Since he had already made his move he could not worry about so much. Yet the man swinging his sword at him struck empty air. The figure before his eyes vanished and he looked up following the direction where the shadow had disappeared.
Yu Qing who had seized the sword was already one step ahead shooting into the air. He brandished the sword towards the sky to meet the curtain of blade light and shadow breaking through the air.
From his mouth burst an excited resounding shout. “Heaven Sword Style!”
The two men one descending from the sky and one rising from the ground instantly clashed together in mid air.
The moment they exchanged blows Tao Yongli felt greatly surprised. Yu Qing actually dared to meet his blade head on with his sword.
Although both were at the upper martial realm their strength within the same realm still had clear differences. When they had previously sensed each other he had felt his own cultivation was quite a bit higher than Yu Qing’s.
Moreover this slash of his came crashing down from above striking the lower position. He gripped the blade with both hands and in a direct clash the blade naturally held the advantage in power.
With all these advantages stacked the fellow whose cultivation was inferior to his own still dared to swing his sword for a head on collision?
Clang…
The intense sound of metal clashing rang out through the air. The noise was piercing and drew the gaze of people on the nearby mountain peaks.
The instant the blade and sword collided Tao Yongli’s expression changed drastically. He discovered that after his slash came down he could hardly suppress the rising sword momentum.
Little did he know this was exactly where Yu Qing’s confidence for the head on clash lay.
His sword art and mental technique were rather unique with a peculiar way of exerting force. When inner energy was added to the sword it condensed into a branch like distribution across the sword body while Yu Qing’s gripping hand served as the tree root.
Once it collided with external force the effect was the same as a big tree receiving impact.
When force struck the branches it was hard to easily shake the root.
Just like a strong wind blowing on a tree one sees only the branches move yet the root hardly stirs at all. Only an extremely powerful wind could possibly uproot the entire tree.
If Tao Yongli’s cultivation could reach that level Yu Qing would not dare to confront him.
Just this one instant of head on clash had already thrown Tao Yongli into panic and confusion.
Under the direct clash the blade momentum was knocked into disarray while the sword momentum remained free and flowing. At this critical moment in mid air with poor footing and difficulty even dodging it would be strange if he did not panic.
Even more terrifying was that he discovered Yu Qing’s sword held no restraint. Every move was wide open and grand with advance but no retreat only attack and no defence. Once the sword momentum started each strike came faster than the last.
The sword light was like a flood dragon breaking the sea and rising into the air.
The chaotic sword shadows scattered like rainbows and resembled a silver dragon swaying. The sword light almost instantly engulfed Tao Yongli.
The blade flew out.
Blood sprayed violently.
Tao Yongli’s figure shot out like a kite with its string cut.
Before he flew out there remained only one roar. “Run quickly!”
After that there was no more sound.
Yu Qing’s figure passed through the exploding blood rain. He flipped upside down in the air and the stirring sword light in his hand charged straight downward. With another excited shout he cried “Earth Sword Style!”
The Fengchen Sword Art was divided into thirty six styles corresponding to six main directions: front back left right and up down.
The sword style striking towards the sky was the Heaven Sword Style.
The sword style charging towards the ground was the Earth Sword Style.
The sword style unleashed to the front was the Yang Sword Style.
The sword style unleashed behind was the Yin Sword Style.
The sword style unleashed to the left was the Xiong Sword Style.
The sword style unleashed to the right was the Ci Sword Style.
Each of these six main directional styles contained six variations making up the total thirty six styles of the Fengchen Sword Art.
Ge Dajun who had shot up into the sky at this time was also greatly shocked.
He and Yu Qing had taken off almost one after the other. After Yu Qing rushed skyward he arrived in a flash and immediately chased upward in pursuit.
What he had not expected was that the fellow whose cultivation was clearly inferior to his big brother’s would dare to clash head on with big brother.
A head on clash was one thing but he actually…
The exchange had been too short. To outsiders no matter how they looked at it Yu Qing had taken out Tao Yongli in a single encounter.
Ge Dajun naturally guessed who big brother’s shout of “run quickly” was directed at.
Who else could it be but him?
Big brother must have sensed something wrong the moment they clashed. He knew his brother was no match and urgently warned him before disaster struck.
If one escaped there would still be a chance for revenge.
Yet it was too late. He had already risen into the air and facing Yu Qing who was pouring out sword light and charging downward he desperately resisted in a flurry of panic.
The piercing sounds of metal clashing rang out continuously.
Only after truly exchanging blows did Ge Dajun understand what his big brother had encountered and why he had lost.
The two figures landed almost at the same time.
A bloody gash running from the top of his head down to his chin appeared on Ge Dajun’s face.
He seemed to lose all thought in an instant. The look of terror on his face froze and his body slowly tilted backward before he thudded to the ground with no more movement.
Yu Qing held his sword horizontally and looked at the bloodstains on it. He casually circulated his energy to shake them off. The excited expression on his face had not yet faded.
At the same time he felt some regret. It felt like he had not fought enough. It had only been a couple of moves and everything felt unsatisfying.
There was also a bit of remorse. If he had known it would be like this he should not have used a sneak attack on Yi Lifly. If the three had come at him together it might have been more enjoyable.
Ever since he had mastered the thirty six sword styles he had been a bit overconfident and always eager to find someone to challenge. Because he felt the Fengchen Sword Art was good he had wanted to test whether he counted as an expert. Yet he had never found a suitable opportunity.
He could not just pick fights with people for no reason.
Who knew that when he finally got a chance to make a move it would be against his so called big brothers? It was directly turning against his own brothers.
