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Chapter 385: Behave Wisely

The vice-chief, gritting her teeth, responded, "What kind of people are we to be worthy of having a relationship with an esteemed cultivator of Mount Shu... Do you even know why we ended up in Python Belly City?"

"..."

It couldn't be that my esteemed teacher actually fed you to the Heaven-Devouring Python, right? Chu Liang wondered. He kept his thoughts to himself, not daring to utter a single word.

The vice-chief began, "We were once the imperial guards of the capital city..."

As she explained, Chu Liang started to understand the situation.

It turned out that the Blazing Fire Gang weren’t just martial world outlaws but actual imperial guards from the capital!

Twenty years ago, a scandal occurred in the capital city of Yu. The only son of the then-chancellor abducted a common girl, leading to her tragic death. The incident sparked outrage among the people of the capital.

In response, the old chancellor knelt and wept in the Night Dragon Hall, begging for forgiveness day and night. The old emperor, recalling the chancellor's years of diligent service and significant contributions, decided to pardon his son.

The old emperor arranged for a death row inmate who resembled the chancellor's son to be executed publicly, hoping to quell the people's anger. Meanwhile, the real son of the chancellor was discreetly escorted back to his hometown by a team of imperial guards.

After this incident, the old chancellor retired and returned to his hometown, withdrawing from court affairs. With his departure, everything seemed to settle down.

But while the escort team was en route to the chancellor's hometown, a fire cloud descended from the sky. In an instant, a terrifying figure appeared, engulfing the chancellor's son in flames and reducing him to ashes.

The wind roared, leaving not even a trace of ash.

The imperial guards, despite being powerful, didn't even catch a clear glimpse of the assailant's face. Fortunately, before departing, she announced her name.

"He was killed by Di Nufeng of Mount Shu!"

With a loud shout, she vanished as swiftly as she had appeared, leaving in an incredibly carefree manner.

The imperial guards were left dumbfounded, unable to process what had just transpired.

Where did the big figure that was sitting on the horse go?

Did the chancellor's son vanish just like that?

If you said you killed him, you should at least leave a corpse so we can report back. But not even a trace of ash is left. If we are going back and claiming that Di Nufeng did it, how can we prove it?

No one would know if we disposed of him ourselves.

Even if the emperor believes that Di Nufeng killed him, would he be willing to offend the Mount Shu Sect for the sake of this scoundrel?

How can this matter be brought to the table?

In the end, to appease the chancellor's grievances, the matter would be resolved by killing the team of incompetent imperial guards.

The imperial guards, well-versed in the politics of the imperial court, quickly realized they couldn't return to the capital. They had to flee immediately, as far away as possible!

By fleeing immediately, the imperial court might assume they perished along with the person they were escorting, thereby sparing their families.

If they attempted to return home to take their family members along, it would be difficult to escape unnoticed.

Thus, a group of over a dozen fled the land of the nine provinces and went overseas, intending to live anonymously in foreign lands for some time. They planned to return to the capital and contact their families in a few years.

Who would have thought that upon reaching a small island to rest, the imperial guards would encounter the Heaven-Devouring Python? The vicious beast devoured not only the island's natives but also the imperial guards, the outsiders on the island.

That was how the group ended up in Python Belly City.

In those days, the balance of power in Python Belly City was a far cry from what it later became, marked by a fierce struggle between the cultivators and the demons.

This group of imperial guards formed the Blazing Fire Gang, relying on their hard fists and sharp blades to carve out their own territory.

The chief of the Blazing Fire Gang was a martial arts expert at the peak of the sixth realm, who remained the strongest person in Python Belly City for the past twenty years. No one dared to challenge him.

His presence forced the demons, who were once arrogant and tyrannical, to become more subdued and lay low for the past few years.

Still, even the strongest person in the Python Belly City could not leave the Python Belly City.

These people naturally harbored resentment towards the main culprits of their plight.

Di Nufeng held a significant weight among them.

AS Chu Liang listened to the vice-chief's story, his expression grew increasingly serious. Glancing at the hundred or so people outside, he felt a sense of apprehension.

He had managed to handle dozens earlier because there were no true experts among them.

Now, with the vice-chief whose martial arts cultivation was clearly formidable, and if everyone joined in, he wouldn't stand a chance.

If you had said you had a grudge against my esteemed teacher, I wouldn't have fought the Sun and Moon Pavilion people just now. At least I could potentially have a group of people on my side.

What should I do now?

Should I join the demons' side?

Hmm...

After she finished speaking, there was a brief pause, and the atmosphere remained tense.

At that moment, Chu Liang suddenly stood up!

The members of the Blazing Fire Gang immediately grew wary, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons.

"Given the circumstances, there's no other way. Today, I can only... on behalf of my esteemed teacher..." Chu Liang said, looking around solemnly, "apologize to you all."

"Huh?"

This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.

"Vice-Chief, my esteemed teacher is old and somewhat immature in handling matters, inevitably lacking consideration in some areas. But her nature isn't bad. As you said, her intentions were to be heroic," Chu Liang earnestly explained. "Of course, as her disciple, I bear the responsibility for not guiding her properly. However, back then, I hadn't even been born yet. Rest assured, from now on, I will guide my esteemed teacher properly to ensure such things won't happen again."

