A Thousand Years of Elegance Discussed in Laughter (Complete) - 24

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Volume Thirty-Two: A Series of Difficulties and the Help of Noblemen, Chapter Twelve: Such Divine Power

. From afar, one could see that both fighters wielded long-handled samurai swords, exchanging blows and slashing back and forth, their powerful energy whistling and reaching several meters in distance. Clearly, they were both top-tier masters. The two men moved swiftly, their swords suddenly clashing, instantly freezing in place. In an instant, their rapid movements turned into complete stillness, without a sound. The onlookers couldn't help but shout, "Bravo!"
When Ren Xiaoyao clearly saw the faces of the two men, his heart trembled. One of them was none other than the injured Araki Ryouko. His opponent was a tall, thin, dark-skinned man in his mid-thirties, with a narrow face and only a tuft of goatee on his chin, making his face look like a mixture of a horse and a goat.
Suddenly, someone from the east shouted, "Sect Leader Araki, quickly admit defeat! You're already at your limit. How can you possibly defeat Uta Shinji? You should take your men back to Kyushu."
Another person said loudly, "Kiriya Kazuaki, how dare you casually address our sect leader by his name?"
The middle-aged man called Kiriya Kazuaki coldly replied, "Your Uesugi-ryu are too proud of yourselves. If it weren't for the Haguro-ryu and Kaji-ryu making their moves first, Uta Shinji alone wouldn't have been able to defeat Sect Leader Araki." It turned out
that after Araki Ryohiko led the Akutagawa-ryu group there, they saw that the enemy outnumbered them by more than three times. Although they had fewer Jonin and Chunin and mostly Genin, they could at most fight them to a draw under normal circumstances. However, the Akutagawa-ryu had just fought a major battle with Ren Xiaoyao that morning, and most of their main forces were injured. If they were to fight head-on, it might result in the destruction of the sect and the loss of many lives. So, he used words to restrain Kōji, preventing them from relying on their numbers to engage in a chaotic battle.
Following the rules of the martial arts world, the seven schools, including the Haguro-ryu and Kaji-ryu, engaged in battle one by one. However, the surrounding area was mostly sandy, making it difficult to use most water-based ninjutsu. Furthermore, the five water ninjas had already been injured by Ren Xiaoyao's attack, and they were all defeated after only a few exchanges, leaving only one
survivor. Since he hadn't conceded defeat, he couldn't rush forward to kill, thus allowing him to hold out until Ren Xiaoyao arrived. Meanwhile, Araki Ryohiko and Uta Shinji both emitted wisps of heat from their heads, indicating that in that short time, they had each unleashed the true power of their honed internal martial arts. One was the leader of the Akutagawa-ryu, a powerful school that dominated Kyushu, and the other was the head of the Uesugi-ryu, who had initiated this joint operation. It seemed the outcome would be decided in
an instant. Both held their breath, watching the arena intently, knowing that this battle was not only about the prestige of the Akutagawa and Uesugi schools, but also a contest of true power between experts, where the loser would likely face mortal danger.
The two men stood like stone statues, not a single hair or hem of their clothing fluttering in the wind.
Araki Ryouko was imposing, his eyes gleaming, his long, dark hair flowing over his shoulders. His inner light was unfathomable, and he possessed an indescribable, intimidating aura, like a demon from the underworld descended to earth. Uta Shinji, on the other hand, stood stiffly, head held high, his eyes occasionally flashing white, giving him a somewhat hanged appearance.
But Ren Xiaoyao, with his extraordinary insight, immediately saw through Uta Shinji's seemingly shallow and simple nature. This man's eyes were calm and sharp, as if constantly searching for weaknesses; the skin exposed above his clothes gleamed with a strange light, a sign of long-term internal energy cultivation; his hands were long and neat, conveying strength and agility even when they were completely still during a contest of internal strength.
Seeing this, Ren Xiaoyao was secretly worried. Araki Ryohiko's internal strength was undeniably profound, yet he had been struck by a Supreme Innate Qi at a distance of only a foot. To be honest, even if it were Yi Tianhan or Fu Longyuan, under the impact of his continuously surging true energy from the Nailuo Water Prison, it would be wishful thinking for their internal organs not to be damaged. Moreover, the Supreme
Innate Qi followed the Yang-heat path and was known for its fierce and sharp attacks. If it broke through the opponent's defenses, it would directly attack the acupoints in the body, severely affecting the circulation of internal energy. Although Su Hanbi's medicine was miraculous, it was impossible to completely eliminate the fire poison that had invaded through the meridians in just half a day. As long as Uta Shinji understood the principle of "delaying," adhering to the principle of "waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out and using stillness to control movement," and prolonging the battle as much as possible, Araki Ryohiko would undoubtedly be defeated.
In terms of intelligence, Uta Shinji was certainly inferior to Ren Xiaoyao, but when it came to fighting experience, having joined the Uesugi-ryu school at fifteen and spent twenty years there, he was no less skilled than Ren Xiaoyao. He knew that Araki Ryohiko had started practicing martial arts at eight, was older than him, and had cultivated his inner strength for over ten years. If they fought head-on, he would definitely not gain the upper hand. Uta Shinji was in his prime, with abundant strength, and given enough time, he would have a chance to win. The five Mizu ninja were all injured, so Araki Ryohiko's condition was probably not at its best. Therefore, he was determined to wear him down until his opponent was exhausted.
Little did he know that Araki Ryohiko was truly an unparalleled genius in the Japanese martial arts world. Otherwise, how could he have dominated a region for over a decade and been hailed as the number one master in Kyushu? Uta Shinji saw through his intentions at a glance and immediately unleashed his inner energy, his inner strength surging like a tidal wave, crashing down on his opponent with both palms.
Seeing Araki Ryohiko fighting with all his might, veins bulging on his forehead and sweat pouring down his face, Ren Xiaoyao guessed that Araki would exhaust his strength in no time, at best falling seriously ill, and at worst dying instantly. After a moment's thought, just as he was about to rush forward to try and break his defense, he suddenly heard Araki Ryohiko and Uta Shinji shout in unison, unleashing the power of their twin swords and each retreating six or seven steps.
Uta Shinji cupped his hands and said, "Sect Leader Araki's skills are superb, and his tactics are even more inconceivable. I admire you!"
Araki Ryohiko's voice boomed like thunder, saying, "We are both from the same martial arts lineage and belong to the same faction on Kyushu Island. Must we be determined to have a victor today?"
Uta Shinji smiled bitterly, "Just now, by retreating one step, I have already lost half a move." He bowed and retreated.
Ren Xiaoyao slapped his thigh, unable to help but secretly cheer. Both he and Uta Shinji underestimated Araki Ryohiko. From the very beginning, Araki Ryohiko hadn't shown his true strength. He first lured Uta Shinji into a defensive stance, gradually slowing down the consumption of his inner energy, preparing for a long battle. Then, he suddenly launched an attack, forcing Uta Shinji to reveal his true strength without reservation. Then, he feigned weakness again, taking advantage of his opponent's belief that he was exhausted and no longer on guard to unleash all his hidden skills, defeating him in one fell swoop.
At this moment, a short old man walked out from the east side. It was none other than Kishu-ryu leader Kiriya Kazuaki, who had spoken earlier.
He landed lightly in front of Araki Ryohiko, arrogantly sneering, "Leader Araki, I'll play with your hand sword technique!" His tone was extremely frivolous, as if he were taking advantage of someone in distress.
Araki Ryohiko glared at him, snorted, and said, "Under normal circumstances, what would the Kishu-ryu sect be to me, Araki Ryohiko? Today, I am like a tiger fallen into the plains, bullied by dogs. If my lifelong reputation is ruined by Uta Shinji, that's fine, but I absolutely cannot let you, Kirigaya Kazuaki, become famous!" He still had the strength to fight back, but Uta Shinji had just stubbornly held on, defending himself with all his might, until he used the last bit of true energy he used to suppress his injuries, and only then was he able to win. However, the fire poison generated by the impact of the innate supreme qi surged upwards from his dantian, flooding various acupoints. Coupled with the already damaged meridians, he felt his bones were sore and his muscles swollen. He only wished to collapse on the ground and never rise again. But thinking of the mission he bore and the life-saving grace he had not yet repaid, a surge of heroic spirit rose in his chest. His eyes shone brightly, his spine straightened and shoulders raised, and he shouted, "Boy, make your move!"
Ji Ligu and Ming were certain that he had exhausted eight or nine tenths of his internal energy. They only needed to fight him for a while, and he would collapse on his own without even making a move. So, they crossed their palms, brought their five fingers together, formed a hand-blade shape, rushed behind Araki Ryohiko, and swung their palms at the side of his neck, a vital spot. Araki Ryohiko slanted and hooked his sword back, slashing back. Kirigaya Kazuaki leaped aside swiftly, his feet incredibly agile, like a monkey, constantly jumping. After several exchanges, Araki Ryohiko's vision went black. His increasingly scorching true energy, fueled by the raging fire poison, suddenly spiraled out of control, surging from his lower abdomen like a raging torrent, flooding every meridian like a burst dam. It rampaged through their bodies like a wild horse, causing their blood to churn and their internal organs to feel as if they were being torn apart. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to stand any longer, collapsing to the ground with a thud.
Kirigaya Kazuaki was overjoyed, laughing loudly, "Araki Ryohiko, today you will die by my hand!"
Ren Xiaoyao saw Ji Ligu and Ming leap up and attack from mid-air. Just as he was about to rush to their aid, he saw Araki Ryohiko stand upright, a slight smile playing on his lips. He channeled his power into the tip of his blade, transforming it into a yellow rainbow, and slashed fiercely into the air. The force he generated was so great that it seemed to pull the surrounding air towards the blade. The angle and direction were perfectly precise, a deadly move to deal with an enemy attacking from above. Seeing the two men in this position, Ji Ligu and Ming were already unable to save themselves.
Sure enough, with a "whoosh," Ji Ligu and Ming's left arm was struck squarely, and flesh and blood immediately flew off. Then, with another "whoosh," a knife struck their abdomen, and their bodies were sent flying backward, crashing several feet away, unable to move. The onlookers, seeing Araki Ryohiko still possessing such divine power despite being seriously injured, were all horrified.

Volume 32, Chapter 13: One Against Seven - Kirigaya

Kazuaki's crushing defeat left the Kishu clan utterly humiliated. Seeing Kirigaya Kazuaki lying less than a few feet from Araki Ryohiko, no one dared to help him up.
After a long while, a short, broad-shouldered, fierce-looking man leaped out from the Kishu clan. With a few swift, powerful thrusts of his right hand, he fired several kunai at Araki Ryohiko's chest, shouting, "Araki, you old bastard, I, Yano Koji, will settle old scores with you!" He was the only Jonin (high-ranking ninja) in the Kishu clan besides Kirigaya Kazuaki, and his words "settle old scores" implied that he had suffered at Araki Ryohiko's hands during a past mission.
With Araki Ryohiko's martial arts skills, dodging several kunai was more than enough. Yano Koji had also intended to hit him with his projectile, but Araki Ryohiko, having almost exhausted all his strength in defeating Kiriya Kazuaki, was half-conscious and barely managed to dodge. He coughed up blood, stumbled, and nearly fell. He managed to stand up, still panting heavily. Everyone was shocked; they never expected the mighty Araki Ryohiko to be so weak. Yano Koji could easily kill him with a single, casual strike. Of
course, Yano Koji wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip by. He held his katana upside down and slowly stepped forward.
At this moment, a man emerged from the Negori-ryu sect. He had a broad forehead, large ears, a fair complexion, and a refined air; this was Ando Masanobu, the sect leader. He swayed slightly and stepped in front of Yano Koji, saying, “Brother Yano, Araki is seriously injured. Even if he wins, it would be an unfair victory. No need for you to lift a finger; leave him to me.”
Yano Koji rolled his eyes and coldly replied, “What serious injury? Araki Ryohiko is a master of feigning death. If he hadn’t been so evasive, our sect leader wouldn’t have fallen for his trick. Ando Masanobu, you and he are both from Kyushu; you wouldn’t be trying to take advantage of this to sell him out, would you? Spare his life or…” "Are you trying to steal my credit?"
Ando Masanobu said calmly. "If you want to wipe us out, you'd better consider the consequences. The Akutagawa School has dominated Kyushu Island for decades, its roots are deep. Not to mention anything else, just the few hundred disciples in the remaining faction alone could wipe out your Kishu School..."
Yano Koji chuckled dryly. "Since our seven schools are already in alliance, we'll naturally share the responsibility if anything goes wrong."
Uda Shinji said loudly, "Whoever caused the mess should clean it up. My Uesugi School doesn't need to get involved."
Among the seven schools, the Uesugi School and the Negoro School are the strongest. Since the leaders of the two schools have the same idea, the other schools echoed it, leaving Yano Koji standing there.
If he retreated, it would be shameful; if he insisted on fighting, he couldn't bear the responsibility.
After thinking it over, Yano Koji had no choice but to back down and awkwardly retreat to the side.
Uta Shinji gave the order: "Disciples of the Haguro and Kaji schools, bind the Akutagawa school's friends and open the way; the Uesugi, Kishu, Negoro, and Naga schools, surround the house from the east, west, south, and north respectively. The Suishu school is to prepare to storm the house and not let anyone escape; the Shinnan school will provide flanking support, ready for any eventuality."
Araki Ryohiko, using his sword to support himself, barely managed to stay upright, and said in a hoarse voice, "You... if you want to get through, you'll have to destroy the Akutagawa school first!" He knew that Shinguji Mina was protected by Ren Xiaoyao and would be safe. If the other side couldn't capture her, they would be furious and would definitely burn the house down, and might even kill people to vent their anger. Inoue Takehiko was an honest man who had spent decades of his savings to build this house. If it were destroyed because of this, or even if his family was harmed, wouldn't he have failed to repay a debt of gratitude and instead harmed the other side? Therefore, he was willing to sacrifice his life to stop them.
Yano Koji immediately perked up, laughing loudly, "Gentlemen, he asked for it, don't blame me." He strode towards Araki Ryohiko, ready to kill him in one move.
Ren Xiaoyao had no time to think, leaping forward to block Yano Koji, and shouted, "Hold on! You, a dignified Jonin, treat a seriously injured person like this? Aren't you afraid the heroes of the world will laugh at you?" His clear voice resounded throughout the area, shaking the Fourth Master and demonstrating his profound internal strength. The various factions, following Uda Shinji's orders, were about to act separately, but upon hearing these words, they all stopped and turned to look at him.
Yano Koji, seeing that the speaker was a richly dressed young man in his twenties, paid him no mind, reaching out to push him aside so he could advance and kill Araki Ryohiko. Ren Xiaoyao sneered, neither dodging nor avoiding, letting Yano Koji strike his chest. With a loud "bang," Ren Xiaoyao seemed unharmed, while Yano Koji staggered back three steps, about to regain his footing. However, Ren Xiaoyao, angered by his despicable methods, secretly channeled his innate supreme qi to counterattack. Yano Koji was thrown far away, still unsteady on his feet. Fortunately, his lower body was solidly grounded. He felt his upper body leaning backward, so he quickly tapped the ground with his right foot and leaped backward, using the momentum to jump more than ten feet away. When he landed, the force of the palm strike had not yet dissipated, and he staggered back seven or eight steps before finally regaining his footing.
Now, Yano Koji and Ren Xiaoyao were more than three zhang apart. Both were shocked and furious, while the onlookers were utterly bewildered, wondering, "What's this old man Yano Koji up to? Why is he retreating and leaping, leaping and retreating, doing all this nonsense?" Only those with exceptional skills, like Uta Shinji and Ando Masanobu, who were sect leaders, could see that the young man possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, having forcefully repelled Yano Koji with his internal energy. They were all horrified.
Araki Ryohiko exclaimed in surprise, "Ren... Sect Leader Ren, how could you..."
Ren Xiaoyao interrupted, "They came for me, how could I dare trouble Sect Leader Araki?" As he spoke, he placed his palm on Araki Ryohiko's "Lingtai" acupoint on his back, continuously channeling his internal energy into him. His innate supreme qi was extremely powerful, not only suppressing the surging true qi within Araki Ryohiko's body but also absorbing the fire poison. In a short while, the blockages in Araki Ryohiko's chest and dantian were completely cleared. He whispered, "Thank you, Master Ren!" He raised his katana and said confidently, "Yano Koji, since you're tired of living, let this old man teach you a lesson!"
Yano Koji never dreamed that Araki Ryohiko, who had just been seriously injured and coughing up blood, would suddenly become full of energy. He couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. Seeing that this easy advantage was not going to be taken, and fearing the power of Araki Ryohiko's swordsmanship, he said, "Alright, then let's compete in ninjutsu!" He knew that Araki Ryohiko's forte was water-based ninjutsu, which was completely useless on land, thus increasing his chances of winning.
Araki Ryoko said loudly, "Let's fight! I'm not afraid of you!" He turned to Uta Shinji and said, "Sect Leader Uta, Araki isn't dead yet, he hasn't admitted defeat, and you're already going back on your word? Do you want to win by relying on numbers?"
Uta Shinji waved his hand and said, "Alright! Everyone, wait a moment, what's wrong with that!"
Ren Xiaoyao knew that although Araki Ryoko was better than before, he absolutely couldn't exert his full strength. If he really fought his opponent, he would likely be in grave danger. He whispered, "Sect Leader Araki, you should rest well. I'll deal with these people."
Araki Ryoko knew Ren Xiaoyao's intentions. He recognized the enemy's strength, but considering their sheer numbers, even the most skilled among them couldn't withstand the relentless onslaught of their forces. In the end, he'd be just like him, severely wounded and exhausted, at their mercy. Why waste such a promising young talent here? He solemnly said, "Go back quickly and protect Lord Inoue and his family as they leave. I'll hold them off here. Go now!"
Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly and whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, I have a plan." With a wink, two less seriously injured Akutagawa-ryu disciples immediately stepped forward and helped Araki Ryohiko back.
Uta Shinji cupped his hands and said, "Are you the one who insisted on being an enemy of Igagaya, Ren Xiaoyao?"
Ren Xiaoyao replied frankly, "I dare not accept such praise; it is indeed I."
Yano Koji quickly said, "Sect Leader Uda, stop wasting time talking to him! Everyone, let's attack together and take care of this guy and the Akutagawa gang so we can share the 20,000 taels of silver!" Ren Xiaoyao took a solid blow from him but was completely unharmed. Yano Koji knew he was no match for him, so he tried to incite everyone to attack, hoping to win by sheer numbers.
Ando Masanobu sneered, "Hmph, weren't you eager to fight? What, are
you having second thoughts?" Yano Koji was speechless. "I..." Seeing hundreds of eyes staring at him, he knew he would lose face if he backed down. He could only brazenly say, "Fight...fight it is! I'm not afraid!" He planned to endure for another ten or twenty moves before admitting defeat to avoid losing his life.
Unexpectedly, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly burst into laughter, his sleeves billowing arrogantly. He glanced around, finally settling on Yano Koji, and said haughtily, "I'm not one to settle battles in a few moves. I have even less interest in one-on-one duels with you and the leaders of these small sects. How about this: you seven sects send out your best fighters—ten, a dozen, whatever—all at once. If I lose, you can do whatever you want with Mina. If I win… hmph, get out of here immediately, lest this sect leader go on a killing spree!" (

