Song Han Cheng didn’t answer but asked in return,
“What did you do with Liu Da and the others’ corpses?”
Song Xian shook his head.
“Why bother with those dead beasts? Let the wild animals gnaw on them, let them rot and stink!”
Bai Ge gritted his teeth angrily, filled with hatred for Liu Da and his group.
“Will that cause any trouble?”
Song Xian guessed that Song Han Cheng’s reason for asking everyone to leave might be related to this.
“The Red Sleeve Tower keeps many Tracking Dogs; what you saw yesterday was just a few of them.”
Liu Da was a top expert heavily hired by the Red Sleeve Tower.
His failure to return for so long would definitely attract attention.
Since the Tracking Dogs could follow Bai Ge’s trail, they could certainly track Liu Da’s corpse as well.
Song Xian was puzzled.
“Tracking Dogs? What exactly is this Red Sleeve Tower?”
“On the surface, it’s a wine house, but in reality, it’s a den for power-for-money deals and a gathering place for underworld forces. It enjoys the protection of high officials above and commands people from the Three Teachings and Nine Sects below. It could be called the Emperor of the Earth within Yongzhou.”
An Emperor of the Earth naturally acts arrogantly and cares about face.
Anyone who deceives, disrespects, or challenges their authority is dealt with the harshest punishment.
“Now the Red Sleeve Tower not only hasn’t found Bai Ge but also lost such a powerful expert. They definitely won’t let this go easily.”
“If there were no Tracking Dogs leading the way, we could have stayed longer. They wouldn’t dare come to this ancient forest lightly. But with Tracking Dogs here, this place can’t be stayed in any longer.”
“Let’s go, right now!”
Song Xian immediately woke Song Luyuan and Song Jimin, hastily packing their belongings.
Bai Ge’s eyes were bloodshot, fists clenched, teeth grinding fiercely, and his entire body radiated a fury as if ready to burn the world down.
Song Han Cheng’s gaze swept over the thin callus on Bai Ge’s palm, then turned to lead the donkey to the edge of the grass for grazing.
Bai Ge suddenly lifted his foot and was about to dash down the mountain.
“What are you doing?”
“They won’t spare me, so I won’t spare them. I’m going to destroy that Red Sleeve Tower and make sure none of them die well!”
Song Han Cheng’s tone was unusually calm:
“With your three-cat’s-paw skills?”
Bai Ge was stunned, surprised at Song Han Cheng’s knowledge.
“You know I can fight? When did you find out?”
“From the first time I saw you, hungry for three days but still moving like a ghost—clearly skilled. Besides, the Red Sleeve Tower’s defenses are tighter than the Governor’s Office. Any woman escaping from there is no ordinary person.”
Bai Ge was silent for a moment.
“I’m not lying. I was indeed tricked there by my fiancé. He poisoned me, draining all my Inner Strength. I can only use Qinggong now, nothing else.”
“Thanks to Brother Song for detoxifying me yesterday, I regained my martial arts and now I’ll find them to take revenge!”
“I thought you were smart, but you’re even worse than my second brother.”
Song Han Cheng’s voice remained steady as he turned to organize the goods on the donkey’s back.
Bai Ge was very curious about Song Han Cheng’s identity.
“Who exactly are you? Is your second brother the Master of Mad Sword?”
Bai Ge had examined the “vegetable knife” Song Luyuan gave Song Xian.
It didn’t look like an ordinary dagger but seemed made from Meteorite Iron.
The famed Questioning Sword wielded by the Master of Mad Sword was also forged from Meteorite Iron.
It was said that the sword could extend and retract freely, with a unique reversed hook on the blade’s tip.
When shortened, it resembled a dagger.
Song Han Cheng stroked the donkey’s dusty ears.
“That’s none of your concern. You only need to confirm one thing: stay or leave?”
“Leave?”
Bai Ge hurriedly asked.
“Then don’t cause trouble.”
“And if I stay?”
“Also don’t cause trouble.”
A cold gleam shot from Song Han Cheng’s narrow phoenix eyes, only fading to normal when he saw Song Xian and the others coming out.
