A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 282 Dragon Balls Reappear
Lu Yi was severely injured by a punch and immediately knelt on the ground, but his expression remained firm and unyielding. He grabbed the long whip with his right hand. Qi Yun's eyes sharpened when he saw this. He gave his two junior brothers a look and then used the move "Three Rings Encircling the Moon" to encircle Lu Yi with the long whip.

Seeing their senior brother make a move, the other two had no more reservations. They immediately leaped forward, one after the other, to grab Shangguan Feiyan. Lu Yi roared and tried to step forward, but was blocked by the long whip ring. He couldn't even dodge to the side. In order to finish the battle quickly, Qi Yun also made no effort to attack.

With a snap, three whip rings tightly bound Lu Yi. Qi Yun's face lit up with joy upon seeing this, and he immediately shouted and pulled Lu Yi towards him with force. Lu Yi was powerless and unable to fight back, and could only watch helplessly as Shangguan Feiyan was taken away by them.

"Leave with Shangguan Feiyan."

After glancing at the unwilling Lu Yi, Qi Yun gave an order to the two men. The two immediately mounted their horses with Shangguan Feiyan and were about to leave when suddenly a powerful palm strike came from the distance. The two men were caught off guard and were immediately killed and injured. As Qi Yun looked astonished, he saw a domineering figure walking through the air from afar.

"Shangguan Yun!"

Qi Yun's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly retracted his whip, disregarding his two junior brothers, and after a few steps, quickly mounted his horse and galloped back the way he came. In the blink of an eye, he was already far away.

"Sunfire, bring him back."

Shangguan Yun gave the order, and Ri Sha obeyed and left. With a single palm strike, he killed the half-dead Golden Whip Sect disciple. After looking at the dying Lu Yi, Shangguan Yun pressed several acupoints on his body to keep him alive. Only then did she come to Shangguan Feiyan's side. After examining her carefully, her face turned very pale. She immediately took out several emerald green pills from her bosom and gave them to her.

"Go to Mount Kongtong immediately and bring this kid along with you."

"Yes, Hall Master."

Shangguan Yun carried Shangguan Feiyan onto the horse, and Lu Yi was also taken away. Amidst the rising dust, the people of Zhongxin Hall came and went in a hurry, leaving only two corpses behind.

On the other side, Qi Yun spurred his horse and galloped away desperately, but in no time, Ri Sha caught up with him. Seeing Qi Yun fleeing desperately ahead, a fierce glint flashed in Ri Sha's eyes. He leaped into the air, raised his palm and brought down his blade, a scorching palm wind sweeping towards Qi Yun. The latter had already sensed the approaching palm wind. In shock, he immediately dismounted. Just as he rolled to the ground and regained his footing, he saw that the galloping horse in front of him had been torn to pieces.

"Fire Sun Palm!"

Qi Yun looked at Ri Sha approaching step by step, and fear appeared on his face. Ri Sha was the second best in Zhongxin Hall. Even his master would not dare to say that he had the upper hand. Fighting him would be like throwing an egg against a rock.

"Qi Yun, the third disciple of the Golden Whip Sect, it seems that Xia Zhengfang is really tired of living."

Ri Sha's expression, as if looking at a dead man, made Qi Yun break out in a cold sweat. However, he knew that he was doomed. Thinking of this, he calmed himself down and swung his long whip. A "Thunderclap in the Sky" was like a thunderclap, producing a series of whistling sounds. The long whip, like a snake, moved left and right, wrapping around Ri Sha.

Seeing this, Ri Sha showed disdain. As the long whip came, he neither dodged nor avoided it. A ball of blazing true energy rose in his right hand, easily blocking Qi Yun's full-force attack. The whip tip trembled incessantly, as if groaning. With a few hissing sounds, the whip tip instantly turned into a ball of black slag, and a burst of blazing firepower quickly enveloped Qi Yun's body along the long whip.

"what!"

Qi Yun let out a miserable cry as his clothes turned to ashes. Then, his body seemed to be roasted by fire, steam rising from it. His body shrank continuously, and his surface turned charred black in an instant. In just a few breaths, Qi Yun became a dried corpse with short limbs and a huge head, which looked extremely strange and terrifying.

