Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 103 The Gentleman's Demonic Sword
I don't know if it was because I was too hungry or because I was exceptionally gifted.

The two boys had quite a big appetite and ate all the steamed buns and wontons.

"Boss in white, my name is Kou Zhong, and his name is Xu Ziling. You can call us Xiao Zhong and Xiao Ling. Boss, please treat us to a good meal. What business do you have with us, the Twin Dragons of Yangzhou?"

Kou Zhong imitated the mannerisms of a martial arts master with great flair, and Xu Ziling nudged him with his elbow.

"Xiaoling, what are you doing? I didn't say anything wrong."

Xu Ziling glanced at Zhou Yi: "What double dragons? Brother, don't listen to his nonsense. We're barely scraping by, let alone dragons."

Zhou Yi took a sip of wonton soup and didn't reply immediately. Instead, she asked with a smile, "Where are you staying now?"

The two exchanged another glance. Although they were now considered small-time thugs, they had survived under Boss Yan's iron fists until now, and through their struggles, they had learned a lot about how to survive in the underworld.

The two had a great understanding of each other; they could roughly understand each other's thoughts with just a glance.

Feeling a vague sense that this man in white wasn't a bad person, Xu Ziling whispered:
“In an abandoned manor in the east of the city, there was a dilapidated stone house. We boarded up the roof and lived there on weekdays.”

Kou Zhong was very familiar with Jiangdu and mentioned several key landmarks, such as the locations of government offices, brothels, and gambling dens.

If we follow his directions, we'll definitely find the manor.

Kou Zhong spoke more intimately, mentioning that their parents and family members had all been killed by bandits while they were fleeing, so they had become each other's only family.

He had a rather strong personality, and Xu Ziling, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but look gloomy when he heard this.

Zhou Yi sighed inwardly.

If they were just ordinary people, they probably wouldn't have survived to this day, let alone have such height and build.

Then he looked at Kou Zhong and replied to what he had just said: "Actually, our fates are similar, but I am more fortunate than you. I have a master who took me in and taught me. That's why I saw you standing outside the steamed bun shop earlier."

He paused slightly before Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling understood his meaning.

The way the two looked at Zhou Yi clearly showed more affection.

In Jiangdu, they had seen many important figures from afar, but most of them disdained to even glance at them.

Boss Yan exploited them, making them work hard while also stealing money from them.

If anything displeases them, they resort to physical violence and verbal abuse.

There are very few people who are kind to them, and almost no one speaks to them like that.

Not to mention, this guy has an extraordinary demeanor; he might be an even more impressive figure than Boss Yan.

The deep wariness in Kou Zhong's eyes also faded.

"Seeing how familiar you are with Jiangdu, I, who have only been here for a short time, would like to ask you about some confidential matters."

The two nodded in unison.

“We are very familiar with things in Jiangdu, brother, just ask us.”

The three sat in a corner of the shop. Zhou Yi glanced around and asked in a low voice, "Do you know anything about the recent changes at the Shilong Martial Arts Arena?"

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling showed signs of lingering fear.

They would never say anything if asked by others.

Kou Zhong said, "That day, Xiao Ling and I were peeking from a big tree next to the Shilong Martial Arts Arena, hoping to learn more martial arts skills. We saw someone break into the arena and kill people."

Xu Ziling was a little scared and said, "Several instructors who taught boxing techniques in the martial arts arena died. Then a lot of Sui soldiers poured in and surrounded the martial arts arena several times. The two of us dared not move in the tree and were almost discovered."

"and after?"

Kou Zhong said, "Later, those Sui soldiers arrested a few people, saying they were rebels from Poyang Lake. I don't think they looked like that at all, do I, Xiao Ling?"

"Yes, those people are old instructors from the martial arts school. One of them, surnamed Duan, practices boxing and kicking at the school every day. They can't be rebels."

Xu Ziling added, "Those who committed the murders stayed in the martial arts arena and didn't come out."

"There must be some secret, which is why they're keeping people under guard."

After Kou Zhong finished speaking, he turned to look at Zhou Yi: "Those who went to the martial arts arena after that never came out again. Some of them were even friends of Shi Long. Brother, please don't go."

Xu Ziling nodded in agreement: "Since then, we've always avoided the martial arts arena."

They spoke softly, taking turns recounting everything they had seen.

As expected of the Twin Dragons of Yangzhou, they really did run into this situation.

Even if you were to ask someone from the Giant Kun Gang at this point, they probably wouldn't be able to give you a clearer answer.

Zhou Yishun and the others continued their conversation.

The Jiangdu government offices are all staffed by Yuchi Sheng's men, equivalent to the Yuwen clan, and they are looking for Shi Long.

It looks like it hasn't been found yet.

