The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 115 - 99 Setting a Trap with One’s Own Body_2

Chapter 115: Chapter 99 Setting a Trap with One’s Own Body_2

Lu Kang said in a deep voice, "Furthermore, the scholar we met yesterday, although he tried hard to conceal it, his eloquence and knowledge are remarkable. Yet, his eyes hold a bandit’s air, he must be a bandit spy."

"I shall use him as a pawn. Madam, you must be cautious."

Saying this, he gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window and said with a smile, "I was born ill-fated, spent my life fighting with people, yet destiny does not favor me."

"This time I use myself as a pawn, and the last move..."

"Twenty years later, Madam, remember to burn some paper and let me know the result!"

...

As the sky darkened, the bonfire blazed on the open ground.

Li Yan fiddled with the small wooden box given by Luo Mingzi, taking out the contents one by one, splitting the mugwort with Wang Daoxuan evenly, and carrying the Thunder Fire Pills on him...

Wang Daoxuan looked worried and said, "How about we first leave Qilipu for a while, wait until after things calm down?"

"We can’t avoid it."

Sha Lifei happened to walk over from the inn, shaking his head and softly said, "Just got the news, a secret escort team was robbed over at Shilipu. They disguised as villagers but still couldn’t escape; all the skilled hands were beheaded."

"The bandits probably descended from Niubeiliang a long time ago. They are numerous and strong. Seeing us dragging a coffin, surely they’ll act, so it’s safer here with more people."

Just at this moment, Wu Mao also hurried over, sat by the bonfire, and said helplessly, "Brother Li guessed right. The garrison didn’t send out troops..."

Sha Lifei laughed, "Looks like Lu is doomed, we better not stick too close."

Li Yan remained silent but looked at Wu Mao.

Wu Mao awkwardly smiled, "Brother Li, rest assured, if the mountain bandits indeed arrive, I will ’accidentally’ drop the escorts. Anyway, this matter can’t be blamed on us."

Only then did Li Yan nod, "Uncle Sha, go call Master Zhou and the others, we’ll form a formation for self-protection and wait it out."

Sha Lifei nodded and immediately ran back to the inn.

In no time, the people of the Spring Breeze Class also left the inn. This time they traveled far, leaving women and children at home. Those who came all knew some fighting skills, and Master Zhou was also a Hidden Energy expert, all carrying stick weapons, looking like they were ready to fight desperately.

Suddenly, the team swelled to more than twenty people.

Other Jianghu Guests and merchants also huddled with people they knew well.

They, too, got the message, but the most troublesome thing right now was the certainty that bandit infiltrators blended in here; they could only partner up with familiar people.

Li Yan and his companions huddled around the bonfire, all silent.

Wu Mao, the bodyguard, seeing the oppressive atmosphere, rolled his eyes, took off the three-stringed lute from his back, and plucked a few strings.

The sound immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Young Hero Li, don’t keep a straight face. This is the pugilistic world. One journey through the wind, one journey through the rain, another journey with fights and squabbles, two days past, and it’s over."

"Frowning and worrying is also living, drinking and singing is also living, decide to fight when you must, enjoy yourself when you can, why make things hard on yourself?"

"That makes sense."

Li Yan softened his gaze and smiled, "Brother Wu, you can do this too?"

Bodyguard Wu Mao blinked, "From Yulin, learned it for some time, or else, how could I dress like this, wouldn’t it be obvious?"

Saying so, he pressed the strings with his left hand and plucked them gently with his right.

Deng de le deng, de er deng!

Accompanied by the humorous three-stringed lute, he began singing with winks and antics,

"The first watch that little nun, Sitting peacefully in the Zen hall,

Holding a small wooden fish, Worshipping Buddha with incense,

Suffering in the temple, Chanting Amitabha,

Guarding the clay platform, Lighting a solitary lamp, oh, how desolate..."

Around the inn, the bonfire flickered, and the sound of the three-stringed lute mingled with the quick-speaking Shanbei storytelling, floating to all directions...

...

On the second floor of a distant inn, a short and stout man listened to the faint song and spat, "Bah, the cowards are having fun..."

Under the oil lamp, he was busy writing and drawing, all with suspicious secret escort targets, with Li Yan and Wu Mao clearly among them.

After taking another look, he put away the paper, blew out the candle with a puff, and then jumped out the inn window, leaping onto a nearby big tree.

Like a nimble cat, he pressed his feet against the sturdy trunk, using it as leverage to roll down to the ground swiftly and quietly.

In this remote darkness, no one discovered him as he crossed through wild grass, climbing up the dried riverbed toward the mountain swiftly, disappearing into the darkness in a blink...

