Ten Years of Lone Sword and Vast Sea Alliance [Complete] - 2

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Chapter Two: Helping the Fist Display Divine Skills, Evils Lose Their Courage; At the Banquet, Superb Skills Are Displayed

, and Fame Spreads Throughout the Land. It is said that when the three heroes of the Jinhua Three Heroes Escort Agency, the Feng family, hosted a banquet for Xie Yunyue, Feng Zhongjie noticed someone sneaking on the roof. He immediately leaped onto the roof and heard the person announce his name, which startled him. Upon hearing the commotion, Feng Boxiong, Feng Shujun, and Xie Yunyue leaped onto the roof. Feng Boxiong, seeing the newcomer, paled slightly, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and laughed, "So it's Master Wu from Tiannan! I've never had any past grudges with you, Master Wu. Perhaps you've come to settle scores for someone?"

Wu Zhi sneered, "You think you have any grudges against me? If you did, you'd be dead by now. That's right, I've come to settle scores for someone. Because of your rude words and disdain for those of us not from the orthodox martial arts lineage, I was invited north by Brother Qu of the Seven Fiends Hands to see what makes your self-proclaimed righteous sects so exceptional. I just happened to be passing through tonight and didn't want any trouble. We'll see the real deal tomorrow. I'm not going to keep you company any longer." With that, he cupped his hands and turned to leave.

"Wait!" a clear shout came from Xie Yunyue. Wu Zhi turned around and saw that the speaker was a handsome young scholar. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Boy, what do you have to say?"

Xie Yunyue said in a deep voice, "Young master can't stand your arrogant attitude. How can the Three Heroes Escort Agency be left to you to come and go as you please? Since you're here, you have to stay."

Wu Zhi laughed wildly, "Boy, what makes you think you can keep me here?"

Xie Yunyue waved his hands and said, "Because of this." The three heroes of the Feng family were secretly anxious, thinking that this brother didn't know how powerful the newcomer was.

Wu Zhi laughed even more wildly and shouted, "Boy, if the King of Hell has decreed that you die at midnight, how can he keep you alive until dawn? I could have kept you alive until tomorrow, but you've brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me, Wu, for being ruthless and heartless." He secretly gathered his true energy and swung his palm in a powerful and fierce strike, completely disregarding Xie Yunyue.

Wu Zhi was arrogant, but Xie Yunyue was even more arrogant. Seeing Wu Zhi's palm strike, Xie Yunyue didn't even move. He flipped his right leg and used the move "Pushing Mountains and Filling Seas" to push his palm out to his chest. With a loud "bang", Wu Zhi was actually knocked back five or six steps. A large piece of the roof tiles under his feet shattered. On the other hand, Xie Yunyue stood tall and imposing, without moving an inch.

The three Feng brothers were stunned. Wu Zhi was the most surprised. He had just struck out, seeing that his opponent was young, and only used half of his strength. He thought that would be enough to keep him in bed for ten days or half a month. He did not expect his opponent to have such profound strength. Not only did he suffer in silence, but he had also been knocked back six or seven steps. On the other hand, his opponent did not move at all, looking at him with his bright eyes. Wu Zhi was ashamed and suddenly shouted, "Good lad, you are really something. Take another palm strike from me." He leaped forward like a whirlwind. With a flick of his arms, he used his famous White Tiger Palm with twelve percent of his strength. The move "Five Ding Mountain Split" struck down with the force of a mountain collapsing and the power of a tidal wave.

Xie Yunyue had deliberately intended to shock Jinhua tonight, partly to provoke Miss Lan's words, and partly to make a name for himself. He had already condensed his "Maitreya Divine Skill" into an invisible force to protect his entire body. Therefore, even as Wu Zhi launched a vicious attack, he remained calm and smiled slightly. The three Feng brothers, seeing Wu Zhi use the "White Tiger Palm," retreated in unison. Even though Xie Yunyue was still standing with his hands down, not yet striking, Mo Yunpeng and Feng Shujun shouted urgently, "Brother, be careful!"

Xie Yunyue still smiled. Wu Zhi pushed his palms five inches from Xie Yunyue's chest, only to feel an immense, invisible, resilient force around him, gently retracting and deflecting his palm strike. The palm strike vanished into nothingness, then suddenly an invisible force rebounded outwards. Wu Zhi was shocked and quickly withdrew his palm. But Xie Yunyue was faster. With a flick of his right palm, Wu Zhi was sent flying two zhang away onto the rooftop, crashing through the air and shattering tiles.

Xie Yunyue sneered, "I wondered what kind of people the Four Masters of Tiannan were. It seems they're nothing special."

Wu Zhi got up, his palms swollen and aching as if they were about to break. Enraged by Xie Yunyue's words, he trembled and said hatefully, "Boy, don't be so arrogant! I was careless and you outmaneuvered me. Tomorrow's meeting is uncertain. What are you so proud of?" With that, he vanished in a flash.

Xie Yunyue and his three companions leaped down from the rooftop into the hall. Feng Boxiong, the Golden-Winged Eagle, bowed to Xie Yunyue and said, "Brother, I've truly seen something new today. I dare say that your skills are rare in the martial arts world." Feng Shujun thought to himself that this Brother Xie, though outwardly appearing as a perfect match, actually possesses a rare inner strength. It's a pity that Miss Lan and he don't get along; otherwise, they would be a match made in heaven.

Hearing Feng Boxiong's praise, Xie Yunyue's handsome face flushed slightly. He smiled and said, "Master Feng, you flatter me too much. Haven't you seen how I took advantage of the situation? Old Wu's words were not false; it was indeed a moment of carelessness that caused this. At the beginning, the old thief underestimated me and didn't use his full strength, while I used all my true power to knock him away. When the old thief attacked a second time, I preemptively struck, my energy was a bit unstable, and my footwork was insufficient. Because the roof tiles are brittle, too much force would shatter them, and too little force would result in insufficient counterforce. The old thief's footwork was light, and he leaped into the air, his strength was weak, and I didn't counterattack at that time." "It's like waiting until he's exhausted his palm strike before launching a full-force counterattack, hoping to win by sheer luck. That's not something to be proud of, just as the old thief said. Tomorrow's ground duel will be uncertain; the outcome is still unknown. I've already explained myself, am I not just making fun of your supposed brilliance?"

Feng Zhongjie, the Sky-Soaring Eagle, laughed loudly, "While that makes sense, my brother is being modest."

Xie Yunyue smiled. Just then, Miss Lan came out again. She had stormed back to her room in a huff, collapsed onto the bed, pulled the quilt over her head, and fell asleep. By the time the镖伙 (escort service) sent word to the inner courtyard and the servants urgently informed Miss Lan, it was too late. Miss Lan asked Feng Shujun about what had happened, and Feng Shujun recounted it all, praising Xie Yunyue highly. Miss Lan stamped her feet angrily and said, "It's a pity I didn't know sooner, otherwise, I would have chopped that old thief to pieces!"

Feng Shujun didn't even glance at Xie Yunyue, still shamelessly arguing, and couldn't help but laugh, "Miss Lan, you're really ruthless, always wanting to kill someone. When you get married, if you and your husband have a disagreement, I bet you'll chop him into eight pieces too."

Upon hearing this, Miss Lan's face flushed red, and she scolded, "Brother-in-law, you're so sharp-tongued and disrespectful! I'll go tell my sister!" With a sway of her waist, she rushed into the back like a whirlwind, and the three Feng sisters laughed heartily.

After chatting for a while, the three heroes accompanied Xie Yunyue to a refined room in the garden. Feng Boxiong said to Xie Yunyue, "Brother, are you satisfied with this place?"

Xie Yunyue saw that the refined room consisted of two rooms, the back one being a bedroom and the front one a study. It was decorated in an elegant and refined manner. Several orchids and osmanthus trees were neatly placed on the flower stand, their fragrance wafting into the air. Eight paintings of Tang Dynasty landscapes, flowers, and birds hung on the four walls, all of them lifelike. The bookshelves held dozens of ancient books, with a dazzling array of exquisite and beautiful ivory tags. Xie Yunyue was overjoyed and thanked them repeatedly. After exchanging a few words, they finally took their leave.

That night, Xie Yunyue lay on his couch, lost in thought. He recalled that since leaving Maitreya Peak, he had fought four martial arts masters, yet hadn't encountered a single worthy opponent. The Lancang Duo, the Five Poisons Master, and Wu Zhi of the Four Great Masters of Tiannan were all renowned figures in the martial arts world, yet they were surprisingly weak. It seemed his own skills were enough to rival those of famous figures from various schools.

Back on Maitreya Peak, he had learned from Master Mingliang that the Four Great Masters of Tiannan were the leaders of the Qingniao Incense Sect of the Guizhou-Guangxi Qinglong Society. They were ruthless, leaving no survivors, hence their name "Four Great Masters." Their martial arts were considered the highest, second only to the sect leader, Yizhangzhen Tiannan, and several other masters. If Wu Zhi was like that, the other three couldn't be much stronger. He wondered if the Four Great Masters had come to Jinhua. If no other masters participated in tomorrow's meeting, victory would be assured. Thinking of Miss Lan again, her unreasonable behavior was truly unbearable. The Divine Nun of Yanshan was also a Buddhist nun; how could she have produced such an arrogant disciple? It was truly perplexing. From now on, when living at the escort agency, he would have to avoid her as much as possible to prevent misunderstandings from escalating into enmity. Thinking of this, he drifted off to sleep.

Before dawn, Xie Yunyue woke up, sat cross-legged, and circulated his Guiyuan breathing exercises before getting up. A short while later, the three Feng sisters entered together, exchanged good mornings, and invited him to the front hall for breakfast. People in Jiangnan like to eat rice porridge or small steamed dumplings in the morning. Four kinds of exquisite side dishes were already laid out on the table: a plate of steamed ham, a plate of preserved eggs, a plate of red fermented rice wine, a plate of roasted duck, and two steamers of dumplings. A large pot of porridge was also placed on the table.

At this moment, Miss Lan emerged, dressed in a dark green brocade silk-cotton fitted jacket and trousers with black trim. Her face was lightly powdered. She smiled awkwardly at Xie Yunyue, who also smiled and said, "Good morning, Miss Lan." After a night together, it seemed that the unpleasantness of the previous night had completely disappeared.

During the meal, Feng Boxiong mentioned that several rising stars had recently emerged in the martial arts world, such as Ge Tianhao, the Little White Dragon; Dongfang Yukun, the Heavenly Gang Sword; Jiang Zongyao, the Black-Faced Mole; and a woman known as "Lingbo Fairy" Luo Xiangmei. They were all outstanding talents who had accomplished several sensational feats in the past few years, their stories spreading throughout the north and south of the country. Now, with Brother Xie mentioned, he thought that they were all too old to strive for advancement, and that this era belonged to the young people.

Xie Yunyue only smiled, while Miss Lan pouted and said, "What rising stars? If I meet them in the future, I'll have to ask them about it." Hearing this, the three heroes of the Feng family frowned.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the courtyard, filled with laughter and chatter. It turned out that the bodyguards, having heard about the thieves' misdeeds the previous night, had all come to investigate. A moment later, four or five men crowded into the courtyard. Xie Yunyue noticed that they were all strong, muscular men around forty years old, one of whom had a leopard-like head and piercing eyes. His temples bulged slightly, suggesting he possessed considerable internal strength. The three heroes and Xie Yunyue introduced them one by one. All four were top-tier镖头 (bodyguards/escorts) of the San Ying Escort Agency: Li Ying, nicknamed "Sai Yuchi"; Hu Shaoqing, with his golden sword on his left arm; Lu Zhongyuan, wielding a hooked spear; and the leopard-headed, ring-eyed man known as Bagua Geng Liang. Xie Yunyue repeatedly expressed his admiration, saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you." The four had heard from their镖伙 (bodyguards/escorts) that this young man had injured the Four Masters of Tiannan, but seeing his refined demeanor, they were skeptical. They still said, "Young Master Xie, thank you for your help last night."

Bagua Geng Liang asked Feng Boxiong, the Golden-Winged Eagle, "Chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort), where is the duel between the Seven Fiends Qu Shen?"

Feng Boxiong smiled and said, "It's at the small training ground in the city. We'll go now." He then ordered his镖伙 (bodyguards/escorts) to prepare horses, and the group of nine rode towards the training ground.

The small drill ground was located in the west of the city. At that time, the empire had enjoyed a long period of peace, and the Eight Banners soldiers had become accustomed to comfort, skipping the spring and autumn drills. The drill ground had long been neglected, overgrown with weeds, and deserted. As the group approached the ground, they dismounted near the reviewing stand and the horse posts. Seeing the quiet surroundings, Ma Shujun couldn't help but laugh, "It seems that old thief Wu was terrified last night, and upon hearing that the Soul-Chasing Judge Xie had appeared in Jiangshan, he must have fled far away. In my opinion, the Eight Banners..." "Cheng won't come."

Feng Boxiong, the Golden-Winged Eagle, shook his head and said, "That's not necessarily true. Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, is also an unruly character. Since he dared to challenge us, he must have something to rely on. You should know that Senior Xie, the Soul Chaser, is not from a legitimate martial arts lineage. He's using this as an opportunity to establish his master, and Senior Xie certainly won't interfere."

Everyone fell silent. Xie Yunyue stood alone, hands behind his back, gazing up at the couplet on the eaves of the reviewing stand. The characters were faded and almost illegible as he pondered and pondered. Miss Lan smiled and looked down at Feng Shujun, saying, "Brother-in-law, look at this bookworm." Ma Shujun glared at her. Xie Yunyue heard her, but continued to recite the couplet with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.

Suddenly, a dozen or so riders rushed into the training ground. They dismounted as they approached. Xie Yunyue glanced at them and saw twelve men in total, a diverse group of people, tall and short, old and young. The leader, a lean man with a fair complexion, large eyes, and a goatee, appeared to be around forty years old. He carried a cleaver slung across his shoulder and bowed to Feng Boxiong, the Golden-Winged Eagle, saying, “Brother Feng, I, Zhu Renxian, have no personal grudge against you. However, I disapprove of your casual remark that we are not from any reputable martial arts sects. Therefore, today I have invited several martial arts friends who do not belong to any sect to test our skills. We will stop short of causing offense, and also to allow you to witness our unorthodox martial arts.” He then burst into a long, unpleasant laugh.

Golden-Winged Eagle Feng Boxiong laughed and replied, "Brother Zhu, it was originally not worth the trouble to stir up trouble over a mere idle remark. Now that things have come to this, further words are useless. So, let's invite one of you to step forward and offer your guidance."

Last night, Wu Zhi, the White Tiger Star Lord of the Four Great Masters of Tiannan, was also among the opposing group. His thieving eyes kept glancing at Xie Yunyue, revealing boundless resentment. Upon hearing Feng Boxiong's words, he immediately rushed into the arena and shouted sharply, "You surnamed Feng, last night I was careless and was tricked by that little dog. Tell that little dog to come out and have a real showdown with me." With a backhand swipe, "Klang," the long sword on his back was already drawn.

