DEMON EMPEROR

CHAPTER 7 : ZHU RONG

“Twin Crane Dance”

As Wong An evaded his opponent's spear attack, he immediately retaliated with two incredibly swift thrusts. The attacks succeeded in injuring his opponent, though not fatally.

Ba Bel furrowed his brow, observing Wong An's concentration was somewhat divided, as Wong An was still coughing even while fighting his opponent. If Wong An had been fighting during the day, this battle might already be over with Wong An emerging victorious, given that his opponent underestimated him considerably and revealed several weaknesses.

Ba Bel's attention then shifted to Ling Tong; the red-haired man's battle with two high-level martial artists was demolishing parts of the Golden Pagoda Inn.

“Ling Tong is either still concealing his full strength, or his physical condition prevents him from using his complete abilities,” Ba Bel thought, observing the fight. Witnessing Ling Tong's combat prowess made him realize that Ling Tong possessed greater skill than his own master.

“First Brother and Third Junior, we're no match for him! We should retreat now!” cried the wounded Black Centipede General.

“You've kindly delivered yourselves here, so I won't hold back!” Ling Tong channeled his internal force into his sword, then aimed it at the Black Centipede General who had just shouted loudly, “Immortal's Demon-Slaying Strike!”

Ling Tong's attack was incredibly swift, and the power contained within it made it a truly deadly strike. Another Black Centipede General fell to Ling Tong's sword.

Ba Bel's eyes widened as he witnessed the technique Ling Tong unleashed, not because the attack could fell a high-level martial artist in a single strike, but because he recognized the sword technique Ling Tong employed.

“The Immortal's Demon-Slaying Sword Technique?” Ba Bel knew well that this sword technique could only be learned by someone from the Five Mountains Sword Sect, one of the strongest righteous sects currently.

“Second Brother!” one of the other men facing Ling Tong roared in fury.

“Second Brother!”

The spear-wielding martial artist leaped backward to create distance from Wong An while thrusting his spear. Wong An also immediately leaped back, evading the spear-wielding martial artist's attack.

Unexpectedly, the spear-wielding martial artist threw a hidden weapon toward Ba Bel, who was carrying the baby. Wong An immediately leaped towards Ba Bel and blocked the attack with his two swords.

The spear-wielding martial artist now joined his comrade, who was struggling against Ling Tong alone.

“First Brother, let me help!”

Now Ling Tong was once again fighting two martial artists, both Generals of the organization called Black Centipede.

Wong An wanted to help Ling Tong, but he worried about the safety of Ba Bel and the baby she carried. Besides the two remaining Black Centipede Generals in the inn, there were still a dozen more Black Centipede martial artists not far from Ba Bel's location.

“Haha, you've come all this way looking for me, don't expect to leave,” Ling Tong said with a cold smile directed at the two remaining Black Centipede Generals.

After that, Ling Tong moved with a speed that the two remaining Black Centipede Generals couldn't follow. Within a few breaths, Ling Tong successfully thrust his sword into the chest of the Black Centipede General who had been fighting Wong An earlier. Meanwhile, the Black Centipede General referred to as First Brother managed to leap back as a Sword Energy released by Ling Tong struck the spot where he had been standing. The General leaped towards the Golden Pagoda Inn's door, evading Ling Tong's attack.

“No...!” the remaining Black Centipede General roared in frustration. “Ling Tong, I will avenge my three junior brothers whom you've killed someday!” yelled the remaining Black Centipede General.

Fury was clear on the face of the sole surviving Black Centipede General, but he knew he was no match for Ling Tong. He hadn't managed to harm Ling Tong even when ganging up on him, much less now that his two junior brothers had fallen by Ling Tong's hand.

Finally, the Black Centipede General and his subordinates left the Golden Pagoda Inn amidst the heavy rain pouring down that night.

Ling Tong wanted to pursue them, but he held back when he realized the inn's structure had reached its limit. If Ling Tong continued fighting inside, the Golden Pagoda Inn would surely become ruins and rubble, just like in Ba Bel's first life.

