Urban Martial Saint

That day, when Ye Qing returned to the Southern Suburbs Dogfight Arena and met Huangfu Ziyu, Huangfu Ziyu even bet him, saying that Shen Qianyue would definitely make an issue out of the matter with the five gangs in Western Province. Now, as Shen Qianyue touched upon this matter, Ye Qing, while admiring Huangfu Ziyu’s masterful foresight, couldn’t help but be astounded.

Could it be that Shen Qianyue, just as Huangfu Ziyu had described, presented the facade of a modest gentleman, but inside was utterly despicable, a true hypocrite?

Shen Qianyue did not know what Ye Qing was thinking, and still spoke loudly, ”The issue between Mr. Ye and the five gangs in Western Province arises, in part, due to our Shen Family, leading to the unpleasant incidents. Therefore, I, Mr. Shen, would like to leave a statement here, friends from Xingyi Boxing School can also vouch for me. Today, on behalf of the Shen Family, I promise Mr. Ye that if people from the five gangs in Western Province come to Shenchuan City seeking revenge, our Shen Family will be the first to disagree.”

As Shen Qianyue spoke, he looked at Ye Qing and said loudly, ”If they dare to step half a foot into Shenchuan City, Mr. Ye need not act, as our Shen Family will personally resolve the matter. If they dare attempt any retaliatory actions against Mr. Ye, our Shen Family will definitely enter Western Province to secure justice for Mr. Ye. This is my promise to Mr. Ye, and it is also the promise of our Shen Family!”

Upon Shen Qianyue’s declaration, the people at the scene immediately became very excited and thrilled. Shen Qianyue’s impassioned statement truly sounded like it was uttered by a significant personality from a prominent family, powerful and commanding. And indeed, only the Shen Family had such authority to make such a statement. With Shen Qianyue’s words, those five gangs from Western Province would definitely not dare to step half a foot into Shenchuan City!

However, Ye Qing’s mind was rather conflicted. Shen Qianyue’s words were exactly as Huangfu Ziyu had predicted. Could it be that Huangfu Ziyu’s assessment of Shen Qianyue was also true?

Ye Qing looked at Shen Qianyue, who was smiling gently at him, his demeanor humble with no trace of darkness. Gentle and courteous, this man would be perfect if his inside matched his outward appearance. But if it were as Huangfu Ziyu had said, he would indeed be a terrifying figure!

After hesitating for a while, Ye Qing eventually did not hand the medicine bottle to Shen Qianyue and tucked it back into his pocket instead. It was not that he did not trust Shen Qianyue—in fact, he trusted him a lot—it was just that Huangfu Ziyu’s words had caused some ripples in his heart. The Ziyu Chenxiang Pills in the bottle were extremely valuable, and he felt it was safer to personally hand it over to Shen Qingyi.

Shen Qianyue’s promise made a significant alteration in the crowd’s view of him. Regardless of his skills, his forceful declaration reflected the true mettle expected of a prominent family member. People finally saw the strength and resolve expected of the Xihang Shen Family in him!

Shen Qianyue did not linger long in the Xingyi Martial Arts School; after greeting Tie Yongwen and Ye Qing, he left first.

After seeing off Shen Qianyue, Tie Yongwen and Ye Qing returned to the living room, and Tie Yongwen’s brow was still furrowed.

”Uncle Tie...” Ye Qing took the blue porcelain vial out of his pocket and said, ”Sorry, I did not hand this medicine back to him just now. I wanted to give it back to Miss Shen myself since it is her property after all!”

”There’s nothing to apologize for, you did the right thing!” Tie Yongwen said, waving his hand, ”Shen Qianyue is starting to suspect you, you must be careful in the future. Fortunately, you did not reveal any techniques from the Li Style Bajiquan, otherwise, it would have been difficult to handle this matter. There’s no rush to return the medicine to them, giving it to Shen Qingyi when the opportunity arises is the right thing to do.”

Tie Yongwen’s understanding of his actions significantly comforted Ye Qing. However, he was still thinking about what Huangfu Ziyu had said earlier, and after hesitating for a while, he couldn’t help but ask, ”Uncle Tie, do you know the person called Xikou Fire Butterfly?”

”You mean the young lady from the Chen Family? I’ve seen her a couple of times,” Tie Yongwen looked at Ye Qing, ”What’s the matter? Didn’t she come to help you last time? Do you have any grudge with her?”

”No, not really. It’s just that during the opening of the dogfight arena the day before yesterday, she led people and killed key figures from the five gangs in Western Province,” Ye Qing paused, ”Since those five gangs came to cause trouble that day, in a way, she really did me a big favor. However, I always feel there’s more to this incident. I’ve met the Fire Butterfly once; she values clear distinctions between gratitude and grudges and wouldn’t kill someone without reason, right?”

”Hehe...” Tie Yongwen chuckled, ”You suspect that she might have a grudge against those five gangs, don’t you?”

Ye Qing nodded, looking at Tie Yongwen, and said, ”Uncle Tie, they say she hasn’t been in the Eastern Province for long. How did she get entangled with those five gangs of the Western Province?”