Chapter 14, "Righteousness Reaching Heaven," Volume 32, Chapter 14) Upon hearing

Ren Xiaoyao's words, the seven sects… The crowd immediately erupted in commotion. "You brat, who do you think you are, acting so arrogantly?" "That's right, even if the Iga Valley people can't do anything to you, it doesn't mean we're afraid." "Let's all go at him and teach him a lesson!" "Sect Leader, give the order! The brothers are waiting!"
Uta Shinji hesitated for a long time, remaining silent. Just now, Araki Ryohiko could have easily killed him with one more strike, but the other man had shown mercy and acted amiably. Even if Ren Xiaoyao was arrogant and domineering, he was still on the same side as Araki Ryohiko. He couldn't repay kindness with enmity and call for everyone to gang up on him.
He could endure it, but the few reckless Chunin from the Kishu clan couldn't hold back. They exchanged glances, grabbed their weapons, and roared as they pounced on Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. The crowd saw a flash of blue light before their eyes, which vanished instantly. Then, the four Kishu-ryu members stumbled back even faster than when they had charged forward, each wielding only half a katana. Their clothes were reduced to dust scattered by the force of the impact, leaving them only in their underpants.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Such martial arts were utterly unheard of and unseen. Even the weaker sect leaders, let alone ordinary disciples, couldn't discern its secrets.
When the four Kishu-ryu members effortlessly rose to their feet, looking around with blank expressions and seemingly unharmed, Uda Shinji, Ando Masanobu, and the Naga-ryu leader, Kamikawa Takaya, and the Shin-Nan-ryu leader, Eguchi Yosuke, all paled.
To sever weapons and shatter clothing without injuring a single person—this was clearly not something that could be achieved simply through profound internal energy.
Ren Xiaoyao turned around with a flourish, slowly drawing his Ice Soul Frost Sword. A silk handkerchief, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, appeared in his hand as he leisurely wiped the sword's spine. He said calmly, "This sword is made of ancient ice jade. It can cut hair in an instant and slice iron like mud. It also contains ten thousand years of chilling energy. If it were to penetrate your internal organs, the pain would be excruciating, lasting for years. Rest assured, I won't take advantage of you; I'll fight you empty-handed." His expression exuded a smug arrogance, making the surrounding crowd, especially the leaders of the seven sects, itch with envy. They wanted nothing more than to rush forward and beat him up, but lacked the courage.
Ren Xiaoyao swiftly sheathed his sword, his tiger-like eyes flashing with a sharp light. Standing proudly upright, he calmly said, "What, aren't you going to attack? Do you want me to tie another hand..."
Ando Masanobu suddenly roared, interrupting him, "Enough! Don't think you can intimidate us just because you've shown a few moves. Hmph, let's fight! I, Ando Masanobu, will be the first to meet you!"
With the leader appearing, the crowd immediately rallied. Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and the other masters from various factions stepped forward one after another. Yano Koji thought for a moment, then also stepped forward, but stood at the very end.
Ren Xiaoyao's eyes flashed coldly as he coldly scanned the surroundings several times, making everyone feel a chill run down their spines.
Yano Koji urged, "Everyone, let's attack side by side and tear this fool to pieces!"
Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, his laughter initially clear and bright, gradually growing louder and louder, like rumbling thunder. Suddenly, a sharp, deafening roar erupted, like a bolt of lightning striking from the sky. Everyone's hearts trembled, as if in a trance, their steps faltering, and they staggered, soon collapsing.
The seven sect leaders were utterly horrified. Although they could still defend themselves, their disciples could not withstand the onslaught. They only hoped that Ren Xiaoyao's laughter would stop quickly, but the thunderous roars continued unabated, suddenly accompanied by the sound of a fierce wind. After the time it takes to eat a meal, instead of weakening, his momentum grew stronger and stronger.
Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, and Eguchi Yosuke exchanged glances, about to step forward to intercept him, but Yano Koji, without hesitation, drew two shuriken and shot them towards Ren Xiaoyao's eyes.
Ren Xiaoyao pulled up his sleeves, and his laughter suddenly stopped—no, to be precise, it condensed into a highly focused sound wave, just like Xiaochen had used against Liu Yuxu at the martial arts tournament, and shot straight at Yano Koji
. By the time Yano Koji realized something was wrong, it was too late. The fiery, astonishing energy of the laughter shot towards him like a raging sea, leaving him no time to even catch his breath.
In an instant, Yano Koji felt as if struck by lightning. A deafening boom reverberated in his ears, shaking his very soul. He felt as if he were engulfed in a sea of fire, his entire body swelling as if about to burst. His meridians seemed to have lost their support, the pain almost unbearable. Every part of his body burned with pain, then the heat surged upwards, coursing through his acupoints, driving him to the brink of madness, as if trapped in an inescapable nightmare. The agony nearly drove him to suicide.
"Boom!" The force exploded, a violent surge of energy erupting with a deafening, thunderous roar. Yano Koji, as if struck by lightning, coughed up blood, his body flying backwards and crashing into a tree with a thud. He collapsed to the ground like a raging torrent, motionless, only a faint breath lingering from his nose.
As for the shuriken thrown by Yano Koji, it was forcefully shattered into several pieces by the force of the true energy.
What surprised Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke and the others even more was that everyone on their side was dazed and listless, most of them injured by the laughter, while the Akutagawa group ten feet away, including the five seriously injured water ninja and Araki Ryohiko whose internal energy was almost exhausted, stood perfectly fine as if nothing had happened.
Surprised as they were, they were not comparable to the rabble of wandering ninja outside the temple that day. Even though Ren Xiaoyao's Lion's Roar was more powerful than Xiao Chen's and had a great preemptive effect, it was by no means enough to force back the seven groups of menacing and fearless people.
Uta Shinji stepped forward and declared loudly, "Master Ren's martial arts are superb; in a one-on-one fight, none of us are his match. However, as ninjas, to retreat without even making a move is a great disgrace. Since you claim to fight against overwhelming odds, then fine, each of our seven sects will send one person to settle the score with you right here. If we are unfortunately defeated, we will immediately lead our troops away without further ado." Upon hearing this, the others wisely withdrew, leaving only seven masters.
Following the rules of the Japanese martial arts world, both sides announced their names. The Negoro-ryu, Naga-ryu, and Shinnan-ryu were represented by their leaders, Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, and Eguchi Yosuke; the Haguro-ryu, Kaji-ryu, and Uesugi-ryu were represented by their special Jonin, Odagiri, Jonin, Miura Tomokazu, and Takakura Ken; the Kishu-ryu had no Jonin and instead chose Chunin, Kamenashi Kazuya.
Unexpectedly, Ren Xiaoyao did not rush to make a move. Instead, he walked up to Uta Shinji, took out two pills from his pocket, and handed them to him, saying in a deep voice, "You and Master Araki were competing in internal energy, which greatly depleted your strength. Just now, you also endured my laughter, so your internal organs must be damaged. This Six Yang Righteous Qi Pill is made from a variety of extremely precious medicinal materials, including thousand-year-old ginseng, Poria cocos, Ganoderma lucidum, deer antler, Polygonum multiflorum, Lingzhi, bear bile, Panax notoginseng, and musk. It is specially made by steaming and drying the herbs nine times. It is specifically for treating internal injuries. If Master Uta does not mind, please take it."
Uta Shinji was greatly surprised. When the pill was taken out, a refreshing fragrance filled his senses, and the scent alone brought a cool sensation throughout his body. He knew that Ren Xiaoyao's words were true and that he had no intention of harming him. He was astonished that the other party was so generous, offering a spiritual medicine to his enemy.
Without hesitation, he accepted it and ate it. Sure enough, in no time, a surge of heat rose from his dantian, instantly making him feel comfortable all over. Uta Shinji was about to thank him when Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly and then walked towards Jili Valley and Ming. The Jizhou followers were intimidated by his divine skills, and none of them dared to stop him. However, they were also afraid that Ren Xiaoyao might suddenly use a heavy hand and take the lives of the sect leader and deputy sect leader, so they were all on tenterhooks.
Jili Guheming was seriously injured. Seeing Ren Xiaoyao approaching, he was powerless to dodge and stared straight at him. Ren Xiaoyao remained expressionless, then suddenly slapped Jili Guheming on the head. Everyone was shocked, thinking he was about to use a killing move. Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and others were stunned for a moment, then rushed forward from behind. But Ren Xiaoyao suddenly stopped and asked with a smile, "Sect Leader Jili Guheming, how do you feel?"
Jili Guheming opened his eyes, showing no trace of his previous weakness and serious injuries. He bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Master Ren, for using your inner strength to heal Zaibu's injuries. Young Hero Zeng's divine skills are beyond words, but I am even more grateful for your great kindness and righteousness in repaying evil with good."
Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly surprised. Little did they know that when Ren Xiaoyao raised his palm to slap Ji Ligu and Ming's forehead, he secretly channeled his true energy into their bodies. Although the moment was short, the innate supreme qi was thick and powerful. Even in just a moment, Ji Ligu and Ming had already benefited greatly.
Ren Xiaoyao said solemnly, "I am but a martial artist; how could I possibly accept the titles of 'Great Benevolence and Righteousness'? Senior Ji Ligu, besides the external injuries to your arm and abdomen, your eight extraordinary meridians have been severely shaken, which has greatly affected your body. You might even suffer from some intractable illness. Please immediately regulate your breathing to prevent your injuries from worsening."
Ji Ligu knew that what she said was true, so he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, thank you!" He immediately stepped aside, sat down, and began to practice his internal energy. He knew that this was quite unseemly and lacked decorum, but with life and death at stake, he couldn't care less about anything else.
Ren Xiaoyao bent down and began to treat Yano Koji. Su Hanbi, feeling sorry for her lover, had given him countless elixirs. Ren Xiaoyao randomly selected a few and, combined with internal energy massage, Yano Koji's face regained its color in the blink of an eye, and his injuries greatly improved. He was both grateful and guilty, and kept thanking her profusely.
Ren Xiaoyao gestured for the Kishu-ryu members to help Kiriya Kazuaki and Yano Koji away before returning to the arena. He loudly proclaimed, "Come on, let me experience your superior skills."

Araki Ryohiko, watching from Volume 33, Chapter 1, "Japanese Strange Arts,

" was greatly impressed. Ren Xiaoyao first displayed an arrogant and aloof demeanor, provoking the crowd's anger, then used his unparalleled martial arts to intimidate them, preventing the seven factions from making any rash moves. Out of pride, they had no choice but to accept his challenge. This was far superior to his own efforts to use words and elaborate martial arts rules to coerce the opponents into agreeing to a one-on-one fight. What was even more remarkable was that before the fight, he proactively healed Uta Shinji, Kiriya Kazuaki, and Yano Koji, making it difficult for them—at least the Uesugi-ryu and Kishu-ryu representatives, Takakura Ken and Kamenashi Kazuya—to bring themselves to fight him with their full strength.
With a series of swift, sharp sounds of swords being drawn, Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, Odagiri, Miura Tomokazu, Takakura Ken, and Kamenashi Kazuya all stepped forward, forming a circle around Ren Xiaoyao.
Judging from their stances, Ren Xiaoyao knew they were all top-tier ninjas, with at least four of them possessing strength comparable to Shinguji Mina. If he had the Ice Soul Frost Sword, he could easily take on all seven of them, but fighting unarmed would inevitably leave him vulnerable. He regretted his overconfidence, which had placed him in a precarious situation.
He was shaken. The seven masters surrounding him sensed his presence simultaneously, and the first to act was none other than the previously unassuming Ando Masanobu. One moment he was several feet away, the next he was positioned slightly to Ren Xiaoyao's right, his right hand wielding a katana, slashing towards Ren Xiaoyao's chest, while his left hand retreated behind him, seemingly preparing to unleash some ninjutsu.
Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke descended from the sky, wielding their twin blades, their powerful energy surging forth. A swirling, chilling aura instantly filled the area several feet around Ren Xiaoyao, creating a penetrating aura. Then
came Odagiri's uniquely narrow, long sword, now unleashing over ten dazzling blade shadows. Suddenly, a cold light shot out, striking Ren Xiaoyao's throat with lightning speed—a ruthless, vicious, and utterly unrestrained attack.
Miura Tomokazu, not to be outdone, let out a low growl, his twin swords flashing rapidly, forming a small, raging whirlwind as he swept forward from Ren Xiaoyao's lower body from his left rear. Takakura
Ken remained motionless, yet exuded an air of unfathomable mystery.
Another threat was Kamenashi Kazuya directly behind them; no one knew how or when he would strike.
As soon as they launched their attack, Ren Xiaoyao knew his prediction was correct. His opponents were indeed all masters of ninjutsu, each possessing unique skills, and their combined power was amplified. The situation left him no room to hold back; the battle could only end with one side losing, with no possibility of a truce.
This was the first time Ren Xiaoyao had faced so many equally skilled opponents simultaneously, so he dared not be careless. He channeled his inner energy, maximizing the sensitivity of his eyes, ears, and nose, transforming his mind into still water in a well, clearly reflecting everything around him, discerning every detail, precisely grasping his opponents' movements, attack methods, and timing. He could even sense their movements through their clothes, achieving the level of a master who "knows the enemy."
Without any apparent stance, Ren Xiaoyao kicked off with both feet, shooting straight into the air like an arrow, retreating. But this retreat was not an ordinary evasion; it contained subtle and profound principles, a true test of his skill.
First, he had to avoid Ando Masanobu's attack from the left. His attack seemed ordinary, but it was actually the most deadly move at this moment, leaving him in a dilemma: block it, or not block it. If it were just a two-on-one fight, he could easily deflect and parry Ando Masanobu's attack with a simple parry of the Free and Unfettered Palm. However, four other experts were attacking from above, behind, and the left. When he directly confronted Ando Masanobu's attack, he would be struck by weapons and die instantly; there would be no other possibility.
Ren Xiaoyao regretted it again. This time, it wasn't because his opponent's skill far exceeded his expectations, but because he was usually too arrogant and self-righteous. Long Feiyun had offered him the Mangcang Taxue Armor countless times, but he had refused. If he had this impenetrable armor now, how could he not withstand Ando Masanobu's attack?
What followed was even more astonishing. The aura emanating from Kagawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke was even more bizarre, completely enveloping and surrounding him. The space around him seemed to have sunken in, not only weakening his senses but also causing him an unbearable feeling of being unable to exert any leverage, somewhat like a fish caught in a deep-sea whirlpool, helplessly struggling against its own current. Normally, he could easily leap four or five zhang with a light touch of his toes, but this time he only rose less than two zhang. As for Miura Tomokazu and Odagiri, who had originally planned to use their exquisite movements to evade him, they attacked before he could use his Flying Immortal Transformation technique to rise again.
In a moment of quick thinking, Ren Xiaoyao leaned backward, causing Odagiri's attack to miss immediately. However, the aura attacking from behind by Miura Tomokazu was rapidly intensifying as his weapon approached. Even with his protective inner energy, the pressure on Ren Xiaoyao's back was on the verge of collapse.
Shadow Clone Technique! Forced to unleash the secret technique taught to him by Mina Shinguji, Ren Xiaoyao's confident slash only struck the ethereal shadow that Mina had mysteriously "split" into shape.
Not far away, Kazuya Kamenashi suddenly roared, raising his sword and slashing fiercely, creating a whistling sound as he lunged at Ren Xiaoyao, aiming a diagonal strike at his neck. His skill was profound, and his appearance extremely imposing.
Almost simultaneously, Masanobu Ando caught up. His left hand, hidden behind his back, suddenly shot forward, not with a palm strike, but with a ball of flame!
Ren Xiaoyao, of course, wouldn't be foolish enough to stubbornly take the hit. He swiftly used his Illusory Shadow Technique, moving like a ghost to appear above Kamenashi Kazuya. He lightly touched the back of Kamenashi Kazuya's rapidly moving blade with his toes, and like an arrow released from a bow, he broke free from the combined aura created by Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke, soaring into the sky.
This move greatly surprised everyone. You see, when a person is in the air, once their true energy is exhausted, they will fall. In the air, the flexibility to change moves or defend is greatly reduced, and they become the most obvious target for attack. If surrounded, few would dare to try. Therefore, Ando Masanobu, Odagiri, and others were all greatly puzzled. Kamikawa Takaya
and Eguchi Yosuke's twin swords seemed to have eyes, drawing upwards to chase after Ren Xiaoyao. Ando Masanobu, Miura Tomokazu, and Odagiri, having just been fooled by him, couldn't immediately stop their forward momentum and couldn't follow up with an attack. They each drew out ninja stars, shuriken, kunai, and other hidden weapons and threw them at him, Dalai Lama.
Ren Xiaoyao's feet stomped together, naturally activating the "Flying Immortal Transformation" technique, causing the twin swords and numerous hidden weapons from Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke to miss their mark. However, just as he was about to turn mid-air and launch a counterattack from his elevated position, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from behind. It was Takakura Ken, who had been observing the entire battle, having anticipated his movements. He leaped up from a large tree, soaring diagonally through the air, and attacked the rapidly ascending Ren Xiaoyao head-on.
Ren Xiaoyao froze, hastily raising his palm to defend, only to find that Takakura Ken's fierce, ruthless, and unpredictable swordsmanship was a feint; the real attack came from his left hand! "Whoosh—" The myriad palm shadows transformed into a single fist, appearing as if from a dream, filling the heavens and earth with a devastating blow. The astonishing force simultaneously generated a suction force, seemingly pulling Ren Xiaoyao towards his earth-shattering fist, as if he were willingly offering his chest to be struck.
The fist kept expanding before Ren Xiaoyao's eyes, as if the heavens and earth had completely vanished!
Ren Xiaoyao knew this was the illusion technique that Mina Shinguji had mentioned before. Although its strength was not great, only affecting the eyes, it could be quickly cast when attacking, and combined with his fist technique to make him fall into it, which was quite remarkable. He immediately channeled his innate supreme qi, rushing it through his "Renzhong," "Yingxiang," and "Yintang" acupoints to his brain. A strange thing happened: his eyes not only regained their clarity, but the fist that had been deceiving his eyes turned back into a solid, unadorned attack aimed at him, greatly reducing its lethality and threat.
Of course! Ken Takakura's fist force was not easy to withstand, especially since Kamenashi Kazuya had already raised his sword to attack.
Despite the perilous situation, Ren Xiaoyao remained calm and composed, demonstrating his profound spiritual cultivation, which had reached a level of unwavering strength. He first lowered his body to prolong the time it took for Takakura Ken's punch to reach his body, then launched a series of powerful kicks at Kamenashi Kazuya, striking him with lightning speed. This
was no casual kick; it was the Shaolin martial art "Shadow Following Leg," a powerful and earth-shattering strike. Kamenashi Kazuya had intended to channel his energy into his sword, cleaving him in two at the waist, but instead, Ren Xiaoyao's swift and decisive kick struck the back of the blade. With a resounding
"crack," the two forces collided violently.
Kamenashi Kazuya felt an intensely hot surge of internal energy flow through his hand along the hilt of his sword, transforming into wisps of energy. His protective internal energy seemed utterly useless. With a muffled groan, he was instantly blasted away.

Volume 33, Chapter 2: Superb Coordination.

