【The Tale of the Demon Sword】(Volume 29, Chapter 144)

Chapter 144: Startled Swallows Return, Light Shifts on the Flowing River

On this day, a constant wind blew through Yuepu City, and distant dark clouds, like scales, pressed densely against the city walls. Before

dawn, those opening their shops in the market and those queuing outside the bridges to enter the city were all

bent over by the heavy, damp fog, knowing they wouldn't see the sun before noon. Night would encroach on the day in another form,

whether people liked it or not.

As the most prosperous commercial city in the East China Sea, Yuepu, situated at a strategic point where three rivers converge, had a market year-round.

Even in wind, snow, and rain, it never closed before a flood; even if the western city gate was destroyed by the flood, the eastern and

northern gates would remain open. In the eyes of the people of Yuepu, making a living was essential; only with business could they survive, and to get by,

they had to open their shops and do business. The scene of a sudden downpour and a chaotic scattering of people at a rural market day

was something that never happened in Yuepu City.

But the rain never came.

Along the bridge near Chaoxin Gate on the southwest side, swathes of weeping willows swayed like green waves, and the small boats moored on the shore had all lowered

their flags, their boats rattling and clattering in the wind, the dull, metallic sounds carried away and vanishing in an instant.

The Fugong Canal, flowing into Chaoxin Gate, was no more than twenty paces wide at its widest point,

appearing particularly meager compared to the many artificial waterways connecting Yuepu to the outside world. This was because it was originally built to irrigate farmland outside the city, and the Fugong Canal was the most convenient route for farmers to transport

their crops into the city for sale.

In its early days, Yuechengpu was a bustling market town. Seventeen bridges of varying sizes spanned the

canals , facilitating the movement of residents. Small boats laden with fruits and vegetables could easily reach the bridges, where boat owners

would moor their boats on the stone banks and display their wares under the willows, creating a bustling market.

As Yuechengpu expanded and various water and land routes were opened, the guilds and the city magistrate's government began planning the market

, leading to the decline of Chaoxinmen. Today, most of the vendors are unaffiliated farmers or boatmen who sell

fish and shrimp . The guilds don't bother these hardworking people, turning a blind eye to their hawking. Those who frequent

the Chaoxinmen bridge market are mostly old Yuechengpu residents who haven't changed their ways. Despite the desolate state of the area, some people love the

leisurely atmosphere. A contemporary poem, "Under the willows, white hair often grows; at Chenqiao, fresh fish are sold everywhere," aptly describes the scene.

Chaoxin Gate, which usually closes before dawn, is now bustling with activity. Thanks to the overcast skies,

it , and only a few stalls are still scrambling to pack up and avoid the wind. People hurry by, clutching

their clothes and hair to keep from being blown about.

A woman dressed in white, with a white flower in her hair, carrying a small bamboo basket, walks

across the canal bridge called "Nian'a Bridge." Gusts of wind whip her skirt, revealing her curvaceous figure

. Her long, thick black hair, flowing in the wind, makes her skin appear even whiter than her clothes, adding to

her captivating charm.

The young woman lowered her head, her cheek slightly turned to the side, her thick hair partially covering her face, obscuring her features. However,

her high, bulging bodice, slender hourglass waist, and voluptuous hips

made her a rare beauty even in the most prestigious red-light districts of Yuepu. Her appearance alone was captivating, drawing attention even to women

on the sidewalk .

A middle-aged woman on the bridge stopped tidying up and called out solicitously, "Young lady, are you looking to buy

fresh fish?" After several calls, the young woman finally came to her senses, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her little finger,

revealing a stunningly beautiful face. Although her eyelids were puffy and her cheeks thin, making her appear somewhat haggard, her beauty remained undiminished, accentuated by

a small, delicate beauty mark at the corner of her eye, which evoked pity.

"Fish...yes, do you have any fish, ma'am?" the young woman murmured, her thick, curled eyelashes fluttering slightly,

her mind seemingly elsewhere, blown far away by the wind.

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes, the finest mandarin fish, young lady must try some." She lifted the

dark green lotus leaf covering the wooden bucket, revealing a plump, large silver-scaled fish swimming in the clear water. Its body was bluish-yellow with striped black spots,

its forehead was flat, its jaw protruded, and its snout pointed. The fins on its back had prominent spines, making it look quite fierce.

The young woman squatted down and examined it for a long time, but didn't show the long-awaited look of surprise. She only asked indifferently, "

Is this mandarin fish? How should it be eaten?"

The woman smiled and said, "Young lady, you must not be from around here. This mandarin fish is a famous product of Sichuan. The flesh is firm and

the taste is delicious. After deboning and scoring it, fry it in oil, then pour on sweet and sour sauce, and you'll have a famous dish called '

Squirrel Mandarin Fish.' It's so delicious with white rice that you'll want to swallow your tongue."

The young woman smiled, like a spring flower in full bloom, radiant and incomparably beautiful. "It sounds quite good, but it's a pity there's only one."

She sighed and smiled, "Never mind, I'll buy this one. How much is this mandarin fish, ma'am?"

"One hundred and fifty copper coins will do."

The woman understood her implication—that she thought it wasn't enough—and raised an eyebrow. "Young lady, your household is thriving .

If one isn't enough, I have a few more, all caught early this morning, placed in bamboo cages and soaking in water—they're just as fresh.

Please wait a moment, young lady, I'll be right back." He then rose to his feet.

The young woman gave a soft "hmm," seemingly unconcerned. Her slender right hand lightly stroked the rim of the tub,

causing to dart about, as if threatening an unseen enemy.

Suddenly, a man approached and squatted down in front of the lotus leaf tub, stroking his chin and marveling:

"Oh my, mandarin fish! Sister-in-law, sell me one too!" It was a cloaked, wandering-looking

man with a bushy beard. The cloak and his disheveled hair fluttered in the wind, revealing armbands and leggings beneath, suggesting martial attire. A long blue cloth bundle

slung across contained what appeared to be weapons—swords and knives, but they seemed too coarse and round

to be discernible.