Bai Ge thought: So fierce!
She admitted she’d been impulsive just now.
Alone, she really had no way to bring down the Red Sleeve Tower.
If Song Luyuan really was the Master of Mad Sword, his skills were far beyond hers.
Preserving oneself means there’s a chance for revenge later!
She had a feeling that as long as she stuck with the Song family’s four men, her revenge would someday be fulfilled.
“Then I’ll stay.”
Bai Ge asked Song Han Cheng,
“What do I need to do to not cause trouble?”
Song Han Cheng handed Bai Ge a cloth bundle from the donkey’s back.
Inside were a half-worn set of men’s clothes and a porcelain bottle.
These were obviously prepared long ago.
Could all this have been predicted by Song Han Cheng?
Looking at Song Han Cheng’s gentle face, which gave no threat at all, Bai Ge suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, a bit afraid.
“Wash off your scent, apply the ointment in the bottle, then take your old clothes, stain them with some blood, and toss them into the ancient forest three li away.”
After Song Xian finished moving the things, he saw Bai Ge and Song Han Cheng talking together.
“What are you two talking about?”
He smiled and approached, thinking they were worrying about the days ahead.
“Don’t worry. As long as the green mountains remain, there’s no fear of bad days. With me here, I guarantee you’ll never go hungry.”
Bai Ge was warmed by Song Xian’s optimistic attitude, nodding with a smile.
“Uncle Song is right. Life will get better!”
Suddenly Song Xian realized Bai Ge’s form of address had changed.
“You didn’t call me Brother Song before?”
Bai Ge glanced cautiously at Song Han Cheng and gave an embarrassed smile.
“Actually, I’m a year younger than Brother Song. By seniority, I should call you Uncle Song. Calling you Brother Song would be taking advantage of your brothers.”
Song Xian nodded without objection.
He’d already become a father; being an uncle was no problem.
Bai Ge prepared to complete Song Han Cheng’s instructions and said goodbye to Song Xian and the others.
Song Xian handed Bai Ge a bag of white birch mushroom pollen and a bag of dried mushrooms, repeatedly reminding her to stay safe.
The descent from the mountain was steep in places.
Song Xian tightly held Song Jimin’s hand, afraid the little one would fall and start crying.
After an hour, they finally reached the valley at the foot of the mountain.
There used to be a shortcut out of the mountain here, but after the thunderstorm, a pile of rocks rolled down and blocked the exit.
They had to climb over the gentle slope ahead and detour to the western side valley of another mountain.
Song Xian assumed the west valley would be similar — low and narrow.
Unexpectedly, it was a wide-open small plain, with gentle hills covered in wildflowers, and the surrounding mountains were not steep.
To leave the mountain, they only had to pass through a small nearby forest.
On the east side was a mountain gully with lush trees and faint sounds of flowing water.
Song Xian asked the three brothers,
“Don’t you feel this place is a bit warmer than others?”
Song Luyuan shook his head, indicating no.
Song Jimin nodded.
“Seems a little.”
Song Han Cheng also nodded.
Song Xian had a theory to confirm.
He followed the sound of flowing water into the verdant eastern gully and found a small stream with faint steam rising from the water.
Song Xian was overjoyed.
He jumped down and tested the water temperature by the stream.
It was a bit hot to the touch—really a hot spring!
Ahhhh, he loved hot springs most of all.
What’s more, the surrounding terrain was perfect for building a house—a truly divinely chosen place to live.
After feeling the hot spring, Song Luyuan was even more excited than Song Xian.
He trained every day and sweated a lot.
How wonderful would it be to bathe in a hot spring!
“I want to live here!”
Song Luyuan shouted excitedly.
Song Han Cheng refused.
“No.”
“I want to live here!”
This time Song Han Cheng said nothing but shot Song Luyuan a cold glare as a warning.
The excitement faded from Song Luyuan’s face, but he was still reluctant.
He had been searching all over Yongzhou for a hot spring house, never found one.
