Death Scripture

The army of the Central Plains had two encampments. Between these two encampments were the Iron Mountain Military Camp, which was much smaller, and a second, rather special camp.

Nominally, this camp belonged to the An Kingdom of the Xiaoyao Lake. Surrounded by the camps of the Central Plains army, the Dragon Army, and the Golden Roc Army, this camp was tiny, like a rat that had accidentally rushed into a herd of elephants. Even the nearby Iron Mountain Military Camp was huge in comparison.

Even since the old King An had been "rescued" from northern Jade City, he had been living in this camp since. Every time he heard footsteps outside, his heart would lurch. And every time somebody walked into his tent, his face immediately changed. Because of this, the Central Plainsmen living in the camp didn't even have the heart to disturb him.

There were more than a hundred kung fu experts who King An had "hired," and whose tents surrounded King An's, which made them seem more like prison guards.

Luo Qikang was among these Central Plainsmen, but he seldom came here. Most of the time, he was either busy dealing with his own business or staying in the big army camp. So, Tu Pianpian had become the one effectively in charge of this small camp.

Tu Pianpian knew very well that the reason why the disciples of so many major sects were willing to follow her orders was not only because of her kung fu skills, but also because of her credentials. As an elder of the Kongtong Sect, even the oldest Central Plainsmen would have to call her Aunt Master or Martial Aunt. Sometimes, this was her most potent weapon.

Luo Qikang arrived at the camp single-handed and found that all the Central Plainsmen were standing in rows at the entrance of the camp waiting for him. He dismounted and greeted Tu Pianpian who was standing at the head. "Greetings, Martial Aunt Tu." He didn't cup his hands, and neither did he bow to pay his respect to her. Luo Qikang's tone was so casual that it sounded like he was talking to an acquaintance who he just encountered on a street.

"Um. I'm old but still alive. Nephew Qikang, I heard that you killed the deputy envoy in the camp. Is that true?"

"I have secret orders from the General-in-chief and the Court of State Ceremonials. They allow me to take action when it's necessary, which includes killing moles who have colluded with the enemy."

"Lord Sun colluded with the enemy? Which enemies?"

"It's confidential. I'm not allowed to tell you."

Tu Pianpian's face went livid. She hadn't been rejected by a Central Plainsman like this for many years, "Fine. I'm merely following orders as well, so I'll mind my own business. What brought you back here today?"

Looking at the Central Plainsmen behind Tu Pianpian, Luo Qikang slowly said, "Sun Chengqi was not the only one who colluded with foreign enemies. There are more moles, and they are right here among you."

The over a hundred Central Plainsmen were shocked, but nobody talked. Only Tu Pianpian impatiently said, "Luo Qikang, if you think that any of us looks like a mole, then please point him out right now and then show us the proof. We'll kill him together."

Luo Qikang stared Tu Pianpian. Totally unafraid, the elder of the Kongtong Sect looked back at him before eventually bursting into laughter. "Is the Luo Village challenging the Kongtong Sect? Fine. If you think that I'm a mole, then please show us the proof right now. Don't think that it's that easy to slander me. I may not be a match for you, but in the Luo family there must be someone whom you have to answer to. I don't believe that the Luo Village has become so unruly!"

Tu Pianpian had always been short-tempered. The more she talked, the angrier she became. The people by her even saw the crutch in her hand gradually shorten, sinking deeper into the frozen ground inch by inch.

Luo Qikang remained calm. "There's no need for you to be angry, Martial Aunt Tu. I didn't say that you're a mole."

"Then why were you staring at me?" Tu Pianpian's anger wouldn't subside easily once it surged. "Did you fall for me? Even your dad didn't dare to be so impolite back then. He only dared to think about it."

When they heard these words coming from a short, old woman carrying a long crutch, those Central Plainsmen behind her involuntarily wanted to laugh, but none of them dared do so. Some of them lowered their heads, others gave out unnatural coughs, and all of them tried hard to suppress the urge to laugh.

Luo Qikang immediately moved his eyes from Tu Pianpian to another Central Plainsman.

Emboldened by the presence of his Aunt Master, another member of the Kongtong Sect, Fan Yongda, said, "Senior Brother Luo, I'm a man."

Finally, someone couldn't help himself from laughing, but he soon choked it back.

