The God of the Human Realm!

Chapter 65 Unrivaled, A Stunning Spear Shot

Dingsheng Tower is also located in Jinshifang, but it is more centrally located and built along the main road. It is the number one tower in Yanquan County.

Wealthy merchants, chivalrous heroes, and officials all chose this place for their banquets.

The four-tiered eaves, bracket sets, and glazed tiles exude a magnificent and luxurious air, sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight.

The first floor is for casual guests, the second and third floors are for private rooms, which only wealthy merchants can book. As for the fourth floor, only the truly elite figures of Linjiang Prefecture are qualified to enter.

Dingshenglou used to be quite lively, but today it was rather deserted, with a "No Entry" sign hanging up.

Furthermore, a team of dozens of elite guards stood watch outside the gate, which deterred some disgruntled martial arts practitioners from causing trouble.

On the fourth floor of Dingsheng Building, the spacious main hall is always brightly lit, even during the day.

A dozen or so people were seated in the main hall.

Chen Jiulang, exuding a fierce aura, sat at the head of the table, with more than ten others seated on his left and right.

Chen Jiulang's gaze swept across the entire room, focusing on a few individuals.

The three men on his left, who exuded a fierce aura and looked similar to him, made him feel a little uneasy.

These are three brothers born of the same mother: the eldest, Helian Tao; the second, Helian Feng; and the youngest, Helian Hai.

Originally, the three Helian brothers were bandits who roamed the northern lands, with hundreds of fierce bandits under their command. They formed the Sand Wolf Gang and wreaked havoc for a time, committing numerous atrocities.

Later, they offended a powerful figure, and the Sand Wolf Gang was wiped out by troops, forcing the three Helian brothers to flee to the south.

Even so, Chen Jiulang would not underestimate them. Even without several hundred bandits under his command, the three Helian brothers' martial arts skills were still quite remarkable.

Although only the eldest brother, Helian Tao, has reached the level of "controlling and releasing at will," the second and third brothers are still lacking in experience.

The problem is that the three brothers are connected by blood, eat and sleep together, and are of one mind. They have developed a combined attack technique, and it is even said that they once forced back a master of the Subtle Realm.

Chen Jiulang paid a considerable price to win over these three brothers.

He even promised that once he became the head of the Grand Canal Gang, one of the Helian brothers would be appointed as the banner chief.

Besides the three Helian brothers, the two men on his right also caught his eye.

Both of them were rare women in the martial arts world, one dressed in a gray robe and the other in a black robe.

The person in the gray robe occupied the head seat; she was an old woman with a full head of silver hair, her head bowed, her face hidden under her hood.

Her withered hands held a dusty box, and she muttered to herself, her words like those of a gnat, so no one could understand what she was saying.

Chen Jiulang only knew that the old woman was called "Grandma Insect," but her real name was unknown. She was one of the worshippers of the Canal Gang.

The woman in black robes was a charming and alluring woman.

Even dressed in a robe, she couldn't hide her graceful figure. She crossed one long leg and swayed it back and forth, her alluring eyes surveying everyone in the hall before finally settling on Chen Jiulang's face, where she licked her crimson lips.

Chen Jiulang shifted his gaze somewhat awkwardly.

He dared not touch this woman. Her nickname was "Poisonous Lady," and she was skilled in seduction and poison. If he couldn't resist her temptation and ended up with her, he wouldn't even know how he died.

Besides these five people, Chen Jiulang should also pay attention to Tie Ao, the leader of the Gray Scale Gang, Cui Hao, who is dressed as a pale-faced scholar with an iron-bone fan, and who smiles at everyone he meets.

The Gray Scale Gang is a group of private salt dealers in Yanquan County. It can be considered the largest gang in the county, opposing the major wealthy families and merchants, but it is backed by the Canal Gang.

Now that the Canal Gang needs the Gray Scale Gang's help, Tie Ao certainly wouldn't dare not come.

There were five or six others left, all of whom were skilled in martial arts. Some were renowned masters recruited by Chen Jiulang, while others were members of the Cao Gang.

With such a lineup, even Ruwei would turn tail and run, which made Chen Jiulang feel very at ease.

Chen Jiulang originally mobilized the Canal Gang's spies extensively, intending to find Hong Yuan as soon as possible and kill him swiftly and decisively.

To avoid any unforeseen complications.

If Hong Yuan dies at the hands of someone else, it's unknown how long it will take for him to take over as the leader of the Canal Gang.

But as news of Hong Yuan's victories came one after another, Chen Jiulang also became serious. Not only did the other party not flee, but he also fought his way over. Judging from his trajectory, he was clearly heading towards the Cao Gang.

This surprised and delighted Chen Jiulang.

What surprised him was that Hong Yuan's martial arts skills far exceeded his expectations, and he needed to reassess how to deal with him. What pleased him was that since the other party had provoked the Cao Gang so much, after he killed this person, no one could challenge his position as the leader.

"I've gathered so many formidable figures, all for one person, haha! That certainly lives up to the so-called 'divine marksman' title!"

