Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 105 The Arrow of the Throne: A Divine Journey Through the Wind!

"Dong dong dong~!"

As the large army approached, the shouts of men and the neighing of horses seemed to shake the earth.

"Release Brother Yuwen at once!"

When Yangzhou Governor Yuchi Sheng arrived, he saw Yuwen Wudi being placed into a large vermilion coffin and, in astonishment, let out a furious shout.

Old Zhou sighed but did not listen, only glancing at the army behind Yuchi Sheng.

"Walk."

He gave a low order, and the dozen or so black-clad experts all turned their backs, ready to carry the coffin away.

Upon seeing this, Yuchi Sheng was furious. He waved his hand and gave the order, and immediately nearly a hundred soldiers holding bows and arrows drew their bowstrings.

After that, more than three hundred people took arrows from the quiver.

The Jiangdu archery team unleashed a rain of arrows, each bow and arrow imbued with true energy, humming as they flew, the arrow rain pressing down on the sky like a swarm of bees.

Those from all sides near the mansion, not wanting to be riddled with arrows, scattered and retreated.

The Jiangdu army poured in continuously.

Human strength has its limits, and no one dared to face the onslaught of a large army.

Old Zhou and Jin Huanzhen attacked together, their demonic energy disrupting the rain of arrows.

The sound of taut bowstrings continued uninterrupted as the two old demons grabbed the roof beams, lifting off a large section of the roof with a deafening roar accompanied by the sound of arrows piercing through it.

The Jiangdu army approached from all directions.

Suddenly, two experts from the Demonic Sect rushed out from beside Zhou Laotan, carrying the roof in mid-air straight towards Chief Steward Yuchi.

These two men, their demonic energy surging, transformed into firewood, and as they burned out, they unleashed a ferocious burst of power.

The Jiangdu army was thrown into chaos, and Yuchi Sheng rode away.

The two charged into the forest of spears and halberds, disrupting the army's formation and killing more than a dozen men before being pierced by weapons from all directions.

Yu Chisheng stared at the corpses that his men had tossed aside, a chill running through his heart.

I'd heard that the masters of the Demonic Sect were unpredictable and eccentric, but I never knew there were such crazy and fearless ones.

With his mind in turmoil, Yuchi Sheng exclaimed "Oh no!" again.

Taking advantage of the commotion caused by the two demons, this group of strange demonic masters left the mansion and carried the coffin.

The city is not a plain; the terrain is complex, with many alleys and branching roads.

Despite having a large army, they lack speed advantage when pursuing skilled opponents.

While sending men to seal the city gates, Yuchi Sheng led his men to surround and intercept them.

He couldn't ignore Yuwen Wudi's capture.

The Northern Zhou dynasty was ruled by the Yuwen family, but was later overthrown by Yang Jian. Therefore, although the Yuwen family appeared to be loyal to the Sui dynasty, they actually harbored deep-seated hatred towards it.

Yu Chijiong, the governor of Xiangzhou, Sima Xiaonan, the governor of Yunzhou, and Wang Qian, the governor of Yizhou, were all ministers who supported the uprising of the Yuwen family of Northern Zhou. These people were either relatives or loyal to the Northern Zhou royal family.

Yuchi Sheng is Yuchi Jiong's cousin. If Yuwen Wudi is taken away in front of him, then he, the governor of Yangzhou who commands a large army, will lose face!

"Chase, chase me!"

We absolutely cannot let them get away!

"Order the navy to line up ships and patrol along the river, sealing off the entire river! Not even a fly should be allowed to fly out of the Yangtze Ferry!"

"Yes!!"

Jiangdu Commandant Song Hao accepted the order and set off with several hundred cavalrymen heading towards the key passes in the major cities.

As long as you surround and trap someone, no matter how skilled they are, you can overwhelm them with sheer numbers.

The struggle for the Longevity Manual bamboo slips had not yet subsided when the Demonic Sect masters carried Yuwen Wudi away in a coffin. Jiangdu mobilized all its troops and naval forces, and numerous sects and renowned figures from the martial arts world along the river were caught in the chaos.
The stone dragon escaped through a well and flowed into a river, and a mysterious sword master and a group of experts chased it into the underground river.

Immediately, all sorts of rumors spread like wildfire, and the atmosphere in Jiangdu changed drastically.

Those who had previously been on good terms with Shi Long, including the ancient book lovers, hospitable scholars, and great Confucian scholars, all left the Jiangdu government office.

All the instructors and students of the Shilong Martial Arts School were dismissed, and they regained their freedom.

This also means that the Shilong Martial Arts Arena, which enjoyed a prestigious reputation in Jiangdu for nearly a decade, has become history.
……

As the sun began to set, more Yangzhou naval forces entered the river for patrols.

However, a small boat was rocking back and forth on the river, sometimes spinning around.

"Xiao Ling, Boss Yan is definitely convinced this time that our Yangzhou Shuanglong stole the Zhuhua Gang's boat."