Today was a rare chance.
How could his sword be the Knife of the Martial World without a hot spring villa?
Impossible, he needed one.
He couldn’t change his eldest brother’s mind, and no use trying with the youngest either.
“The scenery here is beautiful, there’s a hot spring, there’s cut-down teak wood on the mountain perfect for building, and the forest floor is full of mushrooms we brothers love to eat… What a great place! Father, can we live here, please?”
Song Luyuan grabbed Song Xian’s hand, the tall, broad-shouldered, long-legged boy shaking Song Xian’s arm like a little girl, pleading.
Song Xian couldn’t resist and laughed,
“Alright, let’s hide somewhere else first, and when the danger passes, we’ll build a house here.”
“No. If the Red Sleeve Tower even suspects this place, we have to abandon it completely. No risks.”
Song Han Cheng’s tone was firm and unwavering.
Song Xian nodded in agreement and urged Song Luyuan to leave quickly.
“Your eldest brother is right. Hidden dangers are risks. Let’s go somewhere else for now.”
“Ahhh!”
Song Luyuan wailed in disappointment.
His begging was useless, and he regretted it.
“I’ll find a way to handle the corpses on the mountain so the Tracking Dogs won’t smell anything. If they can’t detect anything unusual, they won’t suspect, and we can come back to build a house.”
“Really? That’s great! Father, you’re the best!”
Song Luyuan cheered and hugged Song Xian excitedly.
Song Han Cheng frowned.
“That’s very risky and not worth it.”
Song Xian smiled with bright eyes.
“It’s worth it. I promised to build you an even better house.”
“Then look elsewhere, don’t act rashly.”
Song Han Cheng frowned deeper, not understanding Song Xian’s unnecessary risk.
“I insist.”
Song Han Cheng stopped trying to persuade, only telling Song Xian,
“My second brother and I actually already dealt with the corpses last night, but the smell remains. The Tracking Dogs won’t be fooled.”
“No corpses makes it easier. You just have to solve the scent problem on the mountain.”
Song Xian waved his hand, telling Song Han Cheng to take his two brothers and leave first.
“When I’m done, I’ll meet you all at the City God Temple in Sanhu Village.”
Song Han Cheng nodded and left with his two younger brothers.
After a few steps, he looked back and said,
“Be careful.”
Song Xian smiled and nodded, waving them goodbye.
After watching the three Song brothers leave, Song Xian turned and covered his mouth to chuckle quietly.
That “willing to sacrifice everything as a father” act earlier must have looked very heroic!
His tall, dignified father image must have been deeply impressed on the children!
Surely, it moved his three sons to tears, right?
It was just about dealing with lingering smells, after all, and he was holding a sword.
Earlier, while exploring the ancient forest, Song Xian had seen several mushrooms with a special value description.
He could use them to solve this odor crisis.
Returning to the ancient forest, Song Xian quickly found the mushrooms growing on the camphor tree trunks.
[Value Description]:
White Birch Mushroom, yellow, round and about the size of a longan fruit.
Touching it causes it to grow larger, the more it’s touched, the bigger it gets.
When it finally turns white, touching it causes it to explode, releasing a pungent stench that drifts for ten li and lingers for a long time.
The spores are mildly toxic and can cause rhinitis.
Song Xian covered his mouth and nose with a wet cloth, grabbed a basket of White Birch Mushrooms, and went around the forest “setting off explosions.”
He especially detonated several on the upwind side.
Once the entire ancient forest was soaked in this smell, which was a hundred times worse than snail noodles, Song Xian happily ran down to the valley, bathed in the hot spring, and cheerfully left the mountain.
Just as Song Xian exited the small forest, he ran into a squad of men carrying swords.
They were all wearing blue clothes, the same as Liu Da and the others, clearly Red Sleeve Tower henchmen.
Leading them was a young man in his early twenties, with black hair, green eyes, and deep features—looking somewhat like an outsider.
He was surprised to see Song Xian and immediately raised his hand to signal his men not to point their swords at him.
“Ah Xian, what are you doing here?”