A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 331 Unexpected Changes
When Shi Huan saw Shangguan Yun, he quickly walked a few steps forward. Shangguan Yun turned around, looked at Shi Huan in front of him, and nodded slightly.

"You've arrived quite quickly. Enough with the small talk, has Xue Wanshan and his group changed their plans?"

Although Shangguan Yun had already sent orders back to Zhongxin Hall to have the Sun and Moon Duo on high alert, it was better to remain still than to act until he had a clear understanding of Xue Wanshan and the others' actions.

"Reporting to the Hall Master, Xue Wanshan and his group have not changed their plans; they still intend to deal with Elders Riyue and Sun. Judging by the time, they will arrive at Zhongxin Hall in six days. Hall Master, with Xue Wanshan and the others gone from Tianshan, the mountain is currently quite empty. If the Hall Master..."

Shi Huan made a clever suggestion, but Shangguan Yun's cold gaze silenced him, and he was immediately terrified.

"It was my oversight, please forgive me, Master." Shi Huan knelt on the ground without any backbone, kowtowing repeatedly.

Shangguan Yun looked at Shi Huan kneeling on the ground and snorted coldly, "Do I need you to teach me how to do things? Although Xue Wanshan and the others are not here, Ni Qingfeng is not someone to be trifled with. If I were to go to Tianshan now, I would be falling into Xue Wanshan's trap. Not only would I fail to achieve my goal, but I would also put Zhongxin Hall in trouble. Do you think you can stop Xue Wanshan?"

When Shangguan Yun first received the news, he also considered taking advantage of the enemy's weakness to attack Tianshan. However, when he thought of Ni Qingfeng's unfathomable martial arts and his mysterious sword formation, he immediately gave up the idea. Although he was now much stronger than before with the help of the Dragon Pearl, if he were to be entangled, he would be unable to attend to both sides. If the Sun and Moon faction were to be defeated, it would be very difficult to find a replacement for him in a short period of time.

"Now that Xue Wanshan and his men have come here to die, I, the hall master, will send them on their way. My puppets have been almost completely wiped out, so it's time to replace them with a new batch."

Shangguan Yun's chilling tone made Shi Huan, who was kneeling on the ground, feel a chill in his heart. He had seen this puppet technique before. Several of his uncles and senior brothers had been poisoned by this technique and killed each other in extremely gruesome ways.

"Master's skills are unparalleled, I admire you. With Master's help, Xue Wanshan and his men will be captured with ease."

Shi Huan flattered Shangguan Yun with a beaming smile. The latter was quite pleased with this and gestured for him to stand up. Shi Huan immediately stood up, bowing respectfully with his head lowered.

"Xue Wanshan and his group are not a concern, but Ni Qingfeng is a bit troublesome. Do you think Ni Qingfeng might secretly follow us this time?"

A glint flashed in Shangguan Yun's eyes. According to the intelligence he had gathered, Ni Qingfeng valued the bond between his master and disciple. Now that the Tianshan Sect had sent Xue Wanshan and Shen Henian, was he not worried about their safety?

"Master, I believe Ni Qingfeng will not leave Tianshan. The reason Xue Wanshan dared to leave Tianshan is precisely because Ni Qingfeng was there to protect him, so he had no worries. Based on my deduction, Ni Qingfeng must have provided a backup plan before Xue Wanshan left, which could save their lives."

After Shi Huan finished speaking, Shangguan Yun remained silent in contemplation. This possibility was extremely high, after all, the foundation of the Tianshan Sect could not be lost, and Xue Wanshan would not gamble with his ancestral legacy.

“What you said makes some sense, but you should keep a close watch on them. If you find anything unusual, leave a secret mark immediately. This time, I want to wipe them out completely. Once we've dealt with them, I can launch a second attack on Tianshan and completely remove this thorn in our side.”

Today, ninety percent of the martial arts sects have either been destroyed or surrendered, with only the Tianshan Sect remaining standing. This greatly displeases Shangguan Yun. Looking back on the history of the martial arts world, those who could command the martial arts world were all heroes of their generation, and in the end, their names were recorded in the annals of martial arts. Shangguan Yun is determined not to fall behind his predecessors and even wants to surpass them in one fell swoop to become the first person to truly unify the martial arts world.

"Yes, Hall Master."

Shi Huan looked at Shangguan Yun with excitement. If Shangguan Yun could unify the martial arts world, he would also benefit from it to some extent. In the future, he could make the Blue Shadow Sect flourish, which would be a way of honoring his ancestors.

"You go back first, and keep a close eye on their every move."

