King of Hundred Victories Saber

He reached out to help Lie Quan up, his movements steady and powerful, his voice clear and resonant, carrying a reassuring strength: "Elder Lie, you've had a hard time! Traveling through this storm, facing all kinds of difficulties and obstacles along the way, you've really been through a lot."

His words were filled with care for his subordinates, making them feel like a breeze in spring.

The crowd gathered, and although they were in the midst of a terrible storm, it couldn't hide the smiles on their faces.

Jin Liufu's face was full of smiles, rain falling freely down his cheeks. He stepped forward, his voice rising slightly due to excitement: "Grand Squad Leader, Elder Liao Pei has already established the headquarters on Piaomiao Peak at Taihu Lake, and each Incense Hall has been arranged properly as well. That Piaomiao Peak is shrouded in mist all year round, like an Immortal Realm, yet the terrain is extremely treacherous. Truly, it is an excellent place for our Heroic Sakura Association to establish itself in Jiangnan!"

As he spoke, he gestured with excitement shining in his eyes.

Shi Feiyang, upon hearing this, couldn't help but look up and laugh heartily, his laughter hearty and bold, echoing in the wind and rain for a long time: "Elder Liao truly is an old hand in the Jianghu! This efficiency is truly impressive! Haha! With him overseeing these major tasks, I can rest assured one hundred times over."

Everyone else laughed along, their laughter filled with hopes and dreams for the future, breaking through the suffocating rain curtain.

Jin Liufu continued, "Grand Squad Leader, there's another matter to report. You and the Hall Masters of each Incense Hall have purchased properties in Suzhou Prefecture. Your house is particularly spacious and magnificent, complete with pavilions, towers, and servants in attendance. The brothers are especially grateful to you; it's because of you that everyone is living a stable and prosperous life, no longer eating and sleeping in the open, wandering everywhere."

His face was brimming with a happy smile, his gratitude to Shi Feiyang clear for all to see.

Shi Feiyang nodded slightly, his expression solemn and reverent, like a majestic War God. He said earnestly: "The brothers have followed me, Shi Feiyang, through life and death, overcoming countless dangers, from mountains of knives to seas of fire. These are all what they deserve. Our Heroic Sakura Association is precisely to ensure that every brother has a stable home, a place that shields them from the wind and rain."

His voice was firm and powerful, echoing in the wind and rain, conveying a reassuring strength and promising the brothers a bright future.

At this moment, Xie Wen stepped forward, respectfully cupping his fist in salute, rain water winding its way down his arm. He said with hands cupped, "Grand Squad Leader, I've already sent invitations to fellow Martial Arts practitioners in Jiangnan, inviting them to your new home in Suzhou Prefecture for a banquet, firstly to congratulate you on your housewarming and the start of a new chapter, and secondly to introduce you to the Sect Leaders and famous heroes of the Jiangnan Martial Arts. As you know, commerce is strong in Jiangnan, and most Martial Arts sects here primarily engage in business for profit, rarely engaging in fights. So there's less of the usual bloodshed of the Jianghu, and more of the mundane and harmonious."

His words were earnest, his eyes brimming with expectations and hopes for the future.

Shi Feiyang pondered for a moment, looking into the distance, through the layers of rain curtains, seeing the grand blueprint for a future in Jiangnan. He said loudly: "This is very good. Xie Wen, you scout ahead, but be careful and vigilant. We will follow southward. When we reach Jiangnan, we must act cautiously, not offending the major sects easily. Our Heroic Sakura Association, being new here, must get along harmoniously with everyone and carve out a place on this Jiangnan land together."

His gaze was determined and profound, plotting a dazzling scheme.

The next morning, the rain had cleared, warm sunshine spilling unreservedly onto the earth, causing mists to rise, enveloping the world in a dreamlike veil. The heroes rode into Kaifeng Prefecture, staying at the "Yuelai" inn.

The inn was bustling with people, noisy and clamorous, yet the oppressive atmosphere lingered like a shadow, impossible to dispel.

A faint scent of blood lingered in the air, like a premature warning from fate, heralding an impending crisis.

The tables and chairs in the inn were arranged haphazardly, and the people looked weary and vigilant.

Suddenly, a piercing cry resounded, like a sharp blade cutting through the bustling inn.

Everyone turned toward the sound, seeing a man dressed as a merchant collapsed in a pool of blood, the blood spreading uncontrollably on the ground, forming a shocking dark red, a cruel testament to the passing of life.

Beside him, a woman held her newborn daughter, crying her heart out, her cries filled with despair and helplessness, a wail from the depths of her soul. The woman's hair was disheveled, her eyes empty, tears constantly flowing, mingling with the sweat on her face, looking extremely tragic.

It turned out that this merchant had been swindled out of all his money, his lifetime's hard work gone to waste, and in despair, he chose to slit his own throat and end his life.

Shi Feiyang's heart tightened abruptly, and he swiftly moved forward, wanting to help.

But seeing the crowd gather, the woman's eyes were full of despair and fear. She instinctively held her daughter tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably, like a frightened fawn.

Shi Feiyang gently comforted her: "Madam, don't be afraid. We will surely help you. Rest assured, no matter how big the issue, as long as we're here, we won't let you and your child get hurt." His voice was gentle yet firm, trying to offer the woman some solace.

However, the woman only gave a despondent smile, a smile filled with despair at the world. She handed her baby girl, who was just a month old, to Shi Feiyang and pleaded: "Hero, I beg you to save my daughter... I have no more will to live, no place for me in this world, I only ask you to give this child a chance to live, let her live well." Before she could finish speaking, she slammed her head into the wall, blood splattering on the spot, the scene piercing the heart of everyone present.