Xie Yunyue was furious. No one had ever called him a puppy since birth. Just as he was about to enter the arena, Miss Lan rushed in first, shouting, "Old thief! I wasn't here last night, otherwise, how could you have survived until now? A villain like you, I'll teach you a lesson today!"

Wu Zhi, the White Tiger Lord, laughed wildly in anger, saying fiercely, "I, Wu, have been famous for twenty years, and I've never seen such an impudent girl. If you can withstand fifty moves from my sword, I'll throw down my sword and leave, thus erasing my name from the martial world."

Miss Lan snorted, "I've never even heard of you." As she spoke, she thrust her sword forward, but Wu Zhi sneered, took a step back, and with a flick of his right wrist, intercepted the girl's right wrist pulse point. This move was incredibly fast and steady.

Miss Lan smiled sweetly, withdrew her sword, spun around, and dodged the attack. Her right hand then drew her sword again, unleashing a move called "Rain and Wind in the Sky." Within a two-zhang radius, waves of sword energy surged, aiming at Wu Zhi's vital acupoints. The fierce wind forced Wu Zhi to retreat repeatedly, making him feel a chill in his heart. He had been a formidable opponent in the south, rarely encountering one, but last night he had been humiliated by a mere youth. Now, he had run into this young girl. If he didn't win this match, where would he put his old face? So, he withdrew his inner energy and unleashed the "White Tiger Three Absolutes" sword move. Sword light flashed, her figure elusive, and the entire arena was filled with silvery shadows.

Xie Yunyue watched the two fight with his hands behind his back. At this moment, Miss Lan was engrossed in the fight and used the twenty-eight moves of the Mountain-Suppressing Sword Technique "Muni Subduing Demons". This was created by the Divine Nun of Yanshan after thirty years of honing her skills. Every move contained great power. Although Miss Lan only had six or seven tenths of her skill, she was still extremely fierce. When she unleashed it, the cold light was dazzling and contained the sound of wind and thunder. Not only could White Tiger Star Lord Wu Zhi not get a single move in, but he was also surrounded by her sword shadows.

Xie Yunyue knew that Miss Lan was destined to win this match. He then glanced at the other dozen or so opponents, two of whom stood out. One was a burly old man with a slightly hunched back, tiger-like eyes, a lion-like nose, and a long beard covering his mouth. He wore a black robe and had exceptionally large hands. Xie Yunyue guessed that this man might be Qu Shen of the Seven Fiends Hand. The other was a thin, horse-faced man with a clean, beardless complexion, deep-set eyes that shone brightly, and prominent temples. A sinister smile occasionally played on his lips. He carried a long sword

on his back. Although he didn't know who this man was, he was clearly a cunning and ruthless individual with superb internal strength. Miss Lan had heard last night that Xie Yunyue had easily defeated Wu Zhi, so she was determined to injure him today. Her arrogance had caused the White Tiger Star Lord a lot of trouble. The sword in the young lady's hand was called "Autumn Frost," capable of cutting through gold and jade, and severing a hair with a breath. The sword's edge circled Wu Zhi's body, tearing his gray robe to shreds.

Wu Zhi, the White Tiger Star Lord, was truly enraged. His eyebrows were bristling, his triangular, beady eyes widened, almost spitting fire. He tightened his grip on his sword, unleashing three swift moves that transformed into three walls of light. With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, five White Tiger Nails firmly in his hand. He roared, "You lowly wench, prepare to die!" With that, the White Tiger Nails, like plum blossoms, struck Lan's vital points with lightning speed, raining down from the sky.

These White Tiger Nails were a hidden weapon Wu Zhi rarely used. They were only three inches long, forged from brittle copper, and contained thirty-six fine, poisonous needles. If the opponent knew their weaknesses and nimbly dodged, they would be fine. But if they tried to parry with a weapon or catch them, the brittle copper would break upon contact, and the needles, under pressure, would shoot out like a rain of needles, impossible to dodge. Once they struck, the body would turn purple, the poison attacking the heart, resulting in death—truly deadly.

Seeing Wu Zhi leap into the air, Lan thought, "You're courting death." With a light tap of her lotus feet, she rose up as if by magic, unleashing a sword strike, "Heavenly Dragon Subduing Demons," a streak of light aimed directly at Wu Zhi's feet. Suddenly, five streaks of white light descended upon her, both striking with incredible speed, leaving no room to dodge. Lan changed her sword technique, creating a swirling screen of light to meet the five White Tiger Nails. Just as she was about to collide with them, a sharp shout rang out from afar: "You can't touch this!" Two powerful gusts of wind struck, sending Lan and Wu Zhi flying five or six zhang away. The White Tiger Nails, deflected by Lan's sword, snapped instantly. The needles hidden within the nails, struck by the wind, rained down like flowers onto the ground and among the grass. Where they landed, the green grass instantly withered and turned yellow, demonstrating the potency of the poison.

The newcomer was a tall monk with a face like the moon, kind eyebrows and bright eyes, and a white beard flowing down his chest. He looked like an ancient Buddha. He walked straight up to Wu Zhi and said with a smile, "Benefactor Wu, we met once before. I did not expect that not long after, you would forget the vow you made to the Dragon-Slaying Hermit?"

Wu Zhi, the White Tiger Star Lord, was thrown back by the strong wind, staggering several steps before finally regaining his footing. Looking up, he felt a chill run down his spine. The newcomer was none other than the Shaolin monk, Master Fahua. Years ago, on the Guinan Road, he had ambushed a retired official. Just as he was about to succeed, Master Fahua and the Dragon-Slaying Hermit intervened. He was no match for them and used the White Tiger Nail, which was then neutralized by the Dragon-Slaying Hermit, leaving him severely injured. Because the White Tiger Nail was so ruthless, the Dragon-Slaying Hermit wanted to strike his vital point. Only after his desperate pleas and Master Fahua's gentle persuasion did he swear never to use the White Tiger Nail again, and only then was he released. Today, he had rashly used it, but unexpectedly, Master Fahua had appeared out of nowhere. A wave of shame washed over him, his face flushing red and pale. For a long time, he was speechless, standing there stunned.

The Feng brothers, the Three Heroes of Jinhua, were overjoyed to see their master, Master Fahua, arrive. Just as they were about to greet him, the Seven Fiends, Qu Shen, leaped forward and coldly said to Master Fahua, "Who are you, Master? Do you also wish to get involved in this mess?" Master Fahua smiled and said, "Amitabha! I, Master Fahua, am an outsider, detached from worldly desires, utterly untainted. What right or wrong is there to speak of

? I only intervened because I saw the White Tiger Nail injure someone. I advise you, benefactor, not to let such a trivial matter escalate into enmity. Out of compassion for Buddha, let us both reconcile and cease our conflict."

Upon hearing this, Qu Shen, the ruthless one, chuckled incessantly and said, "Very well, for the sake of Master's words, let the Feng brothers come over, kowtow and apologize, and we, Qu

, will go without hesitation." These words enraged the three Feng brothers, whose faces paled. Feng Zhongjie, the Sky-Soaring Eagle, rushed onto the stage and said to Master Fahua, "Uncle-Master, please don't concern yourself with this matter for now. Just show us what's so amazing about the Seven Fiends' skills, and we'll be satisfied." Master Fahua frowned slightly and left the stage without a word. Miss Lan rushed over to thank him, and Master Fahua held her hands, asking her many questions.

Then Feng Zhongjie turned to Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, and sneered, "Today's events were provoked by your disciple, Zhu Renxian. I never expected him to cower and refuse to come out. He is truly shameless."

Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, blushed upon hearing this, glared at Feng Zhongjie a few times, and then called out, "Renxian, come out. You can deal with the Three Heroes of Jinhua yourself. Do

n't bring shame to your sect." Feng Zhongjie snorted, and Zhu Renxian stepped forward with a red face. Feng Zhongjie pointed his long sword and said, "Zhu Renxian, let's not waste any more words. Let's see what you can do."

Zhu Renxian didn't answer. He quickly swung his broadsword, making three consecutive slashes, and then used the "Three Flowers Gathering at the Top" move to slash at Feng Zhongjie. Feng Zhongjie, worthy of being a Shaolin disciple, hunched over, took a spinning step, and pushed his sword back to intercept Zhu Renxian's waist. Seeing his attack miss, and then noticing the opponent's longsword aimed straight at his waist, Zhu Renxian was startled. He blocked downwards with his cleaver, pushed off with his feet, and flipped himself more than ten feet. Feng Zhongjie arrived like the wind behind him, pointing his longsword downwards. Zhu Renxian parried and flicked upwards with his cleaver, using all his strength. He should have been able to deflect the sword, but instead, he felt the sword was as heavy as a mountain and pressed down on him. This startled Zhu Renxian so much that he broke out in a cold sweat. He dodged with a "lazy donkey roll," and Feng Zhongjie, the Sky Eagle, chuckled. He changed his move and slashed at Zhu Renxian's chest and shoulders with his longsword, launching a swift attack on three of Zhu Renxian's vital points.

Seeing the dazzling blue light, Zhu Renxian raised his machete to block, but it was too late to dodge. Feng Zhongjie's longsword slashed his left shoulder, cutting a five-inch wound from which blood seeped out. After succeeding, Feng Zhongjie was not too bothered. He took a step back, sheathed his sword, and sneered, "With such meager skills, you dare to provoke trouble? Considering our past friendship, I'll spare your life. Go." Zhu Renxian, still shaken, glanced at Feng Zhongjie, rubbed his shoulder with his right hand, and left the arena with a pale face.

Seeing his disciple suffer such a crushing defeat in just three or four moves, Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, flew into a rage and was about to leap off the stage when a thin, pale-faced man standing nearby stopped him, saying, "Brother Qu, wait! Let me take this match." With a whoosh, he flew out like a startled swan, landing lightly in front of Feng Zhongjie, a sly smile on his face, and said, "Just now, I witnessed your extraordinary skills. I am Shi Yuanliang, a humble swordsman from the martial world, and I humbly request your guidance."

Upon hearing this, everyone from the Three Heroes Escort Agency was greatly surprised . Startled, they learned that Shi Yuanliang was a direct disciple of the Diancang Sect, and had later secretly learned from someone else, possessing profound skill in both internal and external sword techniques. At only forty years old, he was already renowned throughout the martial arts world. Known for his lecherous and bloodthirsty nature, Feng Boxiong, the Golden-Winged Eagle, said to the crowd, "I think Second Brother can't handle this man, perhaps..."

Xie Yunyue then interjected, "Brother Feng, don't worry, I guarantee Second Brother Feng will be safe." Hearing this, Feng Boxiong knew he must have something to rely on, and felt relieved.

At this moment, the two had already clashed. It was clear that the Divine Swordsman Shi Yuanliang was indeed extraordinary, his movements swift and agile, his swordsmanship unpredictable, his longsword flashing with cold light and shadow. In contrast, Feng Zhongjie used the Shaolin secret technique, the "Thirteen Swords of Bodhidharma," to counter his opponent, each move precise and skillful. Both attacked and retreated swiftly, moving throughout the arena, exchanging over thirty blows in the blink of an eye. Shi Yuanliang burst into laughter, leaping over ten feet into the air. With a swift, lightning-fast "Searching for the Snake in the Grass" strike, he countered with a sword move. Feng Zhongjie, already leaning forward, lost sight of his opponent in the blink of an eye and knew he was in trouble. He quickly leaped forward to dodge the dangerous attack, but Shi Yuanliang was just as fast, striking again with a "Viper Seeking its Hole" strike, aiming straight for Feng Zhongjie's chest.

Just as Feng Zhongjie was about to be wounded, a long howl suddenly rang out. Xie Yunyue, like an eagle swooping down on a rabbit, pounced through the air, his palm striking downwards. The Divine Swordsman Shi Yuanliang, startled by the howl, hesitated slightly, but seeing the figure flying with the force of the palm strike, he could no longer worry about Feng Zhongjie. He raised his sword to parry Xie Yunyue's attack. Xie Yunyue struck down with one palm, but Shi Yuanliang raised his sword to parry. He changed his strike to a knock with his right palm and shouted, "Let go!" A long sword was sent flying seven or eight zhang away by his palm, disappearing into the weeds like a green snake.

Shi Yuanliang's entire right arm throbbed with pain. Upon seeing the newcomer, a handsome young man of eighteen or nineteen, he stared in astonishment, wondering whose school this boy belonged to, given his profound and powerful inner strength. Xie Yunyue smiled and said, "You are known as the Divine Swordsman, how come you couldn't withstand my attack?"

Shi Yuanliang, the Divine Swordsman, turned pale upon hearing his mockery, his face turning extremely ugly. He sneered, "You disregard the rules of martial arts combat, launching a sneak attack. Although I was taken advantage of, I am somewhat unconvinced."

Xie Yunyue raised his handsome eyes and laughed, "You speak of rules of combat? I don't listen to any of that. If I don't like someone, I'll fight. Do you, a lowly bandit, deserve to talk about martial arts rules? If you're not convinced, pick up your sword and we'll fight again."

Shi Yuanliang, the Divine Swordsman, laughed wildly in anger, "While I am not talented, I cannot be called a lowly bandit. At your young age..." "Such arrogance! I, Shi, must teach you a lesson so you won't be so disrespectful next time." With that, he leaped up, retrieved his longsword from the weeds, and with a "hawk soaring through the clouds," landed in his original spot, brandishing his sword and saying, "Draw your sword!"

Xie Yunyue raised both palms and said, "I, Xie, will play with your bare hands. Your skills are not worthy of my drawing my sword."

Divine Swordsman Shi Yuanliang was so angry at Xie Yunyue that he turned pale and trembled all over, saying, "Since I started my career, I have never seen such an arrogant person. Very well, take this!" Shi Yuanliang knew his own limitations; his palm skills were not as refined as his swordsmanship. Knowing that his opponent possessed extraordinary skill, he carefully made his moves. Diancang was known as one of the seven great sword schools, but he had also learned from a reclusive eccentric genius, incorporating strange techniques into his school's swordsmanship, making it even more powerful.

The longsword was wielded differently from its previous use against Feng Zhongjie. Three moves were unleashed simultaneously, three large sword flourishes aimed at Xie Yunyue's vital points. Because the moves followed one after another, the entire arena was filled with silver and blue flashes. Xie Yunyue remained calm and composed, his movements like a butterfly flitting among flowers, always reaching for the gaps in the sword's edge. In an instant, more than twenty exchanges had taken place. Suddenly, Xie Yunyue let out a long laugh: "I have already tested your skills for more than twenty moves. The name 'Divine Sword' is nothing more than that. I must offend you now." His technique changed, unleashing the "Eighteen Dissections of Xuanyuan," his fingertips delivering a powerful, crisp strike. His left palm, using the "Splitting Light and Shadow" technique, swiftly grabbed at the tip of Shi Yuanliang's sword. Shi Yuanliang thought, "You're just courting death."

