A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 370 Each with their own schemes
Jiuyi City is located on the giant reef island in the East China Sea, only a dozen miles away. Although the city has long been in ruins, it is still an outpost for monitoring the Sea Shark Palace. After the other three cities were successively captured, this place has obviously become the last barrier to prevent the Sea Shark Palace from advancing westward.

At this moment, in a relatively intact mansion in the city, the Supreme Alliance members who remained there were discussing how to deal with the enemy.

Sitting at the head of the table was Jia En, a subordinate of Sima Tian of the Azure Dragon Hall. Although his martial arts skills were good, he was not smooth enough and was not good at flattery, so he was not well liked by Sima Tian and was sent here on a whim.

“Master, the Sea Shark Palace is coming with overwhelming force and has a large number of people. With only a dozen or so of us, we are simply no match for them. We can no longer hold this place.” A dark-faced middle-aged man sitting at the lower seat stood up and cupped his hands to Jia En.

As soon as the dark-faced middle-aged man said this, the others agreed one after another. Jia En, however, remained noncommittal. He turned to the pale-faced scholar in the first seat on his left and said gently, "Brother Song, what do you think?"

The others all turned their gazes toward him. This pale-faced scholar was named Song Xuan, and he was also an elder of the Supreme Alliance. However, he was not exiled to this place, but came here voluntarily. His martial arts skills were second only to Jia En, and he was also very good at strategy. He had helped Jia En quickly stabilize the situation in Jiuyi City and was highly regarded by the latter.

"Master, the message sent by carrier pigeon has reached the Supreme Alliance. Before our sect receives a definite reply, we must defend Jiuyi City. Otherwise, the mere fact that we fled without a fight will be enough to condemn us to death!"

Upon hearing Jia En's question, Song Xuan stood up, looked around, and then shared his thoughts.

The Supreme Alliance has strict rules. Anyone who retreats without a fight during a battle between the two sides will be subjected to the cruel punishment of being torn apart by five horses and sliced ​​into a thousand pieces. As soon as Song Xuan said this, the expressions of the others changed drastically, and a few others had their eyes flickering, not knowing what they were thinking.

“Brother Song is right. Although Jiuyi City is not valued by the Alliance Leader, it is still the territory of the Supreme Alliance. The responsibility for losing the city is something that even a small branch leader like me would not dare to take, let alone a hall master. Brother Song, do you have any good ideas to deal with the enemy?”

"With just a dozen or so of us facing off against hundreds of people from the Sea Shark Palace, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—utterly overestimating our strength. However, if we were to harass them, we should be able to hold out for several days without much trouble. As long as we hold out for four days, no matter the outcome, we will have a reason to retreat. At that time, the higher-ups in the alliance won't say much."

Song Xuan was well aware that the alliance would not give up Jiuyi City. Otherwise, the heart of the Central Plains would open a door for the Sea Shark Palace, which could then rely on its maritime power to launch a continuous attack on the shore and erode the surrounding forces.

"A harassment? That's a feasible plan. However, the Sea Shark Palace won't be unprepared. We've already discovered that the person leading the army for this trip is Black Shark, one of the four sharks under Helian Ba. He's treacherous and ruthless, and he's very cautious. To deal with him, we need to come up with a foolproof plan."

The others gasped upon hearing the name Black Shark. Of the four sharks under Helian Ba's command, Black Shark was only ranked third, but in terms of ferocity, it could be ranked first.

The reason is that whenever this person leads troops into battle and wins, the losing side, regardless of age or gender, is slaughtered. Of the tens of thousands of people in the three southeastern cities, only about ten thousand managed to escape. Although they did not witness it firsthand, they knew this from the news they received.

"I know a little about Black Shark. Although he has some skills, he is only one person. Although the Sea Shark Palace has many people, there is a delay in the transmission of orders. As long as we seize this opportunity, stir up trouble, and start fires everywhere, he will inevitably be unable to attend to both ends. Once chaos breaks out, it will take a lot of time to reorganize. More seriously, if this disturbance succeeds, it will inevitably shake people's morale."

Song Xuan spoke eloquently, and most of the people present were impressed, especially Jia En, who slapped the armrest and said in a deep voice, "In that case, let's proceed accordingly. We don't have much time, so we need to come up with a feasible plan as soon as possible."

