Magical Water Margin: They all call me brother

Page 14

Wu Dalang comforted Wu Song and introduced her to his new family.

"This is my newly adopted third brother! He was a great help while you were away. This is your sister-in-law, Pan Jinlian."

"Sanlang, Jinlian, this is my second sister, Wu Song, whom I have always told you about."

Wu Song looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression, his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes filled with confusion. He didn't know what had happened in Qinghe County, how his brother's leg had been crippled, or how he had gained a pair of younger brothers and sisters-in-law.

The sprightly old man, seeing Wu Song's family arrive, waved kindly, indicating that he would give her a day off. Wu Song gratefully bowed and led the group back to his residence, where he finally learned the whole story.

"That damned Master Zhang! I've had my hated her for ages! What are those thugs for? Watch me beat all those hundred men in her household to a pulp!"

Wu Song slammed his fist on the table in anger, wishing he could immediately go home and tear down Zhang's mansion.

When she heard that her brother's newly adopted younger brother had married Pan Jinlian to save him from disaster, which led to Master Zhang's furious revenge, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

When she heard that her third brother was so powerful, having eliminated the three most powerful thugs in the Zhang family one by one, and even led her brother and sister-in-law to escape from Qinghe, her eyes lit up.

"Thank you, Sanlang! Thank you, sister-in-law! From now on, we are family. When you travel the world, mention your sister's name, and I'll protect you!"

Wu Song gratefully stretched out his arms, embracing Liu Hong with one hand and Pan Jinlian with the other, thanking them for saving his elder brother.

"By the way, Second Sister, didn't you say you were going to Chai Jin's residence in Cangzhou? How did you end up here?"

Wu Dalang asked curiously.

"Hey, when I got to Daming Prefecture, I heard that the famous Shaanxi hero, Iron-Armed Zhou Tong, had settled in Qilin Village, Neihuang County, Daming Prefecture. So I came here to become his apprentice. I begged him for many days before he finally accepted me as an unofficial disciple and taught me some martial arts. My current weapon levels are all thanks to my master's teachings and the way he helped me change my class!"

Wu Song's eyes would light up whenever he talked about martial arts.

"Brother, let me tell you, Master is a true martial arts master! All the instructors in Qinghe County combined, whether in martial arts or teaching, are no match for Master! I've really learned something new these past few days! He's amazing."

"Oh? By the way, eldest brother, third brother, and sister-in-law, would you like to learn martial arts? I'll introduce you to our master!"

Zhou Tong? Isn't that Yue Fei's teacher?

Liu Hong suddenly remembered everything. Were his other four children the famous Yue Fei, Zhang Xian, Tang Huai, and Wang Gui?! The young versions of Yue Fei's first batch of direct subordinates?!

Didn't I time-travel into "Water Margin"? How did I suddenly end up in "The Story of Yue Fei"?

"I won't. I'm over thirty, why would I learn martial arts? I'll just live a quiet life."

Wu Dalang waved his hands repeatedly.

"I will not learn anymore. My nine-tailed fox nature is gradually awakening. Humans cannot teach me this. Besides, my level will increase as my husband improves."

Pan Jinlian also politely declined.

Liu Hong, who deeply understood that the essence of this world was to see who had the bigger fist, had his eyes light up and quickly grabbed Wu Song's hand.

"Sister! I want to learn martial arts!"

Chapter Twenty-Four: Questions and Answers Between Master and Disciple in Qilin Village

“Alright! When the time comes, the three of us siblings will learn both literary and martial arts together and present them to Emperor Zhao! Perhaps in a few years, when the emperor grants a general amnesty, we will be able to see the light of day again.”

Before experiencing the subsequent events and being driven to the brink of despair, Wu Song was not yet utterly disillusioned with the world. He still longed to earn fame and fortune through his own skills.

Liu Hong did not object. The group first visited Master Wang, who had taken in Wu Song. This man was indeed charitable and generous, a kind and generous figure like Chao Gai, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.

When he learned that the group were all Wu Song's family members, he immediately arranged accommodations, giving Wu Song a room, Wu Dalang a room, and Liu Hong and Pan Jinlian a room. Although the rooms were small, they were fully equipped with all kinds of facilities. He then arranged for rice to be provided, and the group settled down at Master Wang's house.

