The Legend of the Escort Agency

The Great Cheng Dynasty, Nan Chu City, one of the largest cities in the south.
It was afternoon, and the market at the south gate of Nan Chu City was bustling with activity. A group of soldiers guarded the city gate, checking the belongings of pedestrians entering the city and collecting entrance taxes.
"Five coins per person, twenty coins per cart," a soldier announced as a caravan arrived at the city gate.
The caravan paid immediately, and the soldiers let them through. Just as the caravan was about to enter the city, they suddenly heard a shout: "Tian Cheng is mighty..."
"What's going on?" a soldier who looked like a squad leader shouted.
"It sounds like people from the Tian Cheng Escort Agency..." An elderly man in the caravan, who had been doing business in the north and south for decades, recognized the voice immediately.
"Oh...so it's the Tiancheng Escort Agency. You few go and meet them. Although the Tiancheng Escort Agency has a great reputation, the city entrance tax still applies. But please be polite in your conversation." The squad leader then instructed his men.
Four soldiers went to the back of the line to enter the city, and they immediately saw a long convoy approaching. The tallest flags in the convoy bore the name "Tiancheng."
Leading the convoy was a woman on horseback, in her early twenties. Although incredibly beautiful, she possessed a rare and ethereal beauty, without any hint of gaudiness. She was completely otherworldly, like a fairy descended from heaven.
She wore a white, form-fitting outfit that accentuated her figure. Her chest was prominent, her waist slender, clearly showing a shapely figure. The cloak draped over her back added to her heroic and dashing appearance.
The woman at the head of the procession was so eye-catching that the four soldiers were completely bewildered. It wasn't until the caravan stopped in front of them that they came to their senses. Then, they heard the woman say, "I am Bai Yan from Tiancheng Escort Agency, escorting a shipment of goods to the Liu family mansion in the city..."
"Oh, oh, oh..." The woman's voice was like the tinkling of a spring, soothing and refreshing that it left the four soldiers, who had finally managed to react, stunned for a moment. Finally, after a while, one of the soldiers came to his senses again.
Looking behind the woman, he saw four imposing men riding horses to her left and right. Behind them
were four carriages, each with two drivers and four heavy-looking chests. Around each carriage were seven or eight porters, who appeared to be highly trained veterans.
"What? This woman is Bai...Bai Yan, just as rumored, as beautiful as a celestial being..." The woman's voice, though not loud, was clearly heard by everyone at the city gate, demonstrating her formidable strength. The old man from the merchant caravan who had just paid exclaimed in surprise.
"Hey old man...this woman is beautiful, but is it necessary to act like this? Haven't you ever seen a beautiful woman before?" The squad leader, still standing in front of the old man, frowned upon seeing his expression.
"Eh? You don't know her? Bai Yan...the famous Divine Sword Bai Yan, you've never heard of her?" The old man looked at the squad leader with great astonishment.
Seeing that the old man seemed to think it was a big deal that he didn't recognize Bai Yan, the squad leader couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. He shook his head and said, "I've been cooped up in the city for years and haven't gone out much. I haven't heard much about what's going on in the martial world. Why don't you tell me about it, sir?"
Despite his fierce appearance earlier, the squad leader actually had a good temper. After all, the soldiers guarding the city gate were a group of poor, low-class people. He was usually very ruthless when it came to collecting money, but that was only because it was his duty; if he didn't collect, he would be in trouble. Now that he wanted to ask about something, his attitude was very polite.
The old man immediately said, "Ah... Tiancheng Escort Agency is an old brand. The original head镖师 (escort leader) Bai Bashan was a well-known hero in the martial world. However, two years ago, when Bai Bashan was escorting goods, he fought a great battle with the Four Bandits of Jiangxi. The result was that both sides were badly injured, and it seemed that Tiancheng Escort Agency was about to dissolve."
"As a result, Bai Bashan didn't seek help from anyone else. He simply passed the position of chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a term used to describe a person who is very skilled in martial arts) to his daughter Bai Yan, who had just turned twenty, and then he passed away. Later, under the new chief镖头's management, Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency) flourished more and more. Many masters who were no match for the old chief镖头 were defeated by the new chief镖头. Don't you think Bai Yan is amazing?"
The squad leader had heard of Bai Bashan's reputation when he was a child. However, after he grew up, he became a squad leader in charge of the city gate. He had to be careful to his superiors day and night, worry about tax collection quotas every day, and also care about his subordinates from time to time. He no longer had the leisure to pay attention to the affairs of the martial arts world, which is why he was completely unaware of many of the hot topics in the martial arts world in the past two years.
"To be even more amazing than Bai Bashan, that's truly remarkable. But Bai Bashan's daughter, Bai Yan, is only twenty-two years old now. How did she acquire such great skills?" the squad leader then asked.
"Ah... I heard that Bai Bashan, by chance, encountered a strange martial arts master in his early years. Originally, Bai Bashan wanted to learn the art himself, but the martial arts master took a liking to his five-year-old daughter, saying she had exceptional talent, and thus took Bai Yan as his apprentice..." the old man then explained.
As the old man was speaking, the Tiancheng Escort Agency's caravan had already paid the city entrance tax and entered Nan Chu City. Because Tiancheng Escort Agency was large and had many members, even if they cut in line, no one dared to object.
After the Tiancheng Escort Agency's caravan entered the city, the city gate returned to its previous order. The old man from the merchant caravan stopped explaining and led his group into Nan Chu City as well.
Upon entering Nan Chu City, the woman riding at the head of the procession, Bai Yan, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency), said without turning her head, "Yesterday, Master Liu sent someone to say that we should first deliver the goods upon entering the city, and there will be a banquet arranged tonight."
"Yes..." The four men behind Bai Yan, who were actually the four镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency), responded in unison.
The Tiancheng镖局's caravan then went to Master Liu's warehouse in Nan Chu City to deliver all the goods and receive the remaining escort fee
. By the time everything was completed, it was already evening. Fortunately, Master Liu, who had entrusted the escort, had specially booked a courtyard in an inn in Nan Chu City for the Tiancheng镖局's porters and coachmen to stay in.
Bai Yan and the other four镖师 were invited by Master Liu to his residence. According to the servant sent by Master Liu, Master Liu valued this shipment highly, and since Tiancheng镖局 had successfully escorted the goods to Nan Chu City, Master Liu naturally wanted to express his gratitude.
Bai Yan initially didn't want to go to the banquet, but one of the four bodyguards accompanying him, Meng Yao, repeatedly persuaded him, which finally made Bai Yan reluctantly agree.
It quickly became evening, around 7 PM to 9 PM. Bai Yan arranged for the porters and coachmen to stay in the inn's courtyard, then took the four bodyguards to the mansion of Master Liu.
Upon entering Master Liu's mansion, Bai Yan met Master Liu, the person who had entrusted the goods. Previously, Bai Yan had been in contact with Master Liu's servants, but seeing Master Liu in person, he saw that Master Liu was a middle-aged man of about fifty, somewhat short and stout.
Upon seeing Master Liu, Bai Yan frowned slightly, realizing that Master Liu didn't seem like someone capable of managing a large business. However, this doubt was fleeting, and Bai Yan didn't dwell on it.
Next came the drinking and singing and dancing. Bai Yan had experienced this kind of scene many times since she took over Tiancheng Escort Agency. Although she didn't like it, she handled it with ease.
During the meal, Bai Yan only drank a few cups of wine and tasted a bite of each dish, as a polite response to Master Liu's hospitality. After half an hour, Bai Yan prepared to leave.
