Chapter 76: Miss Ma
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Hu Yebin was really unlucky today.
As a person who was the Hall Chief of one branch of Tsing Lung Hall, his daily life was originally happy and unfettered.
Although Tsing Lung Hall was only a small gang listed at the bottom of Jianghu, it was in charge of several town centralizations after all. Baiyun Town was one of them, and it was one of the richest towns that Tsing Lung Hall controlled.
To be a Hall Chief here, if nothing else, one could easily get access to delicious cuisine. Another important point was that unlike other places, this place was entirely controlled by Tsing Lung Hall, so no other gangs in Jianghu dared to compete here. Therefore, life here was also easy.
He only planned to have a delightful drink at Prunus Tower and play with a couple of girls at lunchtime today. He had never thought that his pleasure would end so quickly. There was not enough time for him to enjoy all of his bottles before a few servants came into Prunus Tower, hastily describing somebody making trouble at the Happiness Inn.
There was no way to stay out of this matter as a Hall Chief of Tsing Lung Hall’s branch here.
He had no choice, but he held back all of his anger and followed the servants to the Happiness Inn. They were here to find out what kind of background the troublemaker had in the way of Jianghu.
He also did not expect the troublemaker to be a novice who knew nothing about Jianghu’s rules, and that was fine. In this era, many young guys made a living in Jianghu only mastering one or two techniques. The world would not seem more crowded with one more novice.
But the troublemaker was even more annoying. It was before he could finish his words that she blustered in Tsing Lung Hall without scruples. As he was the Hall Chief of Tsing Lung Hall, he intended to settle this matter in peace, but what she was doing had prevented him from doing so.
He was also lucky, the troublemaker had some techniques but was only a rookie after all. Her cultivation was only at Level One. With a few movements, she was stopped by him through acupoints. It was only then that he had the time to see her carefully, and no doubt she was beautiful and cute. He immediately wanted to bring her with him and had not thought about the future. What would the future have been? It would have depended on the girl’s backer. If she was not born in a high class, he would not mind being their son-in-law.
Another surprise followed. He was about to leave when another voice caught his attention and required him to stop, and that person was a novice too!
That was a novice indeed. It was easy to know he was still new to Jianghu judging from his age, let alone his cultivation. The young man was no more than 13 years old, nice looking from head to toe, and innocence filled his eyes, but his comments were rather irritating.
The young boy jumped down from a window of this building’s second floor, he reckoned. Nobody was there anymore when he raised his head upwards and checked the window. He was well impressed.
“Good boy, you are still too young to understand what happened. This young girl is insulting our Tsing Lung Hall, in such a public place, of course I have the right to ask clearly about her reasons. It’s none of your business. Now, listen to me, leave this place as soon as possible to avoid getting yourself into trouble. You won’t have the chance to regret it if you don’t take my suggestions!”
Junior Leopard rolled his eyes, looking down at this guy as if he was an idiot. “Unfortunately, I happen to be very upset today. When I’m upset, I can’t bear a moment of what isn’t right. Release the girl quickly, or I won’t give you any mercy!”
Junior Leopard thrust out his chest, trying very hard to create an imposing Qi Power.
But he was too young, and his gesture appeared rather funny. Everybody supporting Tsing Lung Hall could not resist laughing at him.
“You damn boy! You go so far as to challenge our Hall Chief. It’s your choice to learn the hard way, let me teach you a lesson!”
A member of Tsing Lung Hall yelled and leaped forward, and within a second he was at Junior Leopard’s front. He reached out his hand to catch Junior Leopard without any hesitation.
Seeing this guy attacking him, Junior Leopard was not nice to him anymore. His body moved lightly and his feet pointed to the ground, then his two fists quickly presented the movement of Black Tiger Grabbing the Heart. When his fists touched the guy’s shoulders, the guy was immediately thrown away more than 30 feet, lying on the ground and twisting his body, groaning painfully.
At that moment, an iron token fell off of a window from the second floor. Hu Yebin caught it unconsciously and it was truly heavy. He lowered his head to check it and was frightened to see what was carved into it. The iron token was smaller than a man’s palm, with its entire body black, and one word, “Wu”, flashed in shining silver.
Tiny as the Tsing Lung Sect was in Jianghu, they still could identify the Wu family’s token with just one glimpse. And as the word was in silver color, it became easily understood that the elders from the Wu family’s had arrived.
Baiyun Town was Yunzhou’s hinterland, so it was the hub of the Wu family’s. Gangs like the Tsing Lung Sect surely did not dare to offend them. That was why Hu Yebin’s face turned white immediately as soon as he saw that token. Now he only prayed the elder he met today had a good temper. Should this elder be irritable, his life would end today.
“I… I don’t know which elder is visiting Baiyun Town today. Please accept my apologies for not greeting you in the first place!”
Hu Yebin held the token with both hands, speaking upwards respectfully.
“I have nothing to do with you guys from the Tsing Lung Sect and, therefore, don’t need your greetings.” Xu Yong reached out his head from the second floor and glanced at the first floor, saying, “Junior Leopard, take the young lady here. You guys may leave now.”
“As… as you wish!” Hearing Xu Yong was letting them go, Hu Yebin nodded his head as if beating a drum. He handed the token to Junior Leopard with full respect and led all his people away, fleeing like the wind.
