Chapter 160: Taking a Few Cities First
The second day of the decisive battle, in the east of the city.
Because it was the height of summer, a sweltering heat filled the air, thick and dense, preventing any sense of relief from penetrating. It also firmly locked away yesterday's blood and held hostage today's murderous aura. Look at the red stains on the ground; the night's carnage hadn't even dried yet, and more corpses had to fall here one by one to pave a path.
Whether they were disciples of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion or the Six and a Half Hall, it was already difficult to tell. Their clothes were stained with blood, their faces were filled with angry roars, and the cold glint of weapons fell to the ground even before their heads were severed. How could anyone clearly distinguish friend from foe? All that was known was that open and hidden attacks, difficult to defend against and trapped, all of which were contained here. It was as if the sky had not yet been opened, and everything was shrouded in darkness.
Lei Hen stood at the highest point in the alley, atop a rooftop.
He stood there coldly, arms crossed, showing no intention of making a move. It was as if those fighting to the death below were neither his men nor his confidants. Judging from his appearance alone, he could be described as calm and composed. However, this man was known for his hatred, and his true nature was evident. He was still standing there only because he couldn't.
First, he can't, because he needs to hate.
It seems he was born to feed on hatred, and to live because of hatred. Lei Hen is such a strange person. Of all the emotions in the world, he clings to hatred. His martial arts skills are forged from hatred, his status is established by hatred, and all he needs is hatred. So he stands here, watching his subordinates die one by one, hating Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou, hating Su Mengzhen, hating Xie Huailing, or Bai Feifei, or anyone else, letting the flames of hatred burn fiercely, only then can he forge himself.
Secondly, he couldn't, because he was waiting for someone.
Lei Hen rarely waited for people; when he did, he easily grew to hate those he waited for. But today's person didn't matter. Whoever he or she was, he already hated them. Lei Hen was waiting for someone from the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion, a master from the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion, so that he could savor his hatred once more, sharpening his blade from within it.
He was right, he waited for it.
But not in the way he expected, he was met by someone who couldn't wait any longer.
Lei Hen had walked the line between life and death countless times, and by now, he was a man who had fought to the death countless times. For a time, he was even fascinated by that dying, yet not quite dead, hatred. Yet, he was also afraid of death, and each time he struggled to escape. In short, because of these things, he still remembered that feeling very clearly.
So in that instant, he didn't hear any sound behind him, nor did he see anything amiss in his field of vision. All his senses told him that he hadn't found anything, but his fear made him raise his head.
How can it be so cold in the summer?
Lei Hen suddenly woke up, and then his body was controlled by the instinct for survival. He turned his body to the side alertly and then turned his head away.
It was a face, and a hand, white and slender, like jade carving, yet carrying a chilling wind that pierced straight to the bone. It flew past his temple, and he belatedly saw a string of his own blood beads, then met a pair of eyes that were completely devoid of emotion.
She didn't see him; even though he had escaped, she treated him as if he were dead.
She was still sneering disdainfully.
The chill seeped into his very spine, and Lei Hen immediately retreated, as if he had truly encountered a ghost fleeing from the underworld in broad daylight. He landed several meters away on the roof tiles in one leap, still shaken and unsure whether his heart had been swallowed back into his stomach or was still stuck in his throat.
He didn't have time to guarantee that he was fast enough, but could it be that Bai Feifei couldn't keep up?
Almost as soon as he regained his footing, Bai Feifei's next attack was blown over by the wind. She could be like the wind, or she was the wind. She was so fast that she could no longer be seen. It seemed that there was more than one person coming. Her fluttering clothes seemed cumbersome at this moment. She was gone in an instant, and the next instant her finger was as sharp as a phantom. Although it was a delicate point, if you wanted to understand how a willow leaf could penetrate stone, you could try to receive this move.
Before he could even make a proper move, Lei Hen was forced into such a predicament by this sudden attack. He knew that his every move was related to the morale of his underground brothers, and he could no longer hide. His hatred was endless, and after circulating his internal energy several times, he was about to make his move.
Having tasted blood on the edge of a knife, Lei Hen, having witnessed Bai Feifei's strength, would not underestimate her. He first protected himself with his inner energy, not daring to suffer another blow from her finger after Lei Sun's experience. Then, he clenched his fist, intending to use offense against offense. His punch was like a thunderclap, seemingly imbued with the energy of lightning. Every wisp of his fist wind was exceptionally fierce, creating a series of whistling sounds.
