Jianghu Demolition Squad

The Child Returns Home (Part Two)

Yu’er’s group was composed of highly skilled fighters, especially with Jian Wangchen leading them; they were a formidable force. However, the guild hall was also filled with ‘crouching tigers and hidden dragons’ among Wu Chang and Lingyun’s men. In the ensuing bloody battle, Yu’er’s group found it difficult to completely overpower them in such a short time.

Among those present was Lei Gong’s reanimated corpse, which was specifically targeting Yu’er.

Jian Wangchen found himself entangled with another walking corpse, and upon recognizing its face, he exclaimed in surprise and sadness, “Old Master Yu… Ah…”

They had been friends in their youth, only to reunite under such tragic circumstances. A wave of sadness washed over him as he realized that if Jian Mobei and the others had perished, they too might have been turned into puppets by Wu Chang.

This thought ignited a spark of anger within his usually peaceful heart.

Despite his inner turmoil, Jian Wangchen’s swordmanship did not show mercy. His mastery of the sword was already at its peak, his movements fluid and elegant, captivating and deadly.

Yu’er, observing the fight, was awestruck by his skill, a testament to his position as the sect leader of Wuwei Palace. Unfortunately, she could not observe his Taixu Sword Art further, as Lei Gong forced her back into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, archers lay in ambush. As soon as they entered, multiple arrows were loosed.

Lei Gong, impervious to arrows, charged straight at Yu’er. However, being flesh and blood, she couldn’t withstand the barrage and had to dodge, which put her at a disadvantage.

Realizing she could not afford to drag out the fight while simultaneously dealing with Lei Gong, Yu’er noted where the arrows were coming from and memorized the archers’ locations, ready to take them out at the first opportunity.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound, like a blade cutting through the air, was followed by a man’s agonizing scream.

Listening closely, Yu’er caught the sound of bowstrings being drawn. In an instant, accompanied by cries of pain, several archers fell to the ground, arrows piercing their bodies.

A surge of excitement coursed through Yu’er, her heart pounding with anticipation. A glint of silver flashed past her, aimed at Lei Gong.

It was like a silver dragon breaking through the sky.

Yu’er exclaimed, “Chuanyun!”

The divine weapon Chuanyun was wielded by Si Yu, and with Si Yu present, it meant the forces from the Jile City had arrived!

Si Yu thrust his long spear at Lei Gong with the force of thunder. Lei Gong tried to evade but Si Yu pressed on relentlessly.

Yu’er, now with a moment to breathe, looked back. She saw Tang Linzhi, holding Chini, leaping over a wall into the courtyard and shouting, “Yu’er!” It turned out she was the one who had shot those arrows.

Yu’er thought about the obstacles Tang Linzhi must have faced on her way here, but there was no time for detailed questions. She simply said with joy, “Lin Zhi, you’re safe! What about Yan Li and Brother Qi?”

Tang Linzhi’s body was agile as she leaped over a corpse and landed in front of Yu’er, “We ran into your second sister on the way here. Brother Qi went to assist Manor Master Jun. As for Yan Li…”

Tang Linzhi nodded towards something behind Yu’er, indicating, “There.”

Turning, Yu’er saw Yan Li and Jian Wangchen walking over, with Jian Mobei, Wei Ran, and others beside them.

Then, Yu’er’s gaze landed on a familiar figure. In the main hall, standing casually near a pillar, was none other than Wu Yu.

Lei Gong was swiftly dealt with by Si Yu’s Chuanyun, and the reanimated corpse of Old Master Yu, who had been fighting Jian Wangchen, was slain by Yan Li’s dagger, “Si Lu.”

Wu Yu, her eyes slightly narrowed, kept her gaze fixed on Yan Li, making no move to approach. Her Jile City subordinates stood behind her, awaiting her command.

It was an unexpected gathering of allies and adversaries, a curious mix of forces united by circumstance.

The sudden appearance of Jian Mobei and the others, alive and well, coupled with the absence of any remaining enemies, filled Jian Wangchen with relief.

Jian Wangchen approached Yu’er with concern and asked, “Little friend, you’re not hurt, are you?”

Yu’er shook her head and responded, “Thank you for your concern, but I am unharmed.”

“That’s good then.”

After quickly assessing the situation and accounting for his disciples, Jian Wangchen left to assist in other parts of the fortress.

