Chapter 8: Su Hong
“The burly chap dressed in martial arts outfit standing behind Young Master Zhao might be a mid-stage Connate. Everyone, try to take things lying down and don’t take the offensive. We must wait until Young Master is back.” Uncle Zheng whispered.
Everyone in the Su family was shocked.
Mid-stage Connate!
Liu Yu whispered. “The man looks unfamiliar, he might not belong to Ping Yang Town. Be on your guard.”
“Where is Su Zimo? Get him to come out!” Shen Nan covered his swollen face and shouted angrily.
Liu Yu stepped forward, and said in a deep voice with cupped fists. “What’s with the crowd? Why do you want to look for Second Young Master?”
A young man in a brocade robe who was one of the leading men held a folding fan in his hands and smiled. “A life for a life. It’s right and unalterable. Second Young Master Su had to pay for killing people.”
The person was Zhao Yu, Young Master Zhao. He was a Postnatal Perfected, he was well-known in Ping Yang Town.
The person next to him was Lee Yuanmao, Young Master Lee.
“To hell with you!”
Yuchi Huo pointed to Zhao Yu, ranting out loud. “If you insist to pay a life for a life, you must do so first. You have taken Brother Guan’s life!”
Uncle Zheng had a severe cough, gasping for breath. “What proof do you have that Second Young Master has taken three lives?”
“Haha!”
Shen Nan grinned hideously. “Old man, everyone in Shen family witnessed how Su Zimo killed them.”
With that, the people from Shen family edged to the front carrying the corpses of Mo Song and the rest.
Although they were dead, they did not shut their eyes. There were terror and fear in their eyes. It went to show that they were greatly shocked moments before their deaths.
Liu Yu and the rest were taken aback when they saw the corpses.
It was too ruthless!
The chests of two of them seemed to have been pierced through by weapons that were as thick as arms, while the chest of the other person collapsed and his bones were shattered.
Uncle Zheng swept his gaze over them, remaining calm as he shook his head. “He who has a mind to beat his dog will easily find his stick. Everyone in Ping Yang Town knows that Second Young Master is a scholar, How can he possibly kill these three Postnatal Experts?”
“Enough of your nonsense!”
Zhao Yu spread out his paper fan, saying coldly, “If the Su family doesn’t hand Su Zimo over, all of you will have to die today!”
“I am the one who killed them!”
At this time, a voice came from outside the crowd, and everyone turned toward the sound. A green-robed scholar strode up with big steps, his head high and chest out. It was Su Zimo.
Su Zimo stood in front of everyone from the Su family, displaying no fear at the hundreds of people in front of him, giving a loud shout. “I killed them, I will take responsibility for it!”
“Second Young Master, don’t be impulsive.” Yuchi Huo stopped him.
Liu Yu whispered. “Second Young Master, they have evil intentions. They are after other motives. It is just an excuse to look for you. Don’t fall for it.”
“Hehe.”
Lee Yuanmao had a strange smile. “Since Second Young Master Su has admitted to it, things are simple. Get him!”
“Protect Second Young Master.” Uncle Zheng’s tone was firm and steady. “At no costs!”
Clang!
Everyone unsheathed their weapons. Liu Yu and the rest surrounded Su Zimo and Uncle Zheng, protecting them from the crowd. The two parties were on the verge of breaking into fights.
Zhao Yu kept his folding fan and coldly said, “Capture Su Zimo. Kill all those who stand in the way!”
Su Zimo clenched his fists, getting ready to execute Plow Heaven Stride. He wanted to dash into the crowd to fight with the Connate Experts.
In all fairness, he could hardly deal with the early-stage Connate Experts. Moreover, there was a mid-stage Connate Expert among them. But right now, there were no other options.
Suddenly!
Galloping sounds could be heard from afar. In no time, it was nearing them.
“I will kill whoever who dares to touch my younger brother!” Su Hong shouted.
The crowd dispersed, as a single man rode a horse and galloped toward them, full of murderous intent. He tightened the reins upon reaching Su family’s residence.
The man rode on a tall horse and held an iron spear of the flowing spring. There was a powerful and murderous aura about him. His gaze was fiery and one dared not look him in the eyes.
There was a hideous scar on the person’s face. It stretched from his glabella to his earlobe. Although it had healed, the tender red skin near the wound was protruding from the scar. It looked frightening and the person looked even more vicious with it.
Su Hong, Young Master Su!
Everyone in the Su family was glad to see him. They could not conceal their joy at seeing him.
“Zhao Yu, Lee Yuanmao, have the two of you matured? How dare you seek trouble at the Su family?” Su Hong did not get off the horse. Instead, he sat on the horse, looking down on the two of them, his tone icy cold.
“Haha, so it’s Young Master Su. You have come at the right time. I have been waiting for you for a long time.” Zhao Yu smiled, he seemed to have come prepared.
The burly chap who stood behind Zhao Yu was dressed in martial arts outfit. His eyes were cold and he carried a thick saber on his back. He shouted, “I heard that Young Master is an early-stage Connate Expert at 30 years old. You are a giant among men. It’s my pleasure to meet you today. Shall we exchange blows to learn from each other? I…”
“I have no interest in the name of the dead.”
The person had yet to finish his sentence and he was cut off by Su Hong.
Go!
Su Hong gave a soft yell and his horse charged forward, reaching the burly chap dressed in martial arts outfit in no time, thrusting his long spear at the same time.
“You must be courting death!”
The burly chap looked calm while he took out his thick sword, releasing his Connate aura. He jumped up, raising his arms while swinging his saber at Su Hong who was coming toward him!
“He is indeed a mid-stage Connate.” Liu Yu nodded.
