Urban Martial Saint

Hearing Old Wang Ba say this, Ye Qing almost kicked him. Is there really anyone who messes with people like this? Riding this thing for over ten miles, it’d be better to just push it back.

”You pedal if you want, I won’t.” Ye Qing replied bluntly.

”Oh, are you getting angry now?” Old Wang Ba tossed the electric bike aside and said, ”I can pedal, sure, but you know, I’m not in great health. Pedaling back such a long way, who knows if my legs or back will start hurting, and I might get too tired to talk, that wouldn’t be good!”

Ye Qing’s heart sank, this old guy, Old Wang Ba, was plainly threatening him. If Ye Qing didn’t pedal the electric bike back, this guy might not answer his questions later.

”Try not answering!” Ye Qing glared and said, ”If you don’t answer my questions, I’ll toss you in the police station for a few days first.”

Old Wang Ba laughed and said, ”That’s good too. Recently I’ve had lots of enemies, I was thinking of finding a place to hide. Oh, by the way, if you send me to the police station, make sure it’s a big one. Small ones have inadequate security.”

Faced with someone as shameless as this, what could Ye Qing do? He scratched his head and said, ”Old Wang Ba, there’s a move in Acupoint Seeking Technique called Bone Shifting Technique, you must have heard of it, right?”

”Heard of it, I’ve even tried it.” Old Wang Ba chuckled and said, ”This Bone Shifting Technique hurts to use, but you wouldn’t know, it’s miraculous for treating neck and bone pain. As you know, I’m not in great health. I’m fond of these muscle and bone techniques, like Bone Shifting Technique and stretching exercises. By the way, you’ve learned Acupoint Seeking Technique, so you’re definitely good at Bone Shifting Technique, right? When we get back, treat me to a session, I need some exercise.”

”Old Wang Ba, don’t think I can’t deal with you!” Ye Qing was utterly helpless, threatening, ”Either you quickly answer my questions, or I’ll make you experience the Ten Tortures of the Manchu Dynasty!”

”Heh, don’t try that with me, I, the Eighth Master, fear none of it!” Old Wang Ba put on a brave face and said, ”I was captured by the enemy in my early years, I’ve endured all kinds of suffering. Let me tell you, aside from the honey trap, I don’t fall for anything else. As for the Ten Tortures of the Manchu Dynasty, don’t boast to me, if you’re capable, explain what exactly they are!”

Ye Qing was completely speechless and said, ”Eighth Master, can we stop this game? I’ll push the electric bike back, alright? On the way, can you talk to me about Zi Yu, please?”

Hard tactics were useless, now it was time for some softness. Unfortunately, Old Wang Ba’s personality made him immune to both.

”I said we’ll talk when we get back, so we’ll talk when we get back. There are too many people on the road here, I can’t just talk carelessly, can I?” Old Wang Ba said, ”Alright, stop wasting time and pedal back. The longer you delay, the later you’ll learn about Huangfu Ziyu. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, in ten days, Huangfu Ziyu will face a major crisis. If you don’t hurry to help her, I guess you won’t see her again!”

”A major crisis!” Ye Qing’s face changed drastically, and he said urgently, ”What kind of crisis? Where is she now? How is she?”

”I said, we’ll talk when we get back. Come on, pedal this electric bike back.” Old Wang Ba sat on the back of the electric bike, signaling Ye Qing to pedal.

Seeing the pedestrians around, Ye Qing said dejectedly, ”Um, can we push it back?”

Old Wang Ba said, ”Nonsense, if you push it back like this, with me sitting here, people will think I’m paralyzed! Ride it, pedal back, it’s faster than pushing.”

Ye Qing said, ”Can’t you just not sit?”

Old Wang Ba said, ”Eighth Master here isn’t good with his legs, if I have to run back and get worn out, I might not be able to talk anymore, you see...”

”Alright, alright, stop talking, I’ll pedal, okay?” Ye Qing was utterly helpless and had no choice but to ride the electric bike and pedal forcefully.

An electric bike isn’t like a bicycle; it’s much heavier. Now with two people on it, and Old Wang Ba, who seems sleazy but isn’t light, pedaling is extremely strenuous. Even with Ye Qing’s physical fitness, riding this thing was a struggle. And that’s not even the worst of it; the most embarrassing part was the curious looks from the passing pedestrians, all because Old Wang Ba’s tacky hairstyle and oversized women’s sunglasses were just too much of an attention grabber.

After pedaling strenuously for a while, Ye Qing suddenly felt a chill: Damn it, I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life!

Old Wang Ba, that bastard, is truly miraculous. He always manages to set new records for embarrassment. Walking with him, it’s virtually impossible not to feel embarrassed!