Luo Qikang pointed at Fan Yongda and said, "You're a mole."

Before Fan Yongda could even make a response, Tu Pianpian loudly said, "Show us the proof. Yongda is a disciple of the Kongtong Sect. If he committed treason, then I'll smash his head in with my own crutch."

Surprisingly, the louder Tu Pianpian spoke, the calmer Luo Qikang became. "Fan Yongda, three months ago you went to the Norland."

"Humph, the Luo Village is not the only organization that has to follow the Imperial Court's orders. A batch of members of the Kongtong Sect received orders to go to the Royal Court and pretended to ask those kings in the grasslands for shelter. That was not treason." Tu Pianpian defended her Sect Nephew again.

Luo Qikang didn't mind, but his eyes continued to be fixed on Fan Yongda's face. "The Norlanders besieged the kung fu practitioners of the Central Plains. Many members of the Kongtong Sect died. Only you survived."

Tu Pianpian pulled out her crutch and then heavily poked it onto the ground again. "Luo Qikang, what proof do you have exactly? You've asked so many questions. Do you think that the members of the Kongtong Sect are your prisoners?"

Luo Qikang looked at Tu Pianpian's crutch. "Call Dog Butcher here. He's the proof."

Tu Pianpian burst into laughter. "Finally, you tell the truth. Catching moles? Luo Qikang, you're just trying to use to power of the Imperial Court for the sake of your own personal revenge, aren't you? I'll tell you this right now. Dog Butcher is a member of the Kongtong Sect. Not to mention that he never touched your younger brother – even if he had stabbed him, it would be an issue between the Luo Village and the Kongtong Sect, which would be solved by the elders. It's not your place to judge."

Luo Qikang slightly squinted and then suddenly raised his voice. "You all heard her. This is between the Luo Village and the Kongtong Sect, and it's nobody else's business. Please be witnesses and don't interfere."

Tu Pianpian was stunned, realizing that she had been tricked.

Both Luo Qikang's kung fu and the Luo Village's reputation put a huge pressure on these Central Plainsmen. Someone immediately walked out of the ranks and stood to the side, indicating that he was not a supporter of the Kongtong Sect.

At first, only very few people left the ranks, but soon, under Luo Qikang's aggressive gaze, there were only a dozen disciples of the Kongdong Sect left remaining behind Tu Pianpian.

"The Kongtong Sect versus the Luo Village. Let's do this! Luo Qikang, what are you waiting for? Pull out your sword!" Tu Pianpian didn't try to persuade the others to stay. She raised her crutch and held it laterally, preparing to fight.

But Luo Qikang didn't pull out his sword. In the Jade City, he could kill people arbitrarily. However, in this small camp, he had to follow certain rules. Though he was far away from the Central Plains, those rules still retained most of their authority here.

"Please ask Dog Butcher to come out, Martial Aunt. Then we can determine whether he is a mole or not. This is an important issue that cannot be solved through a kung fu competition."

"Dog Butcher is in the Dragon King's military camp. Why are you yelling at us instead of going there?"

"Dog Butcher has been with the Dragon King this whole time? No wonder…" Luo Qikang said and then nodded at those Central Plainsmen standing on the side.

Tu Pianpian knew that she had been tricked again because anger had clouded her judgement. She had never expected that this seemingly wooden Luo Qikang would not only have superb swordsmanship but also good skills at squeeze information out of people.

Fan Yongda walked forward. First, he bowed to his Martial Aunt and then he faced Luo Qikang as he said, "Luo Qikang, what kind of point are you trying to make? The Dragon King is not our enemy. Not only is Martial Uncle Dog Butcher and us, but even you are under the Dragon King's command. That was an order that Prince Xiao issued before he left. You know this."

The look on Luo Qikang's face, which had been bland all this time, suddenly became severe. He narrowed his eyes into slits from which a piercing look emerged. "Fan Yongda, you finally decided to talk in a decent manner?"

Upon saying those words, he whipped out his sword and thrust it at Fan Yongda's chest. Unexpectedly, Tu Pianpian had been vigilant this whole time, but still failed to stop him. And Fan Yongda wasn't even quick enough to grab the hilt of his saber.

A whooshing sound was heard. But it was not made by Luo Qikang's sword.