As for the imperial court's wanted notice and reward? Master Wang waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it. It's good enough that the government troops can control the entire Neihuang County. They can't actually control the villages below the county level."

In order to collect taxes and fulfill their duties, officials in Neihuang County even had to cultivate good relationships with the villagers.

In such villages, the county magistrate is just a transient official, while the wealthy landowner is the permanent master.

After the group settled in, it was already night. Wu Song, in high spirits, led Liu Hong and Pan Jinlian to Zhou Tong's residence to become his apprentices.

“Master! This is my younger brother Liu Hong and his wife Pan Jinlian. You have already accepted me as your disciple. I wonder if you could also accept them as your disciples?”

Wu Song respectfully knocked on the door and knelt before the sprightly old man. Before him, this arrogant and beautiful demon was as obedient as a child.

To Liu Hong's surprise, this renowned and almost invincible Shaanxi hero was only level twelve.

Logically speaking, there are twenty levels of mortals. Only by transcending this shackle and advancing to level twenty-one can one become a legend.

But Zhou Tong, who is currently invincible with iron arms, is only level twelve? Why is that?

Zhou Tong was wiping his precious bow at that moment, but after glancing up at Liu Hong, he shook his head in disappointment.

"This person has decent aptitude, but he didn't learn martial arts from a young age. Now that his bones and muscles have grown and matured, it's too late for him to start practicing now."

Besides, even if he starts training now, he'll only ever be a second-rate character.

"Master! My younger brother is eager to learn from me. Please accept them as your disciples! I am willing to do anything!"

Wu Song looked up in disbelief and said anxiously, "Although the person in front of me is my master, who has been so kind to me, I am willing to risk it all for my younger brother."

"Why should I teach my skills to a wanted criminal?"

Zhou Tong's gaze suddenly turned serious, shifting from Wu Song to Liu Hong, as if an old dragon had opened its aged eyes and shot out a blindingly cold light.

"You haven't even learned martial arts yet, but you've already slaughtered the entire Zhang family in Qinghe County just by relying on your talent. If I were to teach you martial arts, what would you do? Turn the world upside down?!"

"I only want to protect myself and my family from being bullied. Master Zhang has gone too far, colluding with the government, injuring my elder brother, and taking my wife!"

"When the government and the law fail to uphold fairness and justice, then violence becomes legal, even noble, at that moment."

Liu Hong spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, remaining calm and composed under Zhou Tong's dragon might, with the Heavenly Stars representing chivalry appearing around him.

“I have a clear conscience about killing Master Zhang! As for the rest of the Zhang family, I did not kill them. I only learned of the massacre of the Zhang family four days later.”

"Interesting. This is the first time I've seen a wanted criminal so confident."

Even though Zhou Tong had lived to be seventy or eighty years old, he was amused by Liu Hong's words. Looking at the shimmering celestial stars around him, he recognized that this man was actually a chivalrous person who used martial arts to break the law and punish evil.

People who have this profession may not necessarily be good people, but they are definitely not vicious killers; at the very least, they are outlaws.

What's more, his last sentence was quite philosophical—when the government and the law fail to maintain fairness and justice, then violence becomes legal, even noble, at that moment.

Is this the reason he became a chivalrous knight-errant?

"Well, actually I used to really enjoy taking on disciples. I had at least eighty or a hundred disciples under my command. But a few years ago, one of my disciples betrayed me. Her name was Shi Wengong. She learned most of my skills, but she used her martial arts skills to do evil and harm the local area, ruining my reputation. What's even more infuriating is that her martial arts skills are terrifying, even surpassing mine. I can't beat her. So, I've become very cautious about taking on disciples in recent years."

Zhou Tong pondered for a moment before continuing.

"Liu Hong, I can accept you as an unofficial disciple and teach you my skills, but there are two conditions."

"First, you have to defeat one of my eight-year-old disciples to prove your strength. You are one of the people you saw this morning."

"Secondly, don't say I'm your master when you go out! I may acknowledge your chivalry, but the imperial court won't. If you cause a major disaster and fight the Song army, don't say that I taught you all your skills and ruin my reputation!"

