Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 268 Li Yanzong of Western Xia Encounters Duan Yu on the Road
The Xingzilin incident not only had a significant impact on the Beggars' Sect, but it also affected the Murong family even before the incident occurred.

This mainly refers to the death of Ma Dayuan.

Although in reality Ma Dayuan, the deputy leader of the Beggars' Sect, was murdered by his wife in collusion with the sect elders, this cause of death is naturally not something that outsiders can know.

Elder Bai Shijing also knew Ma Dayuan's signature move and used it to kill him, which resulted in Ma Dayuan dying from his own signature move.

At this time, many masters in the martial arts world had died because of their own signature skills, so many people suspected that the Murong family was responsible.

However, Murong Fu himself was completely unaware of this.

The Murong family were descendants of the former Xianbei people of the Yan state, and they had always wanted to restore their kingdom. When it came to Murong Fu's generation, they still had this goal. However, Murong Fu had no ambition or talent, and he was always on the move but could not grasp the key points.

Several months earlier, Murong Fu had arrived in the Western Xia Kingdom, disguising himself as a swordsman and joining the Yipintang (a powerful martial arts sect). He hoped to use this to establish connections with the Western Xia's high-ranking officials and, in turn, incite the Western Xia to wage war against the Song Dynasty.

For the past few months, Murong Fu has been working diligently for Yipintang. He is in the north and has lost contact with others, so he naturally doesn't know about what's happening in Jiangnan, Song Kingdom.

Driven by the Sun Moon Cult, this rumor spread far and wide.

The Beggars' Sect's high-ranking members were gathering in Jiangnan, leading many to believe they were there to cause trouble for the Murong family.

Even the four great generals under the Murong family thought the same way, and therefore had been making preparations.

In fact, Yi Jifeng's ability to become the leader of the alliance was also influenced by this.

With Murong Fu himself absent and his four generals busy dealing with the Beggars' Sect, no one paid any attention to the Sun Moon Sect and the wealthy merchant alliance.

Otherwise, even if Murong Fu himself were not present, the Wang family could have easily mobilized the four great generals to take action.

Therefore, the position of leader of this alliance will likely be subject to further turmoil.

In this sense, the Beggars' Sect had already helped Yi Jifeng without him even realizing it.

On the day of the Xingzilin incident, two of Murong Fu's four great generals also went there.

Also traveling with them was Wang Yuyan, the daughter of the late head of the Wang family.

Along with the two maids of the Murong family, A'Zhu and A'Bi.

And Duan Yu, the crown prince of the Dali Kingdom.

But no one expected that after Qiao Feng left, the Xixia Yipintang would appear and subdue everyone with sleeping pills, with only a few escaping.

This small group includes Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan.

Duan Yu carried Wang Yuyan on his back and ran desperately, while a Western Xia warrior wielding a knife was hot on their heels.

This warrior was none other than Murong Fu, who used the alias Li Yanzong.

The Murong and Wang families were related by marriage in the previous generation. Wang Yuyan called Murong Fu her cousin. She grew up in seclusion and was ignorant of the ways of the world, but she admired Murong Fu.

Because Murong Fu had been away for several months without returning, Wang Yuyan missed him dearly. Upon hearing about the Xingzi Forest incident, she thought Murong Fu would appear in this event, so she made a special trip there to see her cousin.

In the end, she saw it.

Not only did they encounter him, but Murong Fu also pursued them relentlessly, wielding a long sword.

This meeting was truly unforgettable for Wang Yuyan, who had grown up in seclusion and knew nothing of the dangers of the martial world.

Of course, Murong Fu wasn't really chasing after her; he was just disguised as a Western Xia warrior and couldn't reveal his identity. However, he saw his cousin leaving with a stranger and felt worried.

What appears to be a pursuit is actually a covert follow to ensure Wang Yuyan's safety.

Of course, the fact that he never caught up was also a major reason.

Duan Yu was fortunate enough to obtain a portion of the Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance, and the lightness skill he was using at this moment was the Xiaoyao Sect's Lingbo Weibu (Lingbo Steps).

Light steps, internal force generated naturally.

This is an extremely wondrous dynamic exercise that allows one to circulate internal energy throughout the body while performing light-body skills, thereby generating internal energy on its own.

Running not only doesn't consume energy, but it also increases internal strength.

With this extraordinary lightness skill, Duan Yu's endurance was astonishing. Even after running all night, he did not feel too tired. On the contrary, his internal energy became even more refined and abundant.

However, Wang Yuyan did not learn martial arts, as her delicate body could no longer withstand it.

Duan Yu naturally noticed this and was secretly anxious. He regretted that he had been well-versed in poetry and books since childhood and had not wanted to learn martial arts. Even though he had recently had a series of fortuitous encounters, obtained the Beiming Divine Skill of the Xiaoyao Sect, the Lingbo Weibu (Lingbo Steps) technique, and practiced the Dali Duan family's highest skill, the Six Meridian Divine Sword, he was still no match for the person behind him.

"If I escape this calamity, I will definitely practice martial arts diligently in the future, and never fall into such a situation again."