Takakura Ken launched a punch, "Clang! Clang!" Ren Xiaoyao's hands moved like magic, pointing, sweeping, and deflecting, completely blocking the opponent's fierce and relentless attacks. Most impressively, each finger and palm strike emitted an intensely hot innate energy, forcing Takakura Ken to repeatedly bounce back to deflect the attack and constantly engage in aerial combat.
Ando Masanobu wielded his sword like the wind, advancing with a swift attack. Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly, using the Dongyue Sword Palm technique he had "learned" from Xiao Xingchen. Taking advantage of Takakura Ken's blood churning from the rapid attacks, he suddenly shifted sideways, his left hand using exquisite and profound techniques to break through the sword's edge and strike Ando Masanobu's wrist, while his right hand drew an arc in the air.
Ando Masanobu cried out in pain, his hand nearly bursting open. He forced his way through, gripping his weapon tightly. This was the moment Ren Xiaoyao had been waiting for. He swiftly brought his hands together, merging them into a single move, "Universal Perfection," deflecting his katana to the left, perfectly blocking the fierce attacks from Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke.
Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke, caught off guard by this ingenious move, were caught off guard and nearly collided with Ando Masanobu. Fortunately, the latter reacted quickly, pressing his blade forward as the three blades clashed, using the momentum to move upwards, thus avoiding a comical "mutual destruction." Stopped by his attack, Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke's movements slowed, rendering them unable to pose any real threat to Ren Xiaoyao in mid-air. They were forced to retreat to the ground to regroup and launch another attack.
But the real challenge was yet to come. Ren Xiaoyao's figure blurred, relentlessly pursuing and attacking Ando Masanobu like a shadow.
Ando Masanobu turned hastily, his katana flashing back with lightning speed, countless points of light, like butterflies chasing flowers, slashing layer upon layer towards Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao shouted, "Excellent swordsmanship!" With a long laugh, his right index and middle fingers thrust forward with tremendous force, striking the back of the blade with astonishing precision.
Ando Masanobu felt as if he had been struck by a ten-thousand-pound iron awl at the tip of the sword; his entire arm went numb and tingling. Then, another surge of heat penetrated through the right blade, causing his internal organs to feel as if they were being turned inside out. Of course, he could fight back stubbornly, but that would be no different from suicide. Helpless, he could only gather his strength and flip backward, flying far away to neutralize Ren Xiaoyao's fierce and ferocious true energy.
Takakura Kenji, fearless of death, attacked again. At this time, Odagiri, Miura Tomokazu, and Kamenashi Kazuya were all forced to a distance of four or five zhang, resulting in a one-on-one situation between the two.
Ren Xiaoyao snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with a chilling light, and charged headlong into the dense net of blades that Takakura Ken was unleashing, employing the dangerous tactics of close combat.
Of course, the word "dangerous" only applied to others; for the highly skilled and daring Ren Xiaoyao, even surrounded by a crowd and fraught with danger, performing the bare-handed-against-blades trick was still more than enough.
The samurai swords transformed into thousands of sword shadows, slashing at Ren Xiaoyao like a storm. Anyone caught in the flash of the blades would be overwhelmed, their power completely dispelled, leaving them utterly powerless to retaliate. But against Ren Xiaoyao, who possessed the world's number one divine skill, the innate supreme qi, and mastered more than a dozen secret martial arts techniques, even the most powerful attacks were futile.
Odagiri, Miura Tomokazu, and Kamenashi Kazuya rushed to help, but all sighed in frustration at finding no opening.
Two figures moved with lightning speed, entangled in a fierce struggle, shifting positions on the slope, chasing and exchanging blows. The sounds of their clashing energies rang out continuously. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged more than ten moves, their swords and palms flashing and changing with effortless grace.
Only then did they understand why Ren Xiaoyao could so easily defeat the three masters of Iga Valley, effortlessly thwart the Shitong Aoki-ryu, and even make Araki Ryohiko and the entire Akutagawa-ryu submit willingly. The young master's greatest strength lay in the fact that all his moves were unpredictable, entirely spontaneous creations of his own imagination, like a gazelle's horns hanging from a tree, leaving no trace and making them impossible for any opponent to fathom.
"Clang!" Ren Xiaoyao struck the blade that was rushing towards him with his finger. An irresistible force pierced through the sword, and Takakura Ken felt as if struck by lightning, his blood surging, and he was thrown backward.
Compared to his disheveled state, Ren Xiaoyao, who had just landed and was busy adjusting his clothes, appeared completely at ease.
Seeing the situation was dire, the crowd shouted and attacked simultaneously. Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and Odagiri occupied the four corners, while Miura Tomokazu and Kamenashi Kazuya leaped high into the air to attack.
They knew Ren Xiaoyao's lightness skill was exceptional and intended to block all directions he could move to.
Of course, if Ren Xiaoyao wanted to dodge, no one in the world could stop him.
But Ren Xiaoyao had no intention of hiding, because from the previous exchange, he had already gauged the true strength of his opponents.
He was confident that he could gain the upper hand within thirty moves, and dominate within fifty moves. Whether Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and the other seven masters would die or surrender would be decided within sixty moves.
Ren Xiaoyao used a trick to open the window and look at the moon, deflecting the deadly attacks from Kagawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke on the left and right. Ando Masanobu seized the opportunity, took a big step in front of him, and slashed at his face with his samurai sword.
Before the blade even arrived, a chilling aura enveloped the space within a radius of ten feet around Ren Xiaoyao. The blade's energy surged outwards like waves, whipping the air around him.
This move by Ren Xiaoyao was the culmination of Ando Masanobu's life's work. He had seized the opportunity while Ren Xiaoyao was busy parrying his two subordinates, making his attack incredibly powerful. However, Ren Xiaoyao was not afraid; on the contrary, he found it exhilarating and
met the attack head-on with a divine palm strike. The two forces collided with a deafening roar.
Ren Xiaoyao stood firm as a mountain, while Ando Masanobu was forced back two steps.
Ren Xiaoyao's eyes blazed with divine light. Just as he was about to strike Ando Masanobu again with a flick of his sleeve, Miura Tomokazu and Kamenashi Kazuya attacked. The former swiftly raised his left hand, throwing out seven or eight kunai, while the latter drew his sword, its blade radiating a chilling killing intent, surging forward like a raging torrent.
Kamenashi Kazuya's martial arts skills were the weakest among the seven, yet his weapon was half again as large as the others, clearly indicating a brute-force approach. Under normal circumstances, such a reckless man would be the easiest to deal with; Ren Xiaoyao was almost certain he could defeat him within three moves. However, Miura Tomokazu, standing beside him, was a different story. While wielding a sword with both hands, he could also unleash incredibly sharp hidden weapons. Their timing and angles were perfectly coordinated, forcing him to focus his full strength on Kamenashi Kazuya, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness and frustration. Ren
Xiaoyao immediately deduced that the two had practiced before the operation, employing a profound combined combat technique that could subdue opponents stronger than themselves.
Facing the enemy's skillfully coordinated and continuous attacks, Ren Xiaoyao remained fearless, his feet moving swiftly. He darted left and right with incredible agility, like a fish swimming, dodging the enemy's blade. He then grabbed two kunai, hurled them with force, and aimed directly at Miura Tomokazu's face. Simultaneously, he slammed his left palm into the ground, launching himself diagonally upwards.
In the blur of the onlookers' vision, Ren Xiaoyao and Kamenashi Kazuya brushed past each other, perfectly avoiding his powerful strike.
"Whoosh!" Ando Masanobu was back in action, the spiraling energy from the blade causing his clothes to flutter wildly.
Ren Xiaoyao didn't want to engage in a direct confrontation, lest someone else take advantage of the situation. He moved swiftly, trying to trick Ando Masanobu into missing his target. However, the opponent's weapon seemed to have eyes, following him like a shadow. No matter how unpredictable and agile his movements were, he couldn't shake him off. Ren Xiaoyao felt a chill, wondering if his opponent had already seen through his footwork after only ten or so moves. In a flash, he had a plan.
It turned out that after suffering several losses, Ando Masanobu realized that relying solely on his eyes to determine his opponent's location was no longer a viable strategy. Instead, he channeled his inner energy, locking onto Ren Xiaoyao's aura. No matter how Ren Xiaoyao dodged and leaped, he ignored him, focusing solely on the core of the aura—Ren Xiaoyao's dantian.
With the combined efforts of Takaya Kamikawa, Hiroshi Eguchi, Tomokazu Miura, and Kazuya Oshikamenashi, Masanobu Ando cornered Ren Xiaoyao. His katana slashed through the air, displaying its graceful and agile nature to the fullest, a blend of strength and softness, until the blade was only three feet away from Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao swiftly changed his move, dodging to the left, his aura shifting accordingly.
Ando, as if anticipating this, immediately changed direction with his katana, pursuing him relentlessly.
Just as he was about to strike, the force field he had relied on vanished without a trace. Ren Xiaoyao let out a long howl, flipping from above him to a point about two zhang behind him, swift as a ghost, cunning as a monkey.
This ability to dissipate true energy in an instant was something Ando hadn't even considered. His attack missed instantly, and he could no longer follow up with his attack.
Araki Ryohiko and the five Mizunin cheered loudly. If things continued this way, Ren Xiaoyao would soon completely shatter his opponent's confidence and firmly seize the initiative.
Ren Xiaoyao, however, was thinking about how to end the fight gracefully and impressively, leaving his opponent convinced of his defeat.
Indeed, purely in terms of martial arts, his advantage was self-evident, and victory was only a matter of time.
But here in Japan, he was facing seven ninjas.
As top-tier sect leaders, they possessed not only martial arts but also—ninjutsu!

Volume 33, Chapter 3: Mysterious Identity.