Based on Lao Du's words, the Jiangdu government probably didn't get the first taste of the benefits. They only started taking action after hearing some rumors and then took control of the Shilong Martial Arts Field to prevent the news from spreading.

Zhou Yi pondered for a while, and then suddenly remembered.

Have you ever heard of the name Tian Wen?

Both of them shook their heads. "We don't know his name. Does he have any famous gangster names?"

"He was a great poet and writer, and very famous in Yangzhou."

Zhou Yi explained, recalling that the Twin Dragons obtained the "Longevity Manual" from Tian Wen.

He was Shilong's very good friend.

"We know nothing about poetry and literature. We have only overheard Master Bai's lectures, where he talked about things like 'Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao' and classical Chinese."

Xu Ziling shook his head helplessly, feeling that he couldn't help.

Kou Zhong reacted quickly, slapping his thigh and shaking Xu Ziling's body: "Xiao Ling, you're so smart!"

"what happened?"

"You've solved my brother's problem."

Kou Zhong was overjoyed: "Brother wants to know about Tian Wen. We don't know, but Master Bai must know."

"He's very famous for lecturing and teaching. He knows a lot of literary figures and scholars, and maybe he's the Tian Wen that you're looking for!"

Zhou Yi's eyes lit up.

Is now a convenient time?

“Of course it’s convenient,” Xu Ziling pointed in the direction, “We know the way to Master Bai’s house very well.”

“Let’s go,” Kou Zhong patted his full stomach and quickly stood up.

As he left, he hurriedly asked, "Brother, what is your surname?"

"My surname is Zhou."

The two men called out "Brother Zhou" and led the way.

They walked through the streets and alleys, and were very familiar with each other.

As dawn fades, sunlight bathes Jiangdu, illuminating the glazed tiles with a gleaming golden sheen.

Nanyang was already quite prosperous, but compared to Jiangdu, the gap was far more than just the city walls.

Looking around, the main road of Jiangdu was bustling with activity, with oxcarts laden with Wu and Yue silk, camel caravans carrying Persian spices, merchants from all over China, and foreign merchants from beyond the Great Wall.

The Linfeng Tower in the south of the city is over six stories high and is located next to the inner river. From the railing, one can see a river full of black-awning lotus boats. The sound of a pipa can be heard from the private room. The music being played is "Boating on a Dragon Boat," a piece personally composed by Emperor Yang Guang.

Zhou Yi gazed at the magnificent Fenglou Pavilion and heard the courtesans inside singing: "May I ask where Yangzhou is? It's south of the Huai River, north of the Yangtze River, and west of the sea."

From an artistic perspective, even the Celestial Master would admire Guangshen once she was inspired to create something.

After exchanging a few words with Zhou Yi, the two teenagers seemed to have an innate ability to become familiar with each other.

No matter who I meet, I always end up talking more and more.

When introducing the sights of Jiangdu to Zhou Yi, a new customer, he could even name a few girls from the local Chunfeng Courtyard and Chunhua Tower.

Don't expect to learn anything good from hanging out with that bastard Yan.

Zhou Yi didn't find it strange, he was just thinking
They were constantly hungry and full, living in dire straits, residing in an abandoned manor and a broken stone house. It was truly remarkable that they could maintain such an optimistic attitude.
"You two brats!"

As Zhou Yi was pondering this, the three of them had just passed through the alley when someone he hadn't paid much attention to suddenly shouted at them!
This man had shoulders nearly three feet wide, a broad back and a powerful waist, and an unusually loud voice.

He was staring fiercely at the two boys, Kou and Xu.

"What are you all doing wandering around here? Why don't you go to the docks and work carrying rice? Do you want to die?"

He was breathing heavily through his nose, followed by five or six grinning henchmen.

Zhou Yi was clearly a standard villain at first glance.

"Boss Yan Yan~!!"

Although Kou and Xu often cursed "Boss Yan" behind his back, they were actually very afraid of him.

But I can't live without him.

If they offended Boss Yan, they would have a hard time surviving.

Although dockworkers had to hand over their wages, they could occasionally get a little food.

As for resisting, the two of them don't have the guts right now.

Boss Yan is a big thug with more than twenty men under his command.

Furthermore, he also recognized a grandfather.

The leader of the Bamboo Flower Gang, Master Changci, didn't mind and took him in as his grandson.

That's a big shot in the Eight Gangs and Ten Associations.

In Kou and Xu's view, they were definitely not people they could afford to offend.

One can imagine that if Boss Yan finds out he's slacking off this time, he'll definitely get a beating.

but,

They were quite loyal; they didn't direct Yan Laoda's anger at Zhou Yi. Kou Zhong stood slightly in front of Xu Ziling, and the two of them showed fear and kept retreating.

He kept begging for mercy.

"Boss, it's still early. We can get to the docks later without any delay and we'll definitely finish today's work."