The young woman snapped out of her daze, but didn't get up. She gathered her skirt, pressed her stray hair, and a slightly mocking

smile curved her beautiful lips, as if breathing life into a broken doll. Suddenly, she became alert, her vibrant energy

concealing a hint of danger and wariness—a stark contrast to her previous dejected and dazed state.

"Uncle Hu is buying fish too!" she smiled, her eyes sparkling like peach blossoms.

"What a coincidence. This one is for Uncle Hu, I can wait."

The bearded man laughed heartily. "Then thank you for your kindness, Madam Geng. Hey, sister-in-law,"

he suddenly called out, his bright eyes narrowing into a toothy smile. "How much is this fish?"

The middle-aged woman, who was about to leave, was startled, clutching her chest, and forced a smile, "This…this gentleman…"

"Does the hero also like to eat mandarin fish? I... I have a few more at home, I'll bring them over and sell them to you two."

The man nodded repeatedly.

"Excellent, excellent! Excuse me, my ears are quite sharp, I heard you from afar,

150 coins, right? Sister-in-law, you have several baskets, I'll buy them all!" He glanced at the young woman beside him, her almond eyes wide open, and quickly

added:

"...Of course, after taking a few from this young lady, I'll take the rest. Not to mention the bluefish market, your

mandarin fish can sell for over 500 coins a pair in any bridge market in Yuechengpu. Sister-in-law, if you sell me several hundred catties,

I'll crush the bluefish market in Yuepu. At that time, the fishmonger Crab Eye Gao will have to come begging to me, and joining the

ranks of the five major families in Yuepu will be just around the corner, congratulations, congratulations!" He laughed loudly, as if Huan Yan Gao, the young master of the Huan family who controlled the Yuepu fish market,

was kneeling in front of him begging, full of ambition and the spirit of soaring to the sky.

The woman forced a smile and said, "Oh dear, you're quite the joker, sir. This... how could it be!"

The man laughed and said, "The area between the East Sea and the Central Plains is mostly hilly, with three rivers cutting through the mountains. The waters are swift, and the terrain

is fragmented, which is why we can raise mandarin fish with firm flesh and a fierce temperament. Fishermen catch mandarin fish in winter, and they have to do so in these rugged

hills. They sell them all the way west, and the price drops by about the same as the distance they travel. By the time they reach Yuepu, they're

worth about several tens of coins per catty."

"But this is a spring mandarin fish, a large fish that rushes out of the mountains during the spring fishing season. It's

a powerful

fish that survives the harsh winter, a survivor of the survival of the fittest. It's big, delicious, and not plentiful. Most importantly, it can't be caught in its original habitat; you have to look downstream. If you've only fished for a day, you definitely wouldn't sell a spring mandarin fish at the price of a winter one."

The young woman beside her maintained her squatting posture, which might look crude and unsightly on others, but on her, it was a picture of beauty,

indescribably charming and pleasing to the eye. She rested her chin on her hand, tilted her delicate head, and said with a smile, "I didn't expect

Uncle Hu to be such a skilled fisherman, speaking so eloquently about fishing. Maybe Auntie will see how cute I am and give me

a discount. Why not?"

"Of course! Of course!" the man nodded vigorously. "But she bought this fish from the fish market at the bridgehead in the eastern part of the city

. There's a small 'Zhang' character stamp on the tail, the mark of the Zhang family of grass carp, you can tell just by looking. She

specially bought a fish for five hundred coins, but is selling it to you for one hundred and fifty. Her intentions are sinister, young lady, you must be careful!"

The woman raised her eyebrows and perked up, hurriedly scooping up the live fish and shoving it under the man's nose, beaming

with pride. "Really not! You've misunderstood, sir. This fish is what we caught ourselves, just leftovers. We were just trying to exchange it for some

pocket money . Seeing how pretty and charming you are, I thought I'd make a good connection."

The man looked apologetic and nodded repeatedly, "It was really my fault, I'm sorry, you two. Here, string it on a willow branch

for the young lady, the rest of the fish at home are on me." As if by magic, he produced half a willow branch with leaves from under his cloak

and handed it to the woman.

The woman was stunned, frozen on the spot, and forgot to take it. The man shook his head and sighed, "You

don't know how to catch fish, and you can't even string them together. Did you used to do business here at Nian'a Bridge, selling

fish and giving away wooden buckets?" He snatched the fish, threaded a willow branch through its eye, tied it, and swayed it, draping the live fish over his shoulder with one hand.

The woman, seeing her disguise exposed, turned pale. She kicked off the bridge railing behind her and "whoosh!" cleared over their heads,

landing lightly in the middle of the bridge. She shouted, "Who are you?" Seven or eight passersby and vendors dozing under the willows nearby

got up and gathered around, surrounding the man and woman on the narrow stone bridge. They were clearly the woman's accomplices.

The man chuckled, "Go back and tell your Nineteenth Sister that Hu Yanzhi sends his regards. But if you, Jin Huan Valley, stay in

Yuepu for even a day, I guarantee you won't have a peaceful day. No matter what you do or where you go, you'll always see your

Uncle 's golden face. Madam Geng, with your sharp perspective as a stunning beauty, do you find what I'm saying

cool and memorable?"

"Madam Geng" smiled, "It's just a pity there's a slight flaw. If Uncle Hu were poisoned and rendered mute one day, that would be

perfect." The man shook his head, "The most poisonous heart is a woman's. How could my brother Geng have married such a poisonous woman?"

The young woman's expression darkened, a hint of sorrow appearing between her brows, but only for a moment before she regained her captivating cold beauty,

pursing her lips and saying,

"Nineteenth Sister of Jin Huan Valley, I don't remember ever offending such an enemy. But sending out such disgraceful people,

they must not be respectable figures. When have you ever seen a fisherwoman painting her eyebrows?" The last sentence was addressed to the woman.

The woman was startled and couldn't help but touch her brow, realizing she had already given herself away. Her face turned ashen as she coldly said, "

Miss Fu, I'm sorry, but my master requests that you accompany us to Golden Ring Valley. If you refuse, we will

have to offend you."