Upon seeing Bai Yan's departure, Master Liu immediately tried to persuade him to stay, which did not arouse any suspicion from Bai Yan, as this was in accordance with common sense. Naturally, Bai Yan refused vehemently and insisted on leaving.
Finally, realizing that Bai Yan was determined to leave, Master Liu reluctantly changed his tune, saying, "Since Chief Escort Bai wants to rest, I won't keep you any longer. Someone, take Chief Escort Bai to a side room to rest."
It had been mentioned beforehand that after the banquet, Master Liu had arranged rooms in his mansion for Bai Yan and the four escorts. Bai Yan stood up, clasped her hands in greeting, and said, "Master Liu is truly hospitable. It was a pleasure working with you this time. If you need my services again next time, my old customer, the price..."
Bai Yan was about to say a few more polite words before turning to leave, but before she could finish, everything suddenly went black, and her limbs instantly became weak and powerless.
This terrified Bai Yan, and the next moment, she collapsed onto the table in front of her.
After Bai Yan collapsed, the scene was quiet for a long while. After a while, the bodyguard named Meng Yao suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha... Divine Sword Bai Yan, who has never been defeated in two years since her debut, can only lie here and let us do as we please."
"Meng Yao, did you plot against me? Was this a trap you set?" Although Bai Yan was weak, she was very clear-headed. She slumped onto the table and said.
Hearing Bai Yan's words, Meng Yao sneered, "That's right, I arranged all of this. Bai Yan, you didn't expect that, did you? Hmph... No matter how wise you are, you can't guard against those around you plotting against you."
"Indeed, if someone had told me half an hour ago that Meng Yao was going to assassinate me, I probably wouldn't have believed it." Bai Yan then sighed, "But I don't understand, you have a lot of power in Tiancheng Escort Agency, why would you turn against me?"
"What do you mean 'why would you turn against me'? When Bai Bashan was about to die, I wasn't the most senior, I should have been the head of the escort agency. But who knew that Bai Bashan had no son, yet he would pass the position to his daughter..." Meng Yao immediately roared.
Although Bai Yan was slumped over the table, her tone remained calm. She continued, "Back then, when I received my father's letter, I rushed back to the escort agency to take over as the chief escort. I remember you disagreed and even proposed a duel to determine the winner."
"That's right. At the time, I thought you were just a twenty-year-old girl. Even if you had a famous teacher, how much skill could you possibly have? I, on the other hand, had practiced diligently for decades and was a top-tier expert in the martial arts world. But I never expected..." Hearing Bai Yan mention the past, Meng Yao's mouth twitched a few times before he spoke viciously.
"Hmph... As the saying goes, a bet is a bet. You proposed the duel yourself, and you miscalculated and lost to me, yet you're still resentful. You even have the nerve to talk to me here. Unfortunately... you're all my father's old subordinates. I thought that with my father's succession and my proven strength, there wouldn't be any hidden dangers. But it still didn't work out." Bai Yan then snorted coldly.
"Bai Yan...you're in my hands now, and you still dare to talk to me like that? Let me tell you the truth, you've been poisoned with the 'Muscle and Bone Softening Powder.' Not only can those poisoned not circulate their internal energy, but their limbs also become weak. You can't escape my grasp." Meng Yao was immediately enraged by Bai Yan's words and said viciously.
"That's all you've got. You had some backbone back then, but I beat you down and you've lost your arrogance. Now you only dare to use underhanded tricks. I didn't expect that someone in Tiancheng Escort Agency would betray me this time. Otherwise, how could you few poison me? So, the recent series of incidents at Tiancheng Escort Agency, are they all your doing?" Bai Yan continued coldly.
Meng Yao laughed again: "That's right. Back then, you defeated me, preventing me from becoming the head镖师 (chief镖师) of Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency). I had the intention to rebel against you then, but later I discovered that you were not only skilled but also incredibly intelligent, many times smarter than Bai Bashan. Of the nine镖师 (chief镖师) of Tiancheng镖局 (
Tiancheng Escort Agency), only four or five could defeat you, but they couldn't keep you." "In addition, there are still a few people in Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency) who are loyal to Bai Bashan and now wholeheartedly support you. I have no hope of seizing power in Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency) in a direct confrontation. So I came to Nanchu City to set up a plan. This Liu Yuanwai is someone I planted. Hmph... Over the years, following Bai Bashan, I have made quite a fortune."
"Then, of the nine镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of Tiancheng镖局 (Bai Bashan Escort Agency), Liu Tai, Wang Xing, and Wei Yuan are loyal to Bai Bashan, so I didn't bother with them. Of the remaining five, I contacted them privately. Lü An and Yun Dong refused to betray you, so only these three were willing to work for me. And as you know, I used a scheme against Lü An and Yun Dong, and now they're both injured and lying in the镖局 (
Bai Bashan Escort Agency)." "So Lü An and Yun Dong knew about this all along? It seems that although they were unwilling to help you, they didn't betray you because of our years of friendship. It's a pity that you, Meng Yao, are ruthless. So you took advantage of their escort mission to kill and injure them?" Bai Yan interjected at this moment.
Then Meng Yao continued, "That's exactly right... Back then, they weren't willing to help me, so for safety's sake, I naturally had to strike first, lest they suddenly report me to you one day. Now they're all beaten unconscious, probably hopeless for life. That's the price for not helping me." "
At the same time, I secretly robbed Lu An and Yun Dong's two escort missions, causing Tiancheng Escort Agency heavy losses and requiring them to pay a lot of money. As a result, Liu Tai and Wang Xing went out to make money, and then I had Fatty Liu use the goods I robbed, plus the wealth he'd accumulated over the past two years, to place a huge order with Tiancheng Escort Agency."
"So, because the order was so large, even you, Bai Yan, didn't dare to escort it alone. I used some sweet talk, and you brought the four of us here, leaving Wei Yuan to guard the house. Hmph... How about it, Bai Yan, my elaborate scheme is pretty good, isn't it? Now this is my territory, no one will come to rescue you. After I've dealt with you, let's see how I deal with those three guys when we get back."
"It's nothing special, just things I've already mastered. Your success is due to my own efforts, I've never doubted you..." Bai Yan looked at Meng Yao's smug expression and simply smiled coldly.
"Bai Yan, you still dare to talk like that even at this point? Xiao Ba... let Chief Escort Bai see our skills." Meng Yao immediately sneered, then gave an order to the escorts beside him.
"Okay... Hehe, Chief Escort Bai, you love to take baths, you take a long time every night before bed. I've been following you for two years and never had the chance to see it, but now I'd like to." The one called out was Meng Yao's close henchman, Zheng Ba, the lowest-ranking of the nine escorts of Tiancheng Escort Agency.
"Not bad, Chief Escort Bai usually acts like a fairy, always cold and indifferent to us. But in the end, she's just a woman. I wonder what her expression is like when she's being taken advantage of, whether she'll be particularly slutty, hahaha..." The one speaking at this moment was another of the four accompanying escorts, named Deng Xinjian.
At this moment, Bai Yan, having been ambushed, lay sprawled on the table, seemingly trapped in the clutches of Meng Yao and his three companions. Immediately, the four of them began addressing her as "Chief Escort Bai," even louder than before.
Just then, Zheng Ba, leering, approached Bai Yan, his fingers outstretched, aiming for her chest. However, halfway there, Zheng Ba paused, noticing a pool of blood in front of Bai Yan.
