NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39: First-Class Martial Artist.
Chapter 39: First-Class Martial Artist.
A group of guards on horseback escorted a horse carriage to the outskirts of the city.
"How far is that place?" Asked Gao Tao while looking outside the window carriage.
"Master Gao, we are almost there." Answered the middle-aged coachman.
Gao Tao, after finding out where the first-class martial artist lives, quickly leaves. His sibling, Gao Ming, tried to persuade him to stop, but he refused. Because of that, he locked up Gao Ming and will release him when everything is done. ‘I need to move fast before seniors notice anything strange.’
He actually wanted to poison Levi's food but was afraid it would make the dragon's heart poisonous. The only choice he had was to hire a strong martial artist. He had already hired a group of third- and second-class martial artists. But he knows it will not be enough to kill Levi. His only hope is to convince first-class martial artists.
Since he is already prepared to betray Levi, he needs to make sure there is no mistake.
While he is thinking, he arrives in front of a mud-brick house surrounded by a wall.
After Gao Tao comes out of the carriage, his servant knocks on the gate.
Although their location is a secret, they have money and proof of identity. Gao Tao is not someone from an unorthodox or demon-cult faction. He finally obtains the information from the martial arts alliance branch in the city.
-
In the past, a martial arts couple found a secret martial art manual in a hidden cave belonging to an expert. After that, they become the top orthodox faction martial artists and manage to kill numerous unorthodox and demon cult factions.
However, when the war ended, they disappeared. According to the martial arts alliance, they got married and had a daughter. At the same time, they hide their identities to prevent the unorthodox and demon cult faction from finding them for revenge.
A middle-aged woman, after hearing someone knock on the gate, comes out of the house and, at the same time, brings her sword. The reason she is worried is that only a few people know this place, and every time they want to visit, they will send a pigeon letter in advance.
Opening the door, he can see a middle-aged servant, and behind him is a chubby merchant. After explaining their intention for coming, the middle-aged woman allowed the two men to enter while the other guard waited outside.
"I am sorry; I need to wait for my husband before agreeing to anything."
"Don’t worry, I am sorry for coming here without notice." Gao Tao bows his head and apologizes. This is one of the things he learns from Levi, you will not lose anything by acting polite to people. Especially if you are going to ask for help.
Seeing Gao Tao's polite behavior, the middle-aged woman smiles and offers the two men some tea. They chat while waiting.
After half an hour, the middle-aged woman's husband returns. The middle-aged woman explains why Gao Tao is coming here.
"To think there is an evil dragon in the Yangtze River." Qiao Shun, after listening to his wife and Gao Tao, is furious. How many innocent people died because of the evil dragon?
"Yes, that’s why I want to hire you to kill the evil dragon."
"Don’t worry, I will help."
Husband, I will go to you."
"No, it’s too dangerous."
"Do you think I am weak?" The middle-aged woman smiles eerily.
"No, No, please let me explain!" Qiao Shun perspired and quickly waved his hand.
While both of them are quarreling. Gao Tao, just watch. Qiao Shun and his wife, Meng Mei, are called the Ten Thousand Sword Fiend Couple." With a thousand rain sword formations, they once made the unorthodox and evil faction run in fear.
After that, Qiao Shun and his wife agreed to meet Gao Tao in Nanchang City later.
Inside the horse carriage, Gao Tao frowned. Although he had prepared to kill Levi, he still feels guilty. But he knows that if he doesn’t do anything, his hope of marrying Wu Yi is gone.
-
Near a lake.
Wu Yi is introducing her fiancé to Levi. Li Xue's pale face became paler after seeing the large dragon.
Levi observes the boy's weak body. "You don’t look so good."
"He has been sick since he was young. Can you help him? I promised to sacrifice two cows next time." Wu Yi asked. She knows Levi is knowledgeable.
"Sure, boy, come closer."