In a low voice, Yu’er asked Tang Linzhi, “How did you end up with Wu Yu?”

Tang Linzhi explained, “It’s a long story, but in short, it was Wu Yu who saved Yan Li and the others. We ran into them on our way back.”

It turned out that Jian Mobei’s group, while deep within Miaojiang, had been discovered by Wu Chang’s forces. They faced relentless pursuit, barely escaping with their lives.

Despite the grave dangers and heavy casualties, Jian Mobei managed to send out a message. When they found themselves in a desperate situation, all believing they were doomed to die, they never expected to be saved by Wu Yu.

Wu Yu had been tracking five intruders who had broken into Jile City. She found some clues and followed them to Miaojiang. There, she encountered a Wu Wei Palace disciple fleeing with Jian Mobei’s message. Following his trail, she found the group, barely clinging to life, and rescued them.

While everyone was recuperating, news came that Wu Chang and Lingyun had taken over Xuhuai Valley.

She was never one to sit and wait for doom. Considering Wu Chang a threat to Jile City, she decided to eliminate him. Therefore, she returned to bolster the city’s defenses and dispatched troops to Xuhuai Valley.

By the time Yan Li and the others learned of the Valley’s capture, it was almost too late. News of a united jianghu force gathering to confront Wu Chang and Lingyun arrived simultaneously.

Yan Li urged the Miaojang Gu Emperor to join the fight. The Gu Emperor, however, was a shrewd and calculating man. Seeing the wulin factions battling Wu Chang, a conflict that had yet to reach Miao territory, he decided to observe from a safe distance, offering vague excuses and delaying any commitment to join the fight.

After several failed attempts to persuade him, Yan Li gave up and decided to return to  Xuhuai Valley with Tang Linzhi and Qi Tianzhu, but this delay meant they arrived when the battle at Suolong City had already started.

Jian Wangchen, having heard from Wei Ran and others about their escape, made a special point to pay his respects to Wu Yu before leaving. He said, “City Lord Wu Yu, despite our past differences, your selfless act in saving my Wuwei Palace disciples will not be forgotten. I, Jian Wangchen, will remember this kindness.”

Wu Yu’s expression remained impassive, but unlike her usual disdainful treatment of Wuwei Palace members, she returned Jian Wangchen’s bow with a modicum of respect.

As she straightened up, her gaze flickered towards Yan Li, who stood behind her senior martial siblings, her expression distant and aloof. A surge of bitterness twisted Wu Yu’s heart, her voice turning icy. “It was merely a convenient act of kindness, done for someone else’s sake. There’s no need for gratitude, Palace Master.”

Jian Wangchen, unfazed by her cold demeanor, smiled faintly and led his disciples out of the courtyard, engaging Yan Li and Jian Mobei in conversation, inquiring about their ordeal.

Yu’er and Tang Linzhi followed behind. Tang Linzhi asked Yu’er about the condition of several people, including Qing Jiu. Upon learning that Qing Jiu’s Gu poison had been cured, she was overjoyed. When she found out that Bai Sang had been captured and the fate of the disciples captured in Xuhuai Valley was unknown, she pondered for a moment and said, “This is not a big issue. Since Yang Chun and Hua Lian are with us, along with you and me, we can have everyone else attract the enemy’s attention while the four of us secretly infiltrate Xuhuai Valley. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Finally, she sighed, “If only Qing Jiu were here, everything would be much easier. I wonder how she’s recovering. Do you think she could make it here in time?”

Tang Linzhi’s casual mention of Qing Jiu sent a wave of longing through Yu’er. The memory of her voice, her touch, was an unbearable yearning.

It hadn’t been long since they parted ways. She had endured six years of separation, but now every moment apart was agonizing.

She felt a desperate need to hold Qing Jiu, to kiss her, thoughts that felt shameful and inappropriate in broad daylight.

Meanwhile, the other wulin heroes successfully apprehended the remaining enemies, their efforts bolstered by reinforcements stationed outside the city. No one from Wu Chang and Lingyun’s faction escaped

After collecting and burying the bodies, everyone gathered to discuss the next steps.

With the arrival of reinforcements from Jile City, their numbers increased, boosting everyone’s confidence and morale significantly.

Among them, Yun Wangran and Jian Wangchen held the most senior positions. Most of those present had come for Yu’er’s sake. However, out of respect for her elders, Yu’er remained silent, leaving the primary discussion to Yun Wangran and Jian Wangchen.

