I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Now that our whereabouts have been exposed, there is no need to continue hiding!

Qingdeng took a deep breath and kicked the ceiling beneath him.

The ceiling, which has been there for some years, can hardly withstand Qingdeng's kicks and punches.

With one kick, Qing Deng created a large hole in the ceiling, large enough for at least one adult male to pass through freely.

He jumped down through the large hole, his feet landing perfectly on the corridor outside the house.

At that moment, the group, led by Kitahara Kōnosuke, rushed out of the room in a swarm.

Qingdeng's straw hat had long been abandoned on the snow outside because it made stealth difficult.

Therefore, after Kitahara Konosuke and the others rushed out of the room, they immediately saw the faces they had been "longing for".

"Orange Green Dew!"

The instant Kitahara Konosuke saw Aoto, his pupils shrank to the size of pinholes.

Immediately afterwards, a raging fire of anger climbed up his pupils at a visible speed.

He gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice:

"Tachibana Aoto, you really didn't die in the fire at the Kodenma Town prison house!"

"A mere flame is nothing to worry about."

Qing Deng said calmly.

Then, standing naturally, he drew the Echizen-no-Kami Kanetsugu from his waist.

This small action caused a huge stir.

In an instant, Kitahara Kōnosuke and the others, as if witnessing tigers unleashed from their cages, drew their swords and assumed fighting stances. Some even took several steps back to increase the distance between themselves and Aoto.

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish...

The rhythmic sounds of swords being drawn and the flickering glint of blades dominated this spacious corridor, wide enough for four adults to walk side by side!

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After a day at the comic convention and a short two-day trip to Zhanjiang, I feel like I'm in a fantastic writing state! Thanks to this, today I'm posting a long-awaited 8000-word chapter!

In this rare moment of exceptionally high energy, I've decided to launch the long-awaited "Monthly Ticket Bounty"—the book currently has 458 monthly tickets, and if I can reach 630 tickets by tomorrow, I'll release a whopping 1 chapters tomorrow! Yes! 1!

It's double monthly vote time now! You only need to cast less than 100 votes to reach that number. If you want to see more updates, please vote enthusiastically! The double monthly votes will end after May 7th! (Laughing emoji)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

I slept for at least 12 hours yesterday, and finally managed to recover...

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"The Love Story of the Lark" - Although it is a short side story with a total word count of less than 3000, the author is quite satisfied with this story.

Ever since Aoto came to Yoshiwara, all he has encountered and seen are sordid and disgusting things that are hard to look at, so the author specially designed this side story.

Even in a stinking quagmire like Yoshiwara, true love still exists.

Chapter 390 Qingdeng's New Secret Sword:

Qingdeng stood there with his feet slightly apart.

Holding the Echizen no Kami and Riku no Kami Kanetsugu, his stance was flawless.

His posture was like that of a lion with its mane and beard bristling. Anyone who saw him, even if they hated him, would feel that he was majestic and awe-inspiring, and would inevitably feel admiration and envy.

"Konosuke Kitahara, it's been a while."

Qing Deng spoke casually, as if he were talking to an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

"I thought I would never have the chance to see you again in this lifetime, but I never imagined that our fate was not over and that we would meet again at such a time and in such a place."

Kitahara Kōnosuke let out a heavy, cold snort.

"Ju Qingdeng! We haven't even found you yet, and you've come looking for us on your own!"

"I had no intention of doing this, but the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease."

At this point, Qingdeng's tone suddenly rose several degrees.

"I heard everything you were saying!"

"Kōnosuke Kitahara! What exactly did you mean by saying 'take revenge on the Tachibana family' just now?"

"It's not revenge against me, but revenge against my family... What exactly is your motive for revenge?"

As soon as Aoto finished speaking, Kitahara Konosuke revealed a complex expression that was both surprised and as if he had expected Aoto to ask such a question.

"Hmph! As expected... Tachibana Aoto, you really don't know anything."

"When I first met you, I saw the look in your eyes and I had a vague idea that you knew nothing."

"Fine! Since you know nothing about this, I don't have the time to explain it to you one by one!"

Kitahara Konosuke's words were filled with an uncontrollable anger.