Shangguan Yun waved his hand, and Shi Huan immediately withdrew. He returned along the same route and found no unusual activity in the rooms when he got back to the inn. He then slipped into his room, took off his night clothes, and went to bed to rest.

Meanwhile, in the next room, Bi Yusheng opened his eyes and listened to Shi Huan's gradually steady breathing, as well as the faint, extremely yin energy. A sharp glint flashed in Bi Yusheng's eyes. Shi Huan must have gone to see Shangguan Yun at this time, otherwise he would not have been tainted by this dragon's evil.

"Shangguan Yun summoned Shi Huan at this time, surely to find out our plans. Fortunately, Sect Leader Xue had already made the necessary arrangements."

Bi Yusheng's heart sank at this moment. If they hadn't investigated Shi Huan's background beforehand, their group would have been exposed to Shangguan Yun's eyes. Once they fell into his trap, they would have been utterly defeated.

"When problems arise within our own borders, they are far more serious than external threats; the ancients were right."

Biyu sighed, then closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

In the other rooms, Xue Wanshan and Lu Aotian also noticed Shi Huan's actions at the same time, but they only glanced at him and then ignored him. The bait had been laid, and it was up to Shangguan Yun to see if he would take the bait.

Outside the inn, in a secluded room, Ni Qingfeng rose and looked at the dark column of smoke rising in the distant sky. This column of smoke was thicker than before, indicating that Shangguan Yun was completely addicted to the Dragon Pearl. Judging from the current situation, Shangguan Yun would be powerless to stop the Dragon's Fury from eroding him within two months at most. What Ni Qingfeng needed to do now was to kill the Dragon's Fury before it fully erupted. Otherwise, once the Dragon's Fury erupted, not only would the entire martial world be devastated, but at least the area within a hundred miles of Shangguan Yun's location would be barren. Moreover, as time passed, the Dragon's Fury would also absorb all the pure spiritual energy, turning this world into a dead land.

Ni Qingfeng stared intently at the column of crimson smoke, a multicolored light slowly appearing around him. It flashed briefly before disappearing. However, this movement alerted Shangguan Yun, who turned his tiger-like eyes toward the location of the Tianshan Sect.

"As expected, you have also recovered from your injuries. However, I don't have time to deal with you now. Once I've taken down Xue Wanshan and Shen Henian, I'll see how you deal with your former senior brother."

Shangguan Yun sneered, and a flash of crimson-black light appeared around him. The soaring crimson-black smoke pillar faded a bit. He then withdrew his gaze, turned and left. Where his feet had stood, only a clump of scorched black earth remained. Looking out again, the lush grass and bushes seemed to have been stripped of all life, turning withered and yellow. When the wind blew, yellow leaves fell and branches broke.

In the following days, Xue Wanshan and his men rode at full speed and finally arrived at the city where Zhongxintang was located on the sixth day. Seeing that Zhongxintang was right in front of them, Xue Wanshan, who had changed his appearance, nodded to Biyusheng and the others. Then everyone dismounted and led their horses into the city.

Just after Xue Wanshan and his group entered the city, a lean man followed closely behind them. After looking at the sign above the plaque that read "Peace Inn," he turned and left, rushing all the way to Zhongxin Hall.

"Got it, keep a close eye on them."

Yue Sha waved his hand to dismiss the lean man, then looked at Shangguan Yun at the head of the table.

"Master, Xue Wanshan and his men have arrived. Should we strike first?"

Although Yue Sha felt that Zhongxin Hall could take them down with its strength, these people were also quite powerful. If the other side were to fight to the death, even if Zhongxin Hall was prepared in advance, it would still suffer a great loss. It would be better to take the initiative and catch them off guard.

"Well, now that the guests have arrived, we, as the hosts, should treat them well. Yue Sha, you and Ri Sha, take Jiang Che and the others to greet them as a small gift."

Shangguan Yun's calm tone startled Yue Sha, and a powerful aura flashed by.

"The sect leader's skills are becoming increasingly profound."

Yue Sha responded with a "yes," and seeing that the hall master had no further instructions, Yue Sha gestured to Ri Sha. The two bowed again and then turned and left the main hall.

"Have you noticed that the aura around the Hall Master is a bit off?" Ri Sha looked at Yue Sha with a solemn expression. Just now, when Shangguan Yun's aura was concealed, it changed from its usual pure and mighty power to a more sinister and eerie one, which made people shudder.

Upon hearing this, Yue Sha paused, turned around, and stared intently at Ri Sha. He said in a deep voice, "As subordinates, we only need to follow the leader's orders. Spying on the leader is a great disrespect. You must not do this again in the future, otherwise you will displease the leader."

