Chương 172: Shen Ziming

Plum Manor. Hearing Nie Feng mention his sworn brother again, even though he had previously agreed to let him make contact, Song Que pondered carefully for a moment before answering thoughtfully:"Old Nie, go ahead and arrange a meeting with him first. Choose a secluded spot, preferably outside the East Gate. Xiong Ba and I will stay close by to keep watch for you. Try talking to your sworn brother first. If you truly see no issues, then after a day or two, speak to him frankly.

If he is willing to stay, I will invite him to join us with the position of Vice Gang Leader of the Fierce Tiger Gang!"

"Thank you, Young Master, for fulfilling my request! Rest assured, if he dares to sell me out, I, Nie Feng, will not hesitate to execute him myself!" Nie Feng's eyes turned cold as he spoke in a deep voice.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen." Song Que smiled reassuringly, then asked:"Are there any difficulties in the city?" Taking over a new faction naturally came with its share of troublesome tasks. Moreover, with the recent influx of numerous martial artists into Qinghe City, Nie Feng had been incredibly busy these past few days. But he didn't want to trouble his Young Master, so he answered easily:"Thank you for your concern, Young Master. There are just some minor matters, but I can handle them."

"Alright then, Old Nie, I'll trouble you to exert yourself for me. Stay and have a meal at noon before heading back. Later, I will personally go to the kitchen and show off my skills to reward you for your hard work!"

"Haha, then I'm in for a treat today! Thank you, Young Master!" Chatting with Old Nie for a while longer, Song Que kept his word. Teaming up with Wu Kong, he prepared a sumptuous feast for him. After Nie Feng had eaten and drank his fill, he returned to the city to embrace his arduous tasks.... Two days later, at night. An unnamed desolate ridge not far from the East Gate of Qinghe City. This was the agreed-upon meeting place between Nie Feng and his sworn brother, Shen Ziming.

On a nearby rock outcropping, Song Que and Xiong Ba had long since hidden themselves, waiting quietly. In the sky, Lightning constantly circled back and forth. Any rustle of wind or grass below the county city, or people moving about on the streets at night, naturally couldn't escape Boss Song's eyes. As the appointed time approached, Lightning spotted a black figure in night-traveling clothes, carefully avoiding the patrolling guards and sneaking up to the base of the city wall.

A wall only ten zhang high naturally couldn't restrict these martial arts experts. The person leaped, borrowed force a few times, and lightly vaulted over the wall, immediately executing movement techniques to sprint outward. Waiting until he reached the spot Old Nie had chosen and stopped, Song Que was finally certain of this person's identity. At least from the afternoon until now, no strangers had approached this area. Boss Song held some expectations for today's meeting.

Down below, Old Nie, who had been hiding on the side early on, saw that there was no unusual activity and slowly walked out to meet his sworn brother.... Shen Ziming's mood had been quite uneasy these past few days. Sometime ago, when he heard the news that his sworn brother's entire family had been exterminated due to colluding with the Demonic Cult, he felt an emptiness in his heart for a long time. Subconsciously, Shen Ziming refused to believe this absurd tale.

After all, to raise someone with as fine a character as his sworn brother Chen Zihao, the Chen family's upbringing couldn't possibly be that bad! But the authorities had already closed the case. No matter how furious he was, he couldn't change anything. He could only secretly memorize this matter, waiting until he had the ability in the future to seek justice for his sworn brother! This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Shen Ziming held quite a bit of fame among the independent cultivators and heroes of the Yangnan Circuit. With his superb Eagle Claw Kung Fu and Fourth-Grade cultivation, he could rank in the top 100 among the young talents of his generation in the region! With his talent, it wasn't impossible for him to break through to the First Tier in the future and step forward to speak up for others! He originally thought the matter would end there. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, he received a letter from his sworn brother!

Initially, Shen Ziming didn't believe it, but after reading the letter and seeing the handwriting and several secret codes, he was certain beyond a doubt that it was from his sworn brother, Chen Zihao! Therefore, he was overjoyed! Following the address for the reply, he immediately prepared for his journey, taking a boat toward Qinghe County. Fearing he might be followed and expose his sworn brother's whereabouts, he deliberately set up decoys and took detours, which was why he arrived a few days late.

Today, arriving at the meeting place instructed by his sworn brother, Shen Ziming grew incredibly anxious after waiting for a while. He had millions of questions he wanted to ask to clarify things! Just past the appointed time, seeing someone wearing a black cloak slowly walking out from a nearby bush, Shen Ziming's spirit jolted:"Sworn Brother! Is it you?!"

"Brother Shen! It's me!" Hearing the familiar voice, the last shred of doubt in his heart vanished, and Shen Ziming ran over excitedly.