Sunsha clapped his hands, cleaned the dust off his hands, mounted his horse, and rode away.

When Xia Zhengfang and his group arrived at the scene, they were shocked to see the broken whip and the mummified corpse. Xia Zhengfang, in particular, roared with grief and anger, tears streaming down his face. The tragic deaths of his eldest and third disciples had dealt him a heavy blow. Looking at the mummified corpse before him, Xia Zhengfang gritted his teeth and said, "Blazing Sun Palm, Sun Fiend, Loyalty Hall, Shangguan Yun, I swear I will not rest until I avenge this debt!"

Seeing Xia Zhengfang's state, Elder Li of the Wanjian Sect advised, "Sect Leader Xia, things have come to this point. We should think about how to deal with Zhongxin Hall. If there are no surprises, Shangguan Feiyan and the other person should have been taken away by Shangguan Yun. We need to come up with a plan for what to do next."

Elder Li was now filled with regret. If he hadn't caused this commotion, Zhongxin Hall might not have focused its attention on them. But now things were beyond repair. Given Shangguan Yun's temperament, he would never let it go, and it was possible that all of them, these defeated soldiers, would die here.

"Now that Shangguan Yun has arrived, the Jiangnan region must be vulnerable, and we still have a chance. Qiushui Manor is still struggling to hold on. As long as both sides join forces, Zhongxin Hall will be attacked from both sides. Even if we can't severely damage him, we can at least make him stop. As long as we can hold out for a year or two, and wait for the Tianshan Sect to rise, the Western Regions will no longer be a place where Zhongxin Hall can run rampant."

Xia Zhengfang ordered his disciples' bodies to be collected, then stood up and looked into the distance. He had long harbored a plan in mind. The strength of his own group was quite weak. Even with the help of Qiushui Manor, they could only narrow the gap with Zhongxin Hall, but there would still be shortcomings. However, his final calculation was to target the Tianshan Sect. Although the Tianshan Sect did not compete or fight in the martial arts world, it would naturally not give Zhongxin Hall a good look once its own interests were touched.

"Sect Leader Xia is thinking of seeking help from the Tianshan Sect. Forgive my bluntness, but Tianshan is unlikely to get involved in this mess. Moreover, Sect Leader Xue is extremely cunning. Sect Leader Xia's attempt to scheme against the Tianshan Sect is probably doomed to fail."

Elder Li was first startled upon hearing this, then frowned. Bringing the Tianshan Sect into the fray was indeed a good idea, but the Tianshan Sect was no pushover either. Wouldn't it be better to sit back and watch the tigers fight?

“Ni Qingfeng has recently arrived in Xiyuan City and went straight to the An family. The meaning behind this is quite clear. The Tianshan Sect is no longer content with its current position and wants to control this small part of the Western Regions. The first thing they need to do is to control these trade route nodes. Elder Li should understand this.”

Xia Zhengfang glanced at Elder Li, who pondered for a moment and said, "What Sect Leader Xia said makes sense. I understand what Sect Leader Xia means. Sect Leader Xia is thinking of buying some time for the Tianshan Sect to develop, so that once it is strong enough, it can rely on the Tianshan Sect, is that right?"

"Indeed, I do have this intention. This is also my last resort. I am unwilling to do this unless absolutely necessary."

Elder Li gave Xia Zhengfang a deep look. This old fox certainly had a lot of connections. The rise of the Tianshan Sect was already very obvious; all it lacked was time. Xia Zhengfang was offering timely help, drawing the attention of the Zhongxin Hall to the Tianshan Sect. Once they recovered, the Tianshan Sect would surely have to do him a favor.

"Elder Li, rest assured, when the Tianshan Sect and Zhongxin Hall are in a standoff, it will be a great opportunity for you to rebuild your sect. At that time, choosing the Tianshan Sect will certainly bring you many benefits."

"This matter still needs to be discussed in detail with Elder Huo and Steward Zhong. Sect Leader Xia, now that Shangguan Feiyan has been rescued, let's return and prepare to face the Zhongxin Hall's retaliation."

