Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 198: Chapter 151: Elder Qin’s Reward

In the gap of the courtyard wall, Zheng Tao hunched his neck, his face a ghastly mix of green and white.

He had watched with his own eyes as the young man grabbed Nine Elders by the face and smashed him through a wall. Then, after a clash that lasted just two breaths... the once high and mighty Nine Elders had been turned into a bloody pulp.

It was no exaggeration to say that his calves were already starting to cramp up.

The moment the thought of running popped into his head, it was impossible to suppress.

Zheng Tao quietly shuffled back half a step, turning the tip of his foot toward the pile of rubble outside the gap...

He was just about to bolt when a sharp rock was suddenly shoved right in front of his face!

On the other end of that rock was a face caked in blood and grime.

Sun Beixi had blocked the gap at some point. The blood and mud on his face were mixed together, making his expression unreadable. Only his eyes were frighteningly bright, staring straight at Zheng Tao.

The rock in his hand lifted slightly, as if ready to smash down at any moment.

"Don’t, d-d-don’t!" Zheng Tao waved his hands frantically and backed away, forcing a smile uglier than a crying face. "Brother! My good brother! Listen to me, this has nothing to do with me! It was Nine Elders! It was all Nine Elders’ idea! I’m just an errand boy, I really don’t know what they wanted!"

Sun Beixi didn’t speak, merely staring at him, his grip on the rock tightening.

"Really! I swear!" Zheng Tao raised his hand, pointing to the heavens. "If I’d known they were going to make a move on your sister, I wouldn’t have taken this job even if it killed me! The Golden Gate Sect and Dragon Eagle have always kept to themselves, how would I dare..."

"You wouldn’t dare?" Sun Beixi finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "Then where were you standing just now?"

Zheng Tao choked, speechless.

"You were standing next to that old bastard." Sun Beixi took a step forward. "Enjoying the show, weren’t you?"

"I... I was just..." Zheng Tao’s expression shifted again and again. The panic gradually faded, replaced by a blustering bravado. "Brother, don’t push your luck. I, Zheng Tao, am a member of the Golden Gate Sect, no matter what. If you touch me today, you won’t be able to answer to them! Your sister is from Dragon Eagle, but you’re not!"

Sun Beixi said nothing.

Zheng Tao thought he was scared, which emboldened him. His voice rose. "I don’t know who’s backing Nine Elders, but do you have any idea who’s backing the Golden Gate Sect? Let’s just pretend today never happened. You go your way, and I’ll go mine..."

"Are you done?" Sun Beixi suddenly interrupted.

Zheng Tao froze.

Sun Beixi suddenly smiled.

That smile, appearing on a blood-caked face, was as creepy as it could possibly be. "If you’re done talking, then it’s time for you to go."

Zheng Tao’s pupils contracted violently. He thrust a hand into his coat, about to pull something out!

"Xiaofan."

Sun Beixi didn’t turn his head, his voice calm. "Close your eyes."

Sun Fan’s voice came from behind him. "Brother, I’m not afraid!"

The corner of Sun Beixi’s mouth twitched slightly.

Then he moved.

Zheng Tao had only half-drawn his hand from his coat when the sharp rock smashed into his face!

"AHHH!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream erupted!

The first blow caved in Zheng Tao’s nose, and blood sprayed across his own face.

Sun Beixi grabbed Zheng Tao’s hair and smashed the rock down a second time.

Zheng Tao opened his mouth to scream, but the rock crushed his lips, sending his front teeth flying and tearing a gash across his mouth.

"THUD! THUD! THUD!"

A third time.

A fourth time.

A fifth time...

The screams gradually weakened, turning into whimpers, and finally, there was no sound at all.

Sun Beixi gasped for air, the rock still clutched in his hand. He stared down at the unrecognizable heap on the ground for a long time.

Then he let go.

The rock fell to the ground with a CLATTER.

He turned around and suddenly froze.

Wan Ze had appeared at some point. He was standing not far away, all alone.

Sun Fan was sitting on the ground, stained with blood—some her own, some from others. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she bit her lip, trying hard not to let the tears fall.

She looked up and saw Wan Ze, her mouth falling open. "Wan Ze..."

"You don’t need to explain anything to me." Wan Ze shook his head and walked forward. "I’ve already contacted Master Qin. The Golden Gate Sect won’t, and wouldn’t dare, make another move."

He paused, looking at the two of them. "Let’s get you back and treat your injuries first."