But Boss Yan wouldn't listen at all.

This person seems to have gotten angry from somewhere and is clearly looking for someone to vent their anger on.

"What are you doing? Ouch!"

As soon as Yan Laoda raised his fist, he suddenly cried out in pain, feeling as if his arm was being tightly gripped by iron clamps, and the grip was getting tighter and tighter.

A pair of slender hands were gripping his arm.

Suddenly, a strong force surged forth, the hand on his arm loosened, and he felt as if he had been lifted up.

Yan Kuan lost his footing and stumbled backward, with six of his underlings rushing forward to help him up.

As a result, all seven of them fell backward at once, groaning in pain.

"My God!"

The two boys exclaimed in surprise, completely stunned by what they saw. In their eyes, Boss Yan was an invincible figure.

I originally thought Brother Zhou could rival Boss Yan.

Unexpectedly, Boss Yan and his six gang leaders, these professional thugs, all suffered a crushing defeat.

When Kou and Xu saw them fall like turtles, they felt both relieved and amused, but they held it in.

The eldest son was the most robust, with a rounder body, and rolled around on the ground many times.

To survive in Jiangdu, one must have some insight.

Aside from the pain in his arm, he had no other injuries, which shows that his opponent was able to control his strength even after striking with great force.

Yan Laoda scrambled to his feet, his fierce expression gone.

"Please forgive me, please forgive me. I was blind and did not recognize your greatness. I did not know which esteemed person I had offended."

The panic in his words was genuine.

"This is Boss Zhou from the Huai River. He's also my and Xiao Ling's older brother. We're leading Boss Zhou to a teahouse in the south for tea."

"Boss Yan, could you please forgive Xiaoling and me for not working properly today?"

Yan Kuan saw that Zhou Yi remained silent, which meant he acquiesced.

The Huai River has been quite turbulent lately.

Judging from his imposing manner, he could very well be a big shot from the Huai River, someone even his grandfather, Changci, wouldn't dare to provoke.

He didn't believe the story about the two kids' older brother; he just thought the two boys had hit the jackpot.

"Work hard at the docks, and you'll get paid normally from now on. I, Yan Kuan, will protect you here in Jiangdu."

Yan Kuan felt as if he was being locked on, and goosebumps rose and fell all over his body.

This burly man spoke in a gentler tone than the women in the brothel.

He gently patted Kou and Xu on the shoulder and straightened their clothes.

If outsiders didn't know the inside story, they would really consider them good brothers.

"Send Boss Zhou to the teahouse. This is an important matter. There's no need for him to go to the docks today."

After Yan finished speaking, he bowed and smiled at Zhou Yi.

He and his men ran away without looking back.

Xu Ziling wore an expression of relief, while Kou Zhong, watching Yan Laoda's disappearing figure, shook him happily.
"Xiao Ling, what Master Bai said about the fox borrowing the tiger's might is exactly what happened this time. Boss Yan will definitely not dare to bully us again in the future."

Xu Ziling grumbled, "You made up a whole new identity for Brother Zhou. It's only because Brother Zhou has a good temper that he doesn't hold it against you."

Zhou Yi smiled indifferently; he had many identities, so one more wouldn't make a difference.

They continued their search for Master Bai, and along the way they talked about martial arts again.

The two boys wanted to become Zhou Yi's apprentices, but Zhou Yi refused.

He's not really suited to taking on apprentices.

However, I did explain some basic theoretical knowledge about meridians and acupoints to them.

Now he's quite the expert, and he talks about these things without any hesitation.

The two listened with rapt attention until they arrived at Master Bai's residence.

Zhou Yi, carrying several gifts he had bought along the way, stepped forward and gently knocked on the door.

Footsteps could be heard inside, and soon the door opened.

Master Bai, now in his sixties, had his hair meticulously combed and tightly wrapped in a black headscarf. He wore a dark gray robe, and his old face was stern, clearly indicating he was a strict teacher.

He glanced at Zhou Yi first, then frowned and stared at the two boys: "What are you two little devils doing in my house, trying to steal my skills?"

Master Bai was fully aware that they were eavesdropping on the lecture, but he didn't send them away.

"Master, it is Brother Zhou who has come to find you."

Zhou Yi stepped forward and said, "Master, I'm sorry to bother you."

Master Bai asked, "Young hero, why are you seeking me out?"

“Mr. Tian Wen is a friend of the Master,” Zhou Yi continued. “I have come here to inquire about Mr. Tian Wen.”

Master Bai's expression changed slightly, and Zhou Yi kept a close eye on his expression as he spoke.

At this time, certain
This old scholar not only knew Tian Wen, but also knew about Tian Wen's current situation.

"Squeak~!"

The door that had just been opened was closed again: "I don't know the person you're talking about. You can leave now."

