Chương 142: Laying Low

The Qinghe County Office. At this moment, Song Que and Wu Tian were sitting leisurely in the study, drinking tea.

"Uncle, I've troubled you with today's matter again!" Shaking his head, Wu Tian replied:"It wasn't a trouble. It's just that you, kid, shouldn't be so impulsive. After all, commoners shouldn't fight officials. If I hadn't been there today, Old Dong definitely wouldn't have let things go so easily."

"Hehe, I knew Uncle was bound to show up, so I went ahead and beat them to the punch! Had to knock some sense into those two jackasses; otherwise, having them plot against me all day long would be a royal pain in the ass," Boss Song smiled nonchalantly.

"You... what would you have done if I wasn't there today?" Faced with Old Wu's wide-eyed question, Song Que already had a plan in mind:"Hehehe, then I'd just keep fighting! As long as I didn't kill anyone, I'm sure County Magistrate Xu or Tie Feilong would have been very willing to step forward for me. Even if it didn't work out, I could just leave first and come back to settle things after you returned, Uncle."

"Haha, it seems you are quite sharp, kid! I thought you just got hot-headed and started shouting about killing without regard for the consequences! Hearing you say that puts me at ease."

"Hehe, unless forced into a corner, who would want to be at odds with the Imperial Court and live a life hiding like a rat, not daring to show their face?" Looking at this kid grinning playfully in front of him, Wu Tian didn't feel disgusted but rather pleased. It seemed his several interventions hadn't been in vain; the relationship between the two sides had clearly grown closer.

"Uncle, a sudden windfall should be shared among those who see it! Half for you, half for me!" Seeing Song Que take out a stack of banknotes from his robe and hand over five thousand taels, Old Wu thought for a moment before happily accepting it.

"Haha, then I won't be polite!" Thinking back to Lu Tianxiong's aggrieved surrender earlier, the two couldn't help but laugh joyfully. At that time, Lu Tianxiong had been thoroughly deceived and intimidated by Boss Song. He originally wanted to stay firm, but unable to withstand the persuasion of a group of Fierce Tiger Gang upper echelons, he finally fled with a face as black as the bottom of a pot. In the end, his son, Lu Zhongkang, had to step in to resolve the matter.

The required compensation was paid, and although the gang members who caused the trouble didn't have their hands chopped off, they were rewarded with a hundred strokes of the cane by Old Wu's constables. They were beaten until their buttocks blossomed, guaranteeing they wouldn't be leaving their beds for at least a month.

"A'Que, the situation recently isn't very peaceful. Listen to your uncle; it's best to cause less trouble. Wait until some time has passed before making any plans." It seemed Old Wu considered him a warmonger. Grandee Song felt wronged:"Uncle, I have truly kept a low profile! Initially, I planned to lay low for a while these days. But who knew these people wouldn't shed tears until they saw the coffin? Sending people to cause trouble time and time again—only then was I forced to fight back!

The Demonic Cult is powerful; right now, I wish I could find a place to seclude myself for a period! Starting tomorrow, even if you want to find me, Uncle, you might not be able to." This kid is young but knows when to advance and when to retreat, understanding how to protect himself. Wu Tian found him more and more pleasing to the eye. What he feared most were those self-righteous fools who didn't know their place.

Such people would sooner or later be played to death by others; even if they had heaven-defying talent, they wouldn't amount to sh*t. Like the one before him—it was very good. Fearing death was good! Only by fearing death could one live longer, and the one who survived to the end was the true winner! Song Que was young yet mature and steady, not overly competitive; it was truly rare. Old Wu generously praised:"It's best that you think this way, Song Que! Loving to fight is merely the courage of a brute!

Take a step back, and the sky is high and the ocean wide! Once you return this time, just focus on your secluded cultivation with peace of mind. Your uncle will keep an eye on your properties here. Furthermore, with your awe-inspiring battle today, no one in the city will dare to have any ideas about you. I probably won't have to exert much effort."

"Haha, my deliberate display of dominance today was also to deter those petty thieves! To prevent them from harboring any lucky thoughts, thinking I am weak and easy to bully! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. For the coming days, I will have to trouble Uncle to care for things more. I will instruct my subordinates to come to you if anything comes up."

"Alright, go with peace of mind. Wait for the situation to clear up before returning. If your martial arts improve during this time, that would naturally be for the best."

"Haha, thank you for your auspicious words, Uncle!" After chatting for a while longer, Song Que didn't stay in the city for a meal but bid farewell to Wu Tian and immediately set off. Taking a few detours, he returned to the stronghold by evening. He planned not to show his face after this, obediently staying home until it was safe.... The docks at the south of the city.

Sitting in his room listening to a subordinate report about Song Que causing a massive uproar at the Fierce Tiger Gang today, Lin Ping couldn't hold back and shattered the wooden table with a single palm strike.

"Trash! F*cking up such a trivial matter time and time again! Truly a bunch of useless country bumpkins!"

"It seems we all underestimated this kid. With such martial prowess, no wonder he dares to act so arrogantly!" The jealousy and envy in Lin Ping's heart threatened to overflow, accompanied by deep wariness. Facing Lu Tianxiong and Dong Zheng alone, he believed he could handle it. But adding a group of Fierce Tiger Gang upper echelons, even if he had an extra pair of hands, he would have to kneel.