If you disobey, I will bring my gun and kill you, no matter where you are in the world.

"Thank you, master!"

Upon seeing that the renowned Zhou Tong had agreed, Liu Hong quickly bowed in gratitude.

Even if I'm not very good, I shouldn't be able to beat those three little kids from this morning, right?

Wu Song's face lit up with joy; her master had finally agreed to accept it. However, she suddenly remembered something, and her expression turned serious again.

"Wu Song, go and call Yue Fei over."

Sure enough, Zhou Tong brought up the issue that Wu Song was most worried about.

"Master, is it really necessary to send Senior Brother Yue? His combat power is too exaggerated. Can't Senior Brothers Wang Gui, Zhang Xian, and Tang Huai do it?"

With a pained expression, Wu Song pleaded with his master, Zhou Tong, but Zhou Tong remained silent, simply drinking his tea, indicating that there was absolutely no room for negotiation.

"Hey, little brother, be careful later. This Yue Fei is really powerful. Don't let your guard down just because he's young. If he takes flight and launches a charge, you must dodge immediately!"

Left with no other option, Wu Song had to rely on his younger brother Yue Fei's skills to go and fetch more men, leaving Liu Hong both hopeful and worried.

Yue Fei was indeed remarkable, but it was 1111 AD, and he was only eight years old. How remarkable could he be?

Liu Hong didn't quite understand Wu Song's worries, but the next second, he saw Wu Song leading a man who was 1.9 meters tall, pushing open the door and walking in.

This person was tall and well-proportioned, even taller than Liu Hong, and looked like an adult.

But that tall figure was topped with an adorable face as exquisitely sculpted as a porcelain doll. Judging from his appearance and the short, drooping hair on his head, he was clearly a child of about eight years old!

His eyes, like morning stars falling into a cold pool, held both the innocent gleam of a child and a clarity beyond his years. His eyebrows were set wide apart, like those of a fledgling falcon, while his nose, like a spear shaft, rose sharply, carving a sharp angle into his round face.

Most striking of all were the enormous golden wings that sprouted from his back. Each feather seemed to be forged from molten gold, resplendent and magnificent. When fully spread, the wings were twice the size of him. The feathers near his shoulders were as large as a palm, while the tips of the feathers stretched into slender, elegant tassels. When candlelight pierced through the thin, cicada-wing-like feathers, it cast dappled light all over him, even tinging his jet-black hair with a flowing golden glow.

Above her rosy cheeks and beneath her black hair, her face, still bearing the innocence of childhood, possessed the composure of an adult.

"Master, what business do you have with Yue Fei?"

Yue Fei respectfully bowed to his master, his tall spine curving like a bow.

Liu Hong stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Yue Fei, who was slightly taller than him.

The tall guy I saw on the field this morning, who was 1.9 meters tall, was actually a child?

No way, this is eight years old???

His eyes, burning with azure demonic flames, further embody his unparalleled attributes.

Yue Fei (Dragon)

Level: 1 (Level 1 Battle Blade)

Life: 14, Psionic Energy: 0

Strength 17, Agility 17, Constitution 14

Intelligence 17, Perception 10, Charisma 17

【Dragon Blood - Golden-Winged Roc】: Strength +1, Agility +1, Intelligence +1, Charisma +1. Attack Accuracy +1, Weapon Damage +1, Armor Penetration Damage +1 (equivalent to 1 character level). Also possesses flight ability, 200 km/h, perfect maneuverability, and triple speed and damage during dives and charges.

Wait, he's a dragon? A dragon like me!

Chapter Twenty-Five: An Eight-Year-Old Child Spreads His Golden Wings Like a Roc (Bonus Chapter for 600 Monthly Tickets!)

“This man is the younger brother of your junior sister Wu Song. He also wants to become our disciple. Please test his skills on my behalf.”

"As ordered."

Yue Fei respectfully bowed to his master. His youthful face was calm and expressionless. He was as composed as a child, but as a general who had experienced countless storms.

Zhou Tong then took out two sticks with soft tubes wrapped around their tips and handed them to the two men.

The moment Yue Fei picked up the stick, his entire demeanor changed. A surge of powerful fighting spirit rose into the sky, and his youthful face became increasingly serious. He also bowed to Liu Hong, and the two began to fight, standing five meters apart in the courtyard.