Elder Li shook his head, gave a wry smile, and turned to leave. Xia Zhengfang stared at him for a moment, then without saying a word, mounted his horse and told several disciples to continue exploring ahead, while they headed back along the long route.

A day later, in the thatched hut of the Hanging Pot on Mount Kongtong, a middle-aged woman was decocting medicine. When she estimated that the time was almost up, she immediately took the medicine pot off the stove and poured the dark black medicine into a white porcelain bowl.

"lady."

When Shangguan Yun saw the beautiful woman enter, he hurriedly got up from the bedside and reached out to take the medicine bowl. However, He Yanrong gave him a cold look and walked away. Shangguan Yun did not feel embarrassed at all. He immediately made way and looked anxiously at his daughter who was still unconscious on the bed.

He Yanrong came to the bedside, placed the medicine bowl aside, helped her daughter up, and felt a pang of pain in her heart when she saw her ashen face. She picked up the medicine bowl, blew on it a few times to dissipate the heat, and then used a spoon to feed Shangguan Feiyan spoonful by spoonful. After a while, the bowl of medicine was finished. After drinking the medicine, Shangguan Feiyan's complexion changed slightly, and her cheeks showed a healthy rosy glow.

"Three more doses of medicine and she will be fully recovered. Don't worry. Zhongxintang is very busy, so you should go back as soon as possible. I will take care of her here. Yan'er will be fine."

He Yanrong gently laid Shangguan Feiyan down, covered her with the quilt, glanced at Shangguan Yun, picked up the medicine bowl, and carefully walked out. Shangguan Yun followed closely behind. Soon, the two arrived at a quiet room.

"How can I leave Yan'er like this? Please let me stay a few more days. Riyue and the others are at Zhongxin Hall, so there won't be any major problems. Madam, do you really want me to leave?" Shangguan Yun asked, looking at his wife's radiant face.

"Yes, I don't like you, especially after what happened with Yan'er. Do you dare say you bear no responsibility at all? Zhongxin Hall has such a great reputation in the martial arts world, and Alliance Leader Shangguan has such great prestige, yet he couldn't even protect his own daughter. It's simply a huge joke!"

He Yanrong's expression changed drastically, her tone turned cold, and she loudly questioned Shangguan Yun. Upon hearing this, the latter's expression remained unchanged, and a look of guilt appeared in his eyes.

"Yan'er, this was my fault. I was too careless. But I promise that I will never let Yan'er suffer like this again. I will also never let the Golden Whip Sect get away with this!"

"Hmph, whether you let someone go or not is your problem. Right now, I just want my daughter to be alright. My humble abode is small, and Master Shangguan is of noble status. You shouldn't make yourself suffer. Leave quickly."

Hearing the sense of distance in the lady's words, Shangguan Yun felt inexplicably angry, but he suppressed it. Just as he was about to say something, a disciple from Zhongxin Hall came to the door, saying that it was a message from the sun and moon delivered by carrier pigeon.

He Yanrong glanced at him, then turned and walked towards the inner room. There was still an injured person there who needed her care. After He Yanrong left, Shangguan Yun had someone come in. After reading the message, a glint flashed in his eyes.

"Qiu Tangbai has really gone mad. It seems that Qiushui Manor is at its last gasp."

In this Autumn Water Manor, the only one I fear is Autumn Pear Cypress. Now that Autumn Pear Cypress can no longer protect Autumn Water Manor, it's time to take back that dragon pearl.

Shangguan Yun pondered for a moment, then went into the inner room. He glanced at the lady who was treating Lu Yi's injuries and said gently, "There are matters in the hall that require my attention. I will return in a few days. Please take care of Yan'er." He Yanrong did not speak and continued to insert silver needles into Lu Yi's body. Shangguan Yun was not annoyed by this. After saying a few more words, he left the inner room and led a large number of his subordinates down the mountain. Before leaving, Shangguan Yun left Jiang Che behind.

"Let's put the Golden Whip Sect matter aside for now and deal with it when I return. If anything changes, immediately send a message back to Zhongxin Hall. Keep this Zheng Yuan Pill safe; consider it a reward for your diligent protection."

