Chapter 92 : Chapter 92

Chapter 92: A Threat—A Naked, Blatant Threat!

Wiped out overnight?!

The moment those words were spoken, a terrifying possibility rose in everyone’s hearts.

Yesterday, Mei Feng had slipped into the Thousand-Household Office as soon as night fell, while Cheng Yu had only begun assembling his forces early this morning…

There had been several full hours in between—more than enough time for martial artists with decent footwork to reach Plum Saber Stockade.

Plenty of time to wipe it out under cover of night…

Zuo Hong’s eyes widened. He thought back to how readily Cheng Yu had agreed just now when he promised not to kill anyone.

That had not looked at all like the behavior of the butcher spoken of in rumors—the fiend who had slaughtered the entire Jianghu of a prefecture.

The joy on the martial artists’ faces vanished at once.

In its place came sheer terror, and their gazes locked straight onto Cheng Yu.

The swordsman in coarse hemp and the few elite Jinyiwei stepped off the skiff and strode proudly to Cheng Yu’s side, bowing in salute.

“We have fulfilled Lord Cheng’s orders without fail!”

“Liu Xiong has not failed Master’s command!”

Liu Xiong wore a bluish-gray hemp robe, while the Flying Fish Uniforms of the Jinyiwei were still stained with blood not yet gone black.

“Well done. I’ll record this as a great merit, and you can collect your reward when we return. Liu Xiong, I’ll give you special training once we’re back.”

Cheng Yu nodded in satisfaction.

Just then, an enraged roar rang out.

“Cheng Yu, what did your men do?!”

Following the voice, everyone saw Zuo Hong and the others glaring with twisted, furious faces, looking utterly beside themselves.

No wonder Cheng Yu had agreed so readily a moment ago, saying that if he would not kill, then he would not kill.

Plum Saber Stockade had already been destroyed. There was no one left for him to kill!

The moment they thought of how they had just mocked Cheng Yu as a bully who feared the strong and preyed on the weak, they felt like clowns.

And at the same time, a chill of shared doom crept into their hearts.

Plum Saber Stockade had more than a hundred men. It was a named Jianghu force in Jiannan Circuit.

And yet it had been wiped out in a single night just like that?!

In a towering rage, Zuo Hong shouted, “You clearly already sent men to slaughter Plum Saber Stockade, so why did you still trick us?!”

For Jianghu martial artists, righteousness and trust were the very foundation of their standing. How had they ever encountered someone so treacherous and vile?

A mocking smile appeared on Cheng Yu’s face.

“What did I trick you about? I truly do not intend to kill anyone in a moment. What exactly did I say wrong?”

Hearing Cheng Yu say such a thing, Zuo Hong and the others exploded with boundless fury and cursed him outright.

“There is actually someone in this world so deceitful and vicious!”

And yet there was nothing they could do.

Because yes—there was nothing wrong with what Cheng Yu had said.

The people were already dead. Naturally, Cheng Yu had no need to break his word!

The martial artists of Jiannan Circuit thought of how hurriedly they had rushed here, how anxiously they had put on a show of force, all to save Plum Saber Stockade.

And in the end, all of it had been nothing but a laughable waste. It had served no purpose whatsoever. The thought left them furious and humiliated.

It was simply too disgraceful!

If word of this spread to other parts of the Jianghu, how would anyone look at them?

Especially Zuo Hong and Tie Ke.

The moment they imagined others pointing fingers at them, saying that dignified Upper Three Ranks martial artists had been ridden roughshod over by a mere junior, their hearts turned cold.

When in their lives had they ever suffered such humiliation at the hands of someone from the younger generation?

Humiliation and fury flared up within them—only to be doused in an instant like fire under cold water.

Plum Saber Stockade had already been raided and destroyed. What else could they do now?

Kill Cheng Yu to avenge the dead, only to be annihilated by the Great Qian court afterward?

Or have some great figure of the Jianghu forcibly step in to mediate this mortal enmity, then cast useless men like them into a pit from which they would never rise again?

In the end, there was only one best choice.

Endure!

The moment they understood that, the sense of humiliation swallowed the Jianghu martial artists whole.

They gritted their teeth and lowered their heads, their fists clenched tight but unable to strike.

Even Zuo Hong’s rock-solid frame swayed slightly as he gave Cheng Yu a long, hard look.