Before the thought was even finished, the tip of his longsword was already gripped by the opponent's five fingers. With a swift movement, Xie Yunyue flicked his left wrist, and with a "clang," a bronze sword snapped in two. Then, Xie Yunyue swiftly pressed his right palm against the "Zhangmen" acupoint on his left chest. It was too late to stop him; he felt a gust of wind strike him, his chest heaving and blood churning. He staggered and fell to the ground. Holding the broken sword, Xie Yunyue waved it in front of Shi Yuanliang, a disdainful smile on his face, and said, "Does this even deserve to be called a divine sword?" With a flick of his wrist, the broken sword shot like lightning, embedding itself in the beam of the reviewing stand's top pillar with a resounding thud. The beam, a foot in diameter, was pierced through. This unparalleled skill left everyone in the audience stunned.

Previously, Xie Yunyue displayed the "Eighteen Discourses of Xuanyuan," injuring Shi Yuanliang in just two moves. What kind of technique was this? It was truly unprecedented and unheard of. Little did they know that the "Eighteen Discourses of Xuanyuan" was a peerless martial arts and medical technique that had been lost for thousands of years. Even the highly respected and skilled Master Fahua of Shaolin could not discern its origins. Upon witnessing the reverse wrist strike and sword strike, no one had ever seen such power. Even the stubborn and unyielding Miss Lan was completely convinced.

Despite his pain, the swordsman Shi Yuanliang slowly stood up and gritted his teeth, saying, "I only regret that I didn't learn from a worthy master and my skills are not refined enough. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. I humbly invite you to visit Diancang Mountain at any time. Although I am not talented enough to wield a sword, there are countless people in our sect who are superior to me. I hope you will be generous enough to teach me. I will take my leave now."

Xie Yunyue raised his sword-like eyebrows and laughed loudly, "Diancang Mountain is nothing to me. Since you dare to invite me on behalf of your sect, I dare to accept. However, I am currently busy. Please inform your sect leader that I will definitely visit the mountain within five years. Go." As he spoke, he gently pushed with both palms, and Shi Yuanliang suddenly felt a huge force lifting him up. He was involuntarily sent flying. He quickly used the Thousand-Pound Drop Technique to sink down, but he was still sent five or six zhang away. After landing, he felt that the young man's martial arts were terrifying and scurried away without touching the ground.

After Shi Yuanliang left, Xie Yunyue turned to Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, and smiled, saying, "Qu, it's your turn now. This whole affair started because of you, so you can't just stand by and do nothing."

Qu Shen, seeing the young man's unparalleled skill and realizing he wasn't much better than the Divine Swordsman, figured he was no match. Since the young man had specifically challenged him, he couldn't refuse. However, the words were too offensive, and he felt a surge of anger. He chuckled coldly, "Your skill is indeed extraordinary, but you can't be so arrogant. Indeed, this whole affair started because of me, the origin of all this trouble. It's all because the Three Heroes of Jinhua were too self-important and looked down on us, who weren't from prestigious sects."

Xie Yunyue chuckled and said, "So it's all for this trivial matter of reputation. You've stirred up such sectarian prejudices. If this continues, can you guarantee it won't cause endless conflict in the martial world?" "Take me, Xie, for example. I'm not from a prestigious family. According to you, I should be in the same gang as you foxes and rats. You should know that quarrels between friends are nothing more than disputes over trivial matters. If a reasonable person were to reflect on their actions afterward, they would forgive the wrongdoer and forgive the right, and remain calm and peaceful. But it is the arrogance of your esteemed disciple and the madman of the marketplace who, with their shallow understanding, turns against you and becomes your enemy. There is something to say about that. How could you, with your high reputation and esteemed virtue, be so easily swayed and narrow-minded, confusing right and wrong, and so hastily engaging in a violent confrontation? I despise you and should have punished you severely, but considering your old and foolish ways, I will show you leniency. Get out of here now."

Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, had roamed the greenwood for a long time and had developed a stubborn and arrogant nature. He could not tolerate such sarcastic remarks. He became even angrier, his eyes blazing with fire, and he roared, "You little brat, you dare to lecture an old man like me?"

Seeing that he ignored the warnings and even scolded his son, Xie Yunyue couldn't help but feel a surge of murderous intent. His face turned cold, and he said in a deep voice, "Old thief, I told you to get lost, but you didn't. You're courting death." Seven

Fiend Hand sneered and said, "Not necessarily." His palms were already secretly filled with strength, intending to strike like Bo Lang. If he missed, he would retreat quickly. Little did he know that a killing star was shining upon him, and his plan was in vain. Before the old thief could even finish uttering the word "must," his palms shot out horizontally, his attack as swift as lightning. The force of his palms covered an area of five zhang, and the vines were all bent over in all directions by the strong wind. The momentum was truly astonishing.

Xie Yunyue simply waved his palm outwards, and the "Maitreya Divine Skill" was unleashed. This "Maitreya Divine Skill" was an unparalleled Buddhist martial art, silent, formless, and invisible when unleashed, and its power could be adjusted at will. Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, deserved his retribution. He had unleashed all his strength, but the "Maitreya Divine Skill" had a counter-force that sent Qu Shen's massive body flying through the air like a black eagle, tumbling twice before falling more than ten feet away. The bandits were terrified and rushed to where the old thief had fallen. They saw that Qu Shen's face was contorted with blood, his breath was barely a whisper, and both his wrists were broken. It was clear at a glance that his injuries were severe, and even the Nine-Turn Immortal Pill would be useless.

The Seven Fiends' henchmen grabbed the old thief, said no polite words, and scurried away with a whistle, leaving only White Tiger Star Lord Wu Zhishang on the field. He glared at Xie Yunyue for a few moments, then turned and leaped a few times, landing outside the training ground. The turmoil subsided in an instant. Xie Yunyue watched the bandits' disheveled figures disappear, and couldn't help but sigh silently. He put his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky, and stood there, lost in thought.

At this moment, everyone from the Three Heroes Escort Agency rushed to Xie Yunyue's side. Master Fahua smiled and asked Xie Yunyue, "Young benefactor, may I ask if your palm strike just now, which you lightly unleashed, was perhaps the Formless Vajra Zen Palm, a technique that has been passed down through generations in your Buddhist sect?"

Xie Yunyue stared at Master Fahua for a while, then shook his head and said, "Master's insight is not wrong, but the palm force I just unleashed is like a small witch compared to the 'Formless Vajra Zen Palm' you speak of. It is beyond comparison. I have no such innate talent or destiny. If Master does not mind my ignorance, I hope you can enlighten me."

Upon hearing this, Master Fahua hurriedly said, "This old monk has no such high level of skill. Even the three elders of our sect have only glimpsed the basics. I saw your move just now, which resembled the 'Formless Vajra Zen Palm,' hence my question." Xie

Yunyue smiled and said nothing more, thinking to himself: Back at Baohua Mountain, my master mentioned that both the "Maitreya Divine Skill" and the "Formless Vajra Palm" were Buddhist martial arts, but the "Maitreya Divine Skill" was more powerful. Its power could be controlled at will, unlike the "Formless Vajra Palm," which was easy to unleash but difficult to retract. Master Fahua certainly didn't know this.

A sudden battle was quelled, and the group mounted their horses and slowly returned to the escort agency. Inside the San Ying Escort Agency's main hall, it was extremely lively. A grand banquet was in full swing, and the sounds of drinking games, revelry, and laughter could be faintly heard outside. Passersby, unaware of the situation, assumed there was some joyous occasion within the agency. After returning from the training ground, the three heroes of Jinhua urged their servants to prepare a banquet. This banquet was specially set up for Master Fahua. The heads of several escort agencies in the prefectural city, as well as famous martial arts masters from their homes, were all invited. The three heroes had a deeper meaning in mind, as they all wanted to take this opportunity to praise Xie Yunyue. This was an unwritten rule in the martial arts world, using this banquet to spread their names. Even if a person had no real skills, they could still gain a false reputation for a while.

During the gathering, Li Shiqi, the head镖师 (chief镖师) of Chongyi Escort Agency, who had just returned from Xuzhou in northern Jiangsu yesterday, laughed and said, "Currently, two major events are unfolding in the martial arts world. One is that Young Hero Xie killed Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, in Jinhua. The other is that the Soul Chaser has reappeared in the martial arts world. On my way back from northern Jiangsu, I passed through Gaoyou and heard that the former notorious bandit, Three-Handed Centipede Fu Lingduo, who had been living in seclusion by the shores of Gaoyou Lake for many years, was killed by the Soul Chaser. His death was exactly the same as that of the Twin Fiends in Lancang, Jiangxi a few months ago—his chest was pierced by the Vajra Finger Force. The most intriguing thing is that both of them share the surname Xie, one old and one young, shining brightly in the martial arts world.

" Shenying Feng Boxiong asked in surprise, "Brother Li, when did this happen? I heard the night before last that Zhuihunpan killed the Five Poison Masters of Tongbai Mountain at the Five Swallows Gang headquarters in Jiangshan. Why is Zhuihunpan's whereabouts so elusive? Could it be that he wants to find out who participated in the ambush back then and eliminate them one by one?"

Li Shiduo said, "This happened four days ago. I was in a hurry to return and didn't pay attention to inquiring about it. With Zhuihunpan's unparalleled lightness skill, it shouldn't be difficult for him to travel from Gaoyou to Jiangshan in two days."

Yang Chunting, the famous martial arts master of Taiji School, Lanjiang Diaoke, sighed and said, "From Gaoyou to Jiangshan, the middle road..." "It must have been at least five or seven hundred li, and they managed to get there in two days, wading through rivers and climbing mountains. It's truly a miraculous feat."

Xie Yunyue, upon hearing that his father, the Soul Chaser, had killed the Three-Handed Centipede in Gaoyou, was suddenly jolted. A captivating light appeared in his eyes as he glanced at Li Shiqi, thinking to himself, "The Lancang Twins and the Five Poisons True Man were both my doing. How could this happen again in Gaoyou? Could it be that someone else is using my father's name to carry out their evil scheme of killing someone else?" After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly realized, "This must be the work of my sworn brother, Lei Xiaotian. Only he knows about this. So the Three-Handed Centipede was also... back then..." "One of the enemies who participated in the ambush on my father, so I used my method to eliminate him. Hmm, it must be him."

At this moment, Master Fahua of Shaolin Temple said, "Amitabha, although the actions of the Soul Chaser Xie were just, his punishment seemed excessive. The defeat in Xiangdong was also caused by this. Monks value cause and effect most. If Xie had a sudden realization that his life's misfortunes were due to the enemies he carelessly dealt with, it would be a wake-up call. It's a pity that he has resurfaced and done even worse than before. He doesn't know how to conceal his abilities and cover up his past mistakes. He's entangled in endless grudges. It's truly regrettable."

Hearing Master Fahua's apparent dissatisfaction with his deceased father, Xie Yunyue retorted angrily, "Master, don't you know that eliminating an evil person sows a seed of good? In the past, what you did, Master Xie, was nothing less than eliminating evil and promoting good, upholding justice and maintaining peace

. This perfectly aligns with the chivalrous principles of our martial arts world. What's wrong with that?" Master Fahua smiled and said, "What Young Master Xie said is not wrong, nor is what I said. Committing more killing only leads to more suffering; it's just inviting trouble."

Seeing the two, one old and one young, neither willing to yield, seemingly on the verge of a stalemate, Geng Liang, the Eight Trigrams Hand, interjected, "Young Master Xie, you made a five-year agreement with Shi Yuanliang. When are you going to go?

" Upon hearing this, Yun Yue smiled and said, "I can't say for sure when, but I'll definitely go within five years."

Lan Jiang's fisherman, Yang Chunting, said, "Diancang is known as one of the seven great sword sects in the martial arts world. To be honest, Diancang has produced several skilled fighters who usually look down on the martial arts world and are arrogant. It would be good if Young Hero Xie could help us vent our anger. However, Young Hero Xie, you'll need to find some helpers; how can you manage alone?"

Xie Yun Yue laughed, "I didn't say I wouldn't find help. It's just that it's my own business; why burden my friends?"

Miss Lan sat opposite Xie Yun Yue, frequently glancing at his face. Xie Yun Yue pretended not to notice, and when she did, he quickly changed the subject. Miss Lan's heart... Zhong, secretly annoyed, deliberately teased, "Brother Xie, when you were sparring with the Divine Swordsman Shi Yuanliang earlier, you said he wasn't worthy of your sword. So who is worthy?"

Mo Yunpeng and Feng Shujun were alarmed by this, secretly angry at their aunt for being so tactless. Xie Yunyue laughed loudly, "I dare not say who is worthy and who is not. I'm just a newcomer to the martial world, with little experience and poor eloquence. I only wanted to annoy Shi because he has no real skills but dares to pretend to be a divine swordsman. To be honest, I still haven't found a suitable weapon."

Lan, with her starry eyes, smiled charmingly and said, "Then, how about this sword of mine? Otherwise, it would be perfect for Brother Xie." This

left the handsome young swordsman Xie Yunyue blushing furiously, unsure whether to agree or not. He was incredibly embarrassed and speechless. Feng Shujun, standing nearby, was both anxious and angry. He wanted to reprimand him loudly, but in front of everyone, he couldn't say it outright. He forced a smile and said, "Miss Lan, all I hear is your nagging. Can't you say a few less words?"

Miss Lan looked up and saw her brother-in-law's red neck and thick neck. Whether from anxiety or drunkenness, she pouted and said reproachfully, "Oh, Brother Xie hasn't even said anything yet, and you're already so impatient." Feng Shujun shook his head, rolled his eyes at Miss Lan, then looked at Xie Yunyue with a helpless expression. Xie Yunyue smiled gently.

At this moment, Xie Yunyue felt a certain disgust towards Miss Lan. In fact, Miss Lan had already developed feelings of love for him, but her stubbornness ruined her. This was a sin, a boundless sea of sins. If one did not turn back suddenly, one would continue to sink deeper into depravity. Unfortunately, both of them were proud and neither of them could speak up or be accommodating.

During the gathering, Master Fahua spoke of his recent trip south, explaining that the abbot had sent him to the Putian branch of Shaolin Temple for a routine inspection, conducted every five years. Passing through Jinhua, he remembered that he hadn't seen the three Feng nephews for over ten years, which led to this unexpected duel. He then stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Young Master Xie, judging from your movements and techniques, they must have been taught in our Buddhist tradition. Your master must be either a highly accomplished monk or a reclusive master. As a member of the Shaolin lineage, I am confident I have some knowledge of martial arts. Young benefactor, you are not yet twenty, yet your skill is already profound. I am delighted by your skill and would like to exchange three moves with you for my observation. Would you accept?"

Xie Yunyue, though arrogant... Although eccentric, she had been influenced by Master Mingliang since childhood and knew how to respect elders. Upon hearing this, she repeatedly declined, saying, "My skills are but a tinkering skill, how dare I laugh at such a master? I think it's better to skip it." Before

Master Fahua could speak, Miss Lan gloated, "Brother Xie, don't you even give Master Fahua this much face?"

Miss Lan's move was truly ruthless, making Xie Yunyue hate her even more. He gave Miss Lan a cold look, slowly stood up, and everyone else got up and headed to the training ground. Xie Yunyue and Master Fahua led the way, the镖伙 (bodyguards) led the way, and the three Feng brothers brought up the rear, quietly scolding Miss Lan. All that could be heard was Miss Lan's continuous giggling.