Sun Fan nodded obediently. She tried to push herself up, but her brow furrowed in pain, and she slumped back down.

Her leg was crippled.

Wan Ze glanced at her but said nothing.

He walked over and squatted down.

His back to her.

Sun Fan was stunned. "What about Nine Elders?"

"Taken care of."

"Wan Ze..."

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

Wan Ze didn’t turn around, just tilted his head slightly. "Don’t be so reckless next time."

"Okay." Sun Fan lowered her head.

As she climbed onto Wan Ze’s back, her cheeks burned red.

Sun Beixi stood to the side, watching this scene, completely dumbfounded.

He looked at his sister’s flushed face, then at Wan Ze’s expressionless profile, and then at his sister’s hands wrapped tightly around Wan Ze’s neck...

He opened his mouth, then closed it.

But then he thought of something, opened his mouth again, and closed it again... Finally, he managed to choke out, "Brother... thanks."

Wan Ze turned his head to look at him. "Can you walk on your own?"

"I can, I can walk, don’t worry about me..." Sun Beixi took a step forward, but his knees buckled, and he pitched forward.

Wan Ze, supporting Sun Fan on his back with one arm, shot out his other hand like lightning to catch Sun Beixi’s arm.

Sun Beixi hung off Wan Ze’s shoulder, a look of utter despair on his face.

"Hang in there, the car will be here soon." Wan Ze supported him as he walked forward.

Sun Beixi turned his head and saw his sister on Wan Ze’s back... her face as red as a boiled shrimp, her eyes sparkling.

Then he looked at Wan Ze’s face, which hadn’t changed expression from beginning to end.

Sun Beixi suddenly felt that all the blood he’d shed, the injuries he’d sustained, and the man he’d killed tonight didn’t stir up as many mixed emotions as the scene before him.

He swallowed hard, forcing back the words that had risen to his lips: ’Could you two maybe spare a thought for my feelings?’

’This is great. Really.’

...

Just as the three of them were about to leave, the sound of urgent footsteps rushed in from outside the courtyard wall.

Lei Ming was the first to burst through the gap, a gun clutched in his hand. His eyes swept over the wreckage, finally landing on Wan Ze. He clearly froze for a second before letting out a strange cry, "No way, Ah Ze! The fight’s already over?"

He circled Wan Ze, looking him up and down, his eyes wide. "It’s only been a month or two, and you’re already this strong? I was thinking I’d have to lend a hand..."

"Lend a hand?" Tan Xiao followed him in, glancing at the gun in his hand. "You call that lending a hand? That’s more like collecting bodies."

Lei Ming choked.

Tan Xiao paid him no more mind. His gaze fell on Sun Fan, and his expression changed slightly. "You’re so badly injured..."

He strode forward, reaching out to take her, but paused and looked at Wan Ze instead. "The car is just outside. Let’s get in first."

As he spoke, he finally noticed Sun Beixi. He and Lei Ming quickly helped take Sun Beixi off Wan Ze’s shoulder.

Sun Beixi’s legs were so weak that he was practically being carried by the two of them.

"We cleaned up the tails on the way here," Lei Ming said in a low voice as he passed Wan Ze.

Wan Ze nodded, following with Sun Fan on his back. He turned his head to Tan Xiao. "Brother Xiao, let Master Qin know what happened here, so he doesn’t worry."

"Okay, leave it to me," Tan Xiao replied, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to Sun Fan. His lips moved as if to say something, but he swallowed his words.

Sun Fan lay on Wan Ze’s back, her head buried low.

"Senior Brother, I was wrong."

Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz.

"Don’t blame my sister!" Sun Beixi yelled, twisting his head back even as he was being supported by the two men. "She got dragged into this because of me..."

Tan Xiao looked at him.

His gaze wasn’t fierce, but it was by no means gentle.

Lei Ming, on the other hand, let out an exasperated laugh. "I really don’t get you two! You run into trouble and don’t think to tell the Hall? If you’d said something from the start, would it have gotten this bad?"

Sun Beixi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed his words again.

He subconsciously glanced at Sun Fan.

’Of all the people here, probably only Xiaofan and Wan Ze heard what that one-eyed brute said.’

’Some things are better known by as few people as possible... I couldn’t tell the Dragon Eagle leadership, because I couldn’t risk them trying to snatch that thing too. That’s why I kept telling Sun Fan not to tell anyone.’

