"We are not members of the Yu family. We should be allowed to leave, right?"
The eldest disciple, Zhu Fang, did not look at Yu Zhentian's face. Instead, he raised his head and looked toward the old fiend on the roof.
The old fiend suddenly laughed loudly, squinting his eyes.
"Of course, no problem. But you only have two breaths of time left."
"That's enough."
Zhu Fang breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Then he turned sharply and ran quickly toward the courtyard gate.
The two junior disciples beside him didn't hesitate and immediately followed.
"You... you wicked disciples!!"
Yu Zhentian was furious. He leapt up and tried to grab the three of them.
The others didn't matter much, but these three disciples were the ones he had taken in and taught carefully since they were young.
Over the years, he had invested countless efforts in them.
So, no matter what, he could never accept their betrayal.
"Everyone, run! If you don't escape now, it will be too late!"
Zhu Fang shouted loudly. The three of them attacked with full force, clashing with Yu Zhentian in a fierce exchange of strikes.
Amid the loud bursts of energy, Zhu Fang and the others were struck hard and flew backward, crashing onto the nearby rockery. The hard stones cracked from the impact.
Zhu Fang and the other two were seriously injured inside. Suddenly, they spat out fresh blood and collapsed to the ground, barely able to stand.
Taking advantage of this moment, the other disciples and apprentices from the martial arts school didn't hesitate anymore. They immediately seized the chance to scatter and escape.
Even the senior apprentice brother was fleeing for his life. If they didn't run now, staying would only mean a pointless death.
At this moment, Yu Zhentian's white hair was messy, and his whole body was trembling.
"Why?"
He ignored everyone else and grit his teeth as he asked Zhu Fang, his eyes filled with both anger and deep disappointment.
"Time's up!"
Zha Lao San raised his hand and slashed with his blade, sending a wave of sword energy through the air that split a willow tree in the courtyard into two halves.
"From now on, anyone who dares to move will be like this tree!"
Seeing this, those who hadn't escaped yet were instantly terrified, their footsteps stopping immediately, not daring to move a single bit.
"It's over!"
Zhang Dazhuang swallowed hard and stared at the broken tree trunk as thick as a thigh, his face turning ashen.
Li Musheng shook his head without saying a word.
Zhang Dazhuang turned and asked in a trembling voice, "Asheng, why aren't you running?"
"That sounds like a question I should ask you," Li Musheng replied, tilting his head.
Zhang Dazhuang clenched his staff tightly. His rugged face showed a bitter expression as he sighed,
"Actually, I'm afraid of dying too. But if the old schoolmaster hadn't taken me in, I would have frozen to death many winters ago."
"So I can't leave, even though I know staying won't help."
By now, only a few people were left in the courtyard. Li Musheng sat down on the stone steps nearby and nodded slowly.
"One thing is one thing. Although Old Man Yu is selfish, stingy, and petty, the kindness he showed must be repaid."
At the same time, the eldest disciple, Zhu Fang, faced Yu Zhentian's harsh questioning. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and suddenly smiled:
"Master, you ask me why? Then I ask you—where are the eldest young master, the second miss, and all the Yu family members right now?"
Hearing this, Yu Zhentian suddenly froze, his anger caught in his throat.
Zhu Fang continued:
"Master, you actually knew that the Seven Fiends from Zha River would come today. So you arranged in advance to send the eldest young master and others away, leaving us disciples to die for the Yu family, didn't you?"
Yu Zhentian said nothing. Zhu Fang's face twisted with anger:
"You always said you treated us like your own sons, but in the end, weren't we just cannon fodder dying in your place, Yu Zhentian?"
"If I hadn't accidentally discovered it, we wouldn't even know how we were going to die today. Even at death, we'd still be foolishly serving the Yu family."
At these words, all the disciples and apprentices in the martial arts hall were shocked.
Only now did they realize that at the big event today—the old hall master's retirement—they had never seen the eldest young master or the second miss anywhere.
For a moment, everyone turned to look at Yu Zhentian standing in the courtyard.
Zhang Dazhuang felt the same. But when he saw Yu Zhentian's aged, worn face, his expression slowly darkened and he said softly:
"Ah, I can understand the old hall master."
Then he paused and added:
"But Asheng, you scold the old hall master every day for being stingy. Why did you end up staying here until the end?"
Li Musheng shrugged and said, "Old Yu said that after retiring from martial arts, he would give each of us five taels of silver. Haven't we still not gotten the money yet?"
Hearing this, Zhang Dazhuang looked up and gave Li Musheng a deep look.
"Losing your life over five taels of silver isn't worth it. Actually... you don't have to be like me, losing your life just to repay a favor."
Li Musheng smiled and waved his hand.
"Once I get the silver, I won't stay in the Yu family martial arts school anymore."
...
"We don't have time to watch you master and disciple fight each other."
Zha Second's hoarse voice came from the rooftop, and he waved his hand.
A masked man in black, holding a long rope, lifted two heavy hemp sacks from behind and threw them right in front of Yu Zhentian.
Two painful groans came from inside. The sacks were torn open by a powerful force, revealing two figures inside.
"Xian'er, Èrzhū'er!"
Yu Zhentian's face instantly changed. The two people before him were his eldest son and second daughter, whom he had secretly sent away.
"Trying to trick us right under our noses? You really underestimate the seven Fiends of Zha River."
Zha Third sneered, looking down at Yu Zhentian and narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Hand over the goods, and I might show mercy and let your whole family remain intact."
Yu Zhentian's body froze, but he didn't reply. Instead, he hurried to check on his children's condition.
To his shock and anger, he found that his son's arms and legs were broken. His second daughter, who weighed four hundred jin, was covered in wounds and bleeding heavily—fat and flesh oozing from the wounds.
"You're asking for death!"
Yu Zhentian was instantly furious. His inner strength surged, stirring a strong wind around him. Roaring, he grabbed his long sword and leapt onto the rooftop, charging toward Zha Third and the others.
Soon, sword energy flashed wildly, debris flew everywhere.
Yu Zhentian fought against five opponents, excluding Zha Second.
To everyone's shock, Yu Zhentian held his ground against all five without losing even a bit.
"You old bastard, even at death's door you're still hiding your true skills."
Zha Third's eyes darkened. His men's blades flashed like lightning—each strike deadly.
At first, he planned to hold back, hoping to capture Yu Zhentian alive for questioning. But now, without giving his all, they couldn't suppress him.
Zhu Fang and the others stood frozen, stunned by what they saw. They never expected their master to be so powerful—far stronger than they'd seen before.
"You traitorous disciples, quickly take Xian'er and Èrzhū away. I'll hold them off."
Yu Zhentian's voice thundered in their ears. Before Zhu Fang and the others could react, Zhang Dazhuang rushed to Yu Xian's side, trying to help him escape the courtyard.
But when Zhang saw Yu Èrzhū badly wounded nearby, he hesitated clearly, casting a desperate glance at Li Musheng for help.
"Brother Zhang, leaving this 400-pound burden to me is a bit much!"
Li Musheng frowned, his displeasure clear on his face.