Just as the Supreme Alliance was discussing how to effectively disrupt the approaching Sea Shark Palace, five miles away from Jiuyi City, banners fluttered, obscuring the sky and the sun. The crowds and horses were bustling about, like a boiling pot. From above, it looked like a long blue serpent crawling swiftly across the desolate road.

At the very front of the procession, two pure white horses pulled a magnificently decorated carriage. The carriage was made entirely of sandalwood, adorned with gold and jade, and decorated with silk and satin. The pattern depicted a vast blue sea, with a blue shark leaping into the air, its eyes fierce and menacing, its mouth holding a large fish. Blood splattered, staining the surrounding seawater a crimson hue.

Where have we arrived?

A soft, feminine voice came from the carriage. The subordinate driving the carriage respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Commander, we have arrived at the Ancient Forest Road. Jiuyi City is five miles ahead."

"parking."

Upon hearing this, the subordinate immediately pulled on the reins, and the horse came to an instant stop. The carriage swayed slightly but quickly returned to normal, and as soon as the carriage stopped, everyone behind also stopped walking.

After the carriage stopped, the curtain was lifted by a hand as white as jade, and a tall and handsome figure emerged from it. The person was wearing a blue robe with raging waves and a thin sword at his waist. However, what was surprising was that although the person's hands were as white as jade, his face was as black as charcoal. Although his appearance was delicate, his skin color somewhat ruined the overall beauty.

This man is Black Shark, one of the Four Sharks. He looks like a scholar, but in the eyes of others, he is a demon whose hands are stained with the blood of countless innocent lives.

"Give the order that we will rest here tonight and head to Jiuyi City tomorrow."

Black Shark stepped off the vehicle using a stool, gazing at the city looming in the distance. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. His subordinate immediately agreed and turned to walk back, while Black Shark slowly walked forward. After a while, they arrived at a high point.

“Jiuyi City is the last line of defense for the Supreme Alliance. Guan Yutian will definitely not sit idly by. If I am not mistaken, the people from the Supreme Alliance should already be on their way.”

Black Shark narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. He should have returned to the Sea Shark Palace long ago after destroying three cities, but for some reason, Helian Ba ​​sent someone to deliver an order just as he was about to return, saying that he must take down Jiuyi City, and if he succeeded, he would be rewarded double.

"It must be the work of my other good brothers. Well then, since you treat me this way, I have nothing to worry about in the future. Once I take over Jiuyi City, I'll target you next. After all, there can only be one master of the Sea Shark Palace."

Although Black Shark and the other three sharks were all carefully trained by Helian Ba, the internal competition was extremely fierce. At first, there were dozens of people, but after a fierce battle, only the four of them remained. Even so, the four of them still fought each other openly and secretly, and did not know how many times they tripped each other up.

"Among the Supreme Alliance, apart from Ren Qianxing, the others are all good-for-nothings. However, according to the information, he has already gone to Sword Forging City, so he is not a concern. The only thing to worry about is Guan Yutian's hidden forces."

Black Shark naturally knew that these major factions must have hidden tricks up their sleeves, and fighting them without understanding their true strength was a poor strategy.

Thinking of this, Black Shark had an idea. He turned back to the vehicle, beckoned a few people over, gave them a few instructions, and then the people bowed to Black Shark before disappearing into the forest.

In Jiuyi City, after discussing with Song Xuan and others for an hour and refining the plan as much as possible, Jia En bowed to Song Xuan and said in a deep voice, "I will leave everything to Brother Song."

"Rest assured, Master."

Upon hearing this, Song Xuan's expression also became more serious. Seeing this, Jia En waved his hand to dismiss the others. Everyone knew that the leader had something else to say, so they bowed and left together. Among them, two people exchanged a glance, nodded imperceptibly, and left with the others.

"Brother Song, was there something you wanted to say in that telepathic message just now?"

Jia En looked at Song Xuan. Just now, Song Xuan had secretly sent him a message, telling him to dismiss the others. Although Jia En was not good at planning, he was not completely clueless. After a moment's thought, he naturally knew that there must be something fishy about this.

"Liu Wen and Wang Zhao are two men with ulterior motives and seem to have rebellious intentions. This plan they discussed may very well be discovered by the people of the Sea Shark Palace. Once it is leaked, if we continue to act on it, it will undoubtedly be like moths to a flame."

