A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 369 Startled the Godlike

Just as Huangfu Changhen and Liao Rushen were locked in a fierce battle, deep in the mountains, Qingxu was healing Xiaoyaolang. The poison that had been quenched on the Lingnan Three Heroes Sword was indeed extraordinary. If it had happened elsewhere, Xiaoyaolang would probably be dead already. However, under Qingxu's treatment, Xiaoyaolang's left arm was no longer the pale green color it had been, and it was gradually returning to normal. Looking at the wound that was no longer bleeding poisonous blood, Qingxu took out a bottle of medicinal powder and sprinkled it on the wound. The medicinal powder was extremely potent, and as soon as it was applied, Xiaoyaolang cried out in pain.

"Bear with it."

Qingxu glanced at Xiaoyaolang, who immediately gritted his teeth and remained silent. After treating the wound for a while, Qingxu reached out and pressed on it. With a surge of true energy, a flash of green light appeared in his palm, and Xiaoyaolang immediately felt a cool sensation run through his heart, letting out a sigh of relief.

"You must not let your left arm get wet for three days, you must not use any force, and you must eat a light diet. You must not drink any alcohol, otherwise if the wound reopens, you will lose your arm."

After checking again and finding nothing wrong, Qingxu gave a few more instructions, then got up and looked outside. Xiaoyaolang nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and also got up and moved his arm slightly. Although his arm still felt a tearing pain, it was much better than before when he had no feeling at all.

"Thank you so much for saving me, Daoist Master. I am deeply grateful!"

Xiaoyao Lang bowed respectfully to Qingxu, who waved his hand, glanced at him, and said, "This time, consider it a lesson for you. The martial world is not as good as you think. Intrigues, scheming, and deceit are commonplace. Your master protected you too well, preventing you from seeing the dangers of the martial world. After this experience, you should understand."

"Yes, what the Taoist priest said makes sense."

After hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang was also a little scared. If he hadn't learned the Great Subduing Demon Fist taught by the Taoist priest and hadn't been healed by the Taoist priest, his first step into the martial arts world would have been stillborn.

"The beautiful side of the martial arts world is all shown to you newcomers by your teachers. As for the ugly side, you have to experience it for yourselves. No rainbow without rain."

After Qingxu finished speaking, without waiting for Xiaoyaolang's reply, he continued, "Mr. Huangfu is currently fighting with someone. You should come with me to take a look. It will be good for you to see more top masters dueling."

As he spoke, Qingxu grabbed Xiaoyaolang in one hand and dashed forward. Before Xiaoyaolang could react, he felt the wind whistling past his ears, his breath caught in his throat, and he involuntarily closed his eyes. After an unknown amount of time, his body became heavy, and Xiaoyaolang opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings. He found himself standing on the trunk of a large tree, with Qingxu standing beside him, his gaze fixed on the ground below. Xiaoyaolang steadied himself slightly, moved his feet gently, and stood beside Qingxu. Following the Taoist's gaze, he looked down and, through the gaps in the leaves, saw two figures, one yellow and one black, fighting below. The yellow figure was agile, dodging Huangfu Changhen's Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder every time he used it, while simultaneously unleashing a barrage of hidden weapons at Huangfu Changhen.

"Master, who is that person?"

After observing for only a short while, Xiaoyao Lang knew that the yellow figure holding the feather fan was no less skilled than Huangfu Changhen, and he also felt that there was something inexplicably wrong with this person.

"This person is Liao Rushen, and also the most mysterious leader of the Eagle Fortress among the five factions."

"So he's the leader of Eagle Fortress. No wonder he has such skill. Daoist, do you think Mr. Huangfu can defeat Liao Rushen?"

Xiaoyao Lang didn't ask why Ru Shen had approached Huangfu Changhen. He wouldn't ask about the reasons unless the parties involved told him. What he wanted to know now was simply who would win between the two.

"Liao Rushen's skill level is similar to that of Mr. Huangfu, but Mr. Huangfu has the Thousand-Mile Thunder Whip. Although Liao Rushen uses the Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Step to dodge frequently, once the variations are exhausted, he will inevitably fall into a disadvantageous position."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed with delight, "Doesn't this mean that Senior Huangfu is certain to win?"

"That's not fair. Liao Rushen is quite cunning. He is well aware of the flaws in the Four Symbols and Eight Trigrams Steps. Therefore, before he can exhaust the variations of these steps, he will inevitably resort to other methods to avoid defeat. In that case, it will be hard to say who will win or lose between the two."

