I Can Strengthen Infinitely

Chapter 412 - 271: That Old Scoundrel Is Lending a Hand Again

It has been several days since Qin Yuesheng slaughtered those experts sent by the Yellow Turban Immortal Sect to kill him.

During these days, Liu Xian had been living in constant fear, walking on thin ice. He was terrified that Qin Yuesheng might turn up again one day; without experts to protect him, he would be as defenseless as a persimmon, ready to be picked and squeezed at will.

The bronze censer burned fragrant incense, wisps of smoke curling upward.

Several women inside the room played pipa, guzheng, and zither, the clear and elegant melodies flowing like mountain streams and snowy spring mornings, calming everyone the more they listened.

Beside them, Liu Xian sat behind the table, his face clouded with worry, drinking continuously. The maids at his side kept refilling his cup with wine.

At that moment, aside from the sound of strings, the room was utterly quiet.

Now, Liu Xian’s temples were completely white, his brows always furrowing, a sign that his ambition had waned, his former boldness lost.

"Master, a guest has arrived, wishing to see you." Suddenly, the voice of the steward came from outside the door.

"Not seeing anyone." Without a second thought, Liu Xian refused directly.

He was waiting on a particular piece of news; anything unimportant, he would not grant an audience.

"Master, the visitor claims to be a Yellow Turban. You will surely want to meet him," the steward added.

Instantly, Liu Xian’s eyes lit up, rare color returning to his face.

"Excellent! Excellent! Hurry and invite him in," Liu Xian said excitedly.

This was truly a savior! For some time now, Liu Xian had refrained from expanding his influence, allowing Cao Mengda and Wu Bao to flaunt their power and reputation throughout Jiangnan.

All because he was waiting—waiting for the Yellow Turban Immortal Sect to send their people.

After Qin Yuesheng’s battle in Yangzhou Prefecture, where he killed all the Yellow Turban experts sent by the sect, the very moment the survivors returned to the Prefecture, Liu Xian made sure the news was sent to his contact at the sect.

With no experts at his side for protection, he dared not make any rash moves, only acting with caution, awaiting the Yellow Turban Immortal Sect to send new experts before anything else.

Finally, after all this waiting, the experts had arrived. Liu Xian was overjoyed, thinking that now he could dominate Jiangnan once more.

He had clearly explained Qin Yuesheng’s strength to the Yellow Turban Sect beforehand, so this time, the experts they sent should at least be Qin Yuesheng’s equal, perhaps even stronger.

Led by the steward, two country men soon entered from outside.

These two had square faces and narrow eyes, their skin was dark and rough, but their bodies looked sturdy and powerful.

But when Liu Xian saw the two wore straw sandals, with mud and grime sticking between their toes and toenails, his brows immediately knit together.

Could these actually be the Yellow Turban experts?

"Master, the two guests are here."

After the steward spoke, the two immediately clasped their fists respectfully and introduced themselves to Liu Xian: "Greetings, Lord Liu. I am Xiang Gun, a native of Qing Province."

"Greetings, Lord Liu. I am Xiang Bang, also from Qing Province."

Liu Xian asked, "Are you two brothers?"

Xiang Gun shook his head, "No, we are from the same clan only. We used to live together in Xiang Family Village, Qing Province, and later were accepted as disciples by a Yellow Turban Immortal Master, who taught us our skills."

After hearing this, Liu Xian was immediately reassured. These two came from poverty—even after becoming disciples of the Immortal Master and acquiring martial prowess, they hadn’t swapped their old image for riches and finery. Their steadfast nature showed they couldn’t be tempted by worldly things, so they must be highly focused and quick to learn. Could it really be that the sect only sent these two?

Most likely, their strength far surpassed that of the dozen previous Yellow Turban experts.

Liu Xian stood up at once, called for the maids to fetch two new wine cups, and personally filled them to offer to Xiang Gun and Xiang Bang: "You two have come from afar, as host I toast you both."

But Xiang Bang and Xiang Gun simultaneously shook their heads, firmly refusing: "Forgive us, Lord. We have studied the ways of the Immortal Master, and there are taboos against drinking, lusting after women, and craving silver or luxury. We hope you understand, but we must decline the wine."

Liu Xian was momentarily stunned; he had no idea the Yellow Turban Immortal Sect had such rules. The previous dozen experts had drunk, gambled, partied, indulged in everything at Yangzhou Prefecture—why were these two more like monks?

Still, this did not concern Liu Xian. Whether they drank or not, the only thing that mattered was if they were strong enough to protect his life.

After arranging for the two to stay in his manor, Liu Xian felt like a dead tree sprouting new growth; his spirit revived, and he launched external expansion efforts that had lain dormant for days.

...

Qin Yuesheng had long since known that the Yellow Turban Immortal Sect secretly backed Liu Xian.

Liu Xian’s power was not far north of Cyan Yang City; even though his armies were less active than those of Cao Mengda and Wu Bao, he remained a thorn in Qin Yuesheng’s side.

