Chapter 49: The Four Guardians
Liu Family Estate.
Inside the main hall, Liu Dafu — the man who should have been seated at the head — now sat stiffly at the lower end of the table.
From time to time, he would glance nervously toward the man in the seat of honor, who sat with eyes closed in apparent calm.
The middle-aged man's presence was commanding. Even his loose robe couldn't conceal the fierce, battle-hardened aura emanating from his body, one that made it hard for others to breathe in his presence.
Beside him rested a heavy-backed blade — the massive weapon's golden inlaid patterns gleamed faintly, its edge exuding a cold light. The dragon-head hilt stretched more than a foot long, ferocious and majestic.
At the sight of it, Liu Dafu couldn't help but swallow hard, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
The man at the head of the room slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon the entrance.
A lean man strode in quickly and bowed deeply. "I greet the Gang Leader."
This man was none other than Cheng Sihai, the leader of the Divine Sand Gang.
He lifted a hand slightly. "Any findings?"
The lean man shook his head.
"None at all. I went to the courtyard where they were staying — not a trace left behind. It's unclear whether they met with an accident… or left of their own accord."
"Hmph."
Cheng Sihai's tone turned cold. "Chu Yunfei was assassinated, and Wu Ganqi now stands alone. In his fury, he sealed off Tianwu City — no one enters, no one leaves.
"He's busy scouring the city for the assassin who attacked Chu Yunfei. I doubt he has time to notice anything else."
The lean man was about to agree when another voice came from the side of the hall.
"When something so unusual happens, there's always more beneath the surface. With Tianwu City sealed tight as a drum, and our mission still incomplete… Gang Leader, the Second and Third Elders would never abandon their posts at a time like this."
The lean man frowned and turned toward the voice.
A young man stood there, dressed in a white martial outfit, his bearing sharp and poised.
But his long face and narrow eyes gave him an unflattering look — even an ordinary smile appeared sly and unpleasant.
"Watch your tongue!"
The lean man shouted, anger flashing in his eyes. "Bai Yuntian! How dare you speak so boldly before the Gang Leader?"
"Enough, Wu Sun."
Cheng Sihai raised a hand to silence him and turned to the man called Bai Yuntian.
"So, you're saying our presence in Tianwu City has already been discovered by Wu Ganqi?"
Bai Yuntian nodded. "Gang Leader, this is Tianwu City after all.
"We've managed to stay hidden under Master Liu's roof only because of his cover. Even then, it hasn't been easy.
"But the Second and Third Elders were acting outside. They know what's at stake — they'd never vanish willingly now.
"And as Wu Sun said earlier, the courtyard was spotless. But that was where they lived — how could it be completely free of signs?
"Someone must have cleaned it deliberately to erase all traces."
At that, Liu Dafu's face turned pale. He forced a weak smile and stammered, "Sirs, you mustn't misunderstand. If not for Master Cheng saving my life before, I'd have never dared to shelter anyone like you.
"Even if I had the courage of a lion, I'd never invite such risk upon my family."
Cheng Sihai's smile didn't reach his eyes. He extended a hand, and a powerful force surged forth — Liu Dafu's body was yanked helplessly toward him, his collar caught in the gang leader's grip.
"Is this how you show gratitude for our visit, Master Liu?"
"N-no, not at all!"
Cold sweat rolled down Liu Dafu's forehead as he shook his head rapidly. "Master Cheng, honored sirs, your presence brings glory to my humble home! How could I possibly be displeased?"
"Hmph."
Cheng Sihai released him with a flick of his wrist, tossing him aside like a rag doll. His gaze swept across Wu Sun and Bai Yuntian.
"Where are Zhang Hua and Qi Niang?"
The Divine Sand Gang had four Guardians.
Zhang Hua was first, Qi Niang second, followed by Bai Yuntian, and lastly, Wu Sun — the weakest among them.
With two of the four missing, Cheng Sihai's expression grew increasingly grim.
"Qi Niang went to gather information and hasn't returned," Wu Sun reported, glancing sideways at Bai Yuntian.
