Who among the gangsters wants to fall in love?

Chapter 455 The Ruthless Sword

whoosh—

The sandstorm outside Moyan Post Station gradually intensified, but inside the inn's lobby, laughter and chatter continued as people drank and made merry, as if they were truly old friends who had met too late in life.

The wine-serving maids moved back and forth, their laughter never ceasing.

Zhao Wumian stroked a flask of Tinglan wine in his arms, placed it on the table, but did not drink it. Instead, he held a white cloth in his hand and bowed his head to wipe the sword.

Luo Chaoyan rarely came to places with such a strong Jianghu atmosphere. Sitting next to her husband, she curiously peeked around and looked at everything.

Ji Zihuai, with his richer experience in the martial world, glanced at the scene briefly before whispering to his disciple.

"Don't look around carelessly. That slick-haired scholar is a death row inmate from the Jiangnan region ten years ago, known as the 'Deadly Scholar Sword.' He was sent to the authorities by a master marksman surnamed Tang. When he was being escorted to the execution ground, he broke through the encirclement and disappeared without a trace. It turns out he came to the Western Regions..."

"And that man, the water ghost from the southeast coast, surnamed Zhong... a wandering swordsman who makes a living on the water, has also come to the desert..."

Luo Chaoyan withdrew her gaze, but upon hearing this, she couldn't help but steal a few more glances. Clearly, it wasn't out of curiosity, but rather because, as the Empress of Dali, she was secretly planning that once her husband had conquered the Western Regions, none of these desperados would be able to escape...

The Empress of Dali was plotting murder, but she was so cute and lively that at first glance, she looked like a naive young bird in the martial arts world. In this place, she was like a spring in a parched land, attracting the attention of many people.

They glanced at Luo Chaoyan, then at Zhao Wumian, who was bowing his head and wiping his sword, before quickly looking away.

To arrive at Moyan Post Station unharmed with such a beautiful woman must be a person of great martial arts skill.

If they were martial artists from the Central Plains, they would indeed think that way... But which of these martial artists from the Western Regions wasn't a desperate outlaw who once terrorized the martial world?
Their high level of martial arts skills only fueled their excitement... because it meant that Zhao Wumian must possess many treasures.

Money, weapons, martial arts skills... none of these are hard currency in the Western Regions.

They didn't care about the two women; they were only concerned with what they could gain from this white-haired young man.

After all, the more beautiful a woman is, the more dangerous she is... more often than not, she will wear down one's mind.

Those who live by the sword and risk their lives to survive to this day would never be driven by lust or driven by sexual desire.

But this is Moyan Post Station, and we cannot break the rules.

Even if they really had designs on Zhao Wumian, they couldn't make a move here... No one dared to be the first reckless person to break the rules.

Zhao Wumian slowly wiped his longsword, then slightly raised his eyes and scanned his surroundings.

These people clearly harbored ulterior motives. Not only did they intend to kill Zhao Wumian, but their friends, who were currently enjoying drinks together, were also secretly plotting when to strike after leaving the area.

Some people have even been putting slow-acting poison in their drinks, yet they still put on a friendly and benevolent facade.

Zhao Wumian suddenly felt bored. A safe haven, a safe haven... is meant to provide temporary peace for people in the martial arts world, not for them to use this opportunity to put on an act and be two-faced.

If you really want to kill someone, why bother with pretense?
I'm going to kill you, so be it. What's wrong with letting you know? If you want to live, either you take me down, or you can hide here forever...

If you don't even have the courage to openly display your murderous intent, what are you doing practicing martial arts or navigating the martial world?

A man carrying a wine glass approached, his face beaming, seemingly wanting to inquire about something. He bowed to Zhao Wumian, saying, "Brother..."

Zhao Wumian lowered his head and wiped his sword, not even raising his eyes, and casually said:

"Before coming to the Western Regions, I thought this place must be full of people with high martial arts skills, and I wondered what kind of splendor it would be... Now it seems that there are only villains and no heroes."

The man's face stiffened; he had been offered a warm welcome but was met with a cold shoulder. Yet, he dared not show any hostility, bowed slightly, and turned to leave. At first glance, he seemed to possess an air of neither servility nor arrogance, putting on quite a show.

