Chapter 322 - 322: Incredible Strength
The old bodyguard's authoritative and powerful voice caused Ding Shaoyan's body to shudder as he hurriedly stood up. Although the position of bodyguard was almost like that of a servant, this old bodyguard had been with the Ding Family for decades, always accompanying Elder Master Ding.
Ding Shaoyan's uncles had almost all been brought up by him, so the old bodyguard's prestige within the Ding Family was not low.
Moreover, Elder Master Ding was extremely trusting of him, and his words in the Ding Family were almost as good as those spoken by Elder Master Ding himself. Although Ding Shaoyan was willful as a young man, he still had to behave himself in front of the old bodyguard.
Ding Shaoyan hurriedly wiped the tears from his face and recounted what had happened with Li Tianlu, before whispering, "Grandpa Tie, this Ye Qing humiliated me so much that it's like he humiliated the entire Ding Family, you must take revenge for me. Otherwise, I won't have the face to live on, and our Ding Family's reputation in Shenchuan City will be completely lost.
If it weren't for Li Tianlu delaying Ye Qing, I might not have made it back tonight, he was really trying to kill me!"
The old bodyguard glanced at him and said, "Shusen, take Shao Yan home!"
Ding Shaoyan couldn't help but feel anxious and said, "Grandpa Tie, you… you have to take revenge for me first, I'm not in a hurry to go back…"
The old bodyguard ignored him and only turned to the person of shorter stature beside him.
The shorter statured person didn't dare to go against the old bodyguard's wishes, and could only approach Ding Shaoyan and whisper, "Shao Yan, let's go home."
"Grandpa Tie…" Ding Shaoyan looked at the old bodyguard, wanting to complain further. But the old bodyguard didn't even spare him a glance, making it clear there was no room for negotiation.
Ding Shaoyan sighed helplessly and whispered, "Grandpa Tie, then I'll go back first. But you have to avenge me, or our Ding Family's face will be completely lost. If this gets out, those in Shenchuan City who don't know the full story might think our Ding Family is on the decline and that anyone can bully us.
Grandpa Tie, Ye Qing injured me and kicked at the Xingyi Martial Arts School, it's clear he doesn't respect you. These years, there have been many rumors in Shenchuan City that you've grown old and aren't like you used to be, which is why so many people want to lord over our Ding Family. Grandpa Tie, you have to maintain the dignity of the Ding Family!"
The old bodyguard suddenly turned his head and glared at him with a knife-sharp gaze that made Ding Shaoyan shiver and quickly lower his head, muttering, "That... That's what others say, I just heard it…"
The old bodyguard waved his hand, and the shorter statured person tugged at Ding Shaoyan's clothing, saying, "Let's go, don't make the Master angry!"
Ding Shaoyan reluctantly followed the shorter statured person out of the yard, looking back now and then to see if the old bodyguard showed any signs of anger.
Unfortunately, the old bodyguard's expression remained unchanged throughout, giving no clue as to what he was actually thinking.
Following the shorter statured person out of the yard, Ding Shaoyan asked in frustration, "Great Master Uncle, what does Grandpa Tie really mean by this?"
The shorter statured person glanced at Ding Shaoyan, sighed, and said, "Shao Yan, it would be best for you not to go out during this time."
"Why?" Ding Shaoyan asked curiously, "Grandpa Tie has stepped in, so Ye Qing couldn't possibly make a scene, right? Great Master Uncle, don't you think that Grandpa Tie isn't a match for Ye Qing?"
The shorter statured person shook his head, turned, and said, "Shao Yan, there is karma in this world!"
"What karma? What clothes?" Ding Shaoyan widened his eyes and said, "Ye Qing beat me up for no reason, doesn't he have to face karma? Great Master Uncle, what news have you heard to talk about me like this?"
The shorter statured person didn't respond to him, but instead pushed Ding Shaoyan into the car and drove away from the Xingyi Martial Arts School.
Inside the school, Wu Xinghuai and others hid in the yard, clueless about what exactly had transpired in the hall. But since the old bodyguard didn't allow them to listen, they indeed didn't dare overhear a single word. Seeing Ding Shaoyan coming out, they didn't dare to approach and inquire about the situation either.
About five minutes later, the old bodyguard and a tall person walked out of the hall. Wu Xinghuai hurriedly approached, supported by a disciple, and bowed slightly with a weak voice, saying, "Mas… Master!"
The old bodyguard glanced at him and suddenly slapped Wu Xinghuai on the back with one palm.
Wu Xinghuai cried out in pain, hurriedly stepped back in shock, and looked at the old bodyguard, not understanding why he had struck him.
The onlookers were also surprised; Wu Xinghuai was considered a third-generation disciple of the old bodyguard and was very respectful to him on ordinary days, and the old bodyguard was also kind to him. But this time, what did the old bodyguard mean by his actions?
Seeing the bewildered expressions on everyone's faces, the taller person said, "Xing Huai, aren't you going to thank Grand Master for healing you?"
"Ah?" Wu Xinghuai was stunned, only then noticing that the sharp pain in his chest had disappeared. The ribs that Ye Qing had broken had been set back in place by the old bodyguard's slap.
"Tha… Thank you, Grand Master…" Wu Xinghuai quickly kneeled on the ground, feeling much more energetic with his ribs set back in place, and was simultaneously overwhelmed with shock. Breaking someone's ribs with one punch and fixing someone's ribs with one slap were two completely different things. From this alone, it was clear that the old bodyguard's strength was definitely above Ye Qing's!