"Enough of that. Let's think of a way to get the ship under control. We need to get back to the city quickly; the sun is about to set."

The two paddlers lacked skill, didn't know how to turn against the water, and were even less adept at dealing with crosswinds and waves.

but
They were very inquisitive, often asking and answering questions, constantly summarizing their experiences, and gradually discovered that the two had different strengths, so when they paddled from opposite sides, the paddle always tilted.

To make the boat move smoothly, it needs to balance this force with the water flow and crosswinds.

Actually, compared to the ferry crossing in Jiangdu, which only involves boating, this is already a significant improvement.

After analyzing the situation for a while, they started rowing again.

Gradually straightening the bow, we found some rhythm.

The bow of the ship slowly turned around, and Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling cheered excitedly.

suddenly
Suddenly, the river surged with turbulent waves, a huge wave rising from the bottom, causing the river surface to sway from side to side like a sieve.

"My God, what's going on?!"

The two were tossed about on the boat. Xu Ziling, who was lying on the side of the boat, looked at the water and exclaimed in surprise:
"There's a monster in the river! There's a monster in the river!"

He went to pull Kou Zhong, wanting to jump into the river with him and escape to the riverbank.

But then a fierce force surged up, and a raging wave crashed over them. The two men could no longer hold on and were thrown from the boat into the river.

Before they could react, they felt something grab them from behind.

After taking a sip of water, he was lifted like a chick by a middle-aged man who had broken through the waves and returned to the boat.

Kou Zhong was startled. At first, when Xu Ziling told him that there was a water monster in the river, he didn't believe it.

At this moment, someone cried out in alarm, "Xiao Ling, there really is a water monster! We're going to be eaten!"

He mustered his courage and looked back, but did not see the ferocious face he had imagined.

It wasn't some kind of water monster; instead, it was a kind-looking middle-aged man with a scholarly air about him, much like the old master Bai.

"There's no water monster, but there is a stone dragon."

Shi Long looked around and then gazed in the direction of Jiangdu. He felt that the world was vast and the earth was wide, and he felt at ease.

So he smiled and responded to the two boys.

Stone Dragon?

Suddenly realizing something, the two exclaimed in unison:

"Could you be Shi Long, the number one martial arts master in Jiangdu?!"

Shi Long wiped the river water off his beard: "If you are talking about Shi Long from the Shi Long Martial Arts Arena, then it is me."

Kou and Xu found it hard to believe, but upon hearing the words "Shilong Martial Arts Arena," they felt a sense of indebtedness.

It was just like meeting Master Bai.

Remembering the teachings of Brother Zhou, Xu Ziling said with a hint of worry:
"So you're the master of the martial arts school. We've always heard of your great name, but it's embarrassing to admit, because we often climbed up the big tree next to the school to secretly learn martial arts."

Kou Zhong wiped the water from his face and, imitating the manner of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who travels the martial arts world), clasped his hands in a very forthright manner:
"With Master Shilong here today, the two of us can come to the martial arts school to help out and pay off our previous debts. We will never renege on our promises."

Shi Long burst into laughter in surprise.

I encountered such an interesting thing just after leaving Jiangdu.

Staring at the burly young man with his bright, clever eyes, he said, "Working is just an excuse. He probably wasn't satisfied with secretly learning from the trees, so he stood next to the martial arts instructor to make it easier to learn his moves."

"is not it?"

The two smiled sheepishly; they really did have such thoughts.

"What are your names? Where are you from?"

“My name is Xu Ziling, and his name is Kou Zhong. We are both locals from Yangzhou.”

“Hey,” Kou Zhong put his arm around Xu Ziling and grinned, “the two of us have some connection with you, Boss Shi.”

"what relationship?"

“We are the Twin Dragons of Yangzhou, and you, Boss Shi, are also a dragon, a dragon that rushed out of the Yangtze River. So we can be called the Three Dragons of Yangzhou.”

Xu Ziling nudged Kou Zhong with his elbow: "He just likes to talk nonsense, Master, don't take him seriously."

Shi Long stroked his chin, gazing at the two peculiar teenagers before him, a slight unease stirring within him.

Just as he was about to speak, a surge of energy suddenly rose up from below, creating a huge wave that shot into the sky.

Kou and Xu were stunned.

"My goodness, it's here again! There's a huge dragon in this river!!"

The waves became even more turbulent. If Shi Long hadn't attached his true energy to the boat, the force of the waves would have directly destroyed the small boat.

Shi Long held onto Kou and Xu to prevent them from falling into the water again.

At that moment, a white figure broke through the waves, and the shattered water droplets were dyed gold by the setting sun.

The white figure stepped onto the boat, a smile on her face.

The two boys rubbed their eyes, thinking they were seeing things, but when they looked again, they shouted with joy:
"Brother Zhou!"

Zhou Yi patted them on the shoulder, and Shi Long stepped forward with his fists clasped.

He bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you have shown me such great kindness."

"No need to."

Zhou Yi helped him up, saying, "Talking about 'repaying kindness' is not in line with Fellow Daoist Shi's temperament. Why don't you invite me to have a few more cups of tea at Xian Shu Gang?"