The lobby was crowded, and Yangshe Congyun did not notice the little incident on Zhao Wumian's side... He focused his gaze and scanned the tourists coming and going.

One after another, some wandering martial artists entered the hall, none of whom could escape his eyes. As the leader of the swords, he could roughly judge their martial arts style and proficiency with weapons with just one glance.

Although Meng Po is skilled in disguise and rarely acts in her true form when traveling the world... martial arts skills do not lie.

Jingle Bell--

Outside the inn, the clear and melodious sound of camel bells approached slowly from afar, reaching the doorway before fading away again... The camels were led to the stable, accompanied by their clear, spring-like voices.

"You'd better keep a close eye on this camel for me. It's a gift, and it's priceless."

“Alright, does the heroine not know the rules of Moyan Post Station? There just happened to be a few priceless steeds there. I'll let you watch over them, so we can gather more manpower for protection…”

"Who cares about those few worthless horses..."

The spoiled young lady's voice quickly faded, and a sword sheath emerged from behind the curtain first. As if finding it dirty, the newcomer used the long sword to lift the curtain and stepped in.

Her hair was styled in an updo, adorned with a gold hairpin, and she wore a red dress that added a vibrant touch of crimson to the otherwise monotonous expanse of yellow sand. Yet, this woman also possessed a gentle and virtuous face...

She was a woman from a water town in southern China.

The people in the hall glanced at her and then looked away, paying no attention to this woman who traveled the martial arts world. Even Yangshe Congyun only glanced at her a few more times to make sure she wasn't Meng Po before looking away.

But Zhao Wumian stared at her intently... He had already recognized who she was.

One can't help but marvel that, as Shen Xiangge's senior sister, her disguise skills are certainly no less than her junior sister's, and she even managed to deceive Yangshe Congyun.

But it couldn't be hidden from Zhao Wumian.

The young female knight from Jiangnan did not notice Zhao Wumian's gaze. She casually sat down, clearly having a fastidious nature, and took out her own luminous cup from her pouch, refusing to use the shopkeeper's wine cup.

She ordered some grape wine, poured it into her glass, took a small sip, but looked uninterested and put the glass down.

The wine was rather uninteresting.

Suddenly, she turned her gaze to the door, her soft hand gripping the sword sheath tightening slightly.

rustling —

The wine curtain was suddenly lifted by the wind, and a person stepped in slowly through the gap. There was no grand entrance, but the laughter and chatter in the hall came to an abrupt halt.

He was wrapped in a dusty windproof cloak, and the white clothes underneath were also stained with some yellow sand. As he walked, the sand rustled off.

He wasn't wearing a hood or face covering, revealing nothing more than a handsome and refined middle-aged face.

His ordinary appearance as a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world) made the hall so quiet you could hear a pin drop... He was holding a severed head in his hand, still dripping blood.

That face was recognized by almost every martial artist in the Western Regions... an elder of the Western Regions Holy Sect.

Now he has died at the hands of this man.

Zhao Wumian stared at him, and even the action of wiping his sword paused for a moment.

Of course he would kill the Holy Church members.

Wen Wuzheng can be called a loyal minister of Dali. He is the son of the left and right deputy generals of General Yi, the former governor of Donghai. He adheres to the ideals and principles of General Yi, and practices martial arts and cultivation, all for the sake of peace in the world.

He would do anything for the sake of "peace under heaven".

Zhao Wumian and he were longtime friends. The Jade Palace's many tricks and its high status in the martial arts world were also due to Zhao Wumian's influence.

As a result, when he inadvertently revealed his identity as a member of the Tai Xuan Palace, he was immediately ambushed and betrayed by Wen Wuzheng.

Wen Wuzheng's choice of the Holy Sect was clearly motivated by a desire to incite a dogfight between the Tai Xuan Palace and the Holy Sect.

Now that he has come to the Western Regions, although there is a reason that he has nowhere to go in the Central Plains, he probably wants to kill more.

Such unwavering loyalty made me momentarily believe that he was the true Marquis Weiming.

If Wen Wuzheng hadn't plotted against Zhao Wumian, with his martial arts skills, loyalty, and friendship with him, Zhao Wumian might even have recommended him for a title of king or marquis, thus giving the court many loyal martial arts masters... just like Yan Jiu.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing.

