Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1079: Even a Tiger Doesn’t Eat Its Cubs

Cheng Yaojia originally didn’t want to talk to her husband, but hearing Song Qingshu’s words, she couldn’t help but give him a resentful look before reluctantly walking forward with him.

“Yaojia, did Tang Kuo Bian say anything when he left?” Lu Guanying still held a sliver of hope, expecting Tang Kuo Bian to keep his promise and make some arrangements before leaving.

“You didn’t even ask me how I am, your first question is about Tang Kuo Bian.” Cheng Yaojia’s heart grew even colder.

“You’re alright, aren’t you?” Lu Guanying said hastily, looking embarrassed, “I can’t let him take advantage of you for nothing…”

Cheng Yaojia frowned and interrupted him directly: “You’re so rude!”

Lu Guanying was about to say something when suddenly, a strange thing happened. The window of a nearby house shattered, and an old farmer-looking man fled frantically into the street.

“How can you walk like that!” Lu Guanying, already in a bad mood, couldn’t help but run a few steps forward and yell at the old farmer’s back.

“Get out of the way!” A furious shout suddenly came from behind. Before Lu Guanying could react, a sharp pain shot through his lower back, and he flew to the side like a broken sandbag.

“Guanying!” Cheng Yaojia exclaimed, rushing over to help her husband up. Although she now felt nothing but resentment towards him, they had maintained a respectful relationship for so many years, and some affection still remained. Seeing her husband’s mouth gushing blood, Cheng Yaojia felt a deep sense of powerlessness wash over her, leaving her hands and feet icy cold. Suddenly, she thought of Song Qingshu, and like a drowning person grasping at a straw, she frantically turned to him, crying, “Young Master!”

Song Qingshu flashed to her side. He glanced at her condition and frowned slightly. Lu Guanying was already injured, and now he had been kicked in the lower back by a master; he was practically on the verge of death.

“Please, please save him!” Cheng Yaojia pleaded, her eyes filled with fervor.

“I’ll try.” Song Qingshu stood behind Lu Guanying and continuously channeled his inner energy into him. Finally, a few traces of color returned to his face.

“I’ve stabilized his condition, but whether he can be saved is still uncertain; we’ll have to wait for the doctor to see him.” In truth, Song Qingshu was already certain Lu Guanying’s life was spared, but the kick to his lower back had injured his kidney meridian, likely rendering him impotent. (G: RIP…)

Therefore, Song Qingshu deliberately exaggerated the severity of his situation, hoping they would be content with his life being spared. If he had told them first that he was alive, they might have been overjoyed, but upon learning of his impotence, they might have suspected him of tampering with their lives, leading to resentment.

A small favor is appreciated, but a large one breeds resentment—this has been true since ancient times. Song Qingshu’s keen insight into human nature wasn’t due to extraordinary wisdom, but rather because he came from a later era of information overload and had access to the experience of his predecessors.

“Thank you, Young Master Song!” As expected, Lu Guanying’s tone was filled with gratitude.

Song Qingshu nodded slightly, then looked up to observe the situation of the pursuers: the old farmer who had been fleeing had been intercepted, and a middle-aged man and a slender young woman were attacking him.

The middle-aged man was the one who had kicked Lu Guanying away earlier. Although he was over middle age, one could still vaguely discern that he had been a handsome man in his youth, but his eyes held a hint of ruthlessness that made him unsettling. The young woman was tall and slender, her shapely figure accentuated by her fitted clothing. Every movement she made exuded youthful vitality, especially her long, unforgettable legs.

“It’s her!” Seeing those long, beautiful legs, Song Qingshu recognized her immediately as Yelu Nanxian. He was curious about the middle-aged man beside her, but even more curious about why they were attacking the old farmer.

The old farmer looked exactly like any other country farmer. If he hadn’t displayed extraordinary martial arts skills, Song Qingshu might have been fooled.

The old farmer’s martial arts were bizarre, often attacking from unbelievable angles. Each move exuded a sinister, ghostly aura, making Yelu Nanxian and her companion extremely wary.

“No wonder they had to attack together,” Song Qingshu nodded to himself. He knew Yelu Nanxian’s martial arts well; among the younger generation, she was undoubtedly one of the best. Even against some senior masters, she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Of course, against someone of the Five Greats’ level, she would be somewhat outmatched.

The middle-aged man’s martial arts seemed to be even superior to Yelu Nanxian’s. The fact that it required two top-tier masters to attack together showed just how high the old farmer’s skill was.

However, Song Qingshu suddenly frowned. With his cultivation, he quickly noticed something amiss. Although the old farmer’s swordsmanship was strange, it seemed he had only recently learned it and wasn’t yet fully proficient in its execution. He often saw problems with the transitions between his moves, causing opportunities that could have secured victory to slip away.

“It’s a repeat…” Song Qingshu muttered to himself. The old farmer had already used the same sword technique twice.

The middle-aged man, a highly skilled cultivator, quickly realized this as well. His eyes lit up, and taking advantage of the old farmer’s distraction while he was dealing with Yelu Nanxian, he suddenly lunged behind him and delivered a heavy punch to the old farmer’s back.

