Ten Years of Lone Sword and Vast Sea Alliance [Complete] - 3

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Chapter Three: The Ambush Fails, the Scoundrels are Helpless, the Pearl Shows Love, Peach

and Plum Compete for Spring, and the Three Talents Steal Death. After winning the Mandarin Duck Arena, Ling Fei stated that his ambition was to seek marriage and obtain the sword, and to make friends through martial arts. He wanted to qualify for ten victories and invited all his friends and esteemed companions who were

willing to fight to come up on stage and test their skills. However, his words and demeanor revealed an arrogant and overbearing attitude, almost as if he were invincible. Most of the heroes in Dongpeng had come to help Zhou Weicheng, the "Great Chaser of the Clouds and Moon" from Lianghuai. They had no ambition to seek marriage and obtain the sword. Even if they did, they were very few. Most of them were limited by conditions, either over thirty years old or with many children. Moreover, no one was confident of winning ten matches. Although it was supposed to be a friendly martial arts contest, with the exchange limited to a few exchanges, things didn't necessarily end well. One could easily lose their life, or at best be crippled. What was the point? However, if a chivalrous hero from Lianghuai was forced to fight for the sake of righteousness in a life-or-death situation, then that was a different story. Therefore

, no one from the East Pavilion stepped forward. The situation in the West Pavilion was different. All sorts of underworld figures had gathered there. Although they shared similar interests, they were unwilling to yield to each other when it came to their own interests. Their purposes were either to win over beautiful wives or to acquire powerful swords; everyone was eager and ambitious. A fiercely dressed man with angry brows leaped onto the stage and, after exchanging blows with Ling Fei for less than half a cup of tea's time, defeated him. Then another man came up to avenge the previous defeat, and the two fought fiercely on stage.

Xie Yunyue, sitting below the stage, was bewildered because a set of cups and chopsticks was missing in front of him, fearing that others would notice something amiss. Just then, a waiter came to refill his wine and food, and Xie Yunyue hurriedly said, "Young brother, could you please fetch me a set of cups and chopsticks? The original ones have fallen and are dirty and unusable."

The waiter smiled and said, "Why are you so polite, sir? I'll bring them right away." With that

, he hurried away. Apart from Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, who was clearly impressed, the others at the table did not find anything suspicious. It was common for cups and chopsticks to fall off the table during meals. Suddenly, Xie Yunyue sensed something and whispered to Wu Fengbiao, "Master Wu, may I have a word with you outside?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Fengbiao opened his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Alright, young hero, please follow me." The two got up and walked towards the back wall of the shed.

The two stood in the corner. Xie Yunyue smiled and said, "Actually, there's nothing urgent going on down the well, but something has touched my heart, so I have to speak."

Wu Taibiao quickly replied, "Young hero, you must have some insightful observations. This old man is all ears."

A faint smile appeared on Xie Yunyue's face as he whispered, "Today, we absolutely cannot let the people from the East Pavilion go up on stage. I just silently counted the number of people from the West Pavilion, and they are half again as many as those from the East Pavilion. Their purpose here is most likely to retrieve the sword; their marriage proposal is secondary. Observing their behavior and expressions, most of them are not allies of the Red Flag Gang. It seems that a confrontation has already begun, with both sides observing each other. Although the Red Flag Gang is determined to win, they will not act rashly, and we cannot easily let the Red Flag Gang underestimate us." "We should only send out one or two experts to avert a crisis as a last resort. The most worrying thing is that the people of Xipeng are currently residing in the village houses. There will definitely be underworld figures who disregard the code of the martial world and launch sneak attacks. It's impossible to guard against them all. It would be best to replace the swords with counterfeit ones

and keep them hidden. Also, the Red Flag Gang will not give up. Xu Yi's attack yesterday with empty hands is proof of that. Does Master Wu agree?" Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, realized that the young man before him not only had reached the pinnacle of martial arts but also had a meticulous mind. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Young hero, your observation is excellent. I will go and tell Master Zhou." Then he smiled and said, "Young hero, your technique of turning a broken branch into an arrow just now was truly excellent." Xie Yunyue blushed, knowing that he had been seen through, and smiled without saying a word. Wu Fengbiao walked towards Zhou Weicheng's seat, and Xie Yunyue also hurriedly returned to his seat.

At this moment, Ling Fei, the Three Talents Deadly Swordsman, on the stage, had won three consecutive matches and was increasingly arrogant. The arrogance between his brows was enough to overwhelm everything. Xie Yunyue frowned when he saw this. Suddenly, a figure in the west wing flipped through the air and flew down onto the stage, as silent as a falling leaf. His movements were extremely exquisite. This was the rare "Dragon Turning Clouds" lightness skill in the martial arts world. As soon as this person landed, he won cheers from both the east and west wing audiences.

The person was tall and thin, with a goatee on his upper lip. His eyes flashed with a fierce light from time to time. He sneered and said, "Friend Ling, you have a good hand of Hunyuan Palm Technique. Flying Scorpion Yun Hao is honored to meet a master of the Kongtong West School."

When Ling Fei heard the person announce his name, his previous arrogance vanished completely. As if stung by a venomous snake, he took two steps back in fear and hurriedly said, "Teacher Yun, you came up on stage, could it be that you are also here for...?"

"Nonsense!" Flying Scorpion Yun Gang shouted. "I am nearly forty years old, how could I have such ambitions? What did my master say before? We were just exchanging blows and making friends. We were only going to stop when we were done. How could my friend Ling have used such heavy blows to knock my two sworn brothers off the stage, almost crippling them? Therefore, I want to see what amazing skills my friend has."

It turns out that in the Guanzhong martial arts world, a very famous and troublesome master has emerged in the past seven or eight years. That person is Flying Scorpion Yun Hao. His whereabouts are very mysterious and his martial arts are said to be extremely high. He is also ruthless and vicious, specializing in black-on-black business. Every time he strikes, he leaves no survivors. This is because his whereabouts are elusive and unpredictable. No one can guess where he will be next time he strikes. In the martial arts world, he is compared to a ghost and is called the "Strange One of Guanzhong".

Although Ling Fei knew Yun Hao was an extremely difficult person to deal with, for the sake of his sect's prestige, even if he were to lose to him, was he afraid that his sect elders wouldn't step in to avenge him? Besides, rumors circulated that Yun Hao's martial arts were extremely high, but these were just rumors, not firsthand accounts, so it wasn't necessarily true that he was no match for him. His courage swelled, and he coldly sneered, "Teacher Yun, I, Ling Fei, am only being polite to you because we are both of the same path. It's not necessarily because we're afraid of you. With your aggressive attitude, even though I, Ling Fei..." "Though my skills are shallow, I will still fight to the end."

Yun Hao laughed wildly, then stopped after a while, his leopard-like eyes widening in disdain as he said, "Friend Ling, you dare to speak so arrogantly in front of Yun Hao, you certainly have backbone. You'd better test yourself next time."

Ling Fei, the Three Talents Deadly, sneered, "Whether I'm good or not, we'll know after a fight. Even if I lose, I'll only blame my inferior teacher and my lack of skill. What are you so arrogant about, Master Yun? Please show me your moves." Yun Hao chuckled coldly, flicking his wrist and striking with his palm.

When Ling Fei saw Yun Hao's attack coming from the Hongmen style, he felt that Yun Hao was too arrogant and was secretly angry. He used the Kongtong's ultimate technique, the Capturing Hand. Yun Hao's martial arts were indeed high. With a flick of his wrist, he shifted his position and followed closely behind Ling Fei, attacking from behind. No matter how Ling Fei dodged, he couldn't get away. Yun Hao's figure clung to his back like a leech. Ling Fei, despite his superb skills, couldn't exchange any blows and could only take the beating. Yun Hao, the Flying Scorpion, seemed to be deliberately humiliating him, forcing Ling Fei to spin around in circles like a monkey, his face turning red and blue. The crowd below laughed wildly.

Xie Yunyue knew Ling Fei would be defeated sooner or later, so he had no interest in watching. Sometimes he would glance at the girl in red. He saw her resting her chin on her hands, staring intently at the stage, a half-smile on her face. Her dimples accentuated her charming appearance, and she seemed to be watching with great interest. Xie Yunyue sighed inwardly, thinking, "This is utterly wishful thinking. Even if she were interested in me, I haven't avenged my great grudge yet, how could I have the heart to indulge in romantic feelings?"

He dismissed this thought and shifted his gaze to the west shed, observing the behavior of Lie Huoxing Qin Lu and the others from the Red Flag Gang. Lie Huoxing Qin Lu frequently whispered to his subordinates, pointing at the stage and then at the Lianghuai Hero's group, which stirred something within him. He secretly pondered whether the Red Flag Gang would use the same trick again tonight. Last night, the Red Flag Gang's members were training their feathers outside the manor, and the Beggars' Clan had done it flawlessly, leaving no trace. The Red Flag Gang suffered a silent loss, still believing it was the work of the Zhou Family Manor's ambush. This only made the Red Flag Gang see Zhou Weicheng as a thorn in their side, determined to eliminate him as soon as possible.

Having already offered his help, he felt obligated to see it through to the end. It seemed that Lu Wenliang, the leader of the Beggars' Sect in Gaoyou, was extremely shrewd and capable, a truly valuable assistant. However, he wondered if his orders for Lu Wenliang on the third day would go awry. With this thought in mind, the outcome on the stage was already decided. Ling Fei was struck down from the stage by Yun Hao's "Floating Clouds Obscuring the Moon" palm strike, spitting out blood. Several people from the west shed immediately came out to help him inside. Yun Hao also leaped down from the stage and entered the west shed, instantly igniting a cacophony of curses and shouts. Then, two more people jumped onto the stage to exchange blows.

At this moment, Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, hurriedly returned, laughing, "Young Hero Yan, we acted exactly as you suggested. Brother Zhou Weicheng even praised your meticulousness, truly remarkable." As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up and added, "This old man has inquired about something for you, young hero. That girl in red, ah, she's absolutely stunning! She's so beautiful that even this old man, who's always been so down-to-earth, is captivated by her. And what about... young people?" He gave Xie Yunyue a long, hard look, and the gossipy Zheng Jinwu and the others at the table burst into laughter.

Xie Yunyue blushed, glared at Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, and said, "Master Wu, you're really joking."

Wu Fengbiao chuckled and said seriously, "She is the only daughter of Zhao Kangjiu, who was once respectfully called the 'Sword of the Central Plains.' The Sword of the Central Plains is unparalleled in martial arts, so his beloved daughter's skills can't be too bad either. Just look at the strength she displayed when she entered the door, wielding the horsewhip—that's something no ordinary person could do. That speaks volumes. This time, the Sword of the Central Plains was invited by Brother Weicheng, but he couldn't come because he was ill in bed, so he sent his beloved daughter. Miss Zhao is not only skilled in martial arts, but she is also beautiful and elegant." "Who wouldn't love her? Who wouldn't want her? I'm telling you..." He paused, then laughed, "Young Master Yan, don't think I'm just being presumptuous or joking. As the saying goes, 'A family with a daughter is sought after by a thousand families.' She should be the object of your affections, young people are shy, so how about I, this old man, step in for you?"

Xie Yunyue was caught off guard by Wu Fengbiao's obvious suggestion and felt extremely embarrassed. He was restless and his cheeks felt hot. He forced a smile and said, "Then, I must rely on your continued support, senior." With that, he hurriedly left his seat and walked towards the backyard. Another burst of laughter erupted behind him.

Meanwhile, at Zhou Weicheng's manor, apart from the noisy training ground where the Mandarin Duck Fight was taking place, the rest of the place was deathly quiet. Hidden agents were set up in the garden, pond, corridor, and study, with two or three groups of people carrying gleaming weapons patrolling the area. Empty-handed, Xu Yi was imprisoned in a stone chamber in the western corner of the garden, next to the Taihu rockery. The guards assigned by the estate did not mistreat him; he was provided with plenty of wine and meat at every meal.

He leaned lazily against the couch, his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the blue sky and floating clouds outside the iron-barred window, lost in thought. He kept pondering, "How unlucky I am. I remember when I was penniless and free, each crime I committed could keep me comfortable for two or three years. The sky was the limit, I could roam freely and carefree. How wonderful! Why did I listen to my friend's words and greedily pay five thousand taels of silver to buy someone

's life? What a waste! Alas, yesterday I met that man. I, Xu Yi, have never seen such skill in my life. I was defeated by him, so why shouldn't I be convinced?" When people lose their freedom, they are most likely to recall the past and realize how precious their former freedom was. Scenes from the past flashed before Xu Yi's eyes. He had committed many evils, but he had also done good deeds, stealing from the rich to help the poor, and fighting against the wicked. But these were just embellishments in the life of a villain, like a fleeting flower. He kept asking himself, was it right to do evil and pretend to be good? His expression was unpredictable, shifting between light and shadow. He seemed to be filled with regret or sorrow, a truth unknown to outsiders.

Guards frequently peered out from behind the iron bars of the window. Seeing Xu Yi leaning against the couch, lost in thought, they smiled but didn't disturb him, simply walking away. The large garden was quiet except for the birdsong and the hurried footsteps of the patrolmen. Suddenly, a faint, thin footstep echoed from the stone roof. Though so faint, like a withered branch falling to the ground, to the ears of a martial artist, it was as loud as a boulder striking water. Startled from his reverie, he saw a head peek out from behind the iron bars. The man whispered to Xu Yi, "Brother Xu, I'm here on the orders of the Vice Leader to rescue you."

Xu Yi looked closely and recognized the man as his close friend, "Iron-Armed Bear" Gu Su. A hint of surprise and delight flashed across his face, but then he frowned and shook his head, saying, "That won't do. The people in the manor haven't mistreated me. They promised to release me after the meeting. If I risk escaping now, there are many skilled fighters in the manor, and we might both lose our lives. Besides, I've already had my acupoints struck, and my martial arts are almost completely ruined. I feel completely powerless. Brother Gu, you shouldn't risk your life for me. Leave quickly. You must avenge my imprisonment. A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years. The green hills and clear waters remain unchanged. Are you afraid there won't be time?"