"Should a teacher turn a blind eye to a friend's troubles?"

"Squeak~"

The door opened again.

Master Bai stared at Zhou Yi, scrutinizing him from head to toe with the eyesight he had developed over many years of teaching.

"Please come in."

Zhou Yi entered the house, not wanting to delay at all: "Master, may I ask where Mr. Tian Wen is now?"

"You went to his residence to look for him?"

"No."

Zhou Yi put down some small gifts in his hand: "If he were still at home, he would probably have been arrested long ago."

“His good friend Shi Long has gotten into big trouble, and Mr. Tian Wen could die at any moment. Tell me where he is; perhaps he still has a chance to survive.”

"Master."

"As long as he is in the city, it is only a matter of time before he is found. The area around the city gates is full of soldiers and officers. It would be extremely difficult for him to slip out under the nose of the Yangzhou governor."

Master Bai said, "How can I trust you? If you were someone from the General Manager's office, wouldn't I be harming my friend?"

Xu Ziling quickly stood up: "Master, Brother Zhou is a good person."

Kou Zhongze said, "Brother Zhou only asked about our Shilong Martial Arts Arena today. If he were someone from the General Manager's Office, why would he need to inquire?"

“Master, don’t hesitate. If it were me, I would definitely tell Brother Zhou so that your friend would have a chance to be saved.”

"Rather than waiting to die, give it a try."

"Humph!"

Master Bai snorted coldly and glared at them with a stern face.

Zhou Yi, this unfamiliar guest, was clearly brought in by the two of them.

He was silent for a moment, then went to the table and wrote a note.

"I hope I haven't done anything wrong."

Zhou Yi took the note and read it carefully: "I can't guarantee whether Mr. Tian Wen will survive, but Master's decision is not wrong."

Upon hearing Zhou Yi's words, Master Bai sat down and rewrote a note.

This time, the note was in a significantly different position than the previous one.

It's like going in the opposite direction.

"Sorry."

After hearing this, Zhou Yi sighed, "I hope all my friends can be like Master Fu."

The faint smile on Master Bai's face vanished in an instant.

"I wish to purchase a book from the Master."

Which volume?

""present"."

Master Bai did not accept money, but took a copy of the Book of Rites from the bookshelf and gave it to Zhou Yi.

Kou and Xu were slightly taken aback; the Book of Rites had finally fallen into their hands.

"It is not impolite for a teacher to lie for a friend."

"You two, you looked at my money the first time you met me, probably thinking I was a fat sheep. That's really rude of you."

The two felt ashamed upon hearing this.

Zhou Yi added, "If there's a chance in the future, try your best to get rid of the bad habits you learned from Boss Yan."

Thank you all for accompanying me today.

As they spoke, Zhou Yi took out some gold and silver from his travel money and placed them in the hands of the two men.

"Brother Zhou, we can't accept this!"

Zhou Yi waved his hand: "Li Mi owes me 100,000 taels of pure gold. This is nothing. You two should be frugal and you won't go hungry for a long time."

Xu Ziling was very reluctant to part: "Brother Zhou, are you leaving?"

"Yes, what I'm about to do is very dangerous. You mustn't touch it, or you could lose your life at any moment."

"Do not speak of what happens here to outsiders."

The two nodded repeatedly.

Although it was only a short time together, Kou Zhong was very reluctant to part: "Brother Zhou, how can we see you again?"

Zhou Yi gently touched his longsword, leaving them with a smile:
"Goodbye Jianghu."

A white shadow, like a dragon, flew over the courtyard wall following the words and was never seen again.

"Brother Zhou treated us to a good meal, taught the bullying Boss Yan a lesson, and now he's giving us gold and silver so we can study and learn good things."

"Xiao Zhong, I feel so useless, I actually want to cry."

"After our parents died, no one has been this kind to us."

Kou Zhong straightened his back and said resolutely, "Xiao Ling, Brother Zhou said we'd meet again in the martial world. We must live up to his reputation and make something of ourselves."

Xu Ziling nodded emphatically.

Master Bai nodded slightly, relieved that he hadn't misjudged the person.

"Actually, you missed one thing."

The two seemed to remember Zhou Yi's words and bowed to Master Bai, saying, "Master, please enlighten us." Seeing that the two were mature in mind, Master Bai did not treat them as ordinary teenagers.

At this moment, he stroked his beard and said, "Think about the identities of you two petty thieves. His martial arts skills are so high, yet he speaks to you without any airs. Such demeanor is not something that ordinary people can have."

Xu Ziling asked, "What kind of person does the Master think my elder brother is?"

Master Bai said slowly, "Taking righteousness as the essence and practicing it with propriety, this is the mark of a gentleman."

Xu Ziling nodded.

Kou Zhong nodded, muttered "gentleman," and then added, "That Li Mi must be a villain."

