Of the thirty-six martial masters from Golden Horse Riders Department that went to Iron Cloud, twenty-six were now dead! Three Command Horse Riders were all killed. As for the two King level leaders, one was killed, and the other one, if he could not escape… his life would be in jeopardy as well…

This was the biggest loss in the history of Golden Horse Riders Department’s existence! Having a King level leader die while out on a mission was even more impossible. Cheng Yun He could imagine the crazy reaction that Golden Horse Riders Department would have once they heard of this news…

Thinking about his own situation, Cheng Yun He felt immensely helpless. He had come to Iron Cloud Citadel with an important task, but, since he got here, he immediately fell into this bad situation without getting anything done!

From the first day he came here until now, he was pushed into a quagmire by Kong Shang Xin’s unwarranted actions. At this point, he had sank deeper and deeper without any means of pulling out.

He frowned and walked leisurely as he muttered, “Perhaps, I have to… take a risk?”

***** (walkthejianghu.com)

Afternoon came, and Du Shi Qing arrived. Iron Cloud Citadel was currently in chaos so Du Shi Qing would naturally come with bodyguards.

Fire Saber Great Master Gao Wei Cheng and four guards were blocked at the front of Bu Tian Pavilion; they were politely led to a hall for tea.

Seeing the situation, Gao Wei Cheng said angrily, “We are acquainted with your Minister Chu; why did he use us to climb to a high position here at Iron Cloud Citadel and immediately forget all about us? This is the action of a petty person.” (TLN: I think I just found a good word for “small person.”)

Gao Wei Cheng’s words made everyone at Bu Tian Pavilion glare at him angrily. The gazes were especially aflame for those who were wearing bandages; they hated the fact that they could not chop this thin, feces-spraying mouthed man into pieces.

“Sir, regardless of who you are, if you say one more bad word about the Minister here, we cannot guarantee that you will walk out alive!” Chen Yu Tong said solemnly.

Gao Wei Cheng snorted with a face full of condescension but did not say another word.

At this time, Chu Yang and Du Shi Qing were sitting opposite each other in another room.

“Senior Du, I want to know, what weakness do you have that Diwu Qing Rou has a hold over you?” Chu Yang slowly asked a long time after watching Du Shi Qing patched him up.

“Weakness…” Du Shi Qing’s hands trembled.

“Exactly. I found it strange that given your character, you would allow Diwu Qing Rou to bully you…” Chu Yang said casually, “Especially last night, His Majesty’s condition changed at such a time; this left me even more confounded…”

“Ah…” Du Shi Qing looked up at the heavens and let out a sigh. He remained solemn for a long time and finally said, “My mother, wife, and child are all at Golden Horse Riders Department… My mother is almost eighty this year… The most infuriating thing is my only son, who is twenty-three this year, has been brainwashed and has joined the ranks of Golden Horse Riders Department! He is a Silver Horse Rider! And my daughter-in-law… is also a Silver Horse Rider of Golden Horse Riders Department…”

“My life, my family have all fell into ruin…” Du Shi Qing sighed loudly and said with frustration, “What ability do I have? Who lives their life for the rest of the world? They are just a small minority; the rest live for their parents and their families… Other people might not need this, but I, Du Shi Qing… cannot be like them.”

Chu Yang quietly sighed.

Du Shi Qing was definitely stuck with no way out! If it was a simple matter of his family being taken hostage, it would be easier to solve. They would only need to send a few martial experts to secretly rescue his family. While this was still difficult, it was not impossible.

However, the issue was his son and his daughter-in-law were loyal to Golden Horse Riders Department… This was the root of the challenge. Even if he was able to rescue them, it would be no different from rescuing two spies…

“If you don’t betray him, but disappear instead… how would that be?” Chu Yang asked cautiously.

“If that is the case, they would be safe…” Du Shi Qing laughed, “But how do I disappear? This is an issue worth some considerations… How could Diwu Qing Rou be easily fooled?”

“We don’t necessarily don’t have a way.” Chu Yang gently knocked on the edge of his bed and said casually, “What position does Fire Saber Great Master Gao Wei Cheng have in Golden Horse Riders Department?”

Chu Yang’s remarks were certain!

Du Shi Qing smiled a bitter smile and said, “Sure enough, it cannot be hidden from your eyes! Gao Wei Cheng is also a Golden Horse Rider. But this person comes and goes as he pleases. Plus, while his martial arts skill is not exceptional, his ability to control fire is nothing to look down upon. Even more so, it seems that Gao Wei Cheng comes from some mysterious place with a massive force backing him… I only know this much.”

“Maybe not! Mysterious place?…” Chu Yang sneered and said, “If Gao Wei Cheng really comes from there, his status is probably very low. How can people from there be so weak? Plus, if they do come out from there, there would be a lot of support; how could he be by himself?”

“Do you know about that place?” Du Shi Qing asked.

