152: Liu Fangxi

The day before, Han Yi, who was registered under Shopkeeper Liu, unexpectedly came over at noon and asked about things that had happened to him in the past few days, such as whether the Gushen Sect had come to harass them again, and whose subordinates Feng Yingying and Jiang Xiu were, and so on.

At that time, Han Yi had even advised him that if he had the chance, he could develop elsewhere, but he merely humored him, not taking it to heart.

After all, this Liu's Rice Shop in Changle Ward had only just begun to show signs of flourishing after years of hard work.

In the early stages, he didn't know how many setbacks he had faced, how much money he had invested, and how many smiles he had feigned to build such a good reputation for Liu's Rice Shop. Now that the good times were just beginning, how could he bear to abandon his hard work?

Therefore, he didn't take Han Yi's suggestion seriously. Perhaps Han Yi saw his inner stubbornness, sighed, asked him some information about the Gushen Sect, focused on Jiang Cheng, and then Han Yi left.

After Han Yi left, Shopkeeper Liu didn't pay it any mind and went to handle the busy affairs of the rice shop.

But now...

“Is Jiang Cheng really among the dead?”

Shopkeeper Liu thought he had misheard and confirmed again and again.

“Master, it’s absolutely true, that Jiang Cheng is really dead. They say his head exploded, and he’s as dead as can be!” The Butler said excitedly. He was also a member of Liu's Rice Shop, and their fates were intertwined.

“Moreover, I also heard the coroner say that, judging from the clues of the attack, that branch altar of the Gushen Sect was taken down by one person acting alone!”

“How is that possible? At that branch altar, Jiang Cheng is a Late Refinement Stage expert, and there are so many Disciples, each of whom is an elite Martial Artist. Even if one or two couldn’t defeat him, if they all attacked together, an ordinary Late Refinement Stage Martial Artist would probably be beaten to death in a moment! Could it be that a Tongmai Stage Martial Master took action?”

Shopkeeper Liu said in surprise. Jiang Cheng was notorious and had run rampant in the Changning Ward area for more than ten years. Recently, he had even allied himself with the Gushen Sect, which claimed to have a Tongmai Stage Martial Master. He never expected him to die suddenly overnight, which made him secretly suspect that a Martial Master had taken action.

“Master, it’s normal for you not to believe it. Now, outside, this matter has already spread like wildfire. Some say that the mysterious Black-Faced Judge took action and single-handedly broke through that stronghold, but in my humble opinion, the Black-Faced Judge is nothing more than rumors fabricated by those Jianghu idlers, not to be trusted.

Some also say that the Gushen Sect provoked people from the Dan Ding Sect and ruined their business, leading to their branch altar being destroyed as a warning. But the Dan Ding Sect had long since issued a statement saying that they only do business in An Yan City and do not engage in killing.

Others say that a strong person used a hallucinogen to drug all the people of the Gushen Sect, which is even more impossible. So many people, all drugged at the same time, and they really had no reaction at all? That’s too fake, not to mention, there was also Jiang Cheng, a Late Refinement Stage expert, inside. How Advanced a poison would it take to achieve that?

In my humble opinion, the most popular theory now is that in the past few days, the Gushen Sect trespassed on the Ba Da Sect's territory and killed a small leader of the Ba Da Sect. Therefore, the Ba Da Sect and the Plum Blossom Hall, two Gangs, united and took advantage of the Gushen Sect’s stronghold being internally empty, causing a rout. As for some Crimson Flame Sect expert acting alone, those are all fake news.”

The Butler chattered on for a long time. He was inherently a chatterbox, otherwise he wouldn't have known so much gossip, which he learned from chatting with others all day. In the past, Shopkeeper Liu used to dislike his nagging, but now that he had a chance to show off his abilities, he naturally displayed his skills and felt proud.

The Butler spoke convincingly, but Shopkeeper Liu fell into silence and doubt.

“Could it really be him? But that’s impossible. He just Breakthrough, at most he can be considered a Refining Blood Martial Artist. That was a Late Refinement Stage expert… and he had so many subordinates to command…”

Shopkeeper Liu had a son who Cultivated the Martial Dao. Although his talent was limited and his strength was not outstanding, as a father, he was not completely ignorant of the Martial Dao.

Lianxue Stage Martial Artists have abundant Innate Qi and blood, greatly increased stamina, strength, and speed, and there is already a clear distinction between them and ordinary people.

The three levels of Refining Blood—Qi and Blood Surging, Qi and Blood Furnace, and Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke—correspond to different stages. Each stage requires years of painstaking effort, and the difference in strength between them is immense.

‘If it really was him…’ Shopkeeper Liu suddenly felt a flicker of doubt in his heart.

‘Impossible, absolutely impossible! He is just a Refining Blood Martial Artist, not some expert. How could he have dealt with so many people alone? It must be a coincidence, he just happened to come the day before, just a coincidence…’

No matter how he thought about it, Shopkeeper Liu found it unlikely.

“Master! You have a letter!”

At this moment, an outside servant walked quickly, delivering a letter to Shopkeeper Liu.

He took the letter, carefully opened it, and began to read.

As his eyes scanned the letter, his mouth gradually widened, showing a surprised expression.

The letter was sent by Han Yi, roughly stating that the Gushen Sect should not cause trouble again in the near future. If any other forces came to cause trouble, he should send a letter to the Black Market.

The address was Yuqing Ward, at the Crimson Flame Sect's Black Market guard courtyard.

‘What’s going on, could it really be him?’

If all the initial speculations could have been coincidences, upon seeing this letter, Shopkeeper Liu no longer had any doubt and had a clear target.

“Master, let me see, who sent the letter? Why aren’t you saying anything after so long!” Madam Liu couldn’t help but ask, looking at Shopkeeper Liu, who had taken the letter, read it, and fallen into contemplation.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

Shopkeeper Liu carefully folded the letter and put it into his bosom, pushing away Madam Liu’s outstretched hand.

“Madam, how many catties of our crimson blood spiritual rice do we still have?”

He didn't respond to his wife's question, but instead asked a question of his own.

“About a hundred catties… What’s wrong?”

Madam Liu asked cautiously.

“You go with the Madam, collect fifty catties of crimson blood spiritual rice, and send it to this address on the envelope. Say it’s a thank-you gift for Young Master Han.”

Shopkeeper Liu ignored her and turned to the Butler, saying.

“Liu Fangxi, are you crazy! That’s what we’ve been saving for Kirin’s Cultivation!”

Shopkeeper Liu didn't speak, he handed the letter to Madam Liu, but halfway through, it was pushed away by her.

“I won’t look, in short, I don’t agree!”

Madam Liu felt that her man was simply unreasonable. He had just looked at a letter handed to him by a subordinate, and now he wanted to give away several catties of crimson blood spiritual rice that they had painstakingly saved.

People like them, who run rice businesses, often have access to channels that ordinary people cannot, such as this crimson blood spiritual rice!