Dominating Martial King-Chapter 35 - 32 Iron Madman

35: Chapter 32 Iron Madman

35 -32 Iron Madman

At the same moment, Tie Xiaosheng spurred his horse deep into the East City Pier of Xiushui City.

The situation here was far better than he had anticipated; everything was orderly and well-organized.

The grand flags of the Iron Banner Gang stood firmly in every direction, proudly fluttering in the breeze.

All the gang members were armed with swords and intensely vigilant.

Upon seeing Tie Xiaosheng, they all showed signs of joy and greeted him with respect.

“Deputy Flag Master!”

“Thank goodness, the Deputy Flag Master is safe and sound.”

“Fourth Master, you’re finally back!”

“Fourth Master, the Flag Leader is also back; he’s at the Headquarters.”

Tie Xiaosheng was ranked fourth in the family, thus he was addressed as Fourth Master.

His spirits lifted at the mention of the ‘Flag Leader,’ and he immediately accelerated his horse, arriving in front of a gigantic ship.

Then, he leaped from the horse and soared onto the ship’s front deck.

The deck was empty except for a long table placed in the center.

On the tabletop were more than a dozen bowls and dishes, mostly filled with meat and wine.

Sitting on the north side of the table was a man whose facial features resembled those of Tie Xiaosheng—both strong and broad-shouldered with square faces and large ears, his coarse short hair standing stiffly as if spearheading the sky.

However, he looked much younger, only about thirty-five or thirty-six years old.

He was focused on devouring a roasted pigeon, his demeanor wild and unrestrained.

Tie Xiaosheng walked over and picked up a roasted pigeon to gnaw on as well.

He had been in the Fire Bone Cave for five days and had grown tired of the taste. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

Though there were some fierce beasts in the Fire Bone Cave, most were contaminated by the malevolent impure energy underground, making them inedible.

They couldn’t make a fire in the cave, so they had relied on the dried meat Chu Xisheng had managed to snatch.

Tie Xiaosheng wolfed down a pigeon, then looked up dissatisfiedly at the man sitting opposite him, the Flag Leader of the Iron Banner Gang— ‘Iron Madman’ Iron Madman.

“When did you get back?

Did you just leave your brother in the cave without care?

Younger Brother Six, you weren’t waiting for me to kick the bucket so you could inherit the fortune I’ve accumulated, were you?”

“Fortune?

How much money have you saved?” scoffed Iron Madman, his expression disdainful.

“You might as well say I wanted to use you as a scapegoat to monopolize the Iron Banner Gang.

The Long Family’s two venomous snakes are waiting on the shore to stab me in the back, and I would be a fool to enter the Fire Bone Cave.

Moreover, three days ago I hired a Medicine Gatherer to check on you, and they reported that the Long Family hadn’t caught you, that you had encountered a noble person below who helped you turn danger into safety; that you were well fed and watered.

I figured a little hardship would do you good; with your meager skills, you were careless enough to venture into the Fire Bone Cave with just a few trusted followers, then got drunk and even had your armor stolen.

Is this how you run things after I left?”

Tie Xiaosheng suddenly found himself breathless and at a loss for words.

Iron Madman placed the bones he was holding onto the table, curiosity marking his face as he spoke, “Those Medicine Gatherers mentioned there were two people with you, a man and a woman.

What kind of people were they to rescue you from the Long Family?”

Tie Xiaosheng answered truthfully, “The woman was about fifteen years old, with Seventh Rank Primordial Skill, Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts, truly impressive.

She wouldn’t reveal her name, but from her clothes and manners, she must be from a notable background.

The man—Chu Xisheng—”

He squinted his eyes, “Though he is physically weak, he is a young hero, endowed with both intelligence and bravery!

You might find it hard to believe, but I saw him myself down in the Fire Bone Cave, with merely Ninth Grade cultivation, single-handedly slay thirteen Long Clan Soldiers and three of Heng’s Eighteen Riders.

To be honest, I am very keen to recruit him into the Iron Banner Gang.

With his talent, he is bound to become a pillar of our gang in the future.”

“Oh?” Iron Madman couldn’t help but squint his eyes.

It was rare for his brother to praise someone so highly; the affection and admiration in Tie Xiaosheng’s voice were practically spilling over.

Just then, Tie Xiaosheng paused, looking around suspiciously.

“You did not rescue me, fine, but why are you still not taking action?

One of our Tangkou in the Fire Bone Cave was wiped out; are we just going to let this deep-seated hatred go?

This doesn’t sound like you, Iron Madman.”

“Of course, we cannot let it go,”

Iron Madman smirked, his expression turning cold as he drank a cup of wine.

“But we need to wait a bit longer.

The situation in Xiushui County is precarious, due to that fabricated Defying God Flag and Lie Wang’s Treasure.

The atmosphere is tense and unpredictable, not good for rash actions.

You probably don’t know that there are still people suspecting that the Defying God Flag is in our possession.