"How did this pool of blood get here?" Zheng Ba thought, momentarily stunned.
Before Zheng Ba could process this, Bai Yan suddenly leaped up. A flash of light, and Bai Yan's right hand touched her waist; a soft sword, like a venomous snake's tongue, instantly pierced Zheng Ba's throat.
Since Bai Yan's reputation in the martial arts world is that of a divine swordsman, she must use a sword. However, no matter what, she is always empty-handed, not because she doesn't carry a sword with her, but because Bai Yan uses a soft sword passed down from her master that can cut through iron like mud.
This weapon, usually worn around Bai Yan's arm, was essentially just an ornament. When needed, Bai Yan could simply reach out and pull it out to attack.
At this moment, Zheng Ba, having been pierced through the throat by Bai Yan's sword, was undoubtedly dead. Although Zheng Ba was the weakest of the nine镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of Tiancheng镖局 (Bai Yan's镖局), Bai Yan could have easily defeated him in seventy or eighty moves.
Unfortunately, everyone present assumed Bai Yan was powerless to resist, and Bai Yan, having feigned weakness for so long, was waiting for this opportunity. He went all out, aiming for a decisive blow. This shift in power led to Zheng Ba's tragic death with a single sword strike.
Bai Yan's sudden attack on Zheng Ba, and the remaining three镖师, who had been gloating, now realized what was happening. After all, they were all seasoned veterans.
Immediately, led by Meng Yao, the three bodyguards formed a circle, creating a pincer movement. Meng Yao then shouted, "Bai Yan, you've been poisoned by the Muscle-Softening and Bone-Dissolving Powder, how can you still move... um... blood..."
Meng Yao only got halfway through his sentence before his eyes fell on the bloodstains on the ground. Meng Yao's intelligence far surpassed Zheng Ba's, and he immediately understood what had happened.
It turned out that Bai Yan, upon discovering she was poisoned, didn't immediately circulate her internal energy as she would when searching for someone. Instead, she focused her mind and concentrated her energy.
If she had circulated her internal energy like an ordinary person, the poison would have instantly flowed into her dantian along with her internal energy, then taken effect there, quickly rendering her unable to circulate internal energy.
However, Bai Yan's focus on focusing her mind and concentrated her energy prevented the poison from seeping into her bloodstream, preventing it from penetrating her dantian.
Then, once the poison had mostly seeped into her bloodstream, Bai Yan, while talking to Meng Yao to buy time, secretly moved her left wrist to the soft sword and made a small incision to let the blood flow.
Since the poison had already seeped into her blood, even if Bai Yan circulated her internal energy, it wouldn't attract the poison into her dantian, allowing her to safely circulate her internal energy to slowly force out the poisoned blood.
At the same time, since it was a banquet, the various dishes and wines on the table smelled delicious. Although much time had passed and they were now somewhat cold, the lingering aroma of the food and wine masked the stench of Bai Yan's blood.
When Zheng Ba tried to assault Bai Yan, she relied on forcing out the poisoned blood and suppressing it with her internal energy to temporarily regain some of her mobility, possessing about 30% of her original fighting strength.
In fact, doing this would have poisoned her entire bloodstream, potentially even penetrating her bone marrow, making it ten times more difficult to remove the poison in the future. However, it was precisely Bai Yan's decisive action that prevented her from simply waiting to die.
Upon seeing the bloodstains, Meng Yao immediately understood what Bai Yan had done. He was filled with regret; he had been too overconfident when victory seemed within his grasp.
While Meng Yao was regretting his actions, Bai Yan paid no heed. She unleashed nine more sword strikes, attacking the remaining three bodyguards. Instantly, Meng Yao, Deng Xinjian, and the other bodyguard were surrounded by a blinding white light of swords.
Seeing the approaching swords, Meng Yao, who had been lost in thought and filled with regret, snapped back to reality. He, Deng Xinjian, and the other bodyguard all used their best techniques to defend against Bai Yan's attack.
Chapter Two: Counterattack
. Bai Yan then unleashed nine more sword strikes, attacking Meng Yao, Deng Xinjian, and the other bodyguard from the upper, middle, and lower body. Having already demonstrated the consequences of underestimating their opponent with his own life, the three bodyguards dared not be careless.
Immediately, Meng Yao reached behind his back and pulled out his signature weapon, a pair of hooks. He then swiftly unleashed three attacks with his hooks, deflecting Bai Yan's three sword strikes.
Deng Xinjian, on the other hand, retreated to avoid them. Deng Xinjian was known for his palm techniques, while Bai Yan wielded a soft sword capable of cutting through iron like mud. Clearly, Deng Xinjian dared not use his palm against a precious sword.
The last镖师 (bodyguard/escort), whose strength was considered average among the nine镖师 of Tiancheng镖局 (bodyguard/escort agency), was skilled in the Flowing Cloud Iron Sleeve technique. His sleeves were specially made. Like Meng Yao, this镖师 also launched a series of attacks to defend against Bai Yan's sword strikes.
These events, though described slowly, actually happened in an instant, demonstrating the incredible speed of Bai Yan's sword strike. Bai Yan was renowned in the martial world as a divine swordsman, specializing in swift swordplay. If her strength hadn't been greatly reduced, drastically decreasing her sword speed, Meng Yao and the other镖师 (bodyguard/escort), even with their weapons, would have only dared to retreat.
After Meng Yao and the other镖师 made their moves, they found themselves attacking empty air. At the same time, they heard Deng Xinjian shout, "Not good... Bai Yan used a feint! She's trying to escape... Quickly, stop her!"
It turned out that Meng Yao and the other镖师, preoccupied with their attacks, didn't have the same visibility as Deng Xinjian, who had retreated quickly. After retreating, Deng Xinjian discovered that Bai Yan was also retreating and immediately shouted.
"Damn it..." Meng Yao immediately reacted and cursed.
If Bai Yan were unharmed, she would have been evenly matched with the four镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) in a battle. However, now that she was poisoned, she could only muster about 30% of her strength, making her no match for Meng Yao and the others.
If Bai Yan continued fighting, the best outcome would be killing one or two of them before being captured due to exhaustion. If she were captured, who knows what might happen to her?
Therefore, from the beginning, Bai Yan had no intention of fighting Meng Yao and the others head-on. Her attack on Zheng Ba was merely to distract the enemy and escape. After all, once Bai Yan recovered from her injuries, she would have plenty of opportunities to make a comeback in the future, so there was no need to fight them directly.
As for Zheng Ba being killed by Bai Yan's sword, it was because Zheng Ba was too overconfident. To be honest, Bai Yan herself hadn't expected to kill Zheng Ba so easily. Next, Bai Yan used this opportunity to attack the other three.
What followed unfolded much as Bai Yan had anticipated. Influenced by Zheng Ba's death, Meng Yao and his group's first reaction was to retreat and defend, failing to realize that Bai Yan's move was actually a feint, allowing him to escape.
Master Liu was hosting a banquet at his home, so naturally, there were more than just Master Liu, Bai Yan, and four bodyguards—a mere six people. Many servants were also present, these servants being arranged by Meng Yao.
After all, Meng Yao had followed Bai Yan for over two years, witnessing his skills firsthand. He knew that if he failed to subdue Bai Yan in one strike, he would be in serious trouble. Therefore, Meng Yao had prepared many backup plans. These servants at Master Liu's house were highly skilled individuals whom Meng Yao had recruited and trained over the years, their strength roughly comparable to the escorts of the Tiancheng Escort Agency.
