Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 87 A Mysterious Mountain Village, Full of Suspicious Points

Chen Yu turned back from the front of the column, and the sword guards quickly reined in their horses to make way for him.

He found Pei Shifeng at the back of the line, pulled on the reins, and the tall horse stood between the two of them.

Before he could speak, two more horses caught up from behind.

On the left, on a blue-maned horse, sat Sun Feipeng, the commander of the Seventh Academy of the Sword Guard Hall.

Sun Feipeng was a man in his early thirties with a square face, broad shoulders, and a pair of bright, piercing eyes. His chin was slightly raised, and a habitual air of disdain hung at the corners of his mouth.

The woman riding the chestnut horse on the right is about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. She is Xue Linglong, the commander of the Eighth Academy of the Sword Guard Hall.

Xue Linglong was quite beautiful, with willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes that held a hint of fierceness. Her long hair was neatly tied back, but unfortunately, her lips were very thin, and when she pursed them, she always had a somewhat mean look.

The two men stopped behind Pei Shifeng, one on each side. When their gazes swept over Chen Yu, they didn't even bother to hide the disdain in their eyes.

"Deputy Commander, some people were quite enthusiastic during our bandit suppression operation just now."

Sun Feipeng glanced at Chen Yu, his voice booming as if he were speaking to several rows of sword guards beside him.

"Commander Chen, charging in alone to kill the bandit leader—you're the best at showing off!"

Pei Shifeng picked up where he left off, speaking in a lazy tone.

"Commander Sun, I sent those men. What, you're not satisfied?"

Sun Feipeng immediately smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Pei Shifeng.

"The Deputy Commander-in-Chief's order is naturally the best course of action. I'm just worried that the young people might be too reckless and stumble into a bandit's den."

"If that's the case, we'll have to trouble the Deputy Commander-in-Chief to send troops to rescue them. We commanders can't keep causing trouble for the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, can we?"

"Deputy Commander, although Commander Sun's words are unpleasant to hear, they make a valid point."

Xue Linglong picked up the conversation, her voice cool and aloof.

She was speaking to Pei Shifeng, but her eyes were on Chen Yu.

"The Sword Guard's military campaigns to suppress bandits are all about formations and commands!"

"Charging out alone might look impressive, but if there are tough opponents among the bandits, it won't just be his own life that's lost, it'll be the reputation of our Sword Guard Hall!"

Pei Shifeng turned his head and glanced at her.

"Commander Xue, in your judgment, were there any tough guys among that group of bandits who could stop Commander Chen?"

Xue Linglong was momentarily speechless, but then she put on a faint smile and remained respectful in her tone.

"The Deputy Commander-in-Chief is indeed very thoughtful; he must have anticipated this long ago."

"I just feel that this kind of small-scale battle can be easily overwhelmed by conventional formations. Why bother Commander Chen to take action alone? It makes it seem like we old commanders are just standing around doing nothing."

"you do not say!"

Sun Feipeng responded very quickly, his voice still loud and clear.

"The entire army must obey orders before the Deputy Commander-in-Chief. How can a commander presume to show off on the front lines?"

"Those who know the situation say the Deputy Commander-in-Chief is deliberately testing him; those who don't might think Commander Chen is trying to outdo us and curry favor with the Deputy Commander-in-Chief!"

Chen Yu, riding on his horse, didn't utter a single word in his own defense from beginning to end.

His expression was as calm as a lake in the depths of winter.

This calm made Sun Feipeng more uncomfortable than any rebuttal.

"I'm talking about Chen Yu!"

Sun Feipeng simply turned his attention directly to them.

"You are someone personally chosen by the young master, so you should learn some of the old rules of the hall."

"Newcomers should keep a low profile and learn as much as possible, rather than rushing to show off! Our Sword Guard Hall has eighteen commanders, and every one of them rose through the ranks by fighting their way up with their swords."

"Don't think you're so special! The Deputy Commander might not be able to say anything to you openly, but I'm not afraid to be the bad guy! I'll just say it straight!"

Sun Feipeng turned to Pei Shifeng and said.

"Cai Zhongtie was his colleague, and he was killed in the ring with a single punch, without even a chance to beg for mercy! How long has it been since that?"

"Even if the brothers in the chapel didn't say it, who wasn't feeling a chill in their hearts? Deputy Commander Cai Zhongtie's contributions were considerable!"

Sun Feipeng said this, but he actually had other plans in mind.

When Cai Zhongtie was alive, he was Pei Shifeng's most capable pawn, and the two had been vying for power for many years.

Cai Zhongtie, relying on his seniority and skill, always held a higher seat than Pei Shifeng.

Now that Cai Zhongtie is dead, his biggest competitor is gone, and Sun Feipeng should be happy.

But then Chen Yu suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with the young master of the manor standing behind him, and he will definitely occupy more resources in the future.

Cai Zhongtie's death did not pave the way for Sun Feipeng's advancement; Chen Yu's arrival, on the contrary, blocked all possible opportunities for advancement, so he was very unhappy with Chen Yu.