Ling Tong truly didn't want to let the two Black Centipede Generals escape, but he also sensed that the foundation of the Golden Pagoda Inn had reached its breaking point. Even if Ling Tong could finish them both off, the inn would likely turn to rubble.

Ling Tong could sense that almost all the guests staying at the inn were ordinary people; only Wong An was a martial artist from the pugilistic world. The other guests at the Golden Pagoda Inn were aware of the commotion on the ground floor, but they chose to remain in their respective rooms, unwilling to get involved. If the inn collapsed, Ling Tong wouldn't have time to save them all.

“Thank you both for your help; otherwise, I would have been in a difficult spot,” Ling Tong said, sheathing his sword before approaching Wong An and Ba Bel with a cheerful expression.

“There's no need to be so formal, Senior Ling. It's an honor for me to assist you,” Wong An replied, bowing respectfully.

Ling Tong called an inn attendant and offered several gold pieces as compensation for the damage he had caused while fighting the Black Centipede forces. That money should be more than enough to cover all losses incurred by the Golden Pagoda Inn.

“Hmph, if it weren't for me having run seven days and seven nights without rest, I wouldn't have had such trouble with three people of their caliber...” Ling Tong sighed deeply, still regretting not having managed to kill the last remaining leader.

Wong An smiled awkwardly, then Ba Bel coughed softly. Ba Bel now understood why Ling Tong seemed unable to use his full abilities; it turned out he was not in peak condition.

Ling Tong once again cradled the tiny baby, who now appeared calmer. His gaze was filled with emotion. “Rong'er, your fate is truly tragic, child!” Ling Tong sighed. “She was almost in danger if it weren't for your help,” Ling Tong said, looking at Ba Bel and Wong An.

Ling Tong explained that the baby in his arms was his granddaughter, from his eldest daughter who had married into a merchant family. Although not blessed by him, his daughter chose to leave home and start a family with the man she loved. A few days ago, Ling Tong received news that his daughter's family was in danger, so he ran nonstop to help her.

Unfortunately, Ling Tong arrived too late. When he got there, his daughter and her husband had already been killed by one of the Black Centipede group's Generals. Ling Tong could only save his granddaughter and intended to bring this tiny baby back to his sect.

Ba Bel's body trembled; she was no stranger to this story. Now her gaze was fixed on the baby in Ling Tong's arms. Hearing Ling Tong call the baby "Rong'er," Ba Bel was certain her suspicion was correct.

“Bel'er, you might not know, but Rong'er is a girl. You saved her today, and your ages aren't far apart, so how about I arrange a marriage between you two?” Ling Tong grinned widely.

Ba Bel's eyes widened, and she stared at Ling Tong in disbelief. Ling Tong then stated the baby's name was Zhu Rong. Hearing the name Zhu Rong spoken by Ling Tong made Ba Bel feel as if she'd been struck by lightning.

Ba Bel now knew Ling Tong's true identity: Ling Tong was none other than the Wild Tiger of the Five Mountains Sword Sect. He was one of the Five Mountains Sword Sect's five strongest martial artists, and also the grandfather of the martial arts prodigy throughout the sect's history, Zhu Rong, who was dubbed the Peach Blossom Goddess. Although he looked to be in his thirties, Ling Tong should actually be almost fifty years old by now.

Ba Bel had heard that during the great battle that led to the downfall of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, Ling Tong hadn't offered much help because he had suffered severe internal injuries. Now Ba Bel realized those internal injuries were sustained during today's fight.

Not many people knew Ling Tong; they mostly knew him as the Wild Tiger. Furthermore, Ling Tong rarely left the Five Mountains Sword Sect, spending most of his time educating his beloved granddaughter, Zhu Rong.

Ba Bel could only glance at Wong An, as it was clearly inappropriate for someone her age to respond to Ling Tong's proposal.