Upon hearing Deng Xinjian's call, Meng Yao's men, disguised as servants, rushed towards Bai Yan. It wasn't that they had only been watching from the sidelines; rather, Bai Yan's actions were too swift. From suddenly killing Zheng Ba to feinting and leaving, it all took only a few moments. Even with their skills, these men couldn't react in time.
In the martial world, Bai Yan was renowned not only for her swift swordsmanship but also for her exceptional lightness skill. To date, she had never seen anyone surpass her in this area.
However, Bai Yan's strength was greatly diminished, and the well-positioned Meng Yao's men—three of whom were already positioned near the entrance—allowed them to intercept her the moment she turned away.
Seeing three men dressed as servants rushing towards her, Bai Yan frowned slightly. After all, she was in poor condition, and killing these three would require considerable effort.
If Bai Yan were to linger even slightly, the remaining three bodyguards would find an opportunity to surround her. At that point, even if Bai Yan had excellent lightness skills, she wouldn't be able to escape, not to mention that Bai Yan was poisoned and her lightness skills wouldn't be as fast as before.
However, Bai Yan, a veteran of countless battles, quickly came up with an idea after a mere frown. He instantly performed a side somersault, kicking his boots off in the process.
Bai Yan wore custom-made small sword boots when traveling as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), these boots being sturdy and durable, reinforced with iron plates in many areas to deflect enemy weapons in critical moments; their main drawback was their weight.
Now, poisoned and weakened, Bai Yan found his previously unnoticed small sword boots a burden. He used them to attack Meng Yao's men while simultaneously freeing himself from the weight, allowing him to better utilize his lightness skill.
The two small sword boots he launched struck two of the three men. These
two were merely second- or third-rate martial artists, no match for the internal force contained in the boots. They were sent flying by the boots, but due to Bai Yan's impromptu attack and weakened state, they were only severely injured, not immediately killed – a stroke of luck.
As the small sword boots flew off, Bai Yan braced herself with her left hand and instantly leaped forward, slashing the third man's neck with a single sword strike, causing him to vomit blood and die.
After repelling two and killing one, Bai Yan successfully entered Liu Yuanwai's courtyard. At this time, Meng Yao and the other three bodyguards had only just begun their pursuit and were still some distance away from Bai Yan. Meanwhile, Meng Yao's other men, numbering about twenty or thirty, began to surround Bai Yan from all sides.
"Hmph..." Seeing the encirclement, Bai Yan merely snorted coldly. Then, she leaped out of the courtyard and used her lightness skill to run away into the distance.
Although Bai Yan had also ridden a horse, since Meng Yao had been prepared, the horse must have been drugged after so much time, so Bai Yan dared not go to the stables to find her horse and escape, only daring to use her lightness skill to flee.
"Damn it... She was clearly poisoned, yet she managed to escape..." Seeing Bai Yan tumble over the wall, Meng Yao cursed loudly. After all, once Bai Yan escaped and recovered, the three bodyguards, including Meng Yao, would be no match for her, not to mention she could go to the escort agency and find three more helpers.
"Don't worry... Didn't we anticipate this situation? Deng Xinjian... Give me Bai Yan's cloak." The third bodyguard glanced at the roaring Meng Yao and simply frowned.
"Here... Fan Li!" Deng Xinjian then picked up the cloak that Bai Yan had been sitting on and threw it to the third bodyguard named Fan Li.
This was the cloak Bai Yan always wore; she had taken it off and placed it aside after the banquet.
"Woof woof woof..." Fan Li barked as soon as he received the cloak.
This wasn't Fan Li imitating a dog's bark; rather, Fan Li owned a loyal dog with a keen sense of smell named Woof Woof Woof. He called the dog over, intending for it to sniff the scent of Bai Yan's cloak so it could follow after her.
Meanwhile, Meng Yao had calmed down. He had always known Bai Yan was a formidable opponent and had devised numerous contingency plans for his scheme. Bai Yan's escape was originally within one of his planned scenarios.
However, Meng Yao's initial plan succeeded, poisoning Bai Yan and leaving her helpless. Despite such a significant advantage, Bai Yan escaped, even taking Zheng Ba with her. This was the key reason for Meng Yao's outburst and psychological imbalance.
Now, having calmed down completely thanks to his extensive experience, Meng Yao immediately realized what was happening and said, "Bai Yan has been poisoned. Although she bled out in time to reduce the poison, the blood loss has made her even weaker. And since she has to use her internal energy to suppress the spread of the poison, her lightness skill is not as strong as before. If we chase after her now, we can catch up with her when she is weakened."
Immediately, Meng Yao and the other two bodyguards, along with more than twenty men, led by Wang Wangwang, chased after Liu Yuanwai's mansion. They pursued him all the way and soon left Nan Chu City.
Although Nan Chu City had a curfew at night, the city gates were closed, and there were soldiers patrolling, both sides in the chase were experts. Even Meng Yao's men were only second- or third-rate figures in the martial arts world. Ordinary soldiers could not stop them. Thus, they left the city without any soldiers noticing.
After chasing Meng Yao's group for about half an hour, it was now the dead of night (11 PM to 1 AM). Led by Wang Wang Wang, they reached a small river.
The river was swiftly flowing, its bottom invisible, and about 30 meters wide. The river stretched as far as the eye could see, suggesting it was quite long.
Upon reaching the riverbank, Wang Wang Wang quickly ran to the edge and began barking. Fan Li, sensing something amiss, went over and found a white outer garment and a pair of white trousers on the riverbank rocks—Bai Yan's outfit.
"Come quick..." Fan Li shouted, noticing Wang Wang Wang Wang had stopped moving by the river.
Then, Meng Yao and Deng Xinjian followed Fan Li's shout and looked towards the river. They immediately saw a bodice on a protruding rock in the river.
Looking further downstream, they saw a sock on a protruding branch, and further downstream around a bend, a pair of underpants. These items undoubtedly belonged to Bai Yan. "What happened?" Deng Xinjian asked immediately. "
Bai Yan must have escaped by using water. Even though Wang Wang Wang's nose is sensitive, it can be affected by the current..." Fan Li thought for a moment and replied, "Bai Yan knows Wang Wang Wang, so she should have known we would use it to chase her." "Even if she escaped by water, what about these clothes? It's hot now, everyone's wearing less, and close-fitting clothes are all about lightness. Bai Yan probably wasn't wearing an undergarment. Judging from the clothes in the river, she's probably naked now." Deng Xinjian didn't entirely agree with Fan Li's answer. "Maybe...maybe...Bai Yan thinks she can swim faster and farther if she takes off her clothes..." Fan Li thought for a moment and said uncertainly. "No matter how long this river is, she'll have to come up eventually. Her clothes are all here. Does she expect her to come ashore naked? Besides, the tight-fitting clothes are lightweight and won't affect her swimming speed much..." Deng Xinjian still disagreed and continued. However, this time, Meng Yao interrupted him halfway through his sentence: "I know...this is Bai Yan's deception. In fact, she has already gone upstream against the current..." "How so?" Deng Xinjian and Fan Li asked in unison, seeing Meng Yao's expression. "Hmph..." Meng Yao immediately walked to the rocks by the river, grabbed Bai Yan's white pants, and threw them into the river. The angle at which Meng Yao threw them was very clever, and they landed right on a protruding rock in the river. The white trousers, after landing on the rocks, only paused briefly before being swept away by the rapid current, disappearing without a trace in no time. Meng Yao then said, "Look... the current here is so strong; if clothes fell in, they would definitely be washed away. How could we possibly see them?" After saying this, Meng Yao picked up a small stone and threw it at a protruding rock in the river. The stone hit the undergarment on the rock, knocking it into the river, where it was quickly swept away as well. "You... there are marks under the undergarment, grooves carved with a sword, which perfectly caught it, preventing it from being swept away by the current." Meng Yao then pointed to where the undergarment had been . "Hmm... that's right. It seems Bai Yan deliberately left a lot of clothes behind, wanting us to think she was escaping downstream, but she probably fled upstream." Fan Li then clearly explained Meng Yao's meaning.

