After a feast, Lu Jian Xing, Shen Lian, and Jin Yi Chuan bid farewell to Chen Ran and headed towards their homes.
Though Jin Yi Chuan came from a band of outlaws, he managed to enter the Northern Town Guard by killing a small flag officer and taking his identity. However, he was actually a kind-hearted man.
He was happy for Chen Ran today and had drunk quite a bit. After leaving Chen Ran's home, he hummed a tune as he walked towards his own.
He soon reached the alley where he lived and was about to enter his home, humming his tune, when he heard a cold voice from nearby, saying:
"Jin Xia Qi seems in high spirits today!"
Before the words faded, a figure emerged from behind a tree at the edge of the alley.
The man was carrying a large Imperial Guard saber on his shoulder, had a rather strange braid on his head, and was eating a bun as he walked. His eyes, however, held a cold and mocking gaze towards Jin Yi Chuan.
This person was Jin Yi Chuan's senior brother, Ding Xiu, also known as "Add Money Brother"!
Jin Yi Chuan's face immediately turned serious upon seeing Ding Xiu. He bowed and said in a low voice:
"Senior Brother!"
Ding Xiu let out a cold laugh:
"Jin Xia Qi is both drinking and singing. What a carefree life! Poor Senior Brother here is only left with cold buns to eat!"
Jin Yi Chuan reached into his pocket, pulled out a silver coin, and presented it to Ding Xiu:
"Senior Brother, this is all the silver I have left!"
Because Ding Xiu knew about Jin Yi Chuan's secret of killing the small flag officer and taking his identity, he often used it to threaten him.
Jin Yi Chuan was suffering from consumption. Aside from food, medicine, and living expenses, his monthly salary was also spent on appeasing his senior brother's extortion, making him constantly burdened.
"Take the silver and leave quickly!"
Jin Yi Chuan said heavily:
"This is the last time. Don't bother me again!"
Ding Xiu took the silver but let out a cold laugh:
"Your secret of killing the Imperial Guard officer and taking his identity will feed me for a lifetime. You can't escape me!"
At this, Ding Xiu looked at Jin Yi Chuan with a cold smile and said:
"I'll give you three days to get me one hundred taels of silver. With that, you won't have to worry about me for a year!"
Upon hearing this, a spark of anger ignited in Jin Yi Chuan's eyes.
His monthly salary was only ten taels, barely enough for food, clothing, rent, and medicine. Where could he possibly find one hundred taels in three days?
And that amount was only enough for Ding Xiu to squander for a year?
Ding Xiu was clearly trying to drive him to his death!
Thinking this, Jin Yi Chuan's anger boiled over. In a flash, he moved forward, grabbing the hilt of the large Imperial Guard saber on Ding Xiu's shoulder.
Clang!
The saber unsheathed, Jin Yi Chuan spun like a windmill, the blade sweeping towards Ding Xiu.
Ding Xiu, however, had already anticipated this. Seeing the blade come towards him, he instantly swung his scabbard horizontally, blocking Jin Yi Chuan's attack. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he struck Jin Yi Chuan's chest and abdomen with the scabbard.
Jin Yi Chuan was knocked back a step.
Ding Xiu then pressed forward, grabbing the hilt of the saber with his right hand, and followed with a swift kick, sending Jin Yi Chuan stumbling backwards.
Jin Yi Chuan, disarmed, grabbed the hilts of his twin daggers at his waist.
But before he could draw his daggers, a sharp pain struck his chest, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.
Ding Xiu's blow with the scabbard and subsequent kick had disrupted his blood circulation.
Ding Xiu sneered, slowly sheathing the large Imperial Guard saber:
"You consumptive fool. I wonder what Master saw in you!"
"Let me tell you, Master is no more. Don't think anyone can protect you anymore, and your few fellow officers won't be able to save you either!"
Just as he finished speaking, a cold voice echoed:
"Who said so?"
Ding Xiu and Jin Yi Chuan turned to see Chen Ran gracefully descending from the wall on one side of the alley.
Both of them were taken aback.
They had no idea how Chen Ran had gotten up on the wall, his light skills were so impressive that they had not noticed him at all!
Chen Ran walked into the alley, coldly staring at Ding Xiu:
"Jin Yi Chuan is my brother. I will protect him!"
Hearing these words, Jin Yi Chuan felt a wave of warmth in his heart.
He was a homeless orphan until he met his master, Ding Bai Ying. But after Emperor Chongzhen ascended to the throne, Ding Bai Ying was killed.
Thankfully, he managed to kill a small flag officer of the Imperial Guard and take his identity to enter the Northern Town Guard.
He had hoped to finally find a place for himself in the capital, but his senior brother, Ding Xiu, had found him and used the secret to extort him.
Even Shen Lian and Lu Jian Xing were unaware of these events.
But now, Chen Ran had appeared unexpectedly, and he didn't seem to care about Jin Yi Chuan's imposter status. He was actually standing up for him against Ding Xiu!
Ding Xiu, however, sneered coldly:
"Alright. As a hundred-household officer of the Imperial Guard, you're shielding a rogue who stole someone else's identity. I'll go to the Northern Town Guard to report this, and we'll see if you can withstand it!"
Chen Ran just gave a cold smile in response:
"Then see if you can even get out of this alley!"
With those words, Chen Ran suddenly pushed off the ground with his feet, shooting forward like an arrow. At the same time, a light clang echoed as he drew his embroidered spring knife from his waist!
Clack!
The blade cleaved the air!
Chen Ran's powerful and domineering strike slammed towards Ding Xiu's face.
Ding Xiu quickly blocked with his saber.
Boom!
With a loud bang, Chen Ran's strike shattered the scabbard of Ding Xiu's large Imperial Guard saber, sending a shockwave of pain through Ding Xiu's wrists.
"Good boy!"
Ding Xiu roared angrily, swinging his saber in a horizontal arc. He followed up with a series of relentless attacks, his blade flashing with fierce momentum.
The air was filled with blinding flashes of steel, like a blizzard!
Chen Ran coldly snorted and met Ding Xiu's attacks with a series of his own. Each strike passed through the gaps in his opponent's blade, targeting his vital points.
Clang, clang, clang...
Three strikes in a row forced Ding Xiu to take a step back.
At this moment, Chen Ran let out a long roar, his feet scraping against the ground with a loud bang as he leaped into the air. In mid-air, he spun like a windmill.
He channeled all his strength into his right arm, delivering it into his embroidered spring knife as he brought it down with a powerful slash.
Bang!
A clash of steel echoed!
This strike seemed to carry the weight of a thousand pounds. Ding Xiu, despite his efforts to block with both hands, could not withstand the force of the strike. He was sent flying backwards, landing on his back!
Before he could even get back on his feet, Chen Ran followed up with a diagonal slice of his blade.
The tip of his blade pierced through Ding Xiu's large Imperial Guard saber and landed right in front of his throat!
Chen Ran pointed the tip of his blade at Ding Xiu and said coldly:
"Now, do you still think I can't protect him?"
Ding Xiu's face turned pale, his eyes filled with defeat.
He had always considered himself the strongest among all of Ding Bai Ying's disciples. He had never met his match before, but now, in just a few exchanges, he had been defeated by Chen Ran!
"I've lost. Kill me or whatever you want!"
Ding Xiu, his face pale, dropped his large Imperial Guard saber and knelt on the ground, accepting his fate.
Chen Ran, however, suddenly sheathed his blade.