But in Lei Ming’s eyes, his silence looked like shame.

Lei Ming didn’t know what else to say, so he just urged them on. "Let’s just get back first. Those injuries look pretty nasty."

The group passed through the collapsed courtyard wall to where a jeep was parked outside.

The setting sun hung low in the sky, casting its last warmth on the snow-covered mountain road.

In the distance, the shadows of the mountains layered one upon another.

By now, the snow on the road had begun to melt, leaving the surface wet and reflecting the fading light of the sky.

The jeep started up and quickly drove away from the desolate place.

Outside the window, the light and shadows of dusk flew past.

Sun Fan leaned back in the rear seat, her eyes closed. It was hard to tell if she was asleep or Nourishing the Spirit.

Sun Beixi was slumped on the other side of the back seat, his face frighteningly pale.

Tan Xiao sat in the passenger seat, glancing into the rearview mirror at the back several times, his lips pressed into a tight line, saying nothing.

...

Once they reached the city center, the siblings were taken directly to the hospital.

Just as the light for the operating room turned on, Master Qin arrived with people from the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall.

He didn’t wait outside the operating room, but went straight into a small conference room nearby.

There were only three people in the room.

Master Qin sat in the main seat, listening as Wan Ze recounted the events.

"Nine Elders?" He frowned slightly, tapping his fingertips on the tabletop a couple of times.

Tan Xiao couldn’t help but ask, "Master, you know him?"

Master Qin was silent for a moment before speaking. "His nickname is Qin Jiu... He has some history with the Divine Martial Society."

Tan Xiao was taken aback. "The Divine Martial Society? Those bastards again."

"In his early years, he had a brother he’d die for who was an Elder in the Divine Martial Society." Master Qin’s tone was placid, as if recounting an old story. "But he was killed some years ago. The one who killed him... didn’t end up well either."

He paused. "This Qin Jiu was never an easy one, even in his youth. He got used to being arrogant and never learned to rein it in, even in his old age."

Tan Xiao blinked, mulled it over for a moment, and then let out a sigh of relief. "You scared me. So does that mean the Divine Martial Society won’t stick up for him at all?"

Master Qin glanced at him but didn’t answer the question, only smiling.

The smile left Tan Xiao a little confused.

Master Qin turned to Wan Ze, his expression growing more serious. "Regarding Xiaofan’s matter, it’s thanks to your quick thinking."

Wan Ze shook his head. "Master Qin, you’re too kind. It was just a coincidence."

"It wasn’t a coincidence," Master Qin said. "The fact that you reacted immediately and gave chase—that’s no coincidence."

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject. "The Golden Gate Sect has been taken down. When you have a moment, go take a look around. If you see anything you like, just take it."

Wan Ze was slightly stunned and a little surprised. He smiled. "Master Qin, you’re being too generous."

"It’s what you’ve earned." Master Qin waved his hand dismissively, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Go on. If you go too late, all the good stuff will be gone."

Hearing this, Wan Ze didn’t feign politeness any longer. He stopped refusing and rose to take his leave.

The conference room door closed.

Only Master Qin and Tan Xiao remained in the room.

Tan Xiao sat there, his gaze drifting toward the door for a moment before returning to his master’s face.

He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again—

"Master, about Junior Sister Sun Fan..."

"A headache." Master Qin rubbed the bridge of his nose. "If her father and I didn’t have some history, I wouldn’t have dared take her as my disciple."

Tan Xiao blinked.

’That’s not what I wanted to talk about.’

’I was going to say... since Junior Sister Sun Fan is okay now, about that Golden Gate Sect business... is there a share for me?’

He opened his mouth. "Um, Master, I meant to say—"

"None of you ever give me a moment’s peace." Master Qin cut him off, stood up, and brushed off his clothes. "Starting today, everyone’s training is doubled!"

Tan Xiao was stupefied.

"Xiaotan..." Master Qin looked at him, his gaze unnervingly benevolent. "You wouldn’t disappoint your master, would you?"

Tan Xiao straightened his back reflexively. "Of course not!"

The moment the words left his mouth, he felt that something was wrong.

’It feels like something important... was just brushed aside?’

He scratched his head, thinking for a long time, but couldn’t remember what it was.

When he looked up again, Master Qin had already walked out of the conference room. He hurried to follow. Just as he was about to speak, Sun Fan’s father arrived with a large entourage, once again derailing the thought he had just managed to recall.

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