"Old Man, Master Nangong." The thirteen people bowed in unison to pay their respects. The young woman who had been insisting on supporting the heavily injured man earlier stood to the side with him after entering the room.
"No need for such formalities," the Old Man replied.
"You have just recovered from a serious injury, so you should sit down given the exhaustion of your journey. Meng Chaoge, come and take care of your Senior Brother." Nangong Yan had already pushed out a chair and spoke to the young girl simultaneously.
Upon hearing this, the young girl Meng Chaoge was delighted and followed instructions, hurriedly helping her Senior Brother to sit down.
"Thank you, Old Man and Master Nangong," the man addressed as Steward Xiao Shi spoke first on behalf of the heavily injured man.
"We are all brothers here, no need for thanks," Nangong Yan replied.
"The Shi Mansion had over three hundred people, and now only the thirteen of you remain," the Old Man sighed after quickly observing everyone.
Hearing this, everyone recalled the indescribable disaster, and sorrow welled up in their hearts.
During the first lunar month, the Shi Mansion, located in the heartland of Yudu in the southwest, was suddenly invaded by several factions. They requested aid from the Righteousness Alliance and the Nine Provinces and Four Seas factions. Nangong Yan personally led reinforcements, traveling through the night to rush to their rescue.
However, by the time Nangong Yan's reinforcements arrived, the Shi Mansion had been wiped out, leaving only ruins. The factions from the Nine Provinces and Four Seas that came to assist reported that the entire Shi Mansion had been annihilated, with no survivors.
After the news reached Chrysanthemum Garden, Nangong Yan stayed in Yudu for several days to investigate. Heaven rewards the diligent, and he finally found those who had escaped the Shi Mansion. To avoid leaking information, he sent a secret message back to Chrysanthemum Garden, and the meaning of the secret message was only the two words "Return to see." Therefore, the information the Old Man received was only that the Shi Mansion had been destroyed; as for any turning point, he would only know once he saw Nangong Yan.
Until today, nearly two months had passed since the destruction of the Shi Mansion, and finally, Nangong Yan and this group of people had returned.
"Nangong, tell me in detail." Seeing the grief of the group, the Old Man knew that what he was about to say would tear open the wounds they had temporarily forgotten. His heart trembled, and a flash of reluctance crossed his mind. But this thought was fleeting; the Jianghu was just like this. He had to let these young people know that no matter how painful things were, they had to face them bravely. What had happened was a fact that could not be changed. Immersing themselves in past grief would not help; it would only hinder them. What they could do, and what they needed to do, was to change themselves and gain the ability to prevent similar tragedies from happening.
"On the eighth day of the first lunar month, it happened to be the twentieth birthday of Shi Xin's youngest son. The Shi Mansion held a grand birthday banquet and invited the surrounding neighbors. Various factions must have been planning against the Shi Mansion for a long time. Taking advantage of the Shi Mansion being busy with the celebration for days and letting their guard down, they gathered in secret that night. When the banquet was in full swing, they charged into the Shi Mansion. The Shi Mansion responded to the enemy in a hurry, holding out for two days and two nights, but the reinforcements could not arrive in time, and they were tragically annihilated."
"Of the three hundred and nineteen people in the Shi Mansion, regardless of age or gender, three hundred and five died in the manor. The master of the Shi Mansion, Shi Xin, and his five sons did not survive. The one hundred and thirty-three neighbors who came to celebrate at the Shi Mansion that night also died there."
"Three days later, I found these thirteen brothers in the dense forest on the outskirts of Yudu City, along with the tombstone of Shi Xin's top master, Long Yao. A total of four hundred and thirty-nine people died in the battle of the Shi Mansion, and only thirteen escaped with their lives. A celebration turned into a tragedy." Nangong Yan's words left Jiang Yichen feeling deeply shocked. He had already heard about the destruction of the Shi Mansion on West Mountain Island, but he had not realized those factions were so insane as to massacre over four hundred people!
"In that case, it was precisely by using those one hundred and thirty-three people as a cover, along with Long Yao's fight to the death to protect them, that these thirteen people were able to stand before us alive?" the Old Man asked, the scale of the casualties exceeding his expectations.
"You could say that," Nangong Yan replied.
"Have you found out exactly which factions participated?" the Old Man asked.
"The four fiends of the Twelve Heavenly Fiend Gates—Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Lightning—and the three halls of the Red Robe Cult were dispatched. These two sides should be the main force. The Netherworld Cult's You Gui and the Doushuai Gang's Chang Kun also appeared, likely providing support. There were also some smaller sects that took advantage of the situation to fish in troubled waters. If my guess is correct, the imperial court played a crucial role in this," Nangong Yan said.
"Indeed. Although the various factions are not at the point of being like water and fire, they are mutually suspicious and guarded. To be able to cooperate closely this time, there must be someone pulling strings in the dark, plotting for mutual benefit. And the most suitable role for this is none other than the imperial court. It is no wonder that after the Shi Mansion was destroyed, the message released by the government was merely 'a Jianghu conflict caused by a clash of interests, no further investigation,' vague and generalized, deceiving the world. Shi Xin was, after all, a major threat to the imperial court," the Old Man analyzed.
"Give me more time for the details, and I will clarify them one by one. I will definitely give the Shi Mansion and everyone present an explanation! Let me introduce everyone first," Nangong Yan said.
The Old Man agreed.
"Shi Zhonghuo, a former subordinate of Shi Xin when he was in the military, originally a cook. After Shi Xin retired and returned to his hometown, he brought him back to the Shi Mansion. Later, he assisted the Head Steward in handling all the affairs of the manor, and he was very capable." The first one was the man with graying temples.