After leaving the arena, Xie Yunyue cupped his hands and smiled at Master Fahua, saying, "I hope you will show some mercy, senior." He then stood a foot apart from Master Fahua, facing him. Master Fahua nodded and smiled, "This old monk was merely pleased by your skill; it wasn't a real fight. Young hero, please proceed."

Xie Yunyue smiled and said nothing more. He clasped his hands together, performed the "Lotus Platform Worship Buddha" gesture, and lightly made a move. Master Fahua, knowing his courtesy, smiled and said, "In that case, this old monk has presumptuously accepted." He then moved away, circling twice before unleashing the "Wind and Clouds Rise" move from the "Nine Forms of Bodhidharma." A powerful gust of wind, like a steel wall, pushed towards Xie Yunyue. The Nine Forms of Bodhidharma were a closely guarded secret of Shaolin, known only to the four elders. Each form consisted of nine moves, executed with Zen-based internal energy, possessing unparalleled power.

Seeing Master Fahua unleash a palm strike, Xie Yunyue felt a powerful gust of wind assault his body. Although protected by the Maitreya Divine Skill, he still felt pressured and imminent. However, he didn't consider retaliating, letting the opponent have three moves. With a swift movement, he flipped behind the master. But before he even landed, Master Fahua whirled around and unleashed another move, "Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens," with even greater force than the previous strike.

Before Xie Yunyue could even touch the ground, seeing Master Fahua strike again, he kicked with both feet, rising another two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) into the air. Master Fahua missed again, secretly amazed by the young man's impressive Seven Animal Movements. Xie Yunyue performed a Thousand-Pound Drop in mid-air, landing in his original position with a smile, saying, "Senior, there's one more move."

Although Master Fahua was a Buddhist and well-mannered, he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed upon hearing this. He thought to himself, "The Nine Forms of Bodhidharma are the sect's most treasured secret technique, and now, in front of this young man, two..." None of his moves had been effective. If word got out, what would become of Shaolin's reputation? His expression turned solemn, and he said, "This old monk must offend you." He leaped into the air, his arms trembling, his body leaning forward, and his palms struck out one after the other. His right palm flipped diagonally in a "Vajra Subduing Demons" move, swiftly striking Xie Yunyue's left wrist pulse. His left palm, with its five fingers slightly bent, swept towards Xie Yunyue's Qihai acupoint in a "Orchid Hand" move. Both moves were ruthless and fierce, like lightning. It looked like they were only two inches away from striking, but the onlookers were sweating for Xie Yunyue.

Xie Yunyue smiled slightly, and without any visible movement, he had already floated back five inches, his palms striking out with the extraordinary technique "Xuanyuan Eighteen Dissections." He gathered his strength in his fingers and swiftly struck Master Fahua's acupoints. Both were in a rush, and Master Fahua found himself unable to retreat in time. Suddenly, he felt a numbness in his palms, his inner energy dissipating, leaving him listless and unable to muster any strength. Master Fahua involuntarily lunged forward, but Xie Yunyue slightly supported him with his palms, using immense power to stabilize him. Xie Yunyue clasped his hands and smiled, saying, "Senior, three moves have passed. I'm honored."

At first glance, their skills appeared evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand. Xie Yunyue had just used the Xuanyuan Finger Technique, but Master Fahua's sleeve swept across the crowd, preventing them from noticing. Xie Yunyue then used his inner strength to stabilize the master's stance at the perfect moment. Master Fahua was astonished by the young man's unparalleled skill and said with a low smile, "Young Master Xie, it's not that I'm being modest, but it seems your skills and aptitude are both top-notch. You are destined to be a leader in the martial arts world. I hope you will respect Heaven's will and refrain from committing murder; this will greatly help your future cultivation."

Xie Yunyue smiled and said, "I will remember these words and never forget them." He then turned and greeted everyone, repeatedly pleading with the master to show mercy. As

it was getting late, the guests took their leave. That evening, Xie Yunyue told the Three Heroes of Jinhua that he was eager to go north to meet his sworn brother, Lei Xiaotian, and would leave the next morning. The three heroes pleaded with him to stay, but he insisted. Knowing they had a grudge against Miss Lan, the three heroes had no choice but to give up. The next morning, Xie Yunyue set off again, weary from his journey. Miss Lan had seen him off, her expression sorrowful, but Xie Yunyue remained unmoved. He simply said goodbye and spurred his whip onward.

After arriving in Hangzhou, Xie Yunyue toured the scenic spots of West Lake, including the Six Bridges and Tianzhu Temple, and watched the sunrise over the Qiantang River. Wherever he went, he lingered for days. He stayed in Hangzhou for half a month, then rode through Wuxing, out of Zhejiang and into Jiangsu, passing through Jurong, Zhenjiang, and finally arriving in Jiangdu, commonly known as Yangzhou. The city was bustling, a gathering place for salt merchants, timber merchants, and wealthy tycoons. As evening fell and the lanterns were lit, the streets and alleys were filled with the sounds of music, gambling, and shouting. Tourists thronged the city like ants, their heads moving as far as the eye could see. Xie Yunyue left his horse at an inn in the city and strolled along the streets, his eyes dazzled by the colorful sights. He thought to himself, "The ancients were right: 'With ten thousand strings of cash around one's waist, one can ride a crane to Yangzhou.' This is a den of iniquity, where everything is possible. As long as you have money, endless enjoyment is yours."

Xie Yunyue, newly arrived, blindly followed the crowds. After strolling through two streets, the number of tourists increased, the streets becoming increasingly congested, the flow of people like a surging tide. He frowned, seemingly losing interest in following the crowd any longer. Since leaving Jinhua, he had avoided contact with people, especially his fellow江湖 (jianghu) friends, deeply feeling that they were no different from worldly scoundrels. Although there were some truly loyal and devoted individuals among them, they were pitifully few. Therefore, for the past ten days, he had acted alone, finding lodging and giving a false name to avoid much trouble. With this realization, he turned back and entered the inn.

The inn was called "Changxing," neither large nor small, with dozens of rooms. Upon entering, there was a main hall with twenty or thirty tables, selling meals and drinks. Yangzhou had always been a wealthy area, and the locals frequently visited teahouses and taverns, which were bustling with activity from morning till night.

Xie Yunyue found a seat, ordered three kinds of tea, a pot of Zhuyeqing tea, and two baskets of dumplings. He sipped his tea alone, and another hour passed in the blink of an eye. It was almost midnight. The number of people eating had only increased, and there were still people waiting for seats. So he got up, paid, and went to his bedroom. He pushed open the door, lay down on the bed fully clothed, and closed his eyes to pretend to sleep. He kept thinking: He had been wandering around like a stranger for months, and he still had no clue who his enemy was. He was like a blind man riding a blind horse, wandering aimlessly. This was not a solution. He had to find someone to talk to. Then he thought of his sworn brother Lei Xiaotian. The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. Li Daming, Xiahou Xin, the two young heroes of Jinhua, Miss Lan, and others floated before his eyes. His thoughts were in turmoil. In a fit of pique, he got up, sat cross-legged, and practiced the "Returning to Origin Breathing Sitting Exercise" until he gradually lost himself in the world and his mind became clear.

Having finished his meditation, Xie Yunyue was about to undress and go to sleep when he suddenly heard faint groans and a child's soft sobs coming from the room opposite. After listening for a moment, he realized that the person in that room was ill. He immediately put on his clothes, got out of bed, and went to the door of the opposite room, reaching out to knock. Then he stopped, feeling that this was too presumptuous, and turned to go to the room to ask the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper was leaning against a bamboo chair by the door, humming a song with his eyes half-closed, tapping out a rhythmic clapper with his fingers, enjoying himself immensely. (Note: In the past, most travelers staying at the inn were porters and merchants who often arrived in the middle of the night or left hastily before dawn. The innkeepers took turns staying up all night to see them off. This was the case even in areas with poor transportation.) Seeing Xie Yunyue approach, the innkeeper hurriedly stood up, bowed, and smiled, "Sir, are you setting off so early?"

Xie Yunyue waved his hand to indicate no, and asked in a deep voice, "Innkeeper, who is sick in the room across from mine?"

The innkeeper said, "Oh, is that what you're asking about, sir? Ten days ago, an old man, dressed like a beggar, came to the inn with a young boy. The old man..." Covered in wounds, the old man entered the room and collapsed onto the bed, suffering from severe chills and fever. He took out a packet of powdered medicine, mixed it with water, and swallowed it. However, the medicine was completely ineffective; not only did it have no effect, it worsened his condition, and he sometimes even fell into a coma. The child, anxious, ran outside and found a sallow-faced man. The man examined the old man, his face full of worry, and then went out to fetch Huang Baitang, a famous local doctor. Huang Baitang was known as a "half-immortal," and his remedies were said to cure all ailments, saving countless lives.

The shopkeeper, giving a thumbs-up, continued, "When Huang the Half-Immortal arrived, he took the old man's pulse and shook his head violently, saying that the old man's illness was terminal, incurable, and at most he could only hold on for a few days. " For half a month or ten days, the old man refused to leave a prescription or even pay his medical bills, and simply left. The shopkeeper, hearing that the old man was going to die in the shop, was furious. He immediately begged the sallow-faced man to move the old man out of the shop. The sallow-faced man pleaded with him repeatedly, saying that although the old man's condition was serious, he wasn't in immediate danger and that he himself would rush to a certain place to get a medicine that would cure him. So the man left fifty taels of silver and hurriedly left, earnestly instructing the shopkeeper to wait for his return. Five or six days have passed, and he hasn't returned yet. It seems the old man's chances of survival are slim.

Xie Yunyue frowned and said, "Shopkeeper, can you take me to see the old man?"

The shopkeeper's eyes widened like coins. With a face full of doubt, he laughed and said, "What, sir, you can also treat illnesses? If you really can't tell, then fine." As he spoke, he strode ahead and led the way, saying, "What's wrong with that?" But in his heart, he was thinking, "This sir, is he a bit crazy? Even if you have some skills, can you surpass our Master Huang?"

Didn't we mention earlier that Master Mingliang was a learned and virtuous monk, whose medical skills were divine? Otherwise, how could Xie Wen, the Soul Chaser, have survived for eleven years with all his internal organs damaged? After taking Xie Yunyue as his disciple, he passed on all his medical knowledge to him. Later, he also passed on the golden needle treatment method in the "Xuanyuan True Scripture". Therefore, although Xie Yunyue had never treated anyone, his medical skills were very high.

The two men arrived at the patient's door. The shopkeeper knocked and called out, "Young man, please open the door. Someone has come for treatment."

The door creaked open halfway, and a child's head peeked out. The child had regular features, bright eyes, and slightly red and swollen eyes, as if he had been crying. The child glanced at the two men and then asked Xie Yunyue, "Uncle, can you cure illnesses? Ah, it's alright to take a look, but I'm sorry to trouble you, uncle. Please come in."

Xie Yunyue Thinking to himself, "This child speaks like an adult," he stepped into the room and saw the old man lying on his back on the bed, panting heavily. A red candle burned on the table beside the bed, only half of it remaining. The dim candlelight made the room seem rather desolate and gloomy. When the old man saw someone come, he let out a weak breath and said, "Young man, thank you for coming to see me, but my illness is beyond the reach of ordinary medicine. I'm afraid you've wasted your kindness." He still couldn't hide his proud expression.

Xie Yunyue sat down beside the old man and comforted him gently, "Old man, don't worry. People always get sick. As for your illness, although it's serious, it's not as bad as you say. I'm confident I can cure it."

The boy hurriedly said, "Really? If your uncle can cure my master's illness, I, Zhou Lin, will kowtow three times to your uncle." He was about to kneel down.

Xie Yunyue reached out to stop him, laughing, "Young brother, don't rush to kowtow, but don't worry." He then held the candle, bent down to examine the old man's tongue, and then took the old man's right hand, focusing his attention on the pulse at the cun, guan, and chi points. After a while, he moved to the left hand. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he stood up and laughed, "Although the pulse is scattered, it is still floating, tight, and forceful, so it is treatable. The cause of the illness is wind-evil. I suspect that you, sir, must have fought someone, severely depleting your true energy. Moreover, you were traveling all the way without proper rest and recuperation, causing your true energy to dissipate and not be able to recover. Internal heat has dispersed into your internal organs, and coupled with catching a chill at night, the cold invaded and bound your skin, resulting in alternating chills and fever. At the same time, you mistakenly took medication that caused internal injury, forcing most of the accumulated heat into the meridians. Fortunately, it's still early; in a few days, it would have turned into typhoid fever, and even the most miraculous medicine would be helpless."

The old man opened his eyes and said, "Young man, tell me everything... " "By the way, do you have a way?"

Xie Yunyue saw that even in his serious illness, he couldn't hide his proud spirit, and couldn't help but admire him. He replied, "As long as you can endure the pain, I can still cure you."

A smile appeared on the old man's lips, and he said in a strong voice, "Young man, you do it. This old man is confident that he can endure a little pain."

Xie Yunyue smiled and didn't say anything more. He took out a delicate brocade box from his bosom, opened it, and took out nine gold needles, as thin as hair and about four inches long. He asked the old man to lie down and inserted the nine gold needles into nine important acupoints on his chest and abdomen through his clothes. His technique was really high. The gold needles were stuck to his fingers and were as straight as a pen. They went in with one thrust. Only four or five parts of the four-inch-long gold needles were exposed above the clothes. Unlike ordinary acupuncturists who had to slowly twist and push them in, this required the strength of the fingers and also required superb internal skills.

After the old man received the golden needles, he groaned and mumbled, "Young man, my whole body is sore and numb. The soreness is bearable, but the numbness is unbearable."

Xie Yunyue laughed heartily, "It's bearable, but it won't cure the illness. Old man, you'll have to be patient. After the needles are removed, you'll have to control your inner energy to prevent it from flowing away. Otherwise, if the inner energy dissipates, it'll be much more difficult."

The old man replied, "I know that, but where did you learn this unique skill, young man? There are many doctors and martial arts masters who know how to use golden needles to treat illnesses. I've dabbled in it myself, but it's rare to find someone with your level of skill. As I'm guessing, your martial arts are not far behind, are they?"

Seeing that the old man had changed his address to "brother ," Xie Yunyue quickly smiled and said, "I have only scratched the surface of martial arts, and have not yet grasped its essence. I know you are a martial arts prodigy,

and I would be grateful if you could offer me some guidance in the future." The old man chuckled and said, "Brother, do you need my guidance? Of course! I am not one to accept favors, but if I do treat your illness, it will surely benefit you."

Xie Yunyue suppressed a laugh and pretended to be serious, saying, "Old man, do you know the three types of patients I do not treat?"

The old man, who had been lying face down on the couch with his head buried under the pillow, couldn't help but tilt his head back upon hearing this. He stood up and said, "Brother, your words are quite strange. How would I know about these three incurable conditions? Tell me about them."