"Otherwise, we wouldn't owe Brother Zhou so much gold."

……

It was evening, dusk.

North of Jiangdu City.

Wuqiao Street.

Zhou Yi noticed that there were many martial arts practitioners moving around nearby, and he also encountered several groups of Sui soldiers riding by. He had a bad feeling.

Continue heading north to the outskirts.

Then they saw a row of somewhat dilapidated mansions and found the one whose copper rings on the gate had all fallen off.

Looking around, he darted inside.

The dilapidated house was large and had a gloomy atmosphere.

After passing through two small courtyards, we finally saw a light in a room at the end of the corridor.

The person should still be alive.

This trip to Jiangdu was precisely to see the "Longevity Manual," and I finally had the ability to discuss and reason with Fellow Daoist Shilong.

It would be a real pity to miss out on this opportunity.

Through the crack in the window, Zhou Yi saw an old scholar bent over his desk under a lamp, writing something.

He looked to be in his fifties and his face was very haggard.

Zhou Yi walked to the window, but the old scholar hadn't noticed yet.

He took two steps back, making a noise, and then coughed lightly.

"Who?"

Tian Wen put down his pen and inkstone, then stood up and looked outside.

Zhou Yi strolled over.

Before Zhou Yi could speak, Tian Wen said directly, "Don't force me anymore. I've already said that I came here only to avoid trouble and know nothing about Shi Long."

Zhou Yi's heart sank:
"Mr. Tian, ​​who else has been here?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Wenchao glanced at Zhou Yi's clothes.

"And which faction do you belong to?"

"Mr. Tian can tell at a glance."

No matter how much Zhou Yi said, it was not as useful as the note he handed over.

How could Tian Wen not recognize Master Bai's handwriting?

"you--!"

Tian Wen glanced at his young face and said, "You'd better leave quickly, you're no match for them."

"who are they?"

"I can't really say for sure, but they'll be here soon."

Tian Wen waved his hand hastily and said, "They must be some kind of demonic sect members. They're all like madmen, and they can't make sense."

Zhou Yi hurriedly asked, "How could the 'Longevity Manual' have been leaked?"

"This matter isn't top secret; it's just that someone found it out."

Tian Wen sighed: "Shi Long's friend came to find him and exchanged martial arts insights with him. The two martial arts fanatics got carried away and were discovered by the people who were chasing his friend."

"There's more than one group involved, so this matter can no longer be suppressed."

"That 'Longevity Manual' is really not worth studying. His martial arts have regressed rather than improved over the past ten years. If he had focused on practicing, he wouldn't be in this predicament today."

"I'm not saying anything more, you should go now."

Zhou Yi stopped speaking, and Asada Fumi raised one hand.

"Mr. Tian, ​​please step aside for a moment. Let me see where you are from."

At this moment
With a slight sound, two figures in black landed on the roof, one on the left and one on the right.

The person on the left is a woman, holding a long sword in her arms. She looks to be in her forties, with very light eyebrows and extremely bright eyes.

The man on the right was at least sixty years old, with over ninety percent of his hair white, but his eyebrows were thick and black. He was extremely tall, yet as thin as a bamboo pole, with protruding knuckles beneath his black clothes that looked like they were cast from bronze and iron.

Demonic energy, malevolent energy.
You can't go wrong.

Zhou Yi narrowed his eyes, guessing that they must be Zhou Laotan's men.

The three men's auras clashed, causing the copper bells on the eaves of the old house to sway slightly.

"You two are no ordinary people. Won't you introduce yourselves?"

The woman stroked the long sword in her bosom:
"My name is Mingyue. I am a disciple of Tianshui Die Lao. I started learning swordsmanship at the age of eight and have been practicing the Butterfly Rain Sword Technique for thirty-seven years, achieving some success. I am known as Tianshui Mingdie and am listed on the list of extraordinary skills and techniques."

The gaunt old man said, "I am Qian Zhengrong, known as Mr. Iron Bone in Shangluo. I have some knowledge of external martial arts. People in the Shangluo martial arts community call me the master of external martial arts, and I can barely be considered the number one."

"Of course, that's just a rumor. I haven't reached that level yet."

Zhou Yi's eyes changed slightly.

These two are no pushovers.

"Why would two people of such renown become lackeys of the Demonic Sect?"

Both men on the rooftop were shaking their heads.

"We just lost. When you're in the world, you have to be able to accept defeat."

"Sect Master Zhou is more skilled than us. We should discuss the Dao fairly. He used the Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique. It was because our will was not firm enough that we could not withstand his wondrous technique, and we willingly accepted defeat."

"We are here now only as the price of defeat for those obsessed with martial arts."

The female swordsman, Mingyue, said, "I'm about to kill you. Leave me your name."