"Hahaha, good!"

Shi Long chuckled in response.

The two boys couldn't understand what they were saying, but they were quite excited.

Looking at the river, Xu Ziling couldn't help but ask, "Is there a dragon palace at the bottom of this river?"

“Definitely,” Kou Zhong said with great imagination. “Boss Zhou and Boss Shi Long must have drunk at Jiang Longwang’s place and attended some kind of Dragon Palace banquet or something.”

Zhou Yi nodded: "Yes, I did attend a grand banquet at the Dragon Palace."

"Even the demons and monsters of the underworld came. They carried a large coffin and drank a cup with the Dragon King."

Kou and Xu reacted quickly, immediately recalling the people they had seen at the Jiangdu ferry.

I suspected that Brother Zhou was referring to this group of monsters and demons.

As for the Dragon Palace banquet and the like, that was just a joke.

Xu Ziling was very curious and asked earnestly:

"Brother Zhou, what brings you here all of a sudden?"

Zhou Yi patted them on the shoulder again and pointed towards the river: "What's that?"

Xu Ziling was deep in thought.

Kou Zhong, quick-witted as ever, clapped his hands and exclaimed, "This is the martial world, that is the martial world!"

"good."

Zhou Yi found it amusing and smiled slightly: "I told you, see you again in the martial world, I wasn't lying to you, was I?"

"What's that over there?"

Zhou Yi pointed into the distance.

The two boys squinted and saw large patrol boats sailing in the distance.

They had a strange feeling that the large patrol boats on the river seemed hostile.

Suddenly understanding Zhou Yi's deeper meaning, they said in unison, "Brother Zhou, that's also the martial world, isn't it?"

"Correct!"

Shi Long and Zhou Yi acted simultaneously, one foot stepping on the crooked wooden boat and pushing it out of the river.

He carried the two men under his arms, leaped across the four-zhang (approximately 10 meters) river, and landed on the shore.

The people on the patrol boat noticed them and gave chase with their sails fully open.

but,

When the Jiangdu navy docked, four men had already disappeared.
Shi Long discerned a direction and led them northwest, entering the town to make purchases before nightfall.

I changed into clean clothes and bought some food.

Without stopping, they traveled another ten miles through the night and found a village.

There was a dilapidated house near the southern entrance of the village that no one lived in, so they went inside.

Kou and Xu gathered some firewood, Zhou Yi started a fire, and Shi Long skewered several fish with bamboo sticks.

As the fire grew stronger, Zhou Yi took out the rice wine he had bought from town and heated it by the fire.

In a desolate village in Jiangnan, amidst the smoke of smoke and ruins, four people sat around a fire, gazing up at the crescent moon and stars, while the rustling autumn wind that swept across the riverbank stirred their clothes and hair.

In this situation, everyone had their own thoughts.

Kou and Xu were quite excited, as this was exactly the scene they had imagined.

Like a martial arts master, he traveled far away to Yangzhou, spending his days by fire in the wilderness.

Shi Long was deep in thought, and looked towards Jiangdu again: "I thought of Tian Wen and the others, and I hope they are all well."

After saying this, he took out a willow branch from his pocket.

Zhou Yi comforted him, saying, "We'll meet again."

They gathered around the fire, first eating dry rations and flatbread, then eating cooked fish, and drinking hot wine.

Kou and Xu, those two lads, drank very little.

It was mainly Zhou Yi and Shi Long who were drinking.

"I have been living in obscurity in Jiangdu for many years. I have seen many of the misty and cold moon over Yangzijiang, and I thought that I would probably spend my life like this."

"Who would have thought that, now that I'm no longer young, I would have the idea of ​​wandering the world again."

"Everything outside Jiangdu seems brand new."

Zhou Yi shook his head: "Age is not important. If your heart is young, you will never grow old."

"At your age, this is the time to strive."

"The Martial Venerable of the Northern Desert is two cycles older than you, yet he stands atop the grasslands just like you."

Shi Long shook his head: "I don't have that kind of ambition. I might be thinking about practicing martial arts behind closed doors in a few days, and then I'll bother you immediately."

"Always waiting."

The two drank another cup.

Shi Long suddenly turned to Kou and Xu and said, "Since you want to learn the martial arts of my martial arts school, I will teach you, how about it?"

"Is Boss Shi going to take us as his apprentices?!"

The two were pleasantly surprised.

"The martial arts arena is gone, and I don't want to establish a sect or any more."

Shi Long joked, "Didn't we say we're the Three Dragons of Yangzhou? The old dragon teaches the young dragon, no need for apprenticeship."

Kou Zhong was overjoyed: "Xiao Ling, quickly thank Boss Long!"

"Thank you so much, Boss Long!"

Zhou Yi suggested from the side, "Fellow Daoist Shi, you can let them learn the Longevity Manual."

"Well, that's what I meant."

Shi Long said, "They are both quite intelligent and have never practiced internal energy cultivation, so they may be perfect for this manual."

