A massive willow tree, thick enough for two people to embrace, was cleanly split in two?!
This willow tree had some years on it. It was easily the size for two people to embrace, and its height was as tall as a single-story roof.
For a willow tree so thick and tall, an ordinary person would need to chop at it for an hour, axe stroke by axe stroke, just to fell it. Even with a saw, it would take several minutes.
How could a normal person split such a thick tree trunk with one strike?
If such a strike were to land on a person… the outcome would be predictable.
Jiang Heng’s heart was already a tumultuous storm.
What the hell is going on? Is this not historical fiction? Is it a Wuxia world?
“Hmm? Heng’er, why aren’t you coming back later today?”
Third Uncle, having finished venting his frustrations with his saber, seemed much calmer. He looked at Jiang Heng, his tone somewhat displeased.
Jiang Heng was shocked. He had originally thought this was just a world with a similar structure to the Ming and Song dynasties of his previous life, but he hadn’t expected personal martial prowess to be able to effortlessly split such a thick willow tree!
This was just Hengjiang County, this small corner of the world. What about the entire Great Yan? Or even the whole world?
How high was the ceiling of martial power?
Even if Jiang Heng hadn't witnessed it, he could foresee that this was no ordinary world.
In that instant, it was as if a grand door had been pushed open, and Jiang Heng’s heart, which had gradually been corrupted by a life of luxury after his Rebirth, slowly came alive.
“Don’t get distracted when Third Uncle is talking to you!”
Third Uncle’s tone was displeased, even uncharacteristically carrying a hint of a reprimand.
Jiang Heng snapped out of his shock, and at the same time, he secretly wondered if Third Uncle had eaten gunpowder today? Why was he angry with him the moment he arrived?
“Go! Come with me to see your Eldest Brother!” Saying that, Third Uncle unceremoniously dragged Jiang Heng towards the backyard.
Third Uncle was a martial artist to begin with, and his strength was terrifying. Unable to resist, Jiang Heng followed him to the backyard.
The Jiang Manor was very large. Besides Jiang Father’s inner family living in the innermost part of the backyard, Eldest Uncle’s and Third Uncle’s relatives also lived in the backyard.
After passing through the ancient and elegant carved corridors, they arrived at the main hall of the backyard. This was usually where the family ate together or discussed matters, but at this moment, it was already packed with people, with an endless stream of people coming and going.
Jiang Heng even heard cries and discussions from afar.
Did something big happen?
Jiang Heng vaguely guessed something. Following Third Uncle, he entered the hall. The usual scene was gone, replaced by a hall filled with mourning clothes.
In the center of the main hall was a large coffin. At this moment, Jiang Father, Eldest Uncle, and several masters from the escort agency were discussing something with solemn expressions. Beside them was Eldest Aunt, who was crying so much she was almost fainting!
“Third Uncle, what’s going on?” Seeing this, Jiang Heng took a deep breath and asked Third Uncle beside him.
“It’s your Eldest Brother! He… sigh!”
Third Uncle’s tone was sorrowful at this moment, seemingly reluctant to recall the matter.
However, the discussions of the servants and the escort agency’s employees nearby revealed the answer.
“Alas, Young Master is so tragic!”
“Isn’t that right? When he was just carried in, I took a look. Tsk tsk, all his blood was sucked dry. He looked like a dried-up skeleton!”
“What a pity! Young Master was the most promising to inherit the escort agency in the manor!”
“Alas! Damn Ghost!”
“I heard that even martial artists are like ants before a Ghost. Alas, this year, the escort agency has already lost many brothers to these strange Ghost incidents! I didn’t expect it to be Young Master’s turn this time!”
Ghost?
Hearing this new term, Jiang Heng’s attention was slightly diverted. He had only been reborn for a week, and as for emotional attachments, perhaps it was only to his mother Dou Shi and his younger sister Yu Yin, who often stayed at home. He hadn’t seen his Eldest Brother much due to his frequent escort duties, so there was no talk of sadness.
Perhaps this body had lived too comfortably before, so much so that no one had ever mentioned these things to him.
Entering the main hall, it was already full of people. Closest to the coffin was a burly, square-faced middle-aged man with sword-like eyebrows, dressed in a black brocade robe. His sharp eyes were currently lost in thought.
This middle-aged man was Jiang Heng’s nominal father, the head of the Jiang Family, Jiang Erhai!
Besides him, standing nearby was a relatively thin man, appearing to be in his late forties or early fifties, with half-white hair. His brows always conveyed a sense of sorrow, and he had a black and white beard on his chin, looking somewhat embittered. He was dressed in a blue brocade robe, and this was Jiang Heng’s Eldest Uncle, Jiang Dahai.
“My son! ~” Eldest Aunt was wailing loudly at this moment.
Eldest Aunt was already one of those with a loud voice, and her wailing at this moment echoed through the hall, making everyone around feel a faint ringing in their ears.
But no one dared to say otherwise, because it was her son who had died.
Eldest Aunt Liu Shi had only one Zi Si, and was roughly the same age as Jiang Father, both nearing forty. After losing her son in middle age, she was even more grief-stricken.
“Master! Master! You must avenge our child! ~”
Eldest Aunt Liu Shi cried miserably, her makeup already mostly smeared at this point, looking quite terrifying.
“Avenge what? Killed by a Ghost? Do you, this old woman, want all of us to die as well?” Jiang Erhai, however, frowned and reprimanded her, showing no signs of sorrow over the loss of his son.
Jiang Heng watched this ethical drama with a slight chill in his heart. This was an ignorant era. He feared that in his nominal father’s eyes, a dead son was not a son at all, was he?
“Hmph! Someone, go to the city and invite a Daoist priest to perform a ritual. Killed by a Ghost means he cannot be buried. After the ritual, cremate him!”
“You! ~ You ~!” Eldest Aunt Liu Shi trembled with anger and no longer used respectful terms. She pointed at Jiang Father, trembling with rage, “You return my son’s life to me!!!”
Shouting abuses, Eldest Aunt Liu Shi even broke free from the maidservant’s support and lunged at Jiang Father, baring her fangs and claws, as if to scratch his face.
Bang!
He kicked her away without mercy. Jiang Father’s face was cold, and he said indifferently, “Someone, Eldest Madam is tired! Take Eldest Madam back to her room to rest!”
Eldest Uncle and the various escort masters around watched silently. Soon, two strong servants were about to step forward.
However, at this moment, Eldest Aunt Liu Shi, with an extremely agile movement, rushed towards the coffin.
“Hmm? Oh no!!!”
Seeing this, Jiang Father’s expression changed drastically, and he roared, “Stop her quickly! This foolish woman!”
Seeing this sudden scene, the several escort masters, Eldest Uncle, and Third Uncle all changed color simultaneously, as if something extremely terrifying was about to happen.
The others, however, were all stunned, not understanding why the family head and masters were so anxious.
But it was Liu Shi who first collapsed onto the coffin, wailing over the corpse inside.
Seeing this, Jiang Father’s forward momentum suddenly stopped, and he actually began to slowly retreat.
“Saber!”
The servants not far away still didn’t know what was happening and didn’t react for a moment.
“If you don’t want to die, bring me my saber!!!”
Jiang Father roared, while Eldest Uncle and the other masters all retreated, as if guarding against some monstrous beast.
Jiang Heng watched with secret alarm. His intuition told him that this matter was probably not as simple as it seemed on the surface!
Isn’t this a Wuxia world?
Could it be…