22 Chapter · Charming Widow at the Foot of Mingzhi Mountain

Horse hooves jolted, and wheels kicked up dust.

Zhang San had Bai Yucheng summon Han Baiwen to his own carriage.

Now, Han Baiwen was very grateful to Zhang San.

After all, the four of them were prisoners of the Town Martial Office, and aside from being strict when guarding them, the martial artists there had treated them very well in other respects.

Zhang San called Han Baiwen over mainly to inquire about the modus operandi of the Heavenly Punishment Sect.

Zhang San felt that it was necessary to understand this thoroughly.

The clearer he was, the better he could act the part.

Otherwise, people would realize at a glance that you were not from the Heavenly Punishment Sect.

Although it was rare for anyone in the world to impersonate the Heavenly Punishment Sect, since he was leading a group from the Town Martial Office to do just that, they needed to be extra cautious.

After learning a lot, Zhang San took the opportunity to ask, "Little Han, I think you're quite a decent person—have you considered joining our Town Martial Office?"

"Ah... Ah!?"

Han Baiwen was completely dumbfounded by Zhang San's question.

It was a bit awkward to be called "Little Han" by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.

But being a prisoner of the Town Martial Office and being invited to join it made Han Baiwen feel even more awkward.

Even Ling, who was standing by, looked at Zhang San with a very strange gaze.

You're just a temporary leader, and yet you dare to think about pulling followers of the Demon Sect into the Town Martial Office? You are quite bold!

"Ah what? I'm asking if you're willing?"

"We... Although we're captives, we still have our principles. How could we join the Town Martial Office just because you've treated us well?"

Ling didn't expect this Mr. Han to actually have quite a backbone.

This really made her view him with new respect.

"You see... You've got it all wrong! What does wanting to join the Town Martial Office have to do with backbone?"

"But a loyal official won't serve two masters, and a virtuous woman won't marry twice. I, Han Baiwen, am after all..."

"Oh, come off it... I'm not asking you to join permanently, just temporarily. Think of it as you fooling around behind your wife's back—after fooling around, you still have to go home. We're just bringing you along for some fun; who said anything about spending a lifetime with you?"

"Ah? Ah..."

Han Baiwen opened his mouth for quite a while but had no idea what to say.

After all, this logic was too shocking to the world, and it left Han Baiwen completely at a loss.

"Okay, you can go back now. Also, does your Heavenly Punishment Sect really not have any supremely powerful cultivation techniques?"

"Truly not, and even if there were, someone of my level wouldn't know about them," Han Baiwen replied helplessly.

After chatting with Zhang San for over a two-hour period, Zhang San had asked about the powerful cultivation techniques of the Heavenly Punishment Sect at least five times; including this time, that made six!

So you've fully learned everything from the Town Martial Office, right? Why are you so fixated on our Heavenly Punishment Sect's affairs?

Zhang San was also helpless; he really didn't know what else he could learn at this point. He thought the Heavenly Punishment Sect, being the number one public enemy of the Town Martial Office in the world, might have very strong techniques.

But he hadn't managed to get any valuable information.

He just wondered if he would have a dream that night, with an old man passing on eight years of the Heavenly Punishment Sect's cultivation techniques to him.

After Han Baiwen left, Ling finally spoke.

"Little Zhang San, I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable, talking about having fun behind your wife's back. Tell me, how do you plan to have fun in the future?"

Zhang San chuckled with a 'hehe'.

"That depends on who it is. I wouldn't bother with just any woman, but if it's Sister Ling, I'm up for whatever fun you have in mind."

"Those words really hurt, you actually never thought of taking me as your lawful wife."

Ling purposely put on the airs of a little woman, even pretending to wipe tears from her face.

Sister, at least let out a few real tears!

Zhang San knew that Sister Ling loved to act, and he could only play along.

"It's not that I'm too poor, Sister Ling, it's just that you're so well-off, and have such a big advantage, I'm just worried I might not be good enough for you."

Zhang San emphasized strongly on the words "have such a big advantage," directly interrupting Ling's poor acting skills.

"How about this, Sister Ling, you don't ask for a dowry, and triple the betrothal gifts for me; then I'll marry you, how about that?"

"I'll give ten times the betrothal gifts if you till ten times the land."

"Till the land? Sister Ling, you're not expecting me to dig a well, are you?"

At this moment, Bai Yucheng came over to the carriage, wanting to lift the curtain and say something, but upon hearing the terrible conversation inside, felt that even the hand about to lift the curtain was tainted.

So, he could only say from outside the curtain, "Leader, there's a funeral procession up ahead, should we give way, or..."

After all, pretending to be members of the Demon Sect, giving way to pedestrians didn't seem to fit with their style, so Bai Yucheng came over to ask Zhang San.

Zhang San immediately ordered the carriage to stop, and both he and Ling got out of the carriage to look ahead.

Amid the sound of the suona, a funeral procession was coming out of the county city, heading west along the main road.

"This seems lively; let's follow and check it out."

"Ah!?"

Bai Yucheng was baffled.

He had anticipated that with the attitude of the Heavenly Punishment Sect, they might give way; they might not and cause a conflict; they might play a trick on these people using techniques...

But following to watch the commotion? What's that about?

Zhang San, isn't he planning to...

Crash the funeral?

Zhang San jumped off the carriage and was the first to follow the funeral procession. He waited until the coffin was brought to the graveyard and they began the burial before leaving. He observed everything closely the whole time.

Some in the funeral procession noticed Zhang San and his group.

After all, they were dressed extravagantly, and many of them even wore weapons at their waists—it was clear they weren't to be trifled with—so no one dared to question them.

When people started to burn incense, Zhang San approached them.

"Meeting here is fate; we didn't meet in life, so I come to accompany in death. May I offer incense?"

No one was going to stop someone from offering incense; naturally they let him be, especially since Big Head Wang was right behind him, tall and stout like a black tower, and no one dared to refuse.

Zhang San went over and offered incense at the deceased's tombstone.

Ling, who watched the funeral from outside the crowd, noticed the name on the tombstone — the deceased was called Yu Daoning.

After offering incense, Zhang San approached the family members, "Death is irreversible, so mourn with moderation and adapt."

Zhang San's tone sounded as if he had been close friends with the late Yu Daoning for many years, even the mourning lady who was kneeling and burning paper looked up at the young man.

But suddenly, the lady felt a chill at her heart.

Yet Zhang San just cheerfully smiled at the lady, with a look in his eyes that said he had already seen through everything.

The lady didn't understand what had just happened.

But she felt a strong sense of unease in her heart.

And not far away, Bai Yucheng, Xu, Wei, and Ling all saw it clearly.

In that instant when the lady looked up, Zhang San performed a Martial Style, his hand swift as the wind, sliding down the lady's collar and then snatching back out.

Ling was somewhat puzzled.

You followed for so long just for that one move?

In the distance, on a slender branch of a towering tree, a Little Taoist with a Great Sword on his back also caught Zhang San's action, and now he frowned with murder in his eyes.

On Mingzhi Mountain further away, a fiery red Little Fox watched with bright eyes, having just witnessed that scene.

"Little cousin, come quick and look!"