44: Chapter 44 Eliminating the Weeds at the Root

As the Martial Artist with the broadsword fled, Ye Jing and Guo Zhengning chased after him simultaneously.

"Trying to escape? It's not that easy!"

Guo Zhengning's broadsword danced in his hands once more, sweeping toward the Martial Artist. His sword technique was rigid and overbearing, carrying an Aura that could sweep across an army.

The overlapping shadows of the blade, like dark clouds pressing down from the sky, completely sealed off the Martial Artist's retreat.

The Martial Artist, sensing the biting wind of the blade behind him, was terrified to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, hurriedly waving his sword to block.

The Martial Artist felt a massive tremor in his arm, and the sword in his hand nearly flew out of his grasp.

Ye Jing stepped forward again, unleashing a barrage of slashes that struck the Men in Black in the chest. The speed was so fast that the Men in Black could not defend against it at all.

The axe blade bit into flesh, shattering the ribs of the Men in Black. Blood gushed out, and the Men in Black, unable to put up any further resistance, collapsed to the ground.

Just as Ye Jing wanted to strike again, Guo Zhengning stopped him: "Brother, this person and I have an old grudge. Let me handle it."

Ye Jing stopped. After all, when they were attacked, Guo Zhengning had stepped up to protect them during the retreat, which meant he wasn't a bad person, and Ye Jing was quite willing to cooperate.

Furthermore, the Men in Black had sustained severe internal injuries and wouldn't live much longer.

Guo Zhengning stepped forward and said coldly: "Looking at your sword technique, you are from the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall."

Knowing he couldn't escape, the Martial Artist smiled bleakly: "So what if I am? Guo Zhengning, you killed my father, and now I am to die by your hand. I admit defeat. Give me a quick death!"

Guo Zhengning's eyes suddenly became sharp as a blade: "Back then, when your father came to challenge my hall, he used vicious methods to kill my wife and child. Did he ever think about today!"

Previously, Guo Zhengning had opened the Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall in the county town. Relying on his ancestral sword technique, he had quickly recruited many Disciples.

However, it unexpectedly drew the jealousy and hatred of the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall. The Master of the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall kept coming to provoke him and even forced him into a life-and-death arena match. At that time, he had a wife and child and didn't want to risk his life over a mere provocation.

Who would have thought that the Master of the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall would be so insane as to assassinate his wife and child to force him onto the stage, and then use despicable methods to severely injure him in the arena, leaving him no choice but to take his subordinates and flee to a remote town to eke out a living.

If not for the help of the golden spirit rice, he feared his old injuries would never have healed. The first thing he would do upon returning to the city was to fight the Master of the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall in another life-and-death match, then beat him to death to avenge his wife and child.

Now, the people from the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall were still being so relentless, wanting his life.

The Martial Artist coughed up blood and foam, a hint of madness on his face: "That was your Guo family's fault! Who told you to block the path of the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall and cut off our source of wealth? In the Jianghu, it is the survival of the fittest. If you lose, you lose! Why so much nonsense!"

Guo Zhengning said coldly: "It seems my grudge with the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall ends here!"

Having said that, he raised his blade and stabbed it into the Martial Artist's heart. With a single scream, the Martial Artist died immediately.

Guo Zhengning would no longer be soft-hearted. Once he returned to the county town, he would completely wipe out the Kuangxiao Martial Arts Hall!

Ye Jing stood to the side, not caring about their grudges.

At this moment, Ye Xuan and Ye Yi arrived. Ye Jing asked coldly: "Is it all resolved?"

The two brothers nodded, saying they hadn't let a single one escape and had killed them all.

Ye Jing then looked at Guo Zhengning to the side, his eyes filled with a bit of helplessness.

Although Guo Zhengning had been careful enough over the past few months, the people behind the scenes still wanted to take the golden spirit rice for themselves. Simply hiding was not a solution.

Seeing the seller looking at him, Guo Zhengning immediately said: "Thank you all for your assistance in killing this bunch of thieves!"

Ye Jing spoke up: "Director Guo, these people are dealt with, but I heard that Martial Artist with the long sword say before he died that he was dispatched by the Tang Family. The Tang Family is powerful; since they have set their sights on the golden spirit rice, they will certainly not give up!"

