A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 268 Returning to Tianshan
The night passed quickly. After Liu Zifeng was killed, the Sihai Inn became much quieter. Although the disciples of the Tianshan Sect heard the commotion outside last night, they remembered their master's instructions and did not go out rashly.

"Uncle-Master, was someone coming to ambush us last night?" Fu Tianjiao finally couldn't help but ask Ni Qingfeng.

Ni Qingfeng nodded upon hearing this, put down his chopsticks, and said calmly, "He's just a scoundrel from the Nine Immortals Sect. Since the news of the Dragon Ball has spread, I had already anticipated this. This is just a small skirmish; the real trouble is yet to come. You all need to be extra careful, especially that person. Don't let him use the Dragon Ball unless absolutely necessary."

The fact that the Tianshan Sect obtained the Dragon Ball is already extremely enviable. If people were to find out that they also have someone who can control the Dragon Ball, the Tianshan Sect would inevitably become the target of everyone's hatred.

"Yes, Uncle-Master, Tianjiao understands."

"Hurry up and eat, we'll set off immediately in an hour."

Upon hearing this, the Tianshan disciples immediately sped up, and a short while later they had finished their meal and were packing their bags to leave when Gu Zhen came over with several servants and cupped his hands in greeting to Ni Qingfeng.

"Tianjiao, take your junior brothers downstairs first." Ni Qingfeng returned Gu Zhen's greeting, then turned and instructed Fu Tianjiao, who nodded and led her junior brothers out the door.

"Brother Ni, the journey back to the mountain is long and arduous, and I fear there may be unrest along the way. These are some essential items; please accept them."

Gu Zhen gave an order, and two servants placed the package they were carrying on the table and opened it. Inside were several porcelain bottles and some black round beads, which had a pungent smell.

"Thunderbolt Fireball!"

Ni Qingfeng spoke in a deep voice, looking at the items. The pills were one thing, but the Thunderfire Bombs were rare items, the signature of the Heavenly Thunder Hall. Only a few hundred were produced each year, and just one was enough to shatter rocks. Even top-tier experts were extremely wary of them. Otherwise, the Heavenly Thunder Hall would have been destroyed by various sects long ago. Ni Qingfeng glanced at the items on the table and estimated that there were at least twenty or thirty of them. If they were all fired at once, their power would be astonishing.

"Thank you, Brother Gu. We'll meet again sometime. Farewell."

Ni Qingfeng didn't say anything polite to Gu Zhen. He cupped his hands in greeting, picked up the two packages on the table, and walked out decisively.

When Gu Zhen saw Ni Qingfeng leave, he couldn't help but sigh. Such a person was truly to his liking. He was capable and shrewd. Even if he couldn't be a close friend, he couldn't be treated as an enemy, otherwise there would be endless trouble in the future.

"Now that Ming'er has one foot in the Tianshan Sect, when Master Ni sends word back, I will have switched allegiances."

After leaving the Four Seas Inn, the Tianshan Sect continued westward. After traveling for more than half a day, as dusk approached, Ni Qingfeng looked at a dense forest in the distance and said to Fu Tianjiao, "Tianjiao, tell the disciples to rest for a while ahead, regroup, and then continue their journey under the cover of night."

Upon hearing this, Fu Tianjiao immediately responded and gave the order. The group quickly rode to the edge of the forest, where they piled up sand, built a stove, and boiled water to cook.

"Uncle-Master, this journey has been far too quiet."

A sense of crisis had been lingering in Fu Tianjiao's heart all along, and as she arrived here, that sense of crisis suddenly intensified.

"Hmm, it seems a big guy has arrived this time. Keep the things I gave you safe. When you encounter danger, don't be stingy. It's important to deal with the opponent as soon as possible. Just focus on your own safety and don't worry about anything else. I'll take care of everything."