"I see. Liu Wen and Wang Zhao weren't originally from the Supreme Alliance. They were only content with their current situation because they were intimidated by our alliance's power. Now that they see the Sea Shark Palace coming on strong, their hearts are starting to stir." Although Jia En was somewhat surprised, his expression remained unchanged. Song Xuan praised him inwardly and then said, "Master, to avoid wronging these two, let's change our plan tonight. I will secretly follow them and see just how deeply they are connected to the Sea Shark Palace."

Upon hearing this, Jia En frowned slightly. Of the dozen or so people guarding Jiuyi City, only five, besides Song Xuan, were truly loyal to him. The rest were all pursuing their own agendas. If the situation hadn't been so critical, this harassment plan might not have been finalized.

"Very well, Brother Song, I really can't trust anyone else but you. If we really find that Liu Wen and Wang Zhao are colluding with the enemy, we'll execute them first and report later!"

Upon hearing this, Song Xuan agreed. After discussing for a while, Song Xuan turned and left the mansion. After returning to his residence, he packed all his equipment, put on his night clothes, and quietly followed Liu Wenwang Zhao and the other three as they left Jiuyi City at the agreed time.

As the sun sets and the moon rises, adorned with countless stars, five figures darted swiftly along the ancient forest path. Liu Wen, the leader, looked at the distant twinkling lights and was immediately delighted, while Wang Zhao beside him tugged at his sleeve and gestured with his eyes to the back.

Liu Wen immediately understood. He made a gesture, and Wang Zhao nodded, taking a step back to land behind him. He then gave an order to the other three, and the five of them quickened their pace. When they were less than half a mile from the Sea Shark Palace's encampment, Liu Wen nodded to the four behind him. With a few whooshes, his figure instantly disappeared into the darkness. At this moment, Liu Wen walked forward. Before he had gone far, he saw torches rising one after another, illuminating the surroundings. The people of the Sea Shark Palace formed a semicircle and instantly surrounded Liu Wen.

"who!"

The Sea Shark Palace disciple on night duty shouted, and the others drew their weapons. The cold light mingled with the chilling killing intent, which made Liu Wen shiver involuntarily.

"Liu Wen from Jiuyi City has come to request an audience with Commander Black Shark of the Sea Shark Palace."

Liu Wen bowed respectfully to the person opposite him. The person on night duty was taken aback. He dared not make a hasty decision and immediately sent a disciple to inform Black Shark. During this time, everyone in the Sea Shark Palace kept a close eye on Liu Wen. After a while, a middle-aged man in a tight-fitting outfit walked over. When the disciples on night duty saw him, they all bowed respectfully.

"The commander wants to see you. Come with me."

The middle-aged man in the tight-fitting clothes glanced at the composed Liu Wen, waved his hand to dismiss the night watchmen, and turned back first. Liu Wen hurriedly followed. After walking for a while, the middle-aged man in the tight-fitting clothes led Liu Wen to the campfire in front of the carriage and said to Black Shark, who was sitting cross-legged on a green vine chair: "Commander, the person has been brought."

In the firelight, Liu Wen vaguely saw a figure. Suddenly, two bright lights appeared in the shadow, startling Liu Wen. He took a step back, and after regaining his footing, he looked closely and saw the shadow slowly rise up and walk out of the darkness. In the firelight, a tall, handsome young man was revealed.

"The people from Jiuyi City are quite bold, daring to come alone. Speak, what is it?" Black Shark glanced at Liu Wen and knew that the man's martial arts were mediocre, which did not interest him at all. His tone was also somewhat lazy.

"You must be the Black Shark Commander. I am Liu Wen, and I serve under Jia En, the leader of Jiuyi City. The reason for my unannounced visit is that I admire the Sea Shark Palace and wish to join your esteemed sect."

"Oh, joining my Sea Shark Palace is not an easy thing, especially for the enemy. Unless you can offer a good deal, perhaps I can put in a good word for you before the Palace Master."

Black Shark looked at Liu Wen expressionlessly, and the latter immediately said, "I have a secret to give to Commander Black Shark. Right now, Jiuyi City is empty inside, with only twelve people. Jia En knows that he cannot compete with your faction, so he plans to use harassment tactics to disrupt the morale of your faction's army until the Supreme Alliance's reinforcements arrive."

