A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 365 Thunder Valley

In Thunder Valley, Huangfu Changhen looked at the shattered rocks with satisfaction. With a flick of his wrist, the long whip, like a nimble snake, swiftly retreated and landed in Huangfu Changhen's hand.

"After more than ten years of arduous cultivation, I have finally perfected the Thousand-Mile Thunder Whip Technique. Now it's time to settle accounts with that god Liao Ru."

Huangfu Changhen's eyes flashed with a cold light. More than twenty years ago, the Tianji Sect suffered a great change. Liao Rushen injured his master and took the opportunity to seize most of the sect's books. After that, he disappeared without a trace. He had taken on his master's last wish to keep "Dreamlike Limitless" safe, waiting for a destined person to take over.

However, when Liao Rushen learned that the Dream of Limitless had fallen into his hands, he led a group of evil and unorthodox people to besiege him. Although he won that battle and Liao Rushen was seriously injured and escaped, he almost lost his life. If it weren't for the life-extending pill left by his master before his death, he would probably have died long ago.

"Liao Rushen, no matter where you hide, I, Huangfu Changhen, will make you perish under the thousand-mile whip thunder!"

Just as Huangfu Changhen turned to go back to the wooden house, a hunter-like man suddenly came down the mountain path not far away. Huangfu Changhen stopped and stared at him. He saw that the hunter was about thirty years old, tall, with dark reddish skin, a machete at his waist, a bow and arrows on his back, a tiger skin robe, and was carrying wild rabbits and pheasants in his hands. He had a smile on his face.

"wrong."

Huangfu Changhen's gaze narrowed slightly. He recognized most of the hunters in the mountains, but he had no recollection of this person. Thinking of this, Huangfu Changhen observed carefully without making a sound, and soon he discovered the anomaly.

"This man is trying his best to appear as a hunter, but he has forgotten that hunters would never wear a tiger skin in good condition in order to make a living. Moreover, this man walks steadily and moves like the wind, clearly a master with mastery of internal energy. Let me see what your background is."

Huangfu Changhen turned halfway around, his gaze fixed on the hunter. Seemingly sensing Huangfu Changhen's gaze, the hunter's expression changed slightly, but he quickly recovered. He raised his prey high and shouted to Huangfu Changhen, "Mr. Huang, you've had a good haul today! Come to the Five Locust Pavilion at the village entrance tonight and try my cooking!"

After speaking, the hunter didn't wait for Huangfu Changhen's reply and immediately ran down the mountain, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Huangfu Changhen's face turned cold upon seeing this. This person even knew the name he used to address others, and the Five Locust Pavilion was a place he frequented. This person must have a powerful background.

"Pretend to be a ghost!"

Huangfu Changhen snorted coldly in his heart. Since the other party had already made their move, he had nothing to fear. He would see what kind of people these people came from.

Once the hunter was out of Huangfu Changhen's sight, he breathed a sigh of relief, threw the things in his hands aside, took off the tiger-skin coat, and tore off the mask from his face, revealing a sallow face. He was handsome, but his narrow eyes ruined the overall look, making him look less righteous and more sinister.

This man was none other than Blood Lord, the third leader of Eagle Fortress. He was a master of the Blood-Dripping Sword Technique. Not only was he skilled in martial arts, but he was also adept at intrigue and cunning. His unique skills sometimes even impressed Liao Rushen. Back then, when Liao Rushen led a group of evil sects to besiege Huangfu Changhen, Blood Lord was the only survivor. Although he was severely injured, he took the opportunity to annex many evil sects after that, which led to the growth of Eagle Fortress. Therefore, Liao Rushen trusted Blood Lord very much.

"The plan has been set up. Huangfu Changhen, it's time for you to pay for the grudge from that sword strike back then."

Blood Lord pulled open his clothes, revealing a clear sword wound on his chest. Logically, after more than ten years, the sword wound should have faded and become invisible. However, Blood Lord was a person who was both crazy and rational. Every three months, Blood Lord would use a dagger to reopen the healed wound, letting the blood flow, constantly reminding himself not to forget the humiliation of that year.

"Judging by the time, the chief and the others should be arriving soon. It's a good opportunity to give Huangfu Changhen a taste of his own medicine before they get here."

A ferocious smile appeared on Blood Lord's face.

The white-robed Taoist, who was actually Gu Xu in disguise, rushed towards Thunderclap Valley. After traveling all night, Gu Xu was also a little tired. Seeing a tea stall not far ahead, he immediately went over.

The tea stall owner froze when he saw a Taoist priest dressed in white with a cold and aloof appearance approaching. Suddenly, he heard a clear voice enter his ears, and when he came to his senses, he saw that the immortal-like Taoist priest had already walked up to him.