Shangguan Yun tossed a porcelain bottle to Jiang Che, then led his men down the mountain at breakneck speed.

"Your subordinate obeys and will certainly live up to the Hall Master's expectations." Jiang Che said in a deep voice, gripping the porcelain bottle in his hand tightly. This Zheng Yuan Dan is the best pill for refining true qi. Apart from Elder Riyue, who can receive one every month, others can only obtain it by making great contributions. He can be considered to have gotten a bargain.

He Yanrong watched Shangguan Yun leave from the room, her eyes calm and indifferent. Then she went to Lu Yi, helped him up, activated a mechanism, entered a secret room, lit a candle, and gently placed Lu Yi on the stone bed. She then went to the wooden shelf filled with medicine bottles and porcelain jars, reached out and pressed it. With a crack, the wooden shelf split open, revealing a red lacquered box inside.

After taking out the lacquer box, He Yanrong came to Lu Yi's side and sighed, "You saved Yan'er's life, but you yourself are dying. I, He Yanrong, always repay kindness. This is the only thing that can save you now."

Lu Yi had fought several battles in succession and was hit in the dantian by the Mountain-Opening Fist, which had already ruptured his vital energy and made his life force increasingly weak. If it weren't for Shangguan Yun maintaining him with his true energy, Lu Yi would probably have died before he even reached Mount Kongtong.

Opening the lacquer box, He Yanrong took out an irregularly shaped, dark object, which turned out to be a dragon ball.

He Yanrong used his true energy to manipulate the Dragon Pearl, which emitted a bright golden light. Under He Yanrong's control, the golden light fell like rain, continuously landing on Lu Yi. The golden light spots merged into his body, constantly repairing his damaged meridians, and his pierced dantian was rapidly healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The news that Shangguan Yun had brought a large group of people down from Mount Kongtong could not be kept secret and quickly reached the Golden Whip Sect and the An Clan.

"For Shangguan Yun to leave in such a hurry, something must have happened at Qiushui Manor. Everyone, our opportunity has arrived."

In the main hall of the Golden Whip Sect, Xia Zhengfang waved his hand to dismiss his disciples. He glanced at Elder Li and the others, then slowly stood up and said, "After all, Qiushui Manor is the number one sect in Jiangnan. It won't be easy for Shangguan Yun to take it down in a day or two. Why don't we take this opportunity to launch a pincer attack on Qiushui Manor and make Shangguan Yun too busy to take care of himself?"

Elder Li and the others agreed with this suggestion. They would be happy to cause trouble for Shangguan Yun, but who should go to Qiushui Manor to persuade him? Persuasion requires not only martial arts skills but also eloquence. Otherwise, not only will they fail to achieve their goal, but they may also have the opposite effect.

"The main person in charge of the Xia Clan must stay here and not leave without permission. Elder Huo and Steward Zhong are also too conspicuous. I will leave this matter to Li."

Elder Li took the initiative to step forward and take responsibility, which drew sidelong glances from Elder Huo of the Diancang Sect and Steward Zhong of the Qiankun Sect.

"Elder Li is indeed a suitable candidate, and I agree. I wonder what Elder Huo and Deacon Zhong think?"

"I have no objection."

Elder Huo and Deacon Zhong exchanged a glance and immediately replied.

"Very well, then I'll leave this matter to Elder Li. No matter what, we must form an alliance between our factions and Qiushui Manor. Elder Li, the road ahead is fraught with difficulties, so please be careful in everything you do."

Xia Zhengfang gestured to the disciple beside him, who immediately presented the prepared package. After Xia Zhengfang took it, he walked down the steps and handed it to Elder Li.

"Besides some gold and silver, there is also a box of Thunderfire Bombs in this package. Elder Li, please use them with caution."

Elder Li's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he still accepted it. After bowing to Xia Zhengfang and the others, he turned and walked out of the main hall. After making some arrangements, he led two disciples and rode fast horses towards Jiangnan.

Just after Elder Li left, a disciple hurriedly walked in, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself. Elder Huo and Deacon Zhong exchanged a few pleasantries and then left together.

"What happened?"

"Sect Master, Master Ni Qingfeng of the Tianshan Sect has arrived with his disciple Gu Ming. This is their visiting card."