This beautiful young woman in white was Fu Chijin, and the bearded man was none other than Hu Yanzhi, the elder Hu. After the Battle of Liantai

, Geng Zhao's whereabouts became unknown. Fu Chijin stayed at Lianjue Temple for over half a month, guarding the digging pit day and night,

hoping Exhausted, she fainted several times and was carried back to the post station by the general's wife, who personally

cared for her. Thus, she narrowly escaped the destruction of the pit that night.

Shen Suyun, feeling sorry for this hard-won companion, insisted on dismissing the servants and taking meticulous care of her,

fearing that she might do something foolish, like committing suicide, due to grief over her "deceased husband." As a result, Fu Chijin could no longer return

to the Zao Hua Courtyard. After waking up and thinking for a moment, he had no choice but to stay temporarily at the Zhuque Hang Mansion.

Li Sui, the steward of the Zhuque Hang Mansion, was very experienced. He told the general's wife: "Madam Geng is actually

a distant relative of Madam Wu from Yuepu. After the battle at Lianjue Temple, the prestige of the Commander of the Guards spread far and wide, shaking the three rivers. Everyone in Yuepu respected him. Madam

Wu then 'lent' this vacant mansion to Madam Geng for her to recuperate."

Shen Suyun was well aware of the sycophantic nature of Yuepu merchants. Her husband was a powerless,

unapproachable someone no one could

easily climb the social ladder for. For the Wu family, who controlled the medicinal herb trade, focusing on Fu Chijin might allow them to gain access to the General of the Eastern Garrison. No Yuepu merchant would pass up such an opportunity. If the roles were reversed, Shen

Suyun herself might have made the same decision. Therefore, she no longer doubted him and moved into the mansion with Fu Chijin. Only in the last few days

did they move back to the post station, but she still visited him daily, needing to see him and exchange a few words before she felt at ease.

Fu Chijin could only use the breaks in between to return to the Zao Hua Courtyard, but unexpectedly, he was ambushed on the way.

The woman flipped her sleeve, revealing two gleaming daggers, slightly longer than ordinary daggers, yet

shorter than short swords. The one in her right hand was longer than the one in her left, its hilt shaped like a bird with outstretched wings, adorned with

ornate gold thread carvings.

Hu Yanzhi glanced around. Including the middle-aged woman disguised as a fisherwoman, there were seven people surrounding him—six women and

one man, all very young. As they stood up and moved, he noticed their long limbs and the fact that they all carried the same pair of long daggers.

He couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive: "Like two birds flying together, bound by the past! You... are the 'Seven Swallows Separated'!"

The woman said proudly, "Master Hu has good taste, you've even heard of our bandit name." Hu

Yanzhi's expression turned solemn, and

he said in a deep voice, "Were you invited back by Cui Shijiu Niang, or were you sent away?" The woman didn't expect him to ask such a pointed question. She paused for a moment, then smiled slyly and said, "Master Hu has a good question,

but unfortunately I can't answer it." With a wink, the six women suddenly stopped, lowered their bodies, and assumed a fighting stance.

Fu Chijin had never heard of the "Seven Swallows Parting to Separate" technique. She had come out for some fresh air, bought some fish and fruit to take back to the Jujube Blossom Courtyard,

and, having brought no weapons, was left to fight bare-handed. Seeing Hu Yanzhi's serious expression, she dared not be careless. Besides, fighting

seven against two was never going to end well. With her back to the door, she pressed herself against Hu Yanzhi and whispered,

"Are these women really that skilled in martial arts? They don't seem that way to me." "

Geng Zhao wasn't very skilled either, so how come you couldn't catch the three of us?" Hu Yanzhi said irritably.

"The 'Seven Swallows Flying Apart' are quite famous on the list of those who buy lives in the Central Plains. Their greatest skill is killing people with

extremely high . Show me what you've got, and don't hold back. If things get bad,

I'll definitely run away and won't save you."

Fu Chijin chuckled, but there was no smile in his eyes. He said calmly, "Don't worry, I won't die here.

I'm still waiting to see him one last time." Suddenly, he heard a woman shout sharply, "Kill!"

A gust of wind swept across the bridge. Fu Chijin felt as if wind blades were slashing past him from all sides. He almost turned around when he heard

a few soft "snap" sounds. A thin, sharp pain came from his left upper arm. Warm, wet fluid trickled down.

The cut that tore his sleeve was almost invisible to the naked eye, but it went deep into the flesh. It was less than an inch away from damaging the tendons in his arm. He hadn't

even seen how the other person had done it.

(So fast... such amazing speed!)

"How about it? Doesn't it live up to its reputation?" A voice behind her was laced with laughter, but Fu Chijin heard a very faint

"drip" sound. Looking down, she saw specks of crimson at her feet. Hu Yanzhi was clearly injured in more than one place, and the

number and severity of his injuries were greater than hers.

—How did these people manage to do that?

Fu Chijin narrowed her almond-shaped eyes and noticed that, apart from the woman, the three people in her field of vision had all changed faces. She remembered them

as three beautiful young women, but now there were two women and one man, all under twenty years old. Suddenly, she realized, "

They're using 'One-Slash Slash'!"

"Good eyesight! It wasn't for nothing that I took a blow for you." Hu Yanzhi laughed,

"Drawing the sword to injure the enemy, taking a life with a single strike, that's the essence of 'One-Slash Slash.' They're extremely fast, only drawing their swords the instant they pass by

us . Moreover, they work in pairs, and your hands, eyes, and body instinctively have to dodge one of them

while the other strikes from the opposite direction. Therefore, every time they switch positions, they can injure the enemy. In the end, the prey can only be drained of blood and

obediently close their eyes to await death."

"Or have their throats cut by one of their swords, and that's it." Fu Chijin laughed,

"How do you know they didn't intend to cut you a few more times from the very beginning?"

