221 Trouble, trouble, trouble 3 (1/2)

Before anyone could react, they had been completely encircled by a platoon of troops.

The soldiers leapt from the dark alleyways branching from various increments of the street, some even bursting out from nearby storehouses to intercept the group's location.

The forty soldiers angled their weapons towards the heart, the halberd clasped within their hands menacing and gleaming with an obvious desire for blood.

As she blinked, An Fei's countenance couldn't help but blanch at the appearance of the platoon that had forced them to a standstill.

Black steel armor that covered the entire body save for an obtuse pair of lips, a longsword sheathed at their waist.

A spiked mace rested at their back, each movement inciting an ear-splitting clatter of metal on metal.

If that wasn't enough information to cause the young girl to grimace in disgust, the apparent leader of the platoon sported a massive flag that hung behind him, swinging in its full glory despite the lack of a midnight breeze.

A plain flag of scarlet fabric and without any embellishment or decorations, but a single name.

Du.

”Du again…”

Shen Haoren groaned as he palmed his back, biting on his lips as he glanced around towards the sides of the street.

The middle-aged man hummed as he pushed his wife and children to a safer location – sandwiched between the protective triangle of Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Yang Jian.

”Come, braggarts from the Du Clan!”

Shen Haoren roared towards the encirclement of troops clad in armor, his outstretched right hand clad in a faint sheen of azure arcs of lightning.

The cloudless night sky hummed as the chaotic drum of thunder reverberated throughout, the heavens rousing from their midnight slumber to vent their fury.

”The Du Clan has forced me to leave once, this Young Master wishes to know if they have the galls to attempt a second time!”

”Uncle Shen, there's no need for you to become so angry. The Du Clan isn't after such a despicable act as digging up past grudges.”

The voice of a young man echoed behind the platoon's leader, the latter stepping aside and onto one knee as he dipped his head into a respectful bow.

Watching the following soldiers relinquish their malicious intent and stand at guard, the young girl's right eye suddenly twitched.

”The Du Clan isn't after my head, or isn't willing to dig up past grudges?” the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, unrelenting in his preparation of manifesting his spiritual artefact.

”That's rather different from the Du Clan that this Young Master is used to. Brat from the Du Clan, who are you?”

The platoon leader inadvertently coughed as his countenance veiled behind the black steel helmet blossomed with a crimson flush of embarrassment, not daring to glance at Shen Haoren's physically imposing figure.

Patting the flag inscribed with the Du Clan's name and stepping forward to reveal his presence, Du Yongkang clasped his hands in an ordinary salute of the jianghu.

”This youngster is surnamed Du, given Yongkang,” the youth smiled, a calm demeanor emanating from his body.

”As for Uncle Shen's question, the Du Clan is indeed not after past grudges regarding the Shen Family. Instead, we're after the young girl besides you.”

As if to emphasize his point, the youth extended his finger to point directly towards An Fei's slightly exhausted countenance.

”Ah, here we go again…”

This time, it was not a mere eight pairs of eyes boring holes into her body from all directions, but a combined total of forty-nine gazes tinged with interest and curiosity.

The young girl finished adjusting her clothing with subtle motions as previously directed by Shen Haoren's wife, her countenance distorting into a strange expression.

”This Young Master Du here,” An Fei called out with a strange, suppressed voice.

”Did Young Master Du claim that the Du Clan was not here to seek remittance for past grudges?”

The youth's eyebrows soared towards the heavens, the anger and humiliation at letting a mortal girl escape his grasp brimming at the peak of his heart.

Taking a deep breath to calm his trembling emotions, Du Yongkang stepped forward, grabbing the longsword from a nearby soldier's waist and pointing it towards the young girl's throat.