Gu Su hesitated for a moment, then said, "Last night, the gang sent many experts to rescue Brother Xu, but they haven't returned yet. I suppose they've also been captured." "Brother Xu, do you know their whereabouts?"

Xu Yi, empty-handed, looked surprised and said, "Since I was imprisoned in the stone chamber, I have not heard a word from the outside world. In that case, Brother Gu, you should leave as soon as possible."

Gu Su looked around and said, "There are still many comrades waiting outside the garden. How can I go back alone? Brother Xu, don't be scared by them. This Zhou Family Village is not a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. In my eyes, it is no different from a chicken or a dog. It is not worth a fight. Hurry up, I will carry you away." As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed the iron gate of the ancient room. With a "crack", an iron bar as thick as a thumb was torn in half. His finger strength was terrifying. Just as he was about to twist the second iron bar, he heard a shout: "Who goes there?"

Gu Su suddenly turned around, his steel knife protecting his face. He saw two people standing three feet in front of him. They were both dressed in black and their eyes were glaring at Gu Su with fierce eyes. One of them turned cold and said in a deep voice, "Who are you? Entering someone's estate without permission, you must be either a thief or a criminal. Surrender now, or it will be too late to regret it when we make our move."

Gu Su laughed wildly, "Since I, Iron-Armed Bear Gu Su, am here, I'm going to take action. I dare to trespass on the Forbidden City, let alone this small Zhou Family Manor. Let me tell you frankly, this Zhou Family Manor will collapse soon. You are already trapped like turtles in a jar, so what are you being so arrogant about?"

The man remained unmoved and smiled instead, "Surname..." "Gu, you're the one trapped in the barrel right now. Don't believe me? Let's see if you can escape!"

Iron-Armed Bear Gu Su was startled by this and took a step back, sneering, "Ignorant little dog, how dare you speak so arrogantly to me? Today I'll teach you the power of my Nine-Linked Blade Technique."

These two were both disciples of Tao Zhu, one named Chen Wenhan and the other Hu Tiansheng. They were both young and fearless, but their martial arts skills were quite high. Hearing the name Iron-Armed Bear, they knew he was a notorious bandit in Yanyun. Relying on their sect's unique skills and prestige, they were not afraid at all. Chen Wenhan laughed loudly, "Gu, you've been running rampant in Yanyun, committing countless crimes. Your young master has been looking for you for a long time. Now that you've delivered yourself to our doorstep, it's time to punish you on behalf of Heaven." As he spoke, Xiu Di raised his goose-feather blade, performing the "Phoenix Three Nods," which created three blade flowers as he pounced.

Gu Su chuckled coldly, flicked his wrist, and a burst of light from his blade surged up. With a start, Chen Wenhan was forced back three steps, nearly dropping his goose-feather saber. His hands were burning, and he was alarmed by the Iron-Armed Bear's powerful internal strength. Knowing that he couldn't fight head-on, he suddenly changed his swordsmanship and unleashed a set of exquisite sword techniques. This set of sword techniques was all about lightness, agility, and cunning. The blade light was as white as snow, and his movements were like an ape. The blade's edge never left the Iron-Armed Bear's waist and back.

Iron-Armed Bear, seeing that the young man before him was using the unique sword technique of Yun You San Xian Tao Zhu San, which no one else could use, and knowing that since Tao Zhu San had never seen anyone survive his attack, he steeled himself and gritted his teeth, thinking, "Gu Su has already risked his life, so why worry about anything else? I'll deal with this little beast first, then fight to the death." Thinking this, he unleashed his Nine-Linked Sword Technique, his moves a series of interconnected sequences, actually a reverse nine-palace transformation. Those who weren't experts couldn't predict where his next move would come from. Chen Wenhan, though a highly skilled disciple, was nearing the end of fifty moves, but he was already showing signs of fatigue. Hu Tiansheng, seeing this, knew he couldn't remain idle any longer and suddenly bravely joined the fray.

The situation didn't improve; Gu Su's Nine-Linked Sword Technique was fierce, forcing the two to spin around like a revolving lantern. Suddenly, a deep voice shouted, "You two, get out of the way! Your stubbornness is unacceptable!"

Chen Wenhan and his companion instinctively withdrew their swords and stepped back two feet, still panting. They saw the person who had shouted at them, seemingly empty-handed. The man, whose face was ashen and cold, wore a long black silk robe and said menacingly, "Gu Su, why don't you drop your sword and surrender? Do you think you can just come to Zhou Family Village?"

Iron-Armed Xiong Gu Su, who had been startled by the voice earlier, withdrew his sword and took three steps back. Seeing the strange face of the newcomer, his bloodless expression and arrogant demeanor, he suddenly felt a surge of anger and shouted, "I, Iron-Armed Xiong Gu Su, have roamed the martial world for decades, and no one has ever dared to be so disrespectful to me! If you can defeat my Nine-Linked Blade, I will surrender without you even asking!"

The strange man laughed coldly, saying, "You still dare to be arrogant? Here's what we'll do: if you can escape my grasp, I'll spare your life. Considering your past behavior, death wouldn't be too much for you. Go ahead and attack, don't pretend to be kind, or you'll regret it later." He then let out another sinister laugh, making everyone's hair stand on end.

Xu Yi, empty-handed, saw the man appear through the iron bars and cried out, "Brother Gu, run!" But before he could finish speaking, Gu Su's knife was already outstretched. Xu Yi thought, "This time, Gu Su's life is over." He didn't even look back. As

Gu Su's knife flashed, a blur appeared before his eyes, and the strange man vanished, replaced by a cold laugh behind him. Gu Su was startled, not daring to even turn around. He leaped forward about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) before suddenly spinning around. But then a cold laugh came from behind him again. He glanced at Chen Wenhan and Hu Tiansheng, both of whom also looked horrified. He was terrified, cold sweat pouring down his face. He gritted his teeth. He was going all out today. He spun around and swung his knife in a "Withered Tree Roots" move, but missed again. There was nothing in front of him. His

shock and disbelief were beyond words. The cold laugh rose again from behind, like a leech, coming incessantly. After several spinning attacks, Gu Su's legs went weak. He had never experienced anything like this before. He was amazed by the strange man's unparalleled skill. He knew that even if he tried to fight with strength and wit, he couldn't defeat him. In desperation, he suddenly lunged towards the wall, trying to escape. He knew that the hope of escape was slim, but he was unwilling to give up.

Like a bowstring released from a bow, he shot out horizontally, seemingly only two feet away from clearing the wall. Suddenly, Gu Su felt a numbness in his ribs, his strength dissipated, and his massive body sank sharply, landing with a thud on the edge of the wall. He felt deeply ashamed to have been hit in such a confused and unpredictable way. Chen Wenhan and Hu Tiansheng, who were watching from the side, also changed color. They witnessed the strange man's extremely bizarre movements. He appeared as a wisp of smoke, moving east and west like a phantom, making it impossible to see how he moved. All the nearby stakeouts couldn't help but crane their necks to watch. They saw the strange man dart out behind Gu Su, and as Gu Su landed, the strange man also cleared the wall.

Chen Wenhan and his companion leaped up and landed on the wall. They were horrified to see a large group of bandits lying haphazardly on the ground outside. The strange man was nowhere to be seen. Chen Wenhan whistled, summoning the patrolling guards. He then placed the bandits and Gu Su in Xu Yi's room, gave Hu Tiansheng a few instructions, and hurriedly went to the east shed to report what had happened.

Xie Yunyue left the backyard and returned to his seat, chatting and laughing happily with Fei Yunshou and the others. Several groups of people went up and down the stage, each one severely injured, demonstrating the immense allure of the beautiful woman and the precious sword. Zhou Weicheng, the "Star Chaser and Moon Picker" from Lianghuai, Tao Zhusan, Zhao Lianzhu, and Miss Zhou chatted and laughed while keeping an eye on the situation on the stage. Suddenly, Chen Wenhan rushed over and whispered about what had happened in the backyard.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Weicheng and the other three all showed surprise on their faces. Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan gave Chen Wenhan a few instructions, and Chen Wenhan left on his own. Yunlong Sanxian, filled with doubt, said to Zhou Weicheng, "Who is this person? I can't figure it out. From what Han'er said, his movements are extraordinary, unlike anything I've ever seen. It's strange that if his skills are so high, why is he hiding so secretively? I'm going to bestow my nickname 'Yunlong San' upon him now, Brother Zhou, what do you say?"

Zhao Lianzhu suddenly let out a silvery laugh, extremely clear and pleasant, and said, "I want to see this person. Hmph, it must be him."

Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan asked, "What, Miss Zhao, do you know who this person is? Could you tell me?" "What?"

Zhao Lianzhu chuckled, glancing at Xie Yunyue with her beautiful eyes. "I'm not sure myself, but I know this person is a bit suspicious. Since he's nearby, it shouldn't be hard to find out."

Zhou Weicheng followed Zhao Lianzhu's gaze and looked towards Xie Yunyue. He was slightly startled. Wu Taibiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, had mentioned that Young Hero Yan was a hidden genius, but he hadn't believed it. Even if Xie Yunyue was highly skilled, he couldn't possibly match the unparalleled skill of the strange man Xu Yi and Chen Wenhan had described. He secretly began to pay attention to Xie Yunyue.

Xie Yunyue was sharp-eyed and alert. Seeing Chen Wenhan walking back and forth, and Zhao Lianzhu and Zhou Weicheng frequently glancing in his direction, he smiled inwardly, thinking, "Even if they suspect me, they can't figure it out." He considered this his masterpiece and was extremely proud of himself.

Why did Zhao Lianzhu suspect it was him? From the moment she noticed Xie Yunyue sitting there, she had been watching him closely. She saw him walk away and then hurriedly return, all within a short time. His handsome appearance, comparable to Pan An and Song Yu, coupled with his refined and scholarly demeanor, had deeply impressed her. Before long, Chen Wenhan arrived to report everything, and she understood immediately. Why such a coincidence? The strange man she had heard about had a figure exactly like his. Could it be him? A cloud of doubt clouded her mind, and she resolved to find out the truth.

Suddenly, a broken gong sounded from the west shed, and a man emerged, crowding the open space in front of the stage. The man was thick-shouldered and broad-shouldered, with features contorted into a grimace, making him appear excessively ugly. He appeared to be around thirty years old. He said, "Master Zhou, I, Qian Xinghuan, have a question." He pointed at Zhao Lianzhu and laughed, "This young lady is probably also here to find a husband through the tournament, isn't she? If we win ten matches, can we choose one of them?" Upon hearing this, Zhou Weicheng was taken aback, and Zhao Lianzhu's face immediately turned frosty, her eyebrows furrowing.

It turned out that from the moment Zhao Lianzhu appeared, the wicked men of Xipeng stared at her lustfully. She sat with Miss Zhou, and compared to her, Miss Zhou immediately paled in comparison. Zhao Lianzhu would occasionally glance at Xipeng, and the wicked men, seeing this, couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty. Qian Xinghuan, nicknamed "Flower Swallow," was a lecherous devil who had abused countless respectable women. He was also quite skilled in martial arts. Seeing that Miss Zhao was as beautiful as Xi Shi, he wished he could swallow her whole. His heart was itching with desire, and he would often discuss her with his accomplices. Under the instigation of his accomplices, he didn't consider the consequences and blurted out his lustful words.

Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan frowned angrily and muttered, "This man is truly despicable. He usually dies while picking flowers. If we don't punish him today, what will become of our reputation as a chivalrous group?" As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Lianzhu darted out, her right hand flicking her riding whip, which moved as straight as a sword, aiming for Qian Xinghuan's "Youmen" acupoint on his chest with incredible speed, like lightning.

Seeing the girl's lightning-fast attack, Qian Jinhuan, the "Flower Swallow," was also shocked, though he still laughed, "Miss, you're ruthless." He didn't dare hesitate, quickly retreating and grabbing the whip with his palm, moving with lightning speed. Zhao Lianzhu, already knowing Qian Xinghuan's intention, changed her move before the whip was fully extended, suddenly pulling back and releasing, striking the "Qihai" acupoint like a green snake. This time, her attack was even faster.

Qian Xinghuan dared not be careless again, quickly dodging three feet to the side and striking Zhao Lianzhu's shoulders with palms as fast as the wind. He chuckled to himself, "Girl, who told you to be so beautiful? I, Qian Yihuan, can't bear to hurt you."

Zhao Lianzhu angrily shouted, "You scoundrel!" She stepped aside, then lashed out with her whip, swish, swish, swish, three lashes striking his chest. She wished she could whip him to pieces.

Qian Xinghuan's martial arts skills were not weak; he dodged, pounced, and shifted his weight with ease. In the midst of the battle, Qian Xinghuan once again leaped up with a "Piercing Clouds and Plucking the Moon" move, heading straight for Zhao Lianzhu. He had thought he was showing off in front of everyone, but now he was left looking disheveled and humiliated. He was thoroughly embarrassed and said sternly, "Miss, you are too arrogant."

Zhao Lianzhu's face turned ashen, and she didn't say a word. Her horsewhip swept down from the sky again. With a slight flick of her wrist, she wielded the horsewhip with the agility of a beggar playing with a snake. In the blink of an eye, she had made more than ten moves. If she were not a swordswoman from the Central Plains, where could she have learned such a wonderful skill? Her whip moves were like a sword, like a pressure point strike, like a rope, and like a nine-section chain staff.

