Jianghu Demolition Squad

The Child Returns Home (Part One)

More than a month had passed when winter snow began to fall on the town. The Beggar’s Sect disciples had made several covert attempts to enter Suolong City, which was now heavily guarded by Wu Chang’s forces and dominated by both his men and those from Xuanji Tower.

Yu’er and Hua Lian, both experts in lightness skill, had also scouted the area once. They ventured deep into enemy territory to investigate Xuhuai Valley.

The only way to the entrance of Xuhuai Valley was across a lake, but Wu Chang controlled the crossing, making it easy to defend and hard to attack.

The two of them traveled over a hundred kilometers, circumventing through the back mountains, which were also heavily guarded. The surrounding small towns had hidden outposts of Xuanji Tower. Not wanting to alert the enemy, they withdrew and, due to the snowfall, were delayed for two days on their return to the small town.

Upon re-entering the town, they sensed an unusual quietness; doors were shut, and there were few people on the streets, creating an eerie calm.

Yu’er listened intently and heard the sounds of fighting to the east, exclaiming, “Something’s wrong!”

They abandoned their horses and used their lightness skills to rush towards the abandoned house where the Beggar’s Sect and Yanyu Pavilion were staying. From the eaves, they saw a group of men in black clashing with Beggar’s Sect disciples in the courtyard.

From a distance, they could hear Yi Song’s furious roar, “Wu Chang, you bastard! I’ll tear you to pieces!”

It turned out that Wu Chang’s forces were expanding and aimed to eliminate all the martial arts forces in the town. Xuanji Tower had discovered the hiding place of the Beggar’s Sect and Yanyu Pavilion and launched an attack.

Leading the charge was none other than a walking corpse, made from the body of the old Beggar’s Sect leader, Lei Gong.

Yi Song’s group was overwhelmed both in numbers and morale, and many disciples were injured.

Yu’er and Hua Lian joined the battle. Yu’er fought her way to the inner hall, where she found Yi Song locked in combat with reanimated Lei Gong, his eyes filled with both hatred and pain, which shook his composure and made his moves less effective.

Elder Qi, was nearby, holding off another expert, and advised Yi Song to retreat. Fighting like this would only lead to heavy casualties.

Seeing his revered master in front of him, his corpse reduced to such a state, Yi Song was so consumed by hatred that he wanted to tear these bastards apart. He was too overwhelmed by rage to calm down.

Yu’er, employing her Qiushui Sword technique, created a diversion to separate the two combatants, shouting, “Elder Qi, take the leader and go!”

“Young Mistress!” Elder Qi felt some relief seeing Yu’er return. He pushed back the opponent in front of him and retreated to Yi Song’s side. At that moment, Yin Shan also rushed in, and the two of them dragged the reluctant Yi Song away.

Yu’er called out, “Retreat!”

Her voice rang out clearly, and everyone heard it. The group organized their defense, with one team covering the retreat and another escorting the injured to safety.

Yu’er and Hua Lian stayed at the rear. Lei Gong’s corpse seemed to have gained some intelligence, avoiding direct clashes with their swords but constantly harassing them.

Lei Gong had been a formidable fighter in life, rarely meeting his match. Now as a walking corpse, his combat strength was even greater.

As a result, even after Yu’er and Hua Lian managed to reach the town’s entrance, they still could not shake off their pursuers.

The battle raged at the town entrance. With Suolong City nearby, reinforcements from Wu Chang’s forces arrived, tipping the numbers further against them. Despite Yu’er’s profound internal energy, the relentless waves of enemies began to overwhelm her.

Yu’er was surrounded by three opponents, and Hua Lian’s situation was equally dire. Those who stayed behind to defend were all facing the predicament of fighting against overwhelming odds.

Just then, Yu’er suddenly felt a chilling aura approaching; she quickly stepped back as fierce sword energy slashed towards the three opponents surrounding her, forcing them to dodge and retreat.

Yu’er knew that neither the Beggar’s Sect nor Yanyu Pavilion had fighters who used such a blade. She turned to see where the strike had come from.

As the dust settled, a figure with a zhanmadao appeared, “Little Miss, long time no see.”

Yu’er exclaimed, “Brother Hao?!”

Hao Yun landed beside Yu’er, standing shoulder to shoulder with her against the three men. “How are you here?” she asked, surprised.

“It’s a long story,” Hao Yun replied briefly. “I heard some news about Xuanji Tower on my way and rushed over.”

Years ago, Qing Jiu was pursued by Xuanji Tower, and Yanyu Pavilion discovered that Lingyun was involved in the massacre of the Lin family.