"Layman, please have a bowl of tea."

After the white-robed Taoist finished speaking, he immediately sat down on the wooden stool. Upon seeing this, the tea stall owner immediately said "wait a moment" and went to the stove. He brought back a bowl of hot tea that had been boiling for a while and carefully poured the tea into it. The cloudy tea made the owner blush slightly. He realized that his tea was just wild tea from the mountains, and it was somewhat disrespectful to serve such a celestial being with such a humble offering.

Just as the boss was feeling ashamed, the white-robed Taoist priest picked up the teacup, blew on the floating tea leaves, and slowly drank the tea.

Half a moment later, the white-robed Taoist put down his teacup, reached into his money bag, took out two copper coins, placed them on the table, and got up to continue his journey.

Seeing the Taoist priest leave, the shopkeeper finally withdrew his gaze, sighed, and thought that such a person was truly extraordinary. It was a great opportunity for him to meet such a person in his lifetime.

Just as the white-robed Taoist continued along the ancient path, a bell suddenly rang out from behind. Ignoring it, the Taoist strode forward, but at that moment, the grass on both sides of the path suddenly rustled, revealing a glint of cold light. Several figures darted out, each wielding a weapon. The leader, upon seeing the white-robed Taoist, was first taken aback, then startled. He turned halfway and gestured to the others behind him. The others moved swiftly, rushing towards the sound of the bell.

The leader breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that the white-robed Taoist priest made no unusual move.

"This person's origins are unknown, and his martial arts skills are unpredictable. It's best not to cause any trouble. Let's take care of the chief's business first."

The leader glanced at the Taoist again, took a few steps back, turned around and used his lightness skill to chase after his companions. The Taoist's eyes flickered slightly when he saw this. These people were not weak in martial arts and were not mountain bandits. The leader had abundant internal energy and would be a second-rate master in the martial arts world. The sect that could cultivate such a person must not be an ordinary sect. Apart from the Supreme Alliance, the Sea Shark Palace and the Sword Casting City, only the Eagle Fortress had this strength.

"Azure Eagle Fortress, it seems that Ru Shen's actions are also quite swift. Let's wait and see."

The white-robed Taoist priest had a thought in his mind, and with a swift movement, he rushed in the direction they had left.

Just as the white-robed Taoist was observing, he suddenly heard the sound of weapons clashing in front of him. The Taoist quickened his pace, concealed his aura, and stood behind a tree to the side. He looked closely and saw a dashing young man fighting bare-handed against four people who each wielded strange weapons. The leader was holding a long sword and watching the battle with a cold gaze.

"This young man uses the Overlord Fist; he must be Xiaoyao Lang, the disciple of the Wine Immortal."

The Taoist priest didn't care why Xiaoyao Lang was here. After all, the original plot had already taken a turn. It was more interesting that the people from Cangying Fort attacked Xiaoyao Lang. Could it be that Liaoru Shen wanted to send someone to impersonate Xiaoyao Lang to assassinate Huangfu Changhen?

In the arena, Xiaoyao Lang unleashed a punch carrying immense force, the wind from which swept across, instantly shattering the combined attack of the four. Before the shockwave could dissipate, the swordsman standing outside moved swiftly, a cold glint piercing Xiaoyao Lang's brow. Wherever the sword light passed, the shockwave dispersed, and a bone-chilling coldness sent a chill down Xiaoyao Lang's spine.

Sensing the opponent's formidable attack, Xiaoyao Lang held his breath and focused his mind. He clashed his fists together and then slammed his fist into the ground. A burst of energy erupted, dust rose, and ripples from the fist swept outwards in all directions. The cold sword light was immediately obstructed and shattered about ten feet away from Xiaoyao Lang under the continuous impact of the fist energy. However, despite this, the leading swordsman showed no sign of frustration. Instead, he revealed a triumphant look in his eyes.

The swordsman swung his longsword back into its sheath, and suddenly four long steel ropes appeared from all four directions, whistling through the air. Xiaoyao Lang had just used his Overlord Fist to break the sword light, and at this moment, his old strength had been exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated. Caught off guard, his limbs were already entangled by the steel ropes. Before Xiaoyao Lang could struggle, the four men pulled the ropes tightly in four directions, suspending Xiaoyao Lang directly in the air, leaving him feeling powerless.

At the same time, a ferocious glint flashed across the swordsman's face, and the long sword in his hand transformed into a streak of green light, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, aimed straight at Xiaoyaolang's throat. The sword energy shot out, and the cold light flickered. Xiaoyaolang was immediately filled with sorrow, realizing that his momentary carelessness had led to his death lying in the wilderness.

