brother Chu, it's me."

Chu Kuangjun paused slightly in his hand holding the wine jar, and with difficulty, he raised his hazy, drunken eyes to look at the person who had come.

When he recognized Guangyuan, a hint of confusion flashed in his beautiful peach blossom eyes, followed by a surge of indescribable complex emotions.

There was surprise and unexpectedness, but more than anything, it felt like finally meeting a trustworthy acquaintance in a vast sea of ​​people, and the pent-up frustration, grievances, and sense of defeat of the past few days seemed to have found an outlet.

"Monk...it's you!" Chu Kuangjun's voice was heavily slurred with drunkenness. He shook his head vigorously, trying to clear his vision.

He said, "You've come at the perfect time! Come...come drink with me! This wine...isn't strong enough, but...there's plenty!"

As he spoke, he pushed the newly opened jar of wine in his hand in front of Guangyuan without saying a word, the wine spilling out and wetting the table.

Guangyuan did not refuse and sat down opposite him, but did not rush to drink. Instead, he asked in a deep voice:

"Brother Chu, didn't you go to the Nine Dragons Martial Academy? What are you doing here? Also, have you seen Brother Lu Fei these past two days?"

"Lu Fei?" Chu Kuangjun thought hard for a moment, then shook his head and said drunkenly, "I haven't seen him... I haven't seen him since we parted ways that day."

Mentioning the Kowloon Martial Arts Academy, the drunkenness on his face was instantly replaced by a deep sense of frustration and embarrassment. He let out a long, heavy sigh, as if a thousand words were stuck in his chest:

"As for going to the Kowloon Martial Arts Academy... sigh! Monk, it's a long story!"

"I would like to hear the details," Guangyuan said.

Chu Kuangjun took another big gulp of wine, wiped his mouth, and said in a drunken, slurred voice, "The Nine Dragons Martial Academy's signature technique is the 'Nine Dragons Overlord Body,' as you know."

"It is universally acknowledged in the martial arts world that this is the best body-building martial art in the world. When mastered, it is said to have the power to overturn nine dragons and the sea, and the physical body is almost indestructible."

"The Thirteen Bodyguards Horizontal Training, which is popular in the Northern Zhou army, is based on this technique and integrates other body-refining methods, which is why the Northern Zhou army has an unparalleled reputation."

He paused, a very strange expression appearing on his face: "But... this seemingly flawless top-tier external martial arts technique actually... has flaws."

"Or rather, it has a very, very special... 'characteristic'."