Hu Yanzhi laughed loudly. "That's quite possible. They say 'to catch the thief, first catch the king,' so of course we have to take

down the troublesome ones first—"

"Kill!" The woman shouted, and the six swallows swept past, adding three more wounds to the two. Fu Chijin

instinctively dodged the blade wind that was sweeping towards her legs to avoid losing her mobility, so she still had a cut on her left upper arm,

slightly shallower than before, but closer to her tendon. The

fact that Jin Huan Valley sent this group to ambush her was a carefully planned outcome. Her kung fu was not

known for its speed, and the execution of "Blood Ties" required a certain degree of closeness and hesitation. Such a lightning-fast,

shadow-splitting slash was so fast that it was almost invisible to the eye, touching and then disappearing. How could she control them with her strength?

If Hu Yanzhi hadn't intervened, she would have been doomed today.

(Golden Ring Valley, Golden Ring Valley… Why would they go to such lengths to capture me when I have no recollection of this name?)

"Watch out…" Suddenly, Hu Yanzhi's urgent shout pulled her back to reality. "…Here it comes!"

Six astonishing wind pressures swept past, arriving at different times, but not enough to make Fu Chijin's body

react . She instinctively clutched her injured left arm, this time the sharp pain coming from her right waist. She could almost imagine

the person targeting her left arm discovering her attempt to dodge, and then another person behind her silently drawing their sword. She couldn't help but

grit her teeth in hatred, suddenly remembering the well-known weakness of the "One-Slash Slash."

Once it strikes, the attacker cannot attack or defend until they regain their sword-drawing stance!

In other words—

(Seize the opportunity… Now is the time!)

Ignoring the pain in her waist and arm, relying on her previous memory, Fu Chijin leaped towards the nearest "

swallow"! Just one blow could paralyze a "one-hit kill" line of fire...

"Wait...wait! Come back!"

Hu Yanzhi shouted from behind, his voice filled with unprecedented panic and frustration. Then, six gusts of wind pressure once again centered on her,

howling and crushing through her!

Fu Chijin felt like a fish being peeled, weak and powerless against the raging wind. Two sharp

, even deeper and hotter pains, more intense than before, ripped through her back and right thigh. Simultaneously, a series of resounding clangs of metal echoed. Opening her eyes,

she saw Hu Yanzhi leaning on the ground with his broken swords, his chest and waist riddled with gruesome wounds. The most severe injury was on

his left thigh, robbing him of the ability to stand. He could only kneel, leaning on his sword, barely managing to stay upright.

"Are you...still alive?" His voice was crushed and shattered by the howling wind. Fu Chijin felt as if her

body itself was fragmented, impossible to piece back together.

But she wasn't dead.

The "Seven Swallows Parting" technique, known as the Six Swallow Slash, actually involves six people wielding twelve daggers. Each attack line

has two endpoints, and they deliver four consecutive slashes in the instant the attacks intersect. Three of these slashes can be feints, blocking the enemy's

retreat and creating openings. Once an opening is forced, a single solid strike becomes a truly effective attack.

Fu Chijin's judgment at the moment the attack ended was correct. Destroying any one point would paralyze an entire line, but unfortunately,

she forgot that the "Seven Swallows Parting" technique involves seven people.

The middle-aged woman in charge of command saw through her intention the moment she moved and immediately gave the signal to surround and kill her.

Except for Fu Chijin, whose target was too close to her to complete an attack and could only move,

the other five immediately turned around. To compensate for their lack of breath and slightly weaker strength, they attacked with both blades. If

Hu Yanzhi blocked most of the attacks with his two swords and body, the unarmed Fu Chijin would probably have been hacked

to pieces and turned into a bloody mess.

"Now you know... why their disguise was so bad, right?" Hu Yanzhi could still laugh.

"These women are a sniper team, not an espionage team."

Fu Chijin also laughed.

"If they really wanted to snipe, I could have died twice over." She smiled, her snow-white face smeared with blood, a beauty

that chilling. "Sending a sniper team to an unkillable target, is the person at the top a pig?"

"I can't be sure if they're pigs." Hu Yanzhi rubbed his chin, then suddenly burst out laughing, holding up his

bloodied left hand and drawing an exaggerated half-arc in front of his chest. "But she always has

two little white pigs stuffed in here , that's true... Ouch!"

Fu Chijin, who was lying on the ground, kicked him hard for some reason, and said with a smile, "We just

like to bring pigs to the market, does Grandpa Hu have a problem with that?"

How could Grandpa Hu have a problem with that? He wished that every woman in the world would bring two little white pigs with her, and let them out to get

some fresh air ; the ones who had a problem with that were the "Seven Flying Swallows," especially the leader, "Swallow Head" Xi Hongfei. They were originally

an assassination squad directly under the Cui Clan of the Secret Pavilion. In order to increase their experience and at the same time to find out the whereabouts of their master's enemies, they traveled the world as assassins

. Unexpectedly, they made a great name for themselves and became one of the sources of income for Nineteen Niang.

The reputation of the "Seven Swallows of Separation" in the martial arts world is quite subtle: many are

better at disguise, infiltration, and one-hit kills than them, yet they rank lower on the kill-buying list

.

This is because the Seven Swallows' combined attack technique can precisely kill opponents whose martial arts are far superior to theirs, making it most suitable for dealing with self-confident, highly skilled top-tier masters—people that ordinary assassins often cannot handle.

Having been hastily summoned back to Golden Ring Valley, she had expected to be of great use, but instead was assigned to stake out Nian'a Bridge

, just like the other members of the sect. Xi Hongfei felt somewhat uneasy. Therefore, seeing prey

delivered to her doorstep , she was eager to report to her superiors to obtain a kill order and achieve merit.

If they had a blood token, these two would already be dead—

Xi Hongfei gritted her teeth, her jade fingers cracking. Since her debut, "Seven Swallows in Flight" had never

been mocked like this. The man and woman, despite their disheveled appearance and near-death state, not only didn't beg for mercy,

but instead engaged in a barrage of taunts. This made her secretly resolve that even if she had to take them back alive, she would

take another half-life, and see if they could still laugh then!

