341: Chapter 121 The Death of Duan Zhengchun

"Wan, save me!"

Hearing this cry, Zhong Ling immediately said to Mu Wanqing, "Sister Mu, it is my mother! They are in danger!"

Mu Wanqing did not respond; she simply leapt toward the opposite courtyard.

Meng Li tossed the now powerless Quan Guanqing aside and instructed Mei Jian and Zhu Jian, "Watch this man closely. Do not let him die."

As soon as the words left his lips, he was already on the wall.

"Yes."

Mei Jian and Zhu Jian replied in unison, then quickly walked over to Quan Guanqing and sealed his acupoint.

Once Meng Li reached the wall, he saw Jiumozhi grabbing Duan Yu, intending to slip away.

Mu Wanqing intervened without hesitation, meeting Jiumozhi with a palm strike and sending him flying backward.

Unexpectedly, Jiumozhi used the momentum to create distance, then turned and leapt away, disappearing into the distance in a few bounds.

Mu Wanqing was secretly annoyed and wanted to pursue, but then heard the sorrowful cries of Gan Baobao, Zhu Danchen, and Fu Sigui from the opposite courtyard.

"Brother Chun!"

"Duke Duan!"

Mu Wanqing, Meng Li, and the arriving Wang Yuyan and A Zhu were all startled.

Mu Wanqing could not care about pursuing Jiumozhi and hurriedly flew into the courtyard to check the situation.

Meng Li, Wang Yuyan, and the others did the same.

Then, they saw Duan Zhengchun slumped against his wheelchair, his eyes wide with rage, tear tracks on his face, and a bloody hole in his chest. Blood was gushing out, and his life was fading away.

Witnessing this, Mu Wanqing and A Zhu were shaken.

Wang Yuyan, A Zi, Meng Li, and A Bi's expressions shifted slightly.

Lying in front of Duan Zhengchun's wheelchair was the corpse of Gu Ducheng.

It was obvious that Gu Ducheng had died protecting Duan Zhengchun.

Zhu Danchen and Fu Sigui lay on the ground not far away, their eyes split with rage, tears streaming down their faces. They were struggling hard but could not Move; they had clearly been poisoned by the Sorrowful Crisp Breeze Poison.

Furthermore, Duan Yanqing, Ye Erniang, and Third Elder Yue were in the courtyard.

Duan Yanqing's iron crutch was stained with blood, signaling that both Gu Ducheng and Duan Zhengchun had died by his hand.

Ye Erniang was holding Gan Baobao hostage.

Third Elder Yue stood ready with his crocodile shears.

Realizing that Duan Yanqing had killed Duan Zhengchun, Mu Wanqing, A Zhu, Wang Yuyan, and A Zi all showed expressions of anger.

Although they had no affection for this scumbag father, Duan Zhengchun, and even felt some disgust, their blood relationship was undeniable. Now that they saw him murdered with the killer right before them, they could not remain indifferent.

Just as Mu Wanqing, Wang Yuyan, and the others prepared to strike at Duan Yanqing, Ye Erniang spoke up: "Young Master, please show mercy and let us leave."

"Otherwise, do not blame me for being ruthless... Ah!"

Before she could finish, Ye Erniang let out a painful scream.

It was Meng Li who had used the Mixed Finger Technique, injuring the wrist she used to hold her weapon.

Reflexively, she released her weapon and retracted her hand.

Meng Li took the opportunity to grab the air toward Gan Baobao, pulling her away from Ye Erniang.

Mu Wanqing, Wang Yuyan, and the others immediately attacked Duan Yanqing.

Tianshan Six Yang Palm, Luoying Divine Sword Palm, Finger Flickering Technique, and Air-Splitting Palm.

Facing these Moves, Duan Yanqing felt a sense of inescapable, unstoppable doom, and a massive, frantically flashing blood-red character appeared in his mind: DANGER!

No! He could not die! He had not yet set things right or reclaimed everything that belonged to him; he could not die here!

With his obsession, hatred, and unwillingness intertwined, a fierce light flared in Duan Yanqing's eyes as he swung his iron crutch with all his might at Third Elder Yue.

Third Elder Yue, caught completely off guard, was sent flying, his face full of astonishment.

By the time he regained his senses, he happened to be right in front of Duan Yanqing, blocking the lethal blows for him.

This maneuver shocked everyone present.

Even Meng Li had not expected Duan Yanqing to suddenly use Third Elder Yue as a human shield.

In the original story, Third Elder Yue was also killed by Duan Yanqing, but that was because Third Elder Yue, for the sake of the Master-disciple relationship, defied his boss, Duan Yanqing, and insisted on saving Duan Yu. Duan Yanqing could not persuade him and, unable to bear it any longer, dealt the lethal blow.