If Yangzhou Prefecture could not be pacified, then Sanhuang and the others would always have a formidable enemy close by. Thus, Qin Yuesheng decided to revisit Yangzhou Prefecture and pay Liu Xian a visit.

If he agreed to surrender, he could keep his life.

If he refused to yield, then he would be wiped out directly.

By then, this famous Jiangnan city of Yangzhou Prefecture would be occupied by Sanhuang’s troops.

With the Taigu Divine Double-Bladed Fork strapped to his back, Qin Yuesheng was undeniably eye-catching among the crowds. Even with his disguise, his extraordinary handsomeness drew glances from all around.

Women were stirred by him; men gnashed their teeth in jealousy.

"Hey! Have you paid your entry fee?" A city guard blocked Qin Yuesheng’s path with his spear, shouting coldly.

"No."

"Then pay up. One silver tael."

Qin Yuesheng glanced at the others and said, "They all paid only ten wen, so why do I have to pay a tael? Are you picking on me?"

The guard slapped the standing sign next to him: "Read Yangzhou Prefecture’s entry rules yourself! We don’t even know you, why would I go out of my way to target you for no reason?"

Qin Yuesheng looked over with both eyes and saw written on the sign, clear as day: Anyone carrying weapons must pay one silver tael to enter; ordinary civilians pay one wen.

Though the rule was clear, Qin Yuesheng was here to cause a stir—after all, Yangzhou Prefecture was still Liu Xian’s territory. How could he give him a single coin?

A glint of cold light flashed; the sign was split in two, falling on either side to the ground.

Qin Yuesheng held the Taigu Divine Double-Bladed Fork, five black snakes coiled around the shaft—a weapon that was clearly no ordinary artifact.

"I don’t have any money today. What do you suggest?" Qin Yuesheng smiled.

"You!" Seeing the sign destroyed, the guard realized this man was blatantly defying Liu Xian’s rules. He immediately blew the wooden whistle hanging from his neck, the shrill sound echoing everywhere.

Rumble! Rumble!

At once, the din of footsteps approached like a swarm; dozens of guards rushed in, encircling Qin Yuesheng tightly. The civilians trying to enter the city scattered for their lives, lest they be caught up in the trouble.

Facing dozens of guards, Qin Yuesheng planted his Double-Bladed Fork in the ground, resting his hands atop its shaft as he gazed around: "Quite a crowd. Interesting."

"Seize him!"

No one knew who gave the order, but five guards rushed at him, with the rest staying back to support their comrades, not believing Qin Yuesheng could defeat so many at once.

To someone of Qin Yuesheng’s might, ordinary men who hadn’t even trained their bodies were utterly trivial.

A surge of Inner Strength erupted from Qin Yuesheng’s body, a forceful burst that sent five guards flying high, smashing them against the city gate beam.

"All together!" The remaining guards, seeing Qin Yuesheng’s strength, immediately dropped any contempt and charged at him, swinging their steel blades.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Qin Yuesheng didn’t move an inch. As the blades came within a fist’s breadth of his body, each one stopped dead, no matter how fiercely the guards strained, red-faced and gritting their teeth—they could not advance a single inch further, as if an invisible wall had blocked their swords.

Qin Yuesheng swept out with his palm, shattering more than ten blades, sending shards clattering to the ground—these ordinary weapons could never hope to threaten him.

"What—!" Seeing their broken swords, the guards were all terrified; they instantly understood they’d encountered a true menace this time.

Qin Yuesheng had no intention of killing these rank-and-file soldiers—the fate of Yangzhou Prefecture’s ruler determined whom they served; they had no choice, among the most powerless people.

Qin Yuesheng simply brushed them aside with his palm and strode grandly into the city. Naturally, if anyone was foolish enough to pursue and block him again, he would not offer a second chance.

The prosperity of Yangzhou Prefecture, untouched even by wartime, continued; every day, refugees from all over Jiangnan flocked here, hoping to find a patch of peace amid chaos.

Of course, such an influx brought more beggars, made the streets more crowded, and attracted more thieves.

"Young master, you have a noble look, surely the child of a wealthy family. I have a family heirloom here, passed down for seventeen generations,

But now with war everywhere, keeping such a treasure will only bring disaster someday; today, seeing your kind face, I feel we are fated. I’m willing to sell it cheap, young master. Would you like to see it?"

Just as Qin Yuesheng was heading towards the governor’s mansion, a skinny, dark-skinned man wrapped in a thick fur cloak squeezed up next to him, furtively glancing around before speaking with utmost caution.

Pervasive summer heat still clung to Jiangnan, and seeing the man dressed like that, Qin Yuesheng couldn’t help but feel his whole body warming up, a faint sweat breaking out.

"Not interested. Go find someone else," Qin Yuesheng replied.

"Young master, truly, young master, this is a priceless treasure. You won’t regret buying it. If it weren’t for the chaos in Jiangnan, I’d never part with it." The man, face nervous, drew a bit closer to Qin Yuesheng.