Chapter 250: Not in the Room?

“Helm Leader!”

The team led by Hong Biao had just returned from the Sanhe Commandery docks and immediately sought out Wangchuan to report news from the hall.

“Something happened at the hall.”

“It’s said that an expert from the Five Poisons Sect released snakes inside the hall. Two brothers were bitten on the spot. They were rushed to the clinic to find Divine Physician Shen, but even he was helpless. He could only watch as the poison took effect and both men died violently.”

“…”

Wangchuan had been cultivating 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》. Hearing this, he gestured for Zhang Yao to stop and slightly furrowed his brows.

“Are we sure it was someone from the Five Poisons Sect?”

“Almost certainly.”

Hong Biao nodded firmly.

“Someone recognized the snake. They said it’s a mutated Bamboo-Leaf Viper personally raised by the Five Poisons Sect branch helm leader. Supposedly it was bred by feeding it many kinds of venomous creatures. Even a ranked martial artist dies moments after a bite! The worst part is that this poison has no antidote.”

Then he lowered his voice and added:

“Old Seven has apparently issued a gang-wide bounty order. All branch helms and affiliated gangs are to hunt down the Five Poisons Sect branch leader Tian Chou with full force… I managed to obtain his wanted portrait.”

Wangchuan quickly took the portrait from Hong Biao.

The man in the picture looked hideously ugly—his face covered in scars that twisted his features almost beyond recognition. Yet his eyes were exceptionally sharp, like a venomous snake, unforgettable at a glance.

“Print more copies of this portrait. Cover every street and alley in Hejiang Town with them!”

“And tell all the brothers at the docks to keep watch. Anyone who spots him gets a reward of one hundred taels of silver!”

Wangchuan issued his orders.

“Yes!”

Hong Biao withdrew.

Only then did Wangchuan reveal a grave expression.

He knew that the Five Poisons Sect had likely come seeking revenge over the giant bear.

Fortunately, he had already presented the giant bear pelt to Old Seven.

Otherwise, the Five Poisons Sect branch leader Tian Chou would have targeted his own branch helm first.

“The Caobang has issued a commandery-wide manhunt… Tian Chou certainly cannot remain in the commandery city.”

“If he still wants revenge against Caobang, he will most likely target the three nearby branch helms: Sanjiang, Leishui, and Jinhe…”

Wangchuan summoned Li Qing and instructed him to lead men to the town gates and official road outside Hejiang Town to strengthen patrols.

---

Outside the branch helm.

A plain-looking young woman carrying a vegetable basket was browsing the street stalls near the dock square.

As she watched Caobang disciples begin posting wanted portraits all over the docks, a faint glint of sharpness—and killing intent—flickered in her eyes.

Soon after, another group of people emerged from the branch helm and walked past her.

The girl did not turn around.

But beneath the shadows, her eyes brimmed with dense murderous intent.

Hiss…

Perhaps sensing its master’s killing intent, a thin tongue flicked out briefly from within her sleeve before vanishing again.

Before long, the girl rose and entered a small courtyard house in Hejiang Town.

An old woman inside looked startled and stood up.

“Young lady, you are…?”

Tian Chou opened his palm.

A slender emerald Bamboo-Leaf Viper slid out from his sleeve, coiling and raising its head, its tongue flicking.

The old woman’s eyes filled with reverence. She immediately knelt.

“Helm Leader!”

“I did not know you had arrived. This lowly one deserves death.”

“Let’s speak inside.”

Tian Chou walked directly into the house.

The old woman hurriedly shut the courtyard gate and windows.

“The Caobang hall is full of experts,” Tian Chou said coldly while stroking the snake’s triangular head.

“I originally intended to kill that acting hall master so he would understand the consequences of slaughtering the mountain-guarding divine beast of my Five Poisons Sect.”

“But the hall’s defenses were extremely tight. The moment Xiao Qing slipped inside, it was discovered. It only managed to poison two men before we had to withdraw from Sanhe Commandery.”

His voice cut like a blade.

“As expected of a force comparable to the world’s number-one beggar sect, the Beggar Sect. No wonder they increasingly treat our Five Poisons Sect with disdain.”

“Helm Leader,” the old woman whispered bitterly,

“you may not know this, but the man who killed Vice-Helm Leader Xu and shot dead Snake Elder has now been recruited by Caobang.”

“He is currently the leader of the Sanjiang Branch Helm—a brat named Wangchuan.”

The old woman clenched her teeth.

“While you were deep in the mountains searching for venomous creatures, we attempted several revenge operations. All failed, and we suffered heavy losses—even losing several hideouts. Everyone has been waiting for your return to seek justice for us.”

“Hmph.”

“Since it’s such a coincidence, then we’ll destroy the Sanjiang Branch Helm first.”

Tian Chou pressed lightly on Xiao Qing’s head, murderous intent surging in his eyes.

The old woman’s face lit up with excitement.

“Should I gather men?”

“Hmph. It’s only a branch helm. No need to mobilize troops.”

Tian Chou glanced at the darkening sky outside.

“Wait a little longer. Once night falls… it will be their time to die.”

---

Night completely fell.

Tian Chou changed into a different outfit, revealing his grotesque face again. A black robe concealed his movements well in the darkness.

Moving silently through the shadows of houses and alleys, he soon reached the tall wall outside the Sanjiang Branch Helm.

From above, he looked inside.

The compound was brightly lit, almost like daytime.

Every section had at least two Caobang elites guarding it.

Patrol squads carrying torches, bows on their backs and sabers at their waists, circled the walls. Many among them were full martial artists.

Tian Chou frowned.

A mere branch helm of Caobang was guarded so tightly?

No matter where he tried to infiltrate, he would inevitably alert the patrol teams.

“What a cowardly helm leader.”

“Tch.”

He circled the compound once but could not find any suitable place to sneak in.

Only after midnight passed and the patrols changed shifts did Tian Chou finally spot an opening.

He silently vaulted over the wall, landing like lightning behind two Caobang disciples.

Two swift palm strikes.

Both guards collapsed unconscious.

Then he slipped into the Helm Leader’s courtyard.

Hiss…

Xiao Qing immediately slid through the crack of the door and into the bedroom.

But moments later, the snake slithered back out.

Tian Chou frowned.

“No one inside?”

Xiao Qing had searched the room.

There was indeed no one there.

What was going on?

Tian Chou stood there utterly bewildered.

Not in the room?

What kind of decent person isn’t sleeping in their room after midnight?!

He had no time to think further. He quickly recalled Xiao Qing and prepared to retreat.

But at that moment—

Someone had discovered the two unconscious sentries!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Enemy attack!”

“Brothers have been ambushed!”

The branch helm’s sentries and patrol teams rushed onto the rooftops and began a full search of the compound.

At that very moment, Wangchuan was in the training field, practicing with Zhang Yao. Hearing the commotion, both of them changed expressions.

“The Five Poisons Sect!”

“You finally came.”

Wangchuan quickly grabbed his chainmail and leather armor, pulling them over himself while seizing his iron-tire bow.

Just then, he saw a black shadow with swift and eerie movement leap onto the rooftop from the direction of his residence.

“Over there!”

The Caobang disciples on the rooftops rushed toward it.

But none could withstand even a single exchange.

In the instant they crossed paths, one after another was knocked down from the rooftops.

Within moments, three or four had already fallen.