52: Chapter 52 Alcatraz Island and the Mischief Master

Meng Li couldn't figure out why the East Factory was still active after losing its top fighter, Liu Xi.

Because as soon as those long-lying-in-wait East Factory Guards landed, they uniformly drew their sharp swords and then formed a formation, holding an umbrella in one hand and a sword in the other, charging toward Meng Li and the others without a word.

Tie Xinlan, Jiang Yuyan, and Little Xiao all looked at Meng Li. Seeing his calm expression, they couldn't help but feel relieved.

Xiao Yuer, having just untied the rope from his foot, immediately said upon seeing this: 'Brother Meng, Lao Hua, my Martial Arts are mediocre. I'll leave this to you.'

After saying that, he directly ducked back.

E Tongtian did the same.

Hua Wuchuan looked at Meng Li: 'Will you do it, or shall I?'

Meng Li replied: 'I don't like killing people. You do it.'

With those words, he turned and retreated, taking Tie Xinlan, Jiang Yuyan, and Little Xiao with him.

Hua Wuchuan was momentarily stunned.

Doesn't like killing people?

This was the first time he had ever heard such a thing.

However, he didn't dwell on it and directly raised his sword to meet the East Factory Guards.

Knowing Hua Wuchuan was from Yihua Palace and thus his Martial Arts must be formidable, the East Factory Guards, seeing him alone, decided to join forces to eliminate him first before dealing with Meng Li and the others behind. Therefore, upon encountering Hua Wuchuan, they immediately changed their positions, surrounding and attacking him en masse.

However, the gap between their Martial Arts and Hua Wuchuan's was too vast.

Even with a combined assault, they couldn't harm Hua Wuchuan; instead, he slaughtered them all as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

From start to finish, the battle lasted no longer than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Tie Xinlan and Jiang Yuyan were somewhat surprised, but considering their own husband's Martial Arts were equally impressive, if not superior, they didn't pay it much mind.

They even found Hua Wuchuan's posturing and dramatic posing during the fight rather ordinary.

On the contrary, it was Xiao Yuer who clapped his hands in relief, saying: 'Fortunately, I became friends with you, Lao Hua, and Brother Meng back then, otherwise this would surely have been a close call. Indeed, the old saying is right: when traveling, more friends mean more paths.'

Hua Wuchuan executed a sword flourish and sheathed his blade, not responding.

Meng Li asked, puzzled: 'Friends? When did we become friends?'

Xiao Yuer raised an eyebrow: 'The first time I met you, Brother Meng, I expressed my desire to befriend you, and you didn't object. Later, we shared a meal, had conversations, not long ago we dealt with those hypocrites together on the mountain, and now we've faced danger together.'

'They say the first meeting is unfamiliar, the second familiar, and by the third or fourth, you're friends.'

'Given all we've been through, can't we be considered friends?'

Meng Li said: 'That seems somewhat reasonable, but until now, I still don't know where you're from or what your purpose is in coming to Mount Huang.'

Xiao Yuer immediately slapped his forehead: 'Apologies, that was my oversight. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Xiao Yuer, from Demon Island. I came to Mount Huang mainly to investigate my origins through Mr. Hongye.'

Meng Li was taken aback: 'Demon Island? The one modified by the Troublemaker Master?'

This time, it was Xiao Yuer's turn to be astonished: 'Brother Meng, you actually know of the Troublemaker Master?'

After leaving Demon Island to investigate his origins, he had made many inquiries. Among the people he met, some knew of Demon Island, but none knew it had been modified by the Troublemaker Master. Meng Li was the first.

He had analyzed the reason, believing it was mainly due to the long passage of time.

When the Troublemaker Master trapped the villains on the island, he was already quite old and passed away not long after. Subsequently, the Five Great Villains dared not leave the island, partly due to the mechanisms and environmental constraints, but more because they were terrified by the Troublemaker Master and had grown accustomed to life on the island.

The Five Great Villains were trapped for some years before encountering Yan Nantian, and later raised Xiao Yuer.

Roughly calculating, from its construction and activation until now, Demon Island must be at least twenty or thirty years old.

And modifying an island surely took a considerable amount of time. Even if the Troublemaker Master was a prodigy, it likely required ten years.

Working backwards from that, the Troublemaker Master's fame peaked at least thirty or forty years ago.

Thirty or forty years is enough time for several generations of people in the Jianghu to come and go.

Furthermore, the Troublemaker Master's greatest strengths were his ingenious mechanical devices and his myriad methods of pranks and mischief. As for Martial Arts...

Judging from the Legacy he received, Xiao Yuer estimated they weren't very strong.

And in the Jianghu, Martial Arts are the mainstream.

Therefore, it's not strange that people in the current Jianghu don't know of the Troublemaker Master; meeting someone who does is the surprise.

Meng Li nodded, then said as they walked: 'I once read about it in a book of Jianghu legends. According to the records, the Troublemaker Master was an eccentric. Like a mischievous child, he enjoyed pranks and mischief, with endless methods of teasing people.'

'At the same time, he possessed exceptional talent and mastery in mechanical arts, his greatest achievement being the modification of Demon Island.'

'Demon Island is called an island, but it is actually a prison.'

'Many years ago, after Demon Island was completed, the Troublemaker Master managed to trap the most notoriously evil figures of that time on the island, preventing them from leaving to commit further wrongs, while hoping they would reflect, repent, and reform themselves on the island.'

At this point, he paused, glanced at Xiao Yuer, and continued: 'Regarding Demon Island, the book also records two rumors.'

'The first concerns the once-famous medical master Chang Bai Cao, known as the 'Ghost Doctor.' He offended the Kongtong Sect many years ago and later fled to Demon Island to live in seclusion to avoid trouble.'

'The second is related to Yan Nantian, the publicly acknowledged number one Martial Arts master in the world over a decade ago.'

'Yan Nantian has been missing for many years. According to rumors, the last place he went was Demon Island.'

Hearing this, Xiao Yuer couldn't help but ask excitedly: 'Then do you know what happened to Grandmaster Yan Nantian before he went to Demon Island?'

Meng Li smiled: 'I have some understanding.'

'What happened?' Xiao Yuer asked.

But Meng Li said: 'There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and this information naturally cannot be given for free. Moreover, this matter is of no small importance.'

'Didn't you just say so much?'

Meng Li smiled without speaking.

Xiao Yuer quickly caught on, his face showing realization: 'You did that on purpose.'

Then, clutching his chest, he feigned hurt: 'I consider you a friend, and you play mind games with me. What about sincerity for sincerity?'

'Brother Meng, this really saddens me.'

Meng Li spread his hands and replied: 'Calling us friends is just your personal opinion; I never acknowledged it. Sincerity for sincerity refers to pursuing girls. You're not a girl, and besides, I already have a family.'

'Weren't you just...'

'I only said your words made some sense, not that we are friends.'

'Why?' Xiao Yuer was puzzled, then said: 'I should have shown considerable sincerity.'

Meng Li replied: 'I don't like making friends. While it's true that more friends mean more paths, everything has two sides. More friends can also bring trouble. Though I'm not afraid of trouble, I dislike it.'

Xiao Yuer fell silent.

He didn't quite agree with this view, but had to admit Meng Li's words held some truth.

At the same time, he realized Meng Li had his own principles and style, and he couldn't force the issue.

In that case...

Xiao Yuer adjusted his mindset and asked: 'Brother Meng, what would it take for you to be willing to tell me the information?'