https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-6-Master-Pan-and-the-Greedy-Ghost/12535910/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-8-Seeking-Sword-Techniques-from-Ah-Fei/12535912/
Chapter 7: Finally Meeting Ah Fei
Chapter 7: Finally Meeting Ah Fei
You Longsheng trailed behind the carriage, his presence concealed.
He had no intention of rescuing Qian Shou Luosha, and the Golden Silk Armor held no interest for him either. He wasn't planning to kill the Plum Blossom Thief to make a name for himself, nor did he have any plans to marry Lin Xian'er and bring trouble upon himself. It would be better to let Ah Fei reform her.
You Longsheng's greatest interest at the moment was to witness Ah Fei's sword skills and gauge his own strength against this renowned swordsman.
Following the carriage, he turned onto a side path and watched as it came to a halt before a stone tomb. Soon after, two startled cries escaped from within the carriage.
The next moment, Shi Yaoxian leaped out and delivered a heavy palm strike to each of the three men, instantly severing their heart meridians.
"Peh!"
Shi Yaoxian turned back towards the carriage and spat, "That good-for-nothing Pan always made me play second fiddle to him. What gives him the right to promise me anything? With the Golden Silk Armor, I can kill the Plum Blossom Thief myself and claim the million taels and the number one beauty for myself!"
"Golden Silk Armor?"
A soft murmur caught Shi Yaoxian's attention, and he spun around, only to discover that there was someone else present near the seemingly desolate stone tomb.
"Who's there? Show yourself, you coward!" Shi Yaoxian shouted. Then he noticed a young man standing by the large tomb, clad in tattered clothes.
The youth appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with thick eyebrows and large eyes. Despite the cold and snow, he wore only a single layer of clothing, yet he stood straight and tall, gazing at Shi Yaoxian with a cold expression. "I've never hidden from you," he said calmly.
Shi Yaoxian's eyes narrowed as he took in the young man's attire and bearing, but when his gaze fell upon the sword at the youth's waist, a sneer curled his lips. "So, you're just a country boy."
Even the most destitute of martial artists wouldn't use two pieces of softwood to sandwich a strip of iron as their sword.
Ah Fei remained silent because Shi Yaoxian wasn't wrong. He was, indeed, a country boy.
But...
"I just killed Pan, the young master of the Jin Yutang," Shi Yaoxian stated.
"I saw that," Ah Fei replied nonchalantly.
"Then you must die for seeing that!" Shi Yaoxian declared.
"Are you going to kill me?" Ah Fei asked.
"Poor little thing, you haven't even stepped into the martial arts world yet, and you're going to die here!"
Shi Yaoxian let out a malicious laugh, his body lunging towards Ah Fei. His left hand formed a tiger claw, poised to attack or defend, while his right hand remained behind, index finger poised to strike with force. Even facing a country boy, Shi Yaoxian remained vigilant, prepared to kill him instantly and then flee with the Golden Silk Armor.
And then Ah Fei made his move.
As Shi Yaoxian closed in, the three-foot-long strip of iron that resembled a sword appeared between them, its hilt in Ah Fei's hand, and its tip embedded in Shi Yaoxian's throat.
"Chhht!"
Ah Fei withdrew the iron sword, casually flicked it to remove the blood, and then sheathed it at his waist.
"Heh... heh... heh..."
Shi Yaoxian emitted a strange hissing sound, his eyes wide with terror. He reached out with both hands, as if trying to grasp Ah Fei.
But Ah Fei's sword had already taken the last of his strength, and he grasped at nothing. Then, he fell back, powerless, the falling snowflakes covering his eyes and filling his last glimpse of the world.
What incredible speed!
You Longsheng, hiding nearby, was also startled. Even as an observer, he hadn't been able to see how Ah Fei had drawn and sheathed his sword. The youth's hand speed had surpassed the visual perception of most people.
No wonder he's been a swordsman for eighteen years!
And the wilderness had endowed Ah Fei with the keenest sense of smell, akin to that of a wild beast.
