Chapter 897: Jianghu (Part II)

Bang!

The door of Tongfu Inn, which had just been closed, was suddenly forced open with tremendous strength, snapping the long bolt in two.

A man, drenched in blood, staggered inside and collapsed onto the floor.

“Help, save me!”

He let out a desperate cry, crawling forward on his hands and knees, his face twisted with fear: “Please, save me…”

Everyone in the room gasped in shock.

This man was the same one who had just clashed with Madam Tong and left in frustration with his companions.

No one could have anticipated such a dramatic turn of events in such a short span of time.

But what truly sent shivers down everyone’s spine was not the pitiful state of the man on the floor, but the eerie group that materialized at the entrance!

Confusion, fear, doubt, and shock swept through the room.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a dozen men clad in tight-fitting attire, each carrying a long knife, filed in one after another.

They wore wide-brimmed hats and trailed dark red cloaks behind them, moving swiftly and in perfect unison, exuding an aura of chilling lethality that instantly silenced most of the onlookers.

“Blood Guard!”

Someone blurted out the name, then immediately clamped their mouth shut.

The name seemed to carry a powerful curse, causing everyone to pale with terror.

They all fell silent, as still as cicadas in winter.

The Blood Guard was a unique and formidable entity within Da Liang Kingdom, tasked with protecting the royalty and enforcing the law, hunting down bandits and dealing with various illegal activities.

The Blood Guard answered only to the Daye Emperor, granting them immense authority. Since the founding of Da Liang, they had achieved countless feats and earned a fearsome reputation that could silence even a crying child at night!

Jianghu travelers trembled at the mere mention of their name.

Those who defied the law were never favored by the royalty or the government. Over the centuries, countless martial artists had fallen to the Blood Guard, including martial sect masters and even martial honor-level Strongest!

Most importantly, the Blood Guard had the power to mobilize local troops to suppress bandits, and their own combat prowess was unmatched.

So when the crowd realized who these newcomers were, fear gripped their hearts, and some nearly lost control of their bladders on the spot!

The entire hall fell into complete silence, broken only by the howling wind and rain outside.

Seated in the corner, the old man and his companions lowered their heads, too afraid to look up, fearing they might become collateral damage.

The Blood Guard was the elite force of Da Liang Kingdom, and their numbers were limited. A small squad appearing in this wilderness was undoubtedly on a critical mission.

They were not to be trifled with!

Wang Chen took a closer look and recognized the leader of the Blood Guard as a Xiaoqi.

A military officer of the seventh rank!

Wang Chen’s knowledge came from the memories of Ling Zhiyuan, who had been taught many taboos by Ling Hongyun during his upbringing, including matters related to the Jianghu.

Though Ling Zhiyuan had little interest in such things, the memories remained.

He had encountered members of the Blood Guard before.

Wang Chen recognized the man by the colors of his clothing.

The Blood Guard small flag was thin and had a gloomy face. After bursting into the inn’s hall, he approached silently and lifted the struggling man off the ground.

He grabbed him by the neck!

Crack!

A sharp sound of bone breaking echoed as the poor guy died instantly.

The Blood Guard small flag swung his arm and tossed the body out the door like garbage, which vanished into the dark rain and wind.

“Search!”

He waved his hand again: “See if there are any traitors present!”

“Yes!”

The eleven members of the Blood Guard responded in unison, pulling out a thick stack of rice paper portraits to check against everyone present one by one.

At that moment, Madam Tong and her husband heard the noise outside and came out together. Upon seeing the scene, they turned pale, and her husband discreetly hid the cleaver he was holding.

The Blood Guard was clearly not someone the two could provoke.

The Xiaoqi glanced at them, snorted through his nose, and began scanning the crowd with a sinister gaze.

Anyone caught in his line of sight felt fear gripping their hearts.

Suddenly, the Blood Guard small flag seemed to spot something and strode directly to…

the old man!

The old man’s face turned as white as paper; he almost slipped beneath the dining table, his lips trembling: “Sir, sir…”

However, the Blood Guard small flag completely ignored him and spoke to Wang Chen: “Wipe your face clean.”

Wang Chen remained silent.

This man had sharp eyes, and he had seen through Wang Chen’s disguise from thirty steps away.

Wang Chen felt the other’s aura had locked onto him firmly, like sharp spikes piercing into his soul.

The small flag’s strength was at least at the martial general level.

And he was a higher-level martial general!

Wang Chen’s mindset raced as he suppressively dismissed the thought of escape and used his sleeve to wipe the mud and plant juice from his face until it was spotless.

His true handsome appearance emerged.

The Blood Guard small flag’s eyes lit up: “Oh?”

Wang Chen felt a chill run down his spine.

If this guy had any special preference, he would have to fight back, and if worst came to worst, he’d abandon the mission and return to the Haotian Realm.

However, the small flag quickly averted his gaze: “So it’s you, come here.”

Wang Chen was momentarily taken aback.

The Blood Guard small flag clearly recognized his true identity, but in Ling Zhiyuan’s memories, he had no knowledge of this man.

“My surname is Zhang,” the small flag said lightly. “You don’t know me, but I know your father.”

“Sir.”

Just then, another Blood Guard approached and reported, “We’ve searched every nook and cranny, and found no traitors.”

“Hmm.”

Small flag Zhang nodded: “Brothers, you’ve worked hard. Sit down for a drink and have something to eat.”

He tossed a gold ingot onto the counter: “Innkeeper, bring out the best wine and meat, and prepare a large hall and two guest rooms!”

Madam Tong and her husband exchanged glances, then bowed their heads in obedience.

The Blood Guards pushed everyone to one side of the hall, taking over four dining tables for themselves.

Everyone felt anger but dared not speak.

Small flag Zhang occupied a table alone and instructed Wang Chen to stay.

“You don’t need to be afraid,” he said, taking a big sip of the rice wine. “I have some connections with your father, Ling Hongyun, and I know what has happened in your family.”

Pausing, the Blood Guard small flag added: “I even attended your full moon celebration.”

A hint of nostalgia crossed his face: “It’s been over ten years!”

Wang Chen didn’t expect this man to have such a connection to him, but he was not truly Ling Zhiyuan. He could only bitterly smile and respond: “So it’s Uncle Zhang. I encountered a misfortune and had to disguise myself. I beg you to keep this secret; I am very grateful!”

“Keeping secrets is no problem,” Small flag Zhang waved his hand. “But my identity is special; I can’t involve myself in your family matters. If you want to seek revenge and return to the Ling family, you will have to rely on your own efforts.”

He looked deeply at Wang Chen: “But I can give you an opportunity.”