She quickly made a gesture with her raised right hand, and the six fledglings' eyes sharpened, their killing intent intensifying as they subtly

revealed the wing-shaped tips of their swallow daggers; if the sun were shining, the ferocious steel color of the axe-shaped edges would be reflected. The Seven Swallows' long

daggers were not only double-edged, but the edges of their wing tips were also sharp weapons. In the instant they approached their prey, each person would have eight sharp points

engaged; two fledglings crossing would leave up to sixteen wounds on their opponent; if all six flew past at once, it

would be no different from being sliced into a thousand pieces.

Xi Hongfei's martial arts skills were by no means high, let alone those of the fledgling warriors she trained. They relied

on a superb movement technique derived from the Fox Spirit Sect's lightness skill, eliminating all extraneous elements and focusing solely on instantaneous acceleration in a straight line to achieve

a state of lightning speed. These fledgling warriors could fight at sixteen, and no matter how excellent they were, they could only use this technique until they were

twenty-three at most; after that peak, their speed could no longer be maintained, and they had to be replaced.

This was power borrowed from youth, enough to cut through even the most experienced and composed martial artists. Time is fleeting,

and aging leads to decay—this is an inviolable truth of the universe. Before the Great Dao, who would not yield!

"Kill!"

The piercing command pierced the wind, and the six fledglings, scattered in a ring, vanished in an instant,

rushing towards their target at unimaginable speed. However, this time, the outcome was far more unimaginable—

the group that first swept past Hu Yanzhi froze. He had used his broken sword to weave

between the winged edges of the Swallow Dagger, blocking the two young women's movements. With the two women in tow, he turned and swept away

the second !

The Swallow Dagger, with its sharp edges, was an extremely difficult and dangerous weapon to wield. The four men, caught off guard, stumbled and injured themselves,

falling the ground. One of the Swallow Daggers pierced Old Hu's left side, which he barely managed to trap under his arm. With a punch, he sent the ruthless

young man wielding the dagger flying, then, enduring the pain, pulled it out and leaped towards Xi Hongfei!

Meanwhile, the two who had rushed towards Fu Chijin suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Fu Chijin let go and rolled away to avoid being

injured by the sharp swallow dagger. However, it was during the fall that she secretly took out the "Heavenly Thunder Saliva" hidden in her belt. This transparent glue string, the size of

a soybean , was a gift from the Jade Festival and had always been kept in her personal sachet. She never expected it to come in handy today.

Of the two female swallow chicks who had been tripped, one had her ankle dislocated by the force of her own rush. Fortunately, the swallow dagger had not

injured her body or arm, but she was rolling on the ground in pain. The other girl rolled on the ground and nimbly dodged the sharp blades in her hands. She

was about to get up when Fu Chijin pressed her palm on her back. The "Blood Pulling Mechanism" latent force was activated. The girl turned her arm to slash at her side,

but the swallow dagger in her right hand stopped abruptly in front of the thin, round, concave gourd-shaped blade. With a soft "plop,"

the tip of the dagger in her left hand had already pierced her own thigh. She froze for a moment, a sharp pain shooting straight to her head, and realized what she had seen

was not an illusion. She let out

a miserable scream. Xi Hongfei had never expected that her most proud Yan Chu would be defeated so easily in the blink of an eye. Her mind went blank. Seeing Hu Yanzhi

thrusting at her with a dagger, she dared not meet him. Her slippers twirled and she dodged. Hu Yanzhi and she crossed paths in mid-air,

clearing the half-person-high stone bridge railing and plummeting to the bottom of the bridge.

Xi Hongfei suddenly sensed something was wrong. She turned her head and saw Fu Chijin on the other side, smiling like silver bells. Her hands seemed to be holding something unseen and slipping it

through the openwork of the stone railing. She also turned around and rushed to the railing. She saw Fu Chijin

slide onto the water with a "whoosh," but did not enter the water. She touched the water a few times with the tips of her apricot-colored shoes, stepped onto a sampan that emerged from the bridge arch, and

with a "whoosh!" she withdrew her Heavenly Thunder Saliva. She smiled and sat down, gathering her skirt.

Beside him, Hu Yanzhi lay sprawled out, his swallow-shaped dagger pointed at Xi Hongfei. Though he didn't utter a sound, his face was full of

defiant intent, as if to say, "Come down here if you dare." Xi Hongfei glanced at the swallow chick lying on the ground howling, but ultimately didn't dare to jump down

. He angrily pounded the stone railing and disappeared behind it.

"If Master Hu had arranged this ship beforehand, I would truly be impressed," Fu Chijin said

, showing a rare expression of admiration as she re-examined the bearded man beside her.

"Wait, wait a minute... Ah, so this is what it feels like to be favored by a beauty. Let me

savor it a little longer... Ahh—"

Hu Yanzhi snorted, taking a few deep breaths in ecstasy, then stood up and said seriously, "No, that's not it. I'm

not to lie. I can only say that we are truly destined to meet this treasure ship." He pointed behind him. At the other end of the bridge arch, a

man who looked like a boatman swam to the shore and was pulled up by the onlookers. He looked indignant and kept

pointing and whispering in their direction.

"Master Hu, I think I heard someone shout 'robbery'," Fu Chijin reported

earnestly after listening intently .

"You misheard. He said 'sister'," Hu Yanzhi said, not at all ashamed of lying. "This song is really popular in Yuepu

lately , everyone sings it. Come on, I'll sing it for you."

"Okay, I love listening to songs."

Fu Chijin smiled sweetly, her fair little hand pressing on his arm. Hu Yanzhi suddenly turned his arm, the swallow dagger aimed at his throat,

the sharp tip trembled, and silently disappeared into the oily skin covered with blue beard, a full bead of dark blood gushing out. "

But before we listen to the song, Uncle Hu, let me tell you something, I guess the three of us are talking about Nian'a Bridge, so it can't be considered a chance encounter,

right?"

"Seriously, sister? Playing this hard?"