Junior Leopard went closer to the young lady and unblocked her acupoints. Her face was then clear to him.
She was pretty. Even though she was not beautiful enough to overthrow cities or ruin states, she was, in fact, pretty enough to be the first or second beauty in this town. She was around 16 or 17, and her temperament appeared rather unreasonable.
The lady was grateful to Junior Leopard for freeing her from the acupoints. But she was surprised by how young he was. Her acupoints had been blocked and she was carried on someone’s shoulder previously, so she could not see his face. Now seeing that her rescuer was 11 or 12 years old, she was reasonably astonished.
“Little brother, was it you who just saved me?!”
No sooner had she spoken than Junior Leopard was pissed off.
“You are a little brother, everybody in your family is a little brother!” cursed Junior Leopard in his mind. Then he said, ” No, it wasn’t me. What I did was only fight with those guys. It’s my master who actually saved you!”
“Well, where is your master?” The young girl asked curiously.
“Upstairs. Follow me.” Junior Leopard did not want to talk much. The lady had no choice but to follow him to the inn.
Junior Leopard handed the token back to Xu Yong after they arrived at the second floor. The lady’s face beamed with delight when she saw the token. “The word Wu is in silver, you must be an elder of the Wu family!”
Xu Yong looked at the lady with surprise and nodded, “You are right, I’m an elder in the Wu family’s. You have some insight!”
“Sure I have!” The young lady was delighted hearing Xu Yong praising her. “Since you are an elder of the Wu’s, you must know how to go to Tian Long Mystic Mountain, don’t you?”
“What?” Xu Yong was astonished.
Tian Long Mystic Mountain?
No doubt he knew that place. He had been there one or two times as an elder of the Wu family’s. But it was eccentric that the question came from a young lady who was alone out here.
“I am quite lucky and have been there several times,” Xu Yong replied. “Why do you ask me this question?”
“That’s awesome! Ma.. master, could you lead me to Tian Long Mystic Mountain? I can pay for your help!” Hearing Xu Yong saying that he had been there, the young lady was filled with great joy. She searched all over her body for quite a while and found a few gold leaves and silver ingots. But on second thought, she took back the money in a shy manner, as an elder of the Wu family’s would not be attracted by money. Then she took out a pure black pearl from a pocket at her waist.
The pearl was as big as a longan, with its body round and soft, it was as black as ink. An enchanting sheen flashed when it was basked in sunlight.
Xu Yong was also surprised at that black pearl. He glanced at the young lady with his mouth wide open.
“What do you think? I will give you the pearl as remuneration for taking me there.”
” Why do you want to go to Tian Long Mystic Mountain?” Xu Yong took a light breath and was calm again. ” You have to know that Tian Long Mystic Mountain is Tian Long Dao’s sect. Not any ordinary person can go there. Even for me as an elder from the Wu family, I can’t go there without Tian Long Taoism’s permission.”
“That doesn’t matter. I can go there, so I can take you guys there. The only problem is that I don’t know the way.” The young lady was smiling and satisfied.
“I haven’t known your name.”
“My family name is Ma, oh sorry, Lei. You can call me Lei… Lei Ma.”
“Cough, cough, cough—!”
Standing beside them, Junior Leopard could not catch his breath and coughed non-stop. The name was too fake even for such a name made up in a second. “What kind of parents would name their child so stupidly?”
“Lei Ma, Lei Ma. Who knows which family she comes from. Is it that her mistress name is Lei so she calls herself Lei Ma?” Junior Leopard was stroking his chin and thinking lecherously.
“Well, Miss Ma, oh no, Miss Lei, since you want to go to Tian Long Mystic Mountain, I invite you to go with us. But before going there, I have to deal with something at Huayang City. It may take a while, would you mind waiting?”
“Huayang City?” The young lady was in a trance then replied, “No problem, no problem. I have never been to Huayang City. Rumor has it that the kites there are the best in the world. I can buy a few when I get there and play at Tian Long Mystic Mountain.”
Junior Leopard shivered hearing their conversation, he was sure that the young lady’s background was not simple. And Xu Yong seemed to have known her, which was why he agreed to go to Tian Long Mystic Mountain with her.
But do we really have to go there? Our destination this time is only Huayang City. Could it be that master is dealing with her courteously, but without sincerity?
Junior Leopard was doubtful, but no doubt had manifested on his face.
Just as Junior Leopard expected, Xu Yong let him book three upper rooms when they finished talking after tea. Xu Yong explained to the young lady that they were tired of being always on the move and wanted some rest tonight. The young lady was not doubtful and agreed.
Xu Yong returned to his room and locked the door after all things were settled. Junior Leopard was not sure about his plans. Seeing the young lady also going back to her room, he shook his head, feeling puzzled, and returned to his room too.
Xu Yong got in his room one hour later and handed him a newly written letter, telling him to forward it to the Wu family’s Ironware Shop in Baiyun Town and informing them to give the letter to Wu Yansheng, the Family Head, at the Wu’s headquarters as soon as possible.
Junior Leopard learned about the lady’s identity at the same time.
She was the daughter of Ma Tianchang, governor of Yunzhou, and the fiance of the white blademaster Lu Shaoyou. Her name was Ma Linglong!