"Hold on, Brother! Don't come closer yet." Although he desperately wanted to meet and chat with his sworn brother, Nie Feng understood that his Young Master's concerns weren't superfluous. Therefore, he didn't get too close, afraid of revealing his current appearance.

"Sworn Brother, is something wrong?" Shen Ziming was puzzled.

"Brother, that day when the disaster befell the Chen family, my father carved out a bloody path for me to escape, but I also suffered severe injuries. Fortunately, my Young Master saved me, allowing me to temporarily survive the calamity! You must have heard about what happened to my family. The enemy's power is too massive! The slightest carelessness could implicate my Young Master and get him torn to pieces! Therefore, I beg your understanding for my reluctant actions."

"Zihao! Do you actually think your big brother would sell out his own brother?!" Shen Ziming glared in anger. Hearing his reprimand, Nie Feng felt deeply ashamed and choked out his explanation:"Brother, I believe in you; that's why I sent you the letter! But I cannot afford another mistake right now! I only have this one chance left. Please understand me, Brother!" Shen Ziming's spirit trembled. The discomfort in his heart instantly vanished without a trace, replaced by overflowing sympathy.

"Zihao, you're right. I was thinking too simply." Taking a deep breath, he continued:"Tell me, what do you need your big brother to do to help you? Even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or plunging into a sea of fire, I will not refuse!" On the distant rock outcropping, Boss Song couldn't clearly hear the conversation between these two. He could only sit there bored to death with Xiong Ba, silently counting stars.

Fortunately, through Lightning's visual feedback, the conversation between the two 'brothers' seemed harmonious. There likely wouldn't be any unexpected incidents. No one knew how long had passed. Hearing Old Nie's rustling footsteps approaching, Song Que relaxed, stood up, and stretched.

"Young Master!"

"Old Nie, how did the talk go?"

"Haha, quite well! My big brother is still the same big brother; he hasn't changed because of my altered identity! He listened to my persuasion and agreed to pledge his allegiance to you, Young Master! After verifying things for a day or two, I will bring him to pay his respects to you!" Hearing this, Boss Song's mood became excellent, and he laughed happily:"Haha, it seems you've helped me find another capable general, Old Nie! I am also very eager to meet this Young Hero Shen!"

"He definitely won't disappoint you, Young Master!"

"Haha, good! Say no more. It's late; let's return to Plum Manor to rest first, and we can continue discussing tomorrow!"

"Yes! Young Master." The three entered the forest, led out three horses, and rode together back to Plum Manor. The next morning, after handing over a few instructions to Song Que, Nie Feng hurriedly returned to Qinghe City to continue presiding over the affairs of the Fierce Tiger Gang.... Two days later, Old Nie returned to the manor again. This time, walking beside him was a young man around 26 or 27 years old. He had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a face showing clear resolve.

The skin color on his hands was distinctly different from the rest of his body—darker, rougher, and harder! An outsider wouldn't find it hard to imagine that the Kung Fu in this person's hands was absolutely extraordinary! This person was Nie Feng's sworn brother, Shen Ziming! Last time, he had agreed with his sworn brother to pledge allegiance to his mysterious Young Master together. Today, he followed Old Nie to pay his respects.

"Brother, my Young Master's room is just ahead."

"Good!" Shen Ziming nodded with a calm expression. Following Nie Feng into the courtyard, he began to observe the two people standing before him. They looked almost identical to his sworn brother, but their physiques were even taller and bulkier, exuding a tremendous oppressive force!

"Brother Shen, this is my Young Master, Song Que! Young Master, this is the person I often mention, my sworn brother, Shen Ziming!"

"Greetings, Young Master Song." Shen Ziming didn't neglect his manners, cupping his hands and bowing to Song Que.

"Haha, Brother Shen doesn't need to be so formal! Just call me Young Master Song or address me directly by my name, Song Que!"

"Only now do I know that the person my sworn brother pledged his allegiance to is Young Hero Song! I had already heard your name as soon as I set foot in Qinghe County! Truly, hearing a name is not as good as meeting the person! Young Master Song's demeanor far exceeds my imagination!" Shen Ziming's words weren't mere flattery. As Song Que sat there quietly, he emitted a faint, oppressive aura that made Shen Ziming feel incredibly stifled, as if a massive boulder was pressing against his chest!

This wasn't Boss Song deliberately trying to intimidate him, but simply because Old Shen had experienced many life-and-death situations, developing an acute instinct that naturally detected dangers to himself.

"Brother Shen praises me too highly! Please sit!" Song Que also didn't neglect his manners, smiling amiably as he stood up, invited him to sit, and began to chat slowly.