Xue Linglong moved the horse's head closer to Pei Shifeng's side and spoke in a sharper tone.

"Deputy Commander, Commander Sun may speak bluntly, but what he said is the truth."

"Cai Zhongtie served the Deputy Commander for three years; even if he didn't achieve great things, he certainly worked hard! And Yu Lianzi—this Chen fellow had just been promoted, and then he had her killed in front of the entire courtyard!"

"These two men were people who shared the burdens of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief. You just killed them like that? If the Deputy Commander-in-Chief can swallow this insult, what will his subordinates think? What will the other commanders think?"

"Those in the know say it's because the Deputy Commander-in-Chief was lenient; those who don't would think someone in the Sword Guard Hall died and there's not even anyone to seek justice!"

Among the eighteen commanders, Xue Linglong's position is the most delicate.

She was not a protégé personally promoted by Pei Shifeng, but rather a compromise candidate pushed up from the power gap between several deputy commanders.

Xue Linglong does not belong to any faction, which means that any faction can win her over or sacrifice her at any time.

This precarious situation honed her unique set of survival rules.

Always stand with the one who has the better chance of winning, and always express your opinion at the right time and with the right measure.

Chen Yu's momentum is too strong; it cannot be stopped head-on.

However, if she could use Sun Feipeng's anger to fuel Pei Shifeng's fear of Chen Yu, she could not only restrain Chen Yu's momentum but also gain Pei Shifeng's impression of being loyal.

Even if Pei Shifeng doesn't take the bait, she's still sending a signal: she's someone who cares about the Deputy Commander's pawns and is someone worth including in her camp.

She had considered whether Chen Yu would hold a grudge.

With Sun Feipeng standing in the middle, she only seconded the proposal, not initiated it.

No matter how you calculate it, this debt will never be attributed to her.

Seeing that someone was speaking up for him, Sun Feipeng raised his voice by half a beat and pretended to be heartbroken.

"Deputy Commander, if I may be so bold as to ask on behalf of Cai Zhongtie and Yu Lianzi, did they die in vain?"

"Chen Yu, relying on the young master's recommendation, has become increasingly ruthless with each attack. This clearly shows he doesn't respect you! If he dares to kill Cai Zhongtie today, will he dare to kill us tomorrow? If the deputy commander doesn't stand up for the brothers, the morale of the army will collapse!"

"Are you two finished talking?"

Pei Shifeng suddenly spoke, his tone somewhat strange.

Sun Feipeng's smile froze slightly.

Unsure whether the tone was good or bad, he tentatively gave Pei Shifeng a smile.

"I, Old Sun, speak my mind, Deputy Commander, please don't take offense! I'm only doing this for the good of the Sword Guard Hall, I have no other intentions."

"For the good of the Sword Guard Hall?"

Pei Shifeng switched the riding whip to his left hand, placed his right hand on the saddle bridge, and leaned back slightly.

His gaze slowly moved from Sun Feipeng's face to Xue Linglong's face, and then slowly moved back.

"Okay, then I'll tell you what truly good is."

He raised his riding whip and pointed in Chen Yu's direction.

"Cai Zhongtie was defeated head-on by Commander Chen in the ring, and died with one punch. This was a fair fight, and life and death were determined by fate. The rules were clearly written."

"You two were there at the time, so I don't need to repeat myself whose punch was stronger."

"You want me to avenge him? Under what pretext? I was outmatched in the ring, what reason do you expect me to give to the criminal justice department?"

Sun Feipeng's smile began to fade.

"Yu Lianzi, Cai Zhongtie's deputy, it's true that I pushed him up."

"But he publicly pressured his superiors, even drawing his sword against them. If you were in his shoes, wouldn't you kill him?"

Pei Shifeng's tone remained unchanged.

"These two men were my trusted confidants. I spent five years training them, but once they're gone, they're gone forever."

He paused, then suddenly turned to Sun Feipeng and Xue Linglong, asking, "Do you think a dead chess piece still has value?"

Sun Feipeng opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Xue Linglong pursed her lips even tighter, lowered her eyelids, and dared not look Pei Shifeng in the eye.

"No!"

Pei Shifeng answered for them.

"The dead have no value. Offending the living for the sake of the dead is a losing proposition. I, Pei Shifeng, am not the kind of person who does losing propositions."

He held the riding whip across the front of the saddle, his gaze returning to Chen Yu.

"Commander Chen, Cai Zhongtie's matter is over, and so is Yu Lianzi's matter."

"Right now, you're more useful than both of them."

"In terms of strength, you defeated Cai Zhongtie in a head-on fight and then killed Yu Lianzi in public. No one in the entire Sword Guard Hall dares to underestimate you now."

"In terms of background, you are the young master's personal disciple; there is no one else like you in the entire manor."

"In terms of momentum, you are currently the most prominent among the eighteen commanders."

"Two dead men and a rising new leader—which side do you think I should choose?"

The smile on Sun Feipeng's face vanished completely, and the lines at the corners of his mouth tightened.

Xue Linglong is better at interpersonal skills than she is.