Who was right and who was wrong is no longer important... It's just that Zhao Wumian made the wrong friends.

He looked away and continued wiping his sword.

This is an old sword. Its hilt and guard are easy to maintain and are still brand new, but the blade already shows the marks of time. Moreover, it is now being eroded by wind, sand and dried blood.

But under Zhao Wumian's slow and meticulous wiping, the stains quickly disappeared, and the sword became even more brand new, as if it had just come out of the furnace.

If Uudam were here, he would know that Zhao Wumian's spacetime magic had reached a level where he could influence external objects at will, but now, no one is paying attention to him.

But his wiping of the sword still added a touch of solemnity, coldness, and murderous intent to the atmosphere in the hall...

Ji Zihuai and Luo Chaoyan exchanged glances, knowing from their husbands' expressions who the newcomer was.

They immediately glared at Wen Wuzheng, as if they wanted to tear him to pieces with their eyes.

Empress Dali didn't care about this Wu Kui who was loyal to the Dali Dynasty; she only cared that this man had once plotted to murder her husband.

The hall was deathly silent, except for Yangshe Congyun's soft voice, "Wen Wuzheng... why have you come to the Western Regions..."

The moment the name was uttered, the inn fell even quieter, and the Jiangnan female knight's gaze gradually turned serious.

She understood why Yangshe Congyun was here... Both Wen Wuzheng and Yangshe Congyun, two martial arts champions, had appeared at the inn.

One was searching for his family, the other was committing murder.

Search for relatives who were kidnapped by Meng Po, and kill the followers of the Holy Sect who are conquering Xiliang from the east.

The Jiangnan heroine's heart skipped a beat. She realized she had miscalculated. She might have a chance against one-on-one, but if Yangshe Congyun and Wen Wuzheng joined forces, she had no confidence in winning.

Even if they manage to escape, they will inevitably suffer serious injuries.

The Jiangnan heroine was not the kind of person who acted rashly on impulse. Since Yangshe Congyun did not recognize her, she should keep a low profile for now and make a long-term plan by using her disguise.

She had an idea in her mind, then sighed softly and turned to look at Wen Wuzheng.

Wen Wuzheng did not expect to run into the Central Plains Martial Arts Champion here. The two had no connection, but they were both once the top ten martial arts champions of the imperial court, and they had nod to each other even if they had no personal relationship.

Meeting again in a foreign land is a matter of fate.

He then tossed down the heads of the Holy Sect followers in his hand and sat down at the Yangshe Congyun table, which made the Jiangnan heroine puff out her cheeks again.

These two are indeed on good terms; if they really fight, they'll definitely be in cahoots.

"Coming to the Western Regions is nothing more than killing." Wen Wuzheng shook his cloak, then looked up and asked softly, "Is the Sword Master the same?"

"I am no longer the Sword Master." Yangshe Congyun poured wine for Wen Wuzheng, ignoring the onlookers in the hall. Upon hearing this, he hesitated for a moment before asking:

"Who do you want to kill?"

"People of the Holy Church."

"What a coincidence." Yangshe Congyun drank alone, saying, "Meng Po kidnapped my elder brother and imprisoned him in the Holy Sect. I cannot let her off either."

"Meng Po..." Wen Wuzheng had no grudge against Meng Po, but being able to eliminate a martial arts leader of the Holy Sect with the former sword leader was entirely beneficial.

Wen Wuzheng then said, "I'll help you kill Meng Po, and you'll help me kill Shen Tu Bu Zui, how about it?"

"Do you have a grudge against Shentu Buzui?" Yangshe Congyun raised an eyebrow slightly.

"We have no grudge, but killing him would benefit everyone."

"it is good."

The two martial arts masters finalized the cooperation agreement in just a few words, completely disregarding the onlookers who were listening and not caring if they spread the news.

So what if Meng Po and Shen Tu Bu Zui know? We're both martial arts champions, who doesn't have pride? They're clearly here to kill you.

If they're weak, they'll just have to wait to be killed by us; if they're strong... well, they'll have to accept their fate.

