Song of Adolescence

Chapter 182 Stormy Weather Arises Again

One day later.

The Heroes Banquet at Lei Clan Fort officially came to an early end. The heroes from all over the world couldn’t explain how they had a good sleep and after which, they were rushed all the way back home. Even the annual young heroes tournament was cancelled. But, undoubtedly, the Heroes Banquet this year was the most sensational in history.

Lei Clan Fort announced to the world that Hidden River assassins infiltrated the Heroes Banquet. First, they secretly poisoned the food and wine, then the Patriarch and three Heads of Houses arrived and attacked everyone. Fortunately, several members of Lei Clan Fort, Tang Clan and Wen Clan were able to resist the deadly poison. Together with the Snow Moon City disciples who got there just in time, they joined forces to battle the Hidden River. In the end, Lei Clan Fort’s Clan Leader and Tang Clan’s Grandmaster Tang died in battle, but they also fought off the infiltrators from Hidden River and saved the lives of all the heroes present. The disciples of all the sects who attended were moved to sorrow by the loss of the two great heroes while they spread this news far and wide.

However, Lei Clan Fort had a few other matters that were even more shocking. First, Lei Tianhen, the steward of Lei Clan Fort, conveyed Lei Qianhu’s last words. Lei Clan Fort’s Clan Leader position was succeeded by Lei Hong, once famous in the martial world but because he started practicing the sword against the precepts of their ancestors, he was exiled from the clan. Secondly, because Lei Hong had temporarily left Lei Clan Fort to track down the Hidden River assassins, so the Clan Leader position was temporarily held by Lei Yunhe, the martial expert who was as famous as Lei Hong and Lei Qianhu’s older brother. The Lei Clan Twins, who had disappeared for many years, had reappeared in the martial world. They would undoubtedly become a topic of discussion in teahouses and wine shops for months.

About a hundred miles from Lei Clan Fort, a group of people were currently sitting in the Donglu wine shop in Ningzhe City and discussing the news enthusiastically. All of them were wearing blue clothes with a crescent moon painted on the collar.

"They’re disciples of Cangzhou’s Huiyue Pavilion." Someone in the wine shop recognized these people.

"What do you think, all these years, this Hidden River have always operated in the dark, engaging in the shady business of murder for money. Why would they dare attack the Heroes Banquet and make themselves an enemy of all the heroes under Heaven?" one of the disciples asked.

Another disciple sitting on the other side drank a sip of wine and said angrily, "I’m guessing it was Unrivaled City who paid a large sum of money and hired them. This time, the plot was definitely against Snow Moon City, Lei Clan Fort and also Tang Clan. The rest of us were just innocently implicated!"

"Don\'t make up stories," the middle-aged man who was their leader lowered his cup and scolded lightly.

"Shifu." The disciple knew that he’d spoken wrongly, hurriedly put down his wine cup and knelt down before his master.

"This master has a hunch that this matter is not as simple as it appears." The middle-aged man who was their leader sighed. "But we’ve suddenly lost two leaders of two of the biggest sects in the martial world. This matter is no longer something us Huiyue Pavilion can participate in. So this master is taking you back to Cangzhou as quickly as possible, because we’re going to get as far away from this matter as possible!"

"The disciple understands!"

While this group of people were talking in the wine shop, another group of people were coming towards them aggressively. There were probably a thousand cavalry in the group, each armed with a pair of sabres as they rode on horseback like vicious fiends. Their leader was a burly general in golden armour who wielded twin sabres. He stopped in front of the Donglu wine shop and asked the officer beside him, "Is this it?"

The officer nodded. "Yes, sir. The scout who just reported said that there were people who had just returned from the Lei Clan Fort Heroes Banquet in this wine shop."

"Good." Ye Xiaoying flipped off his horse. "You, come with me to check it out. The rest, wait here."

When such a large group of soldiers suddenly invaded Ningzhe City, it’d already caused a huge ruckus. Then, they’d all stopped right in front of this Donglu wine shop. The shopkeeper was so frightened his knees had weakened. "This… this, couldn’t be because of some rebels hiding in my wine shop?"

"Old man, don\'t be afraid. We\'re just here to ask something." Ye Xiaoying smiled rather gently at the wine shop shopkeeper.

If he hadn’t smiled, it wouldn’t have been so bad. But, once he smiled, the shopkeeper suddenly fainted.

Ye Xiaoying ignored him, and went straight upstairs with the accompanying officer.

The Huiyue Pavilion disciples heard the commotion downstairs, and realized something was wrong. They immediately got up and drew their swords. The disciple who’d spoken wrongly earlier frowned and said, "Shifu can really foresee the future. Someone has come looking for us. Could it be the Hidden River assassins?"