He took out the "Longevity Manual" from his bosom and placed it in front of the two of them.

He said very solemnly, "I have been practicing martial arts for many years, but my mind is complicated. When I read this precious manual, I had long lost the original intention I had when I first started practicing martial arts. I hope to find some of it from you."

"Therefore, this is a case of the three dragons of Yangzhou learning from each other."

"No problem, I'll do as Boss Long says!"

Zhou Yi thought about it and felt that this was a good idea.

Shi Long turned to Zhou Yi and said, "I'll lead them on a tour of the martial world, and then we'll go together to find the abbot."

"Ah."

"However, you should be careful, the martial world is not peaceful these days."

Shi Long understood what he meant, of course.

"I will conceal my identity and avoid causing trouble."

He had barely uttered these words when he heard Kou and Xu talking.
"Xiao Ling, we'll be learning martial arts soon, let's set a goal first."

"What kind of goal?"

"For example, after mastering martial arts, first go find that scoundrel Li Mi to collect the debt and make him return all the gold he owes Brother Zhou."

"Yes, I agree. It's only right to pay back debts."

"Bring that book of rites with you then, so that Li Mi can study it as well."

Shi Long gave a wry smile: "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them."

Zhou Yi wasn't worried about the two boys, but said to Shi Long, "Fellow Daoist Shi, you need to be careful."

When three dragons team up, the oldest dragon is usually the most dangerous.
Two days later, the four of them left Yangzi County.

While resting at a roadside inn outside the county town, Zhou Yi was awakened from a deep sleep around 4 a.m.

Soon, Shi Long also woke up.

A large force is approaching from the south, but they are not moving very fast.

This place is not too far from Jiangdu. Fearing that these people would go to the roadside inn to investigate, they woke up Kou and Xu.

The four of them left the house and went away.

The commotion was indeed caused; the large group of people in the distance couldn't hear it, but the innkeeper was awakened.

He runs a shop outside the city, and although business is good, he has to be vigilant at all times.

People are usually asleep at the fourth watch of the night, so thieves are most active at this time, hence the saying "four-watch thieves".

The innkeeper awoke, drew a single-edged sword, and lit a lamp.

Only then did I see that it was a few guests from the second floor leaving.

They've already paid; they're free to leave whenever they want.

Since they were traveling early in the morning, I didn't pay much attention to it.

but
The person on horseback in the distance could see his lamp in the darkness clearly.

Immediately increase the speed of the horses.

The faint sound of the inn closing was heard by the experts in the group, and several of them leaped up to investigate.

"stop!"

A fierce roar rang out, but the people in front not only didn't stop, they accelerated instead.

Shi Long led Shuang Long northeastward through the forest, avoiding the main road.

The group heard a commotion in the distance and were about to give chase.

Suddenly, a strong chill swept through the night, and the torches of the leading cavalrymen, caught off guard, were extinguished with a hiss.

The cold air swirls slightly, but the technique is not yet fully mastered.

"Ice Profound Force?"

At this moment, a middle-aged man's voice, tinged with doubt, came from the large group.

"Are you from the Yuwen clan?"

However, he received no response.

Only a gust of wind swept away into the distance.

Feeling tricked, he urged his horse on even faster: "Chase! Catch him!"

“Pharmacist, he’s not the person we’re after.” Wang Rong, Lin Shihong’s capable lieutenant, frowned.

Lin Shihong and Ren Shaoming of the Iron Cavalry Society were known as the Two Hegemons of Jiangnan, and were influential figures in the Jiangnan martial arts world.

Lin Yaoshi is Lin Shihong's younger brother. In Yuzhang County, his martial arts skills are among the top three.

Upon hearing Wang Rong's words, Pharmacist Lin replied without hesitation:

"This man left as soon as he heard the sound of a horse, which clearly means he has something to hide."

"Let's catch up with him first!"

"drive!"

In an instant, hundreds of riders galloped along the official road at breakneck speed.

Zhou Yi led them towards the northwest official road for a while. The three dragons had already escaped. By then, it was already dawn, so he decided not to play the chase game with these people anymore.

Seeing a large bamboo grove by the roadside, he turned and rushed into the grove, intending to shake them off.

The apothecary and his men were quite fierce, and they charged directly into the bamboo forest path.

After running for two miles, Zhou Yi suddenly slowed down.

Unexpectedly, in this desolate bamboo forest, a group of eyes were fixed on him.

He glanced into the woods ahead and immediately slowed down.

"Yu yu yu~~!!!"

A sharp sound of reining in the horse.

Clearly, Lin Shihong's men also received the same treatment.

They followed behind Zhou Yi, slowing down as they walked into the woods.

Zhou Yi glanced around, then used his lightness skill to step onto the top of the green bamboo.

He walked steadily on the bamboo stalks with several quick steps. Despite the wind rustling the bamboo tips, he remained perfectly composed. This was an incredibly ostentatious display.