Ren Xiaoyao let out a long roar and lunged at Takakura Ken, who was closest to him.
"Boom boom boom!" The sounds of exploding energy rang out one after another. No matter how Takakura Ken changed his attack angle, Ren Xiaoyao seemed to anticipate every change in his fists, each move targeting his weaknesses.
Every punch and finger strike from Ken Takakura felt like he couldn't land a hit, like trying to catch a mudfish with bare hands—he could almost grasp it but couldn't hold onto it, leaving his opponent breathless and clumsy.
Ren Xiaoyao, swift as a cat, moved with a sudden, unexpected step, shifting to Ken Takakura's left blind spot. Just as he seemed about to fall, he suddenly stood firm like a mountain, his palms meeting in a powerful strike. Ken Takakura let out a miserable groan, forced to retreat hastily, momentarily forgetting the slope, almost tumbling down, utterly disheveled. Just as
Ren Xiaoyao was about to pursue, Tomokazu Miura lunged forward, his twin swords transforming into points of golden light, protecting his entire body and firmly holding back the slope, preventing Ren Xiaoyao from advancing even half a step. Odagiri and Kamenashi Kazuya pressed in from the left and right, while Takakawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke attacked from mid-air, unleashing reckless and desperate attacks.
Ren Xiaoyao glanced around and coldly said, "Overestimating yourself!" Without moving his body or head, he raised both arms straight up to the sky, in line with his body. Suddenly, he slightly bent his right leg, then abruptly straightened it, using the momentum to leap forward, actually throwing himself into the midst of Miura Tomokazu's sword strike. When the distance closed to about ten feet, he raised his left palm and drew several arcs, while his right palm thrust out with concentrated force!
The force of his palm strikes instantly dissipated Miura Tomokazu's sword momentum. Then, a series of crisp, crackling sounds rang out, followed by a deep, muffled sound, like thunder behind a mountain.
Miura Tomokazu suddenly felt a jolt in his wrists; his twin swords seemed to have struck an invisible wall of energy, clanging repeatedly. Silver light flashed before his eyes, and his longsword shattered into several pieces, scattering in all directions. Before he could even register the shock, the relentless palm strike surged forward like a tidal wave, its force exploding in the air with a deafening
roar. Even the most valiant Miura Tomokazu couldn't withstand it head-on. He flipped into the air, dodging the attack. As a high-ranking ninja, his internal strength was formidable. Although he was momentarily breathless, he quickly regained his composure, performing two somersaults to land on the ground. His left palm spread its five fingers, while his right palm retreated into a grasping motion, preparing for another attack.
Xiang Yang, however, did not pursue. He channeled his inner energy into his right foot, his body suddenly sinking several feet. With a loud shout, his palm strike suddenly shifted upwards, striking towards the approaching Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke with the force of a thunderbolt, its power unstoppable.
Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke clashed their swords, working together to block Ren Xiaoyao's attack. They were confident that Ren Xiaoyao, having repelled Miura Tomokazu, was weakened and that they, with their superior position, could still put up a fight. However,
they were surprised to find that Ren Xiaoyao's innate, supreme qi was inexhaustible. Even before the palm strikes arrived, the surrounding air had become incredibly hot, seeping directly into their veins through their pores. Such divine skill was something Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke had never heard of, never seen, and dared not even imagine. Shocked, their confidence vanished.
"Boom!" The clash of swords and palm strikes produced a low, thunderous sound. Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke were unsurprisingly sent flying, landing with a series of thuds and staggering steps before finally regaining their footing. Their chests were churning with pent-up emotions, and their faces showed their distress.
Odagiri and Kamenashi were about to charge forward when Uta Shinji, who was watching from afar, shouted, "Back off!"
Odagiri and Kamenashi stopped indignantly, glaring at Ren Xiaoyao standing atop the hill.
The others also gathered around, but the previous encirclement was gone.
Ren Xiaoyao coldly looked at his enemies, exuding an arrogant and domineering air, and said proudly, "Well, things have come to this, shouldn't you admit defeat?"
Uta Shinji remained expressionless and said coldly, "Gentlemen, Ren Xiaoyao's strength far exceeded our expectations. There's no need to hold back for the final blow. We'll split the spoils equally!"
The entire arena immediately fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Ren Xiaoyao frowned, when suddenly Araki Ryohiko shouted, "Master Ren, be careful! They haven't even used their ninjutsu yet!"
Before he finished speaking, Ando Masanobu charged forward, mimicking his previous strike with a swift
, downward slash. Though it was a simple sword strike, Ren Xiaoyao felt he couldn't dodge it. He swung his palms to meet the attack head-on.
With a deafening roar, the two clashed again!
This time, Ando Masanobu was forced back several steps, while Ren Xiaoyao also took a small step back.
Both were greatly surprised.
Ren Xiaoyao was shocked by the sudden increase in power in the opponent's strike, far surpassing the previous one, almost causing his blood to churn. If the next few strikes increased in the same proportion, even with his innate supreme qi, he might not be able to withstand them.
What surprised Ando Masanobu was Ren Xiaoyao's resilience. He was using a unique ninjutsu called the "Multiplication Curse Seal," which could fully unleash the body's potential, generating internal energy several times stronger than before. With years of refinement, it could also absorb a small amount of the opponent's power with each strike, using it to enhance his own sword strike—a truly bizarre technique.
However, Ren Xiaoyao's meridians seemed to possess the capacity of a vast ocean, not only controlling his true energy to accumulate without releasing it, but also absorbing and neutralizing all incoming force. Furthermore, his own internal energy was exceptionally hot and fierce. Although he managed to absorb a small amount, his entire body burned, causing him extreme discomfort. Therefore, in this exchange, he retreated even further than in previous encounters.
Takakura Ken gave a signal, and Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke immediately charged forward. The rest stood still, forming hand seals, preparing to unleash their ninjutsu.
Ren Xiaoyao cried out in alarm and was about to rush forward to intercept when the sound of blades slicing through the air came from behind—it was Ando Masanobu again.
Ren Xiaoyao's mind raced. He knew that if this continued, he would be completely trapped in a defensive and passive situation. With a light tap of his toes
, he swiftly turned, seemingly to meet the samurai sword attacking from behind, but suddenly shifted to the side like a crab, dodging Ando Masanobu's fierce attack and rushing straight towards Eguchi Yosuke. Seeing his incredible speed, Eguchi Yosuke unleashed a flurry of palm strikes like butterflies flitting among flowers, the wind from his palms fierce, possessing the momentum of a thousand troops charging. Far from being afraid, he straightened his back, his expression becoming even more imposing and confident. He raised his long sword and slashed at Ren Xiaoyao with lightning speed.
This was his trump card, called "The Art of Radiant Sun," combined with his unique swordsmanship honed over decades. Once unleashed, it was like the radiant sun shining down on the world, reigning supreme over the earth, its dazzling light irresistible.
The entire sword technique consists of 387 moves, each with its own unique mental, physical, and footwork coordination. Since he mastered it seven years ago, he has used it five times, each time instantly turning the tide of battle and achieving victory.
The most unique aspect of the "Radiant Sun Technique" is that he can unleash ten consecutive strikes with each breath of true energy before exhaling, making the sword technique incredibly swift, like the sun piercing through the clouds. Even if the opponent's skill is superior, they will be defeated due to their inability to match his speed. Seeing that Ren Xiaoyao's martial arts were too high, he did not hesitate to expend his true energy to use this technique.
Ren Xiaoyao's lightness skill was divine; in an instant, he turned and left Eguchi Yosuke behind, darting diagonally to the left, attempting to break through from Kamikawa Takaya. Knowing the urgency of the situation, he attacked without mercy, using eight-tenths of his true energy to unleash the "Han Hai Ting Feng" from the Xiaoyao Wuji Palm, the palm force continuous and penetrating everywhere.
Undoubtedly, Ren Xiaoyao's palms easily passed through the blade's edge, striking precisely the center of the blade's back.
However...
before Ren Xiaoyao could exert any force, Kamikawa Takaya's weapon, which had been brimming with energy and weighed over ten thousand pounds, suddenly became ethereal and insubstantial. Not only did it lack leverage, but it also caused Ren Xiaoyao's palm force to split to both sides. Terrified, he quickly moved back, and the slight advantage he had previously gained vanished after the three masters unleashed their ultimate moves.
Ando Masanobu and Eguchi Yosuke attacked simultaneously. The former seemed to transform into a wisp of weightless smoke, drifting and swaying with the howling mountain wind, constantly changing position and attacking from unexpected yet vulnerable openings. The latter's crescent blade transformed into a myriad of golden swirling lights, launching another fierce offensive against Ren Xiaoyao with mercury-like, all-pervasive, and relentless attacks.
In an instant, golden light flashed everywhere, and countless blades of light rushed towards him. Ren Xiaoyao's sharpness vanished instantly, and he hesitated, unsure whether to advance or retreat. He was momentarily distracted, overwhelmed by the attacks of Ando Masanobu and Eguchi Yosuke. He couldn't even discern their techniques, let alone distinguish between feints and real attacks.
Ren Xiaoyao could no longer rely on his eyes, but only on his senses, using every ounce of his strength to defend against the overwhelming barrage of strange blades from both sides, while enduring the immense and ever-increasing pressure of their energy.
The sounds of clashing energies were incessant.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, holding firm like a nail within a few feet of his body, refusing to retreat or dodge. He knew that four powerful experts were still lurking nearby, secretly accumulating power, ready to unleash their ninjutsu at any moment. If he were to leap away now, exhausting his eight leaps and eight bounds, he would be powerless to resist.
A murderous aura filled the air! Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, and Eguchi Yosuke attacked from all sides.
Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke flanked him from the left and right, their samurai swords flashing with hundreds of points of cold light, moving forward with lightning speed, bringing with them a sky full of killing intent, sweeping towards Ren Xiaoyao, launching an incomparably powerful attack like mercury spilling onto the ground.
Ando Masanobu appeared in front, his precious blade weaving a net of swords, covering him head-on, the sword energy hissing, seemingly clumsy but actually skillful, its power even greater than before.
Instantly, the cold light of the swords surged wildly towards Ren Xiaoyao at the core.
Ren Xiaoyao smiled, seemingly unaware of the danger he was in, while Araki Ryohiko and the others were already terrified and pale.
Seeing no escape from certain death, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly spun like a top, his sleeves fluttering and robes billowing as he unleashed a flurry of palm strikes. These weren't attacks, but rather a series of incredibly swift Tai Chi movements in the air, deflecting the three incoming sword strikes and sending them slashing into empty air.
Ando Masanobu's move was swift and decisive; his left hand formed a claw, channeling all his power as he viciously grabbed at Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder.
Ren Xiaoyao's hands were restrained by Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke, leaving him no time to defend himself, and he was caught completely off guard.
Ando Masanobu was overjoyed and unleashed his inner strength, intending to crush Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder bone. However, his supposedly invincible vortex vanished the moment it entered Ren Xiaoyao's Jianjing acupoint. It couldn't even cause the slightest damage to Ren Xiaoyao's meridians, let alone break bones. Just as he tried to withdraw, a powerful, sticky force suddenly arose from Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder,
like a magnet attracting iron, firmly gripping his palm. A smug smile appeared on Ren Xiaoyao's lips, as if mocking his overestimation of his abilities. At the same time, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he unleashed a burst of energy, like an iron bullet, aimed at Ando Masanobu's face.
Ando Masanobu realized he had been tricked and tried desperately to pull his left hand back. Unexpectedly, two incredibly hot, strange energies surged from Ren Xiaoyao's body, piercing through his protective inner energy like the rising sun breaking through fog, directly into his meridians. Wherever the strange energy reached, the acupoints swelled and threatened to burst, and his left arm immediately went numb. He couldn't even find a way to counterattack, let alone neutralize it.
His misery didn't end there. Ren Xiaoyao unleashed a burst of energy that, upon reaching his face, inexplicably split in two, aiming for his eyes. If struck, it would be a miracle if he didn't go blind.
Ando Masanobu was terrified. He quickly threw his katana into the air, his free right hand bracing against his left wrist, and with all his might, he pulled hard.
Normally, even if he couldn't break free, he would at most be held captive. However, Ren Xiaoyao had anticipated everything. The instant Ando Masanobu exerted his power, amplified several times through the "Multiplication Technique," on himself. Unable to control his momentum, Ando Masanobu was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing into a large tree and snapping it in half with a thud.
With Ren Xiaoyao facing two opponents alone, the pressure was greatly reduced, but he still couldn't defeat Kamikawa Takaya and Eguchi Yosuke in a short time. The latter's "Bright Sun Technique" was incredibly powerful, needless to say. As for the former, he seemed to rely on some unique secret technique, and every time he hit the back or the blade of his sword, he felt powerless. Even when he exerted force from a distance, it seemed that he couldn't hurt him.
Ren Xiaoyao began to panic. Initially, he had been overconfident and gained the upper hand against seven opponents, but now he couldn't even handle two of them. Moreover, Miura Tomokazu, Odagiri, and Kamenashi Kazuya were lurking around him, not making a move for a long time. Shinguji Mina had made it very clear to him that the longer the preparation time and the more hand seals a ninjutsu involved, the more powerful it was. Judging from their expressions, they were probably planning some earth-shattering, ghost-weeping move to try and take his life in an instant.
Sitting and waiting for death was not in Ren Xiaoyao's nature. He suddenly turned to the side, his body twisting and turning, his footwork changing abruptly. His feet moved like flying clouds, his figure flowing, changing his attack on Eguchi Yosuke into a rapid retreat. With a spin, he escaped the dangerous position of being attacked from both sides, pushing forward with both palms to meet the samurai sword that Munekawa Takaya was slashing down from mid-air. The
onlookers all paled. Who would have thought that while he was attacking Eguchi Yosuke with all his might, he could pull off such an almost impossible and divine change?
Kamikawa Takaya dared not be negligent. He took a deep breath and used the "Shadow Dance Leaf Technique" as usual, attempting to neutralize Ren Xiaoyao's attack. However, just before the palm strikes and blades clashed, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly lightly braced himself with his toes, abandoning Kamikawa and leaping back towards Miura Tomokazu, who was forming hand
seals. This feint was executed with exquisite skill, and no one in the audience could have predicted that Ren Xiaoyao was planning something like this. Seeing the situation was dire, Ando Masanobu, disregarding his unfinished breathing exercise, hastily regrouped and attacked from the other side, using all his strength to block Miura Tomokazu.
Almost simultaneously, Ken Takakura swept forward with a flick of his sleeve, fist in his left hand and knife in his right, joining the fray with a shout. His eyes flashed with cold light as he stared intently at Ren Xiaoyao. He channeled his illusionary magic into his gaze; anyone with weaker internal strength or mental fortitude would fall into a state of mental confusion and disorientation upon meeting his eyes. Not only would they be terrified and lose all fighting spirit, but they would also completely lose their most basic senses and judgment.
Ren Xiaoyao's internal strength was indeed profound and his will unwavering, but to stand still, blocking the attacks of three masters, while simultaneously defending against the illusionary magic, and reserving his true energy to guard against any possible fierce attacks from Odagiri, Miura Tomokazu, and Kamenashi Kazuya, was truly asking too much. Therefore, at the moment he faced the illusionary magic, he made a firm decision to abandon his initial intention of defending in place and instead rely on a superior strategy to fight the enemy to the bitter end.
Ren Xiaoyao entered a state of perfect harmony of qi, instantly breaking free from the illusion's influence. His mind raced, calculating the enemy's distance and next position. His internal qi rapidly shifted, and to the enemy's surprise, he unleashed a series of incredibly swift movements.
Takakura Ken's body stiffened instantly, his eyes widening in disbelief, his confidence waning.
It turned out that each of Ren Xiaoyao's movements was a preemptive strike, as if he could anticipate Takakura Ken's every move. Just as Takakura Ken's blade was about to strike, Ren Xiaoyao had subtly shifted elsewhere, diminishing the threat of his attack. Even more astonishingly, when Takakura Ken changed his attack angle, Ren Xiaoyao again preemptively dodged slightly. This repeated several times left Takakura Ken feeling powerless, like trying to grasp a slippery eel.
This was the first time Takakura Ken had encountered such a turn of events. For years, he had gleaned insights from his illusionary arts training and incorporated them into his swordsmanship. The resulting unpredictable and unpredictable variations were enough to leave his opponents defenseless. But this was unprecedented—before they had even truly clashed, his swordplay had been completely revealed to his enemy. Suddenly, he was on the defensive, unsure how to proceed, and naturally, he slowed his attacks.
In a battle between masters, the difference lies in the finest margin.
What had been an impenetrable formation instantly revealed a flaw that should never have been exposed.
With the tide turning, Ren Xiaoyao's momentum surged. He knew full well that Takakura Ken's martial arts were second only to Ando Masanobu among the seven, possessing rich experience and a long, powerful breath. Even without interference, killing him wouldn't be easy. Knowing when to stop, he moved with lightning speed, meeting the still-weak Ando Masanobu head-on. With a single palm strike, he sent Ando and his sword staggering backward. Then , Ren Xiaoyao separated his palms and lunged at Kamenashi
Kazuya. His speed was incredible; in the blink of an eye, the distance between them had closed to three zhang.
Seeing that Kamenashi Kazuya didn't react, Ren Xiaoyao was considering whether to capture him and force his surrender or to cripple him first. Suddenly, Kamenashi Kazuya paused, his abdomen slightly bulging, his head rising, and he opened his mouth, unleashing seven or eight blazing fireballs that hurtled towards Ren Xiaoyao's face—the "Fire Phoenix Immortal Technique."
Ren Xiaoyao was taken aback. He initially intended to brave the burning pain and force his way forward, but seeing that Kamenashi Kazuya's swollen belly had not yet subsided, he feared that Kazuya would spew out another bolt of fire when he got close, leaving him "roasted" alive. In a flash, he turned and retreated, then charged towards Odagiri.
By this time, he had already performed six turns in the air and was nearing his limit.
Seeing him charging, Odagiri laughed instead of being anxious. Ren Xiaoyao thought it was a psychological tactic and, without a second thought, unleashed his Heaven-Defying Palm stance, fully prepared to defeat his enemy in one move. At the same time, having learned from his previous experience, he had already devised seven or eight different strategies to change his stance.
Who would have thought that, while he was still some distance from his opponent, Odagiri's palms, which were forming hand seals, suddenly stopped. Then, the ground in front of him rumbled, and an earthen wall instantly rose up. Ren Xiaoyao had never seen such a strange ninjutsu before, and he was completely unprepared. Moreover, his movements were lightning fast, and the earthen wall was positioned too far forward, leaving him no time to dodge.
Was the dignified Marquis of the Great Song Dynasty, the leader of the Heavenly Extreme Sect, and the dashing thief Ren Xiaoyao going to crash right here, his bones broken and flesh torn, lying dead on the spot?!
Three zhang, two zhang, one zhang... Ren Xiaoyao's figure could no longer stop, crashing into the earthen wall at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Araki Ryohiko and his Akutagawa-ryu followers held their breath. Normally, with Ren Xiaoyao's physique, even crashing into the earthen wall wouldn't be a serious injury. But now, focused solely on capturing Odagiri, he was unleashing his full power, pushing his speed to its limit with each leap. Even a tree would likely break several of his ribs, let alone a wall. Unless a miracle occurred, tragedy was inevitable.
"Boom—" Ren Xiaoyao crashed squarely into the earthen wall.
The expected carnage didn't happen; instead, a crack appeared in the wall after the loud bang!
Ren Xiaoyao, his back hunched and legs slightly bent, froze in mid-air, almost pressed against the wall. Then, with a deafening roar, he leaped forward like an arrow, covering nearly twenty zhang in an instant, hurtling towards a large tree in the arena. The seven sects' members felt a chill run down their spines.
What kind of martial art was this, capable of instantly dissolving such immense force?
Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, Odagiri, Miura Tomokazu, Takakura Ken, and Kamenashi Kazuya exchanged bewildered glances, unable to believe what they were witnessing. Only Miura Tomokazu seemed oblivious, a scroll clenched between his teeth, his hands still rapidly forming hand seals, unsure of what secret technique he was about to unleash.
Ren Xiaoyao emerged unscathed because, at the critical moment, he used the Nine Revolutions Returning to Origin Force on himself, reversing the forward momentum into a backward thrust, and simultaneously leaping away in mid-air, changing his form to disappear into the distance. At that moment, to the east, Ando Masanobu, Kamikawa Takaya, and Eguchi Yosuke were protecting Miura Tomokazu; to the west, Kamenashi Kazuya, skilled in the "Fire Phoenix Technique"; and to the south, Odagiri, relying on the shelter of the earthen wall, was fearless. He could only find the safest place to regulate his internal energy and regroup before making further plans.
He had experienced the power of Japanese ninjutsu many times and knew that standing on solid ground could mean being caught off guard at any time; therefore, he chose the open treetop to prepare for any potential crisis.
On the surface, this was an incredibly wise decision. Even Mina Shinguji and Masayoshi Kurosaki would have advised him to do so. But...
Ren Xiaoyao was still in mid-air, about to land on the treetop, when suddenly he heard a few "whoosh" sounds. The entire tree suddenly began to shake violently. Before he could get close, more than a dozen vines suddenly rushed towards him, hitting him from head to toe. The "whooshing" sound they created was enough to make one's blood run cold.
The sudden turn of events left even Ren Xiaoyao, with his unparalleled reflexes and wit, helpless. Having already leaped and bounded eight times, he couldn't dodge even if he wanted to. He could only grit his teeth and unleash all the power he could muster to strike.
Unexpectedly, the moment his palm struck, the vines seemed to move with life, rapidly shifting, moving upwards, downwards, left, and right. Ren Xiaoyao's immense strength, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, completely missed its mark!
What followed was even more horrifying. With several sharp cracks, Ren Xiaoyao's limbs, neck, waist, and knees were all bound by the scattered vines, rendering him completely immobile.
Araki Hirohiko's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "The Advent of a World of Trees!? Miura Tomokazu, you...you dare to use a forbidden technique!"
Miura Tomokazu coughed up blood, and the scroll he had been gripping fell to the ground, now stained crimson. Clutching his chest, he stammered, "As long as...as long as I can win...win this match, I have...what wouldn't I dare?" His face contorted, his body convulsed, and he collapsed backward.
Forbidden techniques, as the name suggests, are prohibited ninjutsu. Among ultra-high-level ninjutsu, the conditions for constituting a forbidden technique can be divided into two main reasons: first, the technique is related to the user's life; second, the result of the technique would be extremely contrary to the laws of nature. Miura Tomokazu's "The Advent of a World of Trees" belonged to the former.
The seven major sects and some older traditional schools all possess their own unique forbidden techniques, but no one dares to use them lightly unless it's a matter of life and death. Therefore, even with Araki Ryohiko's keen insight, he didn't realize that Miura Tomokazu had been gathering his strength for so long, risking his life to use a forbidden technique.
Ando Masanobu raised his arm and shouted, "Everyone, unleash your ultimate moves! Don't let Miura's efforts go to waste!" He unleashed the "Multiplication Technique" with all his might, his katana exploding into a blur of light as he fiercely attacked the young master whom no one in the world could defeat. Life and death, victory and defeat, no longer existed in his mind. Hearing the
shout, everyone moved swiftly, rushing forward and simultaneously raising their swords to slash at Ren Xiaoyao. If they landed, the latter would be instantly killed, leaving no trace of his body.
With his entire body restrained, Ren Xiaoyao had no chance of breaking free in a short time. Just as he was filled with shock and at a loss, he suddenly heard a "clang" and the Ice Soul Frost Sword sprang up from its sheath, emitting a clear and soul-stirring warning sound.
Ren Xiaoyao was suddenly jolted, his spirit expanding infinitely. Shaking off the fear caused by being misled by the enemy's ninjutsu, he, who should have been helpless, slowly raised his head, his eyes blazing with killing intent, flashing with lightning speed. His true energy gushed out from seven sources, surging out like a flood, spreading to every meridian in his body with astonishing speed. It first circulated once in the Ren and Du meridians, turning the Dharma wheel, with Kan and Li intersecting. When it reached the armpit, the cold and heat flowed separately, one following the Yang and the other the Yin. It went down from the Niwan point through the Ren meridian in front, straight to the Tanzhong Qihai, through the Life and Death Acupoint below the hip, then through the tailbone and back up the Du meridian, through the Yuguan point back to the Niwan point, guiding the Qi back up the Ren meridian, forming two parallel spiraling cold and hot true energies. Like a thousand rivers flowing down from the back of the head, cheeks, and throat, it poured down through the major and minor acupoints.
As the two streams of true energy merged and flowed again in his dantian, Ren Xiaoyao's spirit immediately expanded and soared, no longer bound by the physical body's meridians. He felt as if he could live as long as the universe and perish with the stars, experiencing a wondrous feeling of expanding from the finite to the infinite. With a fierce roar, the vines binding his limbs instantly burst open, and an invisible yet tangible surge of true energy erupted forth, accompanied by an intense, suffocating heat, rushing towards the rapidly approaching six people. It created an indescribable, strange vortex, as if it wanted to instantly drain their true energy.
Takakura Ken, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and the others were encountering such bizarre martial arts for the first time. They were so distressed that they almost vomited blood, especially by the feeling that made their sword strikes have nowhere to land. It was a state of perfect harmony and invincibility, completely extinguishing the sharpness of these masters, leaving them at a loss for what to do.
An unpredictable burst of energy erupted instantly! Without creating any sound, it was highly concentrated and struck the opponent.
Everyone felt Ren Xiaoyao's true energy surge through their chests like a pillar of air, impossible to dodge. Only Ando Masanobu gritted his teeth, mustered all his strength, and leaped up, managing to evade at the last moment.
"Boom!" The clashing energies caused Takakura Ken, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, Odagiri, and Kamenashi Kazuya to shudder violently! Although not killed instantly, their meridians felt as if they were being burned by flames, causing extreme pain. They were forced back to their original positions, their faces drained of color, their fighting spirit extinguished, and a sense of utter despair washing over them.
The only one unaffected was Ando Masanobu. Thinking he had a chance, he changed his strategy, somersaulting behind Ren Xiaoyao and delivering a powerful slash to the back of his head. Just as the blow was about to land, Ren Xiaoyao swayed with incredible speed, and Ando Masanobu immediately saw two almost identical figures appear before him.
Shadow Clone Technique! It was the Shadow Clone Technique again!
Ando Masanobu's heart sank. Six of the seven had already fallen; he was their only remaining hope. If he couldn't seize this last chance and land a fatal blow, all their efforts would be in vain! In this
critical moment of life and death, Ando Masanobu suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, dispelling his clones without a trace. At the same time, he accelerated forward, his katana transforming into a long blade, slashing straight at Ren Xiaoyao's shoulder. His move was filled with the spirit of a warrior going forth never to return, a posture of no return, a suicide attack.
"Swish!" The katana struck right in the center of Ren's collarbone. Ando Masanobu was overjoyed, but then realized with horror that the blade didn't feel like it had struck anything solid; instead, it slid away from his shoulder. In a moment of panic, Ren Xiaoyao's robust body crashed into him. Ando Masanobu cried out in pain, thrown into the air like a puppet completely out of his control, before crashing heavily to the ground, his body twisting unnaturally.
The battle was finally over, and Ren Xiaoyao's usually solemn face finally broke into a smile.
It was over, everything was finally over. With his superior cultivation and unwavering perseverance, Ren Xiaoyao had finally defeated the seven masters despite being outnumbered and repeatedly finding himself in perilous situations, achieving final victory.
The entire hall erupted in uproar!
The Akutagawa School members were ecstatic, while the members of the seven factions exchanged bewildered glances.
Ren Xiaoyao stood with his hands behind his back and laughed heartily, "Gentlemen, the battle is over, there's no need for me to say anything more."