The middle-aged man who was their leader looked down from the window. "Have you ever seen assassins moving about in daylight waving their swords and coming directly at you? These people are not assassins. They appear to be Beili soldiers."

As soon as Ye Xiaoying reached the second floor, he saw a dozen swords pointing at him, and he couldn\'t help but feel a little exasperated. "I’m just here to ask you all something. Don’t get excited, don\'t get excited."

"There’s nothing to ask. You can leave now," the disciple retorted.

"Impudent! Do you know who our general is?" The accompanying officer immediately drew his sabre.

"Zixian, back down. Do not go against the Beili Army." The middle-aged man in the lead said in a low voice. At this moment, he was still sitting there, drinking wine slowly, while his disciples stood in front of him. Blocked by his disciples, he couldn’t make out the appearance of the two visitors who’d just arrived. "All of you step aside and let me have a chat with these generals."

The disciples immediately withdrew their swords and stood aside.

Ye Xiaoying clasped his fists. "I heard that these heroes had just returned from Lei Clan Fort. Can I ask who this hero is and from which sect?"

"Huiyue Pavilion, Sima Luchen," the middle-aged man in the lead said lightly. Although his name was not as famous as Lei Qianhu and Lei Yunhe in the martial world, he was also an important person. Anyone familiar with the martial world would not think he was somebody unknown. Sure enough, the person opposite immediately said respectfully, "So, it’s the master of Huiyue Pavilion. I’ve long admired your name."

"Hm." The middle-aged man finally put down his wine cup, raised his head, and looked carefully at the person in front of him. He saw a man wearing a golden armor with two long blades strapped onto his back, and he had a burly figure and a firm face. Startled, the man immediately jumped to his feet. "General!"

"Since you recognize our general, why aren’t you kneeling?" The accompanying officer said angrily.

"My respects to the General-in-chief!" Sima Luchen did not hesitate for a moment, and immediately knelt down.

But the disciples of Huiyue Pavilion were still in a daze, not knowing what was going on, and they all looked at each other.

"All of you, kneel down!" Sima Luchen scolded angrily.

The disciples hurriedly knelt down one by one. "Our respects to the General-in-chief!"

"General? Which general is it?" A disciple asked softly.

"Golden armour, twin blades. I’ve heard of him. He’s the Beili Central Army General-in-chief, Ye Xiaoying!" A slightly older disciple replied.

"Ah! Manslayer?" The disciple, who had spoken outrageously earlier, went completely blank with fright.

"Pavilion Master, no need to be so polite. Please rise quickly." Ye Xiaoying didn\'t bother with putting up airs and went directly to the subject. "You said you came from Lei Clan Fort. I have a few questions for you."

"General, please ask freely. Luchen will tell everything I know." Sima Luchen stood up.

"This time, the Hidden River ambushed the Heroes Banquet. How many casualties?" Ye Xiaoying asked.

"Lei Clan Fort’s Lei Qianhu and Tang Clan’s Grandmaster Tang died in the battle, but they protected the lives of all the others present. I don\'t know about the casualties from the Hidden River, but there were no corpses left at the scene," Sima Luchen replied.

"Did you not participate?" Ye Xiaoying asked again.

"The Hidden River used poison so we were all unconscious at the time. Lei Clan Fort’s Clan Leader Lei has very powerful martial arts so he wasn’t poisoned. The Lei Clan Twins arrived in time midway. Tang Clan members are all experts at using poisons, so they were not poisoned. The Wen Clan also sent Wen Liang, who is the youngest disciple of Wen Hujiu, and he wasn’t poisoned as well," Sima Luchen narrated all the details accordingly.

"What about Snow Moon City?" Ye Xiaoying finally asked the only thing he was concerned about.

"Snow Moon City also sent many young disciples this time. They arrived at the banquet late, but happened to arrive just in time for the fight. But Luchen didn\'t have a chance to meet them," Sima Luchen said.

"Oh? Why?" Ye Xiaoying’s eyes turned cold.

Sima Luchen noticed Ye Xiaoying\'s killing intent in an instant, a chill ran down his back, and he hurriedly replied, "I heard it’s because those disciples were all seriously injured during the battle, and a few of them were even in a coma. They’re being treated at Lei Clan Fort right now. Luchen didn’t see this with my own eyes, and only heard other people discussing it.”

"Many thanks." Ye Xiaoying didn’t say anymore. He immediately turned around and went downstairs.

"Fuck you, Hidden River. If anything happened to my daughter, I will wipe you out even if I have to level all of Beili!" Ye Xiaoying growled in a low voice.