Unlike with the other mercenaries, Jiang Chen treated the old lady with a high degree of courtesy. When he heard her voice, while Ming Feizhen feigned indifference, Yan Jiangnan was visibly shaken.
“Hahaha, come on over, Granny. Aren’t you going to say anything about Wu Ping being beaten into this poor state?” jovially asked Yuan Kou.
The old lady coldly responded, “Say what? You want me to remind you to drink a few more bowls of Granny Meng’s soup in hell? I can do that.” From the beginning to now, her eyes were always focused on Ming Feizhen. “Who are you, kid?”
Ming Feizhen smiled unlike the other confused individuals. “Elder, why are you asking the obvious? Please forgive this one for lacking the wisdom to read between the lines.”
With her vigilant eyes still on Ming Feizhen, the old lady slammed her walking stick into the ground. “This old lady had a rough upbringing and was sold multiple times, so she developed a bad habit of noting people’s footsteps, breathing cadence, qi flow and pulse to avoid being fooled again. My vision may be deteriorating, but my ears still function perfectly fine.”
Ming Feizhen replied, “That is quite the arbitrary standard. One’s footsteps, breathing and pulse will change according to their health status. One’s qi flow will change according to their internal training. Are you sure you can always be right?”
“If I can’t discern them, then they are one truly worthy of being called an adept. Howbeit, I’ve never been wrong in the last two decades.”
Ming Feizhen tugged up a corner of his lips. “Twenty years ago? Your internal energy is a force to be reckoned with, then.”
Besides a gifted pair of ears, potent internal energy and a thorough understanding of internal disciplines were crucial to hearing one’s flow of qi.
Yuan Kou questioned, “Really? So I am not an adept to your ears, then?”
“You speak in jest, Master Yuan. Your ‘Crushing Hands’ is rooted in your advanced internal discipline. As your breathing method is unique, you are particularly easy to identify.”
Yuan Kou grabbed his head. Once he understood what was implied, he looked to Ming Feizhen.
Elder Lianhua encroached upon Ming Feizhen, wearing her bloodlust as a coat. “I remember very well Wu Ping’s footsteps and breathing. I am very impressed you are able to mimic them perfectly.”
Yan Jiangnan regretted jumping onto Ming Feizhen’s boat. “Doesn’t that mean it’s him?”
Elder Lianhua shifted her menacing gaze to Yan Jiangnan. “He is the real Yan Jiangnan. Regrettably, he has switched to your side. Not only do you have his breathing and gait down pat, but you’ve also perfected his martial arts, accurately capturing his ordinary internal energy and developed swordplay. You hide your qi flow unlike Wu Ping, but I can hear it. What do you have to say?”
Yuan Kou added, “Yeah, what do you have to say?”
“What can I say? This is an accusation that came out of nowhere and for no reason. Asking me to prove I am who I am is a bit ludicrous.”
Ming Feizhen deemed Elder Lianhua to be the toughest person to deal with based on his scouting reports. She only spoke when necessary and refrained from utilising her skills; he only just found out now that she had enhanced hearing, a reveal that he struggled to offer an answer to.
“If you ask me, it’s simple.” Yuan Kou enthused, “I’ve sparred Wu Ping many times now, so I can identify him. Wu Ping, draw your sword. Let’s have a short spar for Granny to see.” He thereupon entered his “Crushing Hands” stance.
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Ming Feizhen playfully chided. “You can tell how badly I’m hurt.”
“If you don’t accept, I’ll consider the assassin a made-up story. Granny is right. We’ll be first to crush you.”
Elder Lianhua would think twice before attacking Ming Feizhen, but Yuan Kou would mindlessly jump into any fight.
“What does killing me in my injured state prove?” Ming Feizhen questioned. “There’s no need to expend so much energy to verify my identity.”
“Indeed.” Elder Lianhua held her walking stick parallel to the ground, somehow generating a cold draft that suffocated Ming Feizhen. Next, he was struck on the chest, sending him several metres back and making him gasp up blood.
Elder Lianhua was surprised with the outcome. She vigilantly calculated every action the moment she arrived. She was wary of Ming Feizhen to the point that she chose to regroup with Yuan Kou first instead of trying to assassinate Ming Feizhen immediately. Had she not been overly cautious, though, Ming Feizhen would be dead.
“This old lady takes orders from Mr. Jiang Chen. He helped me in the past. One must repay favours. After much effort, he finally built this new base. I refuse to let it fall, and I refuse to let assassins run amok here.”
Ming Feizhen struggled to his feet, yet he smiled. “And Mr. Jiang Chen would pardon you for attacking injured personnel without rhyme or reason?”
“Genuine or not, I will kill you. If I am wrong, I shall accept my penance!” Elder Lianhua swung her stick at the back of Ming Feizhen’s skull.
Although Elder Lianhua was strong, she didn’t actually send Ming Feizhen so far out of her own range. He ended up so far away owing to him deliberately riding the momentum some extra distance. He created the distance so that, before she could finish this predicted move, he could say, “Ol’ Yuan, your son will be born next year. Dividing your assets in the capital and converting to a legitimate business is certainly a good wish… I wish you the best.”
Seconds past after Ming Feizhen said that, yet the stick didn’t hit him, and he didn’t need to look to know why.
With a vice-like grip on Elder Lianhua’s stick, Yuan Kou asserted, “Granny, he is the real Wu Ping. You can’t kill him.”