"Yes, Tianjiao knows. Martial Uncle, have some noodles." Fu Tianjiao took the bowl of hot noodles that Junior Brother Pei handed over and passed it to Ni Qingfeng.

Ni Qingfeng took the bowl and watched as the others began to eat before picking up his chopsticks. After a few bites, Ni Qingfeng's ears twitched slightly, but he continued eating. After finishing the last bowl of hot noodles, Ni Qingfeng stood up and gave Fu Tianjiao and the others a signal. Upon seeing this, the others slowly beckoned their disciples to gather together. Then, Ni Qingfeng called out loudly into the woods, "Now that you've all arrived, please show yourselves."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible to those hidden in the forest, indicating that the person possessed considerable internal strength.

Just a few breaths after the sound faded, the Tianshan Sect members saw dozens of figures leap out of the forest. These people were dressed in different ways, but the one dressed in the green robe with a medicine cauldron pattern was the most common.

In particular, the two leaders were quite different. One was short and thin with a sallow complexion, holding a poisonous scorpion hook; the other was tall and thin with a dark complexion, holding a fine-scaled soft whip that gleamed brightly.

Besides these two, there were three other people with considerable auras. Ni Qingfeng recognized one of them; he was the one from the Nine Immortals Sect who had escaped earlier. The other two were an old man with a red face and a short beard, and a burly middle-aged man, all of whom were holding weapons and looking at the people from the Tianshan Sect with unfriendly expressions.

"People from the Tang Clan."

Ni Qingfeng frowned. The Tang Clan was not a reputable sect and always acted without restraint. Now, with the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect backing them up, they had become quite famous in the martial arts world in recent years, but it was all just a bad reputation.

"So it's the Tang Clan's First and Second Leader Tang. Your esteemed sect is hiding in the forest. What are you planning to do?" Ni Qingfeng waved to Fu Tianjiao, then stepped forward and looked at Tang Sen and Tang Yong, speaking calmly.

“Master Ni, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ve heard that the Dragon Pearl has fallen into your sect’s hands. I am skilled in medicine, and the Dragon Pearl is a rare treasure that can grant one’s wishes. I have come to borrow it to refine a precious elixir. I hope Master Ni will grant me this favor. I will return it intact after I’ve finished using it.”

After Tang Sen finished speaking, the Tianshan Sect hadn't reacted yet, but Tao Chunfeng, the 'Peach Fairy' of the Nine Immortals Sect, was extremely disgusted. What he said was truly hypocritical. They weren't any prestigious sects, so why say such things? Just throw some poison down, and they'd surely submit.

“Chief Tang, I am afraid I cannot comply with your words. Now that the Dragon Pearl has fallen into the hands of my Tianshan Sect, it should naturally be returned to Tianshan and handed over to the Sect Leader for handling. I am of low seniority and it is really difficult for me to make the decision. If Chief Tang is willing to return to Tianshan with me, this matter may be possible if the Sect Leader approves.”

"Ni Qingfeng, don't push your luck! Hand over the Dragon Pearl right now, or none of your Tianshan Sect disciples will survive!" Tao Chunfeng shouted sternly.

His junior brother died at Ni Qingfeng's hands, and he must avenge this blood debt, otherwise he will not be able to explain to the sect leader.

"A cowardly rat, hiding and lurking."

Ni Qingfeng's eyes flashed, and his figure moved in an instant. Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes. When they came to their senses, they were horrified to find that Tao Chunfeng had become a corpse, his eyes wide open, staring at the people from the Tang Clan, his eyes still open in death.

"What a quick movement!"

The short-bearded old man surnamed Wu narrowed his eyes and gripped the copper rod tightly in his hand. Not only him, but Tang Sen and Tang Yong also looked very solemn when they saw Tao Chunfeng killed in one move. Their originally high morale suddenly weakened and they looked at the leisurely Ni Qingfeng with wary eyes.

"Since Master Ni is so ungrateful, then I, Tang, have nothing more to say. Please follow me."