Once the whip technique was unleashed, Qian Xinghuan was no longer as careless as before. He spread his ten fingers wide and unleashed the "Eighteen Transformations of the Spirit Ape" palm technique that he was famous for. This technique was quite amazing. His ten fingers were penetrating and carried the wind. He did not leave Zhao's front and left sides. His figure moved in and out of the whip shadows like a shuttle. This agility was worthy of the bandit name "Flower Swallow".

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Qian Xinghuan had already closed in by a foot. The young lady's whip, from handle to tip, was about six feet long, advantageous for long-range attacks, but difficult to use at close range. With Qian Xinghuan closing in, his hands and feet were tied, and he seemed somewhat powerless. Zhao Lianzhu was anxious, unable to free herself to draw her sword. She secretly blamed herself for being too careless, for underestimating this thief. She knew the young lady had encountered many dangers on her journey, and she had easily dealt with them all with her whip. She had been too confident, hence this mistake. Seeing that Zhao Lianzhu's movements and whip techniques were no longer as swift and clean as before, Qian Xinghuan laughed loudly, his words becoming foul again.

Xie Yunyue, who had initially smiled while watching, now saw the young lady struggling. He casually broke off a piece of chopstick, about half an inch long. Fei Yunshou saw this, only smiling and nodding at Xie Yunyue, who couldn't help but blush. He pinched the chopsticks with two fingers and gently pushed them away.

Zhao, facing a series of perilous moves, quickly straightened her body, her slender chest deftly turning, and dodged three feet. Even as she did so, she didn't forget her attack, flicking her wrist and striking Qian Xinghuan's "knee acupoint" with a swift motion. Qian Xinghuan, with his glib tongue, said, "So ruthless." But he dared not be careless, quickly dodging and pressing forward, his ten fingers swiftly grabbing Zhao's feet. Just as he was about to seize them, he became a little overconfident, his wild laughter "Ha!" Before he could utter a sound, he suddenly felt something strike his waist with a sharp, bone-chilling pain. With a cry of "Ouch!", he stumbled forward and fell to the ground.

Zhao Lianzhu had already flipped over and landed firmly. Qian Xinghuan lay on the ground, and Zhao Lianzhu, still thinking she had struck him with her whip, went over and slapped him hard. But Qian Xinghuan didn't move at all, and Zhao Lianzhu was greatly surprised. She turned Qian Xinghuan over and saw that he was already lifeless. She thought to herself, "I clearly aimed my whip at Qian Xinghuan's 'knee acupoint.' At most, he would feel a slight numbness in his knee and collapse. How could he be dead?" Suspicion arose in her heart, realizing someone had secretly helped her. She glanced around at the ground.

Suddenly, the girl bent down a short distance from Qian Xinghuan, picked up a broken chopstick, jingled it in her palm, and slowly walked towards Yunlong Sanxian, handing over the item while giggling. The evil men of Xipeng knew that Qian Xinghuan had committed a major taboo in the martial arts world; no one should stand up for a lecherous thief. Therefore, they remained silent. When the girl made her move, the two men who had been holding hands stopped and watched without blinking. The fighting resumed amidst a raging storm.

Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai, immediately ordered his servants to carry away the body of the thief. Tao Zhusan, who appeared three times in the Cloud Dragon Realm, placed the chopsticks in his palm, waved them, and shook his head slightly in amazement, saying, "This person's martial arts are truly superb. The chopsticks are less than half an inch long, yet he pushes them with all his finger strength. Judging from this, he has already reached the level of injuring people by plucking flowers and leaves. His acupoint identification is also so accurate. It is truly a divine skill. In my guess, the strange man who appeared in the back garden and the one who identified acupoints with bamboo chopsticks are the same person."

Zhao Lianzhu glanced at Xie Yunyue with a smile, stood up, and said, "Two seniors, this junior must take his leave for a moment." After saying that, she turned and walked away. Zhao Lianzhu thought to herself, "If it really is him, that would be wonderful."

The steward standing at the entrance, upon seeing her, immediately knew she was a friend, not an enemy. He quickly relayed commands, and in moments all the hidden positions were reached, welcoming her forward. Zhao Lianzhu smiled and asked, "The guesthouse is inside. Could someone please show me the way?" The

steward readily agreed and sent a servant to lead Zhao Lianzhu to the guesthouse. Upon reaching the guesthouse, the young woman thought to herself: "A young lady like me, running into the room of a stranger—what if someone sees me like this?" She hesitated. After a moment, she stamped her foot heavily and asked the servant which room the young hero surnamed Yan was staying in. The servant pointed to the second room upstairs.

Zhao Lianzhu thanked the servant and went straight to the second room upstairs. Seeing the door ajar, she pushed it open… The door opened with a creak, and there was no one there. On Xie Yunyue's couch lay a blue cloth bundle. Zhao Lianzhu walked to the edge of the bed, reached for the bundle, and untied it. Inside, a black silk robe was clearly visible. Just now, Chen Wenhan had mentioned that the strange man had also worn a black silk robe. She gently squeezed it; something inside felt slightly raised to her fingertips. Realizing something was amiss, she quickly shook it, and it landed on the bed with a thud. Picking it up, she saw it was an exquisitely crafted leather mask, as thin as paper, with facial features... Complete.

She couldn't help but chuckle with pride, playing with the mask in her hands. Then, she put it on in front of the bronze mirror, looking around with childlike delight. After a while, she sat on the bed, lost in thought. Seemingly enlightened, she stood up, folded the mask neatly inside her black robe, and placed it in the first layer of her bundle, indicating that someone had been there. She then took out a fragrant silk handkerchief from her bosom, wrapped a pea-sized pearl in it, placed it on top of her black robe, and put the bundle on... A blush rose on her cheeks, her beauty both shy and alluring. She chuckled softly as she left the room, pulled the door shut, and walked downstairs back to the east shed.

The sun was setting, and night was gradually falling, enveloping the earth. The contestants on the stage had already decided their fates. Zhou Weicheng, the great hero of Lianghuai, hurriedly stepped onto the Mandarin Duck Arena, bowed, and announced loudly, "Today's competition is over. My manor has prepared a banquet for you all. Please feel free to drink and drink as you please. The broadcast will begin tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), so please arrive early." After calling out, Zhou Weicheng bowed, and three gongs sounded.

Cheers erupted from both the east and west wing. He walked down from the stage with a smile. The servants then busied themselves serving food and drink. Once the food and drink were finished, the crowd in the west wing departed, and it was nearly midnight. Xie Yunyue returned to his room and immediately sensed something was amiss. It seemed someone had been there; the bedclothes were slightly sunken, indicating someone was sitting on the bed. He quickly retrieved his bundle and saw the black robe already on top, along with a neatly folded silk handkerchief. He slowly unfolded it, revealing a small, inexpensive pearl inside. The handkerchief emitted a fragrance that was neither quite orchid nor quite musk. Embroidered on the corner was the character "Zhao" against a lotus flower, the embroidery exquisite.

Xie Yunyue held it in his hands, reluctant to put it down. He knew it was left by Miss Zhao and thought to himself, "This woman is truly intelligent and perceptive. How did she know I was that strange person? I helped her with the broken chopsticks, so it seems she understands the truth. Alas, she left this pearl and fragrant silk, clearly a declaration of love for me. How can I accept it? I haven't avenged my great grudge yet, and I've already stumbled into matters of the heart. It will hinder my future actions. Should I tell her that I cannot accept her love right now? No, wouldn't that be too hurtful to her? I absolutely cannot do that. So what should I do?" "A thousand thoughts swirled in his mind, unable to untangle this knot, and he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps outside the door. He hurriedly stuffed the fragrant silk and pearl into his bosom, and saw Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, knocking on the door and entering. He laughed and said, 'Young Master Yan, the other day at the inn in Gaoyou, I only knew that you possessed martial arts skills, but I didn't know that you were actually a person with hidden, unparalleled skills. Forgive me for my oversight.' As he spoke, he was about to bow and perform the ritual, but Xie Yunyue quickly raised his hand, and Wu Fengbiao felt an immense and unparalleled power blocking him, and he couldn't bow down no matter what.

Xie Yunyue laughed loudly and said, 'Master Wu, we are close friends, there's no need for such formalities. I am not as skilled as you say.'" Wu Fengbiao laughed again, "

Young Master Yan is too modest. How many people in the martial arts world possess such extraordinary skills and such a humble attitude? I am here on the orders of Master Zhou and Brother Tao, who has appeared three times in the Cloud Dragon Clan, to invite you to come and have a chat. I hope you can spare the time."

Xie Yunyue laughed, "Master Wu, I didn't expect you to be so scholarly. Just go then." Just as he was about to step out the door, he heard a series of hurried footsteps on the stairs. Upon reaching the door, he saw Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Saber, leading Zhou Weicheng, the Hero of Lianghuai, Tao Zhusan, the Cloud Dragon Three Appearances, Miss Zhou, and Zhao Lianzhu. Zhao Lianzhu was blushing and smiling, her eyes, clear as autumn water, were fixed on Xie Yunyue. Xie Yunyue's heart skipped a beat.

Zhou Weicheng, the Hero of Lianghuai, stepped forward and said with a smile, "Young Hero Yan, please forgive my rudeness these past few days. I hope you will forgive my disrespect. Bandits have been frequently harassing my manor, but you calmly resolved the situation. I am deeply grateful, so I asked Brother Wu to intercede for me. I am late, please forgive me." With that, he bowed deeply to the ground. Xie Yunyue returned the bow deeply, saying repeatedly, "I dare not, I dare not." At this moment ,

Tao Zhusan, appearing three times, approached and grasped Xie Yunyue's hands. His imposing eyes scrutinized Xie Yunyue from head to toe, and he chuckled, "Truly, a hero emerges from among the young! Young hero Yan, who is your master? May I ask?"

Xie Yunyue hurriedly replied, "Senior, you flatter me. My master is a wandering monk, his whereabouts are uncertain, and even I do not know his title, so I cannot tell you. In truth, I have only learned hidden weapon techniques and some minor skills; the rest are insufficient for formal occasions. As for the Red Flag Gang's disturbance of the manor, there are other masters secretly assisting them. How could I presume to act presumptuously before you all?"

Tao Zhusan exclaimed in surprise, "Who? There are other skilled individuals secretly assisting you? Young hero, you must have seen them?"

Xie Yunyue blushed, shook his head, and whispered, "I didn't see it clearly either. I only felt that his movements were miraculous, disappearing in a flash. It seems that this person's martial arts have reached a state of perfection."

Tao Zhuda laughed and said, "This old man knows that the young hero is using words to cover up his true feelings. In fact, there is no one with such miraculous movements as the young hero. Although this old man has not witnessed it, I can tell from my humble disciple's words that it is true. Apart from being limited by talent and his learning being mediocre, my disciple is extremely respectful to his master, so his words are highly credible."

Seeing that he did not believe him, Xie Yunyue had no choice but to laugh and say, "If the senior does not believe me, there is no use in me saying anything more. In short, there will definitely be someone in the next two or three days." A momentous event has occurred. When the time comes, the two elders will believe that what I said was true. Tao Zhusan,

his eyes bright and clear, felt that the young man before him possessed extraordinary talent and spirit, and the more he looked, the more he liked him. If it weren't for his disciple Chen Wenhan's praise of Xie Yunyue's martial arts, he would have loved to take Xie Yunyue under his wing and impart all his skills to him. At this moment, Tao Zhusan said, "Believe it or not, we'll find out when the time comes. If these little monkeys don't come, fine; but if they do, hehe, let them test the power of this old man's 'Three Appearances of Cloud Dragon.' Come on, young hero, let's go to the living room. How can we wait here?" With that, everyone turned and went downstairs.

Xie Yunyue walked along, smiling, and said, "The Red Flag Gang has suffered too many setbacks these past two days.

We must be on guard tonight." Zhou Weicheng nodded repeatedly, "Our manor has taken precautions against any eventuality. There are over a hundred hidden and overt stakeouts. We will be safe tonight. Even if the Red Flag Gang comes, their intention is to ascertain our manor's strength and weaknesses, attempting to steal the sword and rescue people. They will not gamble everything until after the gathering."

Xie Yunyue nodded without speaking. Behind him, he heard the whispers of the two girls, Zhao and Zhou, intermittently punctuated by their silvery giggles. Xie Yunyue couldn't help but turn around to see why they were laughing. He saw four watery eyes staring at him, slender fingers pointing behind his back. One was naturally charming and alluring, the other had a delicate, half-revealed smile, both beautiful and radiant. When they saw Xie Yunyue turn around to look at them, they couldn't help but laugh so hard they almost fell over. He was also puzzled, wondering what had made them laugh like that, and he was stunned. Seeing the expressions on their faces, Tao Zhusan, the Three Appearances of Yunlong, immediately understood that the two women had taken a liking to Young Hero Yan. He narrowed his eyes and chuckled loudly at Xie Yunyue, leaving Xie Yunyue extremely embarrassed.

Loud and clear laughter echoed throughout the hall, the joy of Tao Zhusan and Miss Zhao Lianzhu, occasionally punctuated by the rough laughter of the Two Huai Heroes and Flying Cloud Hand. This was because Xie Yunyue's mood had been more cheerful in recent months, and his speech contained many humorous and witty remarks, mostly for the pleasure of his beloved.

A crescent moon hung obliquely above the willow branches. The window was ajar, and the weeping willows swayed in the breeze, their shadows flickering on the inlaid tile floor of the hall. Xie Yunyue noticed a game of Go not far from him. He silently strolled forward, grabbed a handful of white porcelain Go stones from the bowl, and placed them down, creating a soft, clattering sound. He looked up at Tao Zhusan, who was known as Yunlong Sanxian, and smiled, saying, "I am quite fond of this game. I wonder if you, venerable senior, would be interested?"

Tao Zhusan readily replied, "So, young hero, you also enjoy this game. I have been immersed in it for nearly sixty years, losing every single time, but I never give up. Young hero..." "Should I give you a nine-piece handicap or a twelve-piece handicap?"