Bai Feifei was not afraid. Even if Lei Sun was here, she didn't feel scared. When she needed to dodge, she could turn her fists around and her fingers into palms. Her palms could then be cut into hand blades. Her moves were vicious and ruthless. The two of them immediately started fighting on the roof.
They moved swiftly and agilely, shattering countless bricks and stones with their footsteps. Their movements were dazzling, and if any disciples struggling below looked up and saw the two locked in a fierce battle, they would surely feel fear.
Only Lei Hen knew that his outward imposing manner did not match his inner strength. His "Mountain-Shaking Thunder" had the power to break wood and shatter stones, but that was all it could do. It couldn't even touch a hem of Bai Feifei's clothes, as if she was just toying with him.
The prolonged battle had only fueled his growing resentment, which had ignited a raging fire. Lei Hen's gaze hardened, and his fist technique suddenly changed. He unleashed three "Mountain-Shaking Thunder" strikes, each one more powerful than the last, aimed directly at Bai Feifei's face. Taking advantage of her attempt to spin around, he broke through her strange movement technique and finally got close to her.
So he became smug, and the next move he made was called "Thunderbolt from the Sky".
Perhaps the people of the Six and a Half Hall like to add the word "thunder" to their moves, but Lei Hen named his move that because its power was indeed like being struck by five thunderbolts, several times greater than "Mountain-Shaking Thunder." Ever since he mastered this move, he has been proud of it every single day. The power of heavenly thunder he poured into it was aimed straight at Bai Feifei, targeting the top of her head, intending to shatter her into pieces.
Unfortunately, he forgot one thing: his getting close to Bai Feifei meant that Bai Feifei was also getting close to him.
So he could no longer be proud of himself.
With her delicate hands joined together, she slightly lowered her wrists and unleashed a sharp, sword-like aura. Her chilling inner force condensed at her fingertips, like a beautiful ephemera flower, appearing and disappearing in an instant. Taking advantage of the moment when his old strength had dissipated and new strength had not yet been generated, she forcefully stabbed it into Lei Hen's body!
Lei Hen's "five thunderbolts" were abruptly cut short. He looked down in disbelief. He had seen death many times and passed by it many times, but only this time was it truly his.
He could feel it all. He could feel her inner force raging within him, domineering and tyrannical, completely transforming him, trampling his tendons and veins like rotten flesh, and feeling pain far beyond his capacity to endure. He was being subjected to it all, and he was about to die.
Flowers bloom and wither, blood and flesh fly everywhere, and before he could scream, Bai Feifei pulled her hand out.
He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but he couldn't. He spat out blood and used it to cover the hole in his body. He no longer needed to hate, no longer needed to be angry. Everything was replaced by the swiftly approaching emptiness of death. There was nothing left in his eyes, as if holes had opened in them. After a dying struggle, he could no longer hold on, staggered back two steps, and fell off the roof.
It crashed into the middle of the alley, its eyes still fixed on the ground.
Whether he died at her hands or on his own, Bai Feifei didn't bother to investigate. She didn't even want to glance at such meaningless behavior. A piece of trash is trash, even a trash in a high position is trash. Trash has no value whatsoever, and trash should die.
His so-called integrity is nothing but the integrity of a worthless person. When an incompetent person pursues these things, it only makes those things seem worthless.
Bai Feifei shook her hands to remove some of the blood, then used her other clean hand to adjust the hairpin in her hair.
With the Six and a Half Hall's fortunes waning, she instructed her brothers below, "Continue the operation."
Then looking further into the distance, at a quiet urban area, Bai Feifei gazed into the distance.
She knew Xie Huailing was there, so what was Xie Huailing doing?
.
What Xie Huailing is doing is indeed a good question.
The good thing is that she herself doesn't know what she's supposed to do.
"Logically, there should be a bookstore here, so why has it become a teahouse..." Xie Huailing raised her head and stared blankly at the teahouse sign, recalling what had just happened. "Did someone give me the wrong directions, or did I simply misremember, or did the bookstore close down and become a teahouse... If that's the case, why did I come out here?"
Her original intention was to buy some books that Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou wouldn't let her see, and since no one could do it for her, that's why she left the house. But she didn't want to come to the teahouse; she knew the truth about every single one of the stories about the martial arts world that were told there.
But as the saying goes, since we're already here...
Hearing the lively noise inside, Xie Huailing turned to look at Di Feijing and asked him, "Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"
Di Feijing could tell that she was listless, and he guessed that even if she turned around and left, she would still go to another place to buy the book before she would go back. Since that was the case, he thought it would be better to go in and sit for a while: "It's about time for lunch, so it's good to go in and sit for a while."