Zhou Yi drew his sword, ran his hand over the blade, and fixed his gaze on the female swordsman:

"You will lose again today, and the person who will kill you is Zhou Yi."

Mr. Iron Bone smiled and said, "Miss Ming, do you need this old man to help?"

"No need."

Before she could finish speaking, a cold glint flashed as she leaped down, the slender sword trembling slightly, aiming straight for her neck.

Before the previous sword strike was even finished, the next sword strike began.
Six consecutive sword strikes!

Driven by demonic energy, the Butterfly Rain Sword Technique became incredibly bizarre.
Human figures swayed, demonic shadows swayed, swords swayed, all exquisitely beautiful, like fluttering sword butterflies dancing in front of the corridor.

"Dang Dang Dang~!"

Zhou Yi seemed to have seen through all her movements.

The six swords struck, like a swallow skimming the water, catching and trampling all the butterfly shadows in the water!

"Something capable."

Mingyue gave a soft praise, her toes barely touching the ground as she leaped eight feet into the air. Her slender sword sparked as it scraped against the green tiles on the roof of the corridor. Using the momentum, she spun around and pressed down from above.

At this moment, the sword's momentum transformed into countless butterfly shadows, which was the secret of the sword technique "Nineteen Forms of Sword Butterfly Rain".

Zhou Yi's sword suddenly tightened, the sword in the wind became faster and faster, the sword's cry and the wind's whistling intertwined, shaking the lanterns and gauze covers under the corridor to pieces.

The swords clashed with their internal energy, and the female swordsman's demonic sword suffered a great loss!
Suddenly, a crisp "crack" sound was heard!
The force from the sword traveled down to her feet, and Mingyue broke a loose half of the blue brick under the eaves!
A white-clad figure flashed before him, and a sword, sharp as lightning, pierced his face.

She remained calm in the face of danger, using the force of the impact from the bricks to lean against the pillar. Her slender sword struck the carved pillar with tremendous force, creating a gap amidst flying wood chips. She then clung to the pillar like a gecko.

At this moment, he swiftly raised his sword and swept it across the opponent's lower body.

Zhou Yi suddenly felt a gust of wind beneath his feet, and his feet lifted off the ground, propelling him into the air.

A powerful surge of true energy gathered on the sword, flowing like a torrent, leaving no trace as it passed by, carrying a thunderous sword light, and slashed out with a single strike!
Sword energy flew everywhere, but Mingyue was completely unafraid.

She held the sword with both hands, unleashing the full power of the Butterfly Rain Sword Technique, with sword energy flying everywhere!

At this moment, both sides unleashed a large amount of true energy, causing the surrounding beams and pillars to explode and wood chips to fly everywhere.

However, what the female swordsman never expected was...
Her sword energy, which was in no way inferior to her opponent's, and with the enhancement of the demonic sword, caused her true essence to collide and continuously disintegrate upon contact with the opponent's sword energy!

Almost in an instant
Blood splattered everywhere; she had been pierced by sword energy, her chest riddled with sword wounds.

"How is it possible?"

The female swordsman stared wide-eyed at Zhou Yi, then suddenly understood.

Then he turned to look at Qian Zhengrong, wanting to remind him.
However, she couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted to say.

The light in his eyes dimmed, transforming into a wisp of pure energy, becoming a butterfly in a dream, flying freely away.
The female swordsman fell.

"Do you know what she wanted to say?" The old man was very calm about her death.

Zhou Yi shook his head: "I don't know."

Qian Zhengrong sighed, "She is a renowned figure in her own right, and to lose to you today, how can she be so unwilling?"

"This is much more shameful than losing to Zhou Zong. First, she uses a sword, and second, you are too young, about the same age as her disciples in Tianshui, so you are a junior."

"Before you arrived, several groups of people had the same goal as us, wanting the scholar in the room behind you. However, we killed them all."

"In terms of skill, I am naturally superior to her, but in terms of killing speed, I am far inferior to her."

"Your swordsmanship is superb, and your internal martial arts are even more remarkable. Your sword energy can even suppress hers. Otherwise, if you were to fight, you wouldn't be able to defeat her even after hundreds of rounds."

"To possess such skill at such a young age is truly remarkable. However, today I am going to kill you, needlessly extinguishing a genius. Alas, how pitiful and lamentable."

Zhou Yi relaxed his brows: "Brother Qian, you're so clear-headed, why are you still helping others?"

"That's because you don't understand the profound mystery of Sect Master Zhou."

"The demonic energy that is combined with the spirit is difficult to break free from. If I subconsciously harbor betrayal, my spirit will fluctuate, leading to a terrible inner demon. I have tried to break free from this inner demon; it only causes me pain."

He looked up and said, "My martial arts spirit is not as good as Chief Qiu's. He is a remarkable man."