Although he was wary of Ni Qingfeng's martial arts skills, Tang Sen still couldn't resist the temptation of the Dragon Ball. He nodded to Tang Yong beside him, who flicked his hand, and a cloud of multicolored mist spread towards the Tianshan Sect.

"Be careful."

Upon seeing this, Ni Qingfeng shouted loudly, and his sleeves billowed, creating a gentle gust of wind. He pushed forward, and the surging mist was instantly dispersed. However, the mist was quick to disperse and then gather again. With the help of the wind, the mist spread even faster, and in the blink of an eye, it was already about a foot away from Ni Qingfeng.

"Master Ni, if you do not wish for the loss of your disciples, simply hand over the Dragon Pearl and we will retreat immediately. Otherwise, the Flowing Rainbow Radiance will not discriminate, and you will regret it later!"

"Rainbow-like glow!"

Ni Qingfeng's expression darkened slightly. Although this poison wasn't the most potent in the Tang Clan, it was still quite difficult to deal with. This poison could seal the seven orifices, confuse the five senses, and cause mental confusion, ultimately leaving the victim helpless. This poison was naturally no problem for Ni Qingfeng, but if his disciples smelled even a trace of it, it would be extremely dangerous.

"Close your orifices and hold your breath, then circulate your Qi to your Dantian!"

Ni Qingfeng shouted, then his figure moved swiftly, scattering the mist that had gathered in front of him with a palm strike, and he flew out from within with his sword. Just as he made his move, Tang Sen and Tang Yong on the opposite side were obviously prepared, having sprinkled poison powder on their bodies in advance.

"Do it!"

When Tang Sen saw Ni Qingfeng charging towards him, he spoke coldly. Dozens of Tang Clan disciples behind him, wearing masks and wielding weapons, attacked the Tianshan group opposite them. Upon seeing this, the Tianshan group, following Fu Tianjiao's instructions, quickly formed two layers of sword circles to block the attack.

Although the Tang Clan disciples were inferior to the Tianshan Sect disciples in martial arts skill, their ruthless methods and expertise in poisons allowed them to hold their own against the Tianshan disciples. In contrast, the Tianshan disciples, burdened by the flowing mist and the enemy's despicable tactics, could only muster about 70-80% of their full power. While the Tianshan disciples were under attack, Ni Qingfeng, alone with his sword, faced off against the Tang brothers, the burly middle-aged man, and the old man surnamed Wu.

Each of these four men was slightly less skilled than Shenhuo Shangren, but because Tang Sen and Tang Yong were supporting them from the side, releasing poisonous insects and creatures from time to time, Ni Qingfeng was able to retain some of his strength. Even so, after only a few moves, the burly middle-aged man made a careless move and Ni Qingfeng seized the opportunity to exploit his weakness.

Ni Qingfeng used both sword and palm techniques, his robes billowing as he swept his sword aside the burly middle-aged man's broadsword and the old man surnamed Wu's copper staff. He then kicked the old man back with a series of kicks, followed by a palm strike that landed squarely on the burly middle-aged man's chest. The man screamed in agony, coughing up blood as he staggered backward, crashing into a tree. He slid off the tree and collapsed to the ground, lifeless. A cracking sound followed as the tree trunk snapped in two, half of it falling onto the middle-aged man, the branches and leaves covering his body.

As Ni Qingfeng, a burly middle-aged man, was holding the seal, Tang Sen and Tang Yong simultaneously threw out three three-inch steel nails, which whizzed and struck Ni Qingfeng's vital points. These nails were called "Clavicle Nails" and were coated with a dispersing agent. If hit by these nails, the opponent would be unable to use their true energy for half an hour.

They had used these collarbone nails before and had never failed. Just when they thought Ni Qingfeng had been hit, their expressions suddenly changed. The six steel nails were half a foot away from Ni Qingfeng, but they could not get any closer, as if there was an invisible wall in front of him.