Uta Shinji sighed deeply, saying solemnly, "Ren Xiaoyao's martial arts are unparalleled, we humbly admit defeat, let's drop the matter of kidnapping them." With a wave of his hand, the remaining members rushed forward to help Ando Masanobu, Takakura Ken, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, and the others back to their formation.
Ren Xiaoyao strode forward, blocking the crowd, and called out, "Wait!"
Uta Shinji's expression changed drastically, and he said in a deep voice, "We retreated as agreed. Is Sect Leader Ren still not satisfied? Do you really intend to kill us all?"
Ren Xiaoyao chuckled and said, "Sect Leader Uta misunderstands. I have no ill intentions. It's just that you seniors were injured by my internal energy, and ordinary medicine may not be able to cure you. Fortunately, my wife is skilled in medicine, especially in treating internal injuries. If you don't mind, please ask her to prepare some good medicine..."
Ando Masanobu interrupted loudly, "Sect Leader Ren's kind offer is appreciated, but our seven schools—Haguro-ryu, Kaji-ryu, Uesugi-ryu, Kishu-ryu, Negoro-ryu, Naga-ryu, and Shinnan-ryu—each have medical ninjas. There's no need for your wife to trouble herself." Although defeated, as a ninja, one must not easily accept the other party's favor.
Seeing that Ren Xiaoyao's mind was made up, he said no more and turned to leave. Suddenly, a clapper sounded, and countless torches lit up in the nearby woods. Then, someone shouted, "Surround them! Don't let a single traitor escape!" As soon as the words were spoken, a rapid, rain-like sound of footsteps approached.
Everyone was shocked and panicked. At this moment, both sides were already badly wounded. Any sect or faction that intervened would gain a great advantage. Moreover, judging from the footsteps, there were not just a few dozen or a few hundred people, but probably nearly a thousand. Such strength... Could it be the entire Iga Valley army?!
Uta Shinji called over his subordinates and said in a deep voice, "Go and see who's coming..." Before he could finish speaking, a "whoosh" sound was heard, and a rain of arrows poured down, striking the unprepared crowd. The disciples of the seven sects were in a panic and couldn't escape in time. In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen people were hit by arrows and fell to the ground.
Chaos erupted instantly. Hundreds of people scattered and ran wildly, dodging arrows, bumping into each other. Uda Shinji, Ando Masanobu, Takakura Ken, and others shouted to stop them, but to no avail.
Like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, even the exceptionally intelligent Ren Xiaoyao could not have foreseen such a turn of events.
Fortunately, he was a seasoned warrior and remained calm under pressure. At the crucial moment, he made a decisive move, raising his voice: "In times of emergency, we must act prudently! Let's all work together to overcome this difficulty! Elite Jonin from each faction will be responsible for blocking the arrows. Araki, you take the rest and retreat to Lord Inoue's residence." These words, delivered with superior internal energy, could be clearly heard within a radius of several dozen feet. Everyone had witnessed his prowess and found his words reasonable, so they all obeyed his orders.
They were all well-trained ninjas. With Ren Xiaoyao giving the order, the chaotic scene immediately calmed down, and they began to retreat in an orderly manner. However, Takakura Ken, Kamikawa Takaya, Eguchi Yosuke, Odagiri, Kamenashi Kazuya, and others were all seriously injured, and there were very few Jonin who could intervene to stop and rescue them. Unfortunately, the arrows were both fast and dense, shooting in continuously from the east, west, and north without stopping. It seemed that they were about to be overwhelmed. Seeing
that the situation was not good, Ren Xiaoyao roared and leaped into the air. With a "whoosh," he drew his weapon and activated his innate supreme qi at full power. The Ice Soul Frost Sword suddenly became brighter, turning into circles of light and astonishing sword qi that made people's breaths suffocate. It swept out with overwhelming power, and the arrows in the air were blocked by the force of the qi and instantly turned into dust.
The surrounding high-ranking ninjas, witnessing this, were all horrified. Even after a long battle, Ren Xiaoyao still possessed such divine power; no wonder he could single-handedly defeat seven top masters.
But the crisis didn't end there. More and more torches lit up in the woods on both sides, and the number of people had likely increased to two thousand. Even more terrifying, a group of about five hundred sword-wielding samurai suddenly attacked from behind, blocking the only way for their retreat to Inoue Takehiko's mansion.
In the blink of an eye, the group was surrounded.
Judging from their attire, they weren't ninja from any particular sect, but rather samurai from the imperial court!
Uda Shinji, Ando Masanobu, Takakura Ken, and the others exchanged horrified glances. Who could have imagined that a fight in the martial arts world would attract the attention of the imperial army?
Ren Xiaoyao was wondering how things had escalated to this point when the soldiers suddenly parted, and a cold-faced general in blue robes with a long sword at his waist stepped out.
Upon seeing the newcomer's appearance, the seven sect leaders were all greatly surprised. Uda Shinji's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Hojo Tsukasa, you... how could you..."
The newcomer replied in surprise, "Hojo Tsukasa? Sect Leader Uda must have mistaken me for someone else. I am Miike Takashi,
a captain of the Imperial Guard. I recently received reliable information that the remnants of the traitor Kurosaki Hideyasu have offered a large sum of money to bribe masters from the seven sects—Haguro-ryu, Kaji-ryu, Uesugi-ryu, Kishu-ryu, Negoro-ryu, Naga-ryu, and Shinkusa-ryu—to plot the assassination of the former Grand Councilor Inoue Takehiko. Due to the urgency of the matter, I had no time to inform the local officials, so I led three thousand guards to provide assistance—Hmph, at first I thought the rumors were wrong, but now it seems they are absolutely true."
Uda Shinji rebuked angrily. "Bullshit! You're clearly from Iga Valley. Half a month ago, you instigated me, the sect leader, to unite with other factions to kidnap Miss Shinguji. What, now that our operation has failed, you want to use the imperial court's name to frame us with fabricated charges to silence us? Fujiwara no Michitaka's thinking is far too simplistic."
Miike Takashi's face turned cold, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. He said in a deep voice, "So, it seems the Uta sect leader intends to rebel? Fine, you dare to openly oppose the imperial court. This is a crime punishable by the extermination of your entire clan!"
Ando Masanobu glanced around and said coldly, "The imperial court!? Hahaha, among your three thousand men are the Natori School, Fukushima School, Misawa School, Takino School, Uchigawa School, and Yoshi... "Hundreds of ninjas from over a dozen schools, including Mori-ryu, Sen-ichi-ryu, and Ri-ki-ryu—have they all betrayed their schools and joined the imperial court?"
A fleeting look of shock crossed Miike Takashi's face. He masked his horror with a smile and calmly said, "You are all highly skilled. How could the imperial army possibly win? How could I possibly wipe you all out without hiring some ninjas? Since things have come to this, I advise you all to commit seppuku to avoid bringing disaster upon your families."
Uda Shinji felt manipulated, gasped, and stammered, "You…you are so despicable! Aren't you afraid that if word gets out, no one will dare serve Iga-dani anymore?"
Miike Takashi laughed loudly. He said smugly, "Spread it? Spread what? Your seven factions fought to the death with the Akutagawa school and those guys from the Central Plains over the fight for Shinguji Mina, with no one surviving. Is that reason enough... Hahaha... Hahaha..."
The leaders of the seven factions were all seething with hatred, but they were helpless. Their eyes flashed with malice as they stared intently at Miike Takashi. They were all seasoned veterans of the martial arts world, and even when surrounded, they were not afraid. However, Miike Takashi, with the help of Fujiwara no Michitaka, had forcibly labeled them as plotting against a key minister of the imperial court. If they made any move, their entire families would be implicated. Therefore, even though they had martial arts skills, they could not use them and could only sit and wait for their deaths.
Uta Shinji turned to Araki Ryohiko, his voice choked with emotion, "Brother Araki, we were all bewitched and fell into Igagaya's trap. We fought your sect to a standstill, and now..."
Araki Ryohiko's eyes welled with tears as he said sadly, "Sect Leader Uta, from the day we became ninjas, we were prepared to sacrifice ourselves at any moment. It is fate that we will perish here today. I only hope that some of you can escape and expose Igagaya's treacherous deeds to the world, so that Fujiwara no Michitaka's conspiracy will not succeed."
The other six sect leaders were also deeply saddened and drew their weapons, intending to commit seppuku.
Seeing that they had given up resistance, Takashi Miike smugly smiled. Suddenly, a white figure flashed before his eyes, and it was Ren Xiaoyao who stepped out. He smiled, showing no urgency or tension, and said calmly, "Does Captain Miike know who I am?"
Miike replied nonchalantly, "You? Aren't you just that overconfident brat from the Central Plains?"
Ren Xiaoyao laughed and coldly scanned Miike several times before leisurely asking, "And what else?" Miike
felt a chill run down his spine under Ren Xiaoyao's gaze. Even though the two were seven or eight zhang apart and he was protected by several Jonin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. He whispered, "You are the leader of the Heavenly Extreme Sect, commanding an army of 100,000, and also possessing a powerful secret navy." Iga Valley had put a lot of effort into Ren Xiaoyao, even managing to find out such highly confidential information as the Two Lakes Navy.
Ren Xiaoyao glared at him with his tiger-like eyes and asked, "Anything else?"
Miike Takashi's expression became uncertain, and his eyes occasionally flashed with a fierce light. After a long while, he suddenly became like a defeated rooster and could no longer speak.
Ren Xiaoyao said coldly, "If you dare not speak, I will!" He suddenly raised his voice eight octaves and declared loudly, "I am the Marquis of Champion, bestowed by the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. I have come to Japan by imperial decree to discuss the alliance between our two countries. If you dare to attack me, you are not only going against the Tianji Sect, but also against the Great Song Dynasty. Can you bear the consequences?"
Miike Takashi was caught off guard and exclaimed, "You...you dare to use the diplomatic relations between our two countries to pressure me!?"
Ren Xiaoyao shrugged nonchalantly and said, "What? You can mobilize the imperial army, but I can't use my identity as a special envoy of the Great Song Dynasty? Togashi Yoshihiro and the Three Beauties can't do anything to me, and I don't even care about your rabble. As long as you dare to order an attack, the first thing I will do after breaking through the encirclement is to report to the Emperor." "...mobilizing a large army..."
Miike Takashi suddenly burst into loud laughter, saying in a sinister tone, "Everyone says that Master Ren is extremely intelligent, but I think he's too intelligent. Don't you think about it? The naval forces of the Two Lakes are actually your Great Song's secret elite force. If it weren't for the war and their deployment to the Yellow River, who would know their secrets? Right now, Great Song is simultaneously at war with Western Xia and Great Liao, and is too busy to even think about anything else. We're too busy trying to win over our own people, so why would we
risk our lives for a mere special envoy like you?" Ren Xiaoyao, exposed to his face, showed no tension or anxiety, and calmly smiled, "Fujiwara no Michitaka and his henchmen are quite capable. I've only been in Japan for a month or so, and they've already gathered all the information about Great Song. Brilliant, truly brilliant." His mind raced, pondering a way to deal with the situation.
Araki Ryohiko said urgently, "Master Ren, you should leave. As long as you enter Brother Inoue's house, they won't dare to cause trouble. I left a dozen brothers there to be in charge of navigating the boat and taking Miss Shinguji to Nara as soon as possible."
Ren Xiaoyao smiled without saying a word, but suddenly couldn't help but show a look of astonishment. He stared straight ahead, then pointed and laughed wildly, "Good, good! Hasegawa Izumi, Oishi Ayaka, Yoshizawa Akiho, Kusano Mizuki, and Haneda Yuuka, the five beauties of Igagaya have all come. It seems they don't want to let a single one escape—hahaha, Fujiwara Michitaka underestimates me too much. Do you think you can stop me?"
Miike Takashi was stunned when he heard this. He hurriedly turned around and looked behind him. He was ordered by the sect leader Kubo Kousuke to monitor the actions of the seven factions: Haguro-ryu, Kaji-ryu, Uesugi-ryu, Kishu-ryu, Negi-ryu, Naga-ryu, and Shinkumo-ryu. If the operation failed, he would kill them to silence them. With the entire main force of Iga Valley pinned down on Nara, they had to spend a fortune hiring ninjas from other factions. Why then did the Five Beauties suddenly appear here? Did Kubo Kousuke doubt his abilities or have ulterior motives?
Little did they know, this was Ren Xiaoyao's feint. He deliberately pretended to see the Five Beauties to distract Miike Takashi, luring him to turn and look. Then…
Ren Xiaoyao flicked his sleeve, his figure flashing like lightning as he rushed forward, grabbing Miike Takashi's shoulder and pulling him back sharply. A series of complex movements—jumping, seizing, dodging, and retreating—were completed in the blink of an eye, incredibly fast. Before Miike Takashi could react, he had already been pulled out of the enemy ranks.
The Shaolin martial art "Crossing the River on a Reed" was indeed a divine skill.
The two Sen-ichi-ryu Jonin responsible for Miike Takashi's close protection rushed to his aid, raising their twin swords and slashing at Ren Xiaoyao's back with a whooshing sound.
Ren Xiaoyao wore a smug smile, merely controlling Miike Takashi, preventing him from moving an inch, while two gleaming samurai swords struck his vital point in the back.
No, to be precise, they were still inches away from his vital point!
Because at that moment, two irresistible forces suddenly arose from Ren Xiaoyao's thick back, forcing the two samurai swords to abruptly change direction and collide with a clang.
The two Jonin were jolted, hastily withdrawing their strength to avoid injuring their opponent, only to find that an incomparably scorching true energy suddenly surged from the tips of their weapons, along with their withdrawn internal energy, into their bodies. Their internal organs instantly felt like they were being torn apart, their meridians felt like they were being burned by raging fire, and they coughed up blood, falling like broken kites.
The three thousand soldiers who regained their senses were all horrified. They had only seen their two most skilled comrades rush to attack Ren Xiaoyao, but who would have thought that he was completely unharmed, while they themselves were severely injured.
Such divine skill was terrifying; who would dare to even consider making a move?
Ren Xiaoyao swiftly captured Miike Takashi and brought him back to the formation, instantly reversing the situation.
When Ren Xiaoyao grabbed Miike's back, Miike felt weak all over and couldn't move. He cried out in a trembling voice, "Ren Xiaoyao, you...you dare to trick me?"
Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly and said leisurely, "Who said I was extremely clever? It was you. If I don't use some tricks to show you, wouldn't that reputation be tarnished? Quickly, tell your men to lay down their weapons."
Miike shook his head firmly and said, "You want to force me to submit? Dream on! Soldiers, listen to my command, kill all these traitors and rebels, don't worry about me." The rules of the Iga Valley sect are extremely strict. Failure to complete a mission will result in severe punishment upon returning. Especially this time, they spent a lot of money to recruit experts and even mobilized the imperial army. If they made the slightest mistake and failed to kill the witnesses, they would not only lose their lives upon returning but also endanger their families. So, he decided to risk his life and insisted on having his men launch an offensive.
Ren Xiaoyao knew he wouldn't give in easily, so he grabbed Sanchi Chongshi by the back of the neck with his left hand, lifted him high, and used his inner strength to force him forward. Sanchi Chongshi first felt two needle-like pains in his chest, and then seven acupoints—Quepen, Tianshu, Futu, Tianquan, Tianzhu, Shendao, and Zhishi—simultaneously became unbearably numb and itchy, as if thousands of ants were biting him at the same time. He couldn't help but cry out "Ouch!" and hurriedly used his inner strength to resist, but it was useless. The numbness and itching in the acupoints became even more intense. His face turned red and white in turn, and his hands flailed wildly. His condition was extremely terrifying.
Ren Xiaoyao coldly said, "Well, do you still insist on fighting to the bitter end?"
Miike Takashi struggled to hold on, stammering, "I...I won't...give up! Soldiers, shoot! Shoot them dead!" The commotion of three thousand soldiers immediately became deafening. Each soldier drew their bows and aimed at Ren Xiaoyao, but intimidated by his effortless and effortless inflicting heavy wounds on two high-ranking ninjas, none dared to act rashly, fearing he might suddenly unleash his power and bring about their own demise.
Ren Xiaoyao said coldly, "Mike Takashi, do you want to live or die?" He was a seasoned warrior and understood that Miike Takashi was his only bargaining chip at this moment; only by yielding could he force the government troops to surrender.
Miike Takashi gritted his teeth and remained silent, but the tingling and itching in his acupoints grew increasingly intense and gradually penetrated deeper. Before the time it takes to eat a meal, even his internal organs seemed to itch. He felt an urge to smash his head against the wall and die, a torment far worse than death. Unable to bear the agony, he began to groan loudly. The government troops , seeing his miserable state, were terrified.
Ren Xiaoyao, having experienced forcing the Liao army to surrender in Xunfeng City, understood the government troops' intentions. He knew that if Miike Takashi, the leader, yielded, his fighting spirit would naturally vanish. He deliberately leaned close to Miike Takashi's mouth, pretending to listen intently, and slowly nodded. Gathering his strength, he declared loudly, "Captain Miike means that I must guarantee the safety of all of you before I will order you to disarm and surrender. Very well, before everyone present, I, Ren Xiaoyao, swear to heaven that as long as you obediently lay down your weapons, I will not harm you in the slightest."
These words drowned out the clamor of thousands of people, carrying for miles, clearly audible to everyone present. The clamor of the government troops immediately subsided. They looked at each other, then suddenly, with a few clanging sounds, several men threw down their spears. The sound of weapons being thrown spread, and in an instant, the clanging intensified, with half the troops having dropped their weapons, while the rest remained hesitant.
Ren Xiaoyao knew that the situation was still extremely dangerous. If even one person in the government troops took the lead in resisting, the rest would surely follow suit, causing a huge upheaval that could not be delayed even for a moment. He shouted again, "I see that you are still not at ease. How about this, Sect Leader Uta, you are the leader elected by the seven sects, why don't you come out and say a few words?"
Uta Shinji stepped forward and declared, "This sect leader represents the Haguro-ryu, Kaji-ryu, Uesugi-ryu, Kishu-ryu, Negi-ryu, Naga-ryu, and Shin-nan-ryu..." "...He glanced at Araki Ryohiko and added, "And the Akutagawa school assures you that today's events will be treated as if they never happened, and we will never hold your government troops or the Natori-ryu, Fukushima-ryu, Misawa-ryu, Takino-ryu, Uchigawa-ryu, and other schools involved responsible."
Upon hearing this, the fierce and stubborn soldiers and the hired ninjas from other schools dared not disobey anymore, but a series of clanging sounds rang out as everyone surrounding them dropped their weapons.
Ren Xiaoyao threw Uta Shinji to the ground, instantly stopping the numbness and itching, but suffering from the pressure point control, he couldn't utter a single word, staring wide-eyed at Ren Xiaoyao with resentment.
Ren Xiaoyao turned around gracefully, facing Uta Shinji, Ando Masanobu, and the others, and cupped his hands, saying, "Sect leaders, this place is not safe to linger. Please lead your respective groups and leave quickly to avoid any unforeseen trouble."
Uta Shinji, Ando Masanobu, and the others all showed expressions of gratitude, saying in unison, "Sect Leader Ren has repaid evil with kindness, saving us from danger. We will repay this kindness in the future!"
Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly, watching them leave, then picked up Miike Takashi, his face turning cold, and said indifferently, "Captain Miike... no, Igagaya Special Envoy Hojo Tsukasa, obediently come with me."
The next morning, the group bid farewell to Inoue Takehiko, boarded the large ship prepared by the Akutagawa School, and sailed downstream along the Kohaku River, heading east towards Saga Prefecture.
After the events of the previous night, all the disciples of the Akutagawa School regarded Ren Xiaoyao as their savior, showing him utmost respect and humility, even treating the women with the same deference as if they were serving a master.
Ren Xiaoyao stood at the bow of the boat, enjoying the ever-changing scenery on both banks with great interest.
Long Feiyun moved gracefully behind Ren Xiaoyao, her voice as gentle and ethereal as a fairy's as she softly said, "Xiaoyao, why don't you go in and chat with Xiuxiu and Fengzi?"
Ren Xiaoyao sighed softly, "They... sigh, just because I released Hojo Tsukasa, they're chattering and making a fuss, insisting on getting to the bottom of it."
Long Feiyun chuckled sweetly, "Don't worry, I already made things clear to them. You let Hojo Tsukasa go back partly to avoid implicating Mr. Inoue and Akuta." "Firstly, the flow of people; secondly, Hojo Tsukasa holds an official position in the Imperial Court, and detaining him might give Fujiwara no Michitaka cause for trouble; thirdly, we already found out everything Hojo Tsukasa knew last night, keeping him around would only be a burden; fourthly, we can use this as a warning to the Japanese martial arts world, to show them that we are not to be trifled with."
Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, "Hahaha, Fei Yun understands me perfectly. With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"
Long Fei Yun's cheeks flushed instantly, she looked up at him sideways, and said with a slight reproach, "Stop being so glib." "I have important business to discuss with you."
Ren Xiaoyao grew increasingly fond of her, and softly asked, "What important business?"
Long Feiyun said in a deep voice, "Don't you think Hojo Tsukasa's words last night were very suspicious?"
Ren Xiaoyao's expression remained calm and composed, and he said casually, "You mean that Iga Valley offered 30,000 taels of gold for capturing Mina, and last night hired many experts to infiltrate the government troops to kill Uta Shinji and the others to silence them, spending about 200,000 taels of silver, plus the government troops' food and pay?" "The compensation and benefits afterward would amount to about the same, so why go through all this trouble, right?"
Long Feiyun's beautiful eyes flashed, and her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she said, "Yes, Fujiwara no Michitaka and Kubo Kosuke are such people, how could they do something so disgraceful and counterproductive?"
Ren Xiaoyao returned to his true self, grinning, "No, you're wrong. If this succeeds, it won't be a loss, but a double win!"
Long Feiyun was indeed clever; upon hearing his words, she immediately realized, "Could it be..." "The other side wants to shift the responsibility for annihilating the Seven Sects onto you and the Akutagawa School, while also claiming credit for upholding martial arts and eliminating powerful foreign enemies."
Ren Xiaoyao's eyes brightened, and he said coldly, "That's right. Think about it, since Hojo Tsukasa used the imperial court's name to accuse the Seven Sects of 'colluding with the reclusive minister Kurosaki Hideyasu and plotting to murder the former Grand Councilor,' and threatened them with the lives of their clansmen to prevent them from resisting, the government troops alone could have wiped them out. Why hire a large group of experts?" Long Feiyun's beautiful eyes
turned cold, and she said hatefully, "It's obvious that these people are meant to be used against us. Fortunately, you captured the leader and subdued Hojo Tsukasa first. Otherwise, even if we could have repelled the government troops and these experts, the crime of annihilating the Seven Sects would have been enough to make us suffer." Ren Xiaoyao said coldly, "Of course. With Iga Valley adding fuel to the fire, we will immediately become the public enemy of the martial arts world. At that time, I'm afraid that apart from Hokushin Itto-ryu, even the other six of the Seven Sects will not let us go." Long Feiyun's beautiful eyes turned cold, and she said hatefully, "It's obvious that these people
are meant to be used against us. Fortunately, you captured the leader and subdued Hojo Tsukasa first. Otherwise, even if we could have repelled the government troops and these experts, the crime of annihilating the Seven Sects would have been enough to make us suffer."
Fei Yun gently stroked her breasts and let out a long sigh, saying, "What a Fujiwara no Michitaka, what a Iga-ya! It seems our opponents are no ordinary men."
Ren Xiaoyao turned to look at the river, a murderous glint flashing in his tiger-like eyes. He slowly said, "Let's treat our confrontation with them as a rehearsal for the extermination of the Asura Cult and the final battle after our return to the Central Plains." As he spoke, a smile appeared on his lips, instantly dissolving his cold expression and the murderous intent in his eyes. He said softly, "I'm so glad to have such a good wife as you. You're there to face my difficulties with me. No matter how great the hardships, I will persevere."
Long Fei Yun leaned closer, nestled in Ren Xiaoyao's arms, her clear gaze seemingly able to see into his heart as she looked at him for a long while. She breathed softly, saying, "Actually, it's not just me. All the sisters are doing their best to help you. Han Bi spent the entire night healing the wounded Akutagawa clan, even personally handling small tasks like bandaging their wounds. Feng Yi, Fu Rong, Xiu..." Xiu wasn't idle either, either assisting Hanbi or accompanying the Akutagawa-ryu medical ninjas in preparing and decocting medicine. Fengzi, on the other hand, kept pestering Mr. Deng, saying she wanted to learn more about mechanisms and hidden weapons so she could help him fight powerful enemies in the future. As for Mina... sigh, the daughter of the head of one of the seven major sects of Japan, a Jonin of the Hokushin Itto-ryu school, and the captain of the Hidden Mobile Force, is being protected by you like a child. It was fine when she was injured, but now that she's recovered, why bother your seniors every day? "They're protecting her closely."
Ren Xiaoyao smiled slightly and joked, "Hehe, even if I didn't say anything, Senior Yi and Senior Fu wouldn't allow their precious niece to make any mistakes."
Long Feiyun gave him a flirtatious look and lightly scolded, "This is clearly a different matter from whether you asked for help or not. Don't forget, Mr. Deng and your master often have to stay by Mina's side..." She stopped halfway through her sentence, then her expression turned serious. After staring at him for a while, she whispered, "You wouldn't be drunk, would you?" "Your intentions aren't in the bar."
Ren Xiaoyao exclaimed in surprise, "What...what do you mean by 'your intentions aren't in the bar'?"
Long Feiyun tilted her head back, closed her beautiful eyes, and revealed an alluring expression of intoxication. She opened her mouth slightly and said, "Don't pretend. I've already guessed your intentions. Protecting Mina is a pretense; taking care of Zhengliang is the real purpose. See? I wasn't wrong, was I?"
Ren Xiaoyao's mind stirred slightly, and he casually said, "What 'real' and 'fake' are confusing me."
Long Feiyun looked at him with a smile, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a hint of love. She said in a sweet voice, "You've long noticed that Zhengliang is no ordinary child. Not only is he knowledgeable about all kinds of food, etiquette, and customs, but he also knows the situation of various schools of martial arts in Japan like the back of his hand, even more than Mina. So you believe that his identity is not just that of Kurosaki Hideyasu's son, especially after the attack on Zhengliang when he stayed at the temple. This further solidified your judgment. But for various reasons, you couldn't reveal the truth, and naturally, you couldn't pay your respects." "I've asked several seniors to protect Zhengliang closely. Fortunately, Mina and Zhengliang have been inseparable all along the way, so protecting him also protects Zhengliang. Therefore, even though Mina has recovered from her injuries and is more than capable of protecting herself, you still need to trouble the seniors to take care of her."
Ren Xiaoyao smiled mischievously and said leisurely, "They say you shouldn't marry a wife who's too smart, but my wife is the smartest woman in the world. Alas, what can I do? It's an imperial marriage, so I can't regret it even if I want to." Seeing Long Feiyun feigning anger and about to pinch him, he quickly changed his tune seriously, "I've been thinking about what amazing secret Zhengliang is hiding, but I still can't figure it out. Since you and I are thinking the same thing, you can help analyze it and see if you can guess the mystery."
Long Feiyun made an exaggerated expression as if she was exclaiming "My God!", rolled her eyes, and then giggled, "So there are things in the world that even you, the romantic thief Ren Xiaoyao, can't handle."
Ren Xiaoyao Responding with her usual nonchalance, she chuckled and said, "I'm not a god, how could I know everything? The only thing I'm certain of is that Zhengliang once served in the Japanese royal family. His food, drink, and clothing may seem casual, but if you were to ask for something fancy, even Fengyi, Fengzi, and you, the princess, can't compare to him."
Long Feiyun lightly brushed a strand of hair from her eyelid and said lazily, "The rules of the Japanese royal family are far less strict than those of the Song Dynasty. As the son of a high-ranking official, he could frequently enter and leave the palace, and might even have been a prince's study companion. He usually sees and eats the food of the imperial palace, so it's understandable that he's particular about it. What I'm concerned about is his knowledge of the various ninjutsu schools in Japan, which is no less than my understanding of the martial arts world in the Central Plains. This superb memory goes without saying, but the key is where he got the information on each school—the Tianji Sect has members all over the country, and with the strong support of the imperial intelligence network, it's possible to collect such detailed information. Where did he get it from…" She stopped abruptly here, glancing back.
Ren Xiaoyao turned around and saw Mina Shinguji leading Masahiro Kurosaki towards them. A thought flickered in his mind, and he greeted them with a smile, saying softly, "Mina, it's windy outside, why did you come out?"
Masahiro Kurosaki quickly replied, "Big brother, Mina-neechan is a ninja, not a delicate little girl."
Ren Xiaoyao's handsome face flushed slightly, and he said awkwardly, "I... oh dear, I meant it's windy outside, Mina shouldn't have brought you out, you... you're still young." Mina
Shinguji touched Masahiro Kurosaki's forehead, a gentle, joyful smile playing on her lips, and said with boundless affection, "You, don't underestimate Masahiro, he's not an ordinary child, he's..." (