Su Zimo felt nervous upon hearing his words.
The Zhao family had come prepared. They even estimated that Su Hong might rush back and therefore they asked a mid-stage Connate Expert to deal with him.
Su Zimo swept his gaze over the crowd. To his surprise, neither Liu Yu nor Uncle Zheng and the rest of them were nervous.
What did that mean?
He was still pondering when Su Hong and the burly chap exchanged blows!
“Clang!”
The thick saber of the burly chap landed heavily on the iron spear of the flowing spring, sparks came flying.
The force was so huge that the horse that Su Hong was riding was forced to a stop!
“Haha!”
Su Hong laughed. He flicked the iron spear of the flowing spring. It gave off a buzzing tremor, followed by a stunning force that bounced the thick saber away.
The burly chap’s countenance changed.
Poof!
Blood was splattered all over the floor. The burly chap was sent flying by Su Hong’s spear, landing on the long street, his blood staining the ground.
“You pretended that you are of a lower level, y-you are a late…” The burly chap had yet to finish his sentence, but blood kept surging in his mouth. It was obvious that he would not get to live past tomorrow.
Everyone was shocked.
Nobody expected that they had only exchanged blows for one round and a mid-stage Connate Expert would be killed by a single thrust of Su Hong’s spear!
The most terrifying thing was what the burly chap said moments before he died. Although he did not finish his sentence, everyone present could guess what he meant.
Late-stage Connate!
All these years, people in the Ping Yang Town had underestimated Su Hong’s abilities.
“Hurry, let’s go!”
The Connate Experts of the Zhao family, Lee family and Shen family reacted quickly by protecting their masters and fleeing from the scene. All the pugilistic experts were frightened by the aura of a single man. They fled hurriedly, having no intention to stay for another second.
Su Hong sneered, making no move to chase them. He got down from the horse, nodding at Su Zimo before he said, “Back to the residence!”
…
Inner hall of Su family’s residence.
Su Hong sat in the middle like the master of the house, as Liu Yu gave a report on what happened in Ping Yang Town these past few months. He would nod occasionally as he listened to him.
Su Zimo sat at the side, with his head lowered, keeping silent.
Before this, his older brother never allowed him to enter the inner hall and he never participated in such meetings.
After Liu Yu was done with his report, Su Hong’s gaze landed on Su Zimo. He asked in a deep voice, “Did you really kill the three Postnatal Experts from Shen family?”
“Yes.” Su Zimo hesitated slightly before he admitted it.
Bang!
Initially, Su Hong was seated on a chair, but then he stood up suddenly, placing his feet on the ground, letting off a loud sound. He reached Su Zimo in no time and he punched in his direction.
This happened too quickly, everyone in the inner hall, let alone Su Zimo could react in time.
Su Zimo was startled. He had yet to recover from his shock and he automatically stretched out his palm, landing on Su Hong’s fist.
Wrap, hit, and he was about to execute Bovine-tongued Saber.
But right then, Su Zimo remembered the scene when he shattered the long sword of the Connate Expert at Shen family’s residence.
The power of Bovine-tongued Saber had just been executed and Su Zimo stopped in mid-tracks.
Bang!
There was a loud sound as the palm and fist clashed with each other. The chair that Su Zimo was sitting on broke into pieces.
Su Zimo lost his balance under the impact of the strike. He was about to sit back on the floor when he released the power of Plow Heaven Stride automatically.
Su Zimo sank and it seemed as if his entire body was lying flat on the ground. However, his legs did not move a single inch and he was rooted into the ground!
Su Zimo exerted strength at his waist and legs at the same time and stood up.
His move was really brilliant and everyone in the inner hall could not help but be amazed.
There was a sparkle in Su Hong’s eyes, he kept nodding as he smiled. “Good, good, you have done a good job by killing them!”
Su Zimo knew that his older brother was testing him just now.
Right at the moment when the palm and fist collided, he could feel that his older brother had cut back on the force exerted.
Of course, Su Zimo did not use all his force, he stopped in mid-tracks as well.
Su Zimo knew the power of Bovine-tongued Saber. He dared not use it on his older brother.
“Zimo, you should go back to rest. It is nothing to lose the scholarly honors. There are plenty of good ladies in the world. Don’t take it to heart. Xiaoning will be back from Cang Lang City soon. If you have time, do keep her company.”
Su Xiaoning was Su Zimo’s younger sister. She was two years younger than him. She was sent by Su Hong to study at Cang Lang City as well.
Su Zimo smiled as he agreed to it, he then turned to leave.
Su Hong watched as Su Zimo left. He remained silent for a long while, seeming to have mixed feelings.
“Young Master?” Liu Yu asked softly.
Su Hong recovered himself, speaking softly, “I don’t think Zimo is cultivating any internal power. He used his body strength to withstand the impact from my fist just now.”
“I have heard from others that some people are born with immense strength. Second Young Master could be such people.” Liu Yu was glad.
Su Hong smiled. “This is not just a matter of strength. When we sparred just now, I felt pain in my arm. It was as if it has been distorted. I suppose, he did not use his full force.”
Yuchi Huo said, “Since Second Young master is so capable, why don’t we tell him about our origin and our intention?”
“No!”
Su Hong shook his head. His attitude was firm. “Previously I forbade Zimo from learning martial arts as I don’t want him to be embroiled in it. I don’t intend to live but nothing must happen to Zimo and Xiaoning. This is final. I will hear no more about it!”
Uncle Zheng sighed. “I watched Second Young Master as he grew up. Given his intelligence, I am afraid he has already discovered something amiss.”
“He won’t know as long as we keep it a secret.”