...

As the night deepened at Zhongnan Inn.

"Murder!"

The shrill cries startled the entire post station.

"Who is it?!"

Guards Feng Ping and his companion pushed the door open, just in time to see a shadow flipping over the wall, their expressions changed drastically, yet they didn’t pursue but rushed to Lu Kang’s room and stood there in a daze.

The Posthouse Governor was also awakened, hurriedly coming with people holding lanterns. Upon seeing the scene inside, his vision went dark, nearly collapsing.

Inside the room, Mrs. Lu and her daughter cried as if their souls were torn apart.

While Lu Kang slumped in the chair, a dagger stuck in his heart, his head slightly tilted looking toward the window, long devoid of breath, with no sorrow or joy in his eyes...

"It was that scholar!"

Feng Ping yelled in fury, recalling Lu Kang’s kindness, turning to rush out, but upon seeing the fainted Mrs. Lu, he gritted his teeth, "Cheng Si, Wang Da, you go chase after him, the rest follow me to protect Madam!"

"Yes!"

The two guards immediately rushed into the night.

Feng Ping’s right hand trembled as he went up to close Lu Kang’s eyes.

He gritted his teeth, constantly blaming himself in his heart, thinking how Master Lu had been wise his entire life, yet in the end got deceived by that scholar, becoming confidants with just a few words, even discussing through the night by candlelight.

I should have been guarding by his side...

...

"Hahaha!"

In the ancient path’s night, two fast horses galloped like the wind.

On the horses were unmistakably the two bandit spies from the inn.

"Third Brother, no, Young Master is wise!"

"Hmph, what old fox? Didn’t I just play him like a fool, with this list, none of the secret escorts will escape!"

"Young Master, uh... we really killed the Deputy Counselor, if..."

"No ’if,’ Lu sent people to ask for help from the garrison, but sadly no troops were dispatched, so in his distress, he drunkenly confided in me about this matter, else why would I act in advance? Can’t you see..."

"The one who wants his life isn’t us... Hahaha!"

"Quick! Release the messenger pigeon, tell Big Brother to act tonight!"

Flap flap!

The messenger pigeon flapped its wings and flew into the night.

Typically, messenger pigeons are active during the day, returning to roost at night; those capable of flying at night to deliver messages are specially trained.

Anyone proficient in this method is surely a master in the field.

However, what they didn’t know was that a messenger pigeon in the stable at the back of the post house also took to the night, flying towards the Camp Post Guard Station...

...

In the dead of night, the bonfire crackled.

By now, it was the Choushi. Many around the Long Wind Inn, having been tense all night, succumbed to sleepiness and fell deeply asleep.

Of course, nobody dared to be careless under these circumstances. Almost every team left someone to stand guard and even set warning traps in the distant darkness.

These are all Jianghu methods, with the only purpose being to sound an alarm.

Li Yan had taken a short nap during the first half of the night, and was now invigorated, sitting by the fire with the Guan Mountain Blade on his knees, feigning sleepiness with closed eyes.

Suddenly, he sniffed, standing up abruptly, using Hidden Energy, slapping his hand on the Cloud Thunder Divine Drum.

Dong!

The drum sounded like a thunderclap in the night, waking everyone.

"The bandits have descended, if you don’t want to die, fight for your lives!"

Li Yan shouted angrily, then signaled the team to be on guard.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Many in the teams woke up with a jolt, hurriedly drawing their swords, looking around in panic, "Where are the bandits, where are they?"

However, the surrounding mountains were dark, seeing nothing.

In a distant team, a man from a caravan, tense for a while, saw no movement and then cursed, "There’s no one, damn it, who was making up..."

Swoosh!

Before he finished his words, an arrow flew from the dark, straight into his brain through his eye socket.

The man didn’t even grunt, falling straight down.

"The bandits are here, watch out for the dark arrows!"

This caused a complete uproar.

It was like a signal, chaotic arrows shot from all directions in the darkness, as if they were surrounded by an army.

Fortunately, many teams were prepared, some picking up wooden boards, others hiding behind iron pots, resisting the arrows shot from the dark.

Li Yan’s team was even more prepared.

Master Zhou led the Spring Breeze Class, disassembling the opera troupe’s box covers to protect all sides.

But in the current situation, they could only take the hits passively.

Li Yan squinted slightly, whispering, "Uncle Sha, protect the team, there aren’t many shooting dark arrows, I’m going to take them out!"

Saying so, he immediately retreated, blending into the darkness.

Quickly, a few screams were heard from the opposite side...