Volume 33, Chapter 4: Desert Storm)

Ren Xiaoyao and Long Feiyun pricked up their ears, wanting to hear what she had to say, but Zhen Gongji Mina suddenly stopped, smiling and saying, "Zhengliang has something to discuss with you, so I won't interfere."
Ren Xiaoyao's heart stirred slightly, and he affectionately stroked Kurosaki Zhengliang's forehead, half-squatting down and saying, "Zhengliang, what do you want to see your big brother about? Tell me, and I'll definitely agree to anything you can do."
Kurosaki Zhengliang's clear, bright eyes, untouched by the cloudiness of adulthood, shone brightly as he looked at Ren Xiaoyao with pleading eyes, solemnly saying, "Big brother, your kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, and I am eternally grateful. If you would allow it, I would like to take you as my brother, and in the future, I will serve you and follow you by your side."
Ren Xiaoyao was taken aback by the question. Kurosaki Zhengliang's words were half classical and half vernacular, but the meaning was clear: he wanted to become sworn brothers with him. To be honest, putting aside Kurosaki Masayoshi's mysterious identity, his lonely background was very similar to his own back then. Not to mention his sisterly relationship with Shinguji Mina, it was entirely possible for him to take good care of and protect her. However, the matter of becoming sworn brothers was far too abrupt, and he couldn't just agree to it so easily.
Seeing that Ren Xiaoyao didn't answer for a long time, Kurosaki Masayoshi's still childish face turned red, and he murmured, "Big brother, do you think Masayoshi doesn't know martial arts?"
Ren Xiaoyao waved his hand and said, "No, no, no, I'm not..." Suddenly, he caught Shinguji Mina's gaze on him. A smile, gentler than ripples, emanated from the corner of her pretty face. Her clear eyes looked at him deeply and then nodded gently, not with a pleading or expectant tone, but with encouragement and joy.
Ren Xiaoyao, being so clever, was perfectly aware that Shinguji Mina wanted him to agree, but he couldn't quite grasp the special meaning behind her encouraging and joyful gaze. Luckily, Long Feiyun bumped into him, which made him realize what was going on. He smiled and said, "Hehe, as long as Zhengliang isn't afraid of the endless trouble that comes with recognizing me as his elder brother, I
'll gladly accept. Come, second brother, according to the customs of the Central Plains, when sworn brothers become brothers, they need to use soil as incense. This is a riverbed, with no soil or mud, so let's..."
Kurosaki Zhengliang excitedly said, "...swear an oath of blood!" After the two finished drinking the blood wine, they officially became sworn brothers.
Shinguji
Mina led the elated Kurosaki Masayoshi back to their cabin. Before leaving, she gave Ren Xiaoyao a delighted look, her beautiful eyes gleaming with an irresistible light, as if she were about to throw herself into his arms. Ren Xiaoyao was almost certain that even with Kurosaki Masayoshi and Long Feiyun present, if he were to boldly press Shinguji Mina onto the deck and make his advances, he would be sure she wouldn't refuse.
Long Feiyun leaned close to Ren Xiaoyao's ear and whispered, "Have you noticed? In Mina's eyes, the one who benefits from your sworn brotherhood with Zhengliang isn't him, but you!"
Ren Xiaoyao nodded in deep agreement, "Yes, I see. Mina has been hinting to me to accept Zhengliang's request, and... when she left, she was genuinely happy for me. This..."
Long Feiyun continued, "This is too unusual. With your rank in the Song Dynasty court and your prestige in the Central Plains martial arts world, there are probably few in Japan who can compare to you, let alone... It seems our guess was correct..." "Liang's identity is definitely not simple, even... even higher than yours."
Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, saying happily, "My eldest brother is the leader of the Beggars' Sect, my second brother is the prospective leader of the Mount Tai Sect, my third brother is in charge of all the outlaws in the world, and today I have another clever and quick-witted younger brother. It seems that heaven has been kind to me."
Long Feiyun heard that he was genuinely happy and asked in surprise, "What, you don't want to continue investigating and find out about Zhengliang's..."
Ren Xiaoyao shrugged casually and smiled leisurely, "There's no need. What Mina should say, she will naturally say. What she shouldn't say, even if we investigate, we won't find out."
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
During the journey, the Akutagawa School continuously sent out ninjas to gather information along the river.
As Ren Xiaoyao had predicted, after the seven major sects left the encirclement, they immediately exposed Iga Valley's treacherous act of reneging on its promises and committing murder to silence witnesses. Many sects that had come for the hidden reward either withdrew or retreated, no longer troubling them. Coupled with the absolute advantage of the Akutagawa River's naval warfare, they traveled safely without encountering any obstacles.
Ten days later, the ship arrived in Saga Prefecture. The group reluctantly bid farewell to Araki Ryohiko, the Five Water Ninja, and others. During this time, they had gradually transformed from initial enemies into close friends who respected each other and shared everything. Seeing their impending separation, they were truly reluctant to part, especially Araki Ryohiko, the sect leader. He was deeply moved by Ren Xiaoyao's heroic spirit and unparalleled kingly demeanor, repeatedly stating that at Ren Xiaoyao's command, the entire Akutagawa River sect would go through fire and water without hesitation.
Ren Xiaoyao was both surprised and delighted. The Akutagawa-ryu and Kirigakure-ryu were the two most powerful martial arts schools in Japan, second only to the Seven Great Schools. Their willingness to serve him was a great help in the fight against Iga Valley. He quickly thanked them profusely, arranged their contact methods, and then led the women away from the dock. Saga Prefecture had a peculiar climate. Located on the edge of a desert, it should have been extremely barren, but the Kohaku River, turning north here, provided a precious water source, making it the most prosperous area within a hundred miles.
Although the desert wasn't large—it could be crossed in about two days—the group still acquired several fine horses to carry food, water, provisions, shelter, and other odds and ends that, while seemingly useless, would come in handy for any eventuality.
The scorching sun, sandstorms, and yellow earth constituted everything they could see around them.
From the very first time he practiced martial arts under the guidance of the Four Sages of Qin, Qi, Shu, Hua (music, chess, calligraphy, and painting), Ren Xiaoyao developed a love for the sun. From then on, whenever there was sunshine, he couldn't resist taking off his clothes and basking in it. On the shores of West Lake, atop Yueyang Tower, in Suzhou, along the Qinhuai River, on the shady side of Mount Hua, and atop Mount Lu, he saw all kinds of suns: some fierce as a bearded man, some gentle as a maiden in bloom, some hazy and somber like the eyes of an old man, and some dazzling and vibrant like the face of a young girl.
But he had never seen a sun like this.
Although it was the same sun, it suddenly became fierce and scorching in the desert, as if it wanted to set the entire desert ablaze. He was naturally fearless with his innate supreme qi protecting him, but everyone—including Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Meng Fei, and Deng Lei—was sweating profusely and suffering terribly from the sun. The women were even worse off, hiding in the carriage and refusing to come out. The only one chatting and laughing was Shinguji Mina. As a ninja, she had to be able to adapt to any conditions to carry out missions. She had been practicing in the desert with her father since she was a child, and over time she had become accustomed to the scorching sun. She rode alongside Ren Xiaoyao, occasionally talking about her childhood martial arts training, which amused everyone and added some fun to the otherwise tedious journey.
Long Feiyun, whose place she had "replaced," sat in the carriage with Nangong Fengyi and Nangong Fengzi, frantically fanning themselves with a small round fan. There was no wind, not a breath of air, not a sound. Under the scorching sun, all life on the desert had entered a state of lethargy.
They finally endured until evening. Although the sun had sunk below the horizon, heat still emanated from the desert, making it so stifling that they wanted to strip naked. But soon the heat dissipated, replaced by a biting chill; the wind felt like knives on their faces.
Fortunately, Inoue Takehiko had reminded everyone to bring fur coats, which, when draped over their shoulders, provided indescribable warmth.
Long Feiyun left the carriage, returned to her horse, and, along with Shinguji Mina, flanked Ren Xiaoyao.
Ren Xiaoyao, feeling pity for the beautiful women, kept urging them to return, but Long Feiyun and Zhen Gongji Mina refused, insisting on sharing his hardships. Ren Xiaoyao couldn't bear to see them suffer in the cold, and was just about to find a sheltered spot to pitch their tent when, unexpectedly, a groan came from somewhere.
Though faint, the sound was clearer than a person speaking in one's ear in the desolate desert.
Ren Xiaoyao, Long Feiyun, and Zhen Gongji Mina simultaneously reined in their horses and stopped.
Ren Xiaoyao's eyes widened, and he said in a deep voice, "Did you hear that sound?"
Long Feiyun
nodded. Ren Xiaoyao frowned and asked, "What is that sound?"
Long Feiyun said decisively, "There's someone nearby."
Shinguji Mina chimed in, "That's right! There is someone, but it's someone who's about to die."
Ren Xiaoyao asked in surprise, "How do you know?"
Shinguji Mina smiled bitterly, "Although I don't like killing, I often carry out missions nearby, and I've naturally heard many dying groans in the desert. In my opinion, this person is either about to die from the sun or from thirst."
Suddenly, another groan came from the sand dunes to the left. Ren Xiaoyao immediately recognized the sound as coming from a group of sand dunes on the left.

Volume 33, Chapter 5: A Great Crisis. Ren

Xiaoyao frowned and said in a deep voice, "You wait here, I'll go check over there."
Surprisingly, Mina Shinguji said calmly, "What's so interesting about someone who's about to die?"
Long Feiyun exclaimed in surprise, "What's so interesting!? That person is about to die, aren't we going to save him?"
Mina Shinguji's beautiful eyes lit up with intelligence as she reassured her, "Although this is a desert, it's not very large. As long as we have enough food and water, even ordinary merchants can pass through safely. In other words..."
Long Feiyun said emotionally, "You suspect he's a master sent by Iga Valley, deliberately pretending to be dying to lure us over, and then launching a sneak attack?"
Mina Shinguji avoided... Instead of answering, she said softly, "As a ninja, one must be careful at all times and vigilant at all times, never giving the opponent any opportunity."
Long Feiyun interjected, "So even knowing he might not be a bad person, you still refuse to help him?"
Shinguji Mina shrugged slightly, her gaze drifting to Ren Xiaoyao beside her, and said in a playful tone, "Unless you are absolutely certain of victory against a sudden sneak attack, otherwise..."
Ren Xiaoyao laughed heartily, saying, "Hahaha, so Mina wants to test my confidence, but is also afraid that her future husband will get hurt. Alright, alright, I'll be right back, everyone wait here." As he spoke, he swayed slightly, suddenly leaped off his horse, and sped towards the sand dune like a wisp of smoke.
Long Feiyun smiled at Shinguji Mina, saying sweetly, "If we're going, we should all go together. Maybe there's more than one 'corpse' there, right?"
Shinguji Mina didn't answer, silently turning her horse around, and the entire group turned to the left.
The sand dunes weren't large. Turning a corner, they saw three people lying there. Upon seeing them, everyone's hearts sank.
These three were hardly human; they looked like two sheep roasting over a fire, almost charred. They were naked, nailed to the ground, their wrists, ankles, and faces bound with cowhide. The cowhide, initially wet, had become increasingly tight after drying in the sun, digging into their flesh.
Their skin was completely sunburnt, their lips cracked, their eyes half-closed, the pupils and whites indistinguishable, appearing like gray holes—clearly, they had been sunburnt blind.
Long Feiyun gasped, exclaiming, "This…who did this? So cruel…so cruel!"
The women peered out from the carriage, witnessing this gruesome scene, all utterly devastated.
Ren Xiaoyao sensed that all three were still breathing and quickly reached out to untie the beef tendon. However, the tendon, after being bound and then soaked with water, had become deeply embedded in their skin and was difficult to remove. Desperate to save them, he used his index and middle fingers to grip both ends of the tendon and gently pulled it apart. With a snap, the tendon broke instantly. This seemingly effortless skill actually required extremely profound internal strength, especially considering how easily he removed the bindings from the three.
Long Feiyun and Zhen Gongji Mina stepped forward to help, and together with Ren Xiaoyao, they wrapped them in a felt blanket and used a silk towel soaked in water to let them gently suckle.
Soon, the three gradually regained consciousness and began to groan. "Water...water..." they cried out repeatedly, pleading as soon as they could make a sound.
But Ren Xiaoyao knew that if he allowed them to drink large amounts of water now, their lungs would explode and they would die instantly.
Long Feiyun breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "Don't worry, there's plenty of water here. You can drink as much as you want."
The man opened his eyes blankly, still groaning, "Water...water...I need water..."
Long Feiyun patted the wool bag behind her, "Don't worry, we have plenty of water."
Suddenly, Shinguji Mina scolded, "Tell me, who are you? How did you get tied up here?"
The man said in a hoarse voice, "We're...we're Sand Ninja...the Sand Ninja of the Tochigi Matsumoto
School." Shinguji Mina's body trembled slightly, unable to hide her surprise, and she exclaimed, "The Tochigi Matsumoto School!? Aoki Toshishi...he's here too? Where...where are they?"
The man struggled to raise his hand, pointed into the distance, then desperately grabbed his hair, his face contorted with fear, his body trembling even more violently.
Shinguji Mina said sharply, "Lies! The east is clearly the training ground of the Hokushin Ichi-ryu. How could the Tochigi Matsumoto School come from there?"
The three of them shook their heads again, tears welling in their eyes.
Ren Xiaoyao, unable to bear it, said softly, "Forget it. They're already in such a terrible state, why force them? Besides, even if they lied, so what? They don't even have the strength to move. How could they possibly harm us?"
Shinguji Mina was speechless. Ren Xiaoyao was right. These three were not only unarmed but also completely naked. Even if they weren't injured, there was nothing about them that made her uneasy.
Ren Xiaoyao said in a deep voice, "Feiyun, you support them. I'll go get some water." He turned and walked towards the horses.
Just then, the three dying men suddenly leaped up like rabbits. Their hands, which had been clutching their hair, suddenly lashed out with lightning speed, each hand unleashing more than a dozen dark beams of light that rained down upon them, faster and more swift than lightning, making them impossible to dodge.
This was a concealed weapon fired from a crossbow, hidden in her hair the entire time, which allowed it to escape Mina Shinguji's notice. However, attempting to harm Ren Xiaoyao and his companions with it was nothing short of delusional.
Ren Xiaoyao's exceptional lightness skill was undeniable, and Long Feiyun and Mina Shinguji were also masters of this art. Unless Deng Lei or Tang Yunhe intervened, even in a sudden attack, it would be difficult for anyone to injure them.
Unexpectedly, the concealed weapon didn't strike them but instead hit the water bag. With a series of "splashes!" dozens of water jets shot out like arrows from the sheepskin bag.
The three "dying men" also darted away like lightning, disappearing into the distance.
Yi Tianhan, who was protecting Kurosaki Masayoshi near the carriage, saw this from afar and was enraged. He roared, "You bastards! Don't try to escape!" He spread his hands and leaped towards them.
Meng Fei and Fu Longyuan followed closely behind, but Deng Lei didn't chase after them. Instead, he turned to retrieve the water bag, knowing that with Yi, Fu, and Meng's men under his command, no one could escape.
But this time, he was wrong!
Meng Fei's movements were undeniably fast, and Yi Tianhan and Fu Longyuan's palm strikes and sword energy were undeniably fierce. However, before they could reach them, the three suddenly sank into the yellow sand, disappearing in an instant.
Yi Tianhan was furious. He unleashed his Heaven-Defying Divine Palm, unleashing a flurry of attacks in the direction the three had fled, but he couldn't harm them in the slightest. He watched helplessly as the slightly raised sand dunes rapidly receded into the distance until they vanished without a trace.
The events unfolded too suddenly, almost in an instant. By the time Ren Xiaoyao reacted, all he could see were a dozen or so sheepskin bags with holes punched in them. Of course, Deng Lei had acted incredibly quickly, and the water inside hadn't all leaked out. He had already untied all the bags and laid them flat on the ground, the holed side facing up; each bag still contained at least half a bag.
Nangong Fengzi leaned out of the carriage and giggled, "Uncle, you're really skilled! All that work was for nothing, but at least we still have water to drink."
Deng Lei remained silent, instead lifting the water bags and pouring the water onto the ground.
Lin Yuxiu exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Deng, what... what are you doing?"
Deng Lei shook his head, still remaining silent. Long Feiyun walked over and sighed softly, "The hidden weapon was poisoned, and the poison has dissolved into the water, so naturally the water is undrinkable."
Lin Yuxiu's beautiful face immediately turned pale, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "Ah, then for the next few days, won't we... won't we have any water to drink!"
Ren Xiaoyao staggered back two steps, almost falling to the ground, and murmured, "Alas, it's my fault, it's my fault for being too complacent, too careless, and not noticing the anomaly."
Shinguji Mina's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she exhaled a soft, fragrant breath. She wore an apologetic expression that could soften any man's heart, and said softly, "No, you should blame me. When I heard the name Tochigi Matsumoto Ryu, I was too nervous and didn't realize that the three of them were actually Nakamori Yoshishi, Iwatani Keisuke, and Kawatani Hideki!"
Kurosaki Masayoshi on the carriage exclaimed, "What! It's those three people, Mina-neechan, you're not mistaken, are you?"
Shinguji Mina's eyes flashed with a strange light as she stared intently ahead, and she said in a deep voice, "There's no mistake, except for them..." Who else could wield Earth Release techniques with such mastery, leaving even the seniors helpless?
"If...if it were those three, then..." Kurosaki Masayoshi said, still shaken, "then Aoki Toshishi...he really came...he really came!" In