Under the command of Old Wang Ba, amidst the amazed gazes of passersby, Ye Qing, drenched in sweat, finally pedaled the electric bike into a nearby village. Just as they reached the street, Old Wang Ba leapt off swiftly and whispered, ”Young Ye, I’ll head upstairs first. You follow me.”

Ye Qing hurried to catch up, but as soon as he parked the electric bike, three or four people came rushing out of a nearby shop. A burly middle-aged woman grabbed hold of Ye Qing’s clothes.

”Well, I’ve caught you, you bike thief!” the middle-aged woman shouted, her voice so loud it could be heard at the end of the street.

Ye Qing nearly collapsed, realizing he’d run into the owner of the electric bike. No wonder Old Wang Ba jumped off so quickly; he must have known she was the bike’s owner.

”Big sister, I didn’t steal this bike,” Ye Qing quickly replied.

The middle-aged woman retorted loudly, ”Didn’t steal it? Are you joking with me? The bike is right under your big rear, and you’re saying you didn’t steal it? Then who did? Did my electric bike run under your rear all by itself?”

”No, this bike is...” Ye Qing tried to explain, but another man came over and grabbed his clothes, delivering a blow to him: ”I’ll teach you to steal bikes!”

In this situation, Ye Qing was like a scholar meeting a soldier, reason getting nowhere. He dodged the man’s punch and quickly said, ”Listen to my explanation!”

”Explanation my foot, hit him!” called out the man, and several others immediately surrounded Ye Qing, clearly intent on ganging up on him.

Though Ye Qing was skilled in martial arts, he couldn’t use them against regular people. If he injured anyone, it would be disgraceful for him.

”Don’t hit, don’t hit, listen to me, listen to me, this bike isn’t stolen by me, it...” Ye Qing shouted loudly to explain, but those people wouldn’t listen, charging at him with punches and kicks.

Ye Qing did his best to dodge, but he didn’t dare to fight back. Although these people weren’t very strong, there were many of them. Ye Qing dodged several attacks, but inevitably took a punch and a kick.

The street below was chaotic, with a dozen people surrounding and hitting Ye Qing. Both sides of the street were crowded with onlookers, most of whom were just watching the excitement, and quite a few were clamoring to join in the fray.

At this moment, in a room on the third floor overlooking the street, several people were watching the situation below. Among them was Old Wang Ba. Not far from him stood two old men, silently observing the scene downstairs. Nearby, on a sofa, lay a man, pale, with only one arm and one leg, his body covered in wounds, looking seriously injured.

Had Ye Qing been there, he would have recognized the injured man. It was none other than Wu Changming, whom Ye Qing had previously saved in Tianzhao City, the chief steward of the Yelu Family. However, Wu Changming was so gravely injured this time that he had become a complete invalid!

Old Wang Ba stood by, pointing at Ye Qing below, and said, ”See? I wasn’t wrong, this kid is sincere. With a kind heart, he is worthy of being entrusted with great responsibilities!”

Wu Changming slowly nodded, glanced at the two elders, and said in a low voice, ”Last time on the Great Snow Mountain, he saved us. This young man is quite exceptional!”

The two elders remained silent for a long time before one of them finally turned to Old Wang Ba and said in a deep voice, ”But, I’ve heard he killed many people in the Southern Six Provinces. What’s that about?”

”Come on, aren’t you nitpicking?” Old Wang Ba snapped, ”To achieve great things, a general’s path is paved with bones. Who hasn’t stained their hands with blood? So what if he killed many? The key is to see who he killed. If they were all deserving of death, then what’s the harm? Damn, have you two been in that ancient tomb for too long, closed-minded?”

”Esteemed Elders, Mr. Ye is an upright and noble person,” Wu Changming said, pausing with a sigh, ”The Yelu Family is now without descendants, leaving behind ancestral instructions. If the Yelu Family has no successors, everything should be entrusted to a reliable person. I see Mr. Ye Qing as genuinely trustworthy!”

Had Ye Qing heard this, he would have been utterly shocked. It turns out Old Wang Ba had made him pedal the electric bike all the way back as part of a staged act, to let the Yelu Family see his character. With no heirs, the Yelu Family planned to entrust everything to an outsider, and Ye Qing was the candidate recommended by Old Wang Ba.

Like the Wanyan Family, the Yelu Family also descended from royals, with a long lineage. However, the Yelu Family’s development later lagged behind the Wanyan Family and lacked their strength. Yet, as royal descendants, the family’s legacy is undoubtedly significant.

The Wanyan Family passed down secrets of Dragon Blood Wood and Gold Silk Armor, which relate to the affairs of the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates. Does the Yelu Family also have similar secrets?