Hao Yun had been gathering information on Xuanji Tower ever since. Recently, he heard from Beggar’s Sect about Wu Chang and Lingyun taking over Xuhuai Valley, so he came to investigate and found himself in the midst of a fight upon arriving in town. Recognizing Yu’er and Hua Lian, he jumped in to help.

Scratching his beard, Hao Yun grinned at Yu’er and said, “They may outnumber us, but we are not afraid of them!” He then shouted confidently at the three men, “If you have the guts, don’t run away!”

Yu’er, always quick-witted, asked, “Did Yanyu Pavilion send more reinforcements?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Meanwhile, the retreating group had exited the town and were making their way along the road. Suddenly, they heard the sound of galloping horses. A group of riders approached swiftly through the snow.

The group panicked, fearing it was more of Wu Chang’s men coming to surround them.

But the riders quickly closed the distance, and the leading man, recognizing them as part of the Beggar’s Sect, cupped his fist and greeted, “Gu Wei from Guangqing Prefecture, I heard the Third Miss was in trouble and have come to help.”

Several others followed suit, “Ning Qingping from Hangzhou!”

“Xu Chang from Dongzhou!”

These were all well-known figures from various places, coming together for a common cause.

The first man asked, “Where is the Third Miss now?”

Yi Song replied, “She’s in the town!”

They spurred their horses and rushed toward the town. Yi Song wondered aloud, “How did this group know Young Mistress Jun was in trouble? And why are they so eager to help?”

Elder Qi, stroking his beard, sighed, “It must be because the Beggar’s Sect spread the news that Young Mistress Jun was fighting Wu Chang and others in Xuhuai Valley, and had been forced to retreat all the way here. These people are from nearby areas and must have rushed over as soon as they received the news. Back in the battle at Mingjian Manor, Young Mistress Jun had shown great kindness to many. Despite her young age, she commands such respect, which is truly rare.”

Before he could finish speaking, two more groups of heroes arrived, greeting them, “Hai Yan from Jiangnan! By the order of the Young Mistress of Juxiao Manor, we have come to fight against Wu Chang and Lingyun.”

Another from the second group announced, “Wu Dongqing from Yunmeng Marsh! We were outraged by the attack on Xuhuai Valley and are here to follow the Young Mistress’ orders and join the righteous cause! Brothers of the Beggar’s Sect, have you seen the Young Mistress?”

Seeing the swift response from the heroes, the Beggar’s Sect and Yanyu Pavilion members felt their spirits lift. “You are all righteous and loyal! Wu Chang’s vile minions are in the town. The Young Mistress is holding them off so we could retreat. Now with your help, our forces are even stronger. Let us go back and leave none of them standing!”

“Sect Leader Yi is right!”

Leaving the injured behind, Yi Song led his disciples and the gathering heroes back into town.

The group’s momentum was like that of a fierce tiger, forcibly pushing back Wu Chang and the men of Xuanji Tower into retreat.

The group remained in the town, not the least bit afraid of Wu Chang’s next attack, determined to stop Wu Chang’s steps in invading jianghu right here.

By the third or fourth day, two more groups had arrived, and the abandoned house could no longer accommodate everyone. They found a larger house nearby to rent.

They were just waiting for more reinforcements to gather before launching an assault on Suolong City, aiming to clear out Wu Chang and Lingyun’s forces stationed there, and then consider how to rescue the disciples of Xuhuai Valley and eliminate Wu Chang and Lingyun.

Half a month later, Yang Chun arrived with people from Wuwei Palace, led personally by Jian Wangchen.

Jian Wangchen rarely descended from the mountain, but his reputation and status were second only to his master, Daoist Yiye.

Everyone was delighted at his arrival, thinking that seeing such a revered figure would make their journey worthwhile.

Yu’er joined the others to welcome him. It was her first time meeting Jian Wangchen. She noticed his ethereal and scholarly demeanor, his relaxed expression, and despite his sickly appearance, his elegance was unmistakable. He reminded her somewhat of Yan Li.

Accompanying Jian Wangchen were members from Mingjian Manor. It turned out that Yang Chun, after receiving a message from Liu Xiu, made a trip to Mingjian Manor as well. Since the martial arts competition, Mingjian Manor had been persistently investigating Wu Chang. Given their significant grudge against him, they were more than willing to join the campaign against him.

As expected, once Mingjian Manor received the news, they dispatched people to join the fight.

After the introductions, everyone returned inside. Yu’er and Yun Wangran discussed briefly before Jian Wangchen came over to meet her.

