chsdbacks Chapter 9: Framed
Chapter 9: Framed
"What do you want? I'm from Sitong Martial Arts School!"
Alarm bells rang in Zhang Ping's mind, and he shouted sharply, trying to intimidate the other party with the name of the martial arts school.
The leading soldier's face twitched, and he sneered, "Still dare to resist? Go and fetch the officials from the Demon Extermination Bureau!" Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the alleyway next to him, and the cold smile on the scarred man's lips flashed by.
"Zhang Ping, you bastard from the Pleasure Pavilion, you think you've climbed the social ladder just because you've been redeemed? Surrender obediently and cooperate with the Demon Extermination Bureau in their investigation, and you might still have your life!" The scarred man's voice was chilling, piercing Zhang Ping's ears.
The An family! They've colluded with the government troops and even invoked the banner of the Demon Extermination Bureau! Wang Li isn't here right now; we absolutely cannot go with them! If we fall into the hands of the An family, we'll be fish on a chopping board!
Zhang Ping's gaze swept over the whispering crowd watching from afar, and a fierce aura suddenly surged within him. He took a deep breath, and his voice boomed like thunder: "I am Zhang Ping, an apprentice at Sitong Martial Arts School! The An family has committed evil deeds for a long time, an outrage against heaven! Today they dare to collude with the soldiers to frame me, you demons and lackeys! Let's see who dares to stop me from returning to the martial arts school!" Before he finished speaking, he stomped his right foot down!
Click!
The hard bluestone slab underfoot shattered with a crack, and spiderweb-like cracks spread out!
Before the soldiers blocking his way could react, they felt a tremendous force slam into them, sending them flying.
"You're courting death!" A look of disbelief and horror flashed in the scarred man's eyes! This kid had only been in the martial arts school for a little over a month; there was no way he could have broken through to the Skin Tempering Realm! Where did this brute strength come from? Moreover, his qi and blood were calm; he was clearly an ordinary person! He drew his long sword with a hum and shouted sharply:
"How dare you!" A sharp burst of blood energy suddenly erupted, forcing the nearby soldiers to retreat in panic.
A chill ran down his spine! Without thinking, Zhang Ping rolled to the side, and the moment he landed, his five fingers, like hooks, gripped a loose brick and slammed it behind him!
The scarred man's slash missed its mark, the brick whistling through the air as it struck his face. With a flick of his wrist, he deflected the brick with his longsword as easily as swatting a fly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ping on the ground. He grinned maliciously, "Watch me capture you alive!" He abruptly dropped the sword, his fingers forming a claw, and with a gust of blood, he grabbed at Zhang Ping's shoulder blade.
Just as the claw-like wind was about to strike his body, Zhang Ping flicked his hand!
puff!
A cloud of dust mixed with gravel hit the scarred man head-on!
"Ugh!" The scarred man was caught off guard; his eyes stung with pain, and his vision blurred instantly. By the time he managed to open his red, teary eyes, Zhang Ping's figure had already vanished around the street corner.
"Useless trash! What are you doing? Chase after them!" the scarred man roared, covering his eyes. The officer leader, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly led his men in pursuit.
The street was bustling with pedestrians. Zhang Ping weaved through the crowd, knocking over several vendors who couldn't dodge in time. He had only one thought in his mind: Seventh Street! Sister Wang is on Seventh Street! The martial arts school's large-scale purchase today will take at least an hour!
The commotion of Seventh Street was visible in the distance. Zhang Ping immediately spotted the group of people dressed in the martial arts school uniforms in the middle of the street, and Wang Li's back as she talked to a shopkeeper. He shouted with all his might, "Sister Wang, help! The An family is framing the martial arts school!"
The scarred man who had caught up with Zhang Ping's expression changed drastically, his eyes flashing with ferocity. He shouted, "Colluding with demons and daring to resist arrest!" He suddenly reached out, his five fingers like hooks, aiming for Zhang Ping's back! The grab was as fast as lightning, and it looked like it was about to land a firm grip!
But at this critical moment of life and death, Zhang Ping suddenly twisted his body!
