Chapter 34: Stay Your Blade!

Under the moonlit night, Zhou Tong imparted the secret art of the “Mutual Destruction Blade Technique” to Cai Fu. Every move was designed for mutual annihilation, a strategy suited for facing opponents too powerful to defeat outright. With this technique, one might even turn certain death into survival.

This blade technique could be combined with the “Rolling Dragon Blade Style”: “If I can win, I am invincible; if I can’t, we trade one for one!”

One had to admit that despite his advanced age, Zhou Tong remained vigorous. When demonstrating the blade techniques, his skill was as sharp as ever.

That night, Cai Fu stayed awake practicing until dawn before quietly sneaking back to climb into bed beside Lu Junyi.

He slept until the sun stood high at noon, then rose to wash up and eat.

During his post-meal stroll, Cai Fu encountered an old acquaintance.

“The Blade King is back!”

It was none other than the young mistress who had witnessed his “Dragon Subduing” technique firsthand.

Cai Fu smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I’ve returned.”

The young mistress eagerly struck up a conversation, chatting away to pass the time.

“Blade King, blah blah blah… Oh, I heard that tomorrow in Daming Prefecture, several rebels are to be executed!”

Cai Fu’s interest piqued. “What rebels?”

Seeing his curiosity, the young mistress hurriedly shared all she knew.

“I heard they’re Liangshan outlaws! One with a yellow face, one with a white face, and one with a crab-like face. At the quarter past noon, at the crossroads…”

Cai Fu listened, utterly baffled.

What were these yellow face, white face, and crab face all about? Who were these people?

Though their identities remained unclear, the key point was that they were Liangshan rebels.

After gathering information from the young mistress, Cai Fu returned to his quarters to assemble the brothers for a discussion.

Lu Junyi laughed heartily upon hearing the news.

“So they’ve gotten their comeuppance!

“Big brother, there’s no need to intervene. No, tomorrow we’ll go to Daming Prefecture just to watch the spectacle!”

“No, second brother, you’re mistaken.”

Cai Fu waved his hand.

“The ones who wronged you are Song Jiang and Wu Yong. We will never spare those two.

“But as I’ve told you, not all heroes of Liangshan share Song Jiang’s heart.

“To take revenge on Song Jiang, the best way is to strip him of everything he holds dear.

“His brothers, his reputation, his future, his dreams…

“And ultimately, his life!”

Lu Junyi was thoroughly convinced. “Big brother, you’re right!”

“So tomorrow, our trip to Daming Prefecture is not to watch a spectacle but to save lives.”

Seizing the moment, Cai Fu pressed on to persuade Lu Junyi.

“We rescue them and turn them into our own.

“We gain three brothers; Song Jiang loses three.

“One plus one minus one equals a difference of six brothers…”

“Brilliant!”

Yue Fei listened with bright eyes.

“Our numbers grow while that little black fat man’s forces dwindle!

“At this rate, Liangshan will soon be ours!”

“Exactly!”

Cai Fu gave a thumbs-up.

Though the youngest, Yue Fei was the sharpest mind among the brothers.

If only he weren’t just twelve, Cai Fu would have taken him under his wing to build their enterprise together.

For now, the best plan was to let Yue Fei stay with Zhou Tong to continue learning until he reached sixteen, when he would be fully matured.

Cai Fu proceeded to outline his plan.

“Tomorrow, when we arrive at Daming Prefecture, we will do this and that…”

“Brilliant! Brilliant!”

Lu Junyi gave two thumbs-up, following Big Brother’s lead without question.

What Big Brother said, they would do.

…

The next day.

At Daming Prefecture, the crossroads.

Three large men, disheveled and ragged, knelt in a row, shackled and chained, heads bowed in despair, faces ashen.

Just as the young mistress had said—on the left, a white-faced man; in the middle, a yellow-faced man; on the right, a crab-faced man.

The yellow face and white face were “Sick Guan Suo” Yang Xiong and “Desperate Third Brother” Shi Xiu.

They had received orders from Song Jiang to support Chai Jin in Daming Prefecture but were captured by Suo Chao along the way.

The crab-faced man was “Swift Protector” Dai Zong, who came to find Chai Jin but was caught by the vigilant Zhou Jin.

They had been imprisoned separately, tortured severely, and only met now on the verge of execution at the crossroads.

As the executioner loudly read their charges, Yang Xiong felt a deep injustice.

“Brothers, Lu Junyi was imprisoned, and Brother Song Jiang sent us to rescue him!

“Now, as we face beheading at the crossroads, will Brother Song Jiang send someone to save us?”

Shi Xiu was silent.

Dai Zong, a staunch supporter of Song Jiang, couldn’t help but defend him.

“Brother Yang, what nonsense is this?

“If Brother Song Jiang knew, would he not save us?”

Yang Xiong retorted, “If that’s so, why hasn’t he saved us?

“He knew Lu Junyi was imprisoned; why not us at the crossroads?

“Are we less important than Lu Junyi?”

“Hey—”

Dai Zong wanted to argue but ran out of words, resorting to emotional appeals.

“Brother Song Jiang has treated you well; how can you think ill of him?”

Yang Xiong sneered.

“All I know is that when Lu Junyi was imprisoned, Brother Song Jiang made many arrangements!

“He bribed Lord Chai handsomely, sent Director Dai to deliver messages, and dispatched us brothers to support him…

“But today, as we face public execution at the crossroads, where are his arrangements?”

“Enough, brother, don’t say any more.”

Shi Xiu sighed, “Perhaps this is our fate; no one else is to blame.”

Yang Xiong snorted and turned away.

Dai Zong had no words left.

At that moment, someone in the crowd called out eagerly.

“It’s quarter past noon!”

At the executioner’s command, one assistant unlocked Yang Xiong’s shackles and grasped his hair.

Another assistant spat wine on the executioner’s blade, eyes blazing as he fixed his gaze on Yang Xiong’s nape.

“Brother!”

Yang Xiong’s eyes brimmed with tears as he looked at Shi Xiu.

“We’ll be brothers in the next life!”

“Brother goes first!”

Shi Xiu’s fierce eyes widened, his face twisted with determination.

“I’ll join you soon, brother!”

They were sworn brothers, and their heartfelt farewell stirred envy in Dai Zong.

Having just argued fiercely with Yang Xiong, Dai Zong suddenly realized he had no one to bid farewell to.

“Drink!”

The executioner, new to the task, shouted to summon courage before raising his heavy blade.

Yang Xiong closed his eyes, despair filling his heart.

Just then, a thunderous roar erupted from above.

“Spare them!”

Startled, even the executioner trembled, involuntarily looking up.

A towering, burly man descended from the sky, wielding a terrifying ghost-headed great blade, as if capable of splitting heaven and earth!