A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 311 Helping
Shangguan Yun took a deep breath, slowly calming down from the excitement of advancing to the Innate Realm.

"The Innate Realm is indeed extraordinary. If I were to face Ni Qingfeng now, I wouldn't have to exert so much effort."

Although Shangguan Yun had previously entered the Innate Realm by relying on the power of the Dragon Ball, it was a forced entry, and not only was the time short, but the power was also vastly different from what it is now.

"Three Dragon Balls have already allowed me to enter the Innate Realm. If I could obtain a few more, given time, the entire world would be mine."

Shangguan Yun's ambitions have changed with his growing strength. He no longer takes the Tianshan Sect seriously. Apart from Ni Qingfeng, who is a bit troublesome, the rest are nothing but chickens and dogs. With just a wave of his hand, he can make them die without a burial place.

"It's time to take back the dragon ball in Madam's hands."

He hadn't harmed He Yanrong before because of their marital bond, but now that Shangguan Yun had tasted the sweetness of the Dragon Pearl, his inner demons had taken hold, so naturally he wouldn't show her any mercy.

Looking into the bronze mirror inside the room, Shangguan Yun noticed that his face looked somewhat sinister, and there were several faint red lines on his forehead. However, he didn't think much of it. After tidying up his appearance, he pushed open the door of the secret room and walked towards the outer room.

Just as Shangguan Yun stepped into the outer room, the Sun and Moon Duo quickly approached him. They were initially surprised by their leader's sudden change in appearance, but quickly composed themselves and said to Shangguan Yun, "Leader, three days ago, our disciples discovered the whereabouts of Master Xuanwu. He was also accompanied by a child. This child seems to possess some secret, as he can manipulate natural phenomena. When our disciples surrounded Master Xuanwu, it was this child who set up a fog, allowing them to escape."

Yue Sha recounted the major events that had occurred recently to Shangguan Yun in detail. After listening, a glint flashed in the latter's eyes.

“Manipulating natural phenomena, interesting. It seems that the Chamu clan is not completely wiped out. According to Yue Sha, the ability to rescue Xuanwu so easily must belong to the clan leader’s lineage. Could it be Chamu Long’s son?”

Shangguan Yun's mind raced, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. If they could capture this boy and use him to threaten Cha Mulong, then the remaining dragon pearls would be a piece of cake. Thinking of this, Shangguan Yun's heart suddenly became excited. He looked at Yue Sha and said in a deep voice, "Have you found any trace of them yet?"

"Reporting to the Hall Master, news has arrived that Xuanwu and the child are in Si'an City, which is 700 li northwest of Zhongxin Hall."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun's expression hardened. Si'an City was not under the jurisdiction of Zhongxin Hall. This place was very close to the sphere of influence of Tianshan Sect. If they wanted to capture the two without alerting Tianshan Sect, they would need to plan carefully.

"You two will immediately lead men to wipe out the Liubo Sect. I will go to Si'an City alone. The affairs of the sect will be temporarily entrusted to Jiang Che. Remember, you must conceal your whereabouts and not let anyone discover you easily."

"Yes, Hall Master!"

The Sun and Moon Duo responded that those who besieged Bailing Mountain had returned yesterday, greatly replenishing the strength of the hall, making it easy to wipe out the Liubo Sect.

Seeing that Shangguan Yun had no further instructions, the two took their leave.

Seeing the two leave, Shangguan Yun originally wanted to go and see He Yanrong, but when he thought of the remnants of Chamu and the dragon pearl in Xuanwu Shangren's hands, he immediately gave up the idea. He Yanrong's dragon pearl wouldn't run away, but Xuanwu's situation was hard to predict. If it fell into the hands of Tianshan Sect or Chamu Long, it would not be good news for him.

"Delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances, so we must set off immediately." After quickly packing up, Shangguan Yun selected three horses from the stable, mounted them, and immediately galloped off in the northwest.

Outside Zhongxin Hall, Lu Yi watched Shangguan Yun ride away alone, and then saw the Sun and Moon Duo leading a large group of people towards the southeast. He couldn't help but feel puzzled, but then he was overjoyed. All three experts from Zhongxin Hall had left, and he might be able to take this opportunity to see Fei Yan.

Just as Lu Yi was about to take action, a hand pressed down on his shoulder. Lu Yi immediately turned around and struck out with a palm, the fierce palm energy sweeping towards the person like a dry wind. At this moment, Lu Yi discovered that the person was actually a handsome man holding a fan, wearing a green robe, with a piece of shimmering flowing jade hanging at his waist. Moreover, his face was somewhat familiar, and he was startled, so he hurriedly withdrew some of his palm force.