Otherwise, why would we name our gang the Iron Banner when we came to Xiushui five years ago?”

At this, Tie Xiaosheng suddenly spit out all the drink in his mouth.

※※※※

Having returned to his own cluttered yard, Chu Xisheng saw before him another firework explode.

The Martial Arts Points on the virtual screen also leaped up by 4 points, reaching 23.

Chu Xisheng’s eyes lit up, attributing these Martial Arts Points to Tie Xiaosheng, a lingering effect of the battle in the Fire Bone Cave.

He was now able to exchange for ‘Star Shifting Lightning Feet’.

However, Chu Xisheng didn’t do it because he discovered in the Martial Arts Treasure Vault, there was something even better.

The First Tier of the Time Instant Shadow Body—allowing someone to move as swiftly as a shadow, as fast as time, doubling the speed of movement, the ability to jump, and the flexibility and coordination of the body, needing 35 Martial Arts Points to exchange.

As a talent concerning movement skills, ‘Time Instant Shadow Body’ had twice the flexibility and coordination compared to ‘Star Shifting Lightning Feet,’ yet the exchange price was as high as thirty-five points, even more expensive than Pure Yang Thunder Body.

This talent seemed to be not limited to movement skills only.

Could this doubled flexibility and coordination also benefit his Sword Skill?

Chu Xisheng strongly desired talents related to movement techniques.

To establish a foothold in this perilous world, it was crucial to draw a sword quickly and to run even faster.

Only those who could run fast would live longer.

However, after some hesitation, Chu Xisheng decided to wait a bit longer.

The 23 Martial Arts Points in his hand were earned the hard way, secured by his own efforts, and he wasn’t worried about losing them.

Chu Xisheng then pushed the door and entered.

From the backyard came a ‘Thud, thud’ sound.

Following the noise, he walked in and discovered Chu Yunyun by the stove, chopping something.

Upon closer inspection, Chu Xisheng realized they were ribs from a wild boar.

In her hands was not a specialized bone-cutting knife but a short, small kitchen knife; yet, the hard pig bones, under her knife, crumbled as easily as dried tofu.

Curious, Chu Xisheng approached, “You finished your guard duty so quickly?

And where did these pig ribs come from?”

“I didn’t go on guard duty.”

Chu Yunyun shook her head and turned to him with a calm expression, “People from the Long Family came to the Si Tong Escort Agency and told us not to work there.

I could only hunt a wild boar in West Mountain, sold its skin, flesh, and organs for four taels of Demon Silver, and only these bones were left.”

Chu Xisheng couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows; West Mountain was to the west of Xiushui City, a continuous mountain range stretching nearly hundreds of miles.

It harbored many from the demon clan and numerous fierce mutant beasts, where only top hunters dared venture.

When they first came to Xiushui County, they relied on Chu Yunyun hunting in West Mountain to make money.

However, success depended on luck, and at times they spent three to five days without any gains.

This world, for some unknown reason, was rampant with impure energy drifting through the wilds.

If mortals consumed animals tainted by the impure energy, the minor effect was severe illness, but madness in severe cases.

West Mountain was only slightly cleaner than the Fire Bone Cave.

If she encountered members of the demon clan, Chu Yunyun was also at risk of exposing her strength and identity.

At this moment, Chu Xisheng’s expression shifted slightly, “Did you go to the Fire Bone Cave?

Did Eagle Sword Duhong die by your hand?”

He had already learned the name of the young man carrying the sword from Tie Xiaosheng’s mouth.

He had been guessing who exactly had killed Eagle Sword Duhong?

Chu Yunyun was his suspect.

Since people from the Long Family had approached the Si Tong Escort Agency, it was highly likely that Chu Yunyun deduced he was in danger in the Fire Bone Cave.

Chu Yunyun was sizing up Chu Xisheng up and down.

This guy’s cultivation had indeed reached the lower Ninth Grade.

She laughed slightly, “I went inside the cave, saw a girl with you, equipped with Dual Cultivation of Magic and Martial Arts, and a Seventh Rank Primordial Skill, capable enough to keep you safe, so I left.

That girl, should she be the Miss Lu Luanyi you mentioned?”

“Indeed, it was her.”

Chu Xisheng nodded, his face showing a stroke of luck, “Thanks to her this time, otherwise I really wouldn’t have been able to return alive to see you.”

Chu Yunyun continued chopping the pig bones, her eyes puzzled, “This lady seems to come from a distinguished family; why would she agree to accompany you to the Fire Bone Cave?”

“I don’t quite understand either,” Chu Xisheng thought of Lu Luanti with a light smile, “but this lady’s temperament is quite good, not as haughty as daughters of noble houses typically are—quite adorable—”

He hadn’t finished speaking when he heard a ‘Thud’ sound.

It was Chu Yunyun, having used too much force, striking the chopping board so fiercely it split apart.