Jian Wangchen, who could be considered half-grandmaster, was greeted by Yu’er with a deep bow. Jian Wangchen, smiling, lifted her hand and said, “Little friend, there’s no need to be so formal.”

Jian Wangchen had heard from Jian Mobei about Yu’er and her companions. Seeing her dignified and graceful demeanor, he was very pleased.

Yang Chun followed behind and was not surprised to see so many heroes gathered. He smiled at Yu’er and said, “Miss Yu’er, your reputation certainly carries weight.”

Yu’er was also curious about how these people had arrived so quickly and were all using her name as a rallying cry.

Yang Chun explained slowly that Liu Xiu had received the message from the Beggar’s Sect. However, they had slightly modified it to indicate that Yu’er was trapped, thereby inviting heroes to join the fight against Wu Chang.

Yang Chun chuckled, “Miss Liu Xiu borrowed Miss Yu’er’s name. Please don’t hold it against her.”

Yu’er smiled faintly and replied, “She has been a great help. I should thank her instead.”

Jian Wangchen inquired about Yan Li’s recent situation. Yu’er explained that they had retreated from Xuhuai Valley and had not yet received any news from Yan Li and others.

Jian Wangchen’s expression turned solemn, his heart heavy with grief. Yu’er knew he must have heard about Jian Mobei and his group’s disappearance. She suspected that many in their group were either missing or dead, especially considering they were up against someone like Wu Chang.

In a moment, realizing that half of his disciples were lost and Yan Li’s fate was unknown, even someone as open-hearted as Jian Wangchen couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy.

Yu’er, did not know how to offer comfort, but Jian Wangchen just smiled and said, “I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you, little friend.”

The group was strategizing to first eliminate Wu Chang and Lingyun’s forces in Suolong City and then take control of the city.

During this time, Jun Sixue returned. Jun Lin arrived with disciples from Jiuxiao Manor, followed by members from the Wenwu Sect and the Moonless Sect.

The Young Mistress of the Wenwu Sect had been killed by people from Xuanji Tower, a fact well known among them. They came for revenge, understanding Yu’er’s call. While support from Yu’er’s allies was expected, the assistance from the Moonless Sect was surprising, given their longstanding enmity with the two manors and the fact that their former sect leader had been killed by them six years ago.

Ning Gu greeted Yu’er nonchalantly, unconcerned by the curious glances from the others.

Yu’er was not concerned with what others might think, as she was preoccupied with worry upon seeing that Jun Sixue had arrived, but Jie Qianchou had not yet come.

Jun Sixue explained, “Jimo, Suyue, and I safely escorted everyone to Xiaoqing Mountain and met with Elder Jie Qianchou.”

Yu’er frowned with concern: “Second Sister, you’ve traveled back and forth all the way from the Central Plains, and Master is at Xiaoqing Mountain. There’s no reason for him to fall behind you.”

Jun Sixue comforted her: “Elder Jie Qianchou has profound skills; no one can trouble him. He might have gone to invite some friends to join him, which could explain the delay.”

Yu’er closed her eyes and sighed, “I hope that’s the case.”

She fiddled with her prayer beads, her mind heavy with concern for him.

She was not typically one to meddle, being new to jianghu and having spent time with Qing Jiu and others, she developed a habit of watching from the sidelines and didn’t possess any grand sense of righteousness. Now, her insistence on leading the charge against Wu Chang was driven not by lofty ideals but by a desire to take Lingyun’s head!

Yu’er’s eyes snapped open as she looked towards Suolong City with a chilling resolve.

He must die!

The heroes gathered and marched into Suolong City.

Some observant merchants had already noticed the recent tension and closed their shops early, making the streets quieter than usual.

The group split into three teams, each heading towards one of the three strongholds identified by the Beggar’s Sect disciples. Yu’er and Jian Wangchen led their group towards the guild hall occupied by Wu Chang’s forces.

Yu’er and her group walked boldly through the main entrance. The guards, upon seeing them, immediately drew their swords and shouted, “Private territory! No entry!”

Yu’er and Jian Wangchen stood their ground. Suddenly, the guards heard screams from inside the gate. Turning around, they saw another group had scaled the walls from both sides and started fighting inside.

The two guards had no time to react. Two disciples from Wuwei Palace moved like the wind, pressing their palms against the guards’ chests, preventing them from channeling their internal energy.

The two disciples pushed the guards inside, chuckling, “Come on, brothers, let’s talk inside!”

The group surged through the main gate, with the last two closing it behind them, concealing the battle within the courtyard.