Even so, the palm force was extraordinary. This Shattering Palm was Lu Aotian's masterpiece, extremely fierce, capable of shattering rocks and breaking gold. Even ordinary first-rate masters would not dare to take it head-on. However, the handsome man remained calm and unhurried, sweeping his folding fan to disperse the fierce palm wind.

"What superb skill! The Shattering Void Palm is indeed extraordinary. Young Master Lu has already inherited seven-tenths of your father's true teachings."

Bi Yusheng chuckled softly, closed his folding fan, and looked at Lu Yi with admiration.

"Mr. Bi?"

Lu Yi was not entirely sure if this person was the Jade Scholar his parents had mentioned. He only guessed based on the man's attire. Furthermore, the fact that the man had withstood his palm strike and even mentioned the name of the palm technique convinced him that his deduction was correct.

"It is I, Bi. Please forgive my rudeness, Young Hero Lu. This is not the place to talk. Please come with me."

Bi Yusheng looked around solemnly, then called out to Lu Yi and headed towards an inn. Lu Yi pondered for a moment before immediately following him.

The two entered the inn, went up to the second floor, and ordered some food. Lu Yi couldn't wait any longer and asked Bi Yusheng, "Mr. Bi, why did you stop me just now?"

"Young Master Lu, do you wish to enter Zhongxin Hall to find Shangguan Yun's daughter, Shangguan Feiyan?"

Although Bi Yusheng was asking a question, his tone was very certain. Lu Yi frowned slightly upon hearing this and said, "I have long heard that Mr. Bi is a man of many knowledges. Seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved. His ability to discern people's hearts is unparalleled in the martial arts world. I sincerely admire him."

Although Lu Yi admired Bi Yusheng, it didn't mean he didn't mind that the other party was spying on his thoughts. This feeling made him very uncomfortable. Upon hearing this, Bi Yusheng naturally knew what Lu Yi was thinking. He immediately clasped his hands in a salute and apologized, saying, "It was my fault. I recently met the Black and White Heroes and happened to know some things. If I was impolite, please forgive me, Young Hero Lu."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi's eyes lit up. His parents had left a letter and disappeared after being healed by Master Ni, and there had been no news of them for half a month. Now, Bi Yusheng had suddenly appeared here; could it be…?

"Mr. Bi, do you know where my parents are?"

“I’m sorry, I’m only here because I was entrusted with this task. I’m here on behalf of your father and mother. I can’t tell you anything else,” Bi Yusheng said, looking at Lu Yi’s disappointed eyes. “However, your father and mother also said that once you bring Shangguan Feiyan back, you should go to Tianshan immediately and we can reunite there.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi's expression softened slightly. He glanced at Bi Yusheng before saying, "Mr. Bi, did you have some scheme to prevent me from entering Zhongxin Hall? Shangguan Yun and the Sun and Moon Twin Fiends have both left, and now is the time when Zhongxin Hall is at its weakest. I am 80% confident that I can take Feiyan away from Zhongxin Hall."

Lu Yi's martial arts skills were now comparable to those of a first-rate master. Even if there were still people guarding the hall, there would be at most two, which he could handle. However, Bi Yusheng shook his head upon hearing this and said in a deep voice, "Young Master Lu, you are unaware that although Shangguan Yun and the Sun and Moon Duo have left, there are still several masters guarding the Zhongxin Hall. Although you are highly skilled in martial arts, if you encounter them, you will inevitably be captured if the time is too long!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi's expression changed. He knew that Bi Yusheng was not the kind of person who spoke carelessly. Since he said this, he must have his reasons. Thinking of this, Lu Yi decided to be straightforward. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Bi Yusheng and asked earnestly, "I wonder if Mr. Bi has any way to teach me?"

Seeing this, Bi Yusheng snapped open his folding fan and said calmly, "Luring the tiger away from the mountain."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yi's eyes lit up. Although the plan was simple, it was the most effective one at the moment. After pondering for a while, Lu Yi solemnly bowed to Bi Yusheng and earnestly said, "I hope Mr. Bi can lend me a hand!"

"It's natural."

Bi Yusheng replied in a serious tone, and after a brief discussion, the two decided to go to Zhongxin Hall after nightfall.

In the dead of night, two figures darted out of the inn, both dressed in black and masked. The two were exceptionally light-footed, disappearing into the darkness in a few leaps. When they landed, they were already in front of the tall gate of Zhongxin Hall.

Looking at the two lanterns lit in front of the door, Lu Yi and Bi Yusheng exchanged a glance. The two quickly climbed up the wall and stood silently on the top of the wall. At this time, most of the Zhongxin Hall was dark, except for the central area which was still lit and very conspicuous in the night.

