Chapter 140: Frenzy

Su Yuanli’s careless remark, "What can Di Renjie possibly do to me?", instantly tightened the hearts of the common people gathered at the North Gate of Fangzhou.

Could this barbarian truly be so arrogant? He didn’t even hold Lord Di in any regard!

One must know that Di Renjie was renowned for upholding the law impartially and possessed an abiding righteousness; in the eyes of the ordinary people of the present day, he was the embodiment of justice and their ultimate pillar of support.

Without realizing it, Su Yuanli had thoroughly provoked public outrage.

...

Daoist Master Meng chuckled inwardly. This was truly seeking one’s own death!

With a chilling tone, he said, "Let's see if Lord Di can bring you to justice or not! Do you take the elders of Fangzhou for cowards completely devoid of backbone and spirit, mere worthless rats? As if we would allow you to run amok and bully people here!"

"Hah, damn it!" Su Yuanli was truly enraged. Where on earth did this demonic daoist come from to utter such wild nonsense?

"Come! Bring me my iron cage!"

The crowd started in alarm. Bring out the iron cage? This was Su Yuanli’s signature method of torture, known to everyone under heaven.

Just moments ago, the surrounding common people had been stirred to righteous indignation by Daoist Master Meng’s stirring words. Indeed, did this wicked official truly think Fangzhou had no men, and that Lord Di was easy to bully?

Yet at this moment, anxiety gripped their hearts. A warm-hearted soul even cried out urgently, "Run, brave warrior!"

"Run?"

Daoist Master Meng thought to himself that the timing was just right; how regrettable it would be to leave now.

Instead of retreating, he advanced. With a flash of his figure, he had already charged forward.

On the other side, Su Yuanli was completely dumbfounded. *Damn it, this daoist has some real nerve! I am an imperial official of the court, flanked by guards and blade-wielding runners, yet instead of submitting, he dares to charge at me?*

Little did Su Yuanli know that Daoist Master Meng’s few words had already incited universal resentment.

Timing! What Su Yuanli was facing was Meng Cangsheng, a supreme martial artist who dared to storm even the imperial palace.

Terrain! This was Fangzhou, not the Eastern Capital.

Harmony of People! Public grievance had reached its peak, an unstoppable force.

Heavenly timing, advantageous terrain, and human harmony—Su Yuanli possessed none of them. It would defy all reason if he didn't run into misfortune today.

Before his vision could even clear—not only had his personal guards failed to react, but even Su Yuanli himself had no idea what was happening—Meng Cangsheng had already reached the side of his horse.

Clenching his tiger-fist tightly, he struck directly beneath the horse's flank with a loud *bang*!!

"Get down with you!"

"Ah!" Su Yuanli shrieked in terror as he felt his mount's front legs buckle. With a long whinny, the horse lunged forward and collapsed, dragging Su Yuanli down with it.

Just as he was about to make a most ungraceful face-plant into the dirt, he felt the back of his neck seized by an iron grip from the daoist, who yanked him along in one fluid motion.

"Off you go!"

Old Su squeezed his eyes shut in fright. When he finally opened them again, he found himself sprawled flat at the daoist's feet, completely subdued and helpless.

...

The few guards who had accompanied Su Yuanli finally snapped out of their stupor at this moment. They hurriedly drew their blades, yet did not dare to step forward. "Let go of our General!"

"Let go?"

Daoist Master Meng offered a mocking smile, thinking to himself that once someone fell into his hands, there was no letting go.

He suddenly jerked his head up and shouted urgently to the surrounding crowd:

"The wicked general Su Yuanli has been captured! Will the elders and townsfolk of this prefecture not step forward and join this poor priest in dragging this vicious official before Lord Di?!"

"......"

"!!!!"

Only then did the common people snap to their senses, realizing that this daoist possessed such extraordinary martial arts prowess that he had captured Su Yuanli in the blink of an eye.

"Daoist Master, fear not! I shall come to your aid!"

Human nature was such that if you asked someone to take on Su Yuanli all by themselves, they would certainly not dare. But once someone took the lead and made the first move, it became an entirely different story.

At Meng Cangsheng’s shout, brave souls immediately stepped forward to render righteous assistance.

"I am willing to go as well!"

With a first and a second, a third and a fourth soon followed.

Public sentiment surged, and the crowd swarmed forward.

In an instant, the people near the North Gate surged toward Meng Cangsheng like a swarm of bees.