Compared to Kitahara Konosuke's indignation, Aoto's reaction and expression were remarkably calm.

At first glance, Aoto, who had just been talking to Kitahara Konosuke, seemed a bit long-winded.

In reality, he was trying to extract information while simultaneously pinpointing the positions of Kitahara Konosuke and the others!

"I see... Well then, there's no need for further words."

Having said that, Qing Deng lifted the Echizen-no-Kami Kanetsugu, who was originally hanging naturally at his right side, to his chest, gripped the sword with both hands, and assumed a mid-section stance.

"Draw your sword!"

"Once you become my prisoner, I'll see if you can still keep your mouth shut!"

In an instant, the atmosphere at the scene changed drastically!

The change in atmosphere was not caused by Aoto's actions or words, but by the expressions of Kitahara Konosuke and the others.

The moment they saw Aoto assume a fighting stance, Kitahara Kōnosuke and the others displayed a variety of expressions.

Or with a solemn expression.

Or they might show fear on their faces.

Or perhaps they are at a loss.

Regardless of their expressions, they all point to the same emotion: fear of the "Blade of the Benevolent King"!

"……do not be afraid!"

Just then, Kitahara Konosuke suddenly looked up and shouted angrily.

"Open your eyes wide and take a good look!"

"The enemy we have always cherished and loved is now right in front of us!"

"At this moment and in this place, it is both a perilous situation and an immense opportunity!"

"Indeed, Tachibana Aoto is a renowned swordsman! He is the Niou who single-handedly fought the entire Extermination Group without being at a disadvantage!"

"But we also have our own advantages!"

"Our desire to avenge our father is enough to melt even the hardest stone!"

"As long as we hold fast to our desire for revenge and persevere in it, the power of our 'heart' will be able to compensate for the lack of 'strength'!"

"Moreover, even if we turn around and run now, in this narrow terrain with nowhere to escape, we have no chance of escaping the grasp of the 'Nioh,' who is known for his 'amazing leg strength'!"

"Therefore, from the moment Tachibana Seiden appeared, the only path before us was to fight with our backs against the wall!"

As he roared the word "fight," Kitahara Kōnosuke drew his sword and raised it in front of him.

"Follow me! Take Tachibana Aoto's head!"

It must be said that Kitahara Konosuke truly deserves his status as a high-ranking member of a large group like the "Shimizu Clan," and he possesses a remarkable leadership quality.

Judging from the results alone, his simple speech had a remarkable effect.

Those who had just shown fear and unease gradually regained their composure after listening to his speech.

The glint of swords and the clash of blades were dazzling in the night.

"Bring it on!"

As he spoke, Qingdeng took another step forward.

At the same time, the sharp tip of the sword in his hand, belonging to the Echizen shogun Riku no Kami Kanetsugu, reflected the pale moonlight obscured by thick clouds, and its chilling gleam shot into the eyes of Kitahara Kōnosuke and the others.

Kitahara Konosuke and others took the lead in launching the operation.

Thump thump thump thump thump!

Like a herd of horses galloping, their footsteps seemed to crack the corridor floor, and they rushed towards Qingdeng in a swarm!

Konosuke Kitahara didn't just talk a good game; he put his words into action.

He charged ahead of the crowd, howling.

Even considering the very simple principle of "dealing with those closer to you first, then attacking those farther away," Aoto should have targeted Kitahara Kōnosuke first.

However, he did not do that.

He intended to spare Kitahara Konosuke's life—he had a mountain of questions to ask this man.

In the midst of a chaotic battle of this scale, where the situation changes rapidly, it is extremely difficult to precisely control the force in one's hands, so as to injure others without killing them.

Therefore, Aoto decided to let Kitahara Kōnosuke off the hook for the time being, and weaken the fighting power under his command first!

In the blink of an eye, Kitahara Kōnosuke's sword had already slashed towards Aoto.

Just by looking at the perfectly straight sword veins, one can tell that this member of the "Shimizu Clan" is also an outstanding swordsman worthy of his samurai identity!

Along with Kitahara Kōnosuke's slash, two people standing on his left and right sides also attacked Aoto.

The corridor where the two sides are currently located can only accommodate a maximum of three adult men to launch an attack side by side.