Bai Yuntian gave a helpless smile. "As for Brother Zhang… he's currently in Master Liu's bed, studying the 'human relations' of the world alongside both of his wives."
Liu Dafu's face turned black as iron.
He was in his forties now, his first wife long deceased. He had since taken two new brides—both around twenty, young and beautiful.
Zhang Hua, however, was a lustful beast. Using Liu Dafu's house as a hideout wasn't enough; he had also taken the man's two wives for himself, indulging in nightly debauchery.
Liu Dafu knew it full well but dared not utter a word in protest.
"Outrageous."
Cheng Sihai slammed the table. "Tell him to get over here!"
"No need to call, Gang Leader, I've already come."
A voice sounded, and a man in his thirties entered, pale-faced and swaggering. As he walked, he adjusted his clothing, fastening his belt just before stepping into the hall.
Once inside, he clasped his fists and smiled. "Have the Second and Third Elders been found?"
Then, noticing Liu Dafu glaring at him with burning hatred, he smirked. "Master Liu, what's with that look? Who made you angry? Tell me, and for the sake of your two lovely wives, I'll teach him a lesson for you."
Liu Dafu trembled with rage, pointing at Zhang Hua but unable to form a single word.
Cheng Sihai shot Zhang Hua a sharp look. "Enough. Qi Niang hasn't come back yet. You three go look for her.
"The situation in Tianwu City isn't right, and Ten Thousand Nights Valley has yet to make a move… we must prepare for the worst."
Hearing Cheng Sihai's tone, none dared disobey. They immediately cupped their fists in acknowledgment.
Just as they turned to leave, Cheng Sihai suddenly looked up. A sharp whistle cut through the air, and something hurtled from the night sky, tearing straight into the hall.
A voice followed close behind:
"Divine Sand Gang's great Gang Leader Cheng himself graces Tianwu City—what an honor.
"A small token of respect—please, do accept it."
Cheng Sihai's face darkened. Zhang Hua spun around, stepping forward as his palm lashed out toward the incoming object.
The instant he touched it, he realized it wasn't an object at all—it was a person.
He quickly softened his strike, but the body's momentum still forced him back several paces before he could steady himself.
When he looked clearly, his expression changed drastically.
"Qi Niang!?"
In his arms lay a woman, no more than twenty years old, her throat pierced clean through by a sword. She had been dead for some time.
Zhang Hua's grief twisted into madness.
"Qi Niang… why… why did you die? I haven't even had the chance to taste you yet!"
He roared, ignoring the shocked faces around him, and snapped his head up.
"Who did this!?"
The words had barely left his mouth when a thunderous explosion rocked the hall. A figure burst through the side wall, a streak of power slamming into view.
A single, unpretentious punch — carrying a storm's ferocity — struck straight at Zhang Hua's face.
Still clutching Qi Niang's corpse, Zhang Hua swung it forward as a shield.
But the man's fist crashed through it regardless, smashing the body aside and slamming into Zhang Hua with unstoppable force.
The impact sent him flying backward like a rag doll.
Midair, Zhang Hua twisted and executed a "Thousand-Pound Descent," stabilizing himself before glaring at the intruder.
"Who are you!?"
The newcomer stood tall and resolute, his eyes sharp with unyielding defiance. His voice rang out cold and clear.
"Taiyi Sect's Chu Fan."
(End of Chapter)
=================================================================
Hey readers! Want to jump far ahead in the story? The moment you join our Patreon, you'll instantly unlock 30 advanced chapters — giving you a huge head start beyond the public releases.
And it doesn't stop there. Every month, you'll also get 60 brand-new chapters, released steadily at 14 per week, so there's always fresh content waiting for you.
Plus, there are even more fics updated at the same reliable pace, ready to explore. Come join now and keep the adventure flowing without pause!
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/JoyceCruize
{Please join patreon. I am posting 4 chapters per day there, for any tier you join, you can read 4 chapters for all series i work on. and i currently badly need financial support to keep myself afloat. I will continue to do my best to provide you with good chapters daily. So i hope you can help me escape these troubled times.}