"罡气!"

The old man surnamed Wu was already terrified at the sight of the burly middle-aged man's death. Now, seeing the appearance of the protective energy, he had no other thoughts but to escape as quickly as possible. With this thought in mind, the old man surnamed Wu took a few quick steps to get away. Suddenly, a clear light flashed by, and the old man surnamed Wu stopped in his tracks. He looked down and saw half of the sword blade piercing through his heart. He made two hoarse sounds and then collapsed to the ground.

Tang Sen and Tang Yong stared at Ni Qingfeng with terror in their eyes, retreating repeatedly. Just then, several explosions came from not far away, accompanied by screams of agony. Amidst the billowing dust, sword light flashed, and blood and flesh splattered. Tang Sen and Tang Yong exchanged a glance and fled in opposite directions without regard for their own safety. Ni Qingfeng had cultivated his Qi, and unless their martial uncle Meng Baichuan came in person, they had no chance of winning whatsoever.

Seeing the two flee, Ni Qingfeng's eyes sharpened, and he threw two hidden weapons at Tang Sen and Tang Yong. The sound of them cutting through the air flashed by, and two cries of pain reached Ni Qingfeng's ears at the same time. The bodies of Tang Sen and Tang Yong, who had not run far, fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

After dealing with the four, Ni Qingfeng turned back to watch the battle between the Tianshan disciples and their opponents. With a flick of his sleeve, a gust of wind swept through, absorbing all the flowing rainbow mist. He circulated his true energy for a few breaths, neutralizing all the poison. Then, he sent it towards the forest, and a cloud of white mist rose into the air and quickly disappeared.

Seeing their martial uncle defeat their opponent and break the poison, the Tianshan disciples were immediately invigorated. Seeing their martial uncle standing aside with his hands behind his back, Fu Tianjiao understood that their martial uncle was intentionally training them. Without the threat, the disciples immediately put away their Thunderfire Bombs and displayed their skills. The Tang Sect disciples, who were already fearful and uneasy, could no longer hold on and were defeated in no time.

Fu Tianjiao was more astute. She gave an order to her junior brother Pei, who understood. The two of them spread out their sword circles and surrounded the remaining Tang Clan disciples. In no time, they had wiped them all out.

"Uncle-Master, it's all cleaned up."

Fu Tianjiao's white clothes were stained with blood, and although her face was exhausted, her eyes were bright and piercing. This time, she had almost wiped out the Tang Clan, which was an event that would be recorded in history for the Tianshan Sect.

"Yes, we've been delayed for too long. Let's rest for a bit and continue our journey under the moonlight."

Fu Tianjiao agreed, placed the spoils in her hand in front of her martial uncle, and then turned and left.

Looking at the several porcelain bottles and weapons in the package, Ni Qingfeng opened the porcelain bottles, examined them thoroughly, and then destroyed them all. The scorpion hook and the white-scaled soft whip were quite good. The former was made of fine steel, and after melting it down and adding some other materials, it could be used to forge two or three precious swords, which would enrich the foundation of the Tianshan Sect.

Although I don't know what material the white-scaled soft whip is made of, I happen to have a White Python Whip Technique here. I'll pass it on to whichever disciple is destined to learn it.

"Tang Sen and Tang Yong have really wasted these two things. They don't learn proper martial arts, but insist on taking some unorthodox methods."

Ni Qingfeng shook his head. Even if the Tang Clan is skilled in poisons and hidden weapons, they should still have the means to protect themselves. Blindly pursuing external things is putting the cart before the horse and will eventually lead to their elimination.

After putting everything away, Ni Qingfeng stood up. Seeing that the moon was already high in the sky, he called out to the Tianshan disciples, and they cleaned up the traces and rode away.

Long after the Tianshan Sect group left, several figures reappeared in the forest. They dug open the huge pit, examined the corpses, and then separately removed the bodies of Tang Sen, Tang Yong, Tao Chunfeng, the burly middle-aged man, and the old man surnamed Wu.

