Urban Martial Saint

Ye Qing’s expression changed, it was one thing for his employees to be captured, but if Li Changshan was also taken, it could be a big problem.

Li Changshan’s martial arts, though not at the level of a top-level master, were not far off. Moreover, he was the younger brother of Northern Fist King Li Changqing. If he were captured, the matter would be even more serious. It meant the other party was declaring war on Ye Qing, not just targeting the orphanage.

”We’ve investigated on our end, but there’s not a single clue we can find,” Zhao Chengshuang said helplessly. ”Given your health condition, I didn’t want to disturb you. But now, considering the situation, I have no choice but to come to you. Ye Zi, why don’t you ask the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance to help investigate this matter?”

Ye Qing shook his head. A major battle between the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance and the Twelve Green Halls was about to break out. In such a tense moment, he couldn’t go ask Helian Tiehua, it would only distract him.

”I’ll handle this personally, don’t worry,” Ye Qing said after a moment of silence. ”When do these employees usually disappear?”

Zhao Chengshuang replied, ”They all disappear at night. It seems the other party is also wary of being discovered.”

”Alright, I understand.” Ye Qing nodded, ”You should go back and act as if nothing happened. Continue your investigation as before. Leave the rest to me.”

”You’re not planning to go there yourself, are you?” Zhao Chengshuang asked urgently. ”In your condition, you can’t go and fight!”

”Don’t worry, I’m not a fool. I won’t go seeking death,” Ye Qing laughed, patting Zhao Chengshuang on the shoulder. ”Stop worrying about me and help investigate the Black Bear issue first!”

”Alright then.” Zhao Chengshuang nodded. Although he was worried about Ye Qing, seeing Ye Qing’s confident demeanor, he didn’t say anything further. As long as Ye Qing was around, he didn’t need to worry too much about this matter.

After seeing Zhao Chengshuang off, Ye Qing didn’t feel like running anymore. He left the estate of the Seven Steering Committees of Hong Alliance alone and drove to the manor where Sha Men resided.

The manor where Sha Men resided originally belonged to Li Lianshan, but was later occupied by Sha Men people. Ye Qing had been here several times, so he was particularly familiar with the place.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the manor, Ye Qing saw from a distance two men standing outside. They were likely newly recruited by Sha Men. Ye Qing reported his name, and the two men were visibly shocked, hurriedly went inside to report.

Not long after, Ghost-faced Judge Cui Yu came out. Upon seeing Ye Qing, Cui Yu immediately smiled and said, ”Ye brother, it really is you. When they told me you were here, I couldn’t believe it. How’s your recovery coming along?”

Cui Yu and Ye Qing had a good relationship, and he genuinely cared about Ye Qing’s well-being. Seeing an old friend, Ye Qing felt warm inside. He walked over with a light smile and said, ”I’m almost fully recovered, able to walk and jump, I shouldn’t die.”

”Oh, what nonsense are you saying!” Cui Yu replied, ”If you’ve recovered, then that’s fine, no need for talk of death. With all the good things you’ve done, if King Yanluo has any sense, he’d grant you a long life!”

”Then I’ll borrow your lucky words, brother Cui.” Ye Qing laughed heartily.

”Hahaha...” Cui Yu waved and invited Ye Qing into the manor, ”Ye brother, the Sect Leader is out today, not in the manor at the moment. How about you sit in the main hall for a while, and I’ll go fetch the Wolf Monk for you.”

”That sounds good.” Ye Qing nodded; his main purpose this visit was to find the Wolf Monk.

Once inside the main hall, Cui Yu sent someone to call for the Wolf Monk. Shortly, the Wolf Monk arrived, holding a wooden box that Ye Qing recognized as the one Cui Yulong used to store the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade.

This wooden box was said to be made from the Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood, exceptionally sturdy, and most importantly, capable of sealing the murderous aura of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade. In the past, Cui Yulong had been almost driven by the murderous aura of the blade. It was the Purple Robe Lama who made this box to seal the blade, thus preventing Cui Yulong from being completely overtaken. Since then, the wooden box and the blade had never left Cui Yulong’s side. How did it end up in the hands of the Wolf Monk this time?

As the Wolf Monk entered the main hall, he finally looked up and said to Ye Qing sitting at the table, ”You’re here.”

”What is the master studying?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”Nothing much, it’s just that this wooden box looks familiar, so I borrowed it from Cui Yulong for a closer look,” the Wolf Monk said as he sat down, looking at Ye Qing. ”Is there something you need from me?”

The straightforward nature of the Wolf Monk meant he never bothered with formalities or pleasantries, directly inquiring about Ye Qing’s purpose for visiting.