"Bai Yan's clothes are all here, so she's naked, isn't she?" Deng Xinjian immediately said.
"Naked is naked, what's the big deal? There's no one to see us in this desolate wilderness. Don't you know what kind of person Bai Yan is? This kind of thing won't affect her. Anyway, once we get to a populated area, with her skills, stealing a few pieces of clothing will be a piece of cake. Right now, the most important thing for Bai Yan is to escape from us." Meng Yao immediately replied.
"That's right... it seems that's the case. This river is flowing rapidly. If Bai Yan goes upstream, she won't get far." Fan Li immediately agreed with Meng Yao's statement.
"Wait a minute..." Deng Xinjian said at this moment.
"Damn it... why are you so nosy? What is it now?" Meng Yao immediately called out impatiently.
"What if you're overthinking it, or what if Bai Yan deliberately left her clothes downstream to lure us upstream, but actually escaped downstream?" Deng Xinjian simply raised an eyebrow and said.
"That makes some sense. If we split up to track her, we'll inevitably have to separate. Even if we encounter Bai Yan, we might not be able to stop her. It seems Bai Yan is very calculating. There are problems with which way we go or whether we split up..." Fan Li thought about Deng Xinjian's words and nodded.
"How about this... Fan Li, you take some men upstream, Deng Xinjian, you take some men downstream. I'll wait here. When you spot Bai Yan, immediately use a signal arrow to send a message. This way, I'll provide support from the middle. No matter which direction she runs, I can get there as quickly as possible with my men. As long as there are two of us, we should be able to stop Bai Yan, whose condition is deteriorating, from escaping." Meng Yao then said, his eyes darting around.
"Okay... let's do it that way..." This time, Deng Xinjian had no objections. He immediately led eight or nine men and chased after her downstream along the stream.
So Fan Li also led Wang Wangwang and eight or nine men and chased after her upstream.
Soon, both groups disappeared, leaving only Meng Yao with eight or nine men, who remained to wait.
After a while, about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Meng Yao's men began to grow impatient. Meng Yao shook his head inwardly, knowing that he had spent too much time training them; their patience couldn't compare to that of the seasoned escorts from the Tianchang Escort Agency.
Four of the eight or nine men glanced at Meng Yao, and seeing that they hadn't been reprimanded, slowly moved aside and sat down to rest. Although Meng Yao didn't outwardly show anger, he had other plans in mind.
Meanwhile, Meng Yao's men had been waiting for news from Deng Xinjian and Fan Li for some time. As time passed, they gradually became distracted, revealing their weak mental fortitude and second- or third-rate combat skills. With eight or nine men distracted and Meng Yao preoccupied with his own thoughts, no one noticed what was happening by the river.
Then, the two people sitting by the river suddenly screamed in agony. This caused Meng Yao and the others to turn towards the riverbank. The next moment, Meng Yao shouted, "Bai Yan! What are you doing here?"
"Why can't I be here?" Standing by the river was Bai Yan, and beside her were the two of Meng Yao's men she had just killed.
Bai Yan stood by the river, completely naked, with nothing to cover her except her right hand, which gripped her soft sword. Because she was naked, her beautiful body was on full display. Bai Yan
's long hair was draped over her shoulders, with water droplets still dripping from it, indicating that she had been hiding underwater to avoid being seen by Wang Wang Wang and the others.
Following her hair down, one could see her smooth, delicate shoulders and collarbones. Because Bai Yan's skin was very fair, it looked exceptionally beautiful. Below that, of course, were her breasts.
Bai Yan was now unclothed, allowing for a clear view. Her breasts, while firm, weren't particularly large; each breast was roughly the size of a C-cup, too small for an adult man to grasp with one hand. However, their shape was beautiful—upturned, round, and erect, with incredibly pink nipples.
Next, Bai Yan's waist was remarkably slender, yet not weak; the skin was firm, fair, and elastic, and her abdomen was perfectly flat, creating a pleasing aesthetic. While her
buttocks weren't visible from the front, a slight side view revealed them to be round, upturned, and free of any excess fat.
Moving downwards, Bai Yan's legs were also remarkably straight, with no excess fat on her thighs and thin calves. Combined with her fair skin, they were truly a pair of perfect jade-like legs.
Between Bai Yan's legs was a thick layer of black hair, indicating that she didn't usually shave. This pubic hair provided cover, allowing her to stand with her legs slightly apart without worrying about being seen.
Finally, there were Bai Yan's bare feet. Anyone with a foot fetish would be captivated by them; her feet were not only white but also pinkish, free of any calluses or dead skin, and possessed beautiful curves.
Even standing barefoot, Bai Yan's internal energy circulation prevented any dirt from leaving a mark on her feet. This wasn't due to misusing her internal energy, but rather a side effect of a martial artist circulating their power.
Bai Yan's beautiful body, combined with her stunning appearance, further fueled the imagination. Her already beautiful face and ethereal气质, paired with her white attire, made her seem like a celestial being.
She still possessed the same appearance, even her ethereal气质 remained unchanged, but now, naked, she exuded an alluring charm, like a fairy descending to earth to tempt all beings, arousing an even stronger desire to conquer in those who saw her.
Bai Yan's appearance left Meng Yao's men speechless, drooling, and even Meng Yao himself felt a fleeting impulse to rush over and brutally ravage her.
Fortunately, a flash of light caught his eye; it was Bai Yan's soft sword reflecting the moonlight, shining directly into Meng Yao's eyes.
Startled by the flash of light, Meng Yao immediately sobered up, realizing that if he impulsively lunged forward now, he would surely be stabbed to death by Bai Yan's sword. He composed himself and said, "Bai Yan... so you didn't run away, but instead hid in the water. However, you're completely naked now, and we've seen you naked."
"So what if we saw you? Meng Yao, do you think you'll live to see the sun again?" Bai Yan said as she walked forward after Meng Yao finished speaking. "Subconsciously, you all thought I was going to run away, but unfortunately, it's a dead end. Escape is definitely out of the question. The only chance of survival is to find an opportunity to fight back. I'll find that chance by killing you..."
After saying this, Bai Yan took four steps forward. As soon as she finished speaking, she flicked her soft sword and stabbed at the three closest of Meng Yao's men. In an instant, these three screamed as Bai Yan killed them.
Chapter Three: Slaughter.
After killing five people in a row, Bai Yan, without even panting, lightly touched the ground with her bare feet and charged towards Meng Yao.
Hearing the screams of three dead men, Meng Yao was horrified. Fortunately, he remembered that Bai Yan was poisoned, and the longer he could hold out, the better for him.
Then, seeing Bai Yan charging towards him, Meng Yao shouted, "Kill!"
He swung his hands, his two double hooks flashing with countless silver flecks under the moonlight. In an instant, he unleashed three attacks, protecting his upper, middle, and lower body.
Seeing Meng Yao's defenses, Bai Yan remained calm. Midway through her attack, she suddenly flipped, changing the direction of her sword from Meng Yao to one of his men.