Upon seeing this, Pharmacist Lin and Wang Rong's expressions changed slightly.

Inside the bamboo forest, the two old demons beside the coffin did not show any unusual reaction to his lightness of movement.

This was clearly within their expectations.

Yuchi Sheng, the governor of Yangzhou, glanced at Zhou Yi, but not wanting to cause any trouble, he looked away and stared intently at the large vermilion coffin.

He pursued them all the way to this place, gradually moving further and further away from Jiangdu.

Once the other party escapes and goes beyond their territory, he will not dare to pursue them any further.

"Sect Leader Zhou, you'd better release the people inside, otherwise it won't be so easy for you to leave today."

With over a thousand men surrounding him and a large contingent still on its way, Chief Steward Yuchi had every right to speak.

If the other side hadn't been holding Yuwen Wudi hostage, he would have already ordered an ambush and killing.

"This sect leader can leave whenever he wants; can you stop him?"

Old Zhou sighed with disdain: "Do you think all the people around here will obey your orders?"

Yu Chisheng was unable to reply for a moment. He glanced around and realized that the situation here was indeed complicated.

He was facing off against the old monster of the Demonic Sect at opposite ends of the east and west.

Those blocking the northernmost road with bows and arrows were from their Jiangdu camp.

But there are still a large number of martial arts practitioners inside, including many experts.

The group of people located to the northeast were several experts from the Iron Cavalry Society.

A bald beauty and a fierce, wicked monk—these two were Ren Shaoming's most renowned experts: the beautiful nun Chang Zhen and the wicked monk Fa Nan. There were also dozens of burly, high-nosed, deep-set-eyed men from the northern desert.

Among these people from the northern desert, three stood out for their exceptional demeanor.

A northerner from the desert wielding two blades stood beside a valiant young man, who held a sword that was more than a foot longer than that of an ordinary warrior, making it particularly striking.

Beside the two was a middle-aged man with a cold expression.

This man has a curved sword at his left waist and a giant bow in his right hand.

He carried a quiver containing seven or eight black-feathered arrows, resembling the feathers of some kind of large eagle.

Although there are many martial arts forces in this area, the Iron Cavalry Society has the most imposing presence.

Yuchi Sheng looked south again, and there were the same people who had just arrived.

He naturally recognized Pharmacist Lin and Wang Rong, two experts under Lin Shihong.

also
That's the guy in the bamboo forest. He looks young, but his real age might not be.

He had already fully experienced the strength of Sect Master Zhou.

This person shattered Sect Master Zhou's demonic arts with sword energy within Jiangdu City, in addition to displaying his lightness skill at this moment.
A look of apprehension flashed in Yu Chisheng's eyes.

Of all those present, this person must be the greatest threat to him.

Zhou Yi noticed the gaze of the Yangzhou governor, but he didn't pay it any mind.

But she was drawn to someone else in the crowd.
The acquaintance, who was halfway hidden, kept giving him meaningful glances.

It was Wang Xiongdan, the adopted son of Du Fuwei.

I took his boat from Shouchun across the Huai River, and he left a deep impression on me along the way.

Zhou Yi glanced subtly in the direction Wang Xiongdan had indicated.

Northwest, that is
Liuhe City!
He recalled what Du Fuwei had said earlier and suddenly realized what he had said.

His gaze shifted to the direction where the Iron Cavalry was located.

All of a sudden!
Evil monk, alluring nun, double-edged beauty, sword-wielding youth, cold-faced middle-aged man
The five top experts of the Iron Cavalry Society keenly noticed his gaze and all looked at Zhou Yi.

The two forces clashed, causing the bamboo leaves to tremble wildly.

"Hahaha!"

Old Zhou sighed and laughed heartily:
"The Longevity Manual is one of the four great books of our time, mysterious and captivating. However, it is said that this skill is difficult to master, and in the past few hundred years, no one has been known to have become a top master by practicing the Longevity Manual."

Yuchi Sheng said, "Sect Leader Zhou, since that's the case, why not release my brother Yuwen? We can then leave each other alone."

Old Zhou sighed, a flicker of ghostly light in his eyes: "He dares to insult my wisdom. He should repent in the coffin for forty-nine days first."

"and"

"This may not necessarily be a bad thing for him."

Old Zhou sighed and glanced around:
"This sect leader possesses a profound and mysterious martial art, which is absolutely no less powerful than the Longevity Manual, and it is extremely easy to master."

"There is only one obstacle to this skill, and that is the inner demon."

"Once you overcome your inner demons, you can master this skill in a short period of time and gain power far beyond your own."

“I have set up a dojo in Champion City, and you are all welcome to come and discuss the Dao with me.”

Yu Chisheng sneered, "Entering your den of demons is practically suicide."

"otherwise."

Lin Yaoshi, the third-ranked expert in Yuzhang County, said:
"The person who distributed the Longevity Manual bamboo slips in Jiangdu City is being hunted down by Sect Master Zhou. I have met this person before, and I believe he is the one who overcame his inner demons, as mentioned by Sect Master Zhou."