Chu Yang solemnly nodded and said, “All of Golden Horse Riders Department’s missions are told to you by Gao Wei Sheng? How about the other four guards…”

“I am not certain.” Du Shi Qing smiled wryly, “I know what you want to do, but you need to be careful. The forces behind Gao Wei Cheng… you are currently not their opponent.”

“If we remain careful and timid like that, it would be best if we do nothing.” Chu Yang said lightly, “If we do something, even when the sky collapses, we must push it back up!”

“Nothing is impossible!” Chu Yang said.

Du Shi Qing let out a deep sigh.

On the way back, Du Shi Qing sat on the carriage with a worried frown. Thinking back to Chu Yang’s words, he was a little apprehensive.

He was not just worried about himself but about Chu Yang as well. If everything turned out successful, there was nothing to worry about. But the issue was Chu Yang’s plan… would it be successful? Could it… get Chu Yang implicated as well?

Moreover, Chu Yang said something that gave Du Shi Qing the chills.

“Senior Du, if you don’t treat His Majesty’s condition… How many more days can he hang on?”

“This… I am not certain. At best, it will probably be ten days.”

“Ten days?” Chu Yang mused, “…That should be enough?”

What was it that Chu Yang wanted to do?

“Senior Du, this Chu Yang is something; who does he think he is? He is simply unforgivable!” Gao Wei Cheng drove the horses and carriage along while fuming with anger, “In the beginning, he was so downtrodden; he came to you in the name of repaying a debt but used you to get fame and advance himself in Iron Cloud Nation.”

“At the time, he even righteously said he would never join the ranks of the officials; hah! Thinking about it now, this is such a joke.” Gao Wei Cheng’s saliva scattered everywhere.

“You don’t need to say anymore.” Du Shi Qing closed his eyes and said faintly.

“Hmm, this bastard, sooner or later…” Sooner or later what, Gao Wei Cheng did not say. He only rushed the horses and did not bother speaking about this again.

Success was close at hand!

The road opened up, and there were soldiers on patrol in all directions. This should have been the safest place…

“Senior Du, please go see a sick person for a little bit.” A voice softly rang out. It sounded very elegant and polite.

“Who is it?” Gao Wei Cheng turned and asked. These past few days, Du Shi Qing had seen too many sick people. Over time, Gao Wei Cheng had grown used to this.

“It’s me.” The voice faintly responded, “Senior Du still has not said anything yet, what right does a carriage driver like you have to call out?”

Gao Wei Cheng yelled angrily, “You should be more gracious if you’re asking to see a doctor; what kind of attitude is this?” Then he jumped off from the carriage and looked around furiously.

That voice said, “What is graciousness? I still have not learned it. But when it comes to people who don’t listen… killing them, I have learned.”

Before those words ended, a black saber flashed and became a bolt of lightning in the air as it aimed straight for Gao Wei Cheng. The moment the saber flashed, a black shadow suddenly appeared.

And yet another black shadow appeared, and a sword rushed forth from behind the carriage. With a swoosh, the sword hit the four guards in the throats; they flew out in four directions. Immediately after, this person rushed into the carriage; this person’s voice could be faintly heard, “Senior Du, saving a life is as urgent as putting out a fire; please come with me.”

Then, boom, the carriage shattered, and a masked man in black flew out of the carriage with Du Shi Qing in one hand. Then the two legs of this person pushed and they flew away like some large birds. Then, they pushed on the roof of a nearby house and disappeared without a trace!

At this time, Gao Wei Cheng had become breathless from fighting with the other person in black. If he had not furiously emitted fire, his head would have fallen to the ground already…

Seeing that Du Shi Qing had been taken away, Gao Wei Cheng was extremely alarmed. He flew up wanting to stop them, but that person in black’s saber techniques were extremely agile. His body essentially never touched the ground. This made Gao Wei Cheng really annoyed; he could barely pull out his arms and could only watch as Du Shi Qing was taken away.

“People… Senior Du has been captured!” Under such urgency, Gao Wei Cheng did not worry about his dignity and continued to scream out.

“Is this really a Saber Great Master?” That person in black sneered, “He really makes all Saber Great Masters lose face!” Of course, this person in black was also a Saber Great Master.

Gao Wei Cheng’s cry rang out far and soldiers gathered from all directions.

“I originally wanted to play with you a little, but I can’t believe you don’t even need your own dignity. In that case, you should not bother with keeping your life.” That person in black suddenly yelled out. He pulled away his saber, and, within moments, the saber seemed to have pulled with it all the air in the atmosphere, turning it into a vacuum!

Then the saber flashed in the night and slashed right for his head!

There was nothing pretty about this move, but it carried an awe-inspiring momentum and made people feel as if it could break a large mountain! Plus, there was no hesitation; no matter what was in front of it, it would cut and split that in two without a pause!

Gao Wei Cheng could only feel the saber fiercely locking on to him. At the moment, even making a move with his saber was difficult. Just as he was so terrified his soul practically left his body, he let out sudden roar. The saber in his hands along with the five openings on his face unexpectedly shot out raging fire!

At this moment, Gao Wei Cheng had turned into a flaming human!