Ye Qing didn’t hold back and immediately recounted the situation at the orphanage to the Wolf Monk, finally saying: ”I estimate that the other party is at least a top-level master. Otherwise, it’s simply impossible for them to abduct the orphanage staff so easily. So, I want to ask the master to come with me to the orphanage to stake it out and see what exactly the other party’s origins are!”

”Alright!” The Wolf Monk answered very straightforwardly, standing up and handing the wooden box to Cui Yu next to him, saying, ”Let’s go.”

”Uh...” Ye Qing was taken aback by the Wolf Monk’s promptness. The Wolf Monk was really so forthright? He immediately said he was going, although Ye Qing hadn’t even laid out his plan yet.

”Well, um... we’re not going right now,” Ye Qing said. ”Those people usually act at night, so we should at least go in the afternoon. Going now is too early, and we’d have to wait too long.”

”Oh.” The Wolf Monk nodded, saying: ”That works too. You set the time yourself.”

Saying that, the Wolf Monk took the wooden box back from Cui Yu and began to examine it carefully again.

Seeing the Wolf Monk like this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but be surprised and asked, ”Master, do you find this wooden box familiar? Have you perhaps seen it before?”

After saying this, Ye Qing immediately realized something was off. The Wolf Monk had been imprisoned by the Wanyan Family in the dungeon for over thirty years, and this wooden box made from Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood was only crafted thirteen years ago. Fifteen years ago, Sha Men was attacked and disbanded, and Cui Yulong took the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade to the Western Frontier. He wandered the Western Frontier for two years before encountering the Purple Robe Lama, who crafted this wooden box. During this entire process, the Wolf Monk was confined in the Wanyan Family’s dungeon. How could he possibly have seen this wooden box?

”I haven’t seen it, but for some reason, when I look at it, it feels very familiar.” The Wolf Monk said, while stroking the wooden box with his hand, he said in a deep voice: ”Moreover, touching this wooden box gives me a particularly familiar feeling.”

”Master, this is Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood. Could it be because you’ve previously been in contact with Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood?” Cui Yu asked beside him.

”I doubt it.” The Wolf Monk shook his head, looking at the wooden box, he said: ”I’ve been in contact with many things made from Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood before, but never had this feeling. I suspect this wooden box isn’t actually made from Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood!”

”Oh?” Hearing this, both Ye Qing and Cui Yu were taken aback. You must know, it was handcrafted by the Purple Robe Lama, and he claimed it was made from Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood. However, the Wolf Monk said it wasn’t. What’s going on? Who exactly is mistaken?

Both of these peak masters are quite experienced. Typically, they shouldn’t make such mistakes. But why are their understanding so different?

”If it is not Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood, then what could it be?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

”That’s precisely the part I’m most curious about.” The Wolf Monk, caressing the wooden box, said: ”From the outside, this wooden box indeed looks like Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood. However, if you take the time to touch it carefully, you will find slight differences between this wooden box and Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood.”

”Really?” Ye Qing scratched his head and said: ”I’m not familiar with this, but I do have a friend who knows about antiques. How about I invite him over to take a look for you?”

”There’s no need to look.” The Wolf Monk shook his head and said: ”In terms of material, hardness, and various marks that should be present, this wooden box is undoubtedly Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood. It can’t be fake.”

”Then why did you just say it’s not Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood?” Ye Qing was even more astonished.

”Nonetheless, I just feel that this wooden box isn’t simply made of Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Wood!” The Wolf Monk placed the wooden box on the table beside him, turned to Cui Yu and said: ”By the way, you mentioned before, who made this wooden box?”

”The Purple Robe Lama made it himself to store the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade,” Cui Yu replied.

”The Purple Robe Lama.” The Wolf Monk slowly nodded, suddenly a spark flashed in his eyes, and he said: ”It seems I need to find him and thoroughly inquire about how this wooden box was made.”

Ye Qing and Cui Yu exchanged a glance, both were quite surprised. The Wolf Monk’s eyes and expression suggested he had some animosity toward the Purple Robe Lama. Why was that? Could it be that this wooden box is involved in some significant matter?

”The Purple-robed Elder made this wooden box back then to suppress the murderous nature of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade, and it was entirely out of good intentions,” Ye Qing quietly reminded, to avoid conflict between the Wolf Monk and the Purple Robe Lama.

”Is that so?” The Wolf Monk suddenly slapped the wooden box, and immediately with a long hum, the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade sprung out from the wooden box. This demonically charged blade was the most notorious evil blade throughout the ages, and it must taste blood once drawn. Even Cui Yulong couldn’t control it. Generally, he wouldn’t take out the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade unless it was absolutely necessary.

(Updating six chapters first, four more chapters tonight. Everyone, please give some support so Commander He has more motivation to write.)