Old Zhou stared at Pharmacist Lin with a burning gaze in his eyes.

Upon hearing this news, everyone fell into deep thought.

That expert surnamed Qiu is truly skilled.

"Oh?"

During the Iron Cavalry Gathering, the sword-wielding youth standing next to the beautiful woman with twin blades stepped forward.

"What kind of martial art is so powerful?"

Yu Chisheng watched coldly, glancing slightly to the northwest, and listened quietly to their nonsense.

Suddenly, a foul gust of wind swept up.

Old Zhou sighed, too lazy to respond, and only wanted to play it real. He sent out a palm strike from a distance, and a giant hand of demonic energy rushed towards the sword-wielding youth with overwhelming force.

Geng Ge's face darkened.

At this moment, he drew his sword with both hands, filled it with innate true energy, and slashed out one sword after another. His swordsmanship was very strange, and he was able to pull the opponent's true energy with his own innate true energy.

Each sword strike can absorb the opponent's power and thus enhance one's own sword momentum.

Therefore, each sword strike is stronger than the last!

When the fifth sword strike was unleashed, the sword energy surged like waves, finally neutralizing Lao Tan's palm strike.

Geng Ge frowned, sensing that the other party's demonic energy was extremely pure and he couldn't pull it away at all.

A bead of sweat the size of a soybean rolled down his cheek.

The opponent not only possessed pure demonic energy, but also harbored a strange spiritual power within his palm, which could invade the acupoints along with the true energy, causing the spirit within those acupoints to tremble.

When you try to fight against it, a demon arises in your mind, like seeing a coffin and wanting to lie down inside.

If it weren't for my strong will, I would have suffered a huge loss without knowing this move.

"That sword technique is correct, it's the Seven Turns of the Raging Waves."

"He is a disciple of Flying Eagle Qu Ao."

At its peak, Tiele Flying Eagle was second only to Martial Venerable on the grasslands.

Someone recognized the young man's identity:

"He is the third disciple of Flying Eagle Qu Ao, Brother Geng Hu'er."

"The beautiful woman with double blades next to her must be the second disciple, Hua Lingzi."

The five top experts of the Iron Cavalry Society all looked at Zhou Laotan, who had a cold smile on his face.

This was the first time they had ever seen such a demonic art, so how could they not be shocked?

But instead of taking the opportunity to ridicule the disheveled Geng Ge Hu'er, the old demon looked up at the bamboo shoots.

"Friend, how is my palm strike?"

Old Demon's attitude was very different; he used the word "friend."

As everyone knows, this old devil is exceptionally arrogant. In his eyes, the four major clans and various sects are nothing at all.

But I don't know why I was so polite to this person.

It's truly astonishing.

The crowd saw that the young man at the top of the bamboo was, or rather, an 'old monster' whose age was unknown.

After listening to the old demon's words, he calmly said:
"Want me to tell the truth?"

Old Zhou sighed, "Of course we should hear the truth."

The young man said, "Your palm strike is nothing special to me."

"what?"

The ghostly flames in Zhou Laomo's eyes leaped, and his demonic energy surged all over his body. He raised his fire to the sky and unleashed an even more ferocious Crimson Evil Palm.

The power of this palm strike far surpasses that used against Shi Long!
It looks like we'll have to compete again to see who wins.

The raging demonic aura unsettled many onlookers, who then realized that the demonic sect master's earlier boast was not an exaggeration.

When we discussed philosophy with him, it truly involved wondrous techniques.

The howling, malevolent wind rippled through the surrounding air, as if it were about to swallow the young man on the bamboo tip whole.

Seeing that he did not draw his sword, the crowd pressed down with their palms.

The onlookers felt he was being arrogant.

However, Zhou Laomo's palm force froze a foot in front of his palm!
Just like a slow-moving stream encountering a large rock, unable to move the rock, it can only flow around the rock.

That is
This sword master was actually able to withstand the evil palm of Elder Zhou with his palm force!

"Whoosh~~!!"

The Crimson Evil Palm was shattered by the young man's palm strike after only a short distance, breaking apart like sand. Instantly, a demonic wind swirled, causing Zhou Laotan's monk's robes and Jin Huanzhen's palace attire to flutter loudly.
"Click-clack-clack-clack~~!!"

A piece of bamboo, about the thickness of a wrist, broke off and fell from above.

The old monster on the bamboo tip withdrew its palm, as if it had done something insignificant.

The clash between the two grandmasters was a spectacle that stirred the emotions of the onlookers.

Old Zhou sighed, his lips twitching slightly: "Good, my friend's martial arts skills are no less than mine."

"Come to Champion City and sit down with me to discuss the most profound mysteries of martial arts."

"I appreciate Sect Leader Zhou's kindness."

After listening, Old Zhou's lips moved slightly, and he focused his voice into a line, asking Jin Huanzhen, "Senior Sister, did you see it clearly?"

Jin Huanzhen replied, "It is an incomparably pure Taoist profound skill. No wonder you went to seek the secret of immortality. There are many hermits in the Taoist sect. I wonder which one this is?"