Xie Yunyue couldn't help but laugh, "Senior, you're joking. I'm still a beginner; how could I

possibly give you a handicap?" Tao Zhusan's face hardened, "Alright, let's play. If you're afraid of making me lose too badly, then I'll have to apologize to you."

Xie Yunyue smiled and sat down facing the window. Tao Zhusan sat down with an air of authority, his sleeves suddenly rolled up, and he stroked his beard with his left hand, deep in thought as he placed his pieces. Xie Yunyue, however, moved his pieces with lightning speed, as if divinely inspired, instantly gaining the upper hand in the opening. He even placed several surprise moves in the center. Tao Zhusan's cheeks bulged, and he frowned deeply. Zhou and Zhao stood to the side, chattering and criticizing the game, gesturing and arguing endlessly.

Tao Zhusan, suddenly glaring, shouted, "Those two girls are making a racket, trying to sabotage this old man! If they really make this old man angry, let's see who helps them!" Zhao Lianzhu

retorted sweetly, "You lost the game yourself, and now you're taking it out on the younger generation! Who needs your help?"

Tao Zhusan stroked his beard and chuckled, "You're quite the talker, aren't you? When you're looking for a husband, let's see if you'll ask this old man for help." As he spoke, he glanced at Xie Yunyue.

Zhao Lianzhu blushed and scolded, "Senior, you..." She stomped her feet in anger, but couldn't bear to leave. Miss Zhou gritted her teeth, suppressing her laughter, and remained silent.

Sitting in a row of armchairs, the two Huai heroes, Fei Yunshou and the others, were chatting idly, and they all watched and occasionally burst into laughter. At this moment, a warm joy, never before seen in the hall, filled the room, temporarily forgetting the powerful enemies surrounding them. Seeing that the game was already in a losing position, Yunlong Sanxian was still unwilling to admit defeat and strived to even the score

. He stroked his beard, deep in thought, and hesitated, picking up a piece but then putting it down again. Suddenly, he saw Xie Yunyue pick up five white chess pieces from the bowl with his right hand and count softly, "One, two, three, four, five." Yunlong Sanxian stared at him in astonishment. For some reason, Xie Yunyue smiled slightly and flicked the five pieces out the window with an extremely strange technique. The pieces shot out in a fan-shaped arc, seemingly slow but actually very fast. Several muffled groans were heard outside the window, followed by the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground. Feiyun Shou and the others were startled by the sound and simultaneously stopped in their tracks, leaping out of the window.

After flicking out the five pieces, Xie Yunyue paid no further attention and calmly placed his pieces, displaying extraordinary composure. Yunlong Sanxian was now amazed by the wonder of his hidden weapon technique and secretly recognized that this young man was truly extraordinary. Zhao Lianzhu had been watching Xie Yunyue with astonishment ever since he made his move, completely ignoring the strange noises coming from outside the window. Seeing the two of them still focused and unmoved, she pouted and disturbed the board, exclaiming, "You two, old and young, are really something! You still have the mind to play chess? Don't you even go and watch?"

Yunlong Sanxian chuckled heartily. "You little brat, you're deliberately causing trouble! You've ruined my winning game! You're so biased! If I could age seventy years again, maybe you'd favor me then?" Zhao Lianzhu rolled her eyes at Yunlong Sanxian, while Miss Zhou chuckled softly. A moment

later, the Two Huai Heroes and their group entered, each leading five thieves. Feiyun Shou smiled and said, "The five thieves have been identified as members of the Red Flag Gang. Young hero, what should we do with them?"

"Everything is up to the Master of the Manor. How could I presume to do so? I would be utterly ashamed."

Zhou Weicheng, knowing Xie Yunyue's modesty, summoned the manor servants and placed the five thieves with Xu Yigu and the others. He then laughed and said, "Young Master Yan, what amazing skill! I've never heard of it before, nor have I ever seen anything like it." He paused, then added, "We few are not without a reputation in the martial arts world. Those who practice martial arts are most skilled in hearing and hearing. To think that five such large bandits were clinging to the tree without us noticing is truly shameful."

Xie Yunyue was filled with unease. Just as he was about to speak, Yunlong Sanxian suddenly appeared and laughed loudly, "Brother Zhou, we old fogies should have retired long ago. This is the age of young people! Don't you know that the younger generation surpasses the older? New talents replace the old. I've heard that several rising stars have emerged recently, all with remarkable martial arts skills. Just recently, I heard that a young man surnamed Xie from Jinhua killed Qu Shen, the Seven Fiends Hand, in less than ten moves, causing a sensation throughout the country. Now, with Young Hero Yan added to the mix, what more is there to say? If you feel ashamed, this old man will jump high!" "Youhu!"

A burst of laughter erupted in the hall. Tao Zhusan, who had just appeared three times, straightened his expression and said to Xie Yunyue, "Really, Young Hero Yan, the technique you just displayed is something I, an old man who has lived to be ninety, have never seen before. I would like to witness it myself. Please, give me ten moves as a test, and I will demonstrate my skills."

Xie Yunyue hurriedly shook his hands, declining, "Senior, please don't do that. Why make me look foolish? My technique can only kill inanimate objects; it's insufficient against living beings."

Yunlong Sanxian swiftly landed five zhang away, and said solemnly, "Young Hero Yan, there's no need to refuse. Let's test our skills with martial arts, giving each other a chance to learn from each other. Just go all out. Even if you get injured, it's no big deal. If you show even a hint of courtesy, this old man will turn against you."

Xie Yunyue felt that this old man was truly arrogant and left no room for maneuver. He could only clasp his hands in a fist and say, "Senior, please forgive my rudeness." As he spoke, a chess piece was already out of his hand, slightly curved, and struck at the major acupoints on Xie Yunyue's body.

Seeing Xie Yunyue's chess piece move, Yunlong Sanxian was astonished. It started slowly but flew faster and faster, and when it was about ten feet away, it was like lightning, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound. He quickly grabbed it with his right hand and swung it. The chess piece was blocked by the force of his palm and suddenly flew forward five inches. Yunlong Sanxian was shocked and his body turned to the left. The chess piece just barely grazed his shoulder. Just as he withdrew, Xie Yunyue threw out five more chess pieces, two in front and three behind, in a plum blossom shape. The strangest thing was that the first two pieces were thrown out in a side arc shape to the left and right. One of the last three pieces was thrown out in a straight line, and the other two were thrown out in an up and down arc shape. Each of the five pieces had a different speed. When it flew to the middle, it changed speed on its own, making it unpredictable. When he threw out these five pieces, he completely covered Yunlong Sanxian's body and could not dodge.

Yunlong Sanxian, who had only had one piece to dodge earlier, now found himself surrounded by five pieces, unsure of where to escape. His shock was indescribable. Suddenly, he unleashed a powerful punch with both palms, creating a gust of wind that shook the entire hall. His attack was so sudden that the five pieces, instead of retreating, accelerated forward, striking like lightning in a zigzag pattern.

Yunlong Sanxian was deeply shaken. With a flick of his arms, his sleeves billowing, he leaped into the air, using three different movement techniques mid-air – this was the legendary, fearsome movement technique of Yunlong Sanxian. Just as he was about to dodge the five pieces, Xie Yunyue's remaining four pieces grazed past him. Tao Zhu landed with a somersault, checking his body for marks. He noticed a clear hole in his lower left lapel.

Yunlong Sanxian's face turned ashen. He thought, "It's no wonder he's like this. Who told this old man to force him to make a move? It seems he still has some conscience; otherwise, he'd have a few more holes in his body." Suddenly, he burst into laughter, "Young Hero Yan, what a superb technique! This

old man is truly impressed." Xie Yunyue, having already regretted his actions, clasped his hands and bowed, saying, "Senior, your Yunlong Sanxian technique is indeed worthy of its reputation. However, you deliberately let me make a name for myself by intentionally making a mistake. If you had taken the opportunity to strike, how could I have escaped unscathed?"

Yunlong Sanxian Tao Zhusan, his face flushed with excitement, laughed loudly, "Why do you still care about my old man's reputation? Everyone with eyes can see that, Young Hero Yan, this old man has never been one to submit to anyone, but now I submit to you. However, there is still one..." "The matter is unclear. My Vajra Palm technique is indestructible; within ten feet, any tiny object can be blasted away, preventing it from getting close. Although I couldn't unleash my full power inside the hall, I still used six or seven tenths of my strength. Why then do the chess pieces advance instead of retreat? What is the reason for this?"

Xie Yunyue laughed and said, "Senior, you flatter me. I am truly ashamed. In truth, this technique is nothing special. When it is launched, it relies entirely on skill. The chess pieces themselves fly out in a spiral shape. No matter how powerful the opponent's palm force is, it cannot completely cover the area. There will always be gaps. It is because the chess pieces are affected by the spiral force and are obstructed by the palm force that they will inevitably fly diagonally towards the gap. There is no resistance at the gap, so the chess pieces move faster instead of slower. That's the reason." This explanation sounded very reasonable, and everyone nodded in agreement.

However, Xie Yunyue kept half of it a secret. His technique contained the "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan"—a rain of flowers and a continuous, soul-chasing technique—which was an ancient and unparalleled skill. In fact, he didn't need to use chess pieces to play it; he could simply identify acupoints in the air, which would be the same. This was why Master Mingliang first taught him the "Maitreya Divine Skill" and only then taught him the "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan." Master Mingliang was a learned man who knew that the "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan" was too extreme and poisonous. Once it was applied, the opponent would either lose all their martial arts or die on the spot, with no chance of survival. Therefore, even when Tao Zhu San used his full power with the Cloud Dragon Three Appearances and the sudden, powerful palm strike, he could not resist this ancient and unparalleled skill. It seemed that unless one used Taoist Xuanmen Qi and Buddhist Zen skills, other martial arts techniques were powerless against the "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan."

Everyone in the hall was amazed by Xie Yunyue's martial arts skills, especially the two young ladies, Zhao and Zhou, who were utterly captivated by him. Their four almond-shaped eyes were wide and round as they gazed at him, lost in thought, their pretty faces beaming with smiles. Zhou Weicheng, aspiring to be a great hero, saw his beloved daughter so infatuated, something he had never seen before. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, lamenting that she had lost her mother at a young age and that he had vowed never to marry, raising her alone. She had always been outwardly strong but inwardly gentle, rarely showing her emotions. After she came of age, he had been concerned about her marriage prospects, trying every means to introduce her to handsome young men. Although these young men tried their best to get close to her, she remained unmoved, as if she hadn't seen them at all, and none of them had touched her heart.

This time, the Red Flag Gang was using the marriage proposal as an excuse, but she was completely different from before, obeying his orders without the slightest resentment, though she was even more taciturn than before. But tonight, her expression was completely different, warm and gentle, her face radiant with smiles, revealing her unrequited love for the young hero, a love she couldn't shake. Of course, with Young Master Yan's outstanding appearance and unparalleled martial arts, what could be more satisfying than having such a son-in-law? But this Miss Zhao Lianzhu, with her bright eyes and fair skin, truly possessed a face like a lotus and a spirit like autumn water, surpassing his daughter by a great margin in every way. Seeing that Miss Zhao also seemed to have feelings for Young Master Yan, he found it difficult to speak up. What if Young Master Yan only loved Miss Zhao and rejected him outright? Moreover, it was still uncertain whether Young Master Yan would agree to the marriage, and the Red Flag Gang was determined to have him. In this situation, he couldn't make his own choice. Perhaps he could wait until the crisis passed and then devise a plan. Two women sharing one husband wouldn't be impossible. Thus, this thought took root in Zhou Weicheng's mind.

At this moment, Zhao Lianzhu walked up to Xie Yunyue, smiling sweetly, and begged him to teach her the hidden weapon techniques. Xie Yunyue was surprised by her frankness and generosity, and his face flushed red. Unable to refuse, he smiled and said, "Since you wish to learn this hidden weapon, how could I dare to keep it to myself? However, learning this technique is not something that can be mastered overnight. After this matter is resolved, I will teach you the basic movements."

Zhou Yue'e suddenly looked at him with envy and said, "Young hero, I also want to learn this technique. I wonder if that's alright?" Xie Yunyue

was taken aback, but quickly replied, "Of course, why not? We're the same."

Everyone smiled, and Xie Yunyue suddenly realized his words were inappropriate. His handsome face flushed again, and he quickly smiled at Zhao Lianzhu, saying, "The whip technique you just demonstrated was absolutely superb, truly breathtaking."

Zhao Lianzhu giggled and said, "Oh, I forgot to thank you for saving my life." With that, she was about to curtsy gracefully.

Xie Yunyue hurriedly said, "Miss, you flatter me. I had no such intention." He reached out to take the whip, but Zhao Lianzhu abruptly withdrew her hand, her eyes filled with amusement as she looked at him.

Xie Yunyue smiled awkwardly and said, "Miss Zhao's whip technique, though wondrous and unpredictable, is only effective at long range, not close combat. I do have a clever trick that can compensate for this minor weakness."

Zhao Lianzhu eagerly asked, "Really? Teach me quickly!"

Xie Yunyue, still holding his hand, used this as an excuse to say, "Then, please give me the whip, and we'll go outside. I'll teach you how to use a sword."

Miss Zhao handed the whip back to him. This whip was made of black python tendons; ordinary sharp blades couldn't damage it in the slightest. Miss Zhao cherished it dearly and never let it go. The group followed the two out of the hall. The moonlight was bright, illuminating every detail. Zhao Lianzhu and Xie Yunyue stood seven feet apart, facing each other. Zhao Lianzhu held her sword to her chest. Xie Yunyue said, "Miss, please demonstrate

your skills. Don't hold back." Zhao Lianzhu smiled slightly, thinking, "My father's ultimate technique, the Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves Yi-character sword technique, is renowned throughout the Central Plains and unmatched. I have mastered it. Even if your martial arts are excellent, you might not be easy to deal with." So, she whispered, "Alright, then I will make my move." With that, her sword suddenly slashed down towards her left shoulder with the move "Raging Wind and Roaring Wind." A streak of silver light flashed, striking with astonishing force, the sword accompanied by a whistling sound—truly extraordinary.