Xie Yunyue couldn't help but chuckle. His three incurable conditions were just a lie. How could anyone know? Because the more severe the illness, the longer the acupuncture needles should be left in the body. If the silence isn't broken by words, some patients can't hold back and even faint. This was something Xie Yunyue had learned through his intelligence and humble research. When he was on the mountain, Master Mingliang would occasionally praise his meticulous and persistent approach to investigation.

Xie Yunyue laughed and said, "These are the three types of people I won't treat. First, those who are utterly wicked and heinous."

The old man hummed in agreement, "That's only right. From a medical perspective, one

can't just stand by and watch someone die, can one?" Xie Yunyue said, "I'm not a healer, so that's a different matter."

The old man exclaimed, "Well said! That makes sense. What's the second one?"

Seeing that he could speak loudly, Xie Yunyue knew that his internal energy was flowing smoothly and the evil influence had been forced into his internal organs by external force. He was delighted and said, "Those who appear kind but are treacherous and deceitful will not be treated."

The old man said, "Good, that makes sense. What's the third one?"

Xie Yunyue laughed loudly and said, "The third one is those who offer no benefit. I won't treat them either."

The old man shouted again, "Ha, young man, you only treated me because you knew there was something good about me. Well done! I'll have to learn my lesson next time." At this moment, Zhou Lin, a child standing beside him with a worried expression, couldn't help but laugh. This was the first time in days that he had heard his master laugh so loudly.

Seeing that the time was almost up, Xie Yunyue asked the old man with a smile, "Old man, do you feel your vital energy can be restored now?"

The old man had forgotten why his voice had become so loud earlier, and upon hearing this, he tried it and indeed his vital energy could be restored, though it was still somewhat sluggish, but much better than before. He was overjoyed and said, "Brother, you really have some skills!" He couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Xie Yunyue quickly stopped him and said in a deep voice, "Old man, I'm about to remove the needles. You should prepare to close your acupoints and gather your energy." He then pinched the gold needles out about an inch with two fingers, twisted them, and heard the old man groan. He knew that the old man felt even more sore and numb than before. After pausing for a moment, he pulled out all the gold needles, pointed to three important acupoints, and said, "Don't close your acupoints on your own now." This was to prevent the old man from losing his self-closing acupoint strength due to his long illness, and this would help him. He then took out a small jade bottle from his bosom, poured out a "Longevity Pill," which was bright red in color and had a fragrant aroma, and instructed the old man to take it.

After taking the pill, the old man felt a surge of saliva in his mouth and a sense of comfort in his heart and abdomen. Xie Yunyue asked him to take off his clothes and used the "Xuanyuan Finger" technique to press and massage all the acupoints on his body. The old man felt that the finger technique was different. Although it touched and moved away immediately, the force and heat penetrated directly into his skin and flowed through his meridians. A yang energy helped his blood and qi circulate throughout his body, gathering in his dantian. The old man's complexion slowly returned to a rosy color. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he stopped. The old man opened his strange eyes and shouted loudly as he put on his clothes: "Well done, young man! With your acupressure technique, it would take me eight or ten years to learn it. You still want me to give you pointers? Brother, aren't you insulting me?" Seeing that he called him "young man "

and "brother" at the same time, Xie Yunyue knew he was an eccentric character who roamed the world, so he wasn't surprised. He said, "Old man, your internal injuries have healed, but the wind-evil hasn't completely left your body. I'll write a prescription for you, and you can have the shopkeeper buy it." He then instructed Zhou Lin to borrow some writing materials from the shopkeeper and quickly wrote out one ingredient, "Qianghuo Chonghe Tang," slightly increasing the dosage. The old man looked at it and couldn't help but praise loudly, "Brother, your calligraphy is truly powerful, like dragons and phoenixes dancing, a rare find indeed."

Xie Yunyue smiled, handed the prescription to Zhou Lin, who beamed with joy and skipped out of the room to find the shopkeeper to go to the street to buy the medicine. Before long, it was broad daylight. Xie Yunyue hadn't felt anything amiss in the old man's room, but the inn was in an uproar. The merchants and peddlers who had stayed the previous night had all left, and those remaining, preparing to depart, were packing their bags. Shouts and calls filled the air, keeping the inn's two or three staff members extremely busy, ferrying one group after another.

The young boy, Zhou Lin, found the staff member who had been on night duty the previous night and ordered him to fetch medicine. The staff member, covered in sweat and grime, serving tea, water, and carrying things, exclaimed, "Young man, can't you see I'm busy? I don't have time to fetch medicine for you. Anyway, he won't get better, keep the money to sell..." He didn't finish, then, realizing something was wrong, rolled his eyes and asked, "What? Did that gentleman cure the old man who came with you?"

Zhou Lin nodded. The staff member, not believing him, snatched the prescription and rushed into the old man's room. Oh dear... Sure enough, the old man sat up and was chatting and laughing with the gentleman. The shopkeeper was stunned. The old man looked at the shopkeeper and laughed, "I'm not going to die yet, shopkeeper. Aren't you a little strange?"

The shopkeeper blushed and hurriedly said, "You're just joking."

Xie Yunyue felt a little sorry for him, so he took out a ten-tael silver ingot and ordered the shopkeeper to quickly fetch the medicine according to the prescription. He said the rest was a tip. The shopkeeper thanked him again and again, saying, "Your husband is truly a god. Is there anyone in the world with better medical skills than Huang Banxian? Amazing, amazing!" Then he left like a gust of wind.

At this time, Xie Yunyue asked the old man, "Old man, I guess you're either a martial arts master or a strange hero of the world."

The old man laughed heartily and said, "I dare not call myself a martial arts master. Perhaps you're right about a strange hero of the world. My name is Cang Xi, and I have a small bandit nickname in the martial arts world, 'Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon.' Brother, have you heard of me?"

Xie Yunyue exclaimed in surprise, "So you're the Nine-Fingered Elder of the Beggars' Sect?" He glanced at Cang Xi's hands, wondering why he'd seen ten fingers earlier when he checked Cang Xi's pulse. He wondered if he'd misread it. Seeing

this, Cang Xi quickly replied, "What 'elder'? Such pretentious formalities." He then held out his hands and said, "Look, brother, did you see clearly?" Xie Yunyue then noticed that Cang Xi had a piece of skin-colored bronze on his left middle finger, exquisitely crafted. Without close inspection, it appeared indistinguishable from his original skin color. Xie Yunyue nodded and then inquired about Cang Xi's visit. Cang Xi pointed to the young boy Zhou Lin standing beside him and explained.

It turned out that Zhou Lin's father was Zhou Luntian, the renowned swordsman of Yan Yun, known as the "Cloud Piercing Hand." In his later years, Zhou Luntian had retired to the shores of Dongping Lake in Dongping County, Shandong Province, enjoying a peaceful life. However, during his time as a wandering swordsman, he had a relationship with a man from Fucheng, Hebei... The Four Tyrants—You Liang, the Green-Faced Lion; Chen Shouqian, the King of Hell; Mu Hao, the Flying Grass; and Hu Liang, the Thousand-Handed Monster Ape—formed a feud. During their fight, You Liang's left hand was severed at the root by Zhou Tianlun, and the Four Tyrants vanished without a trace. Unexpectedly, they found themselves under the tutelage of the Demon Lord of Changbai Mountain, mastering extraordinary skills before joining the Red Flag Gang, which roamed the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei, plotting revenge.

Cang Xi, near the Xiling Gorge in Yichang, overheard the Red Flag Gang discussing the Four Tyrants' plan to seek revenge on Zhou Tianlun, the Cloud-Piercing Hand. Hearing this, he was greatly alarmed and rushed to Dongping, but unfortunately… Stepping too late, Zhou Luntian, the Cloud Piercer, had already met with misfortune. The Four Tyrants of Fucheng, leading their gang members, still refused to give up. Enraged, Cang Xi, the Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon, risked everything and fought single-handedly against seventeen masters of the Red Flag Gang, injuring five on the spot and rescuing Zhou Lin. The Four Tyrants of Fucheng pursued him relentlessly, but Cang Xi managed to escape by feigning an attack. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything for three days and three nights, and was covered in wounds. Exhausted, he was also affected by the cold at night, and fell ill as soon as he arrived in Jiangdu. Because he dared not reveal his whereabouts, he ordered Zhou Lin to use the sect's token to summon Yang... Qian Ning, the leader of the Beggars' Gang in the prefecture, sent Zhou Lin to the hermit physician Qiu Ziming in Longping, Hubei Province, to obtain medicine. Although he knew that distant water could not quench immediate thirst, he still did it reluctantly. Fortunately, he met Xie Yunyue, otherwise, the Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon Cang Xi would have ended up as a corpse in a foreign land.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yunyue felt a surge of sympathy for Zhou Lin. He couldn't help but take Zhou Lin's hands and treat him with great affection. Thinking that Zhou Lin's young age was quite similar to his own early misfortunes, he said, "It is truly admirable that Senior Cang has such a successor. In the future, young brother will surely be able to avenge his family and friends."

Cang Xi glared and said, "Another 'senior'? If you think highly of me, calling me 'elder brother' is enough. In terms of skill, I'm currently no less skilled than you. To be honest, I forgot to ask who your master is."

Xie Yunyue sighed slightly and said, "My master is a monk who refuses to reveal his name, so I can't tell you. My background is quite similar to this brother's. I still haven't found out who my enemy is, so I've traveled north, firstly to fulfill my promise to become your disciple, and secondly to take advantage of the journey to find out who my enemy is."

Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon glared with gleaming eyes and laughed loudly, "After all this talk, you haven't revealed a single thing. Your habits are somewhat similar to mine. You didn't even treat my illness, yet I'm still willing to be your friend. Since you haven't mentioned your master..." " Who you are, who your enemies are, I won't force you, it's all the same anyway. But you have to tell me your name, and who your sworn brother is, that should be fine, right?"

Xie Yunyue couldn't help but chuckle, and hurriedly said, "My name is Xie Yunyue, and my sworn brother is Qiankun Hand Thunder Xiaotian."

Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon Cangxi glared and shouted again, "What, you've made friends with that famous troublemaker in the martial world? You two are sure to have a good show to put on in the future. How about this, I, this old codger, will count as one too, okay?"

Xie Yunyue mumbled and declined, "How could I dare to accept that?"

Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon Cangxi said seriously, "Don't beat around the bush, let's just say it like this, I'm the eldest. Third brother, do you think Zhou Lin has any potential?"

Xie Yunyue saw him talking to himself, and didn't care whether he agreed or not. He made his own judgment without thinking, feeling no surprise at his own isolation. Having a helper was always beneficial, so he laughed and said, "The one you've chosen, elder brother, is naturally excellent." He then scratched his head and said, "Since we address each other as brothers, it will be difficult for your sect members to address me properly."

Zhou Lin then knelt down to pay his respects, addressing him as "Third Uncle." Xie Yunyue quickly helped him up, saying, "Your master has always disliked frivolous formalities; how can you be such a kowtow worm?"

Cang Xi laughed, "Third brother, you're so young, yet you've already become an elder in our sect. Others would be eager to do so, and you're still being pretentious. Now that you're heading north, I'll first send Zhou Lin to my friend, the fisherman Ding Yiping of Wujiang, to learn his skills for three years, and then I'll hurry north to catch up with you." Saying this, he took out a slick black copper plaque from his waist and... The carvings of a dragon, lion, and tiger, exquisitely detailed and ancient in appearance, were handed to Xie Yunyue. The craftsman solemnly said, "This is the Beggars' Sect's authoritative token. Even the current sect leader treats it with utmost respect. When you travel north, use this to leave a message for your brothers in the sect. Your elder brother will surely be able to follow the trail. If anything happens, you can also use this to contact the sect."

Xie Yunyue took it and tucked it into his robes, saying, "Brother, whether there's anything else or not, please meet me at Lugou Bridge on the fourth day of the fifth month. I will also be there."

Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon Cangxi laughed, "You don't need to worry about not being able to see him. Our word is as good as gold. Perhaps we will meet again before you even leave Lu territory." At this moment, the shopkeeper brought over a steaming bowl of black medicinal liquid. Cangxi took it and drank it all in one gulp. Xie Yunyue then ordered more to be brewed, and the shopkeeper nodded and withdrew.

Xie Yunyue then invited Cang Xi and his disciple to dine in the front hall. Because of Cang Xi's illness, Xie Yunyue didn't order wine, but instead ordered three or four lightly oily vegetable dishes and some thin porridge, which Cang Xi ate with relish.

After three days, Cang Xi and his disciple rode south, and Xie Yunyue headed straight for Gaoyou. Gaoyou was only about a hundred li from Jiangdu, and he arrived by evening, staying at the Lianyun Inn. The Lianyun Inn was almost blindingly lively, filled with martial arts figures, their weapons hilts adorned with colorful silk tassels, quite conspicuous. Most of them showed disdain upon seeing Xie Yunyue. The innkeeper led Xie Yunyue to a superior room in the east courtyard, served him a pot of fragrant tea, handed him a towel, and smiled, "Sir, is there anything else you need?"

"Innkeeper, why are there so many martial arts practitioners lodging here? It's different from usual, isn't it?"

The innkeeper hurriedly replied with a smile, "Sir, you are a scholar and a passerby, so naturally you wouldn't know about these martial arts matters. If you wish to hear, let me tell you slowly. It's because the Zhou Family Village, forty li from the county town, is headed by a renowned hero of the Huai River region, named Zhou Weicheng, also known as the Star Chaser and Moon-Plucker. I've heard he's incredibly skilled. This year is his sixtieth birthday, and in three days it will be his birthday celebration. Hero Zhou has been sending out invitations to all the outlaws, saying..." "It's about retiring from the world and going into seclusion. The sword will be sealed publicly on my birthday. Besides, Master Zhou has a daughter named Zhou Yue'e. She's not only beautiful, but also incredibly skilled—reportedly twice as skilled as Master Zhou himself. She has two precious swords, 'Juque' and 'Qinghong.' Since Miss Zhou is unmarried, a martial arts tournament will be held on her birthday. Whoever can defeat her will not only receive the 'Juque' sword, but Miss Zhou will also marry him. This has caused a sensation far and wide, and ironically, it's made good business for my little shop." He chuckled incessantly.

Xie Yunyue suddenly understood. He was unmoved by the lively scene, so he smiled and said, "Shopkeeper, thank you." Suddenly, someone shouted loudly for the waiter in the courtyard. The waiter hurriedly ran out.

Xie Yunyue rested for a while, then went outside. Compared to Jiangdu, Gaoyou's market was much quieter, but as a major thoroughfare northward, it was still quite lively. He strolled into a restaurant, ate his meal, and then intended to return to his inn for an early night's rest. On his way back, he suddenly saw an old beggar leaning against the roadside, begging from passersby. On a whim, he went over, took out some loose silver coins, placed them in the old beggar's palm, and said in a deep voice, "Old man, I have something to ask your leader. Where is he now?" The old beggar was about to thank him, but upon hearing this, his face turned cold. He rolled his eyes at Xie Yunyue, sizing him up, without saying a word.