The Jiangnan female knight began to grind her teeth, presumably wanting to stab the two men with her sword, but in the end, reason prevailed over anger. However, she then heard Wen Wuzheng glance at Yangshe Congyun's one-armed man.

"The former leader of the swordsmen suffered a great deal back in Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan."

"Having one arm cut off by Marquis Weiming is simply a matter of being less skilled than him; there's nothing more to say about it."

Yangshe Congyun shook his head slightly, quite magnanimous about it. He even raised his hand and pulled his cloak, causing the yellow sand on his body to suddenly rise into the air, with fine sand drifting down from the sky.

Clang—

Suddenly, the ring-pommel sword at his waist was drawn. The heavy sword, made of a hundred-pound piece of black iron, was wielded with ease in his hands. The blade flashed through the fine sand like a butterfly flitting among flowers, yet it did not generate a gust of wind. The yellow sand was not affected at all, and the sword landed leisurely without being stained by a single grain of sand.

Everyone in the hall couldn't help but feel a slight tremor... Such a fast knife, and more importantly, such meticulous control of force.

Too much force and the sand will scatter; too little and it will fall onto the knife.

Wen Wuzheng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly, "The former leader of the swordsmen has actually gained something from this setback."

"Having witnessed the magnificence of Marquis Weiming's sword strike, one should surely feel something." "The magnificence of that sword strike..." Mentioning Zhao Wumian, Wen Wuzheng stroked his wine cup, his expression a half-smile.
"He was originally the fastest swordsman in the martial arts world."

Zhao Wumian remained expressionless, continuing to wipe his sword with his head down, not even raising his head. Although he was in the main hall, he seemed to be detached from the matter.

With two martial arts champions present, no one paid attention to this unassuming, amorous swordsman.

"Unfortunately, he was still a bit too slow..." Wen Wuzheng changed the subject, "If he had been faster back then, the one who would have died would have been Shen Tu Bu Zui..."

The female knight from Jiangnan suddenly raised her eyes and stared at Wen Wuzheng expressionlessly... Although Zhao Wumian had mentioned that Wen Wuzheng had betrayed him, there was no evidence, only speculation.

Now that Wen Wuzheng has said this, it's clear he's admitting it.

"Shen Tu is not guilty?" Yangshe Congyun knew nothing of the grudges and feuds between them, and couldn't help but be curious:

"It turns out that Marquis Weiming once fought against Shentu Buzui... According to Brother Wen, Marquis Weiming was defeated."

"Not only did he lose, he lost miserably, nearly dying. He was a defeated opponent of Shen Tu Bu Zui. I originally thought he could at least kill Ding Jing Cheng or Shen Tu Bu Zui... but he didn't kill either of them..."

Wen Wuzheng stroked his wine glass, his eyes lost in thought.

"I overestimated him back then... But he was exhausted both physically and mentally after escaping from the pursuit of the imperial army, so I can't really blame him. No matter how high your martial arts skills are, there are always limits..."

Before Wen Wuzheng could finish speaking, a clear voice suddenly rang out in the hall: "You overestimated him? You dare to assess his martial arts skills?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wumian finally raised his eyes, slightly surprised, and looked at the female knight from Jiangnan.

Are you unaware that Wen Wuzheng and Yangshe Congyun have formed an alliance to kill you?

All eyes in the hall turned to the female knight from Jiangnan, wondering who dared to interrupt Wu Kui.
The female knight from Jiangnan stood up, sword in hand, and glared at Wen Wuzheng.

Her gentle and virtuous face was now filled with anger, her eyebrows furrowed, her expression murderous.

This young female knight, who was suspected to be from Jiangnan, was so stubborn. She would pretend not to hear when others plotted to kill her, but when Wen Wuzheng belittled Zhao Wumian, she insisted on standing up to refute him.

Wen Wuzheng's expression remained unchanged, but he glanced at her sideways and asked:

"That's indeed the case. Given Zhao Wumian's personality, he wouldn't deny his defeat. Who are you to him, yet you want to refute him?"

"Kill your people!"

The female knight from Jiangnan took a deep breath. Now that she had spoken, there was no need to hide anything.