The two went inside. Thanks to the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall, not many people dared to go out, but the teahouse was quite crowded. Xie Huailing originally wanted to ask the waiter for a private room, but then he thought it would be better to listen to what the storyteller had to say today, which was why there were so many people. So he went up to the second floor and found a seat near the railing.
Once she got to the second floor, she understood immediately: the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall were locked in a fierce battle, and even if the storyteller told other stories, not many people would want to listen. Not to mention that there were several people from the gambling den standing on the second floor, who had set up two signs and a table and started gambling.
There's a saying that the bold get rich while the timid starve; some money really does have to be earned by these kinds of people.
Xie Huailing exchanged a glance with Di Feijing, then leaned over to look at the odds on the sign and the ledger showing how much money each person had bet. She was wearing a veil, but that didn't stop people from looking at her. Di Feijing stepped aside to block them, and not wanting others to touch her, he bent down a little more to look at the sign with her.
"How tasteless, how boring," Xie Huailing said to him in a breathy voice. "Why are so many people betting on six and a half points? They're a bunch of guys with no taste at all. They're just waiting to lose all their money."
Di Feijing explained, "Those who support Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou and know more about Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou may not come at this time, nor may they gamble."
Xie Huailing hissed. There was nothing wrong with what he said; it was absolutely right. But then she thought about it again and realized that this was perfect for her. It was a golden opportunity given to her by God, a chance for her to make a fortune.
Thinking of this, Xie Huailing reached into her pocket, then stopped and asked Di Feijing, "Do you have any money?"
This morning, Shaman came by and cleared out a room for Di Feijing, leaving him some money. However, she also planned to pawn all of this. At this point, Di Feijing's remaining balance became a very important factor, as it affected their living expenses and whether they should move to a bridge shelter.
Incidentally, Xie Huailing knew that Su Mengzhen was still not entirely at ease despite saying she was reassured. However, since she hadn't seen Shaman's face while she was sleeping that morning, the scene must have been extremely strange. The head of the Six and a Half Hall said something like, "Okay, I know, I will pass it on," to the head steward of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion. It was probably just a dream.
Di Fei thought for a moment and replied, "It's possible."
Xie Huailing then took it all as her own, and took out all the more than one thousand taels of silver. The remaining loose silver and copper coins were difficult to keep track of, so she kept them as her last possessions.
Besides betting on Feng Xiyu Tower to win, she also planned to bet on more detailed things, such as who would be the first important person to die in the battle between Feng Xiyu Tower and Liu Fen Ban Tang.
The onlookers, mere spectators, could only guess, but Xie Huailing already knew the answer. She glanced at a few names, then handed the silver notes to Di Feijing, nudging his arm: "Make a decision. Who do you want to bet on? This is my money; if I lose, I'll come after you."
Di Feijing took the silver note in his hand and pondered for a moment.
The people around him chuckled a few times. Some, seeing his unattractive appearance, looked down on him and laughed loudly, "What does this kid know? Why don't you ask me?" He ignored them, put down the silver note, and placed it in Lei Hen's spot.
"Why him?" Xie Huailing raised an eyebrow and asked.
She might not have been completely oblivious, but when she asked, Di Feijing told her gently, "The battle has begun. Both the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion and the Six and a Half Hall will be trying to win. At this time, taking a sufficiently intimidating head is the top priority. Among all the hall masters of the Six and a Half Hall, only the first few have such value in death. Lei Gun is crippled, Lei Mei's whereabouts are mysterious, and Lei Dongtian's martial arts are too high. The most suitable one is Lei Hen."
The person who laughed at him spoke again: "You speak so eloquently, why don't you talk about the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion? Do you think that Six and a Half Hall can only lose?"
Di Fei ignored her and just looked at Xie Huailing. She blinked and nodded at him.
"After Lei Hen died, what kind of reaction will Lei Sun have? Won't he try to fight to the death and not fight the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion for the full seven days?" Xie Huailing asked again.
She stared at Di Feijing without moving, while Di Feijing quietly lowered his eyes and quietly turned the page again.
Another person came, and he led her to the back, steadily guiding her out of the crowded throng. She poked his shoulder twice, as if determined to make his voice come out. He was indeed poked out, and seeing that she was still staring at him, he calmly looked back: "No, he will fight for the full seven days. The more urgent things get, the calmer he will become, and the calmer he becomes, the more he will think about how to break the deadlock."
Preparing to break the deadlock and develop a trump card will take time.
Xie Huailing wasn't finished yet; her gaze remained fixed, but she didn't ask anything more.
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