"That is the main hall. Young Master Lu, you may go and attend to your business. Leave the rest to me, Bi."

Bi Yusheng cupped his hands to Lu Yi and fell down. Lu Yi stayed on top and waited for his chance. Not long after, he heard the lights in Zhongxin Hall and a series of noises coming from afar. Lu Yi hurriedly climbed down the wall and hid in the shadows.

"You scoundrel, daring to break into Zhongxin Hall, you're asking for trouble! Brothers, charge!" Shouts of battle mingled with the clash of weapons. The sound grew closer and closer. Suddenly, Lu Yi saw a black figure rushing out amidst the onslaught of the crowd. Upon seeing this, the three experts left behind at Zhongxin Hall immediately ordered Jiang Che to stay behind while the other two led more than ten men to continue the pursuit.

After a while, Zhongxin Hall finally quieted down. Jiang Che ordered his men to be on high alert and gave them careful instructions. Then, realizing that there weren't enough people left to guard the Madam and Miss, he was startled and hurriedly led the remaining people to the inner courtyard. Lu Yi saw this and quickly followed quietly.

Inside the courtyard, He Yanrong and her daughter had already gone to bed, but upon hearing the commotion outside, they immediately got dressed and got up. Shangguan Feiyan, knowing that her mother's injuries had not yet healed, immediately took her weapon and went to her room. Seeing that He Yanrong was alright, Shangguan Feiyan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mom, are you okay?"

"It's nothing. What happened outside? Feiyan, go and ask."

He Yanrong was afraid that it would be another attack by the enemies of Zhongxintang. Now that Shangguan Yun and the others were not here, if they came again, Zhongxintang would really be finished.

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Feiyan nodded and called out to the outside room. A moment later, a capable-looking woman in a tight-fitting outfit walked in and bowed to He Yanrong and her daughter.

"What happened outside?"

Shangguan Feiyan frowned as she looked at the woman in front of her. She disliked the woman's aura and felt that she was like an emotionless machine.

Upon hearing this, the woman's eyes remained calm and unwavering. She replied in a measured tone, "Replying to Miss, it was just an ignorant little thief who broke in. Commander Jiang and the others have already dealt with it. It was my dereliction of duty to disturb Madam and Miss. Please punish me, Madam and Miss."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Feiyan snorted coldly, while He Yanrong waved her away. The woman bowed again and then turned and left the room.

"Mother, do you think it's those people from Bailing Mountain again?"

“It’s not impossible. Apart from the White-headed Eagle, neither the Polar Gate nor the Hell Gate are benevolent. Now that your father is not here, we must be careful.”

He Yanrong was also on tenterhooks. It was only because the Black and White Heroes arrived in time that they were saved. But Shangguan Yun's actions had almost ruined their relationship. If a powerful enemy were to launch a surprise attack, He Yanrong really didn't know how to deal with it.

Just as the mother and daughter were about to rest, He Yanrong suddenly had a thought and gave Shangguan Feiyan a wink. The latter understood, gripped the soft whip at her waist, and was ready to strike. Just as He Yanrong was about to make her move after hearing the commotion outside, Jiang Che's voice came from outside.

"Madam, how is Miss?"

"nothing."

"Guard the door tightly, and immediately send a signal if there is any unusual movement. The madam and young lady must not have any problems."

"Yes."

Jiang Che gave the woman in the tight-fitting clothes a few instructions outside the door. Looking at the bright lights in the room, he wanted to say a few more words, but after thinking about it, he didn't say anything more and turned to leave with his subordinates.

Just after Jiang Che and his men left, He Yanrong shook her head at Shangguan Feiyan and pointed to the roof. Upon seeing this, Shangguan Feiyan gently waved her hand, and the candlelight was immediately extinguished by the breeze, plunging the room into darkness. The mother and daughter then focused intently on their surroundings.

Not long after, He Yanrong heard a few muffled groans from outside, followed by a figure landing in front of the door, its tall shadow reflected in the moonlight.

Shangguan Feiyan was very nervous, and her hand gripping the soft whip tightened. A damp feeling came from inside. He Yanrong, on the other hand, stared calmly at the shadow outside, secretly holding a few flying needles in her hand.

Just as the door was pushed open, He Yanrong's eyes flashed, and the flying needle in her hand shot out towards the outer room with a whoosh. At the same time, Shangguan Feiyan's soft whip stretched out like a dragon, twisting and turning, with a whooshing sound as it cut through the air.