The next moment, Bai Yan's sword plunged into the throat of Meng Yao's subordinate. The subordinate died instantly, eyes wide open, before he could even scream.
"What are you still doing... Go! Kill her, or we'll all die!" After unleashing three attacks, Meng Yao noticed Bai Yan had changed her target and roared at his two remaining men.
Bai Yan had already killed four more men after reaching the riverbank. Even with Bai Yan's speed and the poor mental fortitude of Meng Yao's men, the two remaining men finally reacted.
Upon hearing Meng Yao's command, they each shouted and charged at Bai Yan with their weapons. Meanwhile, Meng Yao quietly turned and swam upstream.
This was because after two years of serving under Bai Yan, Meng Yao had subconsciously developed a deep fear of her. If it weren't for his innate greed and desire to become the head镖师 (chief镖师) of Tiancheng镖局 (Tiancheng Escort Agency), he would never have considered rebelling.
Meng Yao had meticulously prepared for nearly two years, finally suppressing his fear of Bai Yan. When he suddenly attacked, Bai Yan seemed about to fall into his grasp, but she managed to lead a counterattack, killing one of the four镖师.
Even though Meng Yao had a significant advantage and led his men in pursuit, he ended up facing Bai Yan alone. This situation gradually caused the fear of Bai Yan that had been suppressed in Meng Yao's heart to resurface.
Therefore, Meng Yao had no intention of fighting Bai Yan. He only wanted two of his men to hold Bai Yan off while he went upstream to find Fan Li and seek his help.
According to the three镖师's original calculations, Bai Yan had used a water escape technique, meaning he could travel a long distance downstream using the current, allowing Deng Xinjian to search carefully.
However, going upstream required going against the current, which was much slower. Therefore, Fan Li, with Wang Wangwang and eight or nine others, would search more nearby. Thus, it would be much easier for Meng Yao to find Fan Li upstream than downstream to find Deng Xinjian.
Meng Yao ordered his two men to charge forward while he retreated. This seemed slow, but it happened in an instant. Because their backs were to Meng Yao, his two men were completely unaware of this sudden change.
As for Bai Yan, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye and immediately sneered, "Meng Yao...where do you think you're going!"
Having experienced countless battles, Bai Yan understood Meng Yao's intentions and naturally wouldn't let him join forces with Fan Li. After all, Bai Yan's condition was deteriorating, and if two bodyguards joined forces, she truly couldn't win.
Immediately, Bai Yan swung her soft sword forward in a sweeping motion. This sweeping motion didn't rely on technique or internal energy; it was purely about using the sharpness of the soft sword to block Meng Yao's two subordinates.
Sure enough, Meng Yao's two subordinates wouldn't risk their lives against Bai Yan. Seeing the sword tip flash, they withdrew their attacks and retreated, wanting to wait for Bai Yan's move to wear off before continuing their attack.
Seeing the two Meng Yao's subordinates pause, Bai Yan, without waiting for her move to finish, channeled her internal energy into her left hand and instantly struck her right hand. At the same time, Bai Yan's right hand adjusted its angle, aiming precisely at Meng Yao.
Then, Bai Yan's soft sword, empowered by the internal energy in her left hand, shot out like an arrow, passing between Meng Yao's two subordinates and hurtling towards Meng Yao.
Meng Yao had only taken a few steps when he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him and turned around.
What he saw was alarming; he saw Bai Yan's soft sword hurtling towards him.
Meng Yao had experienced the sharpness of Bai Yan's soft sword firsthand, so without thinking, he raised his double hooks to block. He heard a "clang" as his left hook was severed by the sword.
Bai Yan's sword continued its momentum, but because Meng Yao's left and right hands were raised at different heights, this time the sword didn't sever his right hook, instead passing just beside the hilt.
Even though it was just a slight pass past the hook's hilt, whether it was bad luck for Meng Yao or good luck for Bai Yan, the sword sliced off all four fingers of Meng Yao's right hand. Meng Yao screamed in agony, his
right hand loosening its grip, and the hook fell to the ground. "Ah! Bai Yan, you bitch, I'll fight you to the death..." Meng Yao cried out again, picking up the hook with his left hand and charging towards Bai Yan, no longer intending to escape.
"Now you know how to fight to the death... too late." Bai Yan sneered as she watched Meng Yao charge, and the two clashed instantly. After Bai Yan and Meng Yao started fighting
, Meng Yao's two henchmen looked at each other, unsure what to do.
They weren't stupid; turning around and seeing Meng Yao's position, they immediately realized that he had actually been trying to escape, using them as cannon fodder.
While the two henchmen hesitated, the battle between Bai Yan and Meng Yao changed again.
Although Meng Yao was wielding a weapon, he was using a hook in his left hand, which was less effective than using a hook in his right. Even those who wield hooks with both hands primarily use the right hook for offense, while the left is used to cover weaknesses.
Now, with blood gushing from Meng Yao's right hand, he had almost no fighting ability, only his left hand could barely make a move. Thus, Meng Yao's fighting strength was at least 30-40% of its original power.
Bai Yan, on the other hand, although empty-handed and with less than 30% of her internal energy remaining (the rest was used to suppress the spread of poison), gradually gained the upper hand in the fight against Meng Yao.
After all, the difference in strength between Bai Yan and Meng Yao was originally quite significant. In a serious fight, Bai Yan could defeat Meng Yao within a hundred moves. Now, with both sides at around 30% of their strength, Bai Yan's advantage became apparent.
While Bai Yan was renowned in the martial world for her fast swordsmanship and lightness skills, her other skills were also quite formidable. Her palm techniques and fist techniques were above average. Even without her soft sword, she could still outmaneuver Meng Yao with her lightning-fast lightness skills, leaving him overwhelmed and unable to defend himself.
Both were fighting with lightning speed, and after thirty moves, Meng Yao's two subordinates were still stunned. Suddenly, Meng Yao, feeling suppressed, shouted, "Are you two courting death? If this bitch Bai Yan kills me, you won't survive either..."
Hearing Meng Yao's shout, one of the two men immediately thought it made sense. He roared and charged towards the battlefield between Bai Yan and Meng Yao.
The other, still hesitant because of Meng Yao's earlier desertion and use of them as cannon fodder, remained undecided.
Another person joined the battle, but Bai Yan remained calm. Before that person arrived, she suddenly used her hands in rapid succession, dazzling Meng Yao.
Then Meng Yao felt a sudden lightness in his left hand; Bai Yan had snatched his right hook in an instant.
After taking the hook, Bai Yan retaliated with a swift strike, pinning the throat of the charging man.
The man, who had tried to rush into the fray, rolled his eyes back and collapsed dead in disbelief.
In fact, after thirty moves, Bai Yan had pretty much figured out Meng Yao's left-hand attack patterns. Since Meng Yao didn't use his left hand, he relied on only a few moves, unlike his right hand which was more versatile. This gave Bai Yan an opening.
Just as Bai Yan was about to deliver the killing blow, someone rushed in to die, and Bai Yan dealt with him easily.
With one strike dead, Bai Yan retaliated with a palm strike to Meng Yao's chest, causing him to cough up blood, which splattered all over Bai Yan, staining her two snow-white breasts red.
Immediately after taking the blow, Meng Yao collapsed to the ground, unable to muster any more internal energy. It was because of that blow that Bai Yan had shattered Meng Yao's heart meridian. If he didn't receive treatment, he would die within half an hour at most.
