Chapter 53 : Chapter 53
Chapter 53: Was I Right or Not, Great Hero Cheng?
Sword-Forging Manor.
After dismounting, Cheng Yu stood there coldly and raised a hand, signaling the Jinyiwei subordinates and others behind him to halt.
Before him, Sword-Forging Mountain was exceptionally lively at the moment. Many martial artists of the Jianghu had heard that numerous experts and major figures were gathering here, and that Sword-Forging Manor had thrown its doors wide open, treating all visitors as honored guests. Thus, they had come one after another to Dragon Abyss Prefecture to take part in the grand occasion.
When they saw Cheng Yu in his Flying Fish Uniform, strange looks appeared on their faces. Why had the Jinyiwei come here as well?
Cheng Yu spoke blandly to the Sword-Forging Manor disciple in charge of receiving guests. “Tell He Qin to come see me.”
The Sword-Forging Manor disciple, already drenched in sweat from busily receiving guests, looked displeased when he heard someone call the Manor Master by name. He snarled viciously, “What mangy cur crawled in here that dares call Manor Master He by name?”
Once another disciple got a clear look at Cheng Yu’s attire, his expression grew even more arrogant.
“So it’s just an Imperial Hound. Get the hell out of here. The manor is full of heroes and great men right now, so don’t come ruin the mood...”
WHOOSH!
A crossbow bolt slashed through the air with a shrill tearing sound and slammed straight into his chest.
Without even a chance to react, the disciple crashed to the ground.
“Ah! Someone’s been killed!”
Seeing blood spilled, the people nearby turned deathly pale in fright and scattered in all directions.
“You dare kill a man of Sword-Forging Manor? You’re courting death!”
When the Sword-Forging Manor disciples saw one of their own dead, they flew into a rage and drew their swords, trying to charge forward and avenge him. But before they could move, several more crossbow bolts shot out.
Several more disciples fell into pools of blood.
Only then did they finally understand that these people had come to make trouble for Sword-Forging Manor.
They hurriedly turned to run back inside and call for help. But the crossbow bolts did not stop. Streak after streak of cold light flashed out, burying itself in their backs like life-reaping wraiths.
Cheng Yu watched the scene coldly and spoke in a chilling voice.
“I told you to go have He Qin come see me. Couldn’t you understand that?”
“Send out someone who can understand human speech!”
The furious shout, carrying imposing Internal Energy, swept outward and knocked the surrounding people to the ground.
They stared at Cheng Yu with wide eyes, terror flooding their faces.
This Jinyiwei looked barely in his early twenties, so how could he be this powerful?
They had only ever heard of a young Jinyiwei this formidable once before...
A second time!
In an instant, a name that had drenched the Jianghu of Qingjiang Prefecture in blood and echoed throughout Dragon Abyss Path surfaced in all their minds.
Cheng Yu!
It had to be him!
Why had this murderous star come to Sword-Forging Manor?
He wasn’t planning to raid Sword-Forging Manor, was he...?
The thought struck everyone as utterly absurd, and none of them could believe it.
Sword-Forging Manor was not some lowly sect from Qingjiang Prefecture.
It was a giant of Jiangnan, one of the great sects famous throughout the Great Qian Dynasty.
Unless a mere Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Commander had gone mad, how could he possibly dare set his sights on it?
【Host... rewarded with Internal Energy!】
After feeling a small amount of pure Internal Energy enter his body, Cheng Yu could not be bothered to care what these people were thinking.
He merely looked calmly into the gates of Sword-Forging Manor.
An expert from within the manor came hurrying over with a sword after hearing the commotion. This man was around Fourth Rank in strength. The moment he saw so many disciples dead, he flew into a rage and immediately demanded of Cheng Yu and the others, “You dare kill my—”
But when he looked more carefully, he abruptly noticed that beside Cheng Yu stood a man in coarse hemp robes and an old man.
The robed man looked utterly ordinary, without a trace of Internal Energy, almost like a common mortal.
But as one of Sword-Forging Manor’s stewards, this man understood weapon forging inside and out.
At a single glance, he saw that the dark red longsword on the hemp-robed man’s back was a top-tier High Grade weapon on the verge of developing spirituality.
This was an expert!
He immediately swallowed the rebuke that had risen to his lips.
“Who are you people? Why have you come to Sword-Forging Manor? Why have you killed my fellow disciples?”
“At last, someone I can speak to. I thought no one in Sword-Forging Manor knew how to talk like a human being.”
Cheng Yu smiled and shook his head.
“These blind fools offended me, so I simply cleaned them up for you. As for who I am, that is unimportant. Just have He Qin come see me.”
The steward of Sword-Forging Manor frowned.
“The Manor Master is busy speaking with the heroes of the Jianghu who have come to visit. How would he have time to see the likes of you?”
Though he was wary of Liu Xiong, he had no intention of showing Cheng Yu, an Imperial Hound, any courtesy.
“Oh? So you’ve got some spirit?”
Cheng Yu let out a cold laugh and shot Liu Xiong a look.
Liu Xiong understood at once. With a nod, he drew his long sword in one fearsome motion and slashed at the Sword-Forging Manor steward with a streak of blood-colored sword qi.
The other man had not expected this at all. He snatched up his weapon in a panic, but it was too late to block.