Old Zhou sighed, "The only ones who can apply such force to me are probably the top three in the Daoist sect."

Jin Huanzhen said, "Our divine skills are not yet fully developed, so we should avoid confrontation for now. If this person assists the Jiangdu camp, we will have a hard time escaping. If he wants the person in the coffin, just give it to him."

Old Zhou sighed, feeling unwilling: "When I go back this time, I will definitely focus wholeheartedly on my research."

"..."

Zhou Yi concealed his hand in his sleeve, drawing a wisp of demonic energy into his body and storing it in his chest.

His entire arm trembled slightly from the force of the impact.

Old Master Zhou sighed at the purity of his skill, which was far beyond what those who had fallen into demonic possession could compare to.

Fortunately, we can still keep an eye on both sides for now.

However, this guy's skill level is far too high.

'This time when I return, I will be single-minded and dedicate myself to my studies.'

As Zhou Yi was thinking this, he suddenly looked to the northwest.

The next moment, I saw Wang Xiongdan's eyes again.

Many experts have noticed this.

At this moment, Yu Chisheng stepped forward and, taking advantage of Zhou Yi's influence, sighed to Old Master Zhou:
"Sect Leader Zhou, my men have arrived!"

"The troops from all six directions cut off our retreat, and Yangzi County is also under my command."

"We're surrounded from both sides now. If you keep carrying that coffin, you'll never escape my Jiangdu army's formation."

Yuchi Sheng took half a step forward: "Release Brother Yuwen, and I will not block Sect Leader Zhou's path!"

The evil monk from the Iron Cavalry Society seized the opportunity and said, "Sect Leader Zhou, it's useless for you to have so many duplicate bamboo slips. Why don't you lend them to us for a look?"

Pharmacist Lin also seized the opportunity to say, "My elder brother also wishes to see the Longevity Manual."

Jin Huan frowned slightly and looked northwest.

Suddenly, seven or eight riders rushed over in a disheveled state: "General, General Yuchi!"

"Go, let's go!"

Yuchi Sheng was stunned and didn't understand what was going on.

He shouted sternly at the approaching cavalry, "What's going on? Explain yourself!"

"It's Du Fuwei!"

"While our army was out of the city, he led the Jianghuai rebels to attack Liuhe, and now Liuhe has fallen into the hands of the Jianghuai rebels."

“Du Fuwei?!” Yu Chisheng’s expression changed.

The major town north of the Yangtze River has fallen!
"General, Du Fuwei is right behind us, along with 30,000 rebels!"

"..."

The Taoist scriptures are wondrous, but they are far less important than my life.

Shouts of battle erupted from the direction of Liuhe, and the Sui army there fled frantically toward this place.

Chaos erupted in the forest!

To the north lay Du Fuwei's army; the only option was to flee south.

At this moment, even Zhou Laotan and others took a route south. Yuchi Sheng saw this but dared not pursue them. He needed to quickly return to Yangzi County to mobilize troops and stop Du Fuwei's offensive.

Just a moment ago, Pharmacist Lin was saying, "My elder brother wants to see the secret of longevity."

At that moment, Old Zhou leaned close to him.

A battle suddenly broke out in the bamboo forest right next to Pharmacist Lin.

For a moment, Zhou Yi became the only one ignored, watching Wang Xiongdan's actions.

as expected
Amidst the chaos in the forest, a group of people hidden among the many martial arts practitioners charged directly towards the Iron Cavalry Society.

Several more experts have emerged around Wang Xiongdan.

Kan Leng, wielding a long-handled broadsword; Ximen Junyi, holding two swords; and Ximen Junyi's shrewish wife, Wang Lanfang.

These were all fierce generals of the Jianghuai Army.

The Iron Riders were held back, and Yanni had already used her ultimate technique, the Enchanting Colorful Robe, while shouting:

Who are you? Are you out of your minds?!

Wang Xiongdan roared, "You're the ones who don't value your lives!"

The Jianghuai army was about to attack, and no one dared to fight them to the death.

"Sister, let's go!"

Geng shouted and pulled Hua Lingzi back.

They channeled their innate true energy, using the Seven Revolutions of the Wild Waves technique to continuously generate power, allowing their speed to burst forth in a short period, enabling them to escape from the weapons of Wang Xiongdan and his men.

But
The middle-aged man with the cold expression was not so lucky. Wang Xiongdan did not dodge the arrow that was shot at him. Instead, he used an arrow wound on his shoulder to interrupt the man's movement.

He couldn't muster his true energy, so he couldn't use his innate extraordinary skill and was left trapped in the chaotic formation.

The wicked monk and the beautiful nun standing nearby realized who this group was targeting.

So they all avoided the middle-aged man who used arrows.

Geng Ge and Hua Lingzi originally wanted to help, but then they saw the person on the bamboo tip move.

Their goal was the same as those lunatics'!
There are five great archer guards under the throne of the Tiele, and this person is one of them. He has come to the Central Plains on the secret orders of the Tiele king.