Qingxu looked down and saw Huangfu Changhen's whip, which was powerful and imposing, like a dragon coiling and thundering, gradually blocking Liao Rushen's escape route. It was clear that Liao Rushen's Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Steps were about to be exhausted, and even the hidden weapons in his hand stopped.

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang pondered for a moment, then stopped asking questions, held his breath, and stared intently at the two combatants below.

In the arena, Liao Rushen realized that his footwork space was getting smaller and smaller, and his heart sank. In order to dodge the Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder, he had specially practiced the Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Step. He originally thought he could last for half an hour under the Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder, but he did not expect that he still underestimated Huangfu Changhen's ability. In this short moment, Huangfu Changhen had already blocked ninety percent of his footwork escape routes. If this continued, in less than a few breaths, when his footwork variations were exhausted, he would be met with Huangfu Changhen's thunderous attack.

"It's been over twenty years since we last met, and Huangfu Changhen hasn't been idle either. He originally planned to save this move for dealing with Guan Yutian, but today he's using it on you first."

The whip's shadow danced like a dragon, like a dome covering the sky. The final transformation of the Four Symbols and Eight Trigrams Steps was finally broken. Just as the steps were repeated, Huangfu Changhen's eyes flashed with a sharp light. His long whip cracked with a thunderous sound, shaking the void. It spun like a top and coiled towards Liao Rushen. At that moment, Huangfu Changhen saw a strange smile on Liao Rushen's face. Feeling uneasy, Liao Rushen took out a cylindrical object and activated a mechanism. Immediately, a swarm of needles flew like rain, densely shooting towards Huangfu Changhen. Upon seeing this, the latter's expression changed drastically.

"Heavy Rain Pear Blossom Needle!"

Huangfu Changhen, unable to deal with Ru Shen at this moment, flicked his wrist and hurriedly pulled back his whip. This "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles" was the most treasured weapon of the already destroyed Tang Clan. Even if this weapon fell into the hands of someone who knew nothing about martial arts, it could kill a first-rate master. It was extremely powerful. However, it was precisely because of this that the Tang Clan was feared by other sects. More than a hundred years ago, the sects formed an alliance and prepared for several months. Taking advantage of the Tang Clan's unpreparedness, they completely destroyed the Tang Clan. However, just as the sects were about to divide up the Tang Clan's treasures, they discovered that the three most precious "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles" had disappeared. The sects became suspicious of each other, and the alliance eventually broke down, leading to another bloody storm. The allied sects had long since disappeared from the martial arts world, but the three "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles" never reappeared.

"So it turns out that the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles fell into his hands."

Huangfu Changhen felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the flying needles hurtling towards him. He was fine dealing with ordinary hidden weapons, but these rain of pear blossom needles were best at breaking through qi, and there were so many of them. He could defend against one, but not dozens or hundreds. Huangfu Changhen kept retreating, trying to dodge to the side, but he was caught off guard by attacks from the left and right.

Bai Yanluo and Lian Zhen were horrified when they saw their leader unleash the "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles," but then their faces lit up with elation. They were also very good at seizing opportunities. Seeing that Huangfu Changhen was about to dodge, the two exchanged a glance and attacked together. Their swords flashed and their ghostly claws forced Huangfu Changhen back into the range of the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles.

"Under my torrential rain of pear blossom needles, Huangfu Changhen, you are doomed!"

Liao Rushen stared at Huangfu Changhen with a sinister look in his eyes. He waved his feather fan lightly, waiting for Huangfu Changhen to die so that he could obtain the Dreamlike Limitless Technique. Once he cultivated this technique, no one, including Guan Yutian, Sword Master, or Helian Ba, would be his match. Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Liao Rushen's face.

Just when Huangfu Changhen thought he had nowhere to escape, a palm wind suddenly came, spinning in mid-air. The incoming rain of pear blossom needles seemed to be drawn together, condensing into a ball. Then the palm wind dissipated, and the flying needles flew backward. Seeing this, Liao Rushen and Bai Yanluo Lianzhen's expressions changed drastically. They hurriedly withdrew and retreated far away. The flying needles controlled by the palm wind did not seem to have any intention of killing them all. Halfway through their journey, all the flying needles were neatly stuck in the ground, separating the two sides.

"go!"

An expert's skill is immediately apparent. Liao Rushen gave a shout, mounted his horse, and galloped out of the valley. Bai Yanluo and Lian Zhen, seeing this, disregarded everything else and hurriedly followed. The remaining dozen or so Cangying Fortress members, whose injuries had slightly improved, saw that Huangfu Changhen made no move, so they got up and staggered out.