Volume 33, Chapter 6,

Lin Yuxiu, showing a look of astonishment, asked in a delicate voice, "Who is Aoki Toshishi? The head of the Tochigi Matsumoto school? Why are you all so afraid?"
Shinguji Mina, unable to conceal her fear, trembled slightly, took two steps back, and said in a trembling voice, "He...he's not human, he's...he's a devil, a devil feared by all."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. They had all witnessed Shinguji Mina's cultivation level. Although she hadn't reached the Grandmaster level, she was definitely a top-tier expert. For her to be so frightened that she turned pale and spoke haltingly, what kind of powerful figure must she be!
Shui Furong asked cautiously, "Could it be that Aoki Toshishi's martial arts are very high, so..."
Shinguji Mina gently stroked her breasts, letting out a long sigh, as if trying to suppress her inner turmoil, and murmured, "No, he doesn't understand martial arts, yet he's more difficult to deal with than any martial arts master."
Nangong Fengzi giggled, "Doesn't understand martial arts!? Then he's a master of poison, hehe. With Hanbi here, even if we bring all the poisons in the world, they still can't harm us."
Kurosaki Masayoshi sighed with a worried expression, "Japanese martial arts are divided into two categories: physical techniques and ninjutsu. Physical techniques include fist and footwork, and weapon combat, while ninjutsu..." This refers to various auxiliary or direct attack techniques performed through hand seals. As a ninja, one should ideally train both taijutsu and ninjutsu, with only a very few specializing in taijutsu. In the history of the Japanese martial arts world, only Aoki Toshishi has ever abandoned taijutsu to cultivate ninjutsu.
Fu Longyuan pondered, "Oh, specializing in ninjutsu, that does seem rather troublesome."
Kurosaki Masayoshi shook his head, "It's not just somewhat troublesome, it's simply... simply impossible to deal with. There's a saying in the Japanese martial arts world: 'Better to challenge Hueco Mundo than provoke Aoki Yuu, better to encounter Kusanagi no Tsurugi than meet Mitama no Go.' Aoki Yuu is Aoki Toshishi's nickname, and Mitama no Go is the vessel he uses to hold his weapon." "Objects."
Lin Yuxiu covered her mouth and exclaimed, "No way! Hueco Mundo is the holy land of the Japanese martial arts world. Thousands of masters of the Hokushin Itto-ryu school gather here. Can Aoki Toshishi alone be stronger than the thirteenth... no, the fourteenth Jonin?!"
Kurosaki Masayoshi's face was expressionless, but his tone was unusually desolate: "Challenging Hueco Mundo will at most result in death, but provoking Aoki Toshishi means being unable to live or die."
Nangong Fengzi was still completely confused and interjected, "What is in the Soul-Controlling Gourd that is more terrifying than the Kusanagi Sword, one of the three great divine weapons of Japan?"
Kurosaki Masayoshi frowned and slowly uttered two words: "Sand—" "—Zi—"
Nangong Fengzi exclaimed in astonishment, "What! Sand...sand!?"
Kurosaki Masayoshi's expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "Yes, sand. Aoki Toshishi's weapon is sand."
Long Feiyun asked incredulously, "My God, did I hear that right? Sand can be used as a weapon?"
Kurosaki Masayoshi said solemnly, "That's not ordinary sand. It's made from meteorites that fell from the sky and more than a dozen kinds of hard minerals. Combined with the earth-based ninjutsu that Aoki Toshishi has mastered throughout his life, such as Sand Binding Coffin, Sand Rain, Sand Binding Prison, and Flowing Sand Waterfall, it's the most powerful weapon in the Japanese martial arts world today..." He stopped abruptly, sighing repeatedly.
Mina Shinguji continued, "Aoki Shunji's greatest strength isn't offense, but defense. His unique technique, 'Shukaku no Shield,' honed over decades, envelops his entire body in sand and stone, solidifying it with internal energy. Even the sharpest Kusanagi sword can't budge it an inch. In his seventeen years in the martial world, Aoki Shunji has faced countless masters, engaging in over two hundred battles without a single defeat. Whether it's the Shinto Munen-ryu, Kyōshin Akechi-ryu, Jōshin-ei-ryu, Kamiya Kashin-ryu, the Oniwaban's Ryūmon Hozuki-maru, Izumi no Kami Kanesada, Nagasone Kotetsu, Senbonzakura, Horikawa Kunihiro, and other swords that can cut through iron like mud, or even the Kusanagi sword personally used by Kato Taka, the head of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu sect, or even my father's Ryūjin Jakka, none can cleave the 'Shukaku no Shield.' Therefore, the martial world has bestowed upon Aoki Shunji a truly fitting name..." "The true title..." She paused, then uttered four words with a startling force: "Absolute Defense!"
Lin Yuxiu exclaimed in shock, "So, Aoki Toshishi is... isn't he invincible?!"
Shinguji Mina shook her head and said, "No, although Father couldn't break through the 'Shield of Shukaku,' he did activate the heat of the Flowing Blade's Living Force to raise its temperature. Aoki Toshishi held out for two whole hours, but in the end, he couldn't withstand the heat and had to admit defeat. As for the other sects... Aoki Toshishi is good at defense but not offense, and the sect leaders each have their own unique skills. Although they couldn't defeat him, he couldn't defeat the others either. Several matches ended in draws."
Lin Yuxiu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest and saying, "That's easy. Big brother can also fight him to a draw, with both sides giving way. " "Then it's all right."
Shinguji Mina's delicate body trembled slightly, she sighed softly, and frowned, saying, "That was just a friendly spar, not a real fight, which is why Aoki Toshishi agreed to a draw. Normally… sigh, whenever we encounter Aoki Toshishi on a mission, we can neither fight nor escape. The only outcome is being exhausted by his 'Shukaku Shield,' leaving us neither alive nor dead."
Kurosaki Masayoshi chimed in, "Therefore, all the martial arts schools in Japan, including the Hokushin Ittō-ryū, have established a rule: whoever encounters him can return to their school without completing their mission."
Long Feiyun suddenly understood and blurted out, "I knew it! We're all martial artists; even without water, we can manage." "Why did Tochigi Matsumoto go to such lengths to destroy the water bags after we left the desert? It turns out they wanted to use Aoki Toshishi's 'Shukaku Shield' to trap us here and kill us."
Kurosaki Masayoshi said solemnly, "That's right. Although my elder brother and the seniors are highly skilled in martial arts, they still have a hard time breaking through the absolute defense that everyone in the martial arts world fears. Moreover, Nakamori Yoshishi, Iwaten Keisuke, and Kawatani Hideki are all experts in sand combat. In addition, Aoki Toshishi's two capable generals—Aoki Toshishi's sister, the wind-manipulating master Aoki Norika, whose strength is comparable to the Five Beauties of Igagaya, and Yoshikawa Musashi, who is recognized as the number one puppeteer in Japan—can trap us in the desert for three to five days with ease."
Shinguji Mina frowned and said in a deep voice, "Fengyi, is there any water left in the carriage?"
Nangong Fengyi inspected the supplies briefly and said with a wry smile, "There are only two bags left. Fengzi and Xiuxiu just brought them in to drink. Even if we use them sparingly, they'll only last for three days at most."
Zhen Gongji Mina turned her horse around without hesitation and sighed, "There's no other way. Let's go back to Saga Prefecture first, buy more water and dry rations, and then set off again."
Long Feiyun exclaimed in surprise, "What!? Turn back the way we came!"
The wind howled, and sand swirled.
The night in the desert had begun to show its terrifying power.
Everyone's clothes were whipped about by the wind, and the sand scraping against their faces was no less painful than being cut by a knife.
The women couldn't believe that such cowardly words as retreating and taking a detour would come from the mouth of Zhen Gongji Mina, who was always strong, brave, and never afraid of danger. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Ren Xiaoyao stood there stunned, speechless for a long time. How he wished he could hear a "no" from the woman he loved, and then...
Mina Shinguji sighed softly and said reluctantly, "Yes, return the way we came! Although as a ninja, retreating without a fight is a great humiliation, but facing..."
Yi Tianhan shouted, "Enough! Fengyi said she can hold out for three more days, which means she has a whole day to fight the Tochigi Matsumoto style. I don't believe that the 'Shukaku Shield' can hold us off for twelve hours! If you're afraid, let me deal with Aoki Toshishi!" He was arrogant and never submitted to anyone. He hadn't been involved in any of the fierce battles along the way, and his hands were itching to find a master to fight.
Fu Longyuan chimed in, "Count me in! Hmph, 'Absolute Defense,' the name alone makes me angry."
Deng Lei snorted coldly, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, and said grimly, "If the enemy is unjust, I will be unjust too. Since the Tochigi Matsumoto school is going to resort to despicable means, then don't blame me for playing dirty tricks with them."
Shinguji Mina, knowing the three elders' personalities well and anticipating that she couldn't persuade them, turned her beautiful, refined face to Ren Xiaoyao, her eyes pleading, and softly said, "You see..."
Ren Xiaoyao smiled: "Mina's words are not without merit. There's no need for you seniors to fight Aoki Toshishi head-on..." The voice suddenly rose eight octaves, unexpectedly arrogant, "Let me experience his 'Shukaku Shield' firsthand, and see if it's as powerful as Mina described—an absolute defense that no one can break—or if it's as formidable as my indestructible, unbreakable Ice Soul Frost Sword!" With that, he waved his hand, and the divine weapon was unsheathed, its dazzling, blinding blue light shooting straight into the sky.

Volume Thirty-Three, Chapter Seven: Desert Spring

Water—Things that were once readily available and incredibly cheap became the most precious possessions in everyone's hands. They dared not let the remaining water in their bodies evaporate into sweat under the sun, and only began to move forward when the sun was about to set. Enemies could appear at any moment, and their spirits were taut, fearing some hidden schemes.
No matter how high one's martial arts skills are, they cannot contend with the power of nature.
Needless to say, the women were exhausted from the sun, and even the four great masters—Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Meng Fei, and Deng Lei—were somewhat dehydrated. Only Ren Xiaoyao, possessing innate supreme qi and impervious to heat and cold, still had inexhaustible energy.
They hadn't walked far when several camels slowly approached from afar.
The scorching sun was terrifying; even these camels, known as the "ships of the desert," were struggling to move after traveling for most of the day. The people on the camels were on the verge of death, barely clinging to life.
Their lips were cracked, their eyes bloodshot, and they seemed numb and unconscious, their minds only thinking of one word: "Water...water...water..."
Ren Xiaoyao had intended to buy water from them, but seeing their condition, he sighed helplessly.
To their surprise, the other party shared the same thought. Before they even got close, an old man with a weathered face, leading the way, called out, "Friends ahead, do you have any extra water?" His voice, though low and hoarse, had a powerful infectious quality. The entire group stopped, their faces filled with longing and anticipation.
Long Feiyun didn't want to waste the Desert Spring
Water—something that was once readily available and incredibly cheap had now become their most precious possession. They dared not let the remaining water in their bodies evaporate into sweat under the sun, and only began their journey when the sun was about to set. Enemies could appear at any moment, and their spirits were taut, fearing some hidden schemes. No matter
how high one's martial arts skills, they could not withstand the power of nature.
The women, needless to say, were exhausted from the sun, and even the four great masters, Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Meng Fei, and Deng Lei, were somewhat dehydrated. Only Ren Xiaoyao, possessing innate supreme qi and impervious to heat and cold, still had inexhaustible energy.
After walking for a short while, a few camels slowly approached in the distance.
The scorching sun was terrifying; even these camels, known as the "ships of the desert," struggled to move after a long day's journey. The people on the camels were barely alive, barely clinging to life.
Their lips were cracked, their eyes bloodshot, and they seemed numb and oblivious, their minds only thinking of one word: "Water...water...water..."
Ren Xiaoyao had intended to buy water from them, but seeing their condition, he sighed helplessly.
Unexpectedly, the others shared the same thought. Before they even got close, an old man with a weathered face, leading the way, called out, "Friends ahead, do you have any extra water?" His voice, though low and hoarse, had a powerful impact. The entire group stopped, their faces filled with longing and pleading.
Long Feiyun was unwilling to waste the seventh chapter, "Desert Spring
Water"—something that was once readily available and incredibly cheap had now become the most precious thing in everyone's hands. They dared not let the remaining water in their bodies evaporate into sweat under the sun, and only began to move forward when the sun was about to set. Enemies could appear at any moment, and their spirits were all taut, fearing some conspiracy or trickery. No matter
how high one's martial arts skills are, they cannot withstand the power of nature.
Needless to say, the women were exhausted, and even the four great masters, Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, Meng Fei, and Deng Lei, were somewhat exhausted from the sun. Only Ren Xiaoyao, who possessed innate supreme qi and was not afraid of the heat or cold, still had inexhaustible energy.
After walking for a short while, several camels slowly approached from afar.
The scorching sun was terrifying; even these camels, known as the "ships of the desert," were struggling to move after traveling for most of the day. The people on the camels were on the verge of death, barely clinging to life.
These people had cracked lips, bloodshot eyes, and seemed numb and oblivious, their minds only thinking of one word: "Water...water...water..."
Ren Xiaoyao had intended to buy water from them, but seeing this, he sighed helplessly.
Unexpectedly, the other party shared the same thought. Before they even got close, an old man with a weathered face leading the way called out, "Friends ahead, do you have any extra water?" His voice, though low and hoarse, had a powerful impact, and everyone stopped, their faces filled with longing and pleading.
Long Feiyun, unwilling to waste her energy shouting, waited until they were close before saying, "Our water..." Her voice suddenly stopped, unsure whether to tell the truth and say they only had half a bag left or shake her head in denial.
Upon hearing her mention the word "water," the group of people became excited, letting out wild howls: "Water...water...water..."
The old man licked his lips, looking at Long Feiyun with hopeful eyes. He licked for a long time, but his lips remained dry and cracked, because his tongue was also about to split open.
Long Feiyun felt sorry for him and was about to share some with them when Shinguji Mina interrupted, "I'm sorry, we've finished our water too. I was just thinking of buying some from you all."
The old man's expression immediately drooped, he sighed deeply, and dejectedly led the group away.
Ren Xiaoyao said in a deep voice, "Mina, there's clearly still water, why lie to them?"
Shinguji Mina smiled and said, "Don't worry, with that old man leading the way, these people won't die of thirst."
Ren Xiaoyao asked in surprise, "What, you know him?"
Shinguji Mina nodded and said, "Yes, this man is an old fox of the desert. He doesn't have any other skills, but he's traveled this area countless times. His nose seems to be able to sniff out where danger lies and where safety is. If merchants can get him as a guide, it's like having a protective charm."
She smiled and added, "I met this man five years ago when I was training in the desert. At that time, he had accumulated enough money for his grandson to live comfortably for the rest of his life. I thought he had long since retired and was enjoying a peaceful life at home, but who knew he was still doing this old trade today? It seems he finds this kind of life quite interesting."
Ren Xiaoyao said with considerable feeling, "A fine steed is not content to be confined to its stall. If you really want this kind of person to enjoy a peaceful life at home, you'll feel uncomfortable all over. " "Yes."
Long Feiyun pondered, "In that case, why not ask him about what he saw along the way? Perhaps we can find out about the Tochigi Matsumoto school."
Shinguji Mina smiled sweetly, her beautiful eyes shining with a strange light, and said confidently, "The old man is very familiar with the desert, yet he dared not look for water, leaving all the merchants so thirsty. Clearly, they encountered Tochigi Matsumoto ninjas on the road. Not only were their water bags stolen, but they were also warned not to linger nearby." As she spoke, her eyes filled with affection... With concerned eyes, she glanced at Ren Xiaoyao and continued, "Clearly, our opponents are not far away. Judging from the thirst of the merchants and the speed of the camels, a good battle will begin in half a day at most."
Ren Xiaoyao, knowing she was worried about his safety, felt a surge of emotion and said, "Don't worry, even if I can't break through the absolute defense, forcing Aoki Toshishi to stop fighting is more than enough—I can't let my beautiful wives become widows at such a young age, hahaha."
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
The night was deep, and the moon hung high.
The group found a sheltered spot to set up their tents, intending to rest for the night and prepare for the fierce battle the next morning.
Everyone was busy hammering and setting up the wagons and tents with ropes, but Mina Shinguji went behind a sand dune
and would occasionally lie down, sniffing the sand and gravel, crawling like a fox. Ren Xiaoyao watched, puzzled, and licked his slightly chapped lips, unable to resist asking, "Mina, what are you doing?"
Mina Shinguji replied without turning her head, "I'm looking for water. Tomorrow we're going to fight the Tochigi Matsumoto school, and I can't get back to my best condition if I don't drink enough."
Ren Xiaoyao scratched his head, puzzled, and asked, "You should dig for water, not smell it."
Mina Shinguji chuckled, "Where there's water, there's temperature. With special training, you can naturally smell it—this is always the most important part of our annual desert training, and I always get full marks."
Ren Xiaoyao wanted to make a joke, but in the end, he stopped, because talking not only wasted energy but also saliva, which they considered almost as precious as life itself.
A moment later, Mina Shinguji suddenly pointed to a spot and exclaimed joyfully, "There's water!"
Everyone rushed over and began digging with whatever tools they could find, but after working hard for more than half an hour, they were still disappointed.
There was no water.
Lin Yuxiu's face was contorted with bitterness, almost bursting into tears: "Sister Mina, why isn't your nose working properly?"
Mina Shinguji didn't speak, continuing to dig.
Suddenly, a radiant yet poignant smile bloomed on her beautiful face, and she carefully scooped up a handful of sand, handing it to Ren Xiaoyao.
The sand was warm, clearly containing moisture.
Ren Xiaoyao was about to encourage Mina Shinguji to continue digging when he saw her put the wet sand in her mouth, desperately sucking out the moisture.
There couldn't be any water source in the desert, only wet sand.
No wonder her expression was so bitter, no wonder her smile was so poignant.
The dignified leader of the Heavenly Pole Sect, the Champion Marquis of the Great Song Dynasty, and the dashing rogue Ren Xiaoyao, was actually
forced by the Tochigi Matsumoto clan to huddle in the desert and "eat" sand... For tomorrow's battle, everyone had no choice but to follow the rules.
Water, though pitifully scarce, was enough to save them from near-death by thirst. Everyone dug and sucked desperately, passing the meager half-bag of water among themselves, no one willing to touch it.
Nangong Fengzi sucked until her tongue was numb, frowning as she said, "Oh dear, I've used every ounce of strength I have, but I still can't squeeze out a single drop of water from this damned sand. It's so frustrating!" As a pampered young lady, used to being waited on hand and foot, she couldn't bear such hardship.
Mina Shinguji smiled wryly, "In the desert, finding some warm sand every day is already lucky. The sand has little water, but without it, you can't survive."
Ren Xiaoyao said gently, "Fengzi, Xiuxiu, you two are the youngest and most delicate. Water is..."
Lin Yuxiu shook her head, interrupting, "No, big brother, you have a big battle tomorrow. The water should be saved for you."
Nangong Fengzi also said, "Yes, yes, I'd rather die of thirst than drink it."
A warm feeling welled up in Ren Xiaoyao's heart; he was deeply moved. He said, “I’m different from you. When I first came to the Central Plains, I endured all kinds of hardships. Now, even if I’m reliving those days, Fengzi and Xiuxiu are the apple of their families’ eyes. If I were to wrong you, not only would I, Ren Xiaoyao, be heartbroken, but Sect Leader Nangong and Headmaster Lin would tear me apart. Come, come, don’t refuse, drink up.” His tone wasn’t serious, yet it possessed a strange charm that was irresistible. Nangong Fengzi and Lin Yuxiu stopped insisting and shared the water.
To allow Ren Xiaoyao to rest well for the night and be in the best condition to face Aoki Junzhi, Long Feiyun specially set up another tent for him in the slightly damp sandpit.
Moved, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly felt a surge of passion and forcefully pushed Long Feiyun down onto the sand, kissing her luscious cherry lips without saying a word.
Caught off guard, Long Feiyun was kissed squarely. In a token struggle, she quickly extended her soft, fragrant tongue, allowing Ren Xiaoyao to suckle it, their tongues intertwining and teasing each other.
Ren Xiaoyao, taking advantage of the situation, cunningly slipped his left hand under Long Feiyun's clothes to her chest, gently caressing her burning breasts through her undergarment. His restless right hand slipped under the hem of her skirt, tracing the curves of her beautiful legs, beginning to move upwards… (