Hu Yanzhi saw no smile in her eyes and knew this woman was ruthless; he couldn't joke with her. He shrugged and said, "I

've been following you since I entered Yuepu, for quite some time now. Let me make this clear first, I have no interest in you. It's just that my brother

married a poisonous snake, and I need to make sure he won't be bitten to death."

Fu Chijin was struck dumb. She took a few deep breaths, still trembling uncontrollably, fearing she might stab him to death with her sword. She quickly withdrew

the latent power of the Blood-Pulling Technique, her beautiful eyes flashing like lightning, and said coldly, "There's no point in saying all this now. Uncle Hu,

I don't like having people follow me. I'm very grateful for your help today, and I'll repay you when I have the chance; but if there's

a next time , there's no point in talking about it. Do you understand?"

"I came today for this."

Hu Yanzhi untied his long pouch and opened it, revealing the Hidden Edge Knife and Kunwu Sword inside.

"Here, for you."

"...Why?" Fu Chijin frowned, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"These belong to Geng Zhao, and should rightfully be kept by his family." Hu Yanzhi turned his head away, shrugging casually

.

"I didn't come here specifically to deliver his belongings to you. I'm keeping this knife so you can return it to him. Murong Rou dug

several feet into the ground, practically tearing Alanshan's clothes apart, but she couldn't find a single piece of meat, let alone bones. This proves that Geng Zhao is

not only still alive and kicking, but he's also intact. You can disbelieve anyone else, but you and I can't; you must believe him

to the death , and when he returns, return the knife to him for me. That's the first thing."

Fu Chijin didn't reply. The sound of flowing water and wind swallowed her soft sobs, while Hu Yanzhi simply rested his head on

his uninjured right arm, gazing into the distance, leaving her with the entire world he knew.

"And the second one?"

she finally asked after a long while, her voice sounding normal except for a slight pause.

Hu Yanzhi turned his head, staring intently at her, his expression serious.

"The 'Seven Swallows' that attacked you just now were sent by 'Xianzhouting' from Jinhuan Valley outside the city. Jinhuan Valley is

just a cover. Cui Shijiuniang of 'Xianzhouting' is ostensibly a brothel madam, but in reality, she is a spy for the Fox

Spirit Sect. Their goal is probably to extend their reach into the Seven Mysteries, to unify the seven lineages into one, and to achieve a great ambition that

no —Damn! How could they not want to die before saying such things? Just reciting it makes me

want to burn paper money for myself, ptooey ptooey ptooey!" He leaned out of the ship's side and spat, then scooped up some water to rinse his mouth.

Fu Chijin was startled by these words. He was about to speak, but swallowed his words back before opening his lips. He quietly sized up

the bearded man in front of him for a moment before asking, "What exactly is your relationship with the Fox Spirit Sect?"

Hu Yanzhi smiled lazily. "You're a smart man; I knew you'd ask. I have no intention of deceiving you, but I also

don't want to answer. You can only choose to believe me or not. Only if you believe me can there be a possibility of cooperation."

Fu Chijin stroked the smooth ebony sheath on his lap, his thick eyelashes fluttering, revealing a sly

, ambiguous smile.

"Trying to shut me up with this?"

"That depends on what you think," Hu Yanzhi said calmly. "Don't forget, getting me to believe you isn't

easy."

Unexpectedly, Fu Chijin didn't hesitate for long.

"How does Grandpa Hu want to cooperate?"

"The Seven Mysteries Assembly." Hu Yanzhi stroked his angular chin with his thumb, resting his head on his arm, and said leisurely,

"Mr. Ghost wants to put on a grand show of 'Four Directions Urging Him to Ascend the Throne,' and the Seven Mysteries Assembly is the perfect

stage for him to don the dragon robe. At that time, his spies will kneel on the ground like groveling turtles, shouting 'Long live the Emperor!' and who knows, they might even

cry beg him not to refuse, saying they care about the common people, saying whatever cheesy things they can think of. But will the Corpse Wanderer Sect buy into this?

" "Let alone half of it, what if a few refuse to participate? Wouldn't that make them look like complete idiots? No

matter how shameless they are, they can't afford to lose face."

Fu Chijin, with her crystal-clear mind, immediately understood the reasoning.

Before the Seven Mysteries Assembly, Golden Ring Valley will continue to take action against the wandering sects like the Corpse Wanderer Sect until

they submit. The question is: How big is the ambition of Golden Ring Valley... or rather, the Fox Spirit Sect? Even powerful figures like Tianluoxiang,

numerous factions like the Five Emperors Cave, and skilled martial artists like the Southern Underworld Evil Buddha and Wolf Head Nie Mingtu are not to be easily slaughtered or

manipulated. They must be defeated one by one. The grand meeting is less than ten days away; how could they possibly be subdued?

"Therefore, the Corpse Wanderer Sect is definitely the Golden Ring Valley's primary target. We will not give up until we achieve our goal." "

...Because we are the weakest?"

"No disrespect intended." Hu Yanzhi slightly raised his hands. "Just stating the facts."

"I only have one question." Fu Chijin wasn't angry.

"Our sect's location is extremely secluded, leaving no opportunity for outsiders. As for me, my target is more obvious. I frequently

visit the post station and the official residence, and I also have the Vermilion Bird Hang residence. Yet, I never take the same route when I go to the outer sect. Even today's trip to

Xinmen Bridge Market was a last-minute decision. How could the Golden Ring Valley forces have laid an ambush beforehand?"

Hu Yanzhi smiled.

"Does Miss Fu understand divination?"

"Are you referring to magic and sorcery?" Fu Chijin smiled sweetly. "Outsiders always think that the Corpse Wanderer Sect is proficient in unorthodox methods,

but 's a huge misunderstanding. At least none of my three masters are famous for magic, though they might have some knowledge of it, but

I certainly don't."

Hu Yanzhi shook his head.

"I'm not referring to Qimen formations, but mathematics. Such as 'one hundred chickens, one hundred coins,' 'chickens and rabbits in the same cage,' 'borrowing a horse and dividing a horse,' etc.,

using counting rods to calculate and deduce solutions to various numerical problems. Have you heard of them, Miss Fu?"