His words left the Blazing Fire Gang members with an indescribable sense of strangeness... the more they thought about it, the stranger it felt.

Some younger members, unfamiliar with outside affairs, were completely confused. Who exactly was the esteemed teacher here?

The vice-chief remained silent for a while, then sighed and said, "Forget it. The events of the past indeed have nothing to do with you. We'll just consider this a misfortune we were destined to face. Since you're here in Python Belly City, behave wisely. We're leaving!"

With that, she turned around and led her subordinates away in a flurry.

Chu Liang watched their departing figures and heaved a sigh of relief.

They originally wanted to recruit me, but as soon as they heard my esteemed teacher's name, they left without a word.

I really don't know if this is a good or bad thing.

...

Although the Blazing Fire Gang left, they still left a few scouts to keep watch in case the Sun and Moon Pavilion caused trouble again.

Inside the medicinal hall, Xu Zhiyin and her father tended to the injured before turning their attention to Chu Liang.

Xu Zhiyin's father was a middle-aged man with tired eyes and a weathered face. His appearance bore the visible weight of many years of labor and anxiety, making him appear far older than his true age.

Xu Zhiyin and his father prepared a feast at home for Chu Liang. While it was considered a feast by Python Belly City's standards, it was quite modest compared to a true banquet.

The so-called black tree rice was nothing more than a solid mass of rough, coarse grains. Calling it rice was a bit of a stretch; it was more like a way to make people feel better about what they were eating.

The dishes, however, were a seafood feast. Thanks to today's fresh catch, seafood wasn't rare in Python Belly City. But there wasn't a single vegetable, and eating like this long-term might lead to gout.

Today, Chu Liang had saved the medicinal hall. Naturally, Xu Zhiyin and his father were very grateful. Given his exceptional martial prowess, they were more than willing to let him stay for a while.

Chu Liang had nowhere else to go, and with night approaching, he decided to rest here.

The night in Python Belly City was truly dark. The dim light in the sky gradually faded, and unlike outside, there were no stars or moonlight to brighten the night. Except for the torch-lit areas in the streets, everything else was pitch black.

In the simple house, Chu Liang still didn't forget to reward himself.

His divine sense sank into the White Pagoda, which was now quite lively.

The three Large-Headed Dolls sat in a row, and the latest colorful doll now had white and green bright colors, along with three dark colors.

The high-quality foundational qi provided by the Five-Elements Puppet included Geng Metal foundational qi, which was sharp and strong, and Jia Wood foundational qi, which was resilient and regenerative. Thus, its effects weren't as apparent in battle.

But if Chu Liang were injured, he would appreciate the charm of Jia Wood foundational qi.

Chu Liang eagerly anticipated the day when all five elements of foundational qi were activated. Even if he hadn't reached the fifth realm by then, he would still be as strong as an average fifth realm expert.

Of course, it was still important for him to break through sooner.

As Chu Liang stepped before the iron prison, he pressed the "Refine" button without hesitation.

Yesterday, he had killed three demonic beasts: the man-eating shark from the sea, the long-necked red-scaled beast, and finally the giant elephant.

Rather than killing people, Chu Liang chose to kill the giant elephant to establish his power. Killing people would only make enemies, which would be counterproductive. Additionally, he hoped to unbox more rewards from the giant elephant.

Boom, boom, boom...

Three rewards were given to him consecutively, which brought him much satisfaction.

[Shark Spine Halberd: A unique weapon forged in the shape of an iron shark's dorsal fin, exquisitely crafted and perfect for water combat.]

[Demonic Beast Leather Pouch: Made from the carcass of a demonic beast, wearing it emits a powerful demonic aura.]

[Giant Elephant Shield: A heavy shield imbued with the spirit of a giant elephant, capable of blocking nearly any attack... though not guaranteed to be able to defend against every attack.]

These three demonic beasts weren’t particularly strong, so Chu Liang didn’t have high expectations.

Among the three rewards, two were weapons: a halberd and a shield.

The Shark Spine Halberd, standing as tall as a person, resembled a shark’s dorsal fin. Its peculiar shape concealed a lethal sharpness, with the blade glinting menacingly.

The Giant Elephant Shield, nearly a zhang high and immensely thick, required great physical strength to wield. If Chu Liang wasn't as physically strong as he was now, it would have been really difficult for him to use this shield.

These seemed like weapons suited for a martial artist, which didn’t particularly appeal to Chu Liang.

On the contrary, the Demonic Beast Leather Pouch intrigued him. It looked like uniquely shaped scale armor and emitted a genuine demonic aura when worn.

Naturally, he didn’t dare to sleep that night. Instead, Chu Liang spent the hours practicing Qi Circulation Technique, restoring his mental state. He knew he could sleep peacefully once he returned to Silver Sword Peak.

As the light gradually intensified and noises filled the air, he pushed the door open and stepped outside.

As soon as he stepped out, a wave of fear and unrest washed over him. The long street was deserted, no one daring to venture out.

He received news from the people in the medicinal hall.

The Blazing Fire Gang and the Sun and Moon Pavilion were going to war!