Xie Yunyue did not retreat. With a flick of his right wrist, his whip shot out like a serpent, the end of the whip almost touching the tip of his sword. Zhao Lianzhu felt an extremely strong force pressing down on the tip of the sword and was greatly alarmed. The sword technique swiftly changed to "Autumnal Severity," and with a flick of the wrist, it slashed towards Xie Yunyue's left ribs. Xie Yunyue's hand appeared to move almost imperceptibly, but the whip itself curved, following the sword's trajectory in a "Z" shape.

Zhao Lianzhu was utterly astonished, realizing her beloved's martial arts were unfathomably high. She unleashed her full power in a set of "Autumn Wind and Falling Leaves Z" sword techniques, repeatedly closing in. But no matter what she did, the whip tip never strayed from her sword tip, like a living snake automatically meeting the blade. The moment they touched, the girl felt her wrist go numb, her sword nearly slipping from her grasp. No matter how fierce her swordplay, the whip always managed to stop her in time.

After thirty moves, Zhao Lianzhu gradually grasped Xie Yunyue's whip technique. Every aspect, from hand techniques to body movements and footwork, possessed an incredible depth of mystery, with the hand techniques being the most difficult. Why did the whip automatically bend into a "T" shape? It turned out that the palm force was concentrated in the whip, much like the mercury column in a thermometer; as the temperature rose and fell, the mercury column expanded and contracted accordingly. The key was simple, but in practice, generating true power from the palm into the whip and controlling it at will was extremely difficult. Without superior internal martial arts skill, it was not easy to execute. Fortunately, Zhao Lianzhu had been taught the internal martial arts method of marrow cleansing by her father since childhood, possessing a strong family tradition and being intelligent herself. By the fiftieth move, she understood the true meaning, and a captivating smile appeared on her delicate, flawless face.

Tao Zhusan, who had just witnessed the Three Manifestations of the Cloud Dragon, couldn't help but sigh deeply. He addressed the Flying Cloud Hand and other heroes of Lianghuai, saying, "Young Master Yan's skills are like the dormant power of a dragon or snake. What's most remarkable is that his heroic spirit is not revealed. In the future, his potential will be limitless, and he will undoubtedly become the most outstanding figure in the martial arts world. As Xunzi said, 'The flying serpent has no feet but can fly, while the mouse has five skills but is limited.' Young Master Yan is comparable to the flying serpent. Even if we have the abilities of the mouse, such as flying, climbing, swimming, burrowing, and walking, we will find it difficult to survive. From now on, I, Tao Zhusan, must not underestimate the world."

Zhou Weicheng, the hero of Lianghuai, nodded repeatedly and said, "Talent comes from learning, and skill comes from cultivation. It is evident that Young Master Yan's teacher is no ordinary person." Miss Zhou listened from the side but did not listen, focusing on memorizing Xie Yunyue's movements and whip techniques, gaining considerable insight.

Just then, Xie Yunyue suddenly shouted, "Miss Zhao, pay close attention! The next move is a deadly, decisive strike!" With that, he flicked his right wrist, and the whip, like a long snake, aimed at Zhao Lianzhu's left shoulder. The girl hastily countered with a move called "Returning Wind Sweeping Willow," slashing from right to left with lightning speed towards the whip's waist.

A flurry of silver light flashed, and just as the sword was about to strike the whip, Xie Yunyue suddenly laughed, retreating to the left. With a flick of his right wrist, the whip switched with the sword, automatically coiling around it seven or eight times, like a poisonous snake wrapping around its waist. Suddenly, Xie Yunyue shouted, "Let go!" With a pull of his right wrist, Zhao Lianzhu was involuntarily thrown forward three or four steps. She felt her hands about to split open, unable to hold onto her sword, which was carried away by the whip's tip and landed several dozen feet away, trembling precariously in the ground.

Xie Yunyue hurriedly laughed, "I was caught off guard and offended you, young lady." Zhao Lianzhu rolled her eyes at him, then lowered her head and giggled.

Xie Yunyue leaped into the air, snatching the sword in his hand, then flipped back, covering a distance of several dozen feet in a flash. His movements were exquisite and graceful. He returned to his original position, glanced at the sword, and then presented the sword and whip to the young lady with both hands, smiling, "Fortunately, there's no damage. Now, I present them to you intact." Zhao Lianzhu accepted them with a smile and thanked him for his guidance. Xie

Yunyue and Yunlong Sanxian and the others walked back into the hall and sat down. Zhao and Zhou remained outside. Why were they doing this? It turned out that the two of them were practicing the whip moves that Xie Yunyue had just used, alternating between the sword and the whip.

Tao Zhusan asked, "Young hero, what are your plans after this matter is settled?"

Xie Yunyue replied, "I wish to travel north to the capital. I must arrive before

the Dragon Boat Festival, as I have an appointment with a friend." Tao Zhusan, with a look of eager anticipation, said, "It is wonderful that you wish to go to the capital, young hero. My humble abode is not far from the capital; it will take two or three days by fast horse. I earnestly hope that after you have met your friend, you will spare some time to visit my humble abode. My abode is in Qinhuangdao; just ask around. I also have something to ask of you, I wonder..."

Xie Yunyue interrupted with a smile, "How could I dare disobey your command, senior? I will visit you as soon as the matter in the capital is settled." He knew that the request was nothing more than a matter of martial arts feuds. He had been searching for his enemy across the land, and it was possible that the enemy was still at the border. This was a win-win situation, so he readily agreed.

Zhou Weicheng, the renowned swordsman of Lianghuai, saw that Yunlong Sanxian was earnestly requesting help from Young Hero Yan, and spoke with such solemnity. Knowing it wasn't unfounded, he thought to himself, "Yunlong Sanxian's name resounds beyond the Great Wall; who would dare provoke him? Aside from matters of the martial world, which he could easily resolve with a single word, what other major matter could be troubling this old man?" He couldn't help but look at Tao Zhusan with suspicion.

Tao Zhusan, noticing Zhou Weicheng's puzzled expression, chuckled, "A silence must be broken eventually; it can't be spoken now." Seeing his silence, Zhou Weicheng had no choice but to remain silent. He turned to discuss with Flying Cloud Hand Wu Fengbiao, Eight Trigrams Golden Saber Zheng Jinwu, Xie Yunyue, and others their plans for dealing with the Red Flag Gang. Yunlong Sanxian kept his eyes closed in deep thought, as if he were about to make a crucial decision.

Suddenly, Miss Zhou hurriedly entered the hall with a smile, whispered a few words to Zhou Weicheng, who chuckled and scolded, "Naughty girl." Then, looking at Xie Yunyue, he smiled and said, "My daughter and Miss Zhao still have a few moves from the whip technique you just taught us, young master. We would like to ask you to come out of the hall and give us some pointers."

Xie Yunyue quickly agreed and followed Miss Zhou out of the hall. Suddenly, Tao Zhusan, the Cloud Dragon Three Appearances, opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Weicheng with a smile, saying, "Brother Zhou, have you noticed that the two girls

' expressions are a little strange? This matter is very troublesome, even more so than the Red Flag Gang." Zhou Weicheng knew what he meant; he himself was well aware of the trouble. He always felt that matters between children should be left to their own devices, that with time and affection, perhaps the problem could be easily resolved. The interference of parents only makes things worse. Now, when Yunlong San asked him this, he immediately gave a bitter smile and said, "I've long seen through it. My daughter is of humble appearance; how could Young Master Yan possibly be interested? Besides, with Miss Zhao's pearl before her, isn't this girl just indulging in wishful thinking? However, I always feel that my daughter's situation is very pitiful, having lost her mother at a young age. She has suffered much trauma in recent years and is depressed. Her expression was quite different after seeing Young Master Yan tonight. How can I stop her? Perhaps we should wait for her to back down on her own."

Wu Taibiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, shook his head and added, "That sounds reasonable, but it's not entirely true. Between men and women, true love is essential; no one should be allowed to interfere and steal their love. A slight mishap can easily lead to tragedy. Brother Zhou, you mustn't..." "Let nature

take its course," said Zhou Weicheng. " In my humble opinion, the two women should share one husband. There's no distinction of seniority. Since Brother Zhou has no sons, the children your daughters raise will take their mother's surname, and the children born to Miss Zhao will take their husband's surname. Isn't that a perfect solution?" Zhou Weicheng raised his eyes and said, "That's a good idea."

Tao Zhusan, the Cloud Dragon Three Appearances, sneered, "You two stop praising yourselves. Nothing in this world is ever one-sided. If only Old Zhao were so easy to talk to, would he really be willing to give his precious daughter to someone else to be both your daughter and your husband? And what about Young Hero Yan himself? Do you know if he's engaged or has someone else in mind? These are all questions. Do you think it's easy?" These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Zhou Weicheng's head. He froze, staring wide-eyed at Tao Zhusan.

Tao Zhusan laughed and said, "That's true, but we still need to think of a solution. Old Zhao is currently bedridden with illness; I wonder if he's fully recovered? Although Old Zhao is eccentric, he's still willing to listen to me. He must be quite fond of Young Hero Yan's character. However, with your daughter involved, things aren't so simple. If she backs down, that's another story. I know your character; you love your daughter as much as your own life, and you certainly won't abandon her. Don't worry, brother, I'll take care of this." Zhou Weicheng was overjoyed and thanked him profusely. He knew that Yunlong Sanxian was a man of integrity, a man of his word, and never broke his promises. Thus, he felt half relieved.

Suddenly, Xie Yunyue, carrying a slip of paper, hurriedly entered with two young ladies, Zhao and Zhou, and said with a smile, "Master Wu, Hero Zheng, would you two like to accompany me to Willow Bay?"

Zhou Weicheng, sensing something amiss, quickly asked, "Young Hero Yan, what does the paper say?"

Fearing his identity would be exposed, Xie Yunyue was unwilling to hand the paper to Zhou Weicheng, and slowly tore it apart, laughing, "My friend just inadvertently discovered that the Red Flag Gang has invited various evil factions to gather at Willow Bay at four o'clock tonight. I fear there is another conspiracy, and since he is alone and vulnerable, he left this note so that I may go and investigate."

Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Knife, laughed loudly, "I've been quite bored these past few days. Young Hero Wu, let's go together."

Xie Yunyue clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and went back to the guesthouse with Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Knife, and Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, to change weapons and hidden weapons. Xie Yunyue tucked his leather mask into his robes, and the three of them sped out of the manor, disappearing into the darkness of the night in an instant. Willow Bay is fifteen li northwest of Zhoujiazhuang. It is a scenic spot with only twenty or thirty households. Most of the residents make a living by farming and woodcutting. The twenty or thirty households are all built along a clear stream. Thousands of willows sway in the wind along the stream. The stream is clear and blue, winding like a ribbon. Every evening at sunset, the sky is full of red clouds. Farmers carry hoes and shepherds play flutes as they return from the fields. No one is in the willow groves. Wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys. It is truly a picture-perfect scene, a paradise on earth.

In Willow Bay lived a down-on-his-luck young man named Mao Ren. His ancestors had once served as officials in the capital and owned vast tracts of land in Willow Bay. However, the family fortune, though lasting for three generations, gradually declined by the time it reached Mao Ren's father. This was because Mao Ren disliked studying, preferred martial arts, and spent his days associating with hooligans and thugs, indulging in debauchery and revelry. His father, seeing Mao Ren's idleness and unfilial behavior, died of grief. After his father's death, Mao Ren became even more unruly, selling off all his property, leaving him with only a small mansion. In desperation, he was introduced to the Red Flag Gang by a wicked friend and became a lowly steward in the Gaoyou branch. Using this position as a shield, he bullied the good and extorted money from the residents of Willow Bay. He had long suffered the scorn of the residents, and now he unleashed his pent-up resentment, turning this once peaceful haven into a chaotic mess, leaving the residents angry but unable to speak out.

This time, the Red Flag Gang had a feud with Zhou Weicheng, and Zhou Weicheng lent his house to the Red Flag Gang as a temporary headquarters. Suddenly, all sorts of scoundrels filled Willow Bay. Three days before the Mandarin Duck Arena, Liehuo Xingqin Lu led forty-five experts from his altar to Willow Bay, plotting a vicious scheme. He decided to have Xu Yi, the Empty-Handed, steal the sword and abduct someone, sending four more from his altar to provide backup. He himself would lead the others to lie in ambush near the manor, as mentioned earlier.

Unexpectedly, Xu Yi disappeared without a trace, no signal was sent, and the four backup never returned. Knowing he must have been captured, they hastily retreated to Willow Bay. That night, they sent another group to risk their lives to rescue Xu Yi, intending to kill them if necessary. However, they were all knocked down by Xie Yunyue and sent back to the High Branch Hall. Liehuo Xingqin Lu was furious, but since it wasn't time for a complete break, he couldn't intervene directly, leaving him at a loss.

The next day, several more groups of skilled fighters were dispatched to infiltrate the manor and act accordingly. However, the Beggars' Sect ambushed them from the shadows, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing them to return in defeat. Qin Lu, the Fire Star, knew that there were too many skilled fighters in the manor, and that a covert approach wouldn't work; only an open one would suffice

. On the day of the duel, he saw that Dongpeng remained inactive, assuming they were waiting for them to fight amongst themselves so that Zhou could reap the benefits. Although Fire Star lived up to his name, he was exceptionally intelligent and his martial arts skills were not weak; otherwise, how could the leader, Yuwen Lei, have relied on him so much? He sneered inwardly, thinking, "How could my Red Flag Gang fall into your trap?" He strictly warned his subordinates not to act rashly without his orders. Then, seeing that Bi Xiaoyan and Qian Xinghuan seemed to have been injured by hidden weapons, his expression changed.

