Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"..."

Zhu Kuilong remained silent, pondered for a moment, and then a cryptic smile appeared on his lips.

He didn't inquire about the matter further, but calmly changed the subject, "Excuse me, where are the stables around here?"

"The stables?" Kieran didn't give a clear answer, his eyes darting around before he asked, "How many horses do you plan to buy?"

“More than ten horses,” Zhu Kuilong said in a deep voice. “We came from Baiju Town. It’s very inconvenient to have so many people crammed into a carriage, and besides…”

He didn't go into too much detail because he could vaguely sense that Dr. Kiran was a rare good person; at least, he didn't call him "Yellow Barbarian."

The people who drove the stagecoach carriages were not so kind. Because of their skin color, they were often refused service and were tossed around like a ball. If someone cast a disdainful glance at them as they passed by, that was considered relatively mild. There were quite a few who directly cursed or muttered under their breath. Fortunately, the others did not understand foreign languages ​​and could not understand what they were saying.

The troupe, numbering around twenty people, found it quite inconvenient to travel by carriage. In the end, it was Evelyn who stepped in, using her connections in White Torch Town, to reach an agreement with the people at the post station. Zhu Kuilong didn't want to go through that ordeal again.

If you have a horse, you don't have to be at the mercy of others.

“I see… Then you shouldn’t go to the stables. The manager there always looks down on outsiders. If you go, you’ll most likely get ripped off.” Kieran said mysteriously, “I know a good way. They have almost 20 horses, which should be able to meet your requirements.”

"Really?" Zhu Kuilong was somewhat surprised. "Such a good thing?"

"What a coincidence, you've managed to catch them all..." Kieran saw Xiaomei leading her horse walking towards them from afar, and clapped his hands. "The one selling the horse is the warrior I just told you about. You two are even from the same hometown!"

"It's a fellow villager, and I got to buy a good horse at a low price. It's like a double blessing, isn't it? I'm really amazing. I did another good deed today." — Kieran thought to himself, smiling contentedly.

----

Inside the clinic, the air pressure was incredibly low; it wouldn't be surprising if a thunderstorm suddenly appeared right under the ceiling the next second.

Kieran swallowed hard, shrinking behind the counter. At first, he tried to liven things up with jokes and banter, but neither of them picked up on his jokes. It was as if a cold curtain separated them from the clinic.

Triss huddled behind the counter, her eyes darting back and forth between the two men.

"What... what's going on?" Kieran asked in a low voice, "I've never seen business done like this before. Don't they say anything?"

"They just had a fight," Xiaomei sighed, quite helplessly. "To run into them here is just bad luck."

"What a cruel twist of fate." Theon squinted, and when he saw Zhu Kuilong, the pressure points that had just been pressed on his body began to ache again.

"Huh? What?" Kieran became even more curious. "These two know each other? What's their relationship? Are they enemies?"

"Well, it seems so, but it also seems not..." Xiaomei pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out how to describe the relationship between Zhang Renfeng and Zhu Kuilong. She could only say, "It would take at least ten thousand words to explain it clearly."

……

I have never seen such a tense trading atmosphere.

Neither the buyer nor the seller spoke; they remained silent, their faces cold.

The horses were all parked outside. Zhu Kuilong went out and glanced at them briefly. He could tell that these horses had been well-trained and were very affectionate. Even when he, a stranger, reached out to touch their manes or backs, they didn't react at all. Since they were now in Zhang Renfeng's hands, it was conceivable that their original owner had most likely disappeared from the world.

He made a five-point gesture, and Zhang Renfeng nodded without even thinking about it.

The horses were mostly Tennessee trotting horses, with only a very few racehorses. Zhang Renfeng didn't haggle and directly accepted the offer.

$90, he bought it without a word, immediately pulling the reins and heading out, as if he didn't want to see Zhang Renfeng's face for even a second. As for Old Zhang, even though he wanted to say a few words to his senior brother, given the other's attitude, he couldn't very well try to be friendly.

When he opened the door, Trist squeezed past him like a nimble little squirrel.

"Sir, sir! Please wait a moment!"

----

Zhu Kuilong saw her run over in a flash, glanced at Zhang Renfeng who was still standing at the door from a distance, and squatted down to make it easier to talk to the girl, lowering his height to about the same level as her.

Her face was still somewhat pale, but after running a few steps, it turned rosy.

"The wound on your forehead hasn't healed yet, why are you running around like that!" Zhu Kuilong's tone was stern, but he took out a small bottle of ointment and stuffed it into the girl's arms. "Use this to apply to the wound, once when you get up, once at noon, and once before you go to bed, understand?"

“Thank you, sir, you…” Trist hesitated for a moment, as if afraid that Zhang Renfeng would hear her, then turned back and looked at her with a smile, “You and him, you just had a fight, didn’t you?”