In the blink of an eye, Liu Hong saw a burst of brown light suddenly erupt before his eyes. The wooden stick in Yue Fei's hand seemed to come alive, vibrating and emitting dazzling spear flowers that were so bright that it was impossible to distinguish between real and fake, and it came straight for Liu Hong's face.

Liu Hong dared not be negligent and quickly swung his wooden stick to block. The two sticks immediately became entangled, making a cracking sound. Yue Fei suddenly twisted the stick, almost knocking Liu Hong's stick out of his hand.

Unable to disarm, Yue Fei used a stick instead of a spear and launched an even more ferocious offensive. A single stick stirred up a storm in the courtyard, and the snow in the courtyard, along with the spear-like patterns spinning on the stick, formed a magnificent snowstorm.

Liu Hong, who had never studied spears or staffs, fought and retreated under Yue Fei's fierce offensive. Yue Fei, who had been practicing for a year, wielded his staff with increasing speed and precision. With each crisp crack, seven or eight staff shadows exploded on the bluestone pavement, making it impossible for onlookers to distinguish between real and feint attacks.

The sticks wrapped in cloth seemed to have eyes, hiding among the flying stick flowers, specifically targeting Liu Hong's wrists and ankles to strike. If these sticks had spearheads, Liu Hong would have already had his tendons severed.

What a formidable figure, Lord Yue! We can't possibly spar with him!

Liu Hong knew that attacking the enemy's strengths with his own weaknesses would inevitably lead to defeat. Therefore, he consumed spiritual energy to make the wooden stick wrap around three brilliant star rivers. He then swept the wooden stick horizontally and instantly unleashed a triple Heavenly Gang Slash with maximum damage!

Yue Fei's eyes narrowed as he realized the power of the move. He dared not take it head-on, and his wings whipped up a fierce wind, sending him flying backward to avoid the celestial starlight.

This was the first time Liu Hong's Heavenly Gang Slash had missed. When he was at level one, he could kill level two or three henchmen from the Zhang family with a full-force attack, which meant he was already challenging opponents of higher levels.

Yue Fei, at level one, could overpower me, at level three. It seems that in this world, rank cannot be the ultimate criterion for judgment; there are still geniuses above geniuses.

Having no other choice, after forcing Yue Fei to retreat, Liu Hong returned to using his spiritual energy. He focused his mind on Yue Fei, and with the aftershocks of the exploding spiritual energy, a chaotic tentacle wriggled out of the ground and wrapped around Yue Fei's tall and elegant body amidst the flying debris and dirt.

"A psionicist? A part-time knight-errant? Interesting."

Zhou Tong, who was watching the battle from the sidelines, had a bright idea in his eyes and began to observe the two combat situations more closely.

Yue Fei, who had lived in Qilin Village since childhood, had never seen a psionicist before. He was somewhat bewildered as he looked at the chaotic tentacles that were entangled around him.

Although Liu Hong had not systematically learned martial arts, he had independently grasped the skill of fighting for life and death in a series of life-and-death battles, and was already wielding his stick, charging back to fight!

Yue Fei took a deep breath, his beautiful eyes flashing with a fierce light, and his two golden wings suddenly spread open. The golden light bursting from the Great Roc's Golden Wings was like hundreds and thousands of golden swords being drawn from their sheaths at the same time! The chaotic tentacles wrapped around his wings were first stretched into bowstrings, and then broke off one by one with a tearing sound, finally shattering into a sky full of fleshy bits!

The moment Yue Fei's wings were fully spread, a deafening hum like the chanting of Brahma suddenly resounded between heaven and earth. Golden feathers stood up one after another, and ripples formed by golden light surged along the feathers, detonating a golden nova explosion centered on him. The torn chaotic tentacles were crushed into dust by the rolling golden waves, and Liu Hong was also shaken back two steps by the shockwave.

"call--"

Just as Liu Hong regained his footing, two more bursts of liquid golden waves erupted from Yue Fei's back—they weren't wings at all, but swirling, gilded fire waterfalls! Tens of thousands of crimson-gold feathers had transformed into hot, viscous, burning gold.