Liu Xiong struck him with a single sword and grievously wounded him, sending him crashing to the ground.
“Master, it is done.”
Cheng Yu nodded, walked over, and grabbed the badly wounded steward by the collar.
“Since none of you are willing to carry a message, and I’m not an overbearing man, I’ll do it myself.”
He lifted his head slightly toward Sword-Forging Mountain and, channeling his Internal Energy, shouted in a ringing voice:
“Sword-Forging Manor abducted, brutalized, and massacred a million laborers! He Qin and all others involved, come out at once and answer for your crimes!”
Empowered by pure Internal Energy, his voice exploded like a sudden clap of thunder.
It rang throughout the entirety of Sword-Forging Manor.
Quite a few disciples nearby heard the shout, frowned in anger, and rushed over.
They wanted to see exactly who dared shout such outrageous words at Sword-Forging Manor.
But when they saw that it was a young Jinyiwei, they were utterly stunned.
How did this man dare?
He was simply courting death!
The next moment, a stern burst of sword qi tore through the air from within Sword-Forging Mountain. A fierce arc of light slashed across the sky with tremendous force, and a tremendously powerful figure came flying in on a sword beneath his feet.
“Who dares pass judgment on me!”
With a cold snort, He Qin landed on the ground and stared icily at Cheng Yu.
“Who are you?”
What Imperial Hound had found the nerve to come here and turn heaven upside down, actually daring to pronounce judgment on the people of Sword-Forging Manor?
Wishful thinking!
Looking at He Qin, whose Internal Energy and sword qi were both astonishingly powerful, Cheng Yu showed not the slightest fear.
“Manor Master He should have heard my name before. My surname is Cheng. My given name is Yu.”
He Qin’s pupils abruptly contracted.
So it was that Jinyiwei Hundred-Household Commander who had slaughtered the Jianghu forces of Qingjiang Prefecture and spread the rumor that Sword-Forging Manor had discovered a Grandmaster Inheritance!
At the same time, he had another, even more important identity.
He was Cheng Zhenjiang’s son!
If not for that one layer of identity, He Qin would not have needed to waste words on someone with whom he already had a grudge. He could have casually killed him on the spot.
But now he could not act so carelessly.
If Cheng Zhenjiang went mad, He Qin could not afford the consequences.
He cursed Cheng Zhenjiang inwardly. Not a single member of that family was any good. The father and his two sons were taking turns throwing him into disaster!
Just as he was hesitating over what to do, several powerful presences arrived.
They were the sect leaders and other dignitaries visiting Sword-Forging Manor. After seeing He Qin leave, they had followed after him, wanting to see who would dare challenge Sword-Forging Manor at its gates.
When they saw a young Jinyiwei confronting He Qin, all of them were astonished.
“A mere Jinyiwei dares spout such wild nonsense?”
“What’s going on here? Why is Manor Master He acting so restrained toward an Imperial Hound?”
As they stood there in confusion, a voice full of emotion suddenly rang out.
“Yu’er, my son! Your mother has finally seen you again!”
It was Zhao Xichun, who had rushed over after hearing Cheng Yu’s voice.
In her arms, she was still carrying Cheng Si, whose body was deathly cold.
Only then did the others finally understand. No wonder Manor Master He had been caught in such an awkward position.
So it was Great Hero Cheng’s blood-soaked Jinyiwei son who had come.
When Cheng Yu saw Zhao Xichun appear, he frowned.
He had long since severed relations with this foolish mother, both hypocritical and cruel, so there was nothing he wished to say to her.
But the moment he saw the unconscious Cheng Si, he was startled.
What happened to Little Sister?
“Yu’er, let your mother get a look at you. I heard that you’ve been out there all alone, struggling through life and death. You must have suffered so much...”
Zhao Xichun reached a hand toward Cheng Yu, wanting to touch him.
But to her surprise, a Xiuchun Saber accompanied by the faint sound of crackling thunder barred her way.
“Madam Cheng, I have already severed ties with your family. Do not say such inexplicable things to me.”
Cheng Yu’s icy voice was like a wall, keeping Zhao Xichun at a distance.
“Yu’er, you...”
Zhao Xichun stood there, at a complete loss, her heart churning with grief and regret.
Why had she ever let her son sever ties with the family and leave?
At that moment, a deep and imposing voice rang out.
“Rebellious son! Put the blade down! You have committed countless evils, and you still dare come here of your own accord!”
Seeing Cheng Zhenjiang burst onto the scene, Cheng Yu found it hard to withstand that oppressive force. Even the Xiuchun Saber in his hand was shaken back, forcing him to lower it.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a smile full of coldness appearing on his face.
“Why shouldn’t I dare come?”
Seeing that the other man showed not the slightest respect, Cheng Zhenjiang’s fury surged.
“That sickening, underhanded look again! You willingly serve as an Imperial Hound and slaughter the innocent. How could I have a son like you!”
“Hahaha!”
Cheng Yu laughed aloud.
“You say I slaughtered the innocent? What a monstrous joke!”
“Weren’t you asking why I came? Then I’ll tell you! If I hadn’t come, were you all going to stand atop a million lives and prattle on about Jianghu chivalry?”
“I’m guessing that was exactly what you were just discussing. Was I right or not?”
“Great. Hero. Cheng!”