"Thank you for your help, Taoist priest. Otherwise, I would have lost my life here today."

Huangfu Changhen watched Qingxu and Xiaoyaolang fall, then stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Qingxu. He hadn't expected that Liao Rushen would actually obtain the missing "Rain of Pear Blossom Needles." This thing was almost impossible to counter; unless one cultivated to the level of a Daoist master, anyone who encountered it would surely die.

"With such a deadly weapon in hand, Mr. Huangfu, you'd better be careful from now on."

Qingxu was also somewhat wary of the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles. This thing was specifically designed to break through protective qi, and even if he encountered it, he would be in a bit of a mess. The reason he was able to disperse it this time was because he was caught off guard and was an outsider.

"Now that we know that Ru Shen has this item, we must be on guard. It's not a pity that we couldn't kill Ru Shen this time. Eagle Fortress suffered heavy losses in today's battle. Thunder Valley should be safe for at least several years."

Huangfu Changhen made up his mind that in the next few years, he would focus on consolidating the Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder, so that even without the long whip, he could still unleash the powerful Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder with just the invisible whip. In this way, he could hide in the shadows and make it impossible for the godlike hidden weapon to strike.

"It's good that Mr. Huangfu has everything under control. The enemy has retreated, and the objective has been achieved. It's time for me to leave." Qingxu had been out for a month. According to his plan, after reading the Dreamlike Limitless in Thunder Valley, he was going to visit the territory of the Supreme Alliance to see if he could obtain the Secret Manual of One Sword Separating Worlds from Guan Yutian. This sword technique was known as the number one sword technique in the world, and he was quite interested in it.

"Master, why don't you stay a few more days? I still have many questions about martial arts that I would like to discuss with you."

Huangfu Changhen felt a little reluctant to part with it. Although he had only met Master Qingxu for a day, he felt that he had gained more in that day than in several years. If he could discuss things with him from time to time, it would definitely be of great help to his martial arts progress.

"I have been away from the mountain for a long time and it is time for me to return. However, Xiaoyao Lang is suffering from the poison of losing his spirit and should not travel far within three days. I will trouble Mr. Huangfu to take care of him."

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao Lang felt a sudden urgency. Just as he was about to speak, Qingxu glanced at him and said, "If the Immortal of Wine is not mistaken, he should be in the Sea Shark Palace. With your current martial arts skills, going there would be tantamount to courting death. If you can master the Great Subduing Demon Fist that I taught you, and seize the opportunity, you might be able to rescue him."

When Xiaoyao Lang heard Qingxu say that his master was in the Sea Shark Palace, he was initially overjoyed, but then fell silent. The Taoist priest was right; the Sea Shark Palace was a den of dragons and tigers, and with his meager strength, he would probably be killed before he even reached it.

"Master, I understand."

“Since Helian Ba ​​has captured your master, he must have something to ask for. He is not in immediate danger of losing his life. I have learned along the way that the Sea Shark Palace and the Supreme Alliance are about to go to war. If you can master the Great Subduing Demon Fist, you may be able to rescue your master while the Sea Shark Palace is vulnerable.”

After Qingxu finished speaking, he looked at Xiaoyaolang with a meaningful gaze. Upon hearing this, the latter immediately understood and nodded.

"Rest assured, Master, I will take good care of this young man. Once he recovers, I will urge him to practice martial arts so as not to disappoint your expectations."

Seeing that the two had finished speaking, Huangfu Changhen made a promise to Qingxu. Upon hearing this, Qingxu nodded, bowed to Huangfu Changhen, and then drifted away, disappearing into the valley in the blink of an eye.

Watching Qingxu leave, Huangfu Changhen sighed and turned to Xiaoyaolang, saying, "Let's go." With that, Huangfu Changhen took the lead and walked into the valley, with Xiaoyaolang following behind.

On the other side, Liao Rushen led the remaining members of Eagle Fortress away from Thunder Valley at full speed. After galloping for several miles, the horse began to foam at the mouth. Only then did Liao Rushen breathe a slight sigh of relief. Looking at the hidden forests around him, Liao Rushen dismounted. Bai Yanluo and the others following behind also stopped in a hurry.

Bai Yanluo waved his hand, and the remaining dozen or so people immediately retreated to the side. He and Lian Zhen walked over, and seeing the leader's ugly face, Bai Yanluo cautiously said, "Leader, just now..."

