Chapter Seventy-One: Who Are You, Really?

Neither side was willing to back down, so an intense battle inevitably broke out.

Jiang Chen fought bare-handed, weaving effortlessly through the flashing blades and deadly weapons, displaying complete mastery despite the overwhelming odds against him. Yet, after several rounds of attack and defense, he toppled one opponent after another, each time dealing ruthless blows that broke arms or legs.

He struck with such force because he could not afford to waste time here. While he did not wish to take lives, he chose this method to swiftly render his enemies incapable of fighting.

In the blink of an eye, more than twenty men lay sprawled at his feet. The rest, though eager to continue, dared not make the first move. They had witnessed the fate of their companions: whoever approached Jiang Chen ended up crippled and writhing in agony on the ground. The mere thought of such misery was enough to make them recoil.

“I’m here for Wu Qingshan. Bring him out at once!” Jiang Chen demanded.

At last, someone responded. On the other side of the deck appeared a young nobleman clad in a maroon robe. He fanned himself with a feather fan, his expression calm, as if Jiang Chen’s presence was hardly unexpected.

“So you’ve finally come? You’re much younger than I imagined,” the young man remarked.

“No matter your reasons for detaining Wu Qingshan, I’m taking him with me. Anything else is irrelevant,” Jiang Chen replied, his voice tinged with anger, ready to unleash further destruction at the slightest provocation. He doubted these men could stop him.

The young nobleman responded, “I am Yin Mufan, master of this great ship. You’ve rampaged through my vessel and injured so many—don’t you think you’ve gone too far?”

“I’ll ask just once more. Where is Wu Qingshan?”

Jiang Chen had expected this Yin Mufan to order his men to resist, so he remained poised to strike again. Unexpectedly, Yin Mufan waved his hand, and someone indeed brought Wu Qingshan forward. Wu Qingshan was covered in bruises, but none appeared fatal.

“I’ve brought him to you. But if you wish to take him off this ship, you must first answer my question.”

“I’ve fulfilled one of your conditions; in return, you must satisfy one of mine. That’s the basic principle of any transaction.”

Wu Qingshan, seeing Jiang Chen aboard the ship, was overwhelmed with emotion. There was so much he wanted to say, yet he didn’t know where to begin.

“Jiang Chen, my father left without a word, and I have no idea where he is. My sister and I have been separated. I… I’m truly useless!”

Though the news was dire, it wasn’t beyond hope. At least Jiang Chen had gleaned some valuable information.

“Staying alive is the most important thing,” Jiang Chen told him. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here soon.”

He turned to Yin Mufan. “What do you want to know?”

Yin Mufan ordered his men to bring out an item and set it before Jiang Chen.

It was Old Wu’s wooden box.

Inside, Jiang Chen found the waist token bearing the insignia of the Qishan Iron Cavalry, and the long spear that had accompanied Old Wu through countless battles.

In that instant, Jiang Chen understood. Yin Mufan must have recognized the significance of these items, and had deliberately set this trap, using Wu Qingshan as bait aboard this ship.

But then, Jiang Chen recalled that he had hidden the wooden box beneath the carriage and only told Gu Jun to keep it safe, without explaining its contents. Wu Qingshan and Wu Yue had no idea about the box, and Gu Jun simply thought it belonged to Jiang Chen.

So how had Yin Mufan discovered it and used it to lure him here?

“You look surprised,” Yin Mufan said. “I was shocked too when I first saw this box, especially since this fellow was parading it through the streets, practically begging for attention.”

Yin Mufan’s words resolved Jiang Chen’s doubts.

“What exactly are you after?” Jiang Chen pressed.

Until he could ascertain Yin Mufan’s intentions, Jiang Chen decided to bide his time. If disaster was unavoidable today, the longer Old Wu’s true identity remained hidden, the better—for that secret had been buried for twenty years.

Under Jiang Chen’s watchful gaze, Yin Mufan took out the segmented spear from the box and, with practiced skill, reassembled it into its original, battle-ready form.

Who could have imagined that the spear Old Wu had long abandoned would be so deftly restored by a mysterious young man?

“The Fierce Gale Spear,” Yin Mufan intoned. “Once wielded by a peerless warrior of the Qishan Iron Cavalry, who slaughtered countless foes and earned the title ‘Butcher of Tiequan.’ In the battle of Tiequan, it’s said he charged alone into the enemy camp, killed over five hundred men, and emerged unscathed. His name was celebrated everywhere, and many believed he would one day take command of the invincible Qishan Iron Cavalry.”

Yin Mufan spoke of Old Wu’s past as if he’d witnessed it himself, though he was clearly too young to have done so. Why, then, was he pursuing Old Wu?

Jiang Chen cut him off, admitting directly, “Enough nonsense. This spear is mine, as is the waist token. Are you going to return them, or shall I come and take them myself?”

“Yours?” Yin Mufan laughed loudly, then pointed at Wu Qingshan. “I thought this useless fellow was the Butcher of Tiequan’s son, but he can’t even fight, and he’s reckless and ignorant. They say a tiger does not beget a dog, but perhaps I gave him too much credit.”

“As for you, your skill in battle proves you’re formidable. But given your age, you can’t be him. Perhaps you are his heir?”

Jiang Chen seized the opportunity to mislead Yin Mufan, realizing that his adversary’s understanding was incomplete, giving him room for deception.

“I’ve never heard of any Butcher of Tiequan. My master entrusted this box to me, instructing me never to let it see the light of day and to keep it safe for life.”

“Your master, is it? And where is he now? There’s a blood debt between us that must be settled.”

A murderous glint flashed in Yin Mufan’s eyes. So, he harbored a deep-seated vendetta against Old Wu.

“Who are you, really?” Jiang Chen demanded.

“I should be asking you the same. What is your relationship to the Butcher of Tiequan? Where is he now?” As he spoke, Yin Mufan flicked his fan, sending dozens of hidden weapons hurtling toward Jiang Chen.