“Master, your disciple is incompetent. I died here without even finding you.”

As Xiaoyao Lang watched the long sword thrusting towards him, he immediately closed his eyes. Suddenly, his body sank to the ground, startling him awake.

"This is how the same thing?"

Xiaoyao Lang opened his eyes and found a figure in white standing in front of him, with four corpses scattered around them. The remaining swordsman looked terrified, his body trembling uncontrollably. Untying the ropes binding his limbs, Xiaoyao Lang hurried to the figure in white and said, "Thank you so much for saving me, sir. I am deeply grateful. May I ask your name, sir?"

Xiaoyao Lang merely glanced at the remaining swordsmen, paying them little attention, and bowed to the white-robed figure. At that moment, a detached voice rang in his ear.

"This humble Taoist is pure and serene; there is no need for such formalities."

"Qingxu?"

Xiaoyao Lang was startled. When did such a figure appear in the martial arts world? He looked up and saw a young Taoist priest with a cold and dignified appearance and extraordinary demeanor. The priest was about the same age as him, but Xiaoyao Lang knew that Taoists were best at cultivating qi and it was not surprising that they could maintain their youthful appearance. This Taoist priest looked young, but he killed four people with a wave of his hand and made the swordsman wary. He must be very skilled in martial arts. Based on this, Xiaoyao Lang guessed that the Taoist priest was about the same age as his master.

"Greetings, Master Qingxu. I am Xiaoyao Lang, a disciple of the Immortal of Wine."

The carefree young man revealed his origins, hoping to gain some useful information from the Taoist priest's answer.

"So he's the disciple of the leader of the Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust, the Immortal of Wine. No wonder he can wield this Overlord Fist so skillfully. The Immortal of Wine has indeed taken on a good disciple."

Qingxu replied calmly, which only made Xiaoyaolang more certain that this Taoist priest must be a reclusive figure in the martial arts world, and must know his master. Thinking of this, Xiaoyaolang couldn't help but ask, "Does the Taoist priest know my master?"

"I've only heard of them briefly, but I've never met them. Young Master Xiaoyao, do you know why these people from Eagle Fortress have come looking for you?"

Qingxu revealed the origins of these people in a single sentence, and the swordsman's expression changed drastically. He became even more wary of this Taoist priest. Just now, this man had used some move that had killed his four companions without them uttering a sound. If he hadn't quickly sheathed his sword, he probably would have lost his life here.

"Azure Eagle Fortress!" Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang exclaimed in shock, his face turning cold as he stared intently at the swordsman. Azure Eagle Fortress was infamous in the martial arts world, openly acting as assassins. For a generous reward, anyone could hire members of Azure Eagle Fortress to kill. Since its founding, Azure Eagle Fortress had taken on hundreds of jobs, big and small, with nearly 90% of them successful. Among those assassinated were many renowned figures in the martial arts world, such as Lin Jingfeng, the master of Changlin Island; Yue Longyuan, the master of Qianlong Pavilion; Duan Fang, the master of Feiyan Sect; Vajra Zen Master of Tianlong Temple; Jianxin Daoren of Xuanzhen Temple; as well as Jin Ding Sanren and Shui Yunzi. Azure Eagle Fortress had built its reputation on the corpses of these people.

"So they're from Eagle Fortress. No wonder their methods are so ruthless."

Xiaoyao Lang took a deep breath and said to Qingxu, "Daoist Master, may I handle this person?"

Having almost died by this man's sword, Xiaoyao Lang was seething with anger.

Qingxu nodded upon hearing this, then stood aside without saying a word. Xiaoyaolang thanked him, stared coldly at the swordsman, roared, and unleashed a burst of fist energy, sweeping out. The swordsman opposite him thought there was no way out, but seeing Qingxu take the initiative to step aside, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. As for this Xiaoyaolang, even if he had some skill, he didn't take him seriously. Perhaps if he could capture him, he could increase his chances of survival.

“If your master makes a move, I, Liu, will leave without saying a word. Without the help of the Overlord Wine, how much strength can your Overlord Fist have?”

Liu Feng snorted coldly in his heart. Seeing the incoming fist force, his longsword hummed, and his figure moved instantly. He delivered a cross slash, directly meeting the fist force. Although the fist force was powerful and extraordinary, it paled in comparison to this sword technique that was good at breaking through the surface with a single point. The sword light flashed by, and the fist force was instantly split. The shockwaves scattered in all directions, and the passing breeze only blew the hem of Liu Feng's clothes.

