Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 75: Chapter 72: Punching Power Upgrade, Annihilate Even if Far Away

”Yeah. The top-tier masters definitely won’t believe it, but I’m worried about the small fry like Wang Long... They might do anything for even a sliver of a chance.”

The two of them fell silent.

Just then, someone came looking for Wan Ze and said very politely, ”Junior Brother Wan, the Hall Master is on the second floor. He’d like you to go see him.”

Wan Ze nodded. ”Thank you. I’ll go right away.”

After the person left, Wan Ze held up his communicator and said quickly, ”Brother, I have an idea now. We can give it a try, but I’m not sure if it’ll work... I’ll tell you after I see Master... Okay, talk to you later.”

He ended the call.

Wan Ze straightened his clothes and walked toward the second floor of the main building.

’That vague idea in my mind is gradually becoming clearer. Of course, it just needs Master’s approval.’

He quickly went up to the second floor.

As he rounded the corner of the staircase, he almost ran into someone. Unexpectedly, it was Tan Xiao, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. This senior brother was even more powerfully built than Lei Ming.

”Brother Tan,” he greeted.

When the young man saw it was Wan Ze, his eyes lit up. He clapped Wan Ze on the shoulder with a hand as big as a cattail fan. ”Junior Brother Wan, what a coincidence! I was just about to look for you! I heard from the brothers in the hall that you’ve been involved in some big things with Junior Brother Zhai and Junior Brother Lei lately?”

Wan Ze waved his hands repeatedly, an earnest look on his face. ”Brother Tan, you’ve misunderstood. Those are all rumors. Brother Zhai and the others did everything. I was just a tag-along, running errands and getting some experience.”

Tan Xiao laughed heartily at his words and didn’t press the matter.

His perception of Wan Ze was likely still stuck in the time when he had just become a Martial Artist. However, just as Wan Ze was about to take his leave and head to the second-floor hall, he suddenly pulled Wan Ze back.

”Junior Brother Wan, wait.”

”What is it, Brother Tan?” Wan Ze stopped and turned back, a confused look on his face.

Tan Xiao glanced left and right, then lowered his voice. A hint of awkwardness appeared on his rugged face as he coughed lightly. ”Um... Junior Brother Wan, if you and Zhai Jia have anything going on in the future, remember to come find me, okay? I have plenty of time, I’m really not busy... You have no idea. Ever since I recovered from my injury, Master told me to rest and recuperate. I’ve been shuffling between home and the hall, so bored I feel like I’m about to grow moss.”

”Huh???” Wan Ze was taken aback, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

’Some people really aren’t afraid of dying.’

Tan Xiao was about to emphasize that he was a ”great fighter” and ”very loyal,” but just then, footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor.

Master Qin approached slowly, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the two of them.

Tan Xiao immediately let go, straightened his back, and awkwardly joined Wan Ze in greeting, ”Master Qin.”

Master Qin’s gaze lingered on Tan Xiao’s face for a moment before he said flatly, ”What are you dawdling for? Did you finish organizing the data sheets for the storehouse like I told you to?”

”I-I’ll get right on it.” Tan Xiao flinched and immediately fell into line. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to shoot Wan Ze a meaningful look, as if to say, ’Junior Brother, bring me along!’

Wan Ze: ”...”

Turning to look at Master Qin, Wan Ze saw his expression was unchanged. Master Qin said, ”Follow me inside. The Hall Master is waiting for you.”

”Yes, Master Qin.”

Wan Ze composed himself and followed Master Qin toward the second-floor hall.

Inside the hall, sandalwood incense wafted through the air.

Situ Bai was sitting behind a large desk, holding an unfolded letter and calmly reading it.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

Seeing Master Qin and Wan Ze arrive, a gentle smile appeared on his face. He casually placed the letter on the desk and pointed to the tea set and cabinet nearby. ”Pour whatever you’d like. Help yourself.”

”Alright, you get back to business then. I’ll take you up on that.” And Master Qin really didn’t stand on ceremony. He strode over to a nearby cabinet as if he owned the place, opened a small drawer that hadn’t been locked yet, and took out a purple clay tea caddy. One look and you could tell it was from Situ Bai’s private stash of fine goods.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have drawn such a direct, reproachful stare from Situ Bai.