"No need to thank me!" The old bodyguard glanced at Wu Xing Huai and said indifferently, "You should be grateful they didn't finish you off. Otherwise, I could only have come to collect your body!"
Wu Xing Huai's body shuddered, and he couldn't help but look at the old bodyguard, his voice trembling as he asked, "Master, that... that Ye Qing, is his strength really that formidable?"
The old bodyguard slowly raised his head to look at the sky, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholy, "It has been twenty years since I saw a practitioner of Li Style Bajiquan in the South. I didn't expect to see one again today. The Li Style Bajiquan, known as the supreme among the Bajiquan styles, is powerful and dominating. If a master of it strikes, they could take a life with ease!"
"Ah?" Wu Xing Huai's face turned deathly pale, he took a deep breath and said, "That Ye Qing, he... he can't possibly be considered a Bajiquan master, can he...?"
The old bodyguard paid no attention to him and just slowly walked out of the courtyard.
Wu Xing Huai hurriedly grabbed the tall man and asked, "Second Senior Uncle, what does Master mean by this... what does this mean?"
"Who knows!" The tall man shrugged and followed the old bodyguard out. The old bodyguard had already seated himself in the car, and the tall man hurried over to the driver's seat and asked, "Master, where to now?"
"Tea house," the old bodyguard uttered slowly.
"Ah?" The tall man was startled for a moment and turned his head to look at the old bodyguard in astonishment. However, the old bodyguard had already closed his eyes, which meant he no longer wished to speak.
The tall man was full of surprise, but in the end, he didn't ask another word and drove straight to the tea house.
The tea house wasn't very famous in Shenchuan City, but those who had lingered long in the underworld had all heard of it. Especially those who had practiced martial arts knew well the significance of the tea house. With the Ghost-faced Judge presiding over it, which of Shenchuan City's big gangs would dare underestimate this place?
The Ding Family and the tea house had always kept to their own paths, and the old bodyguard, despite his many years, had never set foot in the tea house. Both being among the most preeminent figures in Shenchuan City, the old bodyguard had maintained a legendary reputation for many years, almost like a mythological figure in Shenchuan City.
Meanwhile, the mere mention of the Ghost-faced Judge was enough to intimidate the two prominent upstarts from the Eastern Province. Now, these two imposing figures were about to converge, but what would be the outcome?
The tall man's heart pounded nonstop, and of course, he had unwavering faith in the old bodyguard's invincible skills. But he really couldn't understand why the old bodyguard was venturing into the tea house, and why he wasn't going to find Ye Qing first.
Twenty minutes later, the vehicle stopped outside the tea house. Inside, the shapely Lady Boss was still sipping tea under the light, and the tea house seemed particularly serene that evening.
The old bodyguard got out of the car and walked straight into the tea house, with the tall man following close behind.
Before the Lady Boss could finish her cup of tea, she felt an indescribable pressure. Although physically weak, having seen countless assassins over the years, she could discern the distinct aura of each visitor. Just by standing in the tea house, the old bodyguard's decades of imposing aura was unquestionable, enough to make her tremble in fear.
This sensation was something she had only felt in the presence of the Ghost-faced Judge!
The Lady Boss set down her cup and let out a charming smile as she slowly stood up and said, "I was wondering why there was no business tonight. It turns out, Old Master Tie is coming, so of course those cats and dogs wouldn't dare show their faces!"
The old bodyguard sat down calmly in the tea house and stated, "They say Lady Boss Hu Momo is exceptionally intelligent and astute, and seeing you now, it indeed lives up to the reputation. Having never met me, you recognized me at a glance, no wonder you can manage the entire tea house so well."
"Old Master Tie flatters me too much!" Lady Boss laughed and said, "With such an imposing presence, there is no equal to you in the entire Eastern Province. If I still couldn't recognize you, wouldn't that make me no different from a blind person? However, I never imagined that even Old Master Tie would pay my tea house a visit, truly an honor for this place.
But, are you here to place an order or to take one? There's been a big bounty recently on someone named Ye Qing—are you interested in that one, Old Master Tie?"
The Lady Boss, aware that the old bodyguard was with the Ding Family and also knowing the relationship between Ye Qing and the Ding Family, first suspected that the old bodyguard came to deal with Ye Qing.
The old bodyguard shook his head and replied, "I don't place orders, nor do I take them."
"Oh, so Old Master Tie came specifically to enjoy the tea?" The Lady Boss smiled lightly, though there was some apprehension in her eyes. If the old bodyguard wasn't here to deal with Ye Qing, then she had to start being vigilant.
"I heard that Li Tianlu entered Shenchuan City," the old bodyguard said, looking up at the Lady Boss. "I want to know where he is now!"
"This..." The Lady Boss was momentarily startled, not understanding what the old bodyguard's intention was. He came here not to target Ye Qing but to look for Li Tianlu—what on earth was he planning?
There were no ties between Li Tianlu and the old bodyguard, and if the old bodyguard was looking for him at this time, it surely wasn't for anything good.
The Lady Boss replied with a smile, "Old Master Tie, Li Tianlu did enter Shenchuan City. But as to where he is now, I really don't know; he just left here this afternoon. If you had come a few hours earlier, you would have seen him!"