Fu Chijin smiled and said, "You only know mental arithmetic, right? It's for trading and daily use.

I'm too ignorant to have heard of anything else. Why is your mathematics only for dealing with problems involving birds and animals?"

Hu Yanzhi couldn't help but chuckle.

"That was just a question, not something to actually count chickens and horses. Mathematics is the foundation of Qimen Dunjia, but it is different from

numerology; the martial arts of the Fox Spirit Sect are closely related to mathematics, and one branch called the Secret Pavilion specializes in studying various

profound subjects, especially mathematical calculations." He pulled out a thin book from his pocket and turned to a page:

"In Pingwang, I studied under Cao Wuping, a contemporary master of mathematics and the Director of the Astronomical Bureau, and read arithmetic classics for several years.

This experience was the most miserable of my life, one I can't bear to recall. Guess who sent me there? It was

another master who taught me autopsies, trial cases, and the pursuit of wanted criminals, 'The Saint of Arrest' Qiu Buhuai."

"Old Qiu said that for constables to catch bad guys, skillful capture and agility aren't enough. Often you have to

stake out locations, ambush them, and track and guess their movements. Just guessing blindly is gambling; for something more reliable,

arithmetic can help."

Fu Chijin took the booklet, seeing it densely filled with details: dates, times, routes, destinations, time taken

… a detailed record of her daily activities.

"I don't just follow you like a solar roof. By extracting numbers from these records, I can deduce your usual

routes and destinations. While not foolproof, it's better than gambling. Incidentally: you can also predict

dice games with arithmetic; I won quite a bit back in the capital." Hu Yanzhi, his greedy reminiscence gone,

said seriously:

"The Black-Clad Scholar of the Secret Pavilion is well-versed in astronomy and geography, and his mathematical skills surpass mine by a hundredfold. Even without

my shrinking-earth tracking technique, using half of this booklet to deduce your hiding habits and

patterns, you could roughly deduce your whereabouts. Even if there are ten possible locations and routes, it would only require arranging ten groups of people. Golden Ring

Valley has many men and can afford to play this game."

Fu Chijin knew his words were exaggerated, and although he might not doubt them, he didn't completely believe them either. He smiled and said, "Master Hu just happened

to be there to rescue Nunu. Could it be that you also used counting rods to plan it out?"

Hu Yanzhi laughed and said, "If I'm that good, I'll become a fortune teller. According to my rough estimate, Miss Fu

has several possible places to go today, such as Golden Melon Well, Sweet Water Lane, Old Mei Zhang's House, and Chaoxin Bridge Market. I finished my business this morning and happened to be near

Chaoxin Gate, so I took a detour and just happened to run into them." Turning to the last page of the annotations, there were indeed four place names, including Golden Melon and Sweet Water, written hastily with a charcoal stick

.

Fu Chijin's smile froze on her face.

She had intended to detour through Jingu Well that morning—a place completely unrelated to the Jujube Blossom Courtyard. For

over a month she had grown accustomed to this roundabout route to ensure the safety of her three masters. Even if Hu Yanzhi was a master of sleight of hand and could

secretly write Chaoxinqiao City on a blank page, he could never have guessed

the fleeting thought that crossed her mind as she stepped out of the Zhuquehang Mansion this morning.

"Fortunately…" she forced a smile, as if speaking to herself. "Our sect's stronghold is quite secluded—"

"South of Beijinhang in the north of the city, between the old Huai Li and Tongtuo Mo. Although this area is large, with several thousand

households, it's not aimless." Hu Yanzhi was somewhat apologetic, as if he didn't want to shatter her beautiful illusions,

but he had no choice.

A chill ran from the soles of Fu Chijin's feet to her head.

This area was indeed large, but without a doubt, the Jujube Blossom Courtyard was within it!

If the scholar in black robes was truly a hundred times better at math than Hu Yanzhi, and if they had also devoted tremendous effort to searching for the whereabouts of the three corpses of the Wandering Corpse Sect , never giving up... was it possible that they were always only one step away

from the deadly crisis of the enemy breaking down the door ? 　　Seeing the color draining from her face rapidly, leaving her frighteningly pale, Hu Yanzhi hadn't intended to frighten her like this. He smiled and comforted her: 　　"Miss Fu, don't panic. Fortunately, you're clever and cunning enough—uh, I'm praising you for not overthinking— you've never taken the exact same path twice, so the clues you can deduce are limited. Calculations are certainly honest and detailed , but that's their downside; they can't deduce things that don't exist. 　　"If your actions had more inertia, it would be hard to say. Right now, if I, Old Hu, can't find it , those bookworms in Golden Ring Valley probably can't either... What's wrong, Miss Fu?" 　　Fu Chijin gripped his sleeve tightly, her face as white as a new sheet of paper. "My little master... goes to the same place every day. The same place, the same time, doing the same thing, rain or shine... wouldn't that be considered 'more inertia'?" 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　◇◇◇ 　　The dark clouds overhead beat like war drums, as if they would shake the oppressive blackness to the ground at any moment. 　　The air was so humid that even the low, howling winds couldn't disperse it. Everyone knew that the damned rain was finally coming, and people on all walks of life began to run to avoid getting soaked. 　　Outside Xinhuai Lane, in the side hall of Guachuan Temple, pilgrims who came to practice early morning meditation slipped out in their shoes. Even the girls and women who had been selling incense, flowers, and candles in the corridors had dispersed. In the flow of people, only a plump and graceful figure in pale purple robes walked against the current. When people saw her, they involuntarily made way for her, as if drawn back by her faint, warm fragrance, and they would look at her a few more times before leaving. 　　Guachuan Temple is one of the few Mahayana Buddhist temples in Yuepu. While its religious significance cannot compare to that of many famous ancient temples in the East China Sea, its old buildings are filled with the unpainted, rustic wood, stained a deep black by years of sandalwood smoke, giving it a solemn and tranquil air. 　　Between the old and new locust trees lies the old street area in the north of the city, where the rooftops are all low, undulating like dragon scales. Zi Lingyan's choices were limited. Neither the Green-Faced God nor the White-Eared Demon wanted her to travel too far alone without her baby Jin'er's company. Therefore, Guachuan Temple, with its market outside and Buddhist hall inside, was the furthest she could reach on foot. 　　Zi Lingyan placed her paper umbrella at the entrance of the corridor, fearing the wooden statue would absorb the smell of tung oil. The side hall was empty .