”This matter, it’s a long story, starting from a long time ago, and the details are very complex. It would take quite a while to explain it all to you,” Tie Yongwen said. ”Let me put it this way, those five gang leaders from the Western Province used to be household slaves of the Chen family. They betrayed the Chen family and kidnapped the young Chen San and Chen Si. Chen Si was lucky and was saved by Ao Wuchang, but Chen San ended up in the hands of those former slaves and became a hostage. Ao Wuchang, reluctant to take drastic actions, had to call upon the General of Meng District to reach an agreement with those slaves. They released Chen San, and the General of Meng District promised them a way out. As long as they do not step out of the Western Province, neither the Chen family nor Ao Wuchang or the General of Meng District will enter the Western Province to seek revenge on them!”

At this, Tie Yongwen sighed and continued, ”This agreement saved Chen San’s life and also allowed those household slaves to retain theirs. Over the years, they have thrived in the Western Province, building powerful influences with the wealth they took from the Chen family. They’ve become quite bold. Like this time, their attempt to take over your Southern Suburbs Dogfight Arena in Shenchuan City was a major transgression. The daughter from the Chen family coming here to kill their people was merely an act of revenge!”

Ye Qing listened, dumbstruck. He hadn’t expected such a deep entanglement. Moreover, hearing it all firsthand from Tie Yongwen, Ye Qing could finally confirm Chen Si’s background. A disciple of the General of Meng District, the goddaughter of Shuzhong’s first Red Robe Ao Wuchang, and the biological sister of Ludong’s White Horse Chen San. All these identities were actually real!

Although Ye Qing didn’t understand the significance of the titles Shuzhong’s first Red Robe and White Horse of Ludong, he clearly understood what being the General of Meng District meant. Meng District General Helian Tiehua, commanding a force of a hundred thousand disciples, dominated the Meng District, unmatched by anyone, a behemoth in the North. Not to mention Ao Wuchang and Chen San, just an order from Helian Tiehua alone could send a hundred thousand disciples to Jiangnan, flattening all the underground forces of the Southern Six Provinces!

No wonder Chen Si dared to so boldly execute key figures of those five gangs from the Western Province. With so many powerful backers, what did she have to fear? Moreover, Ye Qing recalled the day of the killing, Chen Si had loosely mentioned the word ’household slave,’ and only now did Ye Qing truly understand its meaning.

So, those people were really just household slaves of the Chen family after all!

”Uncle Tie, what kind of family is the Chen family, exactly?” Ye Qing couldn’t help but ask. If Ao Wuchang and Helian Tiehua would intervene together to save these children, the Chen family must be extraordinary.

”Ah,” Tie Yongwen sighed deeply, shaking his head slowly, and said, ”Once upon a time, the Southern Six Provinces were filled with powerful families, several of which could stand equal to the Shen family. Unfortunately, the ones that have managed to remain standing until today are only the Xihang Shen family. Others like the Chen family and Huangfu family have faded into obscurity. It’s already fortunate that a few children have survived. There are even families whose lineage didn’t continue at all!”

Ye Qing was startled and said, ”The Huangfu family? Uncle Tie, is that Huangfu Ziyu’s family?”

Tie Yongwen slowly nodded, looking at Ye Qing, and said, ”Compared to the Chen family, the girl Huangfu Ziyu is the most pitiable. On the day her family was destroyed, only a dwarf old servant managed to carry her out. If it hadn’t been for Brother Shen intervening to block all assassins, that talented girl might have been long dead. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the same fate as Chen Si. Besides that dwarf servant, no one cared about her survival. Especially after Brother Shen and Brother Li San fought, when Brother Shen left, the entire Xihang Shen family stopped caring about her. At thirteen, she broke ties with the Shen family and stepped into the Eastern Province with that old servant, making her way to today. This woman, with an iron will and ambitions higher than the sky, is unfortunately blinded by hatred, alas!”

While talking about Huangfu Ziyu, Tie Yongwen heaved sighs continuously, clearly moved by the fate of Huangfu Ziyu.

Ye Qing was unaware of the many past events surrounding Huangfu Ziyu. No wonder that day she held back Shen Qianyue, allowing Cui Yihang to kidnap Shen Qingyi. It seemed she also had old scores to settle with the Shen family. But, since she was a disciple left in the Shen family by Heavenly Lord Shen, how could she break ties with the family?

However, upon further thought about a person like Shen Baichuan, Ye Qing instantly understood. If the Shen family had more people like Shen Baichuan, normal people would indeed have difficulty getting along with the members of the Shen family.

Huangfu Ziyu and Chen Si, the two most calamitous women of the Eastern Province, both bore deep-seated grievances. They were the Proud Daughters of Heaven, born with silver spoons yet faced such major calamities in their childhoods. Their families were exterminated, and recalling such events was truly horrifying. Were those years really so chaotic?

”Uncle Tie, I still can’t comprehend,” Ye Qing looked at Tie Yongwen and said, ”According to you, the Huangfu family and Chen family had strength comparable to today’s Shen family, yet it seems like their families were obliterated overnight. What exactly happened back then, and what force was so powerful to cause such catastrophe to such strong families?”