Luo Qikang's attack was fast, and so was his followup. He abruptly twisted his body and parried the hidden weapon with his sword. He was just about to speak when his face suddenly changed.

The hidden weapon that he had parried was merely a small ingot of gold, which had been halved. There was another, bigger hidden weapon that had shot past him from above his head and landed smack on the ground between him and Fan Yongda, sticking several inches into the ground. The blade was completely still after landing. It was the Dragon King's Five Peaks Saber.

Luo Qikang knew that he had been fooled. The narrow saber and the gold ingot had been shot at him at the same time. The former was soundless, but it was not aimed at the enemy. The latter had been shot right at his vital part, generating a loud swish. Naturally, he had parried the gold ingot and let the narrow saber passed. But from an outsiders' eyes, it seemed as if he had made a mistake and was unable to parry that saber.

Three cavalrymen galloped towards the camp. Surprisingly, nobody had noticed them earlier.

Old Man Mu was the first one to jump off the horse. He yelled, "The Dragon King is here. Those who should pay your respect to him, pay your respects. Those who should make way for him, make way. Those who should evade him, leave now." He quickly rushed past Luo Qikang, pulled out the Five Peaks Saber, carried it with both hands, and returned it to the Dragon King.

Dog Butcher was the second one to dismount. Hands on the saber hilt, he nodded at his Senior Sister and the other members of the Kongtong Sect and then silently stood besides the Dragon King.

Gu Shenwei didn't jump off of his horse. He took the Five Peaks Saber from Old Man Mu and then said, "I'm here."

Most of the Central Plainsmen bowed to the Dragon King. Some of them appeared very respectful because some of these people had once been to the Royal Court, and the others had relatives who did; all of whom had once been rescued by the Dragon King from the siege of the Norland cavalry forces.

There were also people who refused to salute, and Luo Qikang was one of them. He didn't even sheath his sword and instead coldly said, "This is the Central Plains business. The Dragon King's presence won't make any difference. But you did bring Dog Butcher and Old Man Mu here. Good."

The Dragon King hadn't brought a large number of guards with him. Luo Qikang was both very surprised and very glad.

Gu Shenwei still didn't dismount. "Central Plains' business should be dealt with in the Central Plains. This is Jade City, not the Central Plains."

Luo Qikang squinted again. "I remember that I once said that the Central Plains and the Dragon King were allies, but we, kung fu practitioners, were not the Dragon King's subordinates. If you want anything from us, then please inform the officials of the Central Plains first."

The deputy envoy had been killed, and the new official hadn't arrived. And the other officials didn't dare intervene in this kind of dangerous issue.

Gu Shenwei directly said to those disciples of the Kongtong Sect, "Go and invite King An here."

King An thought that the internecine strife among the Central Plainsmen didn't concern him. When the disciples of the Kongtong Sect went to invite him, he was very unwilling to go, saying repeatedly, "What do you think I can do? I have nothing to do with these things at all. Really."

The moment he walked out of the tent and saw the Dragon King riding a horse in the distance, King An's attitude changed. With a respectful look on his face, he ran towards the gate even faster than the disciples of the Kongtong Sect.

"I was unaware of the Dragon King's presence so I failed to welcome you. Please absolve me of my guilt… " King An spilled out a lot of pleasantries.

"Kneel."

The Dragon King gave an order that King An immediately complied with. As cold as the weather was, beads of sweat seeped out of his forehead.

"I'm the Dragon King. I have the right to kill, to spare, to give, and to deprive. I can strip you of your title, and I can also give it back to you. From now on, you are King An again."

"Thank you for your kindness, Dragon King… " King An kowtowed heavily and repeatedly, unaware of whether he was overjoyed or horrified.

Old Man Mu said loudly to all Central Plainsmen, "No matter who you used to be, where you come from, and whom you used to be loyal to, you are all King An's subjects now. Your king is kneeling on the ground and showing his gratitude. Are you going to just stand there and watch?"

Most of the Central Plains kung fu practitioners had forgotten that their nominal homeland was the An Kingdom. It was not until after Old Man Mu reminded them that they recalled this. Those who had a favorable impression of the Dragon King knelt down first, but most people just watched Luo Qikang and Tu Pianpian.

These two people remained standing stock still.