Yue Sha glanced towards the main hall and whispered a reminder to Ri Sha. Upon hearing this, Ri Sha realized he had misspoke and, seeing his brother's expression, understood the situation. He said no more, and the two quickly left.

At this moment, Shangguan Yun, who was in the hall, heard all the words of the Sun and Moon Twin Fiends. He couldn't help but chuckle, and a faint smile appeared on his face. With a flick of his right hand, the hall door slammed shut, plunging the hall into darkness. Only a cloud of crimson and black light rose above Shangguan Yun's head. A ferocious dragon-shaped aura swirled around, its head raised, with crimson eyes, long beard, black scales, and dark claws. A foul stench filled the air, making people want to vomit.

"It'll be soon, it'll be soon. With Xue Wanshan and the others providing nourishment, you'll grow up quickly."

Shangguan Yun, his eyes bloodshot, watched the flying dragon energy and reached out to soothe it.

The Sun and Moon Duo acted swiftly, quickly mobilizing all available manpower. Although there were only thirty of them, they were all elites of the gang. While killing Xue Wanshan and his group was impossible, causing them some trouble was certainly within their capabilities.

"We'll make our move at 11:45 AM. Xue Wanshan will be dealt with by the two of us. Bi Yusheng's cultivation is second only to Xue Wanshan. Commander Jiang, you and Commanders Qiu and Wang will attack together. Lu Aotian and Lü Fengming will be held off by Yu Rang, Elder Ma, Elder Song, and Elder Liu. As for the others, we'll leave them to the remaining people..."

After Yue Sha made his arrangements, everyone understood their responsibilities. Before the appointed time, everyone returned to their rooms to rest and recuperate. Three hours later, at the third quarter of midnight, the members of Zhongxin Hall, all wearing black masks, rushed to Ping'an Inn.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the group had crossed the deserted street and stopped about ten feet away from the Ping An Inn. Yue Sha stepped out from the group, looked at the two large lanterns lit outside the Ping An Inn, his eyes slightly cold, and waved his hand forward. Several dark figures climbed straight up the roof, but before they could land, several dark beams flew out from the inn and hit the people who had just climbed onto the roof. However, the people hit by the hidden weapons only groaned and did not die.

"retreat!"

The leader looked at the caltrops stuck in his armor, his expression unchanged. He whispered something, and the others retreated in time. Just as they left, there were a few clanging sounds and flashes of cold light where they had been standing.

Yue Sha had been observing the throwing techniques of the hidden weapons, but apart from the first hidden weapon, he didn't quite understand the techniques of the others.

"That should be the throwing technique of the Tianshan Divine Light of the Tianshan Sect, either Shen Henian or Xue Wanshan."

Ri Sha opened his eyes and carefully calculated the trajectory of the hidden weapon in his mind.

"Southeast, Xue Wanshan; Southwest, Bi Yusheng; Southwest, Lu Aotian, make your move!"

Moon Fiend spoke in a deep voice, and everyone used their lightness skills to find their opponents. The Sun and Moon Fiends rushed into the second floor and smashed the door and window with a palm. Before the two could make a move, a powerful palm wind flew out from inside, and the broken door and window rushed straight towards the two.

Seeing this, Yue Sha's expression turned solemn. He cleaved the flying door in two, but a cold glint appeared behind it, and a chilling sword aura shot straight at Yue Sha's eyes. He instantly sensed a killing intent enveloping him. Without thinking, he dodged to the side and struck back. A frosty palm strike collided with the chilling sword aura, and both disappeared without a sound.

Just as Yue Sha and Xue Wanshan were fighting, Ri Sha's eyes flashed, and he moved swiftly behind Xue Wanshan. His right palm flashed with crimson light, and a scorching force struck Xue Wanshan's back. However, at that moment, Xue Wanshan's figure instantly disappeared from Ri Sha's sight. The full-force strike landed on empty air. The wooden plank was shattered by the force of the palm, and flames spread outwards, igniting all the flammable items in the room. The entire room instantly turned into a sea of ​​fire. If it was not controlled, the entire inn would be destroyed.

"not good!"

The Sun and Moon Duo were startled. Although they had come to deal with Xue Wanshan, they had no intention of harming innocent people. Seeing the fire suddenly intensify, they immediately abandoned their attack on Xue Wanshan. The Moon Fiend's hands spewed out frost-white energy, rushing straight at the raging fire, while the Sun Fiend forcefully inhaled the intense flames with both hands. The originally raging flames immediately shrunk down as if their spines had been pulled out, and were completely extinguished after only half a breath.

