Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 115 The Celestial Master Visits the Thatched Cottage Three Times and Adds Clothes!

The thirtieth day of the Bianguan calendar is the Beginning of Winter.

At this time when plants wither and insects hibernate, a person inside the Wuzhuang Temple is gently waving a folding fan, fanning himself to create a cool breeze.

"Brother Zhou, how is my gift?"

Hou Xibai slammed the beauty fan shut and kicked the person lying on the ground.

The man's hair was neatly trimmed, and his beard was symmetrical, as if it had been cut by someone.

He was around forty years old when he fell into a coma.

The gift the amorous young man spoke of was him.

Zhou Yi was thinking about Jiang Huai Lao Du, but he interrupted his train of thought.

"Where did you capture them from?"

"besides."

Zhou Yi leaned over the man and asked, "Why did you give it to me?"

If one didn't know that this young master Hou was actually a decent person besides being a sycophant, one would probably be suspicious at this point.

"As I told you before, I was chasing someone when we bumped into each other here."

"That's the one we're chasing."

"No."

Hou Xibai shook his head: "But he was similar to the person I was chasing, and they both ended up in Champion City. Not long ago, I also came out of Champion City and discovered something, and even witnessed a great battle."

Wanwan had mentioned that the Empress Yin was going to cause trouble for the Evil Extreme Sect.

Zhou Yi was not surprised, but looked Hou Xibai up and down: "Brother Hou also wants to discuss the Dao with that Sect Master Zhou?"

"The affairs of the Evil Extreme Sect are absurd and bizarre, and I dare not get too involved."

He shook his fan from side to side: "So, to satisfy my curiosity, I only stared at the subordinates of those sect leaders."

"This one is the one that escaped from the so-called Champion's Coffin Palace."

Ok?
Is this another Qiu Qianbo?

Zhou Yi's expression changed slightly: "Is this person mentally sound?"

“Savage, violent, he has gone mad.”

Hou Xibai squatted down and unbuttoned his clothes, revealing a tiger's head tattooed on his chest:
"This man is named Chang Kai, nicknamed the Tiger of the Mountain Garrison. He is the leader of the Four Great Bandits, holding the top position."

"I've had him for quite some time now."

"The demonic energy within him is quite mysterious. I originally wanted to take this opportunity to investigate the martial arts of the several Coffin Palace Sect Masters, but unfortunately my vision is limited and I couldn't see anything."

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment: "Do you want to explore his secrets with me?"

"No."

Hou Xibai tapped his hand with his folding fan, a smile on his face: "I heard that the Holy Maiden has left Cihang Jingzhai, so I'm going to the Eastern Capital to join in the fun."

“I originally intended to bury this madman directly, but considering that you are close to Champion City and may be gathering information about them, I will do you a favor.”

Zhou Yi looked disgusted: "Is this considered a favor? It's clearly a nuisance, and I have to go through the trouble of digging a hole to bury him."

Hou Xibai seemed to have anticipated that he would say that.

After all, this wasn't my first time visiting Wuzhuang Temple, so I've gotten a bit of a feel for the personality of a certain Celestial Master.

Getting this guy to owe you something is a very difficult task.

"I've come to say goodbye to Brother Zhou, and there's another matter I need to discuss."

"what's up?"

Hou Xibai lingered over the beautiful fan: "Let me first get to know Shi Feixuan, and then I'll invite Brother Zhou to paint again. I'll have the Holy Maiden judge who is better at painting beauties."

"Does Master Hou want to give me another five hundred taels of gold?"

"Brother Zhou, you mustn't speak carelessly."

Hou Xibai glanced sideways at the purple-clad girl reading a book in the main hall, knowing that his defeat was not unjustified.

However, as a successor of the Huajian lineage.

Although he was surrounded by beautiful women, he was by no means a lecherous or womanizing man.

Losing to one's best skill—painting beautiful women—always leaves a lingering sense of unease.

"Alright, considering we're both artists, I'll agree to this."

"Brother Hou, go to the Eastern Capital to curry favor first. When I have time, I will ask Shi Feixuan to give her opinion. I believe that in Brother Hou's heart, the Holy Maiden Cihang is the most fair and impartial."

"but."

Hou Xibai lightly tapped Zhou Yi's arm with his fan, not needing him to continue:

"Everyone in the martial arts world knows that I am very wealthy, and I also admire Brother Zhou's landscape paintings."

"If I lose, I will definitely buy more paintings to collect and learn from Brother Zhou's Wei-Jin Peach Blossom Spring landscape painting technique."

Zhou Yi smiled and agreed, then escorted Hou Xibai out of the temple.