"Hmm, this Jia En is indeed somewhat clever, but under the current circumstances, Jiu Yi City can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. However, this information is still useful, but its weight is somewhat light. Liu Wen, if you truly want to join the Sea Shark Palace, then Jia En's head will be the best gift. After it is done, I will definitely recommend you to the Palace Master."

Black Shark's tone was indifferent, revealing no emotion. Upon hearing this, Liu Wen was first startled, then overjoyed. Under normal circumstances, he would not dare to deal with Jia En, but now the situation was critical. As long as he planned properly, he had plenty of ways to kill Jia En. However, Black Shark had only made a verbal promise. What if they turned against each other in the future?

Thinking of this, Liu Wen straightened his back and said to Black Shark, "Commander Black Shark, I will take care of Jia En's orders, but I still need a token to avoid future conflicts with your faction, which would be bad."

"That's true. Here's the Black Shark Token for you. With this, the disciples of the Sea Shark Palace won't lay a hand on you. Liu Wen, my patience is limited. If you don't see what I want to see in two days, you know the consequences."

Black Shark reached into his sleeve and took out a square token engraved with a black shark. He casually tossed it towards Liu Wen, who quickly caught it.

"I understand. To show my sincerity, I am willing to offer another gift. Your faction has sent one person each to launch a sneak attack from the southeast, northeast, and southwest. Commander, you may send men to block their exits first. The moment I give the signal will be the moment they perish."

Liu Wen was overjoyed to receive the token, and on a whim, he betrayed the three people who had accompanied him on the scouting mission that night, excluding Wang Zhao.

"very good."

Black Shark gave Liu Wen an approving look, then waved to the middle-aged man in a tight-fitting outfit beside him. The man bowed and left quickly. A moment later, Liu Wen felt that the time was about right. He reached into his pocket, took out a signal, and pulled the fuse. A crimson flame shot into the sky. With a loud bang, flames simultaneously filled the sky in the southeast, northeast, and southwest, but quickly disappeared. Liu Wen's face lit up with joy upon seeing this.

In no time, the middle-aged man in the tight-fitting clothes returned, his body stained with a lot of blood.

"Commander, it's been resolved."

Black Shark waved his hand, and the middle-aged man in the tight-fitting clothes stepped aside. He then looked at Liu Wen and said in a calm voice, "I have seen your sincerity. I hope your actions will not disappoint me."

"As the commander wishes."

Having achieved his goal, Liu Wen immediately clasped his hands in a salute and turned to leave. Just after he left, the middle-aged man in the tight-fitting clothes couldn't help but say, "Commander, this man cannot be trusted."

"I know that this is just a pawn to test the opponent's strength. Jia En is no ordinary person, able to guard Jiuyi City with only twelve men. We should not act rashly before we have a clear understanding of his situation. Judging by the time, they should be here soon."

At the same time, in Jia En's mansion in Jiuyi City, just as Jia En was about to rest, he suddenly noticed a figure moving outside the door. His heart sank, he got up, dressed, and quietly crept to the door with his weapon. Just as the figure reappeared, Jia En drew his sword, and with a flash of cold light, the door was instantly split in two. He went out to check, but there was no one there.

"Are all the people in the Sea Shark Palace so timid and hesitant? Since you're here, show yourself."

Jia En stood in the courtyard, holding a knife in one hand, looking around. But no one responded when he made a sound. Just as Jia En was stretching his senses, four cold lights suddenly flew from all sides. Jia En narrowed his eyes, spun his knife around himself, and with a few clanging sounds, all the flying projectiles were swept away.

Just as the hidden weapon missed its target, a cold glint appeared in the air. Seeing this, Jia En remained calm and blocked with his sword. Sparks flew as the spearhead and the blade met. Jia En sensed another attack coming from behind. He pushed the blade with his left hand, and the powerful force directly knocked the opponent back. He flipped his hand and slashed again, the cold light flashing as he cut the spiked club in half. With a twist of the blade, he swung the broken club at the masked man holding the spear.

The man, still reeling from Jia En's attack, was caught off guard when the broken spiked club struck him squarely in the face. He let out a miserable howl and collapsed to the ground, clearly beyond saving.

(End of this chapter)