Seeing that the two were suppressing the fire without making a move, Xue Wanshan simply watched them quietly. Before long, the Sun and Moon Duo extinguished the fire. Looking at Xue Wanshan, who was standing still, they exchanged a glance and then attacked from the left and right.

"What a brilliant move, connecting the sun and moon."

Xue Wanshan supported himself with both hands against the Sun and Moon Twin Fiends, only to feel two completely different internal forces, one cold and one hot, rushing straight towards him, clashing and fighting against his pure and righteous energy. This move, Sun and Moon Connecting the Heavens, was a combined attack technique cultivated by the Sun and Moon Twin Fiends. Under the back-and-forth wear and tear of Yin and Yang forces, even a first-class master would find it difficult to resist.

The Sun and Moon Duo thought that even if they couldn't defeat Xue Wanshan, they should be able to hold out for a while. However, to their surprise, their two streams of true energy not only failed to penetrate Xue Wanshan's meridians, but instead stagnated, and even showed signs of being forced back.

"Withdraw your hand!"

Seeing that this move was useless, the Sun and Moon Duo communicated and immediately cut off the true energy. However, when they tried to retreat, Xue Wanshan did not allow it. A flash of white light appeared in Xue Wanshan's palm, and the Sun and Moon Duo's palms, which had already moved away by an inch, were pulled up again. A thick and unstoppable true energy passed through their arms and went straight to their dantian!

The Sun and Moon Duo suddenly felt an unfathomable force rushing into them, and their faces immediately showed horror. They then realized that even when they were at their peak, they could hardly move this person in the slightest. Just when the situation was extremely critical, Xue Wanshan suddenly felt a demonic sound rushing in from outside.

"Scorpion Demonic Voice!"

Xue Wanshan frowned and loosened his grip slightly, which was immediately seized by the Sun and Moon Duo. They broke free with all their might and hurriedly retreated, staring at Xue Wanshan with a wary expression. At the same time, the other people fighting outside also heard this demonic sound and their movements paused involuntarily.

"Get rid of these two first."

Xue Wanshan's expression turned slightly cold. Several cold beams shot out from the long sword in his hand, piercing straight at the Sun and Moon Duo. The two sensed the chilling sword energy and felt an overwhelming sense of resistance. They struck out with both palms at the same time and then withdrew. The Yin-Yang Palm Force was broken through even half a breath under the erosion of the sword energy. The sword energy continued its momentum and attacked the Sun and Moon Duo.

However, at this moment, an even more magnificent bell sound came from afar, like ripples on clear water. Everything in its path was suppressed by the sound. Xue Wanshan's three sword energies were also trapped in the mud under the pressure of the bell sound, like dragons trapped in shallow water, unable to exert their strength. After a few breaths, the sword energies disappeared without a trace.

"Evening drum and morning bell".

Xue Wanshan looked at the two familiar figures flying towards him and felt a little uneasy. These two were a variable. He glanced at the people fighting all around him, his mind racing. He moved in an instant and ran out of the inn.

Seeing his senior brother's actions, Shen Henian, who was fighting two skilled opponents, launched a series of sword attacks, forcing his opponent back before following Xue Wanshan. Lu Aotian, Bi Yusheng, and the others understood Xue Wanshan's intentions and seized the opportunity to use their lightness skills, disappearing into the distance in a few leaps.

"Chase!"

With a deep shout, the Sun and Moon Duo sent everyone rushing off into the distance. Meanwhile, the Evening Drum and Morning Bell, their eyes flashing red, followed behind the crowd, carrying a large drum and bronze bell with an expressionless face.

Xue Wanshan and his group traveled for about a mile before finally stopping in a valley outside the city. Before they could wait long, the sound of bells and drums grew louder as sound waves transformed into sonic blades that charged straight at them. Xue Wanshan, Bi Yusheng, and Lu Aotian, being highly skilled, were not too afraid of the Scorpion Demonic Sound, but the other six, whose skills were slightly weaker, quickly activated their protective auras and silently used calming techniques as the demonic sound approached.

The sonic blades struck the energy shield with resounding thuds, instantly twisting and warping it. Shuiyue, whose power was the weakest, had already expended a considerable amount of true energy, and now, struck by this mind-bending demonic sound, she was on the verge of collapse. The energy shield held on for a few more breaths before shattering with a deafening roar. With the sonic blades no longer obstructed, just as they were about to strike her, a white light, like cotton wool, appeared in front of Shuiyue, blocking the sonic blades as they fell into it and vanished instantly.

(End of this chapter)