We bowed to each other on the mountain path and said goodbye.

Back inside the temple, Zhou Yi stared at the unconscious bandit subordinate, deciding to see if he could be saved.

First, neutralize Hou Xibai's true energy.

They brought over a bowl of cold water and splashed it on his face.

The water carried the chill of frost, which caused Changkai's leader to open his cloudy eyes due to the cold stimulus.

All of a sudden!
It sounded like water crashing against rocks coming from within him; his thick arms throbbed with energy, and demonic energy surged within him.

Just as Zhou Yi's face appeared in his eyes, he braced himself on the ground with his left arm and raised his right fist to strike!
The punch lacked power, yet it carried a strange, menacing aura, drawing Aruina over as well.

"It is Sabulokan."

She murmured something, and Zhou Yi reached out and clenched her fist, pressing her left hand forward onto his Tanzhong acupoint.

Strangely enough, the root of the evil spirit isn't here.

Thinking of Song Yinzi's situation, Zhou Yi's true energy rushed straight to his Baihui acupoint, and indeed grasped a trace of pure true energy in the top of his head.

This true energy is different from the demonic energy that Elder Zhou sighed about.

"what happened?"

Aryuina looked serious and hurriedly asked.

"He can hide his demonic energy in the top of his head, making it appear different, but once triggered, it is still that same demonic aura. I don't know how he does it."

Zhou Yi's true energy entered the enemy's body, rendering the madman unable to move.

"That's the second stage of the root."

"Turning the real into the unreal, and the unreal into the real."

"This is the most profound volume of Sabulagan's 'The Sutra of Wisdom that Exhausts the Roots of All Dharmas'."

Aruina's face darkened, and she said in a deep voice, "The Great One has arrived."

“When the Great Venerable One leaves the northern desert, the Good Mother will surely follow, along with other bright children and five kinds of demons.”

"I expected them to come and investigate after the sect suffered a loss of manpower, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

Zhou Yi silently sensed the true energy within Da Kou's body without saying a word.

After several attempts, he carefully took the wisp of peculiar true energy into his body.

He could only store Wanwan's Heavenly Demon True Qi within his body, but he couldn't absorb it.

This stream of true energy then entered his crown chakra.

It seems that the transformation between the real and the illusory in the Zhijing did not change its essence.

Ultimately, the source is still Zhou Laotan.

Old Zhou's demonic skills have improved, and Zhou Yi has even mastered the fourth level of Dantian.

Therefore, this wondrous true energy, based on Lao Tan, still obediently awaits refinement.

Aruiyina glanced at the two young Taoist boys practicing in the backyard, looked around Wuzhuang Temple, and finally looked at Zhou Yi.

The longing and sadness in her eyes flashed by.

“The Great Venerable will definitely come looking for you, and you will be implicated because of me. I can’t stay here any longer.”

The cold wind of early winter blew against her face, making her complexion even colder.
"Cousin, I'm leaving."

The incident happened suddenly, but Aryuina quickly regained her habits from her time in the northern desert and adapted to the suddenness of the situation.

The tranquil days of sketching and painting will eventually be shattered.

She turned around and left without a word.

Suddenly, a clear and gentle voice entered my ears.

"return."

When she turned her head, the young man in white in the girl's eyes had already sat down comfortably and pointed to the chair next to the tea table beside him.

That is the place where she was just reading the book and listening to him talk with the wealthy young man.

Given her personality, once she makes a decision, it's extremely difficult for anyone else to change her mind.

But seeing the young man frown and point to his side, he felt his steps forward were incredibly heavy, and after hesitating, he sat back down.

Zhou Yi glanced at her face; she was a femme fatale.
"If you go out into the martial arts world, you're bound to get into fights."

Even if you win then, the news will spread, and the Great Ming Venerable Cult will find you even faster.

She showed no fear: "I've already died once."

"No."

Upon hearing this, the girl looked up and saw a hint of annoyance on his face.
“When you died last time, I didn’t feel anything. But this time, when you die, I will feel heartache. I won’t be able to enjoy practicing martial arts anymore. Even killing the Great Venerable Mother won’t bring me joy.”

Aryuina watched him quietly.

The coldness on his face gradually melted, and his deep blue eyes left a deep imprint on the young man in white.

"cousin."

She murmured something, made a decision, and stood up:
"If I survive, I will definitely come back to find you."

At this moment, her resolve was unyielding, and no one could sway her.

She turned and left, and Zhou Yi kicked the corpses of the four bandit leaders aside.

He walked to the entrance of the temple, staring at the purple-clad figure who was heading down the mountain without looking back, his face deep in thought.
Three days after the Beginning of Winter.