Seeing this, Xie Yunyue quickly took out the black copper token given to him by the Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon and gave it to him. The old beggar looked terrified upon seeing the token and said respectfully in a low voice, "Sir, there are many people here. Please come with me." He turned and slipped into a small alley. Xie Yunyue followed closely behind the old beggar. The alley was dark and pitch black, but this was no problem for him. Martial artists all have night vision. After twisting and turning through countless alleys, they arrived at a temple dedicated to the Three Officials. The old beggar asked him to wait a moment and went inside.

This temple was deserted, its interior gloomy and dark. By the starlight, it was clear that it was a dilapidated temple that had been neglected for many years. Because it was uninhabited, the beggar had taken it upon himself to move in, making it the place where the Gaoyou Beggars' Gang issued orders. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, two people emerged from the temple. One was the old beggar who had led the way, and the other was a tall, thin beggar who looked to be around fifty years old. The tall, thin beggar clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xie Yunyue and said, "Sir, you carry the Divine Dragon, Lion, and Tiger Token of our sect. Is there anything you need me to do?"

Xie Yunyue smiled and said, "Your Excellency, are you perhaps the leader of our sect? May I ask your name?" The thin, tall beggar replied, "I wouldn't dare. My name is Bai Liliang. It's not appropriate to speak standing here. Please come inside and talk. "

He then led Xie Yunyue into the temple, through a side door of the shrine, and into a room on the right. The room was simply furnished—a bed, a table, two or three chairs, and a low cabinet—but it was very clean. Bai Wenliang then said, "Sir, what is your esteemed name? May I have a look at the Divine Dragon, Lion, and Tiger Token?"

Only then did Xie Yunyue see Bai Wenliang's face clearly: a full yellow beard, only his forehead, eyes, and nose visible, his eyes gleaming, and his temples prominent. He took out the Divine Dragon, Lion, and Tiger Token from his person and smiled, "My name is Xie Yunyue."

Bai Wenliang exclaimed in surprise, "So you are the renowned young hero Xie of Jinhua! My apologies!" "Saying this, Bai Wenliang took the Divine Dragon Lion and Tiger Token and placed it upright on the table. Bai Wenliang and the old beggar knelt down at the same time and bowed three times in reverence before handing it back to Xie Yunyue. Bai Wenliang said, "This Divine Dragon Lion and Tiger Token has seven sides. It is not easily seen by anyone who is not involved in a major event. The main hall of our gang only has three sides. The remaining four sides are carried by the three elders of our gang. There are two kinds of Divine Dragon Lion and Tiger Tokens. The ones held by the main hall are made of Burmese steel, while those held by the three elders are made of purple copper. The one that Young Hero Xie holds is one of them. Once this Divine Dragon Lion and Tiger Token is issued, it represents the status of an elder and also represents supreme authority. Not only can it issue orders to the gang members, but all orders must be obeyed. Even if the gang members commit a mistake, it can severely punish them. May I ask if this token was given to Young Hero Xie by one of the elders of our gang? However, I should not ask such a question. Young Hero Xie, please answer whether you agree or not."

Xie Yunyue then recounted the details of how he met the Nine-Fingered Divine Dragon Cangxi in Jiangdu. Bai Wenliang, flustered, jumped up from his chair, knelt on one knee, and said, "Young Hero Xie, since you and Elder Nine-Fingered are sworn brothers, you are a senior member of our sect. What are your orders, Young Hero? I will go through fire and water for you." Xie

Yunyue quickly helped Bai Wenliang up and said solemnly, "Chief Bai, we each have our own affairs. Besides, I am not a subordinate of your sect. With you here, it's difficult for me to speak."

Bai Wenliang, his face full of sincerity, bowed and said, "Since Young Hero Xie is so modest, I, Bai Wenliang, will humbly accept." He paused and then smiled, "The Red Flag Gang is too rampant now. Since Elder Nine Fingers has this grudge, our gang cannot stand idly by. I, Bai Wenliang, will gather our brothers in northern Jiangsu to discuss our grand plan. We'll then see how powerful the Four Tyrants of Fucheng really are."

Xie Yunyue nodded and said, "I've heard that the Red Flag Gang has only risen to prominence four or five years ago, yet it has already spread across the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei. Its expansion is quite rapid, which shows that there are capable people within the gang. I am new to this world and have no idea just how lawless the Red Flag Gang is. I, Chief Bai, have heard something, but we shouldn't be too hasty. Elder Nine Fingers must have a solution." He then inquired about Zhou Weicheng's sealing of the sword.

Bai Wenliang pondered for a moment and said, "This matter wasn't mentioned by you, young hero. I forgot about it because it wasn't related to me. Zhou Weicheng was originally a disciple of the Daji Sect, and his martial arts were superb. After middle age, he settled down in his hometown and taught students. Occasionally, he would travel around northern Jiangsu, presiding over martial arts affairs and earning the reputation of a great hero of the Huai River region. His retirement was out of necessity. Three years ago, the Red Flag Gang insisted on inviting him to join, but Zhou Weicheng firmly refused, which led to a falling out. The Red Flag Gang harassed Zhou Family Village several times, but Zhou Weicheng handled them well, and they were able to live in peace. At the beginning of the year, the Red Flag Gang sent someone to Zhou Weicheng to propose marriage. They said they heard that Miss Zhou was not yet engaged, and that there was a handsome young man named Shen Yiming in their gang, who was the chief of the three outer halls. He was a high-ranking disciple of the Kongtong Sect, and he was still unmarried. The person who went to propose marriage described Shen Yiming as someone rare in heaven and unparalleled on earth."

"However, Zhou Weicheng had long harbored a dislike for the Red Flag Gang, and the people who went to propose marriage were rebuffed. The Red Flag Gang, undeterred, sent people again and again to propose, but were all refused. Finally, the Red Flag Gang lost their temper, declaring that if Zhou Weicheng did not marry his daughter to Shen Yiming, they would raze Zhou Family Village to the ground and plant spies around the village. Zhou Weicheng, having no other choice, announced to the Red Flag Gang that on his sixtieth birthday, he would distribute invitations to all outlaws, publicly sheath his sword and retire from public life, and hold a marriage contest. Whoever won ten rounds could marry his daughter to whoever was unmarried." With the Red Flag Gang victorious, there was no objection to marrying Shen Yiming to Zhou Fang. This condition, from Zhou Fang's perspective, was to allow martial arts figures to uphold justice; even if they won by chance, at least a peaceful situation could be maintained. The Red Flag Gang, aware of Zhou Weicheng's scheme, but confident in its numerous experts and its sphere of influence in Jiangsu Province, wanted to use this opportunity to wipe out all the chivalrous figures of the martial arts world, or at least eliminate a portion of them. Therefore, they readily agreed and are currently making preparations in secret. The Red Flag Gang has recently transferred many skilled fighters from Hubei and Anhui provinces. They have also secretly deployed checkpoints throughout northern Jiangsu. "We won't make a move until the festival is over."

Xie Yunyue pondered for a moment. There was still a month until the Dragon Boat Festival, so he could still make it. He thought it best to secretly help Zhou Weicheng and then withdraw after achieving his goal. He said, "The Red Flag Gang is acting too lawlessly. Since this has happened, how can I sit idly by? I just want to ask for your help, Chief Bai. I wonder how many of your brothers in Gaoyou with outstanding martial arts skills can you send?"

Bai Wenliang hurriedly replied, "Young hero, it is my duty to help you. My men are only about twenty with decent martial arts skills, but there are many in the Huai River region..." "There are many skilled warriors, but please, young hero, have Bai Wenliang deliver the Divine Dragon Token. It will reach Gaoyou within a day."

Xie Yunyue hurriedly took out the Divine Dragon Token, but Bai Wenliang repeatedly shook his head, saying, "No need to bring out the Divine Dragon Token, just a word from you, young hero, will suffice."

Xie Yunyue hadn't expected the Divine Dragon Lion-Tiger Token to have such great power. He didn't know that whoever possessed the Purple Copper Divine Dragon Lion-Tiger Token was an elder of the sect, whose word was law. It was only because Nine-Finger Divine Dragon Cangxi had saved his life, and heard that Xie Yunyue was burdened with the burden of family feuds and was outnumbered, that he had given him an extra Purple Copper Divine Dragon Token. At that time, Xie Yunyue had agreed to Bai Wenliang's request to mobilize the Beggar Clan brothers in the Huai River region.

Bai Wenliang then summoned the old beggar and gave him some instructions. The old beggar obeyed and left. Xie Yunyue then discussed with Bai Wenliang how to weaken the Red Flag Gang's skilled spies and agents. He added, "I hope your gang's Nine-Finger Elder hasn't been delayed in Wujiang." After discussing the matter with Bai Wenliang, Xie Yunyue took his leave and returned to the inn. Bai Wenliang saw him off to the main street before parting ways.

When Xie Yunyue returned to the inn, it was nearly midnight. Just as he was about to enter the courtyard, a man rushed out of the moon gate, reeking of alcohol. Xie Yunyue, caught off guard, bumped right into the man. The man he bumped into was a burly, pockmarked fellow who clutched his chest, crying out in pain. Upon closer inspection, Xie Yunyue realized the person in front of him was a frail-looking scholar, smiling at him. In his haste, Xie Yunyue didn't even consider why the scholar hadn't been hurt, and instead launched into a tirade: "You pedantic fellow, are you blind? You've bumped into Master He's chest, and you'd better apologize!"

Xie Yunyue sneered, "Your words are too vague. Who hasn't been blind?" "If I hadn't dodged quickly, someone might have died tonight. Drunk and having to go out and cause trouble is worse than lying in bed like a corpse."

The pockmarked man roared angrily, "Uncle He doesn't teach you a lesson, but you teach me one! You idiot, lie down with me!" With that, he threw a punch at the chest, but Xie Yunyue's three fingers swiftly pinched the fist's pulse point. With a quick pull, the pockmarked man was thrown seven or eight steps, collapsing to the ground with a thud.

Xie Yunyue didn't care whether he lived or died, and slipped through the moon gate into the house. The two accomplices of the pockmarked man, seeing him lying on the ground, rushed to help him up. They were shocked to see the pockmarked man's right arm swollen like an eggplant. These three were local thugs, always bullying the weak and fearing the strong. They knew they had met their match tonight, and any further attack would be futile. They were also afraid Xie Yunyue would retaliate. Seeing that he had already left... They grabbed the pockmarked man and made a hasty escape. This argument startled all the travelers in the east and west courtyards, who peeked out and burst into laughter at the sight. Four or five of them, however, took notice of Xie Yunyue.

The next morning, Xie Yunyue opened his door to get some water, only to see two men talking outside the third room in the opposite courtyard. Seeing Xie Yunyue come out, the two men nodded and smiled at him. Xie Yunyue was surprised that these two were complete strangers, yet he politely returned their greeting. Just as he was about to turn back to his room, he saw the two men walking towards him and stopped to wait for them.

The two men who arrived were of different builds. One was a tall, imposing man in his forties, with a purplish-red face, piercing eyes, and a shaved head. He wore an earth-blue lined robe and carried a nine-toothed dagger with a goose feather slung across his back. The other was around fifty years old, with a sparse, white beard, each hair clearly visible. He was of medium build, with arched eyebrows and phoenix eyes that flashed with a cold light when he narrowed them. He wore a black long gown that only reached his knees, with trousers underneath, and carried a Buddhist cane slung across his back. The purplish-red man laughed and said, "Your Excellency's capture last night was quite skillful." " Your skill is truly admirable."

Xie Yunyue hurriedly replied, "Not at all, not at all. Please, both of you, come inside and have a seat."

The three entered the house and sat down. The old man with the white beard immediately introduced himself, "I am Liu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, and this is Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber

. May I ask your names?" Xie Yunyue paused for a moment and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. My surname is Yan, and my given name is Yue." Why did he lie and change his surname at this time? It was because his single-handed killing of the Seven Fiends Hand in Jinhua had spread throughout the country. This time, he wanted to secretly help Zhou Weicheng, but he didn't want to reveal his true name. He wanted to teach the Red Flag Gang a lesson. In addition, the backgrounds of Wu and Zheng were unclear, so he might as well keep it from them for now and explain it later.

Upon hearing this, Wu and Zheng exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, "Why is this young man's name so unfamiliar?" Then, Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, smiled and said, "So it's Young Hero Yan! My apologies for my rudeness. May I ask what position Young Hero Yan holds in the Red Flag Gang?"

Xie Yunyue was taken aback, his expression suddenly changing, then he realized, thinking, "Where did they find something amiss that led them to mistakenly believe they were Red Flag Gang members? Ah… that's it! Perhaps if they didn't say that, they couldn't prove they weren't part of the Red Flag Gang." With this thought, his expression softened, and he smiled slightly. "I am not a member of the Red Flag Gang. I only passed through here from Jiangxi half a month ago on business. I heard about Master Zhou's retirement and his challenge to find a wife, so I stayed a while to admire the skills of a master. I only recently heard of the Red Flag Gang. Could you two be our informants?"

Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, looked at Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber, and laughed loudly, "I told you so! I knew at first glance that you were not this kind of person. Brother, do you believe me now?" Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber, blushed. Then Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, told him about their background.

Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, and Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber, were both martial arts masters, renowned figures throughout the region. They owned the Chabei Ranch in northern Chahar, and over the past decade, their herd of horses numbered no less than forty to fifty thousand, making them the wealthiest men in Chabei. They had achieved great fame and fortune. In their early years, they had been sworn brothers with Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai. Upon receiving an urgent invitation from Zhou Weicheng, the two discussed it and entrusted the ranch affairs to their capable assistants. They then hurried south, met with Zhou Weicheng, and immediately moved to the Lianyun Inn. Being unfamiliar faces, they were better positioned to investigate the Red Flag Gang's conspiracy and plans. They had been there for six or seven days, gathering a general understanding of the enemy's situation through overt and covert investigations. However, with their combined strength, they couldn't possibly uncover all the details. Seeing no need to stay in Gaoyou any longer, they prepared to return to Zhou Family Village after noon.

Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber, said, "Since Young Hero Yan wishes to go to Zhou Family Village, why not accompany us today to avoid loneliness on the journey? Besides, we still need Young Hero Yan's help."

Xie Yunyue pondered for a moment and then agreed, saying, "I was originally supposed to go on the appointed day, but since you two have invited me so kindly, I cannot refuse. However, it would be too much of a bother. My martial arts skills are far inferior to yours, so please don't overestimate me."

Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, laughed and said, "Young Hero Yan is too modest. Since you have agreed, let's go back to our rooms to carry our luggage first, and then treat you to a simple meal before we set off."

So they both stood up, and Xie Yunyue saw them off at the door. As he watched them return to their rooms, he suddenly saw a girl in red emerge from the room opposite. His eyes lit up, and he was stunned, secretly amazed that there was no such beautiful girl in the world. The young woman possessed bright, white teeth, eyes like autumn water, a small, upturned nose, and cherry-like lips, all set against her oval, pink face, making her exceptionally beautiful. She had a slender, graceful figure, dressed in a pink martial arts outfit with a white silk sash around her waist, from which a scabbard adorned with a mottled green sheath was tucked. Black deerskin boots completed her look. Her gait was lithe and graceful. In her right hand, she held a seven-foot-long, glossy black horsewhip. With a flick of her wrist, the whip straightened like a pen, only the tip trembling slightly, like a serpent, remaining upright for a long time. Xie Yunyue secretly praised the young woman's superb internal strength; such skill in channeling internal energy into the whip tip was rarely seen in the martial arts world, truly remarkable. The young woman seemed aware that Xie Yunyue was watching her, and turned back with a charming smile, seemingly unintentionally, followed by a series of giggles. She then gracefully disappeared into the courtyard like a startled swan.