Those who can cultivate to the Martial Champion level, who among them is afraid of trouble?
Wen Wuzheng looked at the sword of the Jiangnan female knight and suddenly smiled, "You clearly don't know how to use a sword, yet you use it to disguise yourself... You must be Meng Po!"

The Jiangnan female knight-errant narrowed her almond-shaped eyes slightly, and as she lightly brushed her sleeves across her face, a pair of emerald green almond-shaped eyes, as beautiful as a cat's, slowly appeared.

How did you recognize it?

"Of course, I've personally witnessed the greatest swordsmanship of our time... Compared to Zhao Wumian, your swordsmanship is far inferior..."

With his enemy present, Yangshe Congyun looked at Wen Wuzheng in astonishment.

All martial arts masters are proficient in a wide range of weapons and can use a little bit of any martial art. They each have their own strengths. Meng Po's swordsmanship must also be top-notch in the martial arts world, which is why Yangshe Congyun did not doubt it.

Wen Wuzheng said that Meng Po could not use a sword, only compared to masters like Zhao Wumian and Wuxiang Huang.

If Yangshe Congyun couldn't see it, how could Wen Wuzheng? It could only be because his martial arts skills far surpassed Yangshe Congyun's.

Wen Wuzheng looked at Meng Po with a smile in his eyes, "You want to kill me?"

"It's true."

"for what?"

"Nine bells, ever-burning lamps amidst flowing clouds."

These words caused an uproar in the hall.

Wen Wuzheng narrowed his refined eyes slightly, raised his hand to untie the cloak's belt, and the cloak, covered in yellow sand, fell to the ground, revealing the baggage on his back.

He raised his hand and slammed his bag onto the table with a loud thud. Through the gaps in the bag, the outline of a lamp could be seen.

"The Everlasting Lamp of Flowing Clouds is right here. If you want it, take it if you have the ability," he said calmly.

The lobby was deathly silent, then countless people suddenly stood up.

Everyone stared fervently at the lamp in the baggage, their eyes gleaming with a fierce light, like lone wolves in the desert.

They all drew their weapons, but none of them dared to be the first to strike and grab the weapon. They only wanted to wait for others to make the first move so that they could reap the benefits.

As for the rules of Moyan Post Station, the so-called safe haven, they have long been forgotten.

Even the waiter who had been talking so eloquently to Zhao Wumian, as well as the manager, cook, and wine-serving maid, all had greedy eyes and subtly gripped their weapons.

Only Meng Po stared intently at Wen Wuzheng. Those emerald green almond eyes that Zhao Wumian could never get enough of looking at for a lifetime did not show any greedy fervor for Jiu Zhong, but only a chilling killing intent.

Yangshe Congyun glanced at Jiuzhong but didn't care. He just looked at Meng Po and gripped the scabbard tightly.

It was because of this woman that his family nearly fell apart, his elder brother was placed under house arrest in the Western Regions, and his son disappeared without a trace.

Wen Wuzheng stared at Meng Po, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"You didn't kill me for Jiuzhong's sake..."

It seemed that Wen Wuzheng could see right through Meng Po's thoughts. This feeling of being seen through made Xiao Hu Nu furious, and she trembled with anger.

"why are you laughing!?"

"You want to kill me, but you hesitate to do so... What is the sword in your hand for?"

"Of course I'll kill you!"

As soon as the words "I'll kill you" were uttered, Meng Po's sword, filled with rage, was already poised to strike!

The piercing sword cry sent chills down everyone's spines, and even though the sword wasn't aimed at them, they felt a sudden, sharp pain on their skin.

Meng Po's sword is not sharp; Yang She Congyun and Wen Wuzheng can all see it clearly.

Having seen Zhao Wumian's sword before, Wen Wuzheng knew how slow Meng Po's sword was, slow enough that he could easily parry it.

Suddenly, a cold glint appeared at the tip of the sword and pierced through Wen Wuzheng's throat! Everyone saw the three-foot-long sword pass through his throat, pinning Wen Wuzheng to the wall behind him.

The sword's clashing sound ceased, yet it was clear that Meng Po's sword was still in her hand.

This wasn't the sword she thrust out!

Wen Wuzheng made a gurgling sound in his throat, his refined eyes not even glancing at Meng Po, but instead looking at the white-haired youth sitting at the table in the corner.