Volume 33, Chapter 8: Heart and Soul Shaken)

Under his wanton caresses, Long Feiyun's delicate body trembled involuntarily, her supple legs clamping tightly around his wicked hand: "No… don't touch me anymore, I want it again tomorrow morning…"
Ren Xiaoyao chuckled: "Hahaha, supposedly we shouldn't engage in such passionate lovemaking before a major battle, lest we exhaust ourselves …" "You might not be able to perform at your usual level when it comes to fighting, but who am I, your husband? I possess innate supreme qi, and I can withstand seven women in one night without falling. Tonight with you... hehe, I'll be even more energetic when we fight tomorrow."
Long Feiyun breathed heavily and murmured, "But... but the other sisters are on the other side of the sand dune, sleeping in the open... if they find out, I'll be so ashamed... so ashamed I'll die."
Ren Xiaoyao smiled and kissed her crystal earlobe, saying softly, "Then why don't we go back to our tent and sleep together?"
Long Feiyun's pretty face turned red, but her beautiful eyes were exceptionally bright. Although she didn't speak, her eyes already showed her tacit agreement to Ren Xiaoyao's request.
Ren Xiaoyao kissed her cheek deeply and lifted her delicate body into his arms.
Long Feiyun wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her head tightly against her lover's chest.
When they entered the tent, Long Feiyun's body was already burning hot. In the darkness, Ren Xiaoyao pulled the curtain back, and her burning cherry lips were already kissing his neck.
Long Feiyun was more unrestrained than the other women. Since experiencing the pleasures of love with Ren Xiaoyao, she never bothered to hide her true nature. Furthermore, being in the desert, surrounded by darkness, only added to the novelty and excitement of their clandestine affair.
Ren Xiaoyao kissed her long, fair neck and delicate collarbone, sucked on her full, sweet lips, and wantonly kneaded her high, perky breasts glistening with fragrant sweat. He pinched her slender waist, which was perfectly to the touch, and smelled her indescribable, delicate fragrance...
Long Feiyun suddenly felt a thud. Although Ren Xiaoyao's caresses only stayed above her waist, a strange tingling sensation suddenly rose in the most private and shameful part of her body, as if a needle was gently scratching her, both painful and pleasurable. She recalled the night she lost her virginity on Chiwei Island, when Ren Xiaoyao seized her firm breasts, sucking until the tips were hard and painful. His enormous, fiery member slowly scraped at her tender, untouched flesh, stretching it open inch by inch, scraping out her exquisite, sticky flesh bit by bit…
Long Feiyun lay prone on the newly laid brocade couch, trembling all over as Ren Xiaoyao manipulated her, panting helplessly. Her pale, weak hands gripped the quilt tightly, and her sweat-dampened hair clung lightly to her lips. Her temples and the gap between her tightly pressed legs were squeezed by Ren Xiaoyao's thighs, their roots rubbing together, making them wet and hot. With a sudden twist of her waist, her whole body trembled violently, and she actually lost control. At first, only a few droplets of liquid seeped out from the fabric of her skirt behind her buttocks, but gradually the fabric could not absorb the abundant moisture, and in the blink of an eye, it gathered into a small column of water, squeezing out an arc with a "plop," as if a small and exquisite slender-necked teapot was hidden between her thighs, and with a gentle pour, it poured out a crystal clear and sweet spring.
Seeing this alluring and decadent scene, Ren Xiaoyao's lust flared up like wildfire, becoming uncontrollable. With a "rip!" he violently tore the crotch cloth wrapped around Long Feiyun's knees, ripping off the tattered silk trousers that were now just two legs. He casually pulled down her underpants, grabbed her limp knees, and flipped them back, bending her long, alluring legs into an inverted "E" shape. His disproportionately large member pressed against her narrow entrance, without any room for maneuver, slowly penetrating her. Accompanied by a soft moan from the beauty, the intoxicating heat and moisture gently enveloped Ren Xiaoyao.
Long Feiyun clung weakly to Ren Xiaoyao's neck, her legs squeezing under his waist, spreading wide.
Ren Xiaoyao grasped her firm, full buttocks, helping her sway rhythmically beneath him.
The pleasure surged like waves on the sea, one after another. Long Feiyun, her delicate chin tilted back, moaned softly, her flat stomach convulsing like the tide. Her body trembled violently, her half-closed starry eyes hazy, lost in the sea of desire, constantly igniting my passion and raising Ren Xiaoyao's blood to a boiling point.
Because the other women were behind the sand dunes not far away, Long Feiyun dared not moan loudly, forcibly suppressing the seductive gasps that escaped her throat, making them even more alluring.
Ren Xiaoyao held her tightly with all his might, letting her full breasts rub against his strong chest muscles. The increasingly intense passion washed over their bodies, and Long Feiyun's body arched back sharply in pleasure, their silhouettes resembling the forked branches of a large tree.
Ren Xiaoyao thrust into Long Feiyun's delicate body with all his might. Long Feiyun's thighs, wrapped around his waist, convulsed incessantly, her body arching in rhythm with his movements. An invisible force pulled Ren Xiaoyao into her body, and the surging heat bound them tightly together, their bodies seemingly merging into one.
"No...no more...have...have mercy on me..." Long Feiyun desperately pushed against Ren Xiaoyao's chest, struggling to open her starry eyes, which were brimming with tears. In a half-conscious, half-dazed state, she struggled desperately, casting pleading glances at Ren Xiaoyao on top of her. Her sensitive body, convulsing from the orgasm, could not easily find rest, and in the blink of an eye, it was swallowed by another rising peak.
Long Feiyun's slender, jade-like legs wrapped around Ren Xiaoyao's strong waist like vines. Her delicate body embraced Ren Xiaoyao tightly and warmly, her body trembling slightly. The soft, smooth touch slid over her sweat-drenched skin, finally arousing his deepest desires—Ren Xiaoyao felt a tingling sensation in his spine, and hot, thick fluid suddenly erupted. Tiny beads mixed with semen seemed to spurt out from his lower body, causing Long Feiyun to convulse. In extreme excitement, she received all of her lover's essence.
In the midst of Ren Xiaoyao's outburst, Long Feiyun bit his shoulder hard, letting out a low, heart-stirring moan. After a long while, she finally let out a long sigh, her delicate body collapsing onto Ren Xiaoyao, her fingers tightly clasped in his, and she murmured in a daze, "Xiaoyao...you are my nemesis in this life..."
××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
Morning arrived in the blink of an eye. Long Feiyun had quietly left sometime earlier. Ren Xiaoyao changed his clothes and stepped out of the tent.
Everyone stood atop the sand dune, looking into the distance with astonishment.
Ren Xiaoyao was secretly puzzled, so he quickly walked over and, upon closer inspection, also froze on the spot.
Several miles ahead, a towering stone mountain had appeared out of nowhere. Although the mountain wasn't high, it stood out starkly in the vast desert.
The rocks on the mountain were jagged like dog teeth, and not a single blade of grass grew on it; it appeared exceptionally precipitous.
"No, impossible! Last night it was completely empty, how could it be like this this morning…?
" "A mirage! It must be a mirage!" Lin Yuxiu raised her rosy, delicate face, her expression resolute.
"No, at this time of year, in this season, a mirage is impossible in the desert." Shinguji Mina frowned, her kimono and sash fluttering without wind, murmuring, "Every year the sect organizes a large number of ninjas for desert survival training; I know this place all too well."
"Then…then this is…" Nangong Fengzi's face paled, her voice trembling as she asked.
"A stone mountain built by human labor." Shinguji Mina's voice turned cold as she slowly said.
"Human labor!? A stone mountain built by human labor in just one night! This…this is…this is too unbelievable!" Ren Xiaoyao said incredulously.
"With hundreds of Tochigi Matsumoto-ryu members proficient in earth-style ninjutsu casting their spells together, coupled with the inexhaustible resources of the desert and Aoki Toshishi's unique petrification technique, nothing is impossible," Shinguji Mina sighed softly. "It seems our enemy is close at hand, and a great battle is imminent."
"Why would they build a stone mountain for no reason?" Yi Tianhan frowned.
"I don't know, perhaps they want to prevent us from passing through that direction," Shinguji Mina guessed.
"No, the enemy intends to lure us to Stone Mountain and capture us all at once." Ren Xiaoyao's tiger-like eyes burned as he stared intently ahead. "I can see clearly that there are several wooden houses built against the mountain, all using large trees that two people can barely encircle as stakes, driven deep into the ground. The stakes are four or five zhang high, with only two zhang protruding. The gaps are filled with molten lead, making them as sturdy as copper walls and iron fortresses. If we are outmatched in battle and captured, imprisoned inside, escaping will be as difficult as ascending to heaven." After mastering the Innate Supreme Qi, not only had his spiritual sense greatly improved, but his eyesight was also far superior to others, allowing him to see so clearly even from a distance of several miles.
"Hmph, I see. Since Stone Mountain is to the south, then we'll turn east and let them suffer for nothing for one night."
Yi Tianhan's lips curled into a cold smile as he spoke coldly.
They hadn't walked far when the sky suddenly darkened, and a muffled rumble of thunder could be faintly heard. Yi Tianhan, Fu Longyuan, and the others, having traveled far and wide for decades, knew this was a harbinger of an approaching storm. They couldn't help but curse inwardly, thinking, "Why now of all times? Why this sudden change of weather? Could the upcoming battle be fought in the wind?"
"Whoosh—whoosh—" The rumble of thunder in the sky grew stronger and stronger.
Suddenly, Mina Shinguji cried out, "Oh no! It's a tornado!" Everyone's expression changed drastically. A howl suddenly rose from the

horizon

, rushing towards them from an immeasurable distance, only to vanish again in the far distance, the howl deafening. Immediately afterward, the thick yellow clouds, accumulated over millions of miles, collapsed with a deafening roar, crashing into the desert ground. It was like ten thousand horses galloping, ten thousand drums beating in unison, a thunderous roar erupting.
As soon as the yellow clouds landed, they swirled with the stirred-up sand and gravel, instantly transforming into a gigantic, gray tornado that stretched from the sky to the earth, swirling and churning. The yellow clouds continued to pour down, and the tornadoes multiplied and grew larger, until finally dozens or even hundreds of towering gray-yellow pillars stood proudly in the air, carrying unparalleled cosmic power as they swept across the land.
Ren Xiaoyao, though highly skilled and daring, hadn't expected the power of the heavens and earth to be so overwhelming. He cried out, "Quick, get out of here!" With a swift movement, he leaped into the tornado and rushed towards it.
Long Feiyun exclaimed, "Xiaoyao, what are you doing!"
Ren Xiaoyao, without turning his head, shouted, "I'm going to hold back the wind. You all go quickly."
Long Feiyun stamped her foot and said, "How can human strength contend with the heavens? Come back!"
She sprinted away, ready to give chase. Yi Tianhan grabbed her arm and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Xiaoyao's martial arts are superb. He'll be fine. Let's find a safe place first, so as not to distract him."
Long Feiyun felt a chill in her heart. Among the group, besides Ren Xiaoyao, Yi Tianhan was the most skilled in martial arts. Even he dared not linger, which showed how strong the wind was. She understood that even if she went, she would only be throwing her life away. Gritting her teeth, she drove the carriage in the opposite direction of the wind.
A strong wind whipped Ren Xiaoyao around, making him sway precariously. He took a deep breath and unleashed his full power, moving like a wisp of smoke, bypassing the fiercest part of the wind and rushing towards the back of a tornado. He raised both palms and struck out with a "whoosh."
This move, "Mountain-Shattering and Peak-Splitting," was a signature move of the Heaven-Defying Divine Palm technique, enhanced by the profound internal strength of his innate supreme qi. It should have the power to shatter mountains and split peaks, yet when he struck the tornado, it didn't move, but instead trembled violently. Even with Ren Xiaoyao's powerful true qi, he was left dizzy and disoriented.
Ren Xiaoyao inwardly cried out in alarm. Sure enough, the enormous tornado, provoked, emitted a hoarse howl and suddenly sank. It instantly doubled in size, and the resulting gale, carrying unstoppable force, rushed towards him like a tidal wave bursting its banks.
Thinking that everyone's lives depended on his own, Ren Xiaoyao gritted his teeth and unleashed a powerful punch towards the strongest part of the wind. But how fierce was the power of heaven and earth? With a whoosh, Ren Xiaoyao and the others felt a bloody smell rush towards them, and their bodies were sent flying backward as if riding on clouds.
Just as they were about to hit the ground, someone caught them. Turning around, they saw it was Shinguji Mina.
Ren Xiaoyao said urgently, "What are you doing here? Run!"
Shinguji Mina drew her katana with a "whoosh" and said panting, "My martial arts were honed in the desert winds. Although my internal strength is far inferior to yours, I have more experience. We can't rely on superior martial arts to fight them head-on. We have to use skill!" As she spoke, she took the lead over Ren Xiaoyao and rushed into the wind.
She lightly touched the ground with her toes, dodging and leaping, compressing her inner energy with all her might. She rose and fell with the approaching tornado, bending when the wind blew and rising when it blew, her feet barely touching the ground. She performed over a dozen graceful and light somersaults, shifting back and forth with the wind. Having practiced here for years, she knew the winds
of the desert were often sudden and unpredictable; when they were strong, it was like the earth-shattering tremor now, but when they subsided, the clouds parted and the moon shone brightly. Seeing that Shinguji Mina could handle the situation with ease, Ren Xiaoyao felt reassured. He silently activated his profound inner energy, fearlessly confronting the power of heaven and earth, intending to use this merciless force to hone his already unparalleled cultivation. His exceptional eyesight allowed him to instantly determine the tornado's approaching location, and his body swirled forward with its surging momentum.
His innate supreme qi was incredibly profound. Now, unleashing it at full power, he forced the tornado to shift two zhang to the side, colliding with the nearby tornado with a deafening roar. This caused a dust storm to erupt, weakening the momentum of both tornadoes. Taking advantage of this sudden surge, Ren Xiaoyao unleashed his Ice Soul Frost Sword, cleaving the nearest hurricane in two.
The wind, driven by his force, scattered and disrupted its original balance, colliding with another tornado that followed. A tearing, piercing howl erupted, and the two winds merged, rapidly expanding and swallowing the next one that followed. Ren Xiaoyao felt a release; one tornado was gone from his left, and the pressure around him lessened. However, the howling continued, even showing signs of intensifying.
Strangely, the merged tornado, seemingly propelled by external force, rapidly increased in size, nearly doubling in size within a short time. Its swirling speed also increased, and any tornadoes it touched were either knocked away or absorbed, further increasing its size. When
Ren Xiaoyao looked up in surprise, he saw that the previous tornado had grown four or five times its original size, almost obscuring half the sky. Its roar was so powerful it sounded like thousands of martial arts masters unleashing a lion's roar, pressing down relentlessly.
Knowing he couldn't directly block it, he was about to dodge when he heard a cry from Mina Shinguji, who was swept away by the tornado. Without time to think, and oblivious to the strangeness of the situation, Ren Xiaoyao leaped into the air, sword in right hand, palm in left, and lunged at the incredibly massive tornado!
He had to save Long Feiyun, even if it meant being shattered to pieces!
This tornado was no longer the small one from before; its power was now extremely fierce. The moment Ren Xiaoyao was sucked in, he felt as if his body was no longer his own. He couldn't use any of his lightness skills or palm strikes; he was like a bundle of straw, swirling wildly around him. Sand and stones spun rapidly in the air, hitting him like iron spikes. He struggled to reach out and actually grabbed Shinguji Mina's wrist, using all his strength to pull her close to his side.
Ren Xiaoyao opened his arms and embraced Shinguji Mina, unleashing his protective inner energy to barely envelop them both. Fortunately, his innate supreme inner energy was the number one divine skill in the world, profound, powerful, and unparalleled. Even in the strong wind, it continued to surge, mitigating much of the damage to the two of them.
Mina Shinguji's martial arts, honed over a decade, were sufficient to handle ordinary strong winds, but utterly powerless against the vortex formed by countless converging tornadoes. The howling wind whipped around her like a raging storm, rendering her senses and senses useless. She could only cling tightly to Ren Xiaoyao, placing her hopes on him, hoping to weather the storm until it subsided.
Though she was embraced with her soft, fragrant body, Ren Xiaoyao felt no desire for romance at this moment. His arms were wrapped around Mina Shinguji's slender, smooth waist, and he channeled all his strength into the Thousand-Pound Drop technique, standing like an iron pillar against the wind. His martial arts were incredibly steady; this Thousand-Pound Drop technique was truly unyielding. Breaking his waist would be easy, but knocking him down was out of the question.
A moment later, seizing a brief respite from the wind, Ren Xiaoyao suddenly took a step forward. After taking this step, he remained motionless, quietly waiting for the wind to subside. He had exceptional patience; if the wind didn't stop, he wouldn't move. Although the yellow sand blocked his view of the outside situation, his keen senses told him that the ever-growing tornado was rapidly absorbing the surrounding gale. In other words, if he could use his internal energy to hold back the tornado, he could buy more time for Yi Tianhan and the others to escape safely.
Suddenly, a huge tornado rushed in from the side, hurtling towards the two of them. Tie Hen shouted, "Good!" The weight of the fall was immense, his feet and knees sinking into the sand. Suddenly, Zhen Gongji Mina felt a lightness in her body; the gale seemed to have vanished. She couldn't help but be surprised. Looking around, she saw the surrounding world glowing with a strange bright yellow. A few feet away, the sand and gravel rumbled, as if drawn by some immense force, automatically forming a giant circle. Although the air around him was quiet, it was somewhat stuffy. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Have you ever been to the desert before? How did you know to come into the eye of the storm?"
Ren Xiaoyao remained cautious, holding her tightly as he stared intently at the surging sand rings. His eyes were fixed on them as he said in a deep voice, "I've lived at sea for over a decade and seen countless typhoons. I imagine they're like tornadoes in the desert—fierce on the outside, but extremely quiet on the inside. The best way to avoid harm is to hide inside them."
Shinguji Mina nodded, softly and joyfully saying, "Yes, Father said so too, but I've never been caught in one before. This is my first time."
Just then, the sand ring in front of them suddenly moved forward a foot. Ren Xiaoyao, not daring to hesitate, immediately pulled Shinguji Mina back a step. A moment later, the sand ring shifted a few inches to the left, and the two moved accordingly, always remaining in the center of the sand ring. Fortunately, Ren Xiaoyao had fully activated his internal energy, causing the surrounding true qi to surge and restrain the tornado's movement. If they encountered a typhoon at sea, it could instantly transport them thousands of miles, making it impossible to hide inside it.
Suddenly, Mina Shinguji's face changed color, and she cried out in alarm, "Oh no!"
The tornado, which had been moving extremely slowly, suddenly sped up!

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