He was unaware that Gu Su and the others had already been captured; otherwise, he would have been terrified. However, he had a premonition that this was an ominous sign and was restless. In his anxiety, he devised a plan and ordered his men to secretly invite the evil people in Xipeng who did not belong to the Red Flag Gang to meet at Willow Bay at four o'clock that night to discuss countermeasures. The Beggar Gang discovered this and hurriedly sent a letter to Xie Yunyue.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Mao residence in Willow Bay, the lights shone brightly, and all was silent. At least seventy or eighty people had gathered. Qin Lu, the Fiery Star, said, “Esteemed seniors and fellow practitioners, Zhou Weicheng’s announcement of sealing the sword and setting up the Mandarin Duck Arena was originally for the benefit of our sect. You have all likely heard of this. Our sect is determined to win, hence our invitation to you all.” He then pointed to Shen Yiming, the Jade-Faced Second Brother, and continued, “This is Shen Yiming, the Jade-Faced Second Brother, the chief hall master of our sect’s three outer halls. By order of our sect leader, he has been designated as the winner of the Mandarin Duck Sword

. He will be on stage tomorrow or the day after. We earnestly request that you all show him some mercy. After the matter is settled, our sect will certainly reward you handsomely and will not break our promise. What do you all think?” Suddenly, a cold laugh rang out from the roof. Many in the hall noticed it. Qin Lu’s expression changed, and with a flick of his wrists, all the lights in the hall went out abruptly. He then vanished through the window, and the evil spirits followed suit. Qin Lu, the Fiery Star, leaped onto the roof and looked around. He saw the bright moon hanging low, the night hazy, and the surroundings silent. There wasn't a single person in sight. Qin Lu immediately gasped, thinking to himself, "I clearly heard someone laughing coldly, how could they not see me? This person's movements are truly swift."

At this moment, Lu Yuantong, the One-Finger Demon of the Huashan Sect, Ding Jiling, the Little Mourner of Baima Mountain, and Niu Fei, the Tiger-Faced Protector, the second leader of Xing'an Ridge outside the pass, all came to the roof. Ding Jiling, the Little Mourner, asked, "Vice Leader Qin, have you discovered anything?"

Qin Lu, the Fiery Star, shook his head hesitantly. Lu Yuantong, the One-Finger Demon, sneered, "Why should Brother Qin bother with such a clown? I suppose he's already far away. Otherwise, let him try the power of my 'Six Yin Finger'." "

The words had barely left his lips when a cold laugh, exceptionally clear, rang out from the western corner of the room. 'What a powerful finger-pointing demon!' Lu Yuantong exclaimed. The laugh was followed by a sudden increase in height as he lunged towards the source of the sound, shouting, 'What a coward! Show yourself!'

But the person hiding in the western corner of the eaves suddenly grew taller, his palms lashing out at Lu Yuantong. With a swift movement, he coldly laughed and shouted, 'Get down!'" "The One-Finger Demon Lu Yuantong was caught off guard by this move. The palm strike was extremely fierce, and since he was in mid-air, he couldn't take it head-on. He kicked his feet quickly, his body suddenly rising two feet diagonally. Taking advantage of this, the person hiding in the shadows quickly darted over two rooftops. By the time the One-Finger Demon landed, he was already more than ten feet away.

The One-Finger Demon Lu Yuantong was a top-notch internal martial arts master of the Huashan Sect. He was usually arrogant and had never suffered such a loss before. He gritted his teeth and leaped after the person. He found no trace of the enemy, and Liehuo Xing and the others also discovered the other two enemies. For a moment, the evil forces split up to intercept them. The three enemies were only on the rooftops." The three men darted upstream, keeping the evil spirits constantly on their toes, thoroughly amused by their antics, which enraged them,

causing them to roar in fury. Just then, two petite figures darted in from outside the village, spotted by the evil spirits who quickly surrounded them. The two small figures, their faces veiled in black, each wielded a long, serpentine weapon. Under the moonlight, the serpents danced and shimmered, creating an eerie, undulating effect. In no time, they had tripped up three or four men. Although they knew the evil spirits of Willow Tree Bay were among the best in the martial world, they formed a circle, occasionally shouting, "These are two girls! We'll capture them alive and have some fun!" Two veiled women, shouting and yelling, wielded their long, serpentine weapons with increasing speed and

precision, filling the air with a whooshing sound. In an instant, they forced the evil spirits to retreat seven or eight feet away, unable to get close. The evil spirits, however, were incredibly clever. They knew the women's soft weapons would be used to lock onto their own weapons, so they retreated as soon as they made contact, determined not to allow their weapons to be locked onto. This way, the two women would be exhausted. Before another cup of tea had been brewed, the two women's movements slowed, revealing a perilous situation. The evil spirits hurled insults and taunts, uttering words that were utterly offensive.

Suddenly, a figure leaped down from the crowd. This person was dressed in black, his face, as if reflected in the moonlight, was eerily pale, unlike a living person's face, sending chills down one's spine. With a single wave of his hand, he instantly knocked down seven or eight people, and the evil spirits were stunned. The two women, seeing the person appear, were overjoyed and cried out again. "Say..." The man darted forward, grabbing one in each hand, and rose into the air. In a few leaps, he vanished without a trace.

The two women were Zhao Lianzhu and Zhou Yue'e. Seeing the three leave, the two maids knew that openly following them would not be permitted by Zhou Weicheng and Tao Zhusan. Zhao Lianzhu secretly tugged at Zhou Yue'e's hem and gave her a wink. The two women stepped out of the hall and privately discussed following the three to Willow Bay. Zhou Yue'e found a riding whip, and the two women slipped out of the manor. Along the way, the hidden guards, seeing that they were the young ladies of the manor, immediately let them pass, while simultaneously reporting to the manor lord.

The two women were both highly skilled in light-body techniques, and they were only half a cup of tea's time behind Xie Yunyue and the other two. Upon reaching the vicinity of Willow Bay, they encountered no obstacles and their tall bodies went straight in. The two women were both surprised. Zhao Lianzhu whispered to Zhou Yue'e, "Sister, do you see anything strange? How come there isn't a single hidden agent in such an important place as the main altar? This is highly suspicious."

Suddenly, Zhou Yue'e pointed and whispered, "Sister, look." Zhao

Lianzhu looked in the direction she was pointing and saw two thieves lying under the willow tree. Because the moonlight was blocked by the willow tree, the bodies were hidden in the shade and not easily noticed. Zhao Lianzhu went closer to examine them and found that the two thieves had been stunned and rendered speechless by acupuncture. Their eyes were wide open and they were motionless. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "He must have done that." As she spoke of him, she felt a flush on her face and said, "Sister, let's go. We don't need to worry about thieves blocking our way." "With that, the two of them darted towards Willow Bay. Under the hazy moonlight, two petite black figures leaped like the wind.

At this moment, the thieves had already noticed Xie Yunyue and the other two's intrusion and went out to search. Just then, they encountered the two women rushing in. With a secret signal, the thieves surrounded them from all directions. Xie Yunyue was luring Liehuo Huo to a distance before returning to help Wu Fengbiao and Zheng Jinwu. He caught sight of the two women in a disadvantageous situation and was shocked. He cursed the two girls for their audacity in taking such a risk. If they were captured, the consequences would be unpredictable. That's why he flew over to rescue them."

The two women were held by Xie Yunyue, a strong masculine scent emanating from him, causing them to feel dizzy and disoriented. Although their hearts were pounding, they didn't struggle at all. Instead, their bodies pressed tightly against Xie Yunyue's chest, as if being held by their beloved, taking this opportunity to enjoy a little tenderness. Xie Yunyue felt the same way. Although he was holding them, their breasts were pressed tightly against his ribs. Their clothes were thin, and their breasts seemed elastic, their skin smooth, and their nipples trembled incessantly. A captivating fragrance emanated from their hair, like orchids and musk, making his heart flutter.

Xie Yunyue, carrying the two women, leaped across the seven- or eight-zhang-wide stream, landing beneath two giant willows. He set them down and chuckled, "Ladies,

you're incredibly bold. What if something had happened to you? How would I explain?" Zhao Lianzhu feigned a protest, "It's none of your business if the girls want to come."

Xie Yunyue couldn't help but laugh, thinking how stubborn this girl was. Were all young women so prone to tantrums? The image of Miss Lan flashed before his eyes. He sighed inwardly and chuckled again, "If I can't control it, then who can?"

Zhao Lianzhu giggled, and Miss Zhou chimed in, "Nobody can control it. If you want to, you're not qualified."

Xie Yunyue was bewildered and asked, "Qualified? How can one be qualified?" The two women burst into laughter, breathless.

Xie Yunyue seemed touched, his face flushing slightly. He knew that if this continued, it might never end. He wondered what had become of Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, and Zheng Jinwu, the Eight Trigrams Golden Knife. The two women were disobedient, so he suddenly had an idea. He said in a deep voice, "Ladies, please wait here. I'll go and meet Wu and Zheng. If you just stay here and obey, I'll definitely teach you some unique movement techniques when I get back. How about that?"

The two women were overjoyed and exclaimed in unison, "Really? You can't break your promise!" "Then, do you think we'd even bother with you?"

Xie Yunyue said, "A man's word is his bond, you can rest assured."

Zhao Lianzhu chuckled lightly, punched Xie Yunyue's shoulder with her fist, and cursed, "Who's the man? You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth."

Xie Yunyue laughed heartily, and leaped up like a black eagle. A slight gust of wind rose in front of him, and he vanished in a flash, appearing in the willow grove on the other side of the stream. His shoulder swayed, and he disappeared again, probably more than twenty or thirty feet away.

Zhao Lianzhu's heart stirred with emotion. She thought to herself, "His words just now had a hidden meaning. I wonder if he understands my intentions now that he saw the handkerchief and pearl I left behind? Do you know how much I love you?"

Miss Zhou felt the same way. Her beautiful eyes gazed at his departing figure, lost in thought. She thought, "His martial arts are so high! Ah, if only I could be half as skilled as him, traveling the world with him, spending my life together—how wonderful that would be! Heaven, please don't let my wish be in vain!" The two girls, sharing the same wish, sighed softly. Their eyes met, and they chuckled softly. They sat on the ridge of the field, waiting for their beloved to return.

Xie Yunyue used his superb lightness skill to flash into the village. He immediately saw Wu Fengbiao and Zheng Jinwu surrounded by bandits in the tea-drying field, shouting insults at each other. He lightly swayed and landed on a large tree beside the threshing ground. As soon as he landed, he discovered that bandits were watching from the tree. The bandit was startled when he saw Xie Yunyue fall. He was about to speak when Xie Yunyue was even faster. Before he could even get three feet away from the bandit, Xie Yunyue suddenly flipped his wrist and extended his fingers, unleashing the "Eighteen Strike Techniques of Xuanyuan" to strike acupoints. A trace of energy emanated from his fingertips, and the bandit was immediately dumbfounded. He swayed and was about to fall when Xie Yunyue rushed forward to support him and placed him diagonally in a tree branch.

Xie Yunyue, perched in the tree, wanted to witness the martial arts of Wu and Zheng. He wasn't in a hurry to jump down, but then heard Qin Lu, the Fierce Fire Star, shout, "I never expected the two renowned leaders of Chabei, Wu and Zheng, to grace us with their presence in the dead of night, behaving like those petty scoundrels! Isn't that laughable? If you two truly wish to be upright, simply instruct your guards, and I, Qin, will gladly welcome you. The great heroes of Lianghuai set up their martial arts tournament with the aim of fostering friendship through martial arts; anyone can participate. Your disturbance of Willow Bay is probably not the intention of Hero Zhou. Just state your true intentions, and I, Qin, will personally escort you back to Hero Zhou at dawn. Otherwise, Willow Bay will not tolerate your free comings and goings."

Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, laughed loudly, saying, "Qin, don't try to intimidate me with your boasts. Willow Bay isn't your private property. This old man can come and go as he pleases. With your numbers, you can't possibly leave this old man here. As for your purpose..." "Well, you know perfectly well that your gang of over twenty, including Gu Su, has been treated comfortably in Zhouzhuang. We're informing you to avoid any anxiety; once the tournament is over, they'll be carried back to your gang."

Upon hearing this, Qin Lu, the "Fiery Star," was speechless with rage. After a moment of fury, he burst into laughter and roared, "My dear friends, you've walked right into our trap! I, Qin, will carry you back myself!"

Seeing the fire practically spitting from his eyes, Wu Fengbiao, the "Flying Cloud Hand," knew he and Zheng Jinwu were in grave danger. They were surrounded by skilled fighters; even the best martial artist couldn't defeat four opponents. Why hadn't Young Hero Yan appeared yet? Losing such a crucial ally sent a chill down his spine. He glanced at Zheng Jinwu, his tiger-like eyes scanning the entire area, his Eight Trigrams Golden-Backed Big Ear Knife already drawn and in his hand. He gritted his teeth; tonight, he was going all out.

Just as Qin Lu, the Fiery Star, was about to make his move, a man swiftly appeared beside him, saying, "Chief Qin, let Hu Chang take this match." The man then leaped in front of Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, and slightly bowed, saying, "I have long admired the extraordinary skills of Chief Wu of Chabei Ranch. I, Little Hawk Hu Chang, am fortunate to meet a master tonight. Please, teach me your moves."