After all, facing dozens of sabers, spears, swords, and halberds simultaneously, his hundred-plus pounds of meat wouldn't be enough for them to chop! If he encountered such a formation, aside from turning tail and running to fight a guerrilla war, Old Lin didn't feel he had any other choice. Yet a mere youth was able to beat that group to the point where they didn't dare advance. Didn't that mean the kid was even more formidable than him? How could this not make the arrogant Lin Ping furious, jealous, and fearful?

"From the looks of it, this person has also cultivated a remarkable set of external martial arts! That slut Weng Hong truly couldn't be relied upon; she was actually toyed with in the palm of a kid's hand!" Combined with Song Que's frequently changing appearance, it wasn't hard for Lin Ping to realize that he had been practicing external martial arts recently. Shaving his head had absolutely nothing to do with becoming a monk!

"Speaking of which, where is Weng Hong? Why hasn't she come here?" Thinking of this woman made Old Lin furious again, and he shouted loudly.

"Hall Master, Vice Hall Master Weng said she had personal matters to attend to outside for the past few days. We don't know where she went either."

"Hmph! That slut!" Where else could she go?! Even using his knees to think, he knew this woman had gone out to seduce men again. Old Lin didn't shy away from cursing her in front of others. The gang member before him didn't dare chime in, just obediently lowered his head and stared at his feet, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

"Hall Master! I wonder what we should do next? After this incident, no one in the county city will likely dare to make a move against that kid." Lin Ping rubbed his forehead in frustration. Although the kid had taken advantage of his external martial arts in today's battle, it couldn't be denied that his strength was fully sufficient to trounce people like Dong Zheng and Lu Tianxiong.

After pondering for a long time, Lin Ping reluctantly concluded that relying on himself alone, he had no certainty of being able to deal with this person.

"Set this matter aside for now. There is no need for any other actions. Just keep a close eye on him."

"This person's talent is far too astonishing. Since he cannot be brought under our control, he will definitely be a massive threat in the future and must be eliminated. I will personally write a letter to the Gang Leader to explain this matter clearly. From then on, all actions will await the Gang Leader's arrangements; our people just need to wait and obey."

"Understood, Milord!" Waving his hand to dismiss the subordinate, Lin Ping remained sitting alone in the room, his eyes narrowed as he silently plotted with malicious intent.... The Black Iron Stronghold, Nameless Mountain. This mountain had now become a forbidden area. Outside, regardless of day or night, there was always a team of men taking turns standing guard, preventing outsiders from approaching and disturbing the Stronghold Leaders. Clang...... Bang... Bang!

In an open clearing, three figures were engaged in focused combat. They exchanged blows so fast it dazzled the eyes. The sounds of their clashes echoed far and wide, clearly heard by everyone in the distant stronghold. Clang! Song Que forcefully swung the iron hammer in his right hand, meeting Xiong Ba's dual hammers head-on. From his flank, Nie Feng seized the opportunity to launch a heavy punch.

"Fire Form - Cannon Fist!"

"Fire Form - Cannon Fist!" BANG!!! Unfazed by the danger, Boss Song agilely threw a punch with his left hand, also using the Five Elements Fist to block. Where the two made contact, the air was compressed to its limit, emitting a deafening explosion. Li Xin and the pets observing from afar were swept by the storm of the clash, unable to even open their eyes.

Sending Old Nie flying backward with one punch, before Grandee Song could even catch his breath, Xiong Ba's giant-like body leapt high into the air, raising his massive hammer and smashing it fiercely toward his head. Tie Family Hammer Art - Earth Splitting Hammer! Not to mention Song Que, who had only cultivated the Thousand Hammer Art to a minor accomplishment—even if he had reached grand completion, taking this hammer strike would undoubtedly cause a cerebral hemorrhage!

"Excellent!" In the midst of danger, Boss Song was not only unafraid but shouted in excitement. He gripped the hammer handle tightly with both hands and swung it fiercely upward from the ground. Tie Family Hammer Art - Heaven Breaking Hammer! Clang... clang... clang... The ear-piercing sound of clashing metal buzzed incessantly. The little guys around them couldn't help but cover their ears and scream. They remained dizzy for a long while before the numbing sensation in their heads faded.

In the battlefield, Xiong Ba, who had clashed head-on with Song Que, didn't fare any better. Both of his hammers had flown out of his hands. His arms from the forearms down had almost lost all sensation, only trembling continuously by instinct. If it weren't for his extraordinary physique, and the fact that he had recently cultivated the Thousand Hammer Art to a minor accomplishment, the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers would have undoubtedly been torn to shreds today.

"Haha, refreshing! That's it for today! I've gained some insights and need to return to my room to comprehend them a bit more." Song Que laughed loudly, spoke to the others, and nimbly ran back to his room for secluded cultivation. The sharp-eyed sycophant Mengmeng dashed after him like a bolt of lightning, leaping onto his shoulder and clinging tightly to his neck.

Since the crisis appeared last time, this fellow seemed determined to cling to Boss Song at all costs, vowing to reclaim its supreme position from that mixed-feathered bird! Unable to chase it away after several attempts, Song Que had no choice but to let it be. As long as it doesn't disturb me, it's fine.