Li Xue is terrified after hearing that. Wu Yi, on the other hand, holds his hand to reassure him that Levi will not hurt him. He moves closer to the large dragon, inhales deeply, and closes his eyes. It's okay if he dies; he's tired of worrying about his family all the time.
Because of his illness, he matured faster than other children, and he can hear the servant gossiping about him behind his back. When his family found out about it by chance. They are furious and have ordered that the servant be beaten to death. However, the servant's words are true; he does not have a long life.
Sometimes he envies other kids that can play and run around the town and city.
Levi lowers his head and casts the rejuvenated spell. A floating green magic circle with an unknown rune appears and emits a glowing green particle that enters the boy's body. Rejuvenate is a wood-type element spell and has no conflict with his water element affinity, like the fire spell.
Li Xue can feel his body becoming more comfortable and his pale face becoming rosier.
After several minutes, Levi stopped. "Come and see me once a month. You also need to eat more vegetables and less meat. It's better if you learn a martial art to exercise your body." Levi advised. This is the only thing he can do; he is not a physician.
"Thank you." Seeing Li Xue's condition, Wu Yi is happy.
Li Xue is still in disbelief after opening his eyes. Although his body is not completely healed, he can feel that it is better than before.
"Wu Yi, when is your wedding?’
"Our family is still discussing the date." Wu Yi blushes.
Li Xue snapped out of the daze, clasped his hand, and bowed. "Thank you, senior, for helping me."
"It's fine." Levi grin. At the same time, he thought about what Gao Tao would do if he found out that Wu Yi preferred her fiancé over him.
-
Wu family household
The Wu and Li patriarchs, after receiving the news about what happened at the lake, are having a discussion.
"Old Wu, have you met the dragon?" The Li patriarch asked anxiously.
"No, and the dragon is my granddaughter's friend."
"If I kill the dragon, what will you do?" The patriarch's eyes turn fierce; for his grandson, he is willing to do anything.
"It’s only a rumor that the dragon heart can heal any sickness and extend life. The dragon is strong; many people will die if you try to kill it," the Wu patriarch advised.
Li patriarch, after hearing that, calm down. What old Wu said is true, and at least his grandson's condition is getting better.
"However, if we are lucky, someone will deliver the dragon heart to us."
"What do you mean?" The Li patriarch looks at him with a puzzled face.
The Wu patriarch doesn’t say anything after that.
-
Nanchang City.
A few days later, Qiao Shun and his wife, Meng Mei, arrived. Gao Tao had rented a large room in the restaurant to greet them and others for a feast.
Various types of food had been placed on the table.
The people gathered today are mostly third- and second-class martial artists. When they heard about the Thousand Sword Fiend couple arriving, they all paid their respect. Although Qiao Shun and his wife Meng Mei are not martial masters, they are considered the strongest first-class martial artists and a legend in the martial art world.
After that, they begin to discuss the plan to kill the evil dragon. Gao Tao tells them the dragon's heart belongs to him.
The martial artists agreed and had a tacit understanding because no one would spend a lot of money on justice to kill an evil dragon without any reward. Even if they existed, they are uncommon.
Qiao Shun and his wife Meng Mei's thought is simple: it is natural for someone who used their own money to rid the world of evil to be rewarded. Humans are selfish by nature, even they.
-
The next morning, Gao Tao and the martial artists are heading to the lake. Behind them, many people are carrying bamboo rafts and large nets.
When they are near the lake, they stop. A few servants pulled the cow, tied it up near the lakeshore, and left. Now they only need to hide and wait.
After a few hours, the calm lake begins to ripple, and a dragon head emerges from the water, heading for the cow. Soon the human sees a dragon with a spiked shell body the size of a two-story house emerge near the lakeshore.
Some martial artists, seeing the dragon tremble in fear, soon calm down. Because there are many of them and only one dragon.
The dragon turtle opens his mouth full of sharp teeth and swallows the cow whole.
"Fire the net!"
The martial artists fire the arrows attached to a large net. The sky is covered with multiple large nets. Their target is the dragon.