“It wasn’t an argument.” Zhu Kuilong’s face fell. “There’s nothing left for us to say to each other.”

“I know… My brother and I used to be like that too. After a fight, we wouldn’t talk to each other.” Trist’s smile faded. “The last time we fought was this winter. I asked him to get Mom’s cup, but he broke it… I yelled at him, and after that, I never spoke a word to him again…”

Zhu Kuilong already had a premonition: "Where is your brother?"

“When Angelo sent people to collect the debt, he drove my father to his death… My younger brother took a knife and fought them to the death, but he was caught, thrown to the ground, broke his neck, and died.”

……

"Make up quickly, you can definitely make up." Trist wiped her face, smiled again, and urged, "You and Mr. Zhang are both very good people."

Chapter 214: The Beginning of the Story (Part 71)

"Nowhere to stay? Please...cough cough cough...please don't be shy, there are two rooms available, since no one is staying there anyway. This child has already told you, right? Please feel free to use them..."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

The woman lying on the bed coughed incessantly, and Zhang Renfeng, standing to the side, felt exhausted just listening to her.

Although the plans were changed at the last minute, the three of them had nowhere to stay in San Quintak, not even a temporary camp.

After learning of their difficulties, Trist volunteered to let them stay at her house overnight.

Her family lived in a very remote area outside of San Quintak city, practically a shack built on a mountain, with no connection to the city anymore. Her father and brother were killed by debt collectors, and afterwards, her mother's health deteriorated, and she remained bedridden.

The immense physical and psychological burden fell on the shoulders of a twelve-year-old girl.

Slender shoulders may break under the weight of reality at any moment. This so-called "home" will also be extinguished like a candle in the wind.

Interestingly, because her mother was too weak, Trist didn't even bother to explain the origins of Zhang Renfeng and his group, let alone mention that she had almost been caught and killed by Angelo's men that day. Most children would cry to their parents when they were wronged, but Trist had already understood this principle at such a young age.

Her mother, lying in bed, couldn't help her at all; she would only worry and ruin her health. Rather than that, it was better not to tell her anything. She was already destined for a miserable life; she'd just live one day at a time.

Their maturity in only reporting good news and not bad news added another layer of compassion to Zhang Renfeng's feelings for this family.

"Mom, don't worry about it, just lie down and rest." Trist waved to the three of them, indicating that they should do as they pleased, while tidying up the sheets and blankets for her mother. "I'll take care of them."

……

"Sparsely furnished" is just a figure of speech here. The four dark walls seemed to press down on them, and the overly empty room made it impossible to rest properly.

A kerosene lamp was lit, and both Mei and Theon stared intently at him.

"Phew..." Zhang Renfeng sighed, making a disclaimer beforehand, "It's not an interesting story."

“That’s alright.” Xiaomei shook her head, her tone very stubborn. “Mr. Hongzhong, you already know everything about me. It is on this basis that we have become inseparable allies… It’s no exaggeration to say that I trust you one hundred percent!”

"But now, an unprecedented situation has arisen. If it is not handled properly, the Red Center Gang may disband."

"I want to understand you, not only as an ally, but also as..."

Her tone was hurried, but she suddenly stopped, bit her lip, and looked away as if she were sulking.

“You and I made a promise before, to wipe the Zorael family off the face of the earth, didn’t we?” Theon’s reasoning was far more pragmatic. “Then, I will not leave the Red Center until that goal is achieved. No one will take you away from me!”

"...That's true, but the other party is clearly not someone to be trifled with. The more information we have, the more solutions we can come up with."

Zhang Renfeng sighed.

The room was drafty, with cold air blowing in through cracks in the walls and floor, causing the candlelight to flicker.

A long-buried story is about to be revealed.

----

"boom!"

Evelyn grabbed a small vanity mirror and hurled it toward the main entrance, but Zhu Kuilong caught it with his hand.

"Wow, this little girl is really something. I knew it, he likes this kind of thing." Qiu Yun took another look at the girl's captivating angry face and actually laughed out loud, but after laughing, a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes, "Really, she hasn't changed after all these years..."

"You! You all knew all along, didn't you!" Evelyn rarely acted so emotionally, but since joining Red Center, she was unlocking more and more "firsts" in her life. "You've been performing at the Emerald Theatre and found out about Red Center... That's why you invited me to join you, to use me as bait to lure him here, right?!"

“Don’t misunderstand, Ms. Dietersdorf,” Zhu Kuilong explained. “I admire your performance, and the basis for our collaboration is that you are indeed an outstanding performer.”

"And then?" Evelyn crossed her arms, her eyes filled with distrust. "Are you going to use me as a hostage to force him to go back with you?"

"...No, there's no need for that," Zhu Kuilong said in a deep voice, sounding very confident and certain. "He will come."