"Guan Da Dao, also a former subordinate of Shi Xin, originally a main force warrior in the army, who followed Shi Xin back to the Shi Mansion. He wields a saber with great skill, possessing the spirit of Guan Yunchang from those years, and he lives up to his name." The second was the broad-shouldered and strong-backed man.
"Shopkeeper Xiao Yin, young as he is, he has a deep understanding of business. With his own strength, he manages all the businesses of the Shi Mansion in Yudu." A man in his twenties, with drooping eyelids, looked extremely shrewd.
"Ji Zhe." The white-clothed man with a refined and elegant appearance.
"Xi Xia." The man with exotic features.
"Si'er." The beautiful woman with a stunning and elegant appearance.
"Xi." The pure and icy young girl.
"Ci Feng." The man with a face like a red date.
"The following are the young disciples of Long Yao: the second disciple Ruan Gu, the third disciple Zi Feng, and the fourth disciple Weiwei." The two men and one woman were about the same age as Jiang Yichen, but they appeared more mature.
After introducing the eleven people, Nangong Yan returned to the side of the heavily injured man and the young girl named Meng Chaoge.
"Meng Chaoge, Shi Xin had five sons but no daughters. She was an adopted daughter taken in ten years ago, and later she became a disciple of Long Yao. Although she joined later, she is actually the Eldest Senior Sister," Nangong Yan said with a slight smile, bringing a touch of relief to the heavy atmosphere.
"The eldest disciple of Long Yao, Love Sword, Luo Piaoling. He followed his Master from a young age and received his true teachings. His sword technique has reached perfection; in terms of sword technique alone, he is not inferior to Long Yao. One could say the student has surpassed the master."
"According to them, after Long Yao fought a bloody path for them to break out of the Shi Mansion, he was exhausted, but they were surrounded by You Gui. Long Yao fought to the death with one strike to break You Gui's dual-body fusion technique. The twelve of them fought You Gui's Outer Body Manifestation, while Luo Piaoling fought You Gui's Internal Energy Body alone, wearing You Gui down until he gave up the blockade, allowing them to escape the city. However..." After much anticipation, Nangong Yan finally introduced the heavily injured man, his eyes filled with admiration, but also a flash of pity.
Under Nangong Yan's introductions, everyone nodded and paid their respects to the Old Man again.
Listening to Nangong Yan's introductory buildup, the Old Man understood and signaled to Luo Piaoling, who wanted to stand up, that he did not need to rise to pay his respects.
Love Sword, Luo Piaoling. This name had been famous in the Jianghu for the past few years. At twenty-four, his sword technique was extraordinary, he was proficient in music and dance, and he possessed both strategy and wisdom. A gentleman who had won the favor of many beauties in the Jianghu, he was known as the "Number One Handsome Man of Southwest Zhongzhou," and his fame was that of the "Love Sword."
"However?" The Old Man had already guessed half of it, but he hoped Nangong Yan could tell him a better outcome. Yet, he was ultimately disappointed. How could You Gui easily let go of his opponent?
"The Palm of Shattered Meridians. You Gui's dual-body fusion technique was broken, causing him significant damage. Enraged, he left this palm strike before departing in anger. Even though Piaoling has profound internal energy cultivation, he only managed to protect his heart meridian. His Eight Extraordinary Meridians were completely damaged, and his life was hanging by a thread. Before I found them, each of them took turns inputting their internal energy into Piaoling to save his life. Afterwards, for a month, I led them to the Medicine Valley in Lingnan to seek medical treatment," Nangong Yan said.
"Even Old Man Yao had no way?" the Old Man asked.
"His life is not in danger, but he needs to recuperate. In this life, he will never be able to hold a sword again," Nangong Yan shook his head.
When Nangong Yan said this, everyone's gaze involuntarily focused on Luo Piaoling. A heaven-gifted talent with both virtue and ability, who should have been soaring in this world, had been destroyed so completely in an instant, which could not help but stir the compassion of everyone present.
Luo Piaoling seemed to ignore the pitying gazes around him and revealed a relieved smile. But the moment his left hand clenched into a fist betrayed the unwillingness in his heart completely.
"Falling with the plum blossoms in an instant. Following the soul of the flowers, drifting into the void." Although the Old Man had been tempered by the mortal world and had seen many geniuses fall inexplicably, thinking he could remain calm, he could not help but sigh for him.
After a long silence, the Old Man finally spoke first.
"What are your plans for the future?" The Old Man's gaze swept over the thirteen people and landed on Luo Piaoling. Through those deep eyes, he saw the determination and unyielding spirit within this young man.
"Establish a gang and recuperate," Luo Piaoling noticed the Old Man's gaze and replied with a bow.
"Have you thought about where to set it up? Jiangning or near Jiangning Commandery?" the Old Man asked.
"If that were possible, of course, that would be best." Regarding the Old Man's probing, Luo Piaoling answered neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Choosing the Nine Provinces Alliance or the Four Seas Alliance?" the Old Man asked again.
"That is not important, is it?" Luo Piaoling replied.
"Since that is the case, Nangong will help you see where is suitable, and Old Zhen will allocate some manpower to help." The Old Man did not refuse this small request. This group of people had survived a great disaster, not just thinking about revenge or asking for things, but choosing to lie dormant, recuperate, and seek self-strengthening.
The Old Man believed in these young people. As long as they were given some protection and time, one day, they would surely stand at the pinnacle of the Jianghu.
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