But now, Third Elder Yue had not defied Duan Yanqing, yet...

While everyone was stunned, Duan Yanqing stomped his crutch on the ground and used the leverage to fly away and escape.

Ye Erniang, coming back to her senses, also wanted to seize the chance to slip away.

Seeing this, Zhu Danchen hurriedly shouted, "Miss A Zhu, Miss A Zi! Your mother's disfigurement was caused by Ye Erniang. Do not let her escape!"

A Zhu and A Zi were startled and hurriedly moved to intercept Ye Erniang.

Ye Erniang's Lightness Skill could not compare to Crane in the Clouds, and since she hadn't gained the upper hand, she naturally could not shake off A Zhu and A Zi, who were using Swift Steps.

She didn't get far before she was intercepted by A Zhu and A Zi, and after two or three exchanges, she was injured, defeated, and trapped in a desperate situation.

Seeing no hope of escape, Ye Erniang fell to her knees before A Zhu and A Zi with a thud, begging with a sobbing voice, "Two young ladies, I did not intend to disfigure your mother. I had no intention of harming her; she was the one who blocked me from killing Duan Zhengchun and even caused me to be injured on my face by Duan Zhengchun, which is why I lost my temper and acted ruthlessly."

As she spoke, she pushed aside her disheveled hair to reveal the scar on her face, proving that what she said was true.

Then, she pleaded again, "I still have a son to take care of. He has been separated from his parents for many years. His father is already gone, and he cannot lose me, his mother, as well."

"I beg you, spare..."

Before she could finish, A Zi struck her with a palm, killing her instantly.

A Zhu followed up with another palm strike, then carried Ye Erniang's corpse back.

A Zi asked in surprise, "Sister, why are you bringing the corpse back?"

A Zhu replied, "Have you forgotten what the Young Master said? After killing someone, the corpse must be properly disposed of, otherwise it will cause an epidemic."

A Zi suddenly realized, then whispered, "Don't tell Master about this, or he'll say my words go in one ear and out the other again."

A Zhu rolled her eyes at her and nodded, agreeing.

Upon returning to the courtyard where Duan Zhengchun was, A Zi immediately said to Meng Li, "Master, my sister and I have avenged our mother, but we don't know how to handle the corpse. Should we dig a pit and bury it, or pile up some wood and burn it?"

Meng Li glanced at her and said, "Put Ye Erniang's corpse together with Third Elder Yue's in an open area, then stand back."

"Okay."

A Zhu and A Zi followed his instructions.

Just as Meng Li was about to dispose of them, he caught sight of the corpses of Duan Zhengchun and Gu Ducheng out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but ask Gan Baobao, Zhu Danchen, and Fu Sigui, "Do you want the bodies of Duke Duan and Guard Gu to be handled as well?"

Gan Baobao did not speak.

Zhu Danchen said, "We cannot make the decision on this matter, so we will not trouble you, Young Master."

Meng Li nodded, indicating he understood, and then waved his hand to strike both Ye Erniang's and Third Elder Yue's corpses with a Flame Blade.

As the flames burned the corpses, he suddenly thought of a question, turned, and asked Gan Baobao, Zhu Danchen, and Fu Sigui, "How did you get poisoned?"

It was true that the Sorrowful Crisp Breeze Poison was colorless and odorless, but it was already dark, and Duan Zhengchun and the others would normally have returned to their rooms to rest.

With rooms acting as barriers, the Sorrowful Crisp Breeze Poison would be hard-pressed to knock everyone out at once.

Gan Baobao replied, "In the evening, a child brought over a porcelain bottle, saying it was sent by an old friend of Brother Chun's and would help with his injuries. Upon learning of this, we were all drawn over. Not long after opening the bottle, we were poisoned."

Meng Li realized.

Wang Yuyan, A Zi, and the others felt a slight chill and looked at Meng Li in unison.

Seeing this, Gan Baobao seemed to realize something and asked in surprise, "Could it be that you all also received a porcelain bottle?"

Mu Wanqing said, "Yes, the child said the porcelain bottle was a gift from an old friend of Li Lang's, and that he had to open it in front of all of us. But Li Lang couldn't think of who the old friend might be, found it suspicious, so he didn't open it and threw it away directly."

Gan Baobao, Zhu Danchen, and Fu Sigui were stunned.

Wang Yuyan asked in confusion, "Did you not suspect that the porcelain bottle was problematic?"

Gan Baobao looked at Duan Zhengchun's corpse and said nothing.

Fu Sigui looked helpless.

Zhu Danchen coughed twice and explained, "The Duke had many friends. Over the years, wherever he went, he would basically meet old friends or receive gifts. Over time, we became accustomed to it, so we did not suspect anything."

Meng Li: "..."

Wang Yuyan, Mu Wanqing, and the other women: "..."