Wu Fengbiao sized up the man; he was only around forty years old, with slightly protruding temples, indicating the man possessed considerable internal strength. Little Hawk Hu Chang had only risen to prominence in the Jianghan region in the last seven or eight years, and his martial arts were not... Weak, Wu and Zheng had lived outside the Great Wall for a long time and neither knew of Hu Chang. At this moment, Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, smiled slightly and said, "Even a powerful dragon cannot suppress its master. Hu, please go first."

Upon hearing this, Hu Chang shouted, "Alright!" and thrust his double palms towards Wu Fengbiao's chest with tremendous force. Seeing Wu Fengbiao's attack, the Flying Cloud Hand was secretly angry. Knowing that a quick battle was advantageous tonight, he slightly turned his left foot and flicked his right wrist to meet the incoming palm. His left palm, "Two Dragons Snatching a Pearl," swiftly struck Hu Chang's eyes. His movements were as fast as the wind, truly befitting the name Flying Cloud Hand.

Little Hawk Hu Chang saw that the Flying Cloud Hand's attack was as fast as lightning and was unable to retreat in time. He was actually shaken by the incoming palm and his body swayed. Seeing the wind from the palm rising again, he quickly flipped his body two feet and suddenly spun around, his palms surging towards the Flying Cloud Hand again. Flying Cloud Hand wouldn't let him succeed. He had already gathered strength in both palms. Seeing Hu Chang approaching, he laughed loudly and leaped five feet into the air. With a "Divine Dragon Tail Drop," he used all his strength in both palms and pushed them towards Hu Chang's advancing figure. With a thud, Hu Chang took a solid blow to the back of his chest and fell to the ground, unable to move. This was Wu Taibiao's Flying Cloud Palm technique, which lived up to its reputation.

Lu Yuantong, the One-Finger Demon, darted in front of Hu Chang, turning his body over. Hu Chang's face was bleeding, and he was half-dead. Even if he were healed, he would be useless. Lu hurriedly took out a pill and stuffed it into Hu Chang's mouth. He then leaped in front of Wu Fengbiao, grinning sinisterly, and said, "What a vicious Flying Cloud Hand! If you escape my One-Finger Demon's palm tonight, I swear I'm not human!"

Xie Yunyue, perched in a tree, thought to himself, "At this rate, when will it end? Besides, the two young ladies are waiting. It's almost dawn, nearly daybreak. Perhaps we should tell them to retreat." Having made up his mind, he saw the One-Finger Demon strike with lightning speed, aiming to strike Wu Fengbiao's entire body. The One-Finger Demon used a unique technique: striking pressure points with his palm strikes. His Six Yin Finger Technique was specifically designed to break through the Golden Bell Cover of Qi Gong. Once struck, the blood would freeze and the person would die—it was truly astonishing. Xie Yunyue had no intention of watching any longer. He released the acupoints of the bandit he had placed in the tree branch and threw it towards the One-Finger Demon Palm.

The One-Finger Demon was just about to deliver a palm strike when he felt a strong gust of wind coming towards his head. He was greatly alarmed and retreated three steps. He then saw a figure attacking him. Without thinking, he unleashed a series of palm strikes from both hands. He heard the man groan, his fall slowed for a moment, and then he fell to the ground dead. The One-Finger Demon took a closer look and realized that the man was none other than Poisonous Snake Ji Ming, the branch leader of the Red Flag Gang. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed and was stunned for a moment.

Just then, a dragon's roar echoed from a tree outside the arena, followed by a figure leaping down. The sight of this person caused everyone to gasp. He was like a grim-faced ghost, his eyes gleaming with a piercing light that made it hard to breathe. Wu Fengbiao and Zheng Jinwu beamed with joy and couldn't help but smile, saying, "We know that Young Hero Yan has arrived. Our lives have been saved."

At this moment, One-Finger Demon slowly came to his senses. He knew that Ji Ming must have been using this strange man to kill him. He secretly blamed himself for not thinking of this before, and also blamed himself for failing his good friend. So, his blood boiled, and he shouted, "What kind of monster is this, daring to act arrogantly in front of me, One-Finger Demon? You will pay for Master Ji's life!" His ten fingers flashed like lightning as he reached for the man's wrist acupoints.

The strange man neither dodged nor avoided him. Just as he was about to grab him, One-Finger Demon suddenly snorted. The two hands that One-Finger Demon had intended to use to grab the strange man's wrist acupoints were instead grabbed by the strange man's wrists. One-Finger Demon's eyes widened and his mouth opened, sweat beading on his forehead. No one in the arena saw how the strange man had moved, yet he had subdued One-Finger Demon. This miraculous martial arts immediately shocked the entire arena. How could One-Finger Demon, who was ranked among the evils of the martial arts world, not be shocked when he failed in less than a move? Even Qin Lu, the Fiery Star, changed color.

The strange man chuckled coldly, "So you're the One-Finger Demon? I've heard your Six Yin Finger Technique is quite astonishing. Why have you lost your usual swagger tonight?"

The One-Finger Demon trembled with pain, his heart pounding. Hearing this, he was furious. Normally, he was arrogant and domineering, and no one dared to defy him. Tonight, he had been outmaneuvered, how could he not be angry? But he was restrained, the pain preventing him from uttering a sound. Even if he could speak, it would be futile. Suddenly, he felt a tightening in his wrist. Besides the intensified pain, it felt as if hundreds of venomous snakes were writhing inside him, an unbearable ache and numbness. He wished he could just die. The One-Finger Demon involuntarily let out a labored gasp, his face contorted in agony.

The strange man laughed loudly, "Incredible! The once arrogant One-Finger Demon is now completely subdued. I'll spare your life since this is your first offense. Go!" With a flick of his wrists, the One-Finger Demon's massive body was sent flying three or four zhang away, his joints cracking. The One-Finger Demon knew this was the end for him; this was the sign of his power dissipating, and he would be a cripple from now on, with no hope of revenge. He felt that the strange man's method was too vicious and extreme. He hadn't considered how others felt when he dealt with them. He glared at the strange man with resentment and venom, then staggered away.

The strange man looked at Wu Fengbiao and Zheng Jinwu and laughed, "Let's go." He turned and strode away, seemingly oblivious to everyone else. But Liehuo Xing and Qin Lu wouldn't let them leave so easily. Suddenly, Qin Lu lunged forward, his palms whipping through the air, and charged at the strange man from behind, shouting, "Monster, I'll fight you to the death!"

The strange man didn't even turn his head, only yelling, "You're courting death." He retreated, but Liehuo Xing had already overtaken him. The strange man lightly flicked his right hand, and with a slap, Qin Lu crashed into a tree root. He saw stars, his head throbbing as if it would split open.

The strange man pointed his halberd and sneered, "Qin Lu, I warn you, in the next day or the day after, your men must not use any underhanded tricks or cause any trouble. Otherwise, the 'One-Point God and Demon' will be your example." With that, he strode away.

Logically speaking, Qin Lu, the Fire Star, shouldn't be so easily dealt with. However, Qin Lu was so enraged that he acted recklessly, aiming for a mutually destructive outcome, which led to this mishap. After the strange man and his companions left, he slowly got up, and his mind gradually calmed down. He thought to himself, "With this person protecting Zhou Family Village, all my scheming is in vain. It seems that only the arrival of the gang leader, Zi Wenlei, can salvage this situation." So he ordered his men to send out a series of urgent distress signals for help.

Xie Yunyue and Wu Zheng slowly walked out of the village and came to the stream. Xie Yunyue said with a smile, "Master Wu, Hero Zheng, did you know that two naughty girls came along too?"

Zheng Jinwu exclaimed in surprise, "Where are they? Those two girls are really audacious."

Xie Yunyue smiled and pointed to the other side of the stream, saying, "They were rescued a long time ago. Look, aren't they over there?"

Wu and Zheng looked in the direction he was pointing and saw them sitting on the ridge of the field, chatting and laughing. Feiyun Shou couldn't help but sigh and said, "Those two girls, really..." Then, he looked at Xie Yunyue and said, "Young Hero Yan, if it weren't for your timely help tonight, we two old men would have lost our lives in Willow Bay."

Xie Yunyue laughed loudly, "If it weren't for the approaching dawn, I wouldn't have dared to cause such a ruckus. Master Wu's methods are truly masterful. I'd love to see Master Zheng's methods too." Zheng

Jinwu also laughed loudly, "Luckily, I haven't made a fool of myself yet, otherwise, it would be unbearable to look at."

Startled by their laughter, the two girls, Zhao and Zhou, stood up. Xie Yunyue and the other two leaped across the stream, and the two girls rushed to Xie Yunyue like swallows throwing themselves into his arms. They stared intently at Xie Yunyue's face with their bright eyes. Miss Zhou suddenly reached out and peeled off her leather mask, exclaiming, "Why are you wearing this ghost mask? It'll scare people to death if they see it!" Xie Yunyue snatched the mask back, cursing softly, "Naughty!" Wu

Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, teased from the side, "This girl, isn't she afraid we'll see how mushy she is?"

Two blushes immediately rose on Miss Zhou's cheeks. She shyly twisted her waist, turned her face to the side, and said coquettishly, "Who cares if you see?" Wu and Zheng burst into laughter. Zhao Lianzhu also smiled to herself, but felt a sour taste in her heart.

At this moment, the moon sank and the stars faded, and a faint white light appeared in the east. Dawn was approaching. Xie Yunyue looked at the sky and said, "Let's go back. I bet Master Zhou hasn't slept all night." The five of them then hurried back to the manor. Along the way, the sentries stationed at the Zhou family manor saw the five returning and sent a message to the manor lord via carrier pigeon.

The five entered the manor. Zhou Weicheng and Tao Zhusan, as expected, hadn't slept all night, waiting for dawn. Upon seeing Zhou Yue'e, their expressions darkened. The young lady's eyes reddened, tears welling up as if she had suffered some injustice, looking pitiful. Zhou Weicheng, seeing this, couldn't bear it, and his expression gradually softened.

Tao Zhusan, now appearing as Yunlong San, laughed loudly, "As soon as those two naughty girls left, we received a urgent report. Brother Zhou insisted on personally going to meet them, but I said, 'With Young Hero Yan here, you'll be safe. It's better to let those two ignorant girls suffer a little. Besides, girls are easily influenced. If their beloved leaves, what if they get hurt and their delicate features are damaged? Wouldn't they be eager to follow? Now that I can keep them in check, what good will you be as their father after they're married?"

This humorous remark made Wu and Zheng burst into laughter. Xie Yunyue... Her face flushed crimson, utterly embarrassed, she stammered after a long pause, "The old master is just teasing us younger generation."

Although Zhao Lianzhu's cheeks were also burning, she felt a surge of pleasure, thinking to herself, "This old master Tao is truly insightful! How did he know that both Zhou's sister and I have fallen for him? Judging from his words, he's just trying to arrange for us to marry him. That's quite something! The story of Ehuang and Nüying sharing one husband is a timeless tale. If it really happened, what more could be said?" Feeling sweet inside, she stole a glance at Zhou, who wasn't feeling the same way. Their eyes met, and they both burst into laughter.

Zhou's laughter, though broken from tears, was tinged with embarrassment. She took out a fragrant handkerchief and lightly wiped her face to conceal her awkwardness. Zhou Weicheng laughed, "Old Tao, you're always joking. Aren't you afraid the young people will say you're old and frivolous?" Then, he asked Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, about the events of their trip.

Wu Fengbiao, his old spirits soaring, recounted the details of the trip with a radiant smile, especially describing Young Master Yan's rare and extraordinary martial arts skills with exaggerated detail. The two young ladies listened intently, their large, watery eyes fixed on the young master. Yunlong Sanxian, Tao Zhusan, chuckled loudly, "How could these bandits come up with such a foolish plan? If their people win five or six matches in a row, this old man will definitely chop them off the stage first!"

Zhou Weicheng also laughed loudly, "Old Tao, you're wrong again! They're on stage to propose marriage, what right do you have to go up and chop them down? Are you going to dress up as a groom at ninety?"

Tao Zhusan said seriously, "That doesn't matter to me, old man. Just ask your niece if she agrees. Anyway, Young Master Yan won't let this old man off the hook."

Upon hearing this, he burst into laughter again. Miss Zhou rolled her eyes at Tao Zhusan, then lowered her head and smiled charmingly. The great hero of Lianghuai, Zhou Weicheng, shook his head and laughed at Yunlong Sanxian, at a loss for what to do.

Suddenly, a servant rushed in, reporting, "The watchman on the lookout tower just now spotted five-colored banners flying up from Willow Bay. He doesn't know why, so he sent me to report to the master."

Zhou Weicheng waved his hand, signaling the servant to leave, and then laughed, "They just realized their plot had been exposed and they were outmatched, so they went to call for reinforcements. We'll meet force with force, and adapt to any situation." Yunlong Sanxian then closed his eyes again, seemingly deep in thought.

Zhao Lianzhu suddenly looked at Xie Yunyue and gave him a charming smile. The smile was so captivating, highlighting her shallow dimples and making her incredibly beautiful. It seemed to convey boundless tenderness and affection without words, and Xie Yunyue's heart fluttered. He saw her speak softly, "Young Master Yan, didn't you just promise to teach us a little bit of the Qimen movement technique? Can you teach us now?"

Zhou Yue'e also smiled and said, "Young Master Yan, you can't go back on your

word." Yunlong Sanxian suddenly opened his eyes again and laughed, "You two silly girls, calling me Young Master Yan makes you seem too formal. You should call me Big Brother Yan, or if you want to be more affectionate, you can call me Brother Yan." Before he finished speaking, the two girls pounced on Yunlong Sanxian like candy, clinging to him and refusing to leave.

Yunlong Sanxian laughed loudly and shouted, "Young hero, hurry up and teach them some weird martial arts techniques, otherwise, these two old bones of mine will be torn apart by them!"

Zhou Weicheng also laughed and shouted, "Yue'er, don't be rude to Uncle Tao."