Even the guest monk was nowhere to be seen. Zi Lingyan didn't take any incense from her incense box. She would add new incense every three days, and

today was the day to buy incense.

Returning to the corridor, she saw no woman selling incense, only a slightly hunched man who looked like a beggar squatting on the steps. In front of him

was a tattered lacquered basket containing several bundles of cheap, low-quality incense. Guachuan Temple didn't allow vendors to sell their wares,

but it didn't allow begging within the temple grounds. Normally, this man would have been chased away long ago, wouldn't he?

Zi Lingyan wouldn't allow herself to put a bundle of inferior incense into her incense box, but now it seemed she had

no other choice . As she lifted her skirt to descend the steps, a streak of blue light suddenly pierced through the clouds, followed by a loud rumble that seemed

to shake the entire roof of the side hall.

She murmured to herself, "It's going to rain." Calmly walking away, she saw the beggar's eyes were white and blue; he was

blind. Taking an embroidered purse from her bosom, she squatted down and asked, "Old man, how much are these incense sticks?" The beggar

hissed, "The finest cinnamon, one hundred and fifty coins a bunch." He pointed to the bottom of his basket: "Put the money here. I can hear you;

don't try to cheat me."

Zi Ling glanced down; there were no coins, only scraps of iron. It seemed this man was not only blind but also

hard of hearing . Others had swapped cheap, muddy incense for the expensive medicinal ones, using iron scraps as coins to throw into the bottom of the basket. She

murmured, "Such a corrupt world, even deceiving the Buddha!" She took a small ingot of silver from her purse, placed it in the beggar's hand, and

said softly,

"This is a full tael of silver; I'll buy them all." Then she thought, if people were to take advantage of his blindness and hearing, wouldn't that be letting the wicked benefit

? She sighed, tucked her hand into her sleeve, and took the beggar's hand, coldly saying, "I'll take you to my master to exchange the silver."

At that time, many temples also ran savings and exchange services. She exchanged the silver and instructed the monks to keep it safe for him, providing him with food and clothing daily,

so that no one else could steal it.

The beggar was slightly startled, his feet rooted to the spot, and he shook his head, sighing, "Miss, you are too kind-hearted. I truly do not wish to

harm you. Please do not resist. Come with me to Golden Ring Valley, and my Nineteenth Sister will certainly not make things difficult for you." Zi Ling's

eyes sharpened, and she flicked her sleeve, freeing herself. The beggar, with a "whoosh," aimed his right eagle claw straight at her face—a surprisingly powerful

grappling technique!

Zi Ling's fists and feet were not particularly skillful; relying on her agility, she dodged and weaved, avoiding contact with him. Unfortunately, the beggar was completely

unaffected by her blindness, as if her entire body were eyes. Her arms stirred the wind, her fingers and claws tangled, hooking deeper and deeper into the sleeve of Zi Lingyan.

If she wasn't careful, her left arm would be restrained, and it looked like her joints would be dislocated. She dared not hold back any longer, and with a flick of her forehead, she revealed

her right eye, which had been covered for many years.

It was precisely because Golden Ring Valley had anticipated this that they sent a skilled fighter like "Eagle-Slaying Eye" Nan Puyun, knowing that he had been blind since childhood and

had no eyes to see, so he would not be afraid of the famous "Purple Shadow Shifting Light" technique of the former Blood Corpse King Zi Luojia.

The people lying in ambush around them were watching how Nan Gong would capture this beautiful "Jade Corpse" who possessed both cold beauty and elegance. Seeing that

the eyes under Zi Lingyan's eyes were ordinary, without any eerie pupil color or dazzling light, just a beautiful black and white

eye that was no different from her left eye, they couldn't help but be greatly disappointed. If they weren't on a mission, they might have booed.

Nanpu Yun, who had victory seemingly assured, suddenly froze.

Zi Ling's eyes stared at him, as if a straight

, thin line had shot out from her right eye, piercing Nanpu Yun's blind eye, which was covered by a white film. The pupil's color grew paler and paler until it was completely devoid of color. Nanpu Yun trembled violently,

blood seeping from his nose, eye sockets, and even his ear canals… Suddenly, a scream pierced the air, but it seemed to be pulled into the distance,

abruptly off.

Nanpu Yun, who had been

so dead. His skin, exposed beneath his turban, was a strange, uniform bluish-white, as if

a layer of dark copper mixed with cream had been brushed onto his originally dark, iron-like skin, leaving him utterly lifeless.

Golden Ring Valley had ambushed dozens of skilled fighters at Guachuan Temple, yet not a single one had managed to emerge. Zi Lingyan flicked away

the still-warm fingers of the corpse, slowly turning her head. The assassin hidden in the shadows wanted to turn away but dared not move, fearing to reveal his whereabouts,

and had no choice but to meet that terrifying gaze...

—Even the blind Nanpu Yun could not escape her gaze, what use was closing her eyes!

Suddenly, Zi Lingyan's delicate body trembled, her movements stiffened, and beads of sweat seeped from her delicate,

snowy forehead. Even her usually indifferent face showed surprise. She opened her mouth but could not utter a sound. After a moment, she managed to say with difficulty:

"You...you...are...who..." Her rounded shoulders twitched, and her slender, snowy neck snapped as if it were about to break

. When she looked up again, she revealed an incongruous, stiff smile, and in a

strange tone never heard before, she said to herself:

"I am called Mingduan. I've finally met you, the daughter of Zi Luojia!"

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【The Tale of the Demon Sword】(Volume 29, Chapter 144)

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