As soon as Lu Yifang pushed open the door, he was met with such an attack, which caught him off guard. However, he reacted quickly, crouching down to avoid the flying needles. At the same time, he slid forward and used his right hand to "Grasp the Moon" to capture the soft whip, instantly taut the whip.

"Feiyan, it's me!"

Lu Yi's eyes were clearly visible in the darkness. Seeing that He Yanrong and Shangguan Feiyan were about to make another move, he immediately whispered something. Lu Yi clearly felt the power from the soft whip weaken, and the lingering killing intent also dissipated.

Upon hearing Lu Yi's voice, Shangguan Feiyan was overjoyed. She immediately dispersed the surging true energy within her body, turned around to look at He Yanrong, who nodded to her and flicked her finger. The extinguished candlelight reignited, the darkness receded, and a familiar face appeared in Shangguan Feiyan's eyes.

"Lu Yi!"

In the woods three miles southeast of Zhongxin Hall, Commander Qiu and Commander Wang, leading twelve men, pursued Bi Yusheng to this place. Seeing the figure ahead, Commander Qiu and Commander Wang exchanged a glance, and with a wave of their hands, the twelve subordinates moved swiftly, instantly surrounding Bi Yusheng. Upon seeing this, the latter's lips curled up slightly beneath his black mask, and with a flick of his hand, a flash of emerald light attacked one of them.

Upon seeing this, Commander Qiu's expression changed slightly. He shouted a change of formation, and the twelve men suddenly shifted their movements. Their original formation of four inside and eight outside was abruptly changed to eight inside and four outside. The emerald light might be useful against one person, but the two blades that came slashing at them directly blocked the emerald object. The light dissipated and landed in Bi Yusheng's hand. With a snap, it unfolded. Commander Wang looked closely and saw that it was a folding fan. Under the moonlight, the fan surface had a unique landscape painting on it.

"Azure mist reflects the green, white water meets the bright sun, could you perhaps be the all-knowing Master Bi?"

Commander Wang, being well-informed, recognized the origin of the folding fan with its jade-green handle at a glance.

Upon hearing this, Commander Qiu's pupils contracted. He knew of Bi Yusheng's great name, but who would have thought that the renowned Bi Yusheng would do such a petty thing? If it were to spread, wouldn't it make the martial arts world laugh their heads off?
When Bi Yusheng heard Commander Qiu reveal his identity, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He had overlooked the folding fan in his hand, which was a real blunder. Since that was the case, there was no need to hide his identity anymore.

He casually ripped off his black clothes and removed his mask, then bowed to Qiu and Wang and said solemnly, "I was entrusted by someone to use this desperate measure. Please forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Qiu and Wang disregarded Bi Yusheng's matter and their hearts sank. After exchanging a glance, Commander Wang immediately used his lightness skill to rush towards Zhongxin Hall, leaving Commander Qiu to deal with Bi Yusheng.

“Mr. Bi is a renowned figure in the martial arts world. In principle, he should not have attacked you. However, the dignity of Zhongxin Hall cannot be trampled upon by outsiders. Tonight, I, Qiu, will seek some guidance from Mr. Bi.”

As soon as Commander Qiu finished speaking, his gesture changed, and the twelve men surrounding him immediately rushed forward with their swords. Their movements were swift, and in the blink of an eye, Bi Yusheng felt the sword light approaching. He dodged to the side, but two sword lights slashed diagonally from the side. He swept his folding fan with a gale, breaking the two sword lights. However, as soon as these three sword lights fell, seven more sword lights came in succession. He broke one, and another one came. The sword lights were endless, piercing through a line, giving Bi Yusheng no chance to catch his breath.

"The Twelve Extinction Formation, what a magnificent formation!"

Bi Yusheng dodged left and right inside the formation. Although the sword light was sharp, it could never cut him even a little bit. Moreover, he had the leisure to point out the flaws in the formation.

"The Twelve Extinction Formation requires four top-tier experts and eight skilled fighters to unleash its full power. Commander Qiu's formation still has many flaws. The flow of energy in the southwest corner is not smooth, the Gate of Life has become the Gate of Death, and the Land of Rebirth has become the Land of Despair. It was originally a brilliant move, but it was guarded by the weakest fighter. This is a major taboo in the arrangement of formations."

Upon hearing this, Commander Qiu was shocked. Just as he was in shock, he saw the array that was in operation suddenly stop. Then, twelve beams of emerald light struck the twelve subordinates precisely. They all groaned, took two steps back, and collapsed to the ground. Although they still had breaths, they had lost their fighting ability.

"Commander Qiu, what do you intend to do?"

Bi Yusheng, fanning himself with a folding fan, strolled leisurely toward Commander Qiu.

(End of this chapter)