“Pfft!”

The old farmer coughed up blood, staggering forward a few steps as if drunk, simultaneously brandishing his sword to protect himself—a desperate, suicidal move.

Seeing the victory was assured, the middle-aged man and Yelu Nanxian involuntarily retreated a foot, subtly surrounding the old farmer. There was no need to fight him to the death at this moment.

Song Qingshu shook his head and said to Cheng Yaojia, “Let’s go. We’ll take Young Master Lu to find a doctor.” He wasn’t a saint. These kinds of martial feuds happened every day, and without knowing the grudges between the two sides, why should he interfere? Of course, if the old farmer had been a young and beautiful woman, Song Qingshu might have changed his mind.

As for the middle-aged man injuring Lu Guanying, that was a personal grudge between the two of them. He had already saved Lu Guanying out of respect for Cheng Yaojia; why would he help him seek revenge?

Yelu Nanxian and the other two were busy fleeing and chasing, and hadn’t noticed what was happening here. Now, seeing Song Qingshu, their expressions changed.

Yelu Nanxian’s eyes showed surprise and joy; the middle-aged man’s eyes showed fear and malice; and the most perplexing was the old farmer, whose eyes actually lit up with wild joy before he suddenly rushed towards Song Qingshu.

The middle-aged man’s expression changed, and he hurriedly gave chase. 

Yelu Nanxian hesitated for a moment, then joined him in intercepting him.

Seeing no hope of escape, the old farmer suddenly cried out to Song Qingshu, “Save me!”

Song Qingshu’s expression changed instantly. He recognized the voice; the person, seemingly unimportant yet undeniably present, was none other than Nan Lan’s husband, Tian Guinong, whom he had rescued from Shengjing!

He had learned from Nan Lan that Tian Guinong had suddenly disappeared; it turned out he had come here. 

Song Qingshu immediately realized what sword technique Tian Guinong had just used—the Lin family’s Evil-Repelling Sword Technique!

No wonder his martial arts had improved so rapidly in such a short time; it was because he had practiced the Evil Exterminating Sword Manual. Furthermore, his ordeal in Shengjing had rendered him a eunuch, so the greatest hurdle of the Evil Exterminating Sword Manual—”To practice this skill, one must castrate oneself”—was no challenge for him. Therefore, this insidious sword technique seemed tailor-made for Tian Guinong.

Song Qingshu quickly realized that Tian Guinong, who had previously been by his side, had overheard him casually mentioning that the Evil Exterminating Sword Manual was in the Lin family’s old residence in Xiangyang Lane. Tian Guinong had then seized the opportunity to secretly travel to Fujian to steal the manual, but unfortunately, his short training period exposed him, ultimately leading to his severe injury at the hands of the middle-aged man.

In a flash, Song Qingshu had analyzed the entire incident with remarkable accuracy. He appeared beside Tian Guinong in a flash.

He shielded Tian Guinong behind him, then with a flick of his hand, blocked the nearest Yelu Nanxian. Facing the middle-aged man, however, he was far less polite.

The methods Tian Guinong used to injure Lu Guanying revealed his ruthless nature. Originally, this matter was unrelated to Song Qingshu, but since he was now standing up for his subordinate, it wouldn’t hurt to do Lu Guanying and Cheng Yaojia a favor as well.

Therefore, he showed no mercy from the outset, intending to capture the man first.

The middle-aged man threw a punch, and Song Qingshu pointed a finger at his fist. Before they even made contact, a flower of blood bloomed from the man’s fist.

“Invisible sword qi!” the middle-aged man groaned in horror, then wisely retreated even faster than he had come.

But Song Qingshu wasn’t about to let him escape. He took a step forward, following closely like a shadow, and then pointed at him again. If hit by this move, the man would be severely injured, if not killed.

“Don’t hurt my father!” Just then, Yelu Nanxian cried out, rushing out from the side, sword in hand. The middle-aged man was Yelu Nanxian’s father, Yelu Yixin.

Hearing her cry, Song Qingshu hesitated. He and Yelu Nanxian had a fairly good relationship; if he seriously injured her father, wouldn’t he completely offend her? Ultimately, Yelu Yixin held no deep-seated hatred for him. Neither Lu Guanying nor Tian Guinong were important people to him.

Thinking this, he loosened his grip slightly. Just then, a ruthless glint flashed in Yelu Yixin’s eyes. He grabbed his daughter and slammed her head against Song Qingshu’s finger.

Song Qingshu was startled and quickly withdrew his strength, but it was too late. Yelu Nanxian cried out in pain, a bright red blood blooming on her chest.

Taking advantage of his distraction, Yelu Yixin vanished into the distance in a few leaps.

Song Qingshu glared hatefully at his retreating back, wanting to chase him down and tear him to pieces. However, Yelu Nanxian was severely injured and would die if she wasn’t treated immediately. He had no choice but to stop and help her up: “Miss Nanxian, how are you feeling now?”