Duan Yu was filled with resentment for not practicing martial arts in the past and regretted it deeply.

He then prayed, "The Three Pure Ones, the Jade Emperor, the Buddha, and all other deities, please have mercy and save Miss Wang. Such a beautiful and intelligent woman should not die here!"

As if they heard his prayer, the sound of approaching hooves suddenly came.

In the distance, a horse galloped wildly, carrying a young man dressed in a black robe, exuding heroic spirit.

Duan Yu was overjoyed and immediately shouted, "Brother! Brother, save me! There are warriors from the Western Xia Kingdom chasing me!"

He was quite shrewd, knowing that ordinary battles in the martial arts world often involved grudges and no one would interfere casually.

That's why it was specifically mentioned that the people chasing him were warriors from the Western Xia Kingdom.

The rider was Yi Jifeng. Looking up, he saw a young man carrying a pale-faced woman on his back, galloping away. In the distance, a warrior with a knife was chasing after them. He was wearing armor in the style of the Western Xia Kingdom.

"Hmph! How audacious these northern barbarians are! How dare they act so rampantly within the territory of my Song Kingdom!"

They rushed to the rescue, riding their horses to shield Duan Yu and the other two behind them, and with a wave of their hands, a burst of sword energy erupted.

Before Duan Yu could even catch his breath, he was startled by what he saw: "Six Meridian Divine Sword?"

Wang Yuyan shook her head and said, "This person used sword qi martial arts and waved his hand. I'm afraid it's not the Six Meridians Divine Sword of the Dali Duan family."

He added, "Young Master Duan, this young hero is incredibly strong. He might not be able to take down the pursuer behind him. You should put me down."

"Oh."

Duan Yu reluctantly put Wang Yuyan down and asked, "Miss Wang, what kind of martial arts is he using? Do you recognize it?"

The Wang family was merely a wealthy merchant family in Jiangnan, but the late patriarch married an extraordinary woman, Li Qingluo, who was Wang Yuyan's mother.

She is a descendant of Li Qiushui of the Xiaoyao Sect.

Li Qiushui cultivates the Lesser Formless Skill, one of the Three Skills of Freedom, which can simulate the ultimate martial arts techniques in the world. However, to reach a high level, she must study diligently. Therefore, she seeks out countless martial arts manuals from all over the world to learn.

After mastering the martial arts, all of these skills were passed down to Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo built a Water Pavilion in her own Mantuo Manor to store these martial arts techniques.

For the sake of the Murong family's plan to restore their kingdom, Murong Fu was obsessed with various martial arts, so he often went to Huanshi Water Pavilion to practice.

Wang Yuyan herself did not love martial arts, but she had a photographic memory. In order to cater to her beloved's preferences, she memorized all the martial arts techniques in Huanshi Water Pavilion.

Of course, with Li Qiushui's strength, it was impossible for her to collect all the martial arts in the world, especially the rare and unique skills of various schools and sects.

Yet, many words were left behind to record them.

Wang Yuyan had seen all of these.

Since entering the martial arts world, she has been able to discern the origins of many martial arts techniques and even directly point out their flaws.

At this moment, Wang Yuyan said, "The Six Meridians Divine Sword of the Dali Duan family, although it is an invisible sword energy, must be used with the six meridians in the hand. But this young hero uses the sword energy with a wave of his hand... Although there are many sword energy techniques in the world, such a casual one, could it be the innate body-breaking invisible sword energy of the former Lord Guan?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Western Xia warrior drew his sword and slashed, the sharp blade energy shattering the sword energy. Yi Jifeng wasn't surprised; his sword energy surged, transforming into a sword shape, and he once again shot through the air.

Wang Yuyan was startled and said, "This is not an invisible sword aura, but a tangible sword aura. Could it be the 'Eight Forms of Famous Swordsmanship' of Famous Swordsmanship? I have heard that there is a successor of Famous Swordsmanship in this generation. Could it be him?"

"Famous Sword Manor?"

Duan Yu had also heard of this name.

On the other side, Murong Fu also recognized the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword at a glance and couldn't help but think to himself that this was troublesome.

Given his current status, he naturally cannot use the Murong family's secret techniques, so he can only use other martial arts.

Although he has learned a great deal, he is still not as adept at using his family's secret techniques. If he can display 70% of his strength, that would be considered impressive.

However, Yi Jifeng's level of innate qi was only slightly lower than his.

The gap between the three minor realms of the Innate Realm is much smaller than that between the Grandmaster Realm and the Innate Realm.

The Eight Styles of Famous Swords are renowned and wondrous techniques that can reveal the full extent of an opponent's strength.

With the other side gaining and losing, how could he possibly be a match for him?

"Well, I don't know that kid, but he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions towards my cousin. And with the successor of Sword Mountain Manor coming to her rescue, she should be safe."

Murong Fu assessed the current situation, then turned and ran without saying a word.

Yi Jifeng was taken aback, but he didn't give chase. He turned around, dismounted, and asked, "Are you two alright?"

Duan Yu hurriedly said, "It's nothing, it's nothing, thank you for saving my life, young hero."