"Young Zhou, I'm sorry, but I'm about to kill you."

Zhou Yi suddenly sheathed his sword, a move that stunned Qian Zhengrong.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I've heard you're a master of external martial arts. And me?"

Zhou Yi flipped his palm in front of him and said, "I also know a little about boxing and kicking."

Hahahaha~!!!

Qian Zhengrong burst into laughter, and all the roof tiles shook, as if they were jumping up and laughing. Everyone heard the funniest joke in the world.

Qian Zhengrong smiled kindly: "Little Zhou, you are like a source of spiritual fuel for this old man today, bringing me some joy."

"With more of this kind of happiness, perhaps this old man can get rid of the demonic seed in his heart."

After making a joke, his expression suddenly changed.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, the roof beam beneath the withered old man's feet shattered, and his figure vanished from the roof like a ghost.

Zhou Yi's gaze moved quickly across the houses on one side of the corridor.

Mr. Ironbone was very fast and kept his voice extremely low.

In terms of skill, there is no doubt that he is superior.

With another loud bang, Qian Zhengrong burst out of the wooden house.

With a claw strike from a distance, he aimed straight at the Jianjing acupoint. The force generated by his fingertips made the tassels of the lanterns under the eaves taut like iron wires!
It used the force of dislocating tendons and bones to grab the wind and fly out.

Zhou Yi neither dodged nor evaded, but bent his left elbow like an iron shield and used a grappling technique, striking the opponent's wrist pulse with his palm and pressing his thumb heavily against the "Neiguan" acupoint!
The two clashed their true energies, and a powerful gust of wind shot out.

The blood flowing from the female swordsman was forced back by the strong wind.

Zhou Yi naturally did not possess such terrifying skill. Qian Zhengrong was greatly shocked, as his condensed true energy had been dispersed!

He has been practicing Qi cultivation for sixty years. How can this young man compare to him?
"Take this!"

Qian Zhengrong snorted angrily, and when their palms collided, there was another muffled sound. Qian Zhengrong felt as if his wrist bone had been branded with a hot iron. As he used the force to spin around, his right leg swept towards the other's shin.

Zhou Yi leaped three feet into the air, using the momentum of the inverted beam on the roof of the corridor, and slashed his palms like knives at the "Tianzhu" acupoint on the back of his opponent's neck.

Qian Zhengrong heard the wind whistling above his head, but he didn't even look up. His control over his fists and palms was terrifyingly sharp.

With a backhand sweep towards the dantian, he transformed his right palm into a fist and struck the crossbeam. Amidst the flying wood chips, he stepped backwards and lunged forward, his fingertips stabbing at Zhou Yi's Yongquan acupoint on the sole of his foot.

Zhou Yi's legs suddenly tensed, his toes brushing past the other man's fingertips, and his knees slammed into the old man's abdomen.

This move, "Golden Eagle Spreads Its Wings," was learned from Yang Dalongtou and is a unique skill of the Lujiang Golden Eagle Boxing School.

At this moment, weapons were no longer needed; relying solely on the strength of his waist and legs, he managed to make the roof beams creak and groan.

Qian Zhengrong instantly lowered his waist and sat on his horse stance, thrusting out with both palms as if embracing a log, a bluish-black luster appearing between the lines on his palms, the Iron Bone Dragon Severing Style!

As the palm strike reached, Zhou Yi hurriedly dodged, and spiderweb-like cracks suddenly appeared on the surface of the blue bricks within six feet!

"Drink it!!!"

He gathered his inner energy and, with extremely sharp techniques, instantly shattered Zhou Yi's fists and palms.

The Celestial Master's discussion of fist and palm techniques, in terms of subtlety, is far inferior to that of this old man.

However, Qian Zhengrong was playing too frustratingly, and he didn't know what went wrong.

Instead of having an advantage, one's own accumulation of true essence is constrained by it.

At first, I thought it was impossible, but then years of experience gave me a flash of inspiration!
"It's not me, it's the problem with my internal energy!"

At this moment, he struck Zhou Yi with a palm, and the true essence in his body flowed along his meridians, transforming into demonic energy.

A sharp black light appeared at Zhou Yi's fingertip and pointed straight out, shattering Qian Zhengrong's palm strike!

The demonic energy seemed to be ignited instantly, turning into hot winds that blew in all directions.

Qian Zhengrong was caught off guard by this attack and Zhou Yi struck his Tanzhong acupoint with the same force!
The mysterious and profound demonic energy that Zhou Laotan had injected into his body was directly drawn out of his chest, causing the demonic energy in his crown and central nervous system to instantly turn into fire and ignite.

In an instant, Qian Zhengrong's demonic energy was completely burned away!

The profound energy that Zhou Laotan exhaled was absorbed into Zhou Yi's Tanzhong Life and Death Acupoint, waiting to be refined by the Supreme Yang Acupoint.