Xie Yunyue had never seen such a beautiful girl before. Her captivating smile sent his soul soaring, leaving him standing there in a daze. Only after she disappeared into the courtyard did he finally regain his senses. A lingering fragrance, neither quite orchid nor quite musk, still lingered in the air, enchanting him. After a while, he returned to his room, feeling lost and bewildered. A

short while later, Wu and Zheng, each carrying a bag, returned with smiles, saying, "Young Master Yan, we've paid the room fee. Let's go out for dinner and set off." Xie Yunyue thanked them, and the three of them left the inn, mounted their horses, and departed.

Zhoujiazhuang is located fifty li southeast of Gaoyou, nestled against mountains and surrounded by streams. The mountains are lush and green, and the streams are emerald green, creating a serene and elegant environment. The village has only about five hundred households, mostly farmers and woodcutters, content with their lot. Zhou Weicheng's residence is a vast estate, with houses stretching as far as the eye can see, occupying almost half of the entire estate. The streams on all four sides form a natural moat, with ravines over ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) deep. Normally, this is a paradise, but now it is heavily guarded, with squads of village guards patrolling from time to time.

A martial arts arena has long been erected in the training ground, painted vermilion, with golden couplets that read: "Those who come and go are all heroes and valiant men," and "You are sincere and I trust you, there is no violence or deceit." A huge plaque hangs on the horizontal pillar, inscribed with the three characters "Mandarin Duck Arena," written in a bold and powerful style.

Two huge bamboo sheds were erected on either side of the arena, with tables and chairs arranged neatly. Tomorrow was the start of the meeting, and the stewards and servants were constantly running back and forth, extremely busy. No fewer than fifty of Zhou Weicheng's close friends from the martial arts world, representing the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, had arrived to assist him. Half of them had already been dispatched to check nearby areas outside the manor for any hidden Red Flag Gang outposts. If any were found, they could be dismantled. Xie Yunyue, being a guest and having just met them, was not in a position to send any stewards.

Despite his restraint, Xie Yunyue surveyed the entire manor, gaining a thorough understanding of its layout. He then hurriedly left the manor to find Bai Wenliang, the leader of the Gaoyou Beggars' Gang. Bai Wenliang reported that over sixty members of the Beggars' Gang were already stationed outside the manor and had secretly dismantled seven Red Flag Gang outposts. Fortunately, none of the Beggars' Gang members were injured. After giving further instructions, Xie Yunyue hurriedly returned to the manor.

As the sun dipped below the horizon at dusk, its rays pierced the clouds, creating a breathtaking spectacle. At that moment, a man in black leaped from a tree beside the Bichen Pavilion within the manor. The Bichen Pavilion was the residence of Zhou Weicheng's family. After landing and glancing around, the man darted into the garden's flowerbeds, bent down, and picked up a small, rice-grain-sized pebble. He threw it into the pavilion, and after a while, seeing no movement, assumed everyone had left. The man in black was overjoyed. With a swift movement, he soared up the pavilion like a black eagle, and stood before the window of Miss Wei's boudoir. He poked a hole in the paper covering the window with saliva, observed for a moment, and was about to pry open the window with his knife when he suddenly heard a soft, cold laugh nearby. Though the sound was faint, it sent shivers down the man's spine, chilling him to the bone. It was clearly the voice of someone with unparalleled internal strength. He instinctively retreated, spun around, and nervously looked around, but found no suspicious trace.

The man in black remained suspicious. Suddenly, he felt a numbness in the pressure point on his right shoulder, and the knife involuntarily fell to the floor with a clang. He quickly caught it with his left hand, performing a somersault to the ground. He took a horse stance, swung the knife in his left hand to protect his face, and looked around nervously for a while. Seeing that there was no one around, only lush flowers and trees swaying in the wind, and the setting sun casting his own shadow on the ground like a long, thin bamboo pole, he finally calmed down after a long time. He swung his right arm around for a moment, finding it still easy to use without any discomfort. He thought to himself, "Could it be because I'm too nervous? My guilty conscience makes me act strangely. I heard that cold laughter earlier, and my right shoulder acupoint suddenly went numb. It must be a nervous twitch." He

couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He thought, "Since I've come here on orders, I can't leave empty-handed. If I go back like this, not only will I be punished, but I'll also be ridiculed for being useless. I, Xu Yi, the Empty-Handed Thief, have been famous for many years. How can I afford to lose face like that?" With his mind made up, he leaped onto the platform again.

But before he had even left the ground by five feet, his left knee acupoint felt like it had been stung by an insect. The pain was excruciating. Xu Yi groaned, feeling his inner energy dissipate. He fell like a broken string, the sound sending sand and dust flying. In his haste, he didn't have time to check himself. He rolled into the flowers and grass, holding his breath and not daring to move.

Another cold laugh rang out from outside the flower bushes, seemingly carrying the words "stupid thief." The sound, barely a mosquito's buzz, pierced Xu Yi's eardrums on the wind. To the empty-handed Xu Yi, it was like a thunderclap. Now he understood—it wasn't some kind of madness; someone else was secretly punishing him. This terrified the master thief, who frantically tried to figure out his way out, crouching low among the flowers and grass, preparing to slip away from the village. After crawling for some time, nearing the wall, he lay motionless, listening intently for any unusual sounds. Seeing no movement, he finally dared to slowly peek his head out of the bushes.

"Alas!" Xu Yi, empty-handed, cried out in alarm as if he had seen a venomous snake. Before him appeared a pair of feet—yes, human feet. Xu Yi trembled and hurriedly raised his head. But it wasn't a person standing before him. The person wore a greyish-white robe, had a broad back and a slender waist, and pale hands. His face was unlike any other, like that of a dead man—cold and bluish-white, without eyebrows. His sinister eyes stared at him, making his hair stand on end.

Xu Yi, empty-handed, could only steel himself and stand up, a repulsive, obsequious smile on his face. He said in a trembling voice, "Please, Your Excellency, have mercy and let me go back."

The person didn't speak, only rolled his eyes and glared at him. Xu Yi felt the person's gaze was like sharp scissors, sending a chill down his spine, making him shiver uncontrollably. Xu Yi panicked and said, "Since you have no further instructions, please forgive me for not accompanying you." With that, he leaped three feet into the air, about to leap over the wall, when he heard the man say, "You can't escape." Suddenly, he felt a tight grip on his right heel, grabbed, pulled, and shaken, then tossed to the ground seven or eight zhang away.

Empty-handed, Xu Yi had met his match this time, suffering greatly. His joints felt as if they had been shaken apart; he lay paralyzed on the ground, utterly powerless. He didn't know what vicious method the man had used, but he felt as if insects and ants were crawling all over his body, an unbearable ache. Large beads of sweat poured from his forehead; it was worse than death, and he couldn't help but howl. The man stood motionless, a faint smile appearing on his face. He turned, pulled off his leather mask, revealing a handsome, jade-like face, and slowly walked away.

Why did a thief appear in the manor before it was even dark? It was because Xu Yi, nicknamed the Master Thief, had been famous for many years. He was incredibly clever and knew that if he entered the manor at night, he would be discovered by the skilled thieves. So he decided to sneak into the manor before the thieves entered the gates at sunset. Even if the manor guards discovered him, they would all think he was a guest of the master. There would be many guests at the Zhou family's house these days, and in the rush, the people in the manor would not be able to distinguish friend from foe. It was amazing that he could come up with such a clever way of blending in. Little did he know that man proposes, God disposes. He never expected that he would suffer such a fate.

The Juying Hall in the manor was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai, stood in the hall, chatting and laughing with friends who had come from afar. Xie Yunyue, Wu Fengbiao (Flying Cloud Hand), Zheng Jinwu (Eight-Handed Golden Saber), and Hou Libing (Golden-Faced Monkey King), who had arrived that morning, stood in the right corner of the hall whispering. At this moment, a servant rushed in and reported to Zhou Weicheng: "Master, the men stationed at the Fourth Secret Card have found a wounded man near Bichen Pavilion. The man claims to be Xu Yi (Three-Handed Empty-Handed). Please give your orders, Master."

Zhou Weicheng frowned and ordered the servant to be summoned. A moment later, Xu Yi (Three-Handed Empty-Handed) arrived. Xu Yi was summoned by two servants and placed on the ground. Xu Yi, empty-handed, was ashen-faced, sweat beading on his forehead, his clothes soaked through. He trembled uncontrollably, crying out, "Hero Zhou, please do me a favor and release my pressure points! I will tell you the truth!"

Zhou Weicheng, suspicious, wondered if this empty-handed man had come for some purpose and had been secretly attacked by some master. He stepped forward to release Xu Yi's pressure points, but Xu Yi's condition worsened, howling in pain. Zhou Weicheng's face flushed, at a loss. An elderly man with a crane-like appearance and a dove-like face emerged from among the guests. He turned Xu Yi over, pressed his finger on the third vertebra of his spine, and punched him hard. Xu Yi cried out "Ouch!", spat out a mouthful of phlegm, and stood up, his spirit utterly exhausted.

The old man with the crane-like face and dove-like features shook his head and sighed, "This man's technique is extremely skillful. A slight increase in pressure would be fatal. Such exquisite acupoint striking techniques are rare in the martial arts world and can be considered a unique skill. I have been immersed in this art for decades, but I have not yet reached this level of skill. I only know the countermeasures."

Zhou Weicheng laughed loudly at the old man with the crane-like face and dove-like features, "I only know that you rarely praise others in your life. I never expected that today I would hear Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan utter such beautiful and humble words for the first time."

Xie Yunyue heard that the old man with the crane-like face and dove-like features was a unique skill outside the pass, and he couldn't help but stare deeply at Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan. He looked at him for a few more times. Earlier, when he was chatting with Qiankun Shou Lei Xiaotian at Zhentai Escort Agency, he mentioned Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan. Lei Xiaotian said that this old man cultivated both internal and external skills and had reached a state of perfection. His lightness skill was extraordinary, and his movement was exceptionally skillful. His "Great Vajra Palm" was especially famous. His palm strike from mid-air could kill anyone within ten zhang. It was known as a unique skill.

At this moment, Zhou Weicheng said in a deep voice, "Xu Yishi, what conspiracy do you have in mind when you come to my manor? Please speak quickly, and I, Zhou, will certainly not treat you unfairly."

Xu Yi, empty-handed, smiled bitterly and said, "Since you have shown me kindness in resolving my predicament, I cannot remain silent." He then spoke a few words that shocked everyone.

It turned out that Yuwen Lei, the Eight-Armed Vajra, leader of the Red Flag Gang, was the only disciple of the Tibetan demon monk Sado and Tuo. He had learned eight or nine tenths of the demon monk's unique skills, and was also cunning and shrewd, only in his early forties this year. Since its establishment, the Red Flag Gang had been well-managed, and in less than three years, its influence had expanded to the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei. With boundless ambition, it intended to bring all nine provinces along the Yangtze River under its banner. Two years ago, it began to take over the large and small gangs in the nine provinces one by one, adopting a strategy of aggressive encroachment. However, the resistance was too great, and it had to change to a softer approach, sending several groups of skilled men to recruit and recruit extraordinary people, heroes, and outlaws in the nine provinces with large sums of money. Of course, many skilled fighters, bound by their own constraints, refused to be bound by him and immediately turned down the offer. However, the Red Flag Gang often resorted to framing and slander, followed by coercion and extortion, using a combination of persuasion and intimidation to force them into submission.

This time, when they tried to recruit Zhou Weicheng, a renowned hero from the Huai River region, he refused. In the eyes of the Red Flag Gang leader, Eight-Armed Vajra Yuwen Lei, this was a trivial matter, as Jiangsu Province was already within their sphere of influence; his presence or absence wouldn't make a difference. However, the deputy leader, Fierce Fire Star Qin Lu, was furious, saying that Zhou Weicheng was ungrateful. Qin Lu had long coveted Zhou Weicheng's twin swords, "Juque" and "Qinghong," and possessing either one would be like adding wings to a tiger. He had repeatedly sent men to harass Zhou Weicheng, with Qin Lu in charge, believing that with the Red Flag Gang's immense power, Zhou Weicheng would surely submit. But he didn't do this, nor did he dare to. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was at its peak, and the world was at peace. If they were to openly launch a large-scale invasion of Zhou Family Village, the Qing court would mistakenly accuse them of rebellion, and the Red Flag Gang's hard-earned foundation would be destroyed in an instant.

Gang leader Yuwen Lei, also known as Eight-Armed Vajra, understood the implications and therefore did not intend to openly engage in war, but he also could not allow this matter to cause a rift between his brothers. Knowing that Zhou Weicheng's daughter was beautiful and skilled in martial arts, he ordered Shen Yiming, the Jade-Faced Second Brother, to propose marriage, which led to Zhou Weicheng's decision to seal his sword and set up a martial arts tournament. Seeing that things had come to this point, Yuwen Lei, being the type who would never back down, pretended to generously agree to the move, but in reality, he secretly devised a treacherous plan to undermine Zhou Weicheng's cause and kill two birds with one stone. The plan was to have Sanshoukonggong sneak into Zhou Yue'e's boudoir the day before the meeting—too early wouldn't be good. Late at night, he would use a sleeping potion to knock Zhou Yue'e unconscious, then send out a signal to send Zhou Weicheng's old enemies to feign an attack on the manor. They would create a false impression of strength outside to lure the heroes out of the manor. Then, Sanshoukonggong would take advantage of the empty manor and the lack of attention to kidnap Zhou Yue'e and Shuangjian. After succeeding, he would have all the feigned attackers retreat.

This would shatter the hopes of a perfect marriage. When Zhou Weicheng accused the Red Flag Gang, the plan was to claim the gang was completely unaware, but that the visitor's actions within Red Flag Gang territory were an insult to them. The plan was to guarantee the return of the culprits within three months, and then arrange a thrilling scene where Shen Yiming, the "Jade-Faced Second Brother," rescues Miss Zhou. A lone man and woman, having met and having saved each other's lives, and with Shen Yiming being a decent person, would surely develop feelings for each other, leading to a natural and orderly marriage. Wouldn't that be brilliant? However, Xu Yi, empty-handed, encountered a master, causing the plan to fail at the last minute—a truly regrettable situation.

The heroes of Lianghuai and the assembled warriors all sighed in unison, praising Yuwen Lei's extraordinary cunning and ruthlessness, daring to send men to the manor in broad daylight. Zhou Weicheng continued, "Xu Yishi, you unfortunately encountered this friend and ended up empty-handed, which is a pity. Could you describe this friend to me?"