With a single sword strike, Liu Feng shattered the Overlord Fist. Before Xiaoyao Lang could make another move, Liu Feng lunged forward, his longsword flashing with emerald light, its cold rays illuminating Xiaoyao Lang's nine vital acupoints. This move, "Azure Heaven Nine Springs," was Liu Feng's signature technique, which he had once used to deliver a fatal blow to a martial arts master.

When Xiaoyao Lang's fist force was broken, he was already on guard. However, he was not without trump cards. He had been careless before, allowing the people of Cangying Fortress to take advantage of the situation. Now, he would not make the same mistake again. Seeing the nine sword lights rushing towards him, Xiaoyao Lang neither dodged nor avoided them. He took out a miniature gourd from his bosom, uncorked it, and swallowed the wine. Instantly, Xiaoyao Lang's face turned crimson, and a powerful aura emerged. The energy swept across the area, and even before the move was made, it was already earth-shattering, which shocked Liu Feng so much that his expression changed drastically.

"Overlord Wine!"

There was no time to change tactics. Liu Feng gritted his teeth and poured all his power into his longsword. A bright green light shone, making Liu Feng's face appear greenish-blue. Combined with his ferocious expression, he looked like a demon from hell.

"Overlord Fist!"

With the aid of the Overlord's Wine, Xiaoyao Lang's true energy surged wildly, his power leaking outwards. He slammed his fist into the ground, instantly shattering it into pieces. Under the sweeping force of his fist, the nine sword lights could initially withstand some of the attacks, but under the combined force of the fist, they shattered one after another, extending to the longsword. The hundred-forged steel longsword could not withstand the immense force, and after a mournful cry, it shattered into pieces. Liu Feng let out a miserable howl as his body was thrown heavily into the sky. Before he could land, he exploded into a cloud of blood mist in mid-air, which fell like rain, dyeing the area within ten feet red.

Seeing the villain from Eagle Fortress die, Xiaoyao Lang's previously crazed expression immediately returned to normal. Looking at the rather bloody scene before him, Xiaoyao Lang was momentarily unable to adapt.

"this!"

Xiaoyao Lang's face was slightly pale. Then, as if he had thought of something, he turned around to look at the Taoist priest. He found that the priest's expression was indifferent and he didn't seem to be eating anything. Xiaoyao Lang's heart pounded. He wondered if he had left a bad impression on the Taoist priest by creating such a bloody scene on their first meeting.

"Master, I..."

"The Overlord Fist is very good."

Qingxu only said this much, but Xiaoyaolang smiled. It seemed that the Taoist priest did not mind that he had used such a heavy hand. So he put aside his worries and asked, "Where is the Taoist priest going?"

Thunder Valley.

"Thunder Valley?" Xiaoyao Lang's expression changed slightly. He tentatively asked, "Daoist, you went to Thunder Valley to..."

"Huangfu Changhen."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang was shocked. How could it be that Daoist Qingxu also went to Jinglei Valley by such a coincidence, and what a coincidence that they met in this situation? This made him suspect that there might be some inside story. But then he thought that perhaps the Daoist was just going to challenge Mr. Huangfu to a duel.

Xiaoyao Lang could only console himself with this thought. After pondering for a while, he said to Qingxu, "To be honest, Daoist, I am also planning to go to Jinglei Valley. We can go together."

After saying that, Xiaoyao Lang led the donkey that was hiding in the grass over and pointed at it, saying, "Daoist, this donkey is gentle and obedient. If you don't mind, you might as well ride it and save your energy."

Upon hearing this, Qingxu glanced at the donkey, then nodded. With a swift movement, he was already firmly seated on the donkey's back. Xiaoyaolang's pupils contracted. This exquisite movement technique was something even his master might not be able to perform. It seemed that this Taoist priest was indeed someone of great importance.

Xiaoyao Lang stepped forward and took the reins of the donkey. Amidst the pleasant sound of bells, the two men and the donkey continued on their way. Several hours after they left, a group of people appeared. Looking at the traces of battle left on the ground, one of them dismounted to examine the scene and said to the leader, Bai Yanluo, "Second Master, it was the force of the Overlord Fist. Liu Feng and his men failed."

"Alright, it's just a useless card anyway. If it works out, great; if it doesn't, it doesn't matter. Hurry up and take a detour to Thunderclap Valley as fast as you can. Make sure everything is settled before the Boss arrives, otherwise you know what the Boss is capable of."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed, and they immediately agreed. With a command from Bai Yanluo, the sound of hooves rang out, and amidst billowing dust, the group from Cangying Fortress had already disappeared into the distance.

(End of this chapter)