You Longsheng's heart skipped a beat as Ah Fei's gaze turned towards him, having sensed his presence.
And so, You Longsheng stepped out of his hiding place, revealing himself without hesitation.
"Are you here for the Golden Silk Armor too?" Ah Fei asked.
"Of course not. I'm here for a woman named Qian Shou Luosha. That woman attacked me for no reason, and I'm going to teach her a lesson," You Longsheng replied, effortlessly making up an excuse.
"Qian Shou Luosha?" Ah Fei frowned, wondering how the person before him or the one he had killed in the carriage was related to Qian Shou Luosha and the Golden Silk Armor.
"When I caught up to her, I found that she had already been killed by these two men," You Longsheng explained, gesturing to the dead men. "I was curious, so I followed to take a look."
"And now you've seen it all," Ah Fei said nonchalantly.
"Indeed, I have," You Longsheng nodded.
"So, do you still want the Golden Silk Armor?" Ah Fei continued.
"No," You Longsheng shook his head firmly.
"Why not?" Ah Fei was intrigued, as everyone he had encountered so far wanted the armor.
"First, I'm already very rich. My wealth surpasses that of the young master in the carriage, so I have no use for a million taels. Second, my martial arts skills are quite good. I don't need the armor to deal with ordinary people, and against those I can't handle, the armor wouldn't help me anyway. Third, I don't plan to kill the Plum Blossom Thief. I have no desire for fame or profit," You Longsheng listed his reasons.
"And of course, the most important fourth reason," he continued, glancing at the sword at Ah Fei's waist, "I sense that you have a connection to this Golden Silk Armor, and I don't want to end up with a hole in my throat."
Hearing the sincerity in You Longsheng's words and the praise for his skills, Ah Fei's expression softened a little. "This Golden Silk Armor... it belongs to a friend of mine," he explained, a rare occurrence.
"I understand, so you're keeping it safe for him," You Longsheng said.
Ah Fei nodded, then asked, "Who is the Plum Blossom Thief? Why is it necessary to kill him, and why is the Golden Silk Armor required?"
You Longsheng was taken aback, realizing that Ah Fei probably didn't know about the Plum Blossom Thief. When Purple Face Erlang Sun Kui had told Li Xinhuan about the thief, Ah Fei had already left.
In the original storyline, Ah Fei didn't meet Li Xinhuan again after that, but he still managed to kill the Plum Blossom Thief and knew that the thief would appear within the next two days. Who had informed him?
It seemed that the only person left was Tie Chuanjia, whom Ah Fei had saved unintentionally. After all, Li Xinhuan wouldn't hide anything from Tie Chuanjia.
Since Tie Chuanjia knew that Li Xinhuan was having a difficult time in Xingyun Manor and that Ah Fei had the Golden Silk Armor, it made sense that he would tell Ah Fei about the Plum Blossom Thief's imminent appearance at Xingyun Manor.
This time, it was uncertain if Ah Fei and Tie Chuanjia would meet, so You Longsheng decided to fill Ah Fei in on the matter of the Plum Blossom Thief.
"I see," Ah Fei nodded, finally understanding why everyone was after the Golden Silk Armor.
Without another word, he climbed into the carriage, retrieved the bundle containing the armor, and then drew his sword, leaving two lines of writing on the inner wall of the carriage.
As he stepped out, he looked at You Longsheng, who had moved closer, and said, "Thank you for the information. I'm leaving now."
"Don't rush off. You're heading into the Central Plains too, right?" You Longsheng smiled. "I'm heading back as well. We're going the same way. How about we travel together?"
Ah Fei regarded You Longsheng.
"Don't worry, I truly have no interest in the Golden Silk Armor. I'm a swordsman too, and I admire your skills greatly. We can exchange pointers along the way. Of course, you'll have to go easy on me and not put a hole in my neck," You Longsheng said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.
"In return, I'll treat you to drinks and accommodations, and cover all the expenses on the way," he added.
Ah Fei looked at You Longsheng for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright."
(End of Chapter)
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