Xu Yi, empty-handed, gave a bitter smile and vividly recounted his capture. Zhou Weicheng was astonished and scanned the crowd, asking with a smile, "Who is this righteous friend? Does anyone here know his background?"

The assembled heroes exchanged glances, indicating they knew nothing of this person. Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, glanced at Xie Yunyue, thinking, "It can't be him, can it? Hmm, judging from Xu Yi's description, this person's martial arts are extremely profound..." "If he's too young, he certainly doesn't possess such skill. But who is this person?"

Xie Yunyue, now dressed in a black robe, noticed Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, glance at him. Though it was only a glance, it held a profound meaning, revealing Wu's doubts. Xie Yunyue smiled and said, "Master Wu, if what Xu Yi said is true, that person is either an extraordinary individual or a maverick. I truly wish to meet him."

Wu Fengbiao replied, "Even I, an old man, would like to meet him. But such extraordinary individuals act unpredictably, appearing and disappearing like dragons, never showing their true faces. Even if we encounter them, we might not know who they are." He then laughed heartily. Xie Yunyue nodded, smiled, and said nothing more.

Zhou Chengwei ordered Xu Yi to be placed under house arrest in the stone chamber until the meeting was over. He also issued orders to strictly guard the hidden checkpoints outside the manor, to be extra careful tonight, and to refrain from harming anyone unless absolutely necessary. That night, everything was calm as usual. The Red Flag Gang, having anticipated Xu Yi's capture empty-handed, sent three skilled fighters to rescue him after their plan failed. However, before they even reached the manor, they were all knocked out by the masked man and sent back to the Red Flag Gang's Gaoyou branch. Who that man was remained a mystery.

The next morning, Zhou Family Manor was unusually lively, with a constant stream of people arriving for the event. The influx kept the manor's reception staff sweating profusely. By midday, the east and west pavilions were packed. The east pavilion was filled with Zhou Family's supporters and friends, while the west pavilion housed heroes from various gangs. The Red Flag Gang, led by Vice-Leader Qin Lu, sent over a dozen experts, including Shen Yiming, the Jade-Faced Second Brother. With half a quarter of an hour to go before noon, the already crowded scene became even more packed. From afar, one could see a sea of heads, a cacophony of voices, as the opening ceremony was scheduled to begin at noon.

The great hero of Lianghuai and his beloved daughter sat upright at the host's seat in the east wing, with Tao Zhusan, the Three Manifestations of Cloud Dragon, sitting beside them. Tao Zhusan's fiery eyes stared at the evil group in the west wing. Two swords lay flat on the seat, their scabbards weathered and ancient, their hilts inlaid with dazzling red pearls and adorned with apricot-yellow silk tassels. It was clear at a glance that these were precious and coveted items among martial arts enthusiasts, and everyone wanted to possess them. However, divine objects and powerful weapons belong to those with virtue, while those without virtue would only waste their efforts.

Xie Yunyue sat in the second seat of the first row of the east pavilion, with Wu Fengbiao and others. He had met Zhou Yue'e once since arriving at the Zhou residence yesterday. He found her cheerful and generous; though not a stunning beauty, she was still pretty and charming. He wondered, "What is Zhou Yue'e's temperament like?" His initial impression of Lan was one of utter dislike for her sharp and shrewish nature, leading him to believe that women were incapable of martial arts and therefore unfit for the martial world. This prejudice had shaped his later views on women. Having lost his mother at a young age, he couldn't comprehend the complexities of female emotions.

Zhou Yue'e, upon first seeing Xie Yunyue, was deeply impressed by his handsome figure and extraordinary demeanor. But what could she do? Perhaps they could have met a few years ago. Now, he was no longer in control of his own destiny. Tomorrow was the start of the competition, and only those who could win ten matches would be considered qualified. Even with his martial arts skills, how could he possibly withstand the swarm of demons coming at him? He couldn't help but sigh deeply. Rather

than creating trouble, it was better to let things take their course. As Xie Yunyue's gaze shifted towards the west shed, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he almost cried out in surprise. He suddenly saw the red-clad girl he had caught a glimpse of at the inn, stepping into the arena with the receptionist. She still held a crystal black whip in her hand. As soon as she stepped into the arena, she stopped and scanned the room with

her bright, autumn-water eyes. The whip hung on the ground like a long, winding snake, before she swaggered towards the east shed. Her entrance shocked everyone present. People whispered and pointed, especially the evil men in the west shed. Hundreds of lewd eyes followed her every move. Who wouldn't be attracted to such beauty? Xie Yunyue's heart pounded as he watched her approach. With each step she took, his heart raced. He saw her whisper a few words to Zhou Weicheng, who beamed with delight and invited her to join his beloved daughter. He then introduced her to Yunlong Sanxian, Tao Zhusan, and others at the table.

Although Xie Yunyue was a virtuous and upright young gentleman, he was not immune to lust and couldn't help but steal glances at the girl in red from time to time. Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, noticed this and asked with a smile, "Young Hero Yan, what do you think of this girl in red?"

Xie Yunyue knew immediately that his expression had been noticed, and his handsome face flushed crimson. Without considering the meaning behind Wu Fengbiao's question, he blurted out, "She's of good character, very good character. Master Wu, do you know her background?" Wu Fengbiao shook his head and smiled again, indicating that he didn't know.

It was noon. Three gongs sounded, and firecrackers exploded outside the arena. Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai, and his beloved daughter Zhou Yue'e stood up with smiles and walked towards the arena. Zhou Yue'e, dressed in a emerald green outfit, stood gracefully beside her father, holding two swords. As soon as the firecrackers stopped, the previous clamor below the stage fell silent.

Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai, was dressed today in a long brocade robe with floral patterns and shoes with the character "福" (fortune) on them. His white beard flowed in front of his chest, and his back was straight, showing no signs of old age. He smiled, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to the east and west sides of the arena, and said in a loud voice, "Today is my sixtieth birthday. I am honored that you all have the honor of visiting my humble abode. I am deeply grateful, but I have nothing to offer in return, only water, wine, and simple food. Please help yourselves and drink as you please." He paused, and a round of applause broke out from below the stage.

The renowned swordsman Zhou Weicheng smiled again and continued, “This time, during this special occasion, I have set up the Mandarin Duck Arena for my daughter, who has come of age. Because I was too picky in choosing a husband, I have been unable to find one for a long time. Now, I am sixty years old and my days are numbered. I have long since abandoned the affairs of the martial world, but this wish remains unfulfilled. Therefore, I have set up this arena to help my daughter find a husband. Everyone here is welcome to come up on stage and display their martial arts skills. However, those who wish to propose must state beforehand that they are under thirty years old, have never been married, and must win ten matches to qualify. All the details were revealed a month ago, so I will not repeat them here. I only hope that we can make friends through martial arts, and stop when we have reached a point. Going beyond that would defeat the purpose of setting up this arena. This arena will be held for three days. After three days, I will relinquish my sword. I ask that you all stay and witness this. That concludes my words. Thank you all.” Several rounds of enthusiastic applause erupted on the stage, lasting for a long time. Then, Zhou Weicheng and his daughter stepped down from the stage and slowly walked towards the east wing.

Two young men from the village stepped onto the stage, wielding spears and short swords, their movements fierce and intense. Though no martial arts skills were visible, their techniques were impeccable. Below, the village servants carried dozens of tables of food and drink, moving swiftly between the east and west wing. The dishes were abundant, a veritable feast of delicacies, with twenty catties of aged Zhuyeqing liquor at each table, enough to satisfy any craving. The assembled heroes, having traveled from afar, were already starving. As soon as the food was served, they devoured it in a flash, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. They had no interest in going on stage. Fortunately, the competition lasted three days. Although they weren't certain of winning all ten matches, they were happy to observe the situation and decide later. Even the Red Flag Gang, determined to win, still had some reservations. They would act when the time was right; now seemed too early.

It was already past midnight. Three or four groups of young men from the village had changed hands on the Mandarin Duck Arena. The heroes of the East and West sheds were already drunk and full. Suddenly, a deep, rumbling voice came from the West shed: "What's going on on stage? All these are just fancy moves, utterly pathetic! What a waste of talent to send these people out here! I don't know how they were trained. Like master, like disciple! Hurry up and get back inside! Do you want me to grab their necks and throw them down one by one?"

The villains of the West shed burst into laughter. Enraged, Luo Defu, the Five-Step Wind-Chasing Dartsman from the East shed, leaped onto the stage, glared at the West shed, and shouted: "Hey friend, you've had your fill of drinking and feeding, and you're acting like a pig! If you've got guts, why don't you come out and see the world?"

Before he finished speaking, a long laugh came from the West shed, and a figure stepped forward, landing on the stage. The person was red-faced, with prominent cheekbones, and utterly hideous. With eyes gleaming like copper bells, Bi Xiaoyan sneered, "Good lad, that's quite a insult. But I, Bi Xiaoyan, the 'Ugly One of Xiangjiang,' never lay a hand on nobodies. Boy, leave your name here."

Luo Defu, the Five-Step Wind-Chasing Dart, was startled to hear that his opponent was the infamous lone bandit, the "Ugly One of Xiangjiang," possessing extraordinary internal and external martial arts skills and a ruthless nature. However, Luo Defu was also a lay disciple of Wutai Mountain, not yet thirty, yet already renowned for his prowess. Arrogant and proud, he couldn't tolerate being called a mere "boy." He sneered, "My name is Luo Defu. Although I am a nobody, I will not tolerate bandits running rampant here."

Bi Xiaoyan, the "Ugly One of Xiangjiang," laughed loudly, "So you're the Five-Step Wind-Chasing Dart? With such meager skills, you dare challenge me?" With that, he flicked his fingers into a hook, releasing and retracting it, aiming at Luo Defu's "Gate" and "Middle of the Neck" points on his chest, sending a whistling wind crashing into him.

Xiangjiang Yichou was a disciple of Xuan Yin Hunjun of Nantian Limu Ridge. He had mastered the "Xuan Yin Palm Force" to a high degree. When this palm was unleashed, it appeared extremely yang, but in reality, it was yin and soft. When it struck the opponent, the surface was completely unharmed, but the internal organs and bones were shattered. When Wubu Zhuifeng Biao saw Xiangjiang Yichou use the "Xuan Yin Palm Force" as soon as he went up, he knew that Xiangjiang Yichou had evil intentions. His eyes were filled with murderous intent and his heart was filled with anger. As the Xuan Yin Palm was about to strike, he suddenly withdrew his right foot and moved like lightning, turning to the left and landing behind Xiangjiang Yichou. He raised his hand and quickly struck three times with the power of the Wutai "Kaibei Palm". Each palm was accompanied by a strong wind.

Seeing Luo Defu's incredibly fast movements, Bi Xiaoyan, the clown from Xiangjiang, secretly praised the young man's martial arts skills. Luo Defu feigned ignorance as he struck out with a palm from behind his chest. As the palm struck, Bi Xiaoyan quickly turned to the left, then lowered his right palm, unleashing the powerful internal martial art technique "Mysterious Bird Drawing Sand," slashing down at Luo Defu's right wrist. This move would have undoubtedly injured Bi Xiaoyan, the clown from Xiangjiang. Seeing that Bi Xiaoyan was caught off guard, Bi Xiaoyan's thick eyebrows lifted in delight. However, after three palm strikes, Bi Xiaoyan suddenly retreated and turned to the left. Bi Xiaoyan's own technique was already in place, and he couldn't react in time to change his stance. Seeing that he was about to be injured by the "Mysterious Bird Drawing Sand," Bi Xiaoyan, in a moment of quick thinking, lowered his right wrist two inches and struck out with his left palm towards Bi Xiaoyan's "abdominal knot" acupoint. Bi Xiaoyan then used the "Iron Bridge" technique to flip seven or eight feet away, narrowly avoiding the attack, but still breaking out in a cold sweat.

Xiangjiang Yichou knew this move was a feint, but he couldn't help but take two steps back, laughing loudly, "Good lad, let's see how you slip away." As he spoke, he unleashed a double palm strike with the full power of the Xuan Yin Palm, lunging forward. Seeing the fierce attack, Luo Defu dared not block it head-on and tried to retreat. However, Xiangjiang Yichou's malice had already taken hold, determined to kill Luo Defu. The Xuan Yin Palm strikes came one after another, relentlessly, his movements extremely skillful and his palm strikes heavy. Luo Defu, forced by Xiangjiang Yichou's palm strikes, was forced to dodge and weave repeatedly, retreating to the edge of the stage.

Suddenly, Xiangjiang Yichou unleashed the "Tiger Leaps Over Nine Mountains" movement technique, pressing down with both palms mid-air. This strike was certain to kill. The heroes of the East Pavilion cried out in alarm. Suddenly, Xiangjiang Yichou sank into the air, taking two steps back as if he were holding a twig in his hand, his face contorted in a grotesque expression. Taking advantage of Xiangjiang Yichou's withdrawal of his attack, Luo Defu leaped off the stage.

"What kind of rat is this, resorting to underhanded tactics? A mere chopstick is no match for your father? If you've got the guts, come out here!" Xiangjiang Yichou cursed as he stood on the stage. Before he could finish the word "ma," another chopstick pierced through the air and struck his mouth. With a "thud," two front teeth broke off, and blood gushed out. Xiangjiang Yichou quickly covered his mouth with his hands, his fish-like eyes flashing with ferocity as he scanned both pavilions.

Seeing Xiangjiang Yichou being struck by hidden weapons time and again, Feiyun Shou was slightly surprised. Who could use such a superior technique of turning a broken branch into an arrow? He should know that the pavilions were twelve or thirteen zhang away from the stage. Normally, even skilled martial artists using this technique could only injure someone within a radius of three zhang (approximately 13 meters). Even those with profound internal energy cultivation could only manage a radius of six or seven zhang (approximately 3-4 meters). Beyond that, the injury would be ineffective. This demonstrates the astonishing level of this person's internal strength and the incredible power of their wrists. He then looked around, trying to find a clue, when he suddenly noticed a pair of short bamboo chopsticks in front of Xie Yunyue. This startled him greatly. He thought to himself, "This person is truly not to be underestimated. But I wonder what his intentions are. Judging from his recent punishment of that ugly fellow, he is undoubtedly a helper invited by the other party. He either possesses extraordinary skills or has such astonishing martial arts abilities, and his inner brilliance is truly rare." He didn't say anything further.

At this moment, a tall, slender young man in black, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, leaped onto the west shed. He carried a single sword on his back, his eyes darting around. He smiled at the clown from Xiangjiang and said, "Elder Master Yan, now that you've won, please step down. It won't be difficult to find out about this sneak attack soon enough. Elder Master Yan can then make his move. I am Ling Fei, the Three Talents of the Western Sect of Kongtong, and I wish to ask for your hand in marriage and the sword. I wonder if Elder Master Yan is willing to grant my request?"

The clown from Xiangjiang, Bi Xiaoyan, was in a difficult position to back down. Hearing this, he was just in the mood for it. He covered his mouth and said, "I was just playing around. I don't have such a presumptuous mindset. Brother Ling, I'll let you win this round." With that, he leaped into the air, and after landing, he used the Swallow Three Skimming Water technique to disappear into the west shed in three leaps.

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