Zhao Wumian didn't wipe his sword anymore... his sword had already been thrust out.

Meng Po also stood there stunned, blinking her cute almond-shaped eyes and looking back.

Everyone followed Meng Po's gaze and looked at Zhao Wumian.

He remained seated calmly at the table, and only then did everyone notice... that the white-haired youth who had been wiping his sword was now without a sword in his hand.

His sword was at Wen Wuzheng's throat.

No one could see how he thrust the sword out... Meng Po couldn't see it, Yang She Cong Yun couldn't see it, Wen Wu Zheng... perhaps he could see it.

But he did not dodge.

Tap tap tap————

Zhao Wumian rose from the table expressionlessly, walked past Meng Po, and came to Wen Wuzheng.

"Why not avoid it?"

Wen Wuzheng's throat made a hoarse sound, and each syllable he uttered was an immense pain for him.

His face flushed red, veins bulged on his forehead, and blood flowed uncontrollably from his neck.

He said haltingly, "You are... Marquis Weiming... Xiao Yuankong..."

There aren't many people in this world who still call him Xiao Yuankong.

Every death is a loss.

Wen Wuzheng and Zhao Wumian share the same stance; both want to kill the Holy Cult and both want to maintain the balance of power in the world.

But there was a grudge between them.

Therefore, Wen Wuzheng did not kill him, nor did he even dodge or parry.

If you want this life, then it's yours... Wen Wuzheng knew that as long as Zhao Wumian lived, the world would not descend into chaos.

Zhao Wumian wanted to kill him, and he was willing to give in.

So, regarding that incident back then, Zhao Wumian truly felt that who was right and who was wrong was no longer important.

"I just happened to make the wrong friends... and you made the wrong friends too."

I wonder if Wen Wuzheng heard those words... At least now, he will never hear anything again.

Zhao Wumian gazed at Wen Wuzheng.

Just as the foreman Yangshe Congyun was about to strike Meng Po with his sword, he saw Zhao Wumian and his pupils contracted. He immediately sheathed his sword.

"So it was you! Marquis Weiming... I should have recognized you back in that oasis!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wumian turned around and looked at him, saying, "You should have recognized me long ago, Yangshe Congyun, otherwise you wouldn't have made such a fool of yourself."

"Disgraceful behavior?"

"Draw your sword? Isn't your enemy right in front of you? Why don't you draw it?" Zhao Wumian retorted.

Yangshe Congyun glanced at the way Meng Po looked at Zhao Wumian and suddenly felt that there might be something hidden behind it.

He had a premonition that if he were to strike Meng Po, he would be the next person nailed to the wall.

Meng Po and Zhao Wumian, perhaps...

If so, Zhao Wumian's trip to the Western Regions was clearly to eradicate the Holy Sect, and Meng Po was his spy planted within the Holy Sect.

If he were to fight Meng Po, wouldn't that be pointless killing each other?

Yangshe Congyun clearly understood the bigger picture and the importance of the matter, so he immediately sheathed his knife and remained silent.

Zhao Wumian withdrew his gaze, drew the Qingxu Sword, and Wen Wuzheng swayed slightly for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground.

He wiped the blood off his sword, slowly sheathed it, and then looked around.

Everyone in the hall stared at him in horror, fearing that if Marquis Weiming displeased them, he would kill them on the spot to rid the people of a scourge.

These江湖客 (jianghu ke, martial arts practitioners) present were all responsible for more than a dozen deaths, and most of them were notorious in the detective department's records. If they were all killed, none of them would be innocent.

Zhao Wumian was the first person to break the rules of Moyan Post Station.

Yet, in the martial arts world of the Western Regions, no one dared to hold anyone accountable.

They are not worthy of it in terms of ability, status, or even character.

Zhao Wumian withdrew his gaze, picked up the bundle, pulled up his cloak, led the women behind the curtain, and strode away, leaving behind only a single sentence.

"In the Western Regions, there are countless cowards, but only one hero."

Who is the hero Zhao Wumian speaks of?

The only dead person present.

--------

Wen Wuzheng... Qiu Guan gave him this name, which foreshadowed his fate.

So there wasn't much action; it was clean and efficient.

(End of this chapter)