"Why does it have to be this way?" Evelyn looked at the man before her, cold, silent, and sparing with words. She could see through almost anyone's disguise, but with him, it was like hitting an insurmountable wall. There was little human emotion in those silent eyes.

She asked again, "You're brothers, right?"

"It used to be."

“He must have been unable to stay in his hometown, so he fled here. He is doing very well and is very happy here. I saw his camp, where many people trust him, respect him, and regard him as an indispensable mentor in their lives.”

"He also saved many people, not only me, but also the girl with the scar on her face."

"Yes, he killed a lot of people, but there were reasons for it. White Torch Town is rotten to the core; only by uprooting them can the town return to normal. In short... he... he's not what you think!"

Evelyn spoke a lot in one breath, her face turned rosy, her pearly teeth slightly clenched, and her heart seemed to be jumping out of her chest.

Zhu Kuilong looked somber and remained silent.

"What did he do to you that made you hold such a grudge..."

"Hold a grudge?"

These two short words made Zhu Kuilong's brow twitch suddenly, and he abruptly opened his phoenix eyes, which had been half-closed all along!

Unlike Zhang Renfeng's terrifying bulging eyes, his eyes were much narrower and longer. When fully open, two beams of light shot out, immediately interrupting the girl's words.

Immediately following was a strange, deeply suppressed laugh.

It's terrifying when someone who never laughs suddenly starts laughing.

……

"Everyone says so... Ha... It seems like only he... only he is special, only he has always been right. Why? Because he is a young master from a wealthy family, because he is a young and promising martial arts champion, because he is a martial arts prodigy with extraordinary talent?"

"The person you're talking about, Zhang Renfeng, do you really know him?"

After an unbearable silence, he spoke again.

----

“The story begins…” Zhang Renfeng said in the dilapidated hut.

"The story begins..." Zhu Kuilong said in the hotel room.

……

"It all started four years ago."

Chapter 215: He Died of Old Age (Part 72)

High mountains.

bamboo forest.

The melodious and clear sound of the flute lingered on the mountaintop, blending with the babbling brook and the rustling of the wind through the bamboo forest, creating an ethereal harmony. A gentle breeze caressed his face, and Zhang Renfeng unconsciously tightened the reins, his eyes slightly closed. In that brief moment, he felt his soul and body about to separate, yet also tightly intertwined, as if all the acupoints in his body were instantly opened.

He stopped his horse and began walking from there. The mountain had no name, the river had no name, and the bamboo forest had no name.

But the so-called "master's sect" was established on this nameless land.

……

The source of the flute music was a girl who looked about twelve or thirteen years old, with delicate features, sitting cross-legged at the entrance of the bamboo grove.

Her face was chubby and smooth, with a touch of baby fat, making her very cute, yet she was dressed in a plain robe. Her straw sandals were scattered haphazardly to one side, revealing her small, adorable toes. The jade flute in her hand shimmered with light, and as the music played, the sea of ​​bamboo behind her seemed to come alive, silently echoing her rhythm.

When she saw him arrive, the girl slowly opened her eyes. Normal people's pupils are round, but hers were different; they seemed to be gradually changing from a circle to a square.

The girl had a lovely smile; two shallow dimples appeared on her chubby cheeks. Her voice was also clear and pure, the kind of innocent, undeveloped girl's voice, like a clear spring, tinkling and melodious.

"Senior Sister He," Zhang Renfeng said respectfully, cupping her hands in a fist and bowing. "It's been a long time."

"It hasn't been that long~~~ Didn't we just see each other last Mid-Autumn Festival?" Senior Sister He's bright eyes darted around, fixing on the wooden box in Zhang Renfeng's hand. She licked her pink lips. "You've brought something nice to offer to Master again?"

“Pastries from Quanzhou Laoxiangzhai.” Zhang Renfeng separated the wooden cages one by one. “This one, and this one… are for my senior sister. You just celebrated your seventy-ninth birthday three months ago, right? A good friend of mine had to go out to sea that day, so I didn’t have time to…”

"Phoenix," Senior Sister Crane tilted her head back, staring at him with a smile, "Do you think that just because you've learned the False Qi Hard Technique, Senior Sister won't dare to slap you anymore?"

The young man, who practiced Qigong, immediately stood at attention.

No one knows when the eldest sister started following the master; perhaps she started even earlier than the eldest brother.

They had been practicing martial arts since childhood, living and eating together. At first, he didn't notice anything wrong. But when he was fifteen or twenty, his senior sister still looked the same, never growing an inch taller, and her face showed no signs of aging. It was only by sheer chance that Zhang Renfeng learned that his senior sister was actually almost seventy years old.

She was also the only one capable of modifying the cultivation method—what her master taught her was originally the "Turtle Breathing Technique," but she made sweeping modifications based on the physiological differences between men and women, and the final version was the "Jade Breathing Technique," which was specifically created for the female body.