"Tang Sen and the other two were struck in the heart by hidden weapons, Tao Chunfeng was killed by the Shattering Palm, and the other two died from sword wounds, all of which were fatal with a single strike."

"It seems that it's not that the Tang Clan is useless, but that the other side is too powerful. This matter cannot be left unresolved. Right now, the Hall Master is temporarily unable to attend to it, but we cannot allow the Tianshan Sect to grow stronger. Have you found Meng Baichuan of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?"

"This person's whereabouts are unpredictable, but a few days ago his disciples sent word that he had appeared in Qile Town."

"Pass on the news of Tang Sen and the other man's deaths to him. Also, take over the Tang Clan's foundation to avoid waste. In addition, notify Mei Ruo of the Nine Immortals Sect and have her contact the various sects to go to Tianshan Tao to demand an explanation. We can't let the Tianshan Sect be idle during this period."

"Yes!"

After discussing the matter further, the group removed the bodies of Tang Sen, Tao Chunfeng, and the other two, leaving the rest of the bodies aside. After they left, wild animals appeared and cleaned up the bodies, leaving only a deep pit.

After annihilating the Tang Clan, the Tianshan Sect found peace and tranquility. They traveled smoothly for over ten days until they reached the foot of Tianshan Mountain. Just as they were about to ascend the mountain, several figures on horseback galloped towards them from afar.

"Fourth junior brother, you must be tired from your journey."

As the group approached, they dismounted. The newcomers were Shen Henian and Li Dengping.

Upon seeing this, Ni Qingfeng immediately dismounted, glanced at Shen Henian, and said to his third senior sister Li Dengping, "Although the journey was full of twists and turns, we managed to escape danger. Senior sister, let's go up the mountain now. I still have something to report to our sect leader."

Upon hearing this, Li Dengping immediately agreed. Shen Henian, who was standing to the side, turned to look at Ni Qingfeng and said in a deep voice, "Junior brother, is it true that the Dragon Pearl is in your hands?"

"It's true, but it's not something that can be explained in a short time. Let's go back to the mountain first, and I'll explain it in detail later."

Ni Qingfeng didn't want to speak here and didn't offer any further explanation. Shen Henian nodded in agreement, as long as it was confirmed that the matter was correct.

The group gathered together and quickly returned to the mountain gate. After letting the disciples rest, Ni Qingfeng, along with Fu Tianjiao, Fu Tianxiang, and Cha Mulong, went to the main hall of Tianshan with Shen Henian and Li Dengping.

"Meet the Master."

Fu Tianjiao and Fu Tianxiang saw Xue Wanshan sitting at the head of the table and hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects. Xue Wanshan had not seen his beloved disciple for a long time. After exchanging pleasantries, he asked them to stay aside. He glanced at Cha Mulong, and a glint appeared in his eyes. Then he sighed deeply.

"Junior brother, what exactly is going on with the Dragon Balls? It's causing quite a stir in the martial arts world."

Xue Wanshan looked at Ni Qingfeng. His fourth junior brother's cultivation had improved considerably since he went out, and even he couldn't quite see through him.

“Junior brother only has a vague understanding of this matter, Tianjiao, you should explain it to him.”

"Yes, Master, fellow disciples, this matter is..."

Fu Tianjiao recounted the events, omitting the fact that Cha Mulong could wield the Dragon Pearl. After a short while, everyone present understood the whole story.

Where are the Dragon Balls?

Upon hearing this, Fu Tianjiao immediately took out the dragon pearl from her sleeve. The object slowly floated in mid-air, emitting a faint purple light, appearing very mysterious. It attracted the attention of most of the people present, who stared at it intently.

"Good baby."

Shen Henian murmured and reached out to touch it, but was interrupted by Xue Wanshan's deep shout.

(End of this chapter)