Although this Third Arrow Guard was arrogant, he had only been in the Central Plains for a short time.

Even they couldn't figure out how they had provoked so many enemies.

"go!"

Geng Ge Hu'er and Hua Lingzi dared not delay, and the surrounding Tiele experts scattered and fled for their lives.

The evil monk grabbed the nun by the waist and made her cast a seductive spell on his head while he fled for his life.

The two broke through the chaotic formation with such a combined attack technique, proving themselves worthy of being renowned figures in the Iron Cavalry Society.

Zhou Yi had not expected that his deterrent power would be so strong.

What a wonderful misunderstanding.

Sensing Zhou Yi's murderous intent, the Third Arrow Guard knew there was no hope of escape and prepared to fight to the death!
He swung his scimitar to deflect Wang Xiongdan's attack, then used the technique of discarding his scimitar to pass through Ximen Junyi's twin swords, wounding him.

Then he leaped back and pulled out all seven arrows from his quiver at once.

He channeled his true power and drew the bowstring taut.

His arms suddenly bulged, filled with an explosive force.

He drew his bowstring and fired wildly at the white-clad figure leaping down from the bamboo top.

He didn't shoot seven arrows at once, but one after another, shooting the next arrow as soon as the tension of the bowstring had dissipated.

Therefore, he shot each arrow faster than the last!

The next arrow absorbs the force of the previous one, and each arrow is more powerful than the last!

This is another way of using the innate extraordinary skill, Seven Revolutions of Wild Waves, which only Qu Ao himself and the five Iron Arrow Guards of the Great Throne can do in this world.

On the vast grasslands, this archery technique can shoot down any eagle.

A person jumping from the air has no leverage; in this situation, even a Martial Venerable can only endure it.

Only Commander Yun could perfectly evade the "Seven Laughs of the Wind" arrow technique with his unparalleled lightness skill upon landing.

However.
A scene that horrified the Third Arrow Guard appeared.
His arrows whistled through the air, tearing at the wind and making it laugh strangely.

The wind howled abruptly when the man's foot struck the black feather of the arrow.

but,

His figure didn't fall; instead, he lightly leaped on the first arrow, his shadow darting about as he stepped on the second arrow, then leaped again to step on the third.
Four arrows, five arrows, and so on until the seventh arrow!
Jingyun Shenyou walked on arrows and wind, as if soaring through the air!

Legend has it that when Yun Shuai leaped off a high cliff, he could walk on the wings of a hawk.

this moment.
The third archer of the Tiele throne seemed to have witnessed it firsthand.

Hua Lingzi and Geng Ge Hu'er didn't dare to turn around at first, but upon hearing the whistling of the arrow, they couldn't help but glance back and saw this astonishing scene.

"Boom~!"

The third archer broke his bowstring, leaving him powerless. A finger was pressed on his acupoint, and the cold air penetrated his body, making him feel icy cold and instantly stiff.

"you you."

He stammered, "Are you the Cloud Commander of the Central Plains?"

"No."

Zhou Yi calmly said, "Commander Yun is far inferior to me."

I silently added to myself, "In terms of appearance."

Therefore, this is the absolute truth.

Upon hearing this, the Third Arrow Guard, recalling the scene from earlier, surprisingly did not deny it.

With his last breath, he managed to utter, "You win. You earn my respect. I am Lukesaye, the Third Arrow Guard of the Tiele."

After saying this, blood suddenly trickled from the corner of his mouth.

He forcefully channeled his internal energy, shattering his own heart meridian.

Wang Xiongdan, Kan Leng, Ximen Junyi, and Zhang Lanfang all came up to check.

Suddenly, a scream came from afar.

Lin Shihong's younger brother, Pharmacist Lin, was infused with a profound and mysterious true energy by Old Zhou and placed into his coffin.

The men that Pharmacist Lin brought were thrown into disarray.

The dozens of people who went to rescue them were also killed and scattered again.

With this good news, Wang Rong fled to Yuzhang County.

Zhou Yi stared at the corpse of the Third Arrow Guard: "Is he the person General Du is looking for?"

"Exactly."

Wang Xiongdan's face was full of anger: "He shot and killed two of our brothers, and together with the Iron Cavalry Society, he caused trouble in Shouchun. Father swore that he would chase him to the ends of the earth and kill him."

Wang Xiong hadn't even uttered the words "Brother Zhou" yet.

A loud laugh came from afar:

"Brother Zhou, we meet again!"

Du Fuwei strode over, glanced at the corpse on the ground, and then walked to Zhou Yi's side.

"Brother Du."

The two exchanged a glance, neither saying thank you nor no thanks.

The Jianghuai Army did not pursue them further, but instead cleaned up the battlefield.

"Brother Zhou, have you finished your business?"

"almost."

Du Fuwei pointed in the direction of the city and tentatively asked, "Would you be interested in visiting Liuhe?"

That's exactly what I was thinking.

……

(End of this chapter)