"Besides, even without these people, I, Chen Jiulang, could kill them all by myself; it would just be a waste!"

Chen Jiulang touched a small piece of wood hanging on his chest, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He clapped his hands towards the outside of the hall, and immediately a servant entered: "What are your orders, Ninth Master?"

Chen Jiulang asked, "Has Judge Zhou not arrived yet?"

The judge Zhou he mentioned was Zhou Wenjie, the salt and iron judge who was directly dispatched from Mingzhou to supervise the salt, iron, and tea taxes in Linjiang Prefecture.

Of course, his most famous identity is that of Wei Zhenzhu's son-in-law.

Upon hearing this person's name, apart from the three Helian brothers who were unaware of Zhou Wenjie's background and the gray-robed old woman who was still muttering with her head down, everyone else in the hall showed a mocking expression.

Yanquan County is where Zhou Wenjie settled.

"Hehe!" Tie Ao, the leader of the Gray Scale Gang, sneered. "Judge Zhou is a proper scholar, and naturally he is arrogant and looks down on us commoners. It's not surprising that he wouldn't give Ninth Master face."

For Tie Ao, Zhou Wenjie was someone who came to steal his food. In private, his gang members had clashed with Zhou Wenjie's salt workers many times, and naturally, they would seize any opportunity to make trouble for Zhou.

"Chief Tie's words have offended the innocent. I am also a scholar, and I know the most proper etiquette."

"Ghost Scholar" Cui Hao 'whoosh' unfolded his iron-bone fan, covering half of his face, and said with a smile.

Tie Ao felt a chill run down his spine from the look in his eyes and quickly laughed it off: "I'm sorry, I wasn't talking about Mr. Cui. Mr. Cui is a man of integrity, how could that Zhou fellow compare to you?"

Poisonous Lady, with her alluring face, smiled at Cui Hao: "The Wei family woman also died at the hands of Hong Yuan. Judge Zhou, as her husband, not only did he not avenge his wife, but he also did not show any remorse. It is truly disheartening. It is said that many unfaithful men are scholars. I wonder if Brother Cui is also an unfaithful man?"

Cui Hao's face stiffened, and he chuckled twice. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Jiulang lightly slapped the coffee table, stopping the conversation and looking at the servant.

The servant hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Ninth Master, when we went to invite him an hour ago, the steward of Judge Zhou's residence said that they were mobilizing manpower..."

Tie Ao laughed and said, "What kind of people do you need to mobilize for more than an hour?"

Before he finished speaking, his expression changed slightly. He noticed the tea on the table tremble slightly, creating ripples. Then, a series of heavy footsteps sounded, like a rolling thunderclap pressing down.

Chen Jiulang was the first to stand up. Apart from the gray-robed old woman, Granny Chong, who remained seated, everyone else also stood up and walked a few steps to the window, where they saw a large group of people rapidly approaching.

The leader was a handsome, well-maintained man who looked to be no more than thirty years old and had a refined air about him.

He was dressed in the everyday clothes of a Confucian scholar, riding a pure white horse, with elite soldiers in leather armor leading the way on both sides, numbering about one or two hundred.

Behind them followed a large number of strong salt workers armed with swords, spears, and steel guns. At a glance, the number of people was like a forest, probably three or four hundred.

Tie Ao sneered, "Judge Zhou, what a grand display of power and prestige!"

However, a hint of fear was visible on his face, unlike the confidence he conveyed in his words.

As Zhou Wenjie's men set out, with elite troops clearing the way, all the martial arts heroes and ordinary merchants were driven away. The inns, restaurants, and martial arts figures on the streets all turned their attention to him, naturally filled with envy and awe at his imposing presence.

However, many who knew the inside story secretly chuckled and whispered the details to those around them.

Soon, many people looked at Zhou Wenjie with strange eyes, their expressions a mixture of complex emotions and inexplicable admiration.

Zhou Wenjie remained calm and ignored the strange and mocking glances directed at him from all around.

Or rather, I've gotten used to it!

Though his face remained calm, he sighed inwardly.

He hadn't planned to come; it was just that a letter from the Wei family forced him to do something.

Just then, Zhou Wenjie received a call from Chen Jiulang of the Canal Gang. After much deliberation, he finally set off.

Surrounded by elite anti-smuggling officers and salt patrolmen, Zhou Wenjie slowly arrived at the foot of Dingsheng Building. He made a gesture, and the group quickly separated to patrol various areas downstairs.

Zhou Wenjie was accompanied by twenty elite soldiers, and soon they reached the fourth floor.

Chen Jiulang was already waiting at the top of the stairs. A rare smile appeared on his usually serious face. He cupped his hands and said, "Judge Zhou, I have long admired your name. It is truly not easy to meet you."

Zhou Wenjie returned the greeting meticulously and said gently, "It is my fault for troubling Ninth Master of the Canal Gang to wait. I will certainly pour wine to apologize later."

"I dare not address you as Ninth Master in front of Judge Zhou. If Brother Zhou thinks highly of me, you can just call me Ninth Brother. Please!"

Chen Jiulang gestured with his hand.

