OBS Chapter 61 Pursuit
Chapter 61 Pursuit
The rain was continuous, the sky was misty and dark, and the river was surging with waves.
Fang Hongxuan sat at the bow of the boat, knife in hand, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings. Chen Qinghe and Jian Shiqing, oars in hand, struggled to propel the boat forward.
The two remained tight-lipped about Fang Hongxuan's apparent outburst, and would not ask unless Fang Hongxuan brought it up himself.
"This place looks somewhat familiar..."
Jian Shiqing was observing his surroundings thoughtfully when Chen Qinghe interrupted him as soon as he finished speaking.
"This...this is...Niujia Town!"
His eyes were bloodshot, and his whole body was trembling. He lay prone on the side of the boat, staring intently into the darkness in the middle of the river.
Beneath the dark river lies his father, who was not good at expressing himself.
"Once this matter is settled, I will definitely retrieve you... and give you a grand funeral!"
As if sensing the boats on the river, the drowned ghosts beneath the surface emerged from the water. They made no attempt to conceal their greed and...fear of Fang Hongxuan.
In a short while, hundreds of heads appeared on the surging lake.
"Hmm... there are more... is it because the coffins were broken, and the bronze door behind them is no longer being suppressed?"
Fang Hongxuan pondered to himself, but found that there were still many doubts in this matter. Just as he was trying to find clues from the memories Niu Yixuan had given him, Jian Shiqing pointed into the distance.
"Look! There's a warship ahead!"
Even though they were dozens of feet apart, Fang Hongxuan could clearly see Tian Guangzu standing at the stern of the ship. Their eyes met, and sparks seemed to fly between them.
Tian Guangzu's face was contorted with rage as he glared fiercely at Fang Hongxuan, even making a throat-slitting gesture. Fang Hongxuan remained calm, showing no sign of movement, yet the killing intent deep within his eyes grew even stronger.
"He has six strong men rowing for him, and he's going downstream... We probably won't be able to catch up..."
Although Jian Shiqing was also indignant, he was helpless.
"They cannot sail on the river indefinitely. This time, they are only a few miles away from the local earth god temple, where three fast horses are still at large..."
Fang Hongxuan's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was as calm as still water. However, only those close to him knew that he was actually furious.
...
"My lord, they have reached the shore. Should we continue onward...?"
Only after the three disappeared into the woods did Tian Guangzu slowly withdraw his gaze. He looked down at the farmer kneeling on the boat, his face showing obsequiousness, without saying a word.
Instantly, the warship fell into a deathly silence. The chilling atmosphere made the farmer, who had been trying to curry favor, tremble with fear and break out in a cold sweat.
"grown ups..."
"If there is a next time, then I'll just have to keep company with the water ghosts in the river."
These six men had only agreed to board the ship together to serve Tian Guangzu after being coerced and lured by him.
The root cause was simply that the six of them wanted to find a secluded place after leaving Chengjiang City and stage a scene where the Dragon King of the River invites them to eat wonton noodles.
After all, the group had inadvertently glimpsed that Tian Guangzu's baggage was extremely bulging, and they could vaguely see the shape of gold ingots.
Therefore, the farmer who was the leader of the six men began to probe along the way.
Seeing that the pursuers had retreated and the vast river was deserted, the previously subdued intentions naturally rekindled.
"Brothers, the time has come. When the mission is accomplished, the gold, silver, and valuables in their pockets will be divided equally, just as previously agreed!"
Six men suddenly sprang up, wielding oars and attacking Tian Guangzu.
The calm and collected Tian Guangzu didn't even draw his steel sword from its sheath; he simply kicked the four reckless men into the river with a few kicks.
*Thump...thump...*
The sounds of people falling into the water made the remaining two hesitate. Before the four on the river could call for help, they were dragged into the depths by the water ghosts below the surface.
The two, who were already timid, became even more terrified after witnessing their companion's tragic end.
"I had no grudge against them, yet they tried to harm me. So, I have no one to blame but myself for my tragic end, a body torn to pieces. Don't you agree?"
The two looked at each other, but dared not answer, only gripping the oars in their hands even tighter.
"Ha ha ha ha..."
The sudden laughter startled the two, who instinctively tried to run away, but where could they run to?
The small warship, lying across the river, drifted downstream, making the two men even more apprehensive.
Tian Guangzu tossed his satchel in front of the two men. It was so bulging that it scattered. The glittering gold and silver valuables dazzled the two men, leaving them momentarily stunned.
"I've always been fair in my rewards and punishments, and the reward I promised you is right here. If you ferry me to Guanjiang Village, then the reward that was originally divided among six people will be split between the two of you."
Upon hearing this, the two who were initially filled with trepidation were overjoyed. Even their fear subsided somewhat, replaced by awe and respect.
People die for wealth, birds die for food; this has been true since ancient times...
...
The forest forms a boundary; to the left, hordes of zombies roam the stream; to the right, a nearly abandoned earth god temple stands on the open plain.
"Xi Lu Lu"
Three horses of different colors galloped freely, with Fang Hongxuan leading the way. Behind Wu Qiqi, whom they hadn't seen in a long time, were Xue Dian Diao and Hong Yu Zuo.
Wu Qi excitedly circled around Fang Hongxuan, while the other two horses seemed somewhat timid.
"What a spirited horse..."
Chen Qinghe clicked his tongue in admiration, a hint of envy flickering in his eyes.
"Once, while patrolling the mountains, I came across a dying mare, and Wu Qi was right beside her."
Seeing that it was young and unable to protect itself, someone took it back to the Demon Suppression Division.
It is not friendly to people, and can only be controlled to some extent when someone is nearby.
Fang Hongxuan was also quite pleased as he stroked Wu Qi's horse head, even his usually aloof demeanor softened somewhat.
"Let us rest here for a bit before continuing our pursuit, shall we...?"
"good."
As far as Fang Hongxuan was concerned, he had a tree branch to guide him. Even if Tian Guangzu fled to the ends of the earth, he would make him pay for his blood debt.
The three had been on a long march and were already showing signs of fatigue, while Tian Guangzu was resting and recuperating on a boat. If they were to encounter each other, given the disparity in their strength, they would inevitably suffer a great loss.
Therefore, he readily agreed to Jian Shiqing's proposal.
"Chen Qinghe, can you ride a horse?"
Jian Shiqing seemed to have thought of something, and he quickly asked.
This left him no choice but to know Chen Qinghe's situation in detail. Although he had not yet embarked on the path of cultivation, the ability to forcibly pull people behind him was something that Fang Hongxuan and Jian Shiqing needed.
Unexpectedly, Chen Qinghe, who had been somewhat timid, now straightened his back.
"A gentleman is proficient in all six arts. As for riding horses, that is a piece of cake for him."
He was even secretly pleased, after all, he had been out of the public eye for many years, and this was the first time someone had come to ask him about it.
However, this secret joy did not last long, and a faint sadness immediately spread into his heart.
The reason is simple: whether practicing martial arts or refining the Six Arts of a Gentleman, both require a great deal of money...
"Wait, what's that...?"
...