Even those who were not originally present heard the commotion and moved with the wind; virtually the entire population of Fangzhou came pouring toward this area.

*It's over.* Sun Hongde's legs turned to jelly, and he nearly collapsed onto the ground.

While shouting urgently at the top of his lungs, "Brave warrior, you must not!" he began elbowing his way frantically into the dense crowd.

If anything unfortunate were to happen to Su Yuanli, how could he, the magistrate and parent-official of Fangzhou, ever answer to the Holy Empress?

...

Alas, how could Daoist Master Meng possibly give Sun Chongde a chance to squeeze through?

Nor would Su Yuanli give Sun Hongde any chance.

Although this foreigner had been subdued by Meng Cangsheng and felt a measure of fear, his tongue remained utterly unyielding.

"Demonic daoist! You dare to defy the laws of the nation and offend a superior official! You are in open rebellion!"

"I will have you hacked into ten thousand pieces and meet a wretched death!"

Glaring with bulging eyes, he swept his gaze across the surroundings. "And you lawless rabble! You deserve to die just as much!!"

"You deserve to die!"

"......"

Meng Cangsheng smiled darkly. Who deserved to die was still far from certain!

He wound up his fist and delivered a heavy blow straight to Su Yuanli’s cheek. "Vicious official, you still dare to resist?!"

Having spoken and struck the blow, he loosened his grip and released Su Yuanli.

Su Yuanli was taken aback. *Why did this demonic daoist let go?*

Yet there was no time to ponder; rage had long since consumed him. Not only had this demonic daoist dared to show disrespect to a superior official, but he actually dared to strike him? And right across the face, no less!

Unbearable!

He wound up his own fist to retaliate against Meng Cangsheng.

However, Daoist Master Meng had anticipated his counterattack. The moment he released him, he ducked low and slipped away through the thick of the crowd.

Old Su’s punch missed Meng Cangsheng entirely and instead connected squarely with a nearby bystander.

That settled it. The common people assumed that this barbarian had broken free from the daoist and still had the audacity to strike someone.

"Take this!!"

The brave hero who had taken the blow meant for Meng Cangsheng spun around and delivered a fierce kick.

When the others saw this—*ah, someone has made a move! Just a moment ago, we were regretting that handing him over to Lord Di would let him off too lightly, but now? Perfect, come on, I’ll add a kick too.*

And so, it was a punch from this person, a kick from that one; and if anyone felt unsatisfied, they simply added a couple more kicks for good measure.

Although the population of Fangzhou was not massive, and not every single resident had gathered before the North Gate,

even with just this crowd, if everyone gave Su Yuanli a couple of blows, Old Su would have been pounded into pulpy mud even if he were forged of cast iron.

For the span of a full incense stick, the common people behaved as though possessed, crushing inward toward the center of the crowd.

As for Su Yuanli right at the center—he had started off standing, then he was lying down, and now...

Now, blood was already seeping from his seven orifices, and not a trace of life remained within him.

...

"Daoist Master Meng!!" Sun Hongde’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared fixedly at Daoist Master Meng.

"Why did you pull me along?"

When Meng Cangsheng slipped out of the crowd, he had casually dragged Sun Hongde out along with him.

"What were you, the Magistrate, planning to rush in there for? Were you seeking death?"

"Ugh!" Sun Hongde started, a cold sweat instantly pouring down his back.

At the time, he had only thought of rescuing Su Yuanli in a hurry, completely failing to consider the bigger picture.

Now, at Meng Cangsheng’s reminder, Sun Hongde felt a lingering wave of terror.

The crowd over there had gone mad; pushing one's way into the center was no different from seeking death.

Furthermore, did he seriously think he could save Su Yuanli? Wouldn't that be equivalent to setting himself against the entire populace?

"Sigh!!!"

Sun Hongde let out a mournful groan. Su Yuanli in the middle of the circle was dead beyond all saving; his intestines had even been trampled out by the crowd—how could anyone survive that?

"How could the Daoist Master be so extraordinarily bold?"

"Su Yuanli... Su Yuanli was an imperial official of the court after all!!"

Indeed, even Wu Ning was somewhat astonished at this point. How on earth could someone like Meng Cangsheng possess such staggering boldness?!

Daoist Master Meng simply gazed steadily at the scene unfolding before them. "The one who killed him was not this poor priest, but public sentiment!"

"Where the hearts of the people point, what is there to fear about being bold? Though untalented, Meng merely acted to enforce justice on behalf of Heaven!"