"Brother Chen, you're too kind!"

The two entered the main hall and sat down at the head of the table. Zhou Wenjie went straight to the point: "Brother Chen, do you have any information about the perpetrators? Although I suspect their target is your Canal Gang's headquarters at Shuanglong Gorge, it could also be a feint..."

“Brother Zhou has considered everything carefully, but there’s no need to worry. Our Cao Gang has many informants, and with the assistance of the Divine Eagle, there’s no way that person can escape our net.”

Chen Jiulang spoke with certainty.

As they spoke, he clapped his hands again. This time, it was a spy from the Canal Gang who was in charge of intelligence. Chen Jiulang asked, "Where is Hong Yuan now?"

The scout from the canal gang knelt on one knee and respectfully replied, "Reporting to Ninth Master, half an hour ago, Divine Eagle sent back a message that the man had just crossed White Stone Beach."

"White Stone Beach? That's only about forty miles away. We need to be prepared." Zhou Wenjie frowned.

"What preparations are needed? Once we find the person, the three of us brothers can take his head!" Helian Tao, the eldest of the Helian brothers, sneered.

He came from the north, so his accent was different from that of the south. Because he had been traveling through sandstorms for many years, his accent had become rough and harsh, which was extremely jarring. This made some people in the room frown and feel displeased.

This is due to both his noisy accent and his arrogant tone.

Boom!
When Helian Tao saw the hostile gazes directed at him, he showed no fear. Instead, a bloodthirsty killing intent flashed across his face. He lowered a long pole in his hand, which produced a deep, resonant sound.

It is obviously quite heavy.

His weapon was a long iron pole with a spearhead at one end and a blunt end at the other, which could be used for stabbing or smashing.

The other two, Helian Feng and Helian Hai, also drew their heavy swords, their eyes filled with provocation.

The northern military towns were divided and fought each other. The three men who were able to make a name for themselves in this chaotic situation were naturally ruthless. They looked down on the southern martial arts world and thought it was weak and easy to bully.

They even found it extremely ridiculous that one person could stir up such a disturbance in the entire prefecture, and even Chen Jiulang, their employer who recruited them, was not necessarily something they were entirely convinced of.

Helian Tao stared straight at Chen Jiulang: "Ninth Master, there's no need for you to take action. If my two brothers and I can accomplish this and take that brat's head, could you offer us another banner lord position?"

A sinister glint flashed in Chen Jiulang's eyes as he said calmly, "The Canal Gang has its own rules. I can only grant one banner leader position as far as I can go. The three of you should not be in a hurry. As long as you make contributions in the future, you will have the opportunity to be promoted."

He had already decided to kill the Helian brothers. Since they were so arrogant, he would send the three of them to lead the charge when Hong Yuan arrived.

"Alright! I hope Ninth Master keeps his promise... Hmm?!" Helian Tao grinned, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "What was that sound?"

Not only Helian Tao, but also Chen Jiulang, Poisonous Lady, Cui Hao, Tie Ao and others changed their expressions and glanced around before focusing their gazes on the old woman with her head bowed. The rustling sound came from the gray box she was holding.

Grandma Insect suddenly looked up, revealing a wrinkled face like dried tree bark under her hood. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, and she opened her mouth as if to make a sound.

Boom!

Just then, the roof ridge suddenly shook, large sections of glazed tiles rolled up, and a hole suddenly appeared in the top, letting in light. Immediately afterwards, a figure pounced down like lightning.

A silvery light swept through the air, undulating like a dragon or snake, instantly filling the room with a burst of silver light. Suddenly, it cascaded down, penetrating straight into the chest of the old woman who had just raised her head.

Only then did the old woman let out a roar, her gray box trembling with a buzzing sound. But a hand pressed down on it from mid-air, and a swift force of both strength and gentleness clashed together!

Spiral force!
The gray box was instantly shattered into pieces, and a swarm of black ant-like insects inside was also swept up by the force and turned into dust in an instant. However, some insects still managed to escape and rushed towards the person who made the move.

The visitor was none other than Hong Yuan.

He sheathed his silver spear, flicked his sleeves, and the tiny insects were swept onto several martial artists in the hall. These insects were incredibly fast and almost invisible to the naked eye, instantly burrowing into the eyes, mouths, and ears of the men.

The Poisonous Woman was closest to Granny Insect and was the first to recover from the shock. She floated up like a black butterfly, her hands waving, and wisps of green smoke rose up.

Hong Yuan stomped his foot, and in a flash, he was behind Poisonous Lady. He swept his spear horizontally, and Poisonous Lady's delicate waist suddenly deformed. With a sound of bones exploding, she was blasted away by a powerful force, smashing through doors and windows and rolling onto the street outside.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind arose from all sides. Hong Yuan turned his feet, and his spear transformed into a rapidly spinning beam of light, blocking the killing moves from all directions. Hong Yuan laughed heartily, having already torn apart the encirclement of the attacking group, and landed in front of the hall door before facing the crowd.

"Solve two!"

"That's strange, why am I here?"

(End of this chapter)