Chapter 10: Taking Action

Third Uncle couldn’t recall how he made it back home.

After dealing with Wang Laoshuan’s family, he stumbled dazedly into his courtyard, barely registering when Old Liu at the alley entrance greeted him.

“It’s over!” Sitting in the yard, Third Uncle felt utterly lost for a moment.

There was no escape.

Even the toothbroker responsible for their getaway had been killed. As just a small-time player, where could he possibly run? Most crucially, the perpetrator belonged to the imperial court. He suspected that even if the county magistrate knew, there would be nothing they could do. Moreover, Third Uncle feared that Wei Gonggong, the eunuch, intended to leave no survivors, targeting everyone within Qingya County. This suspicion arose from the sealed checkpoints discovered during daytime reconnaissance.

If even a lowly worm like himself could see this coming, surely the high officials at the county yamen must have known as well?

“Third Uncle?”

After an indeterminate time, the sound of the door creaking open echoed.

Returning from his training, Chen Luo noticed his disoriented uncle sitting in the yard and asked, concerned.

“What are you doing here?!”

Startled, Third Uncle bolted upright.

He had assumed Chen Luo would still be staying at Cripple Ma’s house tonight, not expecting him to return so late. Now, both nephew and uncle were trapped; neither could escape.

“What happened?” Chen Luo immediately noticed something was amiss with his uncle.

In Chen Luo’s experience, Third Uncle had always been carefree and lived for the moment, enjoying life as it came. Seeing such fear etched on his face indicated that they were facing serious trouble.

“Quickly, leave! Go find your master. This situation is not for you to involve yourself in!” Third Uncle felt anxious.

Based on his suspicions, those individuals would surely come looking for him tonight. If he died, being just another worthless life, it might be bearable; however, involving his nephew would make him ashamed to face the ancestors of the Chen family even after death.

Before Chen Luo could ask further, he suddenly sensed several powerful presences approaching outside.

Over these past few days, Chen Luo had been intensely training, unsure of his current level of strength. However, his perception had significantly improved, allowing him to detect the movements outside instantly.

“People are coming.” Chen Luo firmly pressed down on Third Uncle’s shoulder, speaking gravely. He didn’t know who approached, but the palpable malice radiating from them was unmistakable, even to him.

“What?!” Third Uncle’s face showed shock, instinctively trying to shield Chen Luo behind him.

Bang!

As soon as the words left Chen Luo’s mouth, the gate burst open.

Three menacing figures entered from outside, flanked by two jianghu wanderers. In the middle stood a person with a somber expression and a head full of white hair, not even bothering to conceal their identity. This individual was none other than Wei-gonggong, the white-haired eunuch who had assigned Chen Luo the corpse disposal task.

“It’s been several days without any word. Seems your bait has been wasted,” remarked the black-clothed man beside Wei-gonggong, scanning the courtyard to ensure they were alone. Their dismissive attitude suggested that they already considered Chen Luo and his uncle as good as dead.

“Being part of the imperial clan, he wouldn’t be so foolish.” Wei-gonggong remained unsurprised.

When he let them go initially, it was merely a casual move on his part, without high expectations.

The true mastermind behind the plan saw him merely as a pawn in this grand scheme.

The repercussions of killing members of the royal family far exceeded what Third Uncle, a simple villager, could comprehend. To eliminate potential trouble, the influential figure orchestrating everything decided to sacrifice the entire Qingya County!

‘Conspiracy against the throne.’

This accusation proved quite useful.

Once everyone in the town was slaughtered, the details would ultimately depend on their narrative. With skillful manipulation, these deaths could all be turned into merits.

This incident involved numerous individuals, including the county magistrate of Qingya, who was one of its orchestrators.

A bloodbath had been orchestrated, with the accolades already penned down for their triumph.

The delay allowed time to fabricate the ‘battlefield,’ making it appear as though months were spent suppressing bandits and avenging the slain imperial kin. With the higher-ups satisfied and benefits reaped by those below, everyone seemed content.

Thud!

Third Uncle fell heavily to his knees and bowed deeply before the trio.

“Wei-gonggong, I truly know nothing about this. Please spare my nephew. This old man is willing to offer his life; all I ask is that you let our Chen lineage continue.”

Having witnessed the true prowess of these three men, Third Uncle’s eyes filled with despair.

Dealing with such formidable jianghu wanderers was beyond him. Although his nephew had trained martial arts for some time, he stood no chance against these高手 (skilled masters). Even Cripple Ma, his master, might not be able to withstand them.

“You’re smarter than those two fools, at least you didn’t try to poison me,” Wei-gonggong remarked indifferently, scanning the scene before fixing his gaze on Chen Luo.

“Kill them all.”

His voice was icy and detached, reflecting a chilling disregard for human life that few could comprehend.

As his words echoed,

a flash of blade glinted as the man on the left lunged towards Third Uncle’s neck.

Thud!

A figure suddenly darted forward, and before the attacker could react, a hand like a tiger’s claw forcefully struck his chest. With a sickening crack, the assailant’s chest caved in, bulging out at the back, and he flew backward like a cannonball, slamming into the wall. He then crumpled to the ground, legs twitching briefly before going still.

It all happened so swiftly that by the time others realized what occurred, the man was already dead.

Chen Luo stood in the middle, resembling a fierce tiger, emanating a menacing aura from every fiber of his being.

After practicing Black Tiger Fist for these many days, it finally proved its worth.

Rescued Third Uncle stared dumbfounded at his nephew standing protectively before him, wondering if he was dreaming. As family, he knew well how long his nephew had been training—just a few days? Yet now, he had become remarkably formidable.

“I misjudged you; didn’t expect such a skilled fighter.”

Before “fighter” was uttered, the man on the right made his move. Wielding a sword with incredible speed, he closed the distance to Chen Luo’s left side within two breaths, aiming the sharp blade directly at Chen Luo’s throat.

“Beware of the sword tip,” echoed a voice from one of the jianghu minds within Chen Luo’s consciousness.

This moment revealed the second use of these external brains: combat guidance!

The ‘brains’ he borrowed all belonged to individuals from the jianghu, many who had perished due to feuds and vendettas. Among them, there were bound to be exceptional fighters. Their expertise might not manifest during ordinary training but would surge to life in life-or-death situations.

Sensing danger, Chen Luo took half a step back just as the assassin’s sword narrowly missed his throat by mere inches. He could even feel the chilling coldness emanating from the sword tip.

The surprised expression on the attacker’s face mirrored that he hadn’t anticipated Chen Luo evading his strike.

“Counterattack.”

“Aim for the throat.”

Once again, both minds provided instant feedback. Almost simultaneously with his thought, Chen Luo’s body reacted swiftly. Gathering all the inner qi he had cultivated over these days into his palm, he struck fiercely at the assailant’s throat with a claw-like grip.

With a sharp crack, the swordsman’s neck snapped instantly, his head lolling unnaturally backwards. After tumbling twice on the ground, he breathed his last. The sharp sword, still clutched in his hand, spun twice in the air before embedding itself obliquely into the earth, its blade trembling incessantly.

“Who exactly are you?”

In the blink of an eye, two of his subordinates lay dead. This compelled the white-haired eunuch to reassess Chen Luo carefully.

Martial arts were strictly prohibited within the empire’s borders. How could such a formidable master remain hidden? Judging by the ruthless precision displayed earlier, this individual must have trained for at least ten years and likely has bloodshed experience. What reason would someone like him have to conceal himself within a body handler’s home?