This sudden scene left many people stunned.
"Nie Jingnian? Isn’t he the senior brother at Ren Yong Martial Arts Hall? What’s he doing here?"
"I heard he was originally in charge of the South Gate, but because he got injured and was unable to defend, he was deceived by Yu Guizhi from Chenfeng Martial Arts Hall, leading to Wei Hongbin’s cavalry entering the city."
"Sigh, I wouldn’t blame him for this. Who could have expected people from Chenfeng Martial Arts Hall to do such a thing beforehand?"
"But no matter what, the city gate was lost on his watch, so he can’t completely escape responsibility."
Amidst the discussions, Nie Jingnian lowered his head without a word, looking like he would accept any punishment without argument.
Shang Tiefeng sat in his chair, sipping tea as if he didn’t see his disciple kneeling on the ground.
At this moment, a warm hand reached diagonally and landed on Nie Jingnian’s shoulder.
Nie Jingnian looked up to see Zhao Ya standing in front of him, smiling.
"Alright, get up. No one blames you; after all, you were injured defending the gate. Yu Guizhi took advantage of your injury to steal the gate. If we want to blame someone, it’s them, not you."
Zhao Ya looked at the crowd, "What do you all think?"
With Zhao Ya’s high esteem among the martial artists in the Commandery, especially since the Beast Tide would not have been repelled so swiftly without his insistence, everyone naturally echoed his sentiments.
"That’s right, Senior Brother Nie, no one blames you for this. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Get up!"
"Yeah, get up!"
Amid the noisy crowd, Nie Jingnian finally stood up, then lowered his head and quietly said to Zhao Ya,
"Thank you."
Zhao Ya smiled without saying anything.
He understood Nie Jingnian’s temperament, knowing he couldn’t hold things in and had to speak out.
This matter evidently caused him tremendous pressure, leading to his astonishing act of kneeling in public.
In such a situation, as his master, Shang Tiefeng couldn’t say anything.
Because no matter what he said, it would be awkward.
Only by stepping in himself was it most appropriate.
Then Zhao Ya cupped his fists to everyone, "Everyone, you now understand the city’s situation. Since it’s a fact that Wei Hongbin has entered the city, we must unite more than ever to avoid being manipulated by him."
The crowd responded in agreement.
"Zhao is right!"
"Let’s listen to Senior Brother Zhao. Anyone who dares to disrupt our unity, I’ll be the first to deal with them."
"I wholeheartedly support as well."
The crowd was in high spirits, and Zhao Ya thanked them one by one before they dispersed.
Shang Tiefeng was the last to leave. Before leaving, he suddenly patted Zhao Ya on the shoulder.
"Ya, thanks to you for what happened this time."
Zhao Ya knew he was referring to Nie Jingnian’s incident and couldn’t help but smile.
"Master Shang, you’re too kind. Jingnian and I are close friends. Even if no one else helps, I have to intervene."
Shang Tiefeng nodded, looked around to ensure no one else was present, then lowered his voice and asked, "How’s your master’s situation?"
There was no need to hide from Shang Tiefeng, so Zhao Ya sighed.
"I just came from the back; the situation is still dire, and he’s remained unconscious, clearly injured at the core of his Qi Blood."
Hearing this, Shang Tiefeng was silent for a moment, then pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to Zhao Ya.
"This is a Healing Elixir I obtained during my travels in Jianghu, made by a renowned hand. It works quite well. See if it can help your master."
Zhao Ya didn’t refuse.
It would be insincere to decline now.
So he respectfully took the small box with cupped fists.
"Thank you, Master Shang."
Shang Tiefeng smiled.
"No need to be so polite among family, but there’s something I need to remind you."
At this point, Shang Tiefeng’s expression turned serious.
"This time, after you killed a cavalryman in broad daylight, Wei Hongbin won’t let it go easily. He’ll likely target you. Do you know why?"
Zhao Ya was silent for a moment, then said, "Because of my master."
"Exactly, your master’s injury can’t be hidden. Although Old Jin and I are injured, we can move freely, and outsiders can’t tell, so they dare not act rashly."
"But your master, Old Lu, is unconscious, putting you and Dingtai Martial Arts Hall in an extremely dangerous situation, especially with Yuan Chenfeng. This narrow-minded person holds grudges. You defeated two of his disciples before, and he’s long held a grudge. He hasn’t acted because of your master’s presence."
"Now, with Wei Hongbin’s backing, he’s sure to make a move. While you and I are allies now, and I won’t stand by idly, there’s an old saying — only one can be a thief for a thousand days, not guard against a thief for a thousand days. Old Jin and I need to heal in secret, so we can’t keep watch every day. You and your fellow disciples must remain vigilant and prepare."
Hearing Shang Tiefeng’s words, Zhao Ya was deeply moved.
He could tell that this old man genuinely cared for him like a junior, speaking from the heart.
So he respectfully cupped his fists again.
"Thank you, Master Shang, for your guidance. I understand."
"That’s good. I trust you in handling matters. Remember, unless necessary, avoid going out during this time. Inform Old Jin and me immediately if anything happens. Once your master wakes up, the situation will improve."