”Master, you were looking for me?” Wan Ze asked.

Only then did Situ Bai retract his gaze. He passed the letter over. ”Take a look at this first. Your senior sister sent it.”

’A letter?’

A trace of doubt flashed through Wan Ze’s mind.

’These days, what urgent matter can’t be handled with a phone call or an encrypted message?’

’Why insist on sending a letter?’

’To avoid being monitored, or something else?’

But while he was speculating internally, he showed nothing on his face, immediately taking the letter with both hands.

The letter was written on special Xuan paper and carried the faint scent of ink.

The calligraphy on it was steady and grand without being rigid. The strokes were like iron and the hooks like silver, faintly exuding an unyielding dominance.

Although he had never met this legendary senior sister from the same sect, Wan Ze could already sense from the calligraphy alone that she was no ordinary woman.

The letter’s contents were concise, with no pleasantries, getting straight to the point:

...Have confirmed Wang Long was indeed under Divine Spear Horse, acting on his own initiative. His three organization strongholds were all eliminated last night. Sixty-eight core horse bandits were executed; the rest have scattered. However, Ma Shuo himself was not found. According to captive testimony, his seclusion location is extremely well-hidden. The search is ongoing... The Guandong region has been intimidated; there should be no threat in the short term. Do not worry.

Wan Ze was stunned.

From Wang Long’s death yesterday to this very moment... it had been less than twenty-four hours, all told!

This senior sister had actually rushed to Guandong and, with lightning-fast methods, uprooted three of Divine Spear Horse’s strongholds?

And executed sixty-eight enemies?

That efficiency, that decisiveness in killing... it was simply unheard-of!

No, wait!

Hold on!

Guandong was thousands of miles away. Even with the fastest mode of transportation, there wasn’t nearly enough time for a round trip.

How could this letter possibly have arrived so quickly?

’Could it be... this letter wasn’t sent from Guandong at all?’

For a moment, he even suspected his Master was playing a joke on him.

Seeing the unconcealable shock on his face, Situ Bai assumed the young man was simply stunned by his senior sister’s achievements and couldn’t help but smile faintly. ”Your senior sister has always been clean and decisive in her work. Focus on your Cultivation, break through to the Blood Tempering Realm as soon as you can, and reach a higher level. When that time comes, I will teach you more advanced combat techniques. With time, it’s not impossible for you to become like your senior sister, a formidable presence in your own right.”

”...” Wan Ze opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed the question about how the letter had arrived so fast.

’Master’s expression doesn’t seem fake. Perhaps Senior Sister has some unknown, special channels or methods?’

’The waters of Dragon Eagle... run deeper than I imagined.’

He took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and said in a heavy voice, ”Senior Sister’s divine might is something I admire beyond words.”

Situ Bai nodded and added, ”The Ma Shuo mentioned in the letter is Divine Spear Horse’s real name. This person has been entrenched in Guandong for many years. Now that your senior sister has wiped out his main nest and he knows she’s overseeing things there, he probably won’t dare to show his face for a while. It’s unlikely he’ll have the mind to bother with the Rain Bell affair anymore, either. You can tell that young lady from the Ling Family to rest easy. She should be safe for the time being.”

”Yes, Master,” Wan Ze replied. In his heart, he gained a more direct understanding of Dragon Eagle’s deep resources and its style of fiercely protecting its own.

After a moment of contemplation, however, he seized the opportunity to speak up. ”Master, regarding the matter of the Rain Bell... I actually have an idea.”

”Oh? Still haven’t given up? You want to try binding it with a drop of blood?” Situ Bai picked up his teacup, blew on the steam, his tone slightly teasing.

But unexpectedly, Wan Ze shook his head and admitted frankly, ”We already tried. Miss Ling’s blood had no reaction... We failed.”

”PFFT!”

Master Qin, who had been sipping his tea nearby, nearly sprayed it all out when he heard that. His eyes widened as he stared at Wan Ze. ”You don’t mean... you guys actually went and tried it?!”