Guo Zhengning naturally understood. He immediately said: "Everyone, this matter is indeed very tricky. My influence is not enough, but I can find a backer that the Tang Family cannot touch to provide protection. What do you think?"

"A backer?" Ye Jing was somewhat surprised.

Seeing this, Guo Zhengning didn't hold back anymore and said straightforwardly: "I won't hide it from you. Besides earning silver, my grain shop in the city is also responsible for providing food and drink to the Zhenxiu Restaurant, the largest restaurant in the county town. The owner of this Zhenxiu Restaurant is a big figure from the Imperial City. He often wants to cooperate with me on the golden spirit rice business. The Tang Family is very wary of him. A mere local family like the Tang Family wouldn't dare touch that lord's goods!"

Guo Zhengning was on good terms with local officials, wanting to use their hands to make money, but naturally, he had to provide a significant amount of tribute each month.

If he could hand over the golden spirit rice business to that big figure, he could please the higher-ups and avoid being targeted by the Tang Family again.

Ye Jing listened and pondered for a moment. Guo Zhengning's words meant expanding from a simple grain shop business to the business of the powerful and influential in the county town.

This idea was good, but whenever Ye Jing thought about dealing with the powerful, he felt uneasy. After all, officials were like wolves and tigers, let alone a big figure from the Imperial City. If the business deal failed and he got himself involved, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Therefore, he said: "Thank you for your kind offer, Director Guo. I will consider it."

Guo Zhengning also knew this was a bit abrupt. After all, having just experienced an interception by the Tang Family, suggesting cooperation with an unknown powerful figure to sell the golden spirit rice would make anyone feel it was inappropriate.

So he said: "Alright, if you are interested, just come to the Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall in the county town and look for me!"

Seeing the corpses on the ground, Guo Zhengning sighed: "It is just that these corpses must be dealt with, otherwise it will be a troublesome matter if the government officials investigate."

Seeing so many people dead, Ye Jing wanted to see if they had anything good on them, so he said: "Director Guo, just leave these corpses to us to deal with. You had better take the golden spirit rice and return to the county town quickly to avoid any further complications!"

Guo Zhengning listened and felt it made sense. The Tang Family had targeted him; it was best to return to the city quickly to look after his martial arts hall. So he cupped his hands and said: "I'll trouble you all. I hope there will be an opportunity for cooperation in the future."

Having said that, he had his surviving attendant take the golden spirit rice, and he himself, carrying the corpse of his dead attendant, quickly left the forest.

Ye Jing watched Guo Zhengning leave for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, then breathed a sigh of relief and said to his two sons: "Carefully check what these people have on them, and then throw them into the ravine ahead!"

Ye Xuan and Ye Yi agreed and nimbly started searching the clothes.

Ye Jing came to the dead Martial Artist with the broadsword. He looked at the Martial Artist's broadsword, which was still very sharp and bright, feeling some weight when held in his hand.

Upon touching the chest of the Martial Artist with the broadsword, Ye Jing found a bag of silver, weighing it to be about several tens of taels, and a packet of powder with the words "Soul Bewitching" written on it, likely some kind of anesthetic.

Ye Jing unceremoniously put it into his pocket and also took his broadsword.

From the other Martial Artist with the long sword, who had been killed by his two sons, Ye Jing managed to search out a copy of the "Chaotic Flower Sword Technique" and a copy of "Hidden Flying Daggers".

These two Secret Manuals, one should be about sword technique and the other about hidden weapons. Ye Jing thought of how the flying daggers used by this person were elusive and extremely powerful.

Ye Jing happened to be lacking martial arts Secret Manuals, so he unceremoniously accepted them with a smile.

Ye Xuan and Ye Yi searched the other dead Men in Black, but only found some broken silver; none of it was anything valuable.

After searching for so long, all the dead people had been thoroughly looted, and after confirming there was nothing left behind.

Ye Jing looked at the cliff not far from the forest, and had his two sons throw all the corpses of these people into the cliff to destroy the evidence.

After doing all this, the three of them did not stay long and immediately left the place.