"That's it, that's it"

"So it turns out that you are the natural enemy of Sect Master Zhou's Dao Heart Demon Seed, and your true qi attribute naturally suppresses it. We heretics, though we have great power, are crude in our demonic energy and are no match for you."

"I thought Sect Leader Zhou's ingenious method was the most rare in the world, but who would have thought..."

"There really is a world beyond the heavens."

Qian Zhengrong nodded slightly: "So that's what Mingyue wanted to say. Little Zhou, I was wrong before. She didn't lose to you."

"By the way, what kind of martial art is this?"

"Peaceful and Prosperous Treasure".

The old man was stunned for a moment, then looked up and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Elder Zhou, this time I didn't lose, you lost!"

His words stopped abruptly.

Although he was dead, he still stood upright.

His bones were almost as hard as bronze and iron, a level of external martial arts that was about to reach its pinnacle.

Zhou Yi took a deep breath.

He rolled up his sleeves and looked at his wrists and arms, which were covered in bruises, the kind that would make Little Phoenix feel sorry for him.

That old guy is really ruthless.

In terms of actual fighting skills, I am no match for him. He truly deserves to be called the number one martial artist in Shangluo.

Unfortunately, the demonic energy assimilated his true energy, so he could deal with others without any problem.

When you encounter someone of such high rank, the flaws in your true energy are too obvious.

As a fellow martial arts enthusiast, Zhou Yi also felt sorry for him.

Then they placed his body next to the female swordsman, so that they could lie together.

He nodded slightly.

In this way, the two of them can still discuss martial arts on their way to the underworld, so they won't be alone.

After the loud commotion outside subsided, Mr. Tian Wen put down his pen and paper and came out of the house.

Looking at the devastated corridor, the roof with gaping holes, and the collapsed beams and pillars.
Tian Wen rubbed his eyes.

"You actually managed to defeat those two devils. I personally witnessed them kill dozens of people."

Seeing him rubbing his wrist, Mr. Tian asked with concern, "Are you injured?"

"No."

Zhou Yi patted the hem of his clothes: "It's just that the corner of my clothes is a little dirty."

"These two are indeed skilled, but there is still a considerable gap between their skills and those of the real person."

"Didn't you see us fighting just now?"

"These matters of the martial world are sure to bring trouble if you look into them. I am only interested in poetry and literature. I dare not cause trouble and I do not like fighting and killing."

"Shilong is still too obsessed."

Tian Wen shook his head.

Zhou Yi changed the subject: "It's dangerous for you to stay here. These two are at least somewhat patient. If it were someone more impatient and ruthless, who knows what vicious methods they would use to force you."

"There may be a solution to the matter of the 'Longevity Secret,' so Mr. Tian need not be in a hurry to have the idea of ​​dying."

"However, the commotion just now was too great, and it is not advisable to stay here for long. Elder Tian, ​​you should either take me to see Fellow Daoist Shi Long as soon as possible, or find another place to stay."

Tian Wen hesitated for a moment: "Shi Long is trying to find a solution."

"If our trip happens to disturb him, wouldn't that ruin everything?"

Zhou Yi was very decisive: "Mr. Tian, ​​you may not be able to help, but I may be able to save Fellow Daoist Shi Long."

Looking at the two corpses, Tian Wen inwardly agreed with his words.

"Hmm? Someone else is here!"

Zhou Yi heard footsteps approaching, two, three, four.

"Wait a mininute."

He slipped to the rooftop to wait.

really
Four men in black rushed in; one look at their clothes and you could tell they were from the Baling Gang.

The four men were overjoyed when they saw Tian Wen.

But soon, after a figure in white landed, the four of them fell fast asleep in the courtyard.

Without further hesitation, the old scholar turned around and stuffed all the books into his robes, making them bulge.

Zhou Yi was speechless.

But then I remembered that he was a renowned poet and writer from Yangzhou, so I felt relieved.

Although the two old demons were pressuring him, they were essentially his protectors.

They're dead, and more and more people will find this place.

"Let's go, I'll take you to see Shi Long."

He wanted to use the main entrance.

Zhou Yi grabbed his shoulder and led him up to the roof, letting the old scholar experience what it meant to be a master of light-footed kung fu.

Tian Wen kept giving directions.

As darkness approached, the two finally arrived at a farmhouse near the river in the north of the city.

Tian Wen knocked rhythmically on the brass ring on the door.

Finally, the door opened.
A middle-aged man walked out. He had a refined appearance, a sparse beard, and was dressed as a scholar, looking like a teacher.

As his gaze fell upon him, Zhou Yi cupped his hands in greeting, "My name is Zhou Yi."

The scholar also bowed and said, "Shilong, Yangzhou."

……

(End of this chapter)