After defeating Meng Yao, Bai Yan picked up her soft sword and returned to Meng Yao. With Meng Yao pleading in his eyes, she severed his throat, ending his life.
Only after killing Meng Yao did Bai Yan breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of ease.
This was only a temporary solution; although she had expelled some of the poison through bloodletting, allowing her to retain some strength, it was merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.
The "muscle-softening and bone-dissolving powder" in Bai Yan's blood would continue to spread, eventually causing her to become weak and powerless.
If Bai Yan lost her strength, even her deep internal energy would be useless. Internal energy can only enhance physical strength, not replace the flow of blood and qi; for example, no matter how much internal energy is injected into a corpse, it won't move.
When Bai Yan escaped Liu Yuanwai's mansion, she only used her internal energy to suppress the poison and prevent its spread, leaving her with only about 30% of her internal energy, enough to fight. Bai Yan also knew that continuing to flee was not a solution; constant escape would only exhaust her internal energy, leading to her capture by Meng Yao and his men.
Therefore, when she reached the riverbank, Bai Yan deliberately created a diversion, causing Meng Yao and his men to split up, allowing her to defeat them one by
one. In truth, given Bai Yan's condition at that time, she wasn't confident she could kill any of the three镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) in a short time, but she had no other choice but to take this gamble.
When Meng Yao was isolated, Bai Yan made her move. Due to Bai Yan's years of accumulated prestige, Meng Yao dared not face her alone, and was also unlucky enough to be greatly weakened by Bai Yan's flying soft sword, allowing Bai Yan to succeed in the end.
Although he had killed Meng Yao, Bai Yan dared not relax for a moment. After all, there were still two bodyguards, Fan Li and Deng Xinjian, who could return at any time. Even though the ringleader had been eliminated, Fan Li and Deng Xinjian had already shown signs of rebellion. Both sides knew it was a fight to the death, and there was no room for maneuver.
After a while, Bai Yan turned around and saw that the
last of Meng Yao's men was already paralyzed with fear on the ground. This last man had been torn between fleeing to find someone else or helping Meng Yao attack Bai Yan.
Before he could make a decision, Bai Yan had already killed the other man who had gone to help, and even killed Meng Yao. This man was terrified.
Now, paralyzed on the ground, he was still hoping that Bai Yan would forget about him. But after a while, he saw Bai Yan turn around and look at him. He immediately cried out in fear, "I...I...I didn't do anything in the end. Please let me go, Chief Bodyguard Bai."
"You should have seen my body earlier, right?" Bai Yan looked at the last man and smiled.
"Look, look... I've seen it all..." Bai Yan's upper body was stained with blood in many places. Her originally snow-white breasts were now red and white after being stained with blood, giving them an eerie beauty. Seeing Bai Yan like this, the last man stammered in response.
Actually, there was no need to ask. Bai Yan hadn't covered her entire body at all, so she had definitely been seen. Therefore, the last man dared not say "I didn't see it," because that wouldn't lie.
So Bai Yan continued with a smile: "Since you've seen it all, then I won't let you off the hook."
Then Bai Yan walked over and killed the last man with a single sword strike.
This was the first time in Bai Yan's life that so many men had seen her body. Naturally, Bai Yan was furious. However, having managed to make Tiancheng Escort Agency even more prosperous in just two years, she certainly knew the importance and urgency of the matter.
The real concern for Bai Yan now was avoiding being captured and humiliated by Meng Yao and his men. Having her body seen was a minor matter; allowing other men to see her body would ultimately help her resolve the crisis. Even though she disliked it, she was willing to do it, as a woman of the martial world was often quite open-minded.
Moreover, Bai Yan had decided while undressing to kill all the men who had seen her body. That way, even if Meng Yao and his men had gotten a feast for their eyes, they would still die in the end, making their viewing pointless. This would also bring Bai Yan some peace of mind.
Since this last man had seen her body, Bai Yan certainly wouldn't let him go. Besides, her crisis wasn't over yet, and two bodyguards could return at any time; Bai Yan naturally wouldn't let anyone who might betray her escape.
After killing everyone, Bai Yan felt dizzy. Her condition was already poor, and it was remarkable that she had managed to hold on until now. Then, Bai Yan moved Meng Yao's body to a nearby grove and arranged things to create the illusion that Meng Yao had been killed there.
Then Bai Yan went to the rocks by the river and picked up her white outer garment, which she had left there, and put it on.
Originally, Bai Yan had placed her outer garment and trousers on the rocks to attract Meng Yao and the others' attention, so they would discover her arrangement downstream. Also, she wanted to have clothes to wear after she went ashore, as she wasn't used to running around naked.
However, Meng Yao had thrown her white trousers into the river, leaving Bai Yan only wearing her outer garment, her two straight, snow-white thighs still exposed.
Furthermore, because Bai Yan's outer garment was a close-fitting garment designed for combat, it was very short, basically only reaching below her waist. Her legs and buttocks were largely uncovered, but even so, having clothes was better than having none.
Bai Yan then lay in ambush beside Meng Yao's corpse, slowly recovering her internal energy while waiting quietly.
After waiting for a while, she heard voices approaching; it was Fan Li, who had gone upstream, returning with his men.
"We've searched so many places, but Bai Yan still hasn't been found. Going upstream against the current, she couldn't have gone very far. Since we can't find her, she definitely didn't escape upstream... What?" Fan Li's voice gradually drifted over; he was analyzing with those around him where Bai Yan might be. Then Fan Li saw a pile of corpses.
"Master Fan... what happened?" Immediately, one of the nine men beside Fan Li asked.
"Good... good Bai Yan! After death comes life. She didn't go anywhere; she's been right beside us all along. A brilliant plan... a brilliant plan!" Fan Li exclaimed in surprise, then roared to the sky.
"Master Fan, what are you saying? We don't understand!" the man who had asked earlier asked again.
Then Fan Li sneered and said, "Hmph... When we were discussing countermeasures here, Bai Yan should have been hiding in the river. Those things downstream were indeed illusions she set up. It's a pity... we didn't expect Bai Yan to be so brave, otherwise she would already be ours."
"If we had fallen for her trick and chased downstream, Bai Yan could have escaped upstream; if we thought we had seen through her scheme and chased upstream, she would have escaped downstream; if we had argued and split up, leaving no one to guard this place, Bai Yan would have returned the way she came; and leaving someone to guard this place has led to the current situation, where she came out and killed everyone who stayed behind..."
Actually, Bai Yan's scheme wasn't particularly sophisticated; an outsider could easily figure it out. However, if someone involved suddenly gets stuck in a rut and can't think of certain things, tragedy can easily ensue.
Now, seeing the corpses on the ground, Fan Li naturally realized what was going on immediately, but it was too late for him.
"Master Fan, where is Bai Yan now? Is she still hiding in the river?" Upon hearing Fan Li's explanation, the man who spoke immediately looked towards the river.
"How could she possibly be hiding there now? But Deng Xinjian and I were blocking her way upstream and downstream. She must have escaped by the same route. Now that she's inside Nan Chu City, she can just find a place to hide and we'll never find her again..." Fan Li shook his head after hearing the man's words.
"She ran back the way she came, so let's use the 'Woof Woof Woof' to search..." the first man suggested.
"There's blood everywhere, the stench of blood is everywhere, it's all masked by Bai Yan's scent. Even though Woof Woof Woof has a keen nose, it won't be able to find Bai Yan in this situation. It's a pity... she still managed to fight her way out despite such a favorable situation. Go find Deng Xinjian and call him over." Fan Li sighed and said.