The harshness on her face quickly subsided.

He then adopted a polite but not overt tone, nodding slightly to Chen Yu: "The Deputy Commander has a discerning eye; I understand."

Chen Yu neither looked at her nor at Sun Feipeng.

He looked at Pei Shifeng, remained silent for a moment, and his expression remained unchanged.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he listened to all the scheming and performances behind these people's words.

Sun Feipeng used fairness and morale as a pretext, but in reality, he was afraid that Pei Shifeng's momentum would overwhelm his own, and wanted to use Pei Shifeng to suppress him.

Xue Linglong used her silver tongue and flattery to stir up trouble, and what she wanted was completely different from what Sun Feipeng wanted.

She didn't want power; she wanted a position that would allow her to stand safely amidst the clash of various forces.

Pei Shifeng's calculations were flawless; he made a brilliant deal with both the dead and the living, turning old grievances into favors and enemies into pawns.

Each of the three had their own agenda, but on the surface they spoke of fairness, loyalty, and friendship.

Chen Yu suddenly felt a bit ridiculous and a bit bored, as if he were watching an old play that was being performed over and over again, and the lyrics were so simple that they didn't even bother to change them.

"It doesn't matter to me, I'm fine with whatever."

"The fact that the Deputy Commander-in-Chief can settle old scores like this shows his magnanimity."

"As for what happens next, if the Deputy Commander-in-Chief thinks I'm capable, then I'll do my best."

After Chen Yu finished speaking.

Sun Feipeng frowned.

"Deputy Commander, look at his attitude..."

"That's exactly the attitude I want!"

Pei Shifeng interrupted Sun Feipeng, his tone suddenly becoming extremely indifferent.

"Commander Chen may not be talkative, but that doesn't mean he's incompetent. You two should focus more on your own affairs and stop worrying about me!"

He turned his horse around and rode towards the front of the column.

As he walked, he tossed out another sentence.

"Our Sword Guard Hall doesn't lack people who know how to fight, but it lacks people who can actually get things done. You all should think about that!"

Sun Feipeng's face turned ashen, and without saying a word, he pulled on the reins and followed.

Before turning her horse around, Xue Linglong glanced back at Chen Yu, her gaze growing even colder.

Chen Yu watched the three of them walk away into the distance, his expression unchanged.

He lightly tapped the horse's belly with his heel and spurred it back to its place in the formation.

……

They marched for a day and a night without stopping, and their armor was never removed.

More than 150 sword guards set off from Sunset City, passing through cities and counties, covering more than 300 li in one go.

They only camped twice along the way, resting their horses briefly. The men ate dry rations, and the horses chewed on feed and beans. They didn't even have time to start a fire and cook.

By evening the following day, the group had finally entered the territory of Qingquan Town.

Niutou Mountain can be seen from afar.

The gray-blue mountain shadows stretched across the horizon, resembling a crouching giant beast in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Chen Yu led fifty men ahead of orders to reach Quanxi Village at the foot of Niutou Mountain ahead of schedule.

Here is a former outpost of the Sword Casting Manor, which was used to transport grain and supplies to the mine.

As is customary, every ten days a grain cart would transport grain from Sunset City to Quanxi Village, and then the disciples left behind at the stronghold would escort it up the mountain.

When Chen Yu led his team to the village entrance, the setting sun was sinking into the last sliver of light behind the western mountains.

The remaining rays of the sunset cast a dark red glow on the archway at the village entrance.

The surroundings were eerily quiet.

There was no smoke from cooking fires, no barking of dogs, and no crying of children.

The wooden gate at the entrance of the village was half open, creaking in the wind.

There were several deep knife marks on the door panel.

Chen Yu reined in his horse, and the sword guards behind him gripped their weapons tightly.

All eyes turned to the dilapidated fence gate at the village entrance.

"Enter the village, pair up, and spread out to search!"

Chen Yu drew his deer-slaying knife and was the first to dismount.

The village is small, with about thirty to fifty households, scattered along both sides of a main dirt road.

Chen Yu led a team from the village entrance to the end of the village, opening the door of each house to check.

The further you go, the more knife marks appear on the door.

Several doors were split in two and lay askew on the threshold.

Chen Yu walked into a courtyard.

Pots and pans were overturned all over the yard.

The water vat was smashed, and the rice jar was empty.

The firewood piled in the corner was scattered all over the ground.

Strangely, we didn't see a single corpse along the way.

"Commander!"

Zhao Siping peeked out from a courtyard in front of him, his face pale.

"There's something going on here!"

Chen Yu walked over quickly, but stopped in his tracks after pushing open the courtyard gate.

More than ten corpses lay scattered haphazardly in the courtyard.

Men, women, the elderly, and children.

They all had knife wounds.

The wound was gruesome, and the blood had long since congealed into a dark, hard scab.

A young woman was huddled in a corner, clutching a swaddled baby tightly in her arms.

An elderly man with white hair lay by the well, his hand still outstretched towards the well opening.

Dark red bloodstains splattered all over the earthen wall, and dried blood beads hung on the spider webs in the corner.