The scarred man sneered inwardly: Fool, trying to fight head-on when he can't dodge? A martial artist can crush an ant like a mortal! He instantly transformed his claws into fists, the force of his fists carrying a whistling wind, aiming straight for Zhang Ping's chest!
boom!
The two fists collided violently!
"This power?! Skin Tempering Realm?! No way..." The scarred man's sinister smile froze on his face, his horror instantly overwhelmed by excruciating pain! An overwhelming force surged through the opponent's fist!
Snap—Pfft!
A sickeningly loud cracking sound of bone breaking rang out! The scarred man's right arm suddenly compressed inward in a bizarre posture, and a piece of blood-stained, white bone pierced through the flesh of his elbow, exposed to the air!
"Ah—!!" A heart-wrenching scream tore through the noise of the street, startling the surrounding crowd into screaming and scattering away.
Hearing the sound, Wang Li turned around with lightning speed. With a sharp cry, she soared into the air, covering a distance of over ten meters like a large bird, and landed heavily beside Zhang Ping. Her gaze was like lightning, first sweeping over the scarred man writhing and howling on the ground clutching his severed arm, then her sharp eyes fell on the still-breathing Zhang Ping, scrutinizing him.
"What's going on?" The voice was deep and icy.
Zhang Ping quickly recounted the events, emphasizing that the other party was a member of the An family, who colluded with government officials to frame him for conspiring with demons. Upon hearing the words "An family," "framing the martial arts school," and "Demon Exorcism Bureau," Wang Li's face instantly darkened to a grim degree. An apprentice in martial arts school uniform being publicly accused of conspiring with demons and taken away was a slap in the face to the entire Sitong Martial Arts School!
"Make way! Make way!" The soldiers who arrived late came panting and surrounded them, but when faced with a group of unfriendly-looking disciples of the Sitong Martial Arts School, especially the cold-faced Wang Li who was in charge, their momentum immediately waned and they fell silent.
Wang Li's icy gaze swept across the officer's face like a blade: "Zhang Ping is an innocent disciple of my Sitong Martial Arts School. Who dares to utter another slanderous word about colluding with demons?" The blue bricks beneath her feet shattered silently into dust.
"No, no... It's a misunderstanding, absolutely a misunderstanding!" The officer leader was sweating profusely and hurriedly waved his hands.
"Hmph! Back to the museum!" Wang Li turned and was about to leave with her people. Zhang Ping's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
"etc!"
A cold, sharp shout pierced the air!
Swish!
A long, gleaming blade, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, precisely struck the spot in front of the group from the Sitong Martial Arts School, its blade humming as it blocked their path!
"The Demon Extermination Bureau is ordered to apprehend suspected demons! Is Sitong Martial Arts School defying the orders of the Demon Extermination Bureau?!"
A group of imposing martial artists strode through the crowd, the young man at the head of the group looking arrogant, his gaze undisguisedly defiant as he looked at Wang Li. Their martial arts uniforms were embroidered with the words "Tianxing"!
When Wang Li recognized who it was, her face darkened even further: "Mao Tianyu! Does your Tianxing Martial Arts School want to break ties?!"
Upon hearing the name Tianxing Martial Arts School, Zhang Ping's heart sank. This was trouble!
Tianxing Martial Arts School and Sitong Martial Arts School have been rivals in Lingchuan County for many years, with constant minor skirmishes. He calmly pulled over a purchasing agent and whispered urgently, "Go back quickly! Tell the master that the An family is colluding with Tianxing Martial Arts School, using the name of the Demon Extermination Bureau to arrest people!" The disciple's face tightened, and he quietly retreated into the crowd.
Mao Tianyu chuckled, slowly pulling a black iron token from his robes and holding it high: "By order of the Demon Extermination Bureau, apprehend anyone suspected of colluding with demons!" He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ping. "Senior Sister Wang, I naturally trust the reputation of Sitong Martial Arts School in exorcising demons and upholding justice, but..." He changed the subject, the token reflecting a cold metallic luster in the sunlight, "...this unknown apprentice? That's hard to say!"
"By order of the Demon Extermination Bureau," Mao Tianyu's voice suddenly rose, sweeping across the entire area with an undeniable air of authority, "who dares disobey!"