“Enough! Enough! This time, we’ll admit that you were the more vicious one. We’ll swallow this loss!”

With that, they turned to leave.

But at that very moment, Cheng Yu’s calm voice rang out again like a nightmare.

“You gentlemen are leaving? Then don’t forget my invitation.”

“Three days from now, I shall await your honored presence at the Thousand-Household Office.”

The martial artists’ anger flared again. “You—!”

To bring up that invitation to gather at a time like this was nothing less than trampling their dignity into the dirt!

They had watched Mei Feng die with their own eyes. They had watched Plum Saber Stockade be destroyed.

How could they possibly still accept that invitation letter, dripping with humiliation, and go to the Thousand-Household Office?

No matter how little self-respect a man had, he could never do such a thing!

“Ha…”

The martial artists wanted to curse Cheng Yu, but no words came out. In the end, all they could do was let out a cold sigh and turn away.

A decision had already been made in their hearts.

No matter what happened, they would not attend Cheng Yu’s gathering.

The Jinyiwei had already torn away all pretense and begun killing and raiding households. Why should they still consider so much and go suffer humiliation for nothing?

Let Cheng Yu hold a gathering that no one attended and taste a little disgrace himself. That would count as venting some of their anger!

One look at their expressions was enough for Cheng Yu to understand what they were thinking.

It seemed that no matter what, these people would refuse to attend.

That, however, did not fit his plan to suppress Jiannan Circuit.

So he smiled again and said, “Gentlemen, the theft of a Tiger Tally may seem like a small matter on the surface, but behind it there is every possibility of enemy agents and internal traitors. How could a mere Plum Saber Stockade possibly have dared such a thing on its own?”

“In my view, there must be accomplices behind the scenes, advising and plotting for them!”

The moment those words fell, Qin Mosheng, Liu Erniang, and the martial artists who had originally planned to steal the Xiuchun Saber all shuddered violently.

From what Cheng Yu was saying, Mei Feng really had sold them out!

He was threatening them now!

Cheng Yu continued, “A group plotting together to steal a Tiger Tally—this is a case of monstrous proportions. Surely only Prince Qing’s Remnants would do something like this, wouldn’t they?”

“There are certain people in their own jurisdiction with rather too much personality, unwilling even to gather when summoned.”

“It makes things difficult for a Thousand-Household Commander, does it not? Perhaps they ought to be shown a little more color.”

Prince Qing’s Remnants?!

The moment they heard that name, Qin Mosheng and the others nearly had their legs give out beneath them. Liu Erniang in particular was so frightened her eyes almost rolled back as she nearly fainted.

If Cheng Yu took the theft of the Tiger Tally and then pinned a label like that onto people like them,

there would be no clearing their names no matter what they said.

And even if they could explain themselves, the Great Qian Emperor would never listen!

“Of course, none of what I’ve said is directed at any of you in particular. I merely mentioned it in passing. As for how the matter is to be investigated, we can discuss it properly at the Thousand-Household Office when the time comes.”

A threat.

A naked, blatant threat!

The martial artists trembled from head to toe.

Wasn’t the meaning of Cheng Yu’s words perfectly clear?

Anyone who did not go to the Thousand-Household Office would, when the time came, be treated as having colluded with Prince Qing’s Remnants to steal the Tiger Tally—and would have their household raided and their family exterminated?!

Qin Mosheng and the others gave a violent shudder, their faces turning ashen.

The moment Zuo Hong and Tie Ke saw this, both of them flew into a towering rage.

To threaten the people of Jiannan Circuit’s Jianghu like this right in front of them was nothing less than a direct provocation against their two factions!

“Cheng Yu, what exactly do you mean by this?!”

Then they turned to the martial artists beside them. “There is no need to listen to his nonsense. The Jianghu of Jiannan Circuit is made up of fellow brothers of the same path. We will protect all of you ourselves!”

The others were instantly overjoyed.

With two Seventh-Rank martial artists protecting them, how would the Jinyiwei dare act recklessly?

But just then, Cheng Yu’s voice drifted out again, faint and cold.

“You two are indeed worthy of being called men of Jianghu chivalry. You truly do take responsibility. No wonder people hold you in such esteem.”

“It’s just that I wonder whether, with such large households and sects, the two of you can really accommodate all the martial artists of Jiannan Circuit within your gates?”

“Otherwise, when the distances are too great, I doubt you’ll have the spare energy to protect them one household at a time…”