The consensus was to launch a direct assault on Xuhuai Valley, capturing Wu Chang and Lingyun’s heads.

Some expressed concern about the threat posed by the walking corpses, “Xuhuai Valley is now Wu Chang’s stronghold. He’ll have ample manpower and who knows how many walking corpses at his disposal. We only have a few divine weapons. What if he has hundreds, thousands of walking corpses? How can we possibly fight them?”

“Who cares!” someone retorted, his voice booming with bravado. “Even if those walking corpses don’t feel pain, you can dismember them. I doubt they’ll be moving much after that. If all else fails, we can chop them into mincemeat! They can’t reassemble themselves then, can they?”

Although this was a valid point, dismembering the walking corpses was not only challenging but also gruesomely violent, something not everyone could stomach.

Yun Wangran then spoke up, “Everyone, please hear me out. We should not engage them in a decisive battle just yet.”

“Do you have a better plan, Elder Yun?” someone asked.

Yun Wangran explained, “Our priority is to rescue Valley Master Bai and the surviving disciples of Xuhuai Valley. Once Valley Master Bai is safe, we can find a way to deal with the walking corpses and then capture them all at once.”

Yun Wangran and Jian Wangchen outlined their plan in detail. Their forces would be divided into two groups. The first would seize control of the ferry crossing, transporting troops across the lake. The second would infiltrate the valley from the back mountains, sending in a few individuals with exceptional lightness skills to rescue Bai Sang and the disciples. Once they sent a signal, the two groups would launch a coordinated attack from both sides.

After hearing the plan, everyone nodded in agreement, feeling it was indeed the best course of action. “The individuals tasked with rescuing Valley Master Bai must possess exceptional lightness skills and courage,” someone remarked. “Do you have anyone in mind, Elder Yun?”

Yun Wangran named Yu’er, Tang Linzhi, Hua Lian, and Yang Chun. Yu’er had suggested this plan earlier.

Although Yun Wangran felt it was too risky and initially refused to let Yu’er go, he could not sway her once she had made up her mind, and he reluctantly agreed.

After all, as Yu’er had said, there was no one more suitable than herself for this task. Even Yun Wangran had to admit that if he were to compete in lightness skills with Yu’er now, he would likely lose to her.

Those present were impressed by Yu’er’s courage and skill. As for Hua Lian, Tang Linzhi, and the others, the wulin whispers about the Seven Stars Lords were finally confirmed. Witnessing their exceptional abilities firsthand filled everyone with awe and respect.

They had all heard tales of the four heroes. Now, having seen their skills firsthand, there was no doubt about their capabilities. Thus, there was no opposition to Yun Wangran’s suggestion, and the plan was settled.

Several days later, the heavy snow finally ceased. The sun shone brightly, bathing the silent forest in warmth. Birds chirped, their calls echoing through the trees.

Four dark shadows landed silently, melting back into the forest.

Wu Yu swiftly cut the throat of a guard, taking out the last obstacle on the perimeter. She took a handkerchief passed to her by a subordinate, wiped the blood from her hands, and then casually tossed the handkerchief onto the corpse.

The entrance to the back mountains was exposed to the biting winter wind. Wu Yu, bundled in a luxurious fur cloak, glanced at Yan Li, who stood nearby, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. Dressed in her Daoist robes, she stood tall and slender, seemingly unaffected by the cold. Wulin practitioners from Wuwei Palace were known for their resilience to the elements. But …

Wu Yu’s gaze fell on Yan Li’s knees, and her eyes darkened. She spoke, “It will take some time for the four of them to infiltrate the valley. Standing here and staring won’t achieve anything. Why don’t you go rest for a while?”

Yan Li replied, “It’s fine.”

Wu Yu’s frustration grew. “You know your legs aren’t what they used to be…” Her words caught in her throat, a painful lump forming.

Yan Li’s current condition was a constant reminder of Wu Yu’s past transgressions.

Yan Li continued to ignore her, her gaze distant and cold. “You don’t have to be here.”

The main attack was taking place at the valley front, with only the Beggars’ Sect, Wenwu Sect, and Jile City at the rear. The original plan was for Wuwei Palace to be positioned here, but Wu Yu had insisted on taking their place, and naturally, Jian Wangchen would not compete with her for it.

“I don’t want to be here,” Wu Yu muttered through gritted teeth.

But you are here!