Xia Zhengfang's expression changed drastically upon hearing Ni Qingfeng's name. He accepted the visiting card, read it, and his expression shifted several times. He closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and finally opened his eyes, his expression returning to normal.

"Welcome our distinguished guest immediately."

Xia Zhengfang gave an order and strode out of the main hall. He saw Ni Qingfeng, who was handsome and whose clothes were fluttering, and immediately laughed loudly.

"Great Master Ni, your presence is an honor. I have failed to greet you properly. My apologies."

"Sect Leader Xia, please don't take offense. It was I who was impolite."

Xia Zhengfang knew that Ni Qingfeng was renowned, but he still underestimated him after meeting him today. He himself was a master, but standing in front of him, he couldn't see through the other's strength and felt a sense of inexplicable fear. This made him very vigilant, and he unconsciously lowered his stance in conversation.

"Master Ni, please come inside for a chat."

"please."

Xia Zhengfang led the way, while Ni Qingfeng followed behind with Gu Ming. Soon, the three of them arrived at the main hall. After ordering tea and refreshments to be served, Xia Zhengfang considered the matter carefully and then tentatively asked, "I wonder what brings you here, Master Ni? If you need anything, I will certainly not refuse if it is within my power."

"Sect Leader Xia speaks frankly, and I, Ni, will not beat around the bush either. Sect Leader Xia, do you have any connection with the Demon Cave?"

Ni Qingfeng put down his teacup and looked calmly at Xia Zhengfang. Upon hearing this, the latter was startled and his fingers trembled slightly, but he remained expressionless.

"Why did you suddenly ask about this, Master Ni?"

"The Ghost Yaksha, Dao Shura, and Poisonous Eyebrows from the Demon Cave went to the An family, intending to harm Old Master An. I happened to be there and helped Old Master An resolve the situation. From their conversation, I learned that the Demon Cave seems to have some connection with the Golden Whip Sect. I wonder if Sect Master Xia is aware of this?"

“This is absolutely impossible. Although I am not a virtuous gentleman, I am not a treacherous villain either. Moreover, the Golden Whip Sect is a reputable sect. How could we stoop so low as to collude with the Evil Ghost Cave? This is the first time I have heard of what Daoist Ni has said. This matter must be a deliberate frame-up by the Evil Ghost Cave. Daoist Ni, you cannot believe it!”

Hearing Xia Zhengfang's righteous denial, Ni Qingfeng smiled and said, "I can rest assured after hearing what Sect Leader Xia said. Old Master An is indeed insightful, seeing through the Demon Cave's scheme to sow discord at a glance."

"That's perfect. Those three ghost yakshas were spewing vulgarities and even said they wanted to challenge my Tianshan Sect. I've always believed in treating others with the utmost respect. This Evil Ghost Cave is infamous. Others may scare it, but I'm not afraid of it. It's best to destroy such evil and heretical sects. Sect Leader Xia, don't you agree?"

Hearing the murderous intent hidden in Ni Qingfeng's calm tone, a chilling aura immediately spread, and Xia Zhengfang broke out in a cold sweat, repeatedly agreeing.

“Such evil spirits deserve to be killed by everyone. Although I am alone and outnumbered, I am willing to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the martial world. If you do not mind, Master Ni, the Golden Whip Sect can provide manpower to help you eradicate the evil ghost den!”

"I am grateful for Sect Leader Xia's kindness, but I would be impolite to refuse. My senior brother has already sent people to provide support. If your sect joins us, it will not be too difficult to eradicate a Demon Cave. I would also like to inform Sect Leader Xia in advance that you should not be too high-profile recently, so as not to harm innocent people or damage the harmony between our two families."

"Yes, I will definitely discipline my disciples properly and will not ruin your sect's affairs."

Seeing Xia Zhengfang's slightly pale face, Ni Qingfeng knew that he had warned him enough, so he said, "As long as the Tianshan Sect exists, the Western Regions will be peaceful. Sect Leader Xia, take care of yourself."

After saying this, Ni Qingfeng bowed again and left with Gu Ming.

(End of this chapter)