Swish! The sword returned to its sheath.
Yu Qing did not hesitate. He immediately searched the bodies of the three companions and scraped all the money and valuables from them.
After counting what he had obtained he discovered it was more than what he carried himself. The total came to over ninety thousand taels.
He held the silver notes somewhat speechless and looked towards the disaster victims who had been driven to the other side of the mountain. He calculated in his mind.
There were about a thousand disaster victims. Five taels each would be at most ten thousand taels.
That meant he had earned over eighty thousand taels extra?
This situation made the corner of his mouth twitch. Looking at the three corpses he had slain heaven and earth as witness he really had not meant it this way at the start.
Looking around again he muttered in his heart and realised that robbery really made money faster.
There was no choice. This money could only be his now. He estimated it was heaven’s reward for him and counted as not having busied himself for nothing.
He walked back to his large money pouch stuffed these silver notes inside then slung the large pouch over his body. Only then did he wave to signal the young couple.
The young couple watched from afar somewhat afraid. Yet they had nowhere to escape and in front of such an expert they did not dare to flee. They could only walk over trembling with fear.
After the two arrived Yu Qing pointed at the three large packs of dry rations left by the three companions. “Go over and tell them to all come here. Say that I want to distribute food to them and will also escort them into Shangyuan City.”
They really wanted to distribute food?
The couple were surprised. In this disaster area there were actually people who killed just to rob things and then save them?
Yu Qing took out a biscuit tore it in half and tossed it to the two.
The two picked it up from the ground nodded repeatedly while chewing and ran off.
Before long a group of beggar like disaster victims came staggering over. Many were so hungry they could hardly walk.
Yu Qing had seen this situation many times on his journey. Many people had no strength left to walk out of the disaster area. Then some of the living would wait for these people to die. As soon as one breathed their last or even before they fully did a crowd would surge over. After the crowd dispersed only a pile of white bones would remain.
“One biscuit per person. Those who have not taken one stand on this side of the mountain. Those who have taken one stand on that side. Whoever dares to misbehave will be killed!”
Yu Qing shouted at the group of disaster victims. Then he let the young couple help distribute the biscuits while he stood to the side holding his sword and watching fiercely.
Those who received biscuits immediately ran to the designated side and began wolfing them down.
Before long the biscuits were all distributed. Yu Qing then allowed the couple to each take one biscuit as reward.
Shortly after a young boy came over holding half a biscuit he had not finished eating. He knelt before Yu Qing with tears in his eyes. “Benefactor can you give me one more biscuit? My mother over there is so hungry she cannot walk. Can I take one for my mother?”
Yu Qing saw that after one round of distribution there was still half a large pack of biscuits left. He immediately packed it up and carried it on his own body to take away. He let the boy lead him over there to check the situation.
The young couple who had tasted the benefit followed closely behind Yu Qing chewing their biscuits.
When they arrived at the scene and walked around Yu Qing discovered that it was not only the boy’s mother who could not walk. There were dozens more crawling on the ground trying to crawl over to receive food.
Without a word Yu Qing threw one biscuit to each one he saw.
When he returned to the previous spot he found that the bodies of Tao Yongli and the other two had disappeared. There were blood drag marks on the ground. Turning around he saw someone secretly wiping blood from their mouth and knew where the bodies had gone.
His expression sank but he said nothing. If it had been when he first entered the disaster area he would have slaughtered all those with greedy mouths without fail!
He began to select some of the sturdier men and had them make simple stretchers. They would bring along those who could not walk. Those who worked hard would of course receive benefits with biscuits distributed to them along the way.
These people immediately picked up the blades and swords left by Tao Yongli and the others. They cut the bare trees on the mountain and used clothes from many of the dead to make ropes for binding.
In this way after the disaster victims had eaten one round and recovered some strength Yu Qing began to lead them on the journey.
As long as they were still alive Yu Qing brought every single one without exception.
He carried half a pack of large biscuits on one shoulder while slinging the pouch full of silver notes. He waded through the turbid sewage to find the path and led the way for the group of disaster victims heading straight for the so called Shangyuan City…
In the low lying area a boat rowed across the muddy water.
Several officials from Shangyuan City on the boat were conducting their routine inspection to check the situation of the gathered disaster victims. Although they knew this patrol method could not be comprehensive they still had to do it. Having no action at all would make it hard to report.
Zhan Muchun was among them.
Just as he was looking around observing in all directions the chief clerk Yang waved to signal him and called him into the black canopy away from the others.
After that chief clerk Yang took out three silver notes each worth one hundred and handed them to him. He said in a low voice “These are the ones you donated right? I heard about it afterwards and got them back for you. Take them back.”
Zhan Muchun was stunned. “Chief clerk Yang do you think it is too little? On this trip leaving the capital I only brought this much money. I can save one disaster victim and bring them into the city if I save one.”
Chief clerk Yang grabbed his hand and slapped the silver notes back into his palm. “My top scholar if you want to donate just donate a few taels as a gesture. These three hundred taels are too much.”
Zhan Muchun said hurriedly “If I can save a few more naturally…”
Chief clerk Yang raised his hand to stop him. “Do you think you are the richest person in the entire Jin Kingdom? Listen to me and there will be no mistake. It is not appropriate for you to donate too much. With your status as the top scholar appointed by his majesty as long as there are no major mistakes rising to sixth rank official within a few years will be quick. Try not to bring unnecessary trouble upon yourself understand?”
Zhan Muchun holding the silver notes seemed to understand but not fully. He fell into thought.
Right at that moment someone at the bow of the boat outside suddenly shouted “Quick look there is a very strange group of disaster victims!”