Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 1093: The Flood Washes Away

Before Ding Busan could answer, an urgent shout came from not far away: “Spare him!”

Song Qingshu looked up and saw Lu Guanying running anxiously towards them. Because of his injuries, he coughed as he ran, and hadn’t gone very far.

The men beside him were impatient. Two of them grabbed one of his arms each, and with a leap, they brought him to Ding Busan’s side.

“Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, are you alright?” A refined-looking man in his thirties looked at Ding Busan and the other man with concern.

“Nonsense! Do we look alright?” Ding Busan couldn’t help but curse. “Quickly release our acupoints!”

“It was my fault,” the refined man said sheepishly, examining the two men before his expression suddenly turned strange. “I can’t release these acupoints.”

“Even with your high level of martial arts, you can’t release them?” Ding visibly relaxed upon seeing him, but froze upon hearing that he couldn’t.

“You were struck by the One Yang Finger Divine Skill. The acupoint striking technique of the Dali Duan family is unparalleled. I truly am powerless to help.” The refined man then turned to Song Qingshu. “May I ask which young master of the Dali Duan family you are?” He suddenly felt a pang of doubt; the man before him seemed vaguely familiar.

Song Qingshu looked at him excitedly. “Brother Ding, is it really you?” 

The man before him had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a refined, scholarly air, yet subtly radiating righteousness, forming a unique aura. Who else could it be but Ding Dian? 

Ding Dian was taken aback, then looked Song Qingshu over more closely, and exclaimed with delight, “Brother Song?” He had met Song Qingshu when he was at his lowest point, but now Song Qingshu was spirited and radiant, possessing the air of a grandmaster—a far cry from his former impoverished self. Therefore, Ding Dian hadn’t recognized him at first.

Song Qingshu stepped forward and gave him a bear hug. After all, if he hadn’t learned the Divine Brilliance Scripture from Ding Dian to restore his meridians, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

“Brother Song, I’ve often heard news of you these past few years. Your achievements truly make me feel ashamed,” Ding Dian said, also very excited. After all, they had gone through thick and thin together, and Song Qingshu had even saved his life. More importantly, if it weren’t for Song Qingshu, how could he and Ling Shuanghua have gotten together? 

“This is all thanks to Brother Ding’s Divine Brilliance Scripture,” Song Qingshu said modestly, glancing beside him. “Where’s my sister-in-law?”

“She’s at home resting during her pregnancy,” Ding Dian said, his face beaming with joy as he spoke of his wife.

“Sister-in-law is pregnant? Congratulations!” Song Qingshu was overjoyed. He greatly admired Ling Shuanghua’s gentle and serene nature and her unwavering loyalty in love, and was genuinely happy for her.

“So she’s Uncle’s friend. Our lives are saved now.” Seeing the two so affectionate, no one was happier than Ding. Her heart had sunk to the bottom after seeing her revered grandfather and fourth grandfather so decisively defeated by Song Qingshu; now, with hope shining through, how could she not be overjoyed? 

Hearing her words, Song Qingshu glanced at Ding Dian: “Brother Ding, do you know these people?”

Ding Dian smiled wryly: “These two are my uncles, and this is my niece. I don’t know what they did to offend you, brother. I apologize on their behalf.”

“Since they are your relatives, brother, it’s just a misunderstanding.” Song Qingshu waved his hand, and the pressure points on the three men were instantly released.

Ding Dian’s eyes lit up: “Brother Song’s martial arts are truly admirable!”

Song Qingshu smiled: “Brother Ding has mastered the Divine Brilliance Scripture, and with the miraculous Shadowless Fist, how could you be inferior to me?”

After exchanging pleasantries, Ding Dian pulled Ding over: “Did you get into trouble again?” 

Ding Busan and Ding Busi were his elders, and he couldn’t very well reprimand them, so he could only pull over Ding, the younger generation, to ask.

Ding Tiantian smiled sweetly, “It was my ignorance that offended your wife, Uncle. I apologize to both of you. I hope you two will forgive my rudeness and not hold a grudge against such an ignorant little girl like me.”

She had been raised by Ding Busan since childhood, inheriting her grandfather’s ruthlessness. However, as a femme fatale, her most important skill was reading people and changing her tune accordingly. Song Qingshu’s martial arts were far superior to hers; if she didn’t know her place, it would only mean she had a problem with her intelligence.

However, her apology made Cheng Yaojia blush deeply. She hurriedly waved her hands, saying, “No…it’s alright. And I…I’m not the young master’s wife.”

Although her relationship with Lu Guanying was already over in name only, she still had to put on an act in front of outsiders.

Lu Guanying finally found an opportunity and stepped forward, saying, “This is truly a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King’s temple; we’re all family. Let’s go to the restaurant next door and talk things over.”

Song Qingshu nodded. Because of the earlier commotion, a growing crowd had gathered, and he didn’t want to continue being the butt of the show.

On the way to the restaurant, Song Qingshu glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at the other two people traveling with Ding Dian. One was a middle-aged scholar with a goatee, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness, clearly a man of great wisdom and resourcefulness; the other resembled an old farmer, his face weathered, yet his eyes held a deep compassion for humanity.

What caught Song Qingshu’s attention was their strength—so strong that even he had to take them seriously. The middle-aged scholar had a somber air, suggesting his martial arts were likely of the feminine style; the weathered old farmer, though seemingly ordinary, was someone Song Qingshu practiced swordsmanship and was extremely sensitive to sword energy. The other man exuded a powerful sword aura, and Song Qingshu’s first thought upon seeing him was of clashing swords and galloping horses. 

“Where did these experts come from? How can I not figure out their origins?” Song Qingshu was secretly alarmed.

They arrived at a private room in a nearby restaurant, where they had clearly been discussing matters earlier. 

After Lu Guanying had everyone sit down, he said, “Let me introduce you all. This is Young Master Song Qingshu, the Golden Serpent King. He has volunteered to help rescue Lord Han.”

The others, who had been guessing Song Qingshu’s identity, were now all astonished: “So it’s the Golden Serpent King! We’ve heard so much about you!” 

In the past two years, he had been the most renowned figure in the world, his martial arts skills capable of defeating all the masters under heaven, and his ability to decisively defeat the powerful Qing army on the battlefield.

Ding Busan and Ding Busi exchanged a glance, unable to suppress a wry smile. They thought that their defeat at his hands wasn’t entirely unjust; after all, many masters with far greater reputations than theirs had fallen to Song Qingshu in recent years.

“The world-famous Golden Serpent King is so young! Truly, heroes emerge from among the young!” The middle-aged scholar exclaimed with surprise and admiration. “Young Master Song, when you have time, you must tell us how you defeated the Qing army of 100,000 with only a few thousand ragtag followers!” The weathered old farmer was visibly excited, clearly thrilled.

Song Qingshu was speechless; so this guy was a warmonger.

Lu Guanying, standing nearby, immediately introduced them: “Young Master, these are the experts I mentioned earlier, sent by the court to escort Lord Han.”