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Chapter 599: Exposure at Puppet Villa
Chapter 599: Exposure at Puppet Villa
As the Carefree Marquis vanished into the mountain villa, Xiao Shi Lang, Feng Si Niang, and Yang Kaitai, hiding in the distant woods, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They had followed She Tianshi's group of seven there.
Since the other party also consisted of experts, the trio was extremely cautious, tiptoeing along their path, not daring to make even the slightest sound that might alert their targets.
They maintained a considerable distance from She Tianshi's group, but Xiao Shi Lang and Feng Si Niang, both experts in their own right, had no fear of losing track of them.
Their caution paid off as they managed to remain undetected, not only by She Tianshi's group but also by the highly skilled Carefree Marquis.
Watching the Carefree Marquis disappear, Feng Si Niang's face paled slightly, but she still teased, "You claim to be exceptional in light martial arts; how do you compare to the Carefree Marquis?"
Xiao Shi Lang smiled bitterly, "With just his light martial arts, I doubt there's anyone in the martial arts world who could match him."
"What about you?" Feng Si Niang asked.
Xiao Shi Lang shook his head, "I definitely wouldn't last two hundred moves."
"What about Lian Chengbi?" Feng Si Niang inquired.
Xiao Shi Lang fell silent, "Lian Chengbi's swordsmanship is already divine and profound, but if he can't pierce the Carefree Marquis, it's all for naught."
"What if you and Lian Chengbi joined forces?" Feng Si Niang asked again.
This time, Xiao Shi Lang proudly smiled, "Then it would be the Carefree Marquis who wouldn't last two hundred moves."
Yang Kaitai, standing beside them, remained silent. He was confident in his Shaolin Divine Fist but also realistic about his limitations.
In a battle of this magnitude, he knew he wouldn't be able to intervene effectively. Forcing his way into the fray would only hinder, not help. So, he warily eyed the villa before them and whispered, "Let's get going, then."
While their martial arts were not weak, if they were discovered by the Carefree Marquis or his handmaiden, they would never make it out of the Qinling Mountains alive.
...
Unaware of the events transpiring in Qinling, Lian Chengbi felt troubled.
He had released so much information that the Carefree Marquis was almost public enemy number one in the martial arts world. Yet, both the Carefree Marquis and the Young Master seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth, and the Yin Demon Sect's lair remained undiscovered.
At the same time, after eliminating Lei Dian Shuangshen, Bo Zhong Shuangxia, and Hua Ruyu, there were few remaining members of the Yin Demon Sect that he knew of.
The original novel really didn't elaborate enough! Despite feeling that it was already quite draggy, there were still many details left unexplained.
As Lian Chengbi strolled, deep in thought, he mused, "I didn't expect him to be so patient. Did I put too much pressure on him by making both the righteous and evil sides of the martial arts world target him?"
Compared to the original novel, the current plot had already deviated significantly.
In the novel, even before the Carefree Marquis made his appearance, the Young Master could toy with Xiao Shi Lang and Shen Bijun, making them desire life yet fear death. It was only because he had underestimated Lian Chengbi that she had ultimately met her demise.
As for the Carefree Marquis, it was purely plot armor. If it weren't for Ge Shuibing calling out his name from below the cliff, adding the 'afraid of ghosts' trait to his character, Xiao Shi Lang would never have had a chance against him.
And now...
If the Carefree Marquis dared to show his face, he would be swarmed by a mob of martial artists.
"Could it be that he doesn't dare to come out? That shouldn't be... How long must I wait?"
Lian Chengbi did not underestimate the Carefree Marquis' intelligence. While others might not know the intricacies of the Yin Demon Sect, believing the information to have come from Tu Xiaotian and Hua Ruyu, how could the Carefree Marquis not deduce that he was the source of these leaks?
Given the Carefree Marquis' personality, treating the experts of the martial arts world as mere playthings and puppets, why would he continue to tolerate Lian Chengbi's actions? He should have come knocking by now, seeking to unravel the doubts in his heart and capture Lian Chengbi to bring him back to the Puppet Villa.
However, more than half a month had passed since Hua Ruyu's death, and there had been no news of the Carefree Marquis in the jianghu. Even the few leads that surfaced eventually turned out to be false.
"Master!"
Just then, Li Yiban rushed in to report, "Young Masters Shen Tianzhu and Shen Tianju of the Shen family have come to visit. The Mistress is receiving them now."
A glint flashed in Lian Chengbi's eyes as he asked, "Only those two?"
"Yes!"
"What did they say?"
"They said Old Madam Shen is ill and wants the Mistress to return home."
At the mention of this, Lian Chengbi's ears perked up, and he looked up to see Shen Bijun hurrying towards them, with the second and fourth brothers of the Lu Dong Siyi, dressed in green robes, following close behind.
"Husband, my grandmother suddenly fell ill and is bedridden," Shen Bijun said worriedly. "My second and fourth brothers came to deliver the news. They said that she... she might..."
Lian Chengbi held Shen Bijun's hand and reassured her, "Don't worry, my wife. When we visited Old Madam Shen last summer, she was in good health, and she's no ordinary person. With her deep internal energy, she wouldn't fall sick so easily."
"But she's old now, and it's winter. The cold weather isn't doing her any favors," Shen Bijun insisted. "Moreover... moreover, she sent my second and fourth brothers to fetch me personally."
Shen Bijun was anxious. She knew that Lian Chengbi was waiting for the Carefree Marquis to make his next move, and she wanted to stay by his side. But she only had one grandmother, and they had relied on each other since she was young.
"Husband, I'll rush there at full speed. No matter what happens with Grandmother, I'll be back within seven days," Shen Bijun said, her eyes determined.
Shen Bijun clearly valued Lian Chengbi more. This trip back to Shandong was meant to be a final farewell to Old Madam Shen, but she didn't plan to stay.
Shen Tianju, who was following Shen Bijun, took a step forward when she heard this, her eyes flashing. "Old Madam has contracted a serious illness and is now bedridden. Wang Shenyi has asked us to prepare for the worst."
Lian Chengbi glanced at Shen Tianzhu and Shen Tianju. These two brothers were quite good actors; their faces showed concern for Old Madam Shen's health and anxiety about letting Shen Bijun leave.
To be honest, if it weren't for their sudden appearance, Lian Chengbi would have almost forgotten about them.
It was clear that Tianzong had made a move.
And their target wasn't him but Shen Bijun.
Reasonably, since he had just killed more than a dozen Tianzong members, it wouldn't be wise to confront Tianzong directly without knowing their main force and lair.
Shen Bijun understood this logic, so she hadn't suggested that he accompany her north.
Similarly, Shen Bijun, aware of the Carefree Marquis's designs on her, shouldn't have taken the initiative to leave Wuqu Mountain Villa. She understood this as well.
But understanding was one thing; no one could have anticipated the emergence of special circumstances.
For instance, Shen Bijun never expected that Shen Tianzhu and Shen Tianju, as members of the Shen family, would be under Tianzong's command and use Old Madam Shen to deceive her.
She had thought that by rushing north secretly, she wouldn't alert anyone.
Lian Chengbi stroked his chin.
This time, the Young Master should appear in person, right?
Just then, another disciple rushed in, breathless. "Master! Young Master Yang Kaitai has come to pay his respects!"
(End of Chapter)
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