Hearing Fan Li's words, the nine men beside him were also very discouraged. After all, they had prepared for a long time, worked hard for most of the night, and ultimately failed to achieve their goal. Instead, they had lost many lives and made a powerful enemy. This feeling would not be pleasant for anyone.
Then three people ran downstream, while Fan Li directed the remaining six to begin moving the body.
"Where's Meng Yao's body?" After a while, everyone realized that Meng Yao's body was gone.
"Look, there it is..." A search ensued, and soon someone spotted Meng Yao's body in the woods.
"Go and carry it over," Fan Li immediately ordered.
Two people went over to try and lift Meng Yao's body, but as they were lifting, Bai Yan reached out from the shadows, placed her hand on Meng Yao's body, and secretly channeled her inner strength, using the force of a thousand-pound weight, making it impossible for the two men to lift Meng Yao's body even after several attempts.
Because it was the dead of night, almost the darkest time of day, the two men did not notice Bai Yan's hand reaching out from the shadows. Immediately, one of them shouted, "Master Fan... we can't lift Master Meng's body."
"How is that possible? Let me take a look..." Fan Li then walked into the woods, looked at Meng Yao's body, and frowned.
Then Fan Li slowly walked to Meng Yao's corpse, intending to test whether, as the two men had said, Meng Yao's body couldn't be lifted.
Suddenly, a flash of sword light appeared. Before Fan Li could react, a sword struck his throat. Bai Yan had struck, piercing Fan Li's throat with a single blow, the tip protruding from the back of his neck.
"You...you...you didn't..." Fan Li stared in disbelief at Bai Yan, who suddenly appeared before him, wearing only her outer garment and covered in blood. He struggled to speak, but died before uttering a few words.
"Since you all thought I hadn't left before, why didn't you think of me this time? I was actually right here..." Bai Yan said calmly, looking at Fan Li's corpse.
After killing Fan Li, Bai Yan quickly killed the remaining six men. Having finished
off everyone, Bai Yan sat by the river, quietly waiting for Deng Jianxin to return. This time, she wasn't going to hide; she wanted to face the last镖师 (bodyguard/escort) head-on.
Chapter Four: Starting Anew
It is said that, given Fan Li's true strength, it would be virtually impossible for Bai Yan to defeat Fan Li within a hundred moves, let alone kill him. If Bai Yan were to fight Fan Li head-on, he might not be able to kill him even by the time Deng Xinjian returned.
Although Bai Yan could have simply left, ignoring Fan Li and Deng Xinjian, he wouldn't have anywhere to stay even after returning to Nan Chu City. After all, he didn't know how many of the remaining porters and coachmen could be trusted. If he rashly returned and was accidentally defeated by the henchmen, it would be a huge embarrassment.
Having reached the peak of his momentum after killing Meng Yao, Bai Yan decided to stay and continue the ambush. He then arranged the scene and secretly stood guard beside Meng Yao's corpse.
Bai Yan had completely concealed his aura, slowly preparing his ultimate attack from the moment he hid beside Meng Yao's corpse. By the time Fan Li entered Bai Yan's sword range, Bai Yan had been preparing for a long time, allowing him to unleash that incredibly powerful strike.
This strike could only be delivered under such circumstances; in actual combat, the back-and-forth exchanges leave no room for such a long preparation.
Furthermore, Bai Yan was able to strike Fan Li with a single blow because, despite following Bai Yan for a long time, Fan Li still lacked understanding of him. Therefore, Fan Li was caught off guard, and despite possessing the skills of a top-tier martial arts master, he could only suffer a humiliating death at Bai Yan's hands.
Moreover, although Bai Yan killed Fan Li with a single sword strike, seemingly effortlessly, Fan Li was actually the most exhausting enemy she had fought since being poisoned. The energy she expended fighting Meng Yao was far less than killing Fan Li. Of course, in battles, Bai Yan expended physical and internal energy, but killing Fan Li drained her stamina.
After killing Fan Li, Bai Yan openly waited for Deng Xinjian to return. Since Deng Xinjian had gone downstream along the stream, he had chased him quite a distance.
The three people searching for Deng Xinjian ran for a long time before finally finding him, and then they all rushed back. This round trip took a considerable amount of time, during which Bai Yan's expended energy gradually recovered.
Even Deng Xinjian was surprised that Bai Yan was still in the same spot, and had even killed Fan Li, so his return journey was not a rapid one.
After chasing Bai Yan all night, Deng Xinjian and his men were exhausted. The failed pursuit and the loss of many lives had also dampened their spirits. When Deng Xinjian returned with his men, they were utterly drained, and their slow pace caused a significant drop in morale.
When Deng Xinjian finally returned to the place where he had parted ways with Meng Yao and Fan Li, he saw Bai Yan sitting by the river in the distance, and he was utterly astonished.
Bai Yan, whose energy and stamina had almost fully recovered after waiting so long, although her internal energy had decreased significantly to less than 20%, hadn't been weakened much by killing two people.
Although Deng Xinjian had twelve men with him, they were no match for Bai Yan. Bai Yan used her lightness skill, relying on her fast sword and speed to kill all twelve of Deng Xinjian's men.
Then Bai Yan slowly engaged Deng Xinjian in a war of attrition. After about 150 moves, Bai Yan finally found an opening in Deng Xinjian's defenses and killed him with a single sword strike. Thus, the rebellion of the Tiancheng Escort Agency was completely over.
After killing Deng Xinjian, Bai Yan had less than 10% of his internal energy remaining, showing that he had fought with all his might to turn the tide. Furthermore, it was already past 1:00 AM (fourth watch), and Bai Yan was unsure how many of Meng Yao's men were still in Nan Chu City, so he dared not easily return.
It is said that when Bai Yan was learning his martial arts, he followed a wandering martial artist and spent five years in the deep mountains and forests. During these five years, he had to be self-sufficient, but this was intentional on the part of the wandering martial artist, whose purpose was to cultivate Bai Yan's survival skills, enabling him to survive in any situation.
Therefore, thanks to Bai Yan's master's careful instruction, Bai Yan was not at all at a loss when she was alone in the wild. She first managed to find a cave, and after confirming that it was a desolate cave with no wild animals living inside, she made some cover outside the cave to prevent other wild animals from finding her.
Bai Yan then hid in the cave, abandoning her attempt to suppress the poison in her blood with internal energy, allowing it to spread again. Simultaneously, she secretly restored her internal energy, as it was essential to expel all the poison. Bai Yan was currently severely depleted; if she continued to suppress the poison with internal energy, she wouldn't be able to recover.
As the poison spread, Bai Yan gradually felt her limbs weaken, almost unable to exert any strength. While almost powerless, she still had some strength left; she could still walk and lift a cup, but she was no match for a grown man in terms of strength.
As the poison spread, Bai Yan's internal energy slowly recovered. Once it was almost fully restored, she began circulating her internal energy, continuing to expel the poison through bloodletting.
This time, after expelling some blood, Bai Yan didn't need to engage in combat, so her internal energy wasn't depleted as much. She was able to suppress the poison with internal energy while slowly recovering.
Because Bai Yan possessed profound internal energy, although she couldn't go without food or drink, she could easily abstain from grains for a short period. This meant that after hiding in the cave, Bai Yan didn't need to go out to find food or water; she could focus solely on expelling the toxins.
After staying in the cave for three days, when she had enough internal energy to use at any time, she left the cave and began searching for food and water in the wild to replenish what she had consumed over the past three days.

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The Legend of the Escort Agency

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