Chapter 186: Morality and Rules
Just then, a playful voice rang out from afar, interrupting the henchmen's movements: "So what if you can wield a knife?! Who are you trying to scare?!"
Suddenly, a figure flashed past and landed in front of everyone in the blink of an eye. With a loud thud, dust rose up. "Hmph hmph hmph..." Several horses neighed, startling many of them, and the dozens of people also became agitated.
As the smoke and dust settled, a horrifying sight emerged: an old man lying on the ground, his tattered shoes and patched-up clothes, his graying, disheveled hair, and his entire body filthy. Behind him lay a deep, ten-foot-long ditch, the cause of his filth clearly obvious.
The old man stood with his right leg bent, his right hand supporting his head, his left leg crossed over his right knee, and he drank wine from a gourd in his left hand. Indeed, this was the signature pose of someone's entrance—the Drunken Immortal, Mo Chou!
The one-eyed man looked him up and down with disdain: "You old codger! Crashing into our place in the middle of the night? Didn't you see you startled our horses?" He was supposed to have 'discerning eyes,' but the man was completely oblivious to the great man's talent.
Zui Mochou chuckled, and with a slight exertion of his right elbow, he effortlessly stood up. The chieftain frowned, secretly alarmed: this man's behavior was strange, and the force with which he charged just now clearly indicated that he was no ordinary cultivator.
Zui Mochou hung the gourd back on his waist, spat out a mouthful of wine dregs, glanced at Yi Qingxue on the ground, and then paced in front of the crowd. "You bunch of bastards! How long have I been away from Longyang? And you're back to your old ways of robbing and kidnapping women! I'm absolutely furious!"
He caught a glimpse of the various supplies looted from the horses, including strings of garlic and bamboo shoots, which only fueled his anger, and his gaze toward the crowd turned even colder.
"May I ask your honorable name, senior? Have we offended you in any way?" the chieftain asked in a deep voice.
The one-eyed man sneered, “Chief! This old geezer is dressed in rags and is filthy. What kind of person could he be? You’re giving him too much credit!” He spat in disgust and pointed his torch at Zui Mochou.
"Hmm?" The chieftain snorted and gave him an unpleasant look. The one-eyed man then reluctantly took a half step back and shut his mouth.
"Chieftain?!" Zui Mochou looked on with suspicion, tilting his head to examine the person in front of him. "You're the chieftain?! If I'm not mistaken, you're from Golden Knife Stronghold, right? Where is Golden Knife Stronghold Chieftain Nie Han? Why have you been replaced by someone like you?!"
"How dare you! You old..." The one-eyed man was about to step forward and scold him again, but the chieftain raised his hand to stop him.
Faced with the insults, the chieftain not only did not get angry, but instead put on a smile and stepped forward, saying, "Senior is right! The chieftain of Golden Knife Stronghold is indeed Nie Han, but we are not from Golden Knife Stronghold!"
He twirled a strand of his braid, thinking to himself: Although I have just become the chieftain, if the reputation of Golden Knife Stronghold for robbing and pillaging spreads, how will I be able to maintain my standing in the martial world in the future? Wouldn't this chieftainship become a joke?
The one-eyed man, however, was secretly puzzled: Why doesn't the chieftain acknowledge him? What's so scary about this old geezer? If we swarm him, we can chop him up with a flurry of blows!
Zui Mochou sneered: "Do you think I'm a three-year-old?! You all wield machetes, ride fine horses, have broad backs, wasp waists, and mantis legs, and there are dozens of you. How can you compare to ordinary bandits?"
The chieftain's smile remained unchanged: "Senior has excellent judgment! However, we are indeed not from Golden Knife Stronghold. Brothers have other matters to attend to, so we must take our leave." With that, he gripped his knife, clasped his hands in a salute, and waved to the crowd, preparing to depart. "Let's go!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Zui Mochou squinted, waving his hands repeatedly, his voice low but carrying an undeniable air of authority. The chieftain paused, his brows furrowing, a dark expression flashing across his face.
He turned around, his face beaming with a simple, honest smile: "I wonder if you have any further guidance, senior?"
"Hmph! Instructions?" Zui Mochou waved his hand dismissively, "You're beyond teaching me!" He paced back and forth, his tone turning cold, "Let me tell you the truth! Today, whether you're the leader of Golden Knife Stronghold or a bandit from the Three Rivers and Five Mountains, you're dead!" With that, he spoke with an air of nonchalance.
The one-eyed man was panting heavily behind him, his one eye fixed on Zui Mochou, wishing he could attack immediately.
The chieftain's smile vanished completely, his tone hardening: "I respect you as a senior and won't hold it against you. Besides, we haven't offended you, so why be so aggressive? Be careful not to humiliate yourself!"
"Heh...you didn't offend me?!" Zui Mochou stepped forward, almost shoving his face at the chieftain. "You fucking led your men to rob and plunder, doing all sorts of heinous things! I grew up eating food from many families, and you say you didn't offend me?! You've offended far more people than I have!" He stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes wide open.
The chieftain was so angry that he was snorting and his chest was heaving like a bellows! Zui Mochou's foul mouth was only a few fingers away from him, and the strong smell of garlic mixed with the smell of medicinal wine hit him in the face, making him feel like vomiting. What was even more hateful was that he was sprayed with spittle all over his face!
He finally lost his temper, his right hand holding the knife bulging with veins, and roared, "You old bastard! I'll fucking kill you!" Before he finished speaking, the knife was already raised.
"I thought you were good at pretending, but you can't hold back anymore!" Zui Mochou remained calm and unhurried. His left fist struck down on the wrist with lightning speed, while his right palm, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, struck the chest in the opposite direction! "Bang!" With a muffled sound, the chieftain flew backward like a kite with a broken string, and was hurriedly caught by his subordinates.
Zui Mochou straightened his belt, his face full of disdain: "With such meager skills, you dare to be the chieftain? You've completely disgraced Golden Knife Stronghold!"
The chieftain was furious, his eyes blazing with rage: "Damn it, get him! Chop him up!" he roared, brandishing his sword.
The one-eyed man, holding a torch, roared, "Kill! Kill! Kill him!"
"Kill!" In an instant, flames raged and blades flashed as more than a dozen men charged forward.
"Hmph!" Zui Mochou snorted lightly, pinched his nose, and pushed off with his feet, charging forward like an arrow. A series of loud crashes followed, like a whirlwind sweeping through the crowd. In the blink of an eye, the henchmen who had rushed forward lost all their knives, and were tumbling to the ground, groaning in pain.
Before the chieftain could even raise his sword, Zui Mochou had already appeared in front of him, grabbing his waist and pulling him towards him! Before the chieftain could even raise his cleaver, Zui Mochou had already snatched it from his right hand.
Immediately afterwards, Zui Mochou leaped up, his left hand pressing down on the top of the chieftain's head, while his right hand flashed with a blade—a head was already in his left hand!
Blood gushed out like a fountain. "Hiss..." Everyone gasped, their hearts trembling with fear. The chieftain's body crashed to the ground. The one-eyed man shuddered, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at Zui Mochou, all traces of his arrogance gone.
Zui Mochou picked up the severed head, glanced at it disdainfully, and casually tossed it into the crowd. "This is your so-called chieftain! Leading you in burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of evil deeds. Does such a person deserve to be a chieftain? He should go to the eighteenth level of hell!" He said as he walked into the crowd, where dozens of people surrounded him.
He waved his arms and paced around the crowd, saying, "Let me tell you, one should be benevolent and righteous in conduct, uphold morality in the martial arts world, and follow the rules when establishing a sect!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