Yi Jifeng laughed and said, "With your abilities, even if you couldn't beat that person, you could have escaped. How could that be considered a life-saving favor?"

Wang Yuyan asked curiously, "Young hero... could you perhaps be the current successor of the Famous Sword Manor?"

"My name is Yi Jifeng."

"Nice to meet you."

Duan Yu introduced himself: "I am Duan Yu, the Crown Prince of Dali Kingdom, and this is Miss Wang from the Wang family of Jiangnan."

"The Wang family of Jiangnan?"

Yi Jifeng was taken aback, never expecting such a coincidence.

The Wang family, who did everything they could to prevent him from becoming the leader of the alliance, could be considered his greatest enemy.

However, he had already read through the details of the various families in recent days and knew that since the death of the patriarch, the Wang family had not had many members, with only one wife and one daughter, and they did not care much about the business under their control.

Many matters were handled by the housekeeper.

Given this situation, if it weren't for the marriage ties with the Murong family, it would probably have been swallowed up by other forces long ago.

The young lady Wang recognized him, but she looked like she was hearing about him for the first time, clearly unaware of what was happening in Jiangnan.

Yi Jifeng had no intention of revealing the details, since he was about to leave the alliance anyway.

He immediately said, "Greetings, gentlemen. It's a pity I have important matters to attend to right now and cannot delay. Otherwise, we would have found a pleasant place to drink and chat."

Duan Yu hurriedly said, "Young Master Yi, if you have something to attend to, you should take care of it first. I will definitely visit the Famous Sword Manor in the future to thank you for today's matter."

"See you later."

Yi Jifeng clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, mounted his horse, and rode away.

After Murong Fu left, he headed towards Tianning Temple.

This temple is where, at this very moment, Yipintang is imprisoning many high-ranking members of the Beggars' Sect.

This was something that Yipintang had already decided long ago, so even though Murong Fu was constantly chasing Duan Yu, he knew about it.

However, Yi Jifeng also learned of this through Jinjiu, so after bidding farewell to Duan Yu, he went straight to Tianning Temple.

In this way, since the two have the same goal and the same starting point, they naturally end up on the same path.

The heavy sound of horses' hooves echoed.

When Murong Fu saw that Yi Jifeng was actually following closely behind him, he gritted his teeth.

"This guy actually wants to hunt me down? Hmph, it's just a chance encounter on the roadside, is it really necessary to go to such lengths?"

Then he thought about his current attire as a Western Xia warrior, and realized that this might be the reason why the other party had come to chase him.

Trouble.

He couldn't take off his armor, because that would reveal his identity.

The Murong family's martial arts are also unusable.

Such restraint makes it impossible to deal with the heir of the Famous Sword Manor...

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer.

Even if Murong Fu didn't want to fight, he had no choice but to turn around and unleash a flash of sword light.

Yi Jifeng did not intentionally travel the same route as Murong Fu, but seeing the other's attire, he was probably also a member of the Xixia Yipintang, so he decided to kill him as well.

Although this person is slightly stronger than him.

But he felt he could win.

After all, the legacy of Mingjian Manor is not to be underestimated.

The sword energy converged, transforming into two sword shapes that flew out and merged into a single sword shadow, forcefully shattering the opposing blade energy and hurtling towards Murong Fu.

Murong Fu was startled.

Although I had overestimated the opponent's strength, the fact that the opponent could shatter my sword energy so easily showed that my overestimation was still somewhat underestimated.

Murong Fu quickly unleashed the most powerful Shaolin Demon-Subduing Saber Technique among the saber techniques he had learned, and only then was he able to block that sword shadow.

However, the immense power emanating from the sword shadow forced him to retreat several steps.

"No, I can't go all out. I can't beat him at all. I have to find a way to retreat!"

Yi Jifeng frowned as well: "I still need to get to Tianning Temple. There's a big battle going on there too. I can't linger here for too long..."

At that moment, sword energy surged around him, instantly condensing into another sword shape, which quickly caught up with the sword shadow in front of him and merged with it.

Murong Fu was greatly alarmed.

He naturally knew the eight famous sword techniques of the Famous Sword Manor, and the power would greatly increase with each additional sword technique that was combined.

Although he didn't know how many sword techniques this young inheritor had mastered, the three sword strikes he had just witnessed were enough to make him feel threatened.

He unleashed the Demon-Slaying Blade Technique to its fullest extent, unleashing bursts of blade energy, yet it could not stop the single sword shadow formed by the fusion of the three swords.

Seeing the sword shadow break through countless blade energies and attack, Murong Fu couldn't care less about anything else. He immediately dropped the long sword in his hand, gathered steam on his palms, and unleashed the Murong family's secret technique, "Shifting Stars and Changing Positions."

This unique skill is an extremely powerful technique of using an opponent's force against them. In the past, the patriarch of the Murong family even used this unique skill to block a Grandmaster's attack with his Three Flowers cultivation.

Unexpectedly, today, the one Murong Fu used it to block the attack of the innate qi that was a level lower than his own.

(End of this chapter)