Even Lian Zhen turned his gaze over. Since he joined Eagle Fortress, he had never seen the chief so disheveled. Could it be that the chief knew the person who struck him?

"That man is no match for us. Even if we outnumbered him by twice, we still wouldn't be able to handle him. Fortunately, he didn't kill us outright, otherwise, not only you, but even I might not have been able to escape from him."

The more Liao Rushen thought of that palm strike, the more terrified he became. He never expected that the mysterious Taoist from Sword Forging City would appear in Thunderclap Valley, and it seemed that he had some connection with Huangfu Changhen, otherwise he wouldn't have broken his Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles.

"Boss, who made the move?"

Lian Zhen's doubts deepened, and he mustered his courage to ask Ru Shen. Upon hearing this, Ru Shen glanced at the two of them and said in a deep voice, "This person is the mysterious Taoist who defeated Guan Yutian with a single palm strike, then forced Helian Ba ​​to submit, and finally disappeared in Sword Casting City. His origins are a mystery, but his martial arts are extremely high. He can come and go freely from the Supreme Alliance and the Sea Shark Palace, which are ranked first and second among the five major sects. Tell me, how can I possibly contend with such a person?"

After Liao Rushen's explanation, Bai Yanluo looked thoughtful, while Lian Zhen was shocked. He had never known that there was such a person in the martial arts world.

"Boss, ever since this mysterious Taoist entered Sword Forging City, I've had people keeping an eye on him. We even received a letter half a month ago, but the Taoist hasn't shown up yet. Is there something wrong with this?"

"Humph!"

Liao Rushen looked at Bai Yanluo and said coldly, "What do you know? If you want to hide such a person, do you think your subordinates can find out? They are all a bunch of fools. This sudden change has completely overturned my plans. If I want to obtain Dreamy Limitless again, I need to rethink my strategy."

Bai Yanluo immediately fell silent in embarrassment.

Just as Liao Rushen was about to mount his horse, he suddenly had a whim and immediately took out three copper coins from his sleeve and tossed them into the air. The coins fell down, and Bai Yanluo and Lian Zhen exchanged a glance. They looked closely and saw that the three copper coins were arranged in a triangular shape, with the pattern on the top coin and the characters on the bottom two coins.

"When war breaks out, disaster strikes in the southeast."

Looking at the divination results, Liao Rushen's expression immediately turned serious. He closed his eyes and silently calculated with his fingers. After a while, Liao Rushen opened his eyes, his face no longer showing dejection, but joy.

"God help me too!"

Without further explanation, Liao Rushen immediately mounted his horse. Bai Yanluo and the other two did not ask any further questions. The group from Cangying Fort quickly left the forest, heading southeast.

At this moment, in the main hall of the Supreme Alliance, Guan Yutian sat upright, with Ren Qianxing and Sima Tian sitting on the left and right respectively, followed by a group of elders, each with a solemn expression.

"The Sea Shark Palace destroyed three of my bases in three days, and hundreds of our allies died. We will avenge this. Hall Master Sima, how is the Azure Dragon Hall's preparation going?"

The establishment of the Southeast Three Branches was originally intended to serve as the front line, keeping an eye on every move of the Sea Shark Palace. However, we did not expect Helian Ba ​​to act so quickly, even going so far as to mobilize a large force. As soon as we received the news, the branch was destroyed.

"Reporting to the Alliance Leader, the entire Azure Dragon Hall is ready and can be mobilized at any time."

Upon hearing this, Sima Tian stood up and replied. Looking at Guan Yutian's cold expression, Sima Tian felt somewhat uneasy. The three branches in the southeast were nominally under the command of the Azure Dragon Hall. Now that this situation had arisen, he could not escape the charge of dereliction of duty. The reason why the alliance leader had not punished him was because he was worried that changing generals before the battle would be detrimental.

"Very well, since Helian Ba ​​wants a head-on confrontation, then let's have a proper fight with him. Where has the Sea Shark Palace advanced to now?"

"Reporting to the Alliance Leader, we are almost at Jiuyi City," Ren Qianxing replied, rising to his feet.

"Nine City, hmm, it's a good place, perfect for burying the people of the Sea Shark Palace."

Upon hearing the name of the city, Guan Yutian's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Jiuyi City could be described as the most desolate city among all the cities in the southeast, with a population of less than 10,000 and a life of poverty. After Guan Yutian took over the city, he relocated all the people out, leaving only an empty city.

"Send the order: arrive at Jiuyi City within three days and annihilate all the people of the Sea Shark Palace. I will make Helian Ba ​​pay the price!"

(End of this chapter)