The two girls stood up with their hair disheveled and their faces flushed. At this time, Xie Yunyue smiled shyly and asked, "Ladies, what do you want to learn?"

Zhao Lianzhu brushed her hair with one hand and said coquettishly, "I only want to learn the amazing martial arts techniques you used in the back garden and what Senior Wu said about dealing with the One-Finger Divine Demon Capturing Hand. As for what my sister wants to learn, well, you can ask her."

Miss Zhou smiled and said, "As for me, I want to learn the same as my sister."

Xie Yunyue chuckled inwardly. These two girls were too ambitious. My martial arts techniques can be said to be rare and unique. Apart from my grandmaster Wuwei and my master Mingliang, there are not many people in the martial arts world who know their origin and how to solve them. It turns out that the mysterious movement technique he used to play with Xu Yi, the Empty-Handed Swordsman, and Xiong Gusu, the Iron-Armed Man, in the back garden was called the "Mysterious Seven Star Steps." This technique was created by Xie Yunyue's grandmaster, Wuwei Shangren, in the Northern Tianshan Mountains, after a lifetime of painstaking research. It is combined with the "Mysterious Seven Star Sword" technique, externally incorporating the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, and internally containing the Taiyi Five Elements, transforming into the Mysterious Seven Stars of the Big Dipper. It truly possesses a mystery unlike that of ghosts and gods, and infinite changes of heaven

and earth. As for the technique used to deal with the One-Finger Demon, it is the extremely powerful "Yin Yang Positive and Negative Thirty-Six Hands" from the "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan." These "Eighteen Explanations of Xuanyuan" are extremely difficult to learn, and the control of the force and weight is entirely at the heart. Ordinary people who learn them cannot control the force and weight at will, so this technique is extremely domineering. Once hit, one will either die or be crippled, with no way to undo it. Therefore, for those with evil intentions, learning it is like adding wings to a tiger. So when Xie Yunyue heard that both young ladies wanted to learn these two unique skills, he couldn't help but feel slightly troubled. Of course, the two women weren't malicious, but their sect's secret techniques couldn't be passed on lightly. Suddenly, a clever idea struck them, and they laughed, "Of course, I said I'd teach you some unusual movement techniques, and I can't go back on my word. If you want to learn these two, I wouldn't dare hold back, but you'll have to practice diligently for five years to succeed, and you'll have to stay indoors the whole time. How about this, I'll teach you some basic hand and foot techniques now, something practical for defeating enemies, okay?"

The two women believed they really had to learn for five years and were astonished. Zhao Lianzhu said anxiously, "Okay, teach us quickly, but don't forget to teach us those two ultimate techniques later, otherwise, my sister and I will definitely not forgive you."

Xie Yunyue couldn't help but laugh and said, "Secret techniques cannot be passed on to six ears. You two come with me to the back garden." Zhou Weicheng watched their figures disappear, stroked

his beard, and smiled. Wu Fengbiao stretched and laughed, "I haven't slept all night, and there's still an hour before the competition starts. Why don't we go back to our rooms and rest for a while?" So the four of them got up and slowly walked towards the back hall.

Half an hour later, the hidden signal outside the manor continued to emanate, whistling through the air, indicating that the guests were gradually en route. Hearing the sound, everyone in the guesthouse rushed out to attend to their duties, leaving only Wu Fengbiao (Flying Cloud Hand), Zheng Jinwu (Eight Trigrams Golden Knife), and Xie Yunyue in the large guesthouse.

Xie Yunyue performed a set of "Nine Palaces Positive and Negative Yin-Yang Steps" in the back garden, his footprints deeply imprinted in the dust, intricate and complex. Although not as profound and wondrous as the "Mysterious Seven Star Steps," it was sufficient to defend oneself against first-rate masters. He also taught a set of "Eight-Nine Exquisite Hand Techniques," but this exquisite technique differed from those commonly used in the martial arts world. Xie Yunyue refined it, incorporating grappling techniques, Flying Dragon Palm, and Acupoint Finger techniques. Although it contained seventy-two forms, it was all-encompassing and infinitely varied. After explaining it twice, he let Zhao and Zhou, the two women, study it on their own before taking his leave and returning to the guesthouse.

Xie Yunyue, exhausted from his journey that night, returned to his room, feeling a profound emptiness in his heart. For the past six months, he had wandered three provinces, working for others only to end up with blood on his hands. When would he be able to avenge his parents' deaths? In this vast and untamed world, who knew where his enemies were hiding? He sighed deeply, his mind troubled and restless. Unable to calm himself for a long time, he gently opened the door, clapped his hands to summon a servant, and ordered him to bring two sheets of Xuan paper and a brush and ink. With a flourish, he wrote a beautiful poem in the style of "Su Zhong Qing":
"My lofty ambition remains unfulfilled, tears stream down my face. The hatred for my family remains, like the eastward flowing water, never to return.
Let me drink wine, pour from the golden cup, to dispel my sorrow. I sing a mournful and stirring song, striking the broken spittoon, my heroic spirit soaring through the autumn." "

The dragon soars and the phoenix flies, its majestic spirit towering high, fully expressing its feelings on paper, leaving no detail untouched. Wu and Zheng, having been awakened from their dozing when he clapped his hands to call the servant, arrived at Xie Yunyue's bedroom at the same time. Seeing his excellent calligraphy, flowing freely and expressing his thoughts freely, they couldn't help but applaud and admire it. Zheng Jinwu praised, 'I never imagined that Young Hero Yan's martial arts skills were so profound, and his literary talent was also excellent. It's truly rare.'

Xie Yunyue threw down his brush and laughed loudly, 'Please excuse my poor writing, my first attempt at Huang Tingjian calligraphy is like spring worms and autumn snakes, not worthy of your attention. It was just

a spontaneous impromptu piece.' Footsteps sounded on the floor, and Zhou and Zhao, the two women, pushed open the door and entered. Zhao Lianzhu, upon seeing the scroll on the table, snatched it like a gust of wind, saying with a coquettish smile, 'This is for me. You can write another one if you want.'" "

Miss Zhou's starry eyes shone with eager hope, her cheeks flushed, and she hesitated to speak. Xie Yunyue knew she was too shy to ask for it directly, so he chuckled and said, 'This is nothing special. I'll write a few more for you after the festival. I just want to ask if you've mastered the techniques and footwork?'

Zhou Yue'e giggled and said, 'We've mastered them long ago. Sister Zhao said you've been keeping

some secrets.' Xie Yunyue stared blankly, and Zhao Lianzhu chimed in with a laugh, 'You've only taught us the whip techniques and footwork; you still need a set of sword techniques.'

Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, laughed loudly, 'Young Hero Yan, these two girls are insatiable. I think they won't give up until you reveal your most secret skills.'" Xie

Yunyue knew Zhao Lianzhu was being mischievous, but in a rather endearing way, and intended to use this to get closer to her. He had already fallen for her, so he awkwardly smiled and said, "Fine, fine, fine. I knew you two would be so difficult, so I won't teach you. We can talk about learning swordsmanship tonight. Is that what you want?" The two mischievous girls looked at each other and covered their mouths, laughing, seemingly extremely pleased with themselves.

Suddenly, the bells of the entire manor rang out urgently. Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, shouted, "Oh no! It seems some powerful figure is barging into the manor against the rules of the martial world! Young hero, let's go see!" "

So the five men left the room and, instead of going downstairs, took a shortcut by leaping onto the roof tiles to the east shed. Just as Xie Yunyue was leaping again, he caught a glimpse of several faint shadows—so fast they were almost invisible. His eyesight was sharp; he knew someone had intruded into the back garden. But the several faint shadows didn't all come from the same direction, disappearing in a flash. He let out a soft snort and put on his leather mask.

Hearing Xie Yunyue's snort, the four men stopped and looked at him. Seeing that he had put on his mask, they assumed he had seen something. Wu Fengbiao, the Flying Cloud Hand, asked in a low voice, 'Young hero, is there something suspicious?'

Xie Yunyue nodded and said, 'I'm not entirely sure yet. Please return to the east shed first; I'll be there shortly.'"

Zhao Lianzhu pouted and said, "No way, my sister and I want to go too."

Xie Yunyue had no time for their petty squabbles. After a slight hesitation, he said, "Alright, let's go." He darted off towards the back of the country like a bird. The two girls immediately followed, and Wu and Zheng also rushed towards the east shed.

Xie Yunyue was incredibly fast. When the two girls reached the back garden, they couldn't see him. Glancing around, Zhao and Zhou exchanged glances. It turned out that the ambush in the back garden had been almost completely destroyed by the bandits. They saw the guards lying in the flower bushes, one on the east and one on the west. Zhao Lianzhu cried out urgently, "Sister, hurry! It will be too late if we're any later!"

The two women leaped and bounded, arriving in the blink of an eye at the stone chamber where Xu Yi and the others were imprisoned. They saw the chamber open, with Gu Su and the others laid out before the door. Only Xu Yi remained, leaning against the wall, staring blankly. It was clear the newcomers intended to train Xu Yi and Gu Su, but Xie Yunyue had used his unique technique to strike their vital points, making it impossible for others to undo the damage. Furthermore, the villagers had discovered this, so they had no time to deal with them and had temporarily abandoned them.

Zhao Lianzhu and Zhou Yue'e rushed forward to see what was happening. There were no enemies, but on the ground lay the bodies of Chen Wenhan, Hu Tiansheng, and two other experts from the village. They stared in disbelief, their faces contorted in pain, clearly injured by the pressure point strikes. Zhao Lianzhu turned to Xu Yi and demanded, "Where are they?" Xu Yi's eyes widened in fear, his face a bitter smile.

As the two women were filled with doubt, they suddenly heard someone speak behind them: "Miss, the person is here." Although the voice was soft, every word pierced their eardrums, vibrating loudly, clearly indicating that the enemy's internal strength was superb.

The two women became alert upon hearing the voice and turned around abruptly. They saw three people standing in a row about two zhang in front of them. The one in the lead was tall and imposing, with messy hair hanging down his shoulders and a curly beard. Only two fiery eyes were visible on his face, gleaming with sharp light. He wore an enormous blue robe. The other two were both dressed in feathered robes and Taoist hats, with thin faces. All three groups of long-bearded cultivators had long swords stuck in their backs. The only difference was that one of them had a purplish-red scar on his cheek.

Upon seeing him, Zhao Lianzhu's jade-like face changed slightly. She recognized the long-haired, strange man as the legendary Old Man with the Gray Beard from Tengger Mountain in Xinjiang, ranked first among the Thirteen Evils. His martial arts were bizarre, and people in the martial arts world trembled at the mention of him. However, the Old Man with the Gray Beard usually appeared in the border areas, at most setting foot in the three provinces of Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan. She had never heard of him coming to Jiangnan. His appearance in Zhoujiazhuang this time was probably at the invitation of the Red Flag Gang. The two cultivators in feathered robes and star-studded crowns were probably the Yin-Yang Twin Swords, Yi Qing and Yi Fei, disciples of the Huashan Sect's leader. These two were never separated, always going out together. When they fought together, their sword moves were extraordinary, and they had also mastered the Six Yin Finger Technique, even surpassing their junior brother, the One Finger Demon. However, their skills were overshadowed by the Yin-Yang Sword Technique. Yi Fei had a scar on his face, a well-known mark in the martial arts world, which was why Zhao Lianzhu recognized him.

In this situation, Zhao Lianzhu couldn't help but feel a chill and a hint of fear appeared on her face. Zhou Yue'e, who had never set foot in the martial world, was not only not surprised, but instead shouted in a sweet voice, "Who are you,

daring to commit crimes and injure people in this manor?" The old man with the gray beard glared with his fiery eyes and laughed sinisterly, "Girl, I suppose you are Zhou Weicheng's daughter. I won't ask my name, but if I do, you will surely die. You'd better tell me where the one-finger demon who injured you last night was in Willow Bay, and I will spare you from death."

Zhou Yue'e was so angry that her face changed color, and she said hatefully, "You want to find that person, don't you? Fine, as long as you win the whip from my hand, I will tell you." With that, Yu Wan flicked her wrist, and with a whoosh, the long whip shot out like a sword, creating a gust of wind, and struck the old man with the gray beard on the shoulder.

The eccentric old man with the white beard laughed wildly, "Little girl, you're courting death!" He stretched out his fan-sized hand and reached for the whip tip like the wind. Unexpectedly, the whip tip, like a nimble snake, slipped out of his grasp, retracted an inch, and then automatically turned to point at his other shoulder.

The eccentric old man was greatly astonished. What kind of magical whip technique was this? It could automatically change its attack. It seemed that these two girls would not be easy to deal with. He slightly swayed his body, dodging the whip attack, and reached for the whip tip again. Zhou Yue'e's right wrist twitched and flicked, and a sky full of whip shadows came crashing down on the eccentric old man's head. Even a famous figure like the eccentric old man with the white beard could not see where the whip tip was going to strike.

The old man with the gray beard initially disdained to fight this junior, intending only to defeat her in a single encounter. However, he was

surprised by how difficult the fight was. Even the Yin-Yang Twin Swords were taken aback, their expressions changing drastically. Based on their years of experience traversing the martial world, they had never seen such a mysterious and unpredictable whip technique before, let alone its origin. The old man with the gray beard used strange techniques and movements, advancing relentlessly. His hands moved like lightning, frantically trying to catch the whip's shadow. Strangely, the whip seemed to be alive, making it difficult to grasp. Two or three times, it slipped through his fingers, infuriating the old man with the gray beard. Feeling somewhat embarrassed in front of the Yin-Yang Twin Swords, he changed his palm techniques rapidly, striking with a flick of his wrist. Zhou Yue'e felt a chilling, bone-deep, and incredibly powerful force, making it hard for her to breathe. One move after another forced Zhou Yue'e to stagger backward.

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