In Huai'an Prefecture, the girl in purple crossed the Tongbai Mountains and went straight to the Tongbai Ferry.

The Great One, having traveled south from the northern deserts, would inevitably have ventured into the Central Plains.

The only consequence of betraying the Great Ming Sect is death.

Having seen through the bewitching doctrines of the Good Mother, she was destined never to return to the Northern Desert.

Because she had previously been seen in Nanyang, the benevolent mother would surely search for her.

Only by appearing further south can they lure people away.

As dusk fell, Aryuina, braving the winter chill, heard the sound of the Huai River and couldn't help but look back towards Wolong Mountain.

The reluctance in her eyes was now fully displayed on her face.

Unfortunately, in this chaotic world, the situation changes daily, leaving no opportunity to practice martial arts in peace.

Unless one abandons worldly life, retreats to the deep mountains, and disregards the general trend.

But given his status, he cannot enjoy this kind of comfort.

If given ten or eight years, with his talent, things will surely turn out very differently.

Cousin, this is what I can do for you.

Her martial arts skills are very high, but when the Great Venerable Mother arrives, it will only bring unpredictable negative effects.

He turned his head away decisively and headed straight for the banks of the Huai River.

As we approached the Tongbai ferry crossing, dusk was falling and it was already dark.

Most boatmen moor their boats on the shore at night.

Especially in areas with many dangerous shoals and reefs.

At Tongbai Ferry, in the evening, as long as there are fishing lights on the stern of the boat, it means that the boat is moored, and travelers do not need to ask.

If you see fishing lights at both the bow and stern of the boat, then it's a boatman who knows the way well and is daring, looking to earn money for a night ferry crossing.

"Miss, would you like to take a night boat?"

A boatman on a flat-topped wooden boat called out to the shore: "Go directly to Ruyin County, to Yingshang. I know this road very well. The fare will only be increased by 30% during the day."

He called out, but the girl didn't answer.

After waiting a while, he urged again:
"Are we going or not? We're about to cast off the mooring ropes!"

However, the girl still didn't reply.

They didn't even look in his direction.

At this moment, several burly men from Lu Prefecture in Yiyang County walked over to the Tongbai Ferry, untied the boatman's mooring rope, and jumped onto the boat.

"Go quickly, go quickly!"

In an instant, seven or eight boats that were about to leave the ferry dock all entered the Huai River.

The waves crashed against the pier.

Aryuina watched the sails disappear into the distance, her gaze shifting to a figure in white.

He was sitting at the end of the pier, drinking. Although there were many people at the ferry crossing, no one was moving in his direction.

She was very familiar with that figure from behind.

Seeing him wave to her without turning his head, the girl hesitated for a moment, but still obediently walked over.

She sat down.

Do you know how I caught up with you?

Before Aruiyna could speak, Zhou Yi continued:

“From Nanyang to Xinye, Shangma, Pingshi, Tongbai, and even Runan, they are all my people.”

He pointed towards the departing sailboat:
“If I wanted, these boats wouldn’t reach Yingshang tonight; they would have to stop at the Gushui ferry or on the north bank of the Yellow River.”

“Before Mount Bagong in Shouchun, you can tell them to stop anywhere.”

"I can know where you go."

"Furthermore, when it comes to traveling with lightness skills, there are very few people in the world who can compare with me."

Aruina gazed at the Huai River, remaining silent.

After a while, he said:

“I will leave for a while, and you will be safer. It would be too much of a struggle and unwise to fight against the Great Mother at this time.”

She stared at the Huai River as she spoke, no longer daring to look at the person beside her.

“This isn’t the northern desert. The Great Lord’s horse can’t run fast. It’s not so easy for him to do things right under my nose.”

"The Yin Gui faction occupied Xiangyang and even tried to establish a presence in the prefectural city. But so what?"

“In Nanyang, neither the Empress Yin nor Old Man Zhou has any say. But my words can reach several surrounding counties.”

"Stay here, don't worry about implicating me."

“If you run too far away, and the people from the Great Ming Venerable Sect find you, there will be nothing I can do. At that time, I will have no choice but to give you a free ride.”

Aruina remained silent for a long time.

Suddenly, he picked up the rough earthenware wine jar beside him, and Zhou Yi raised the small wine cup in his right hand in response.

He raised the cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Meanwhile, her cousin, standing to the side, was holding a wine jar in one hand and drinking it to the brim.

She is not a drinker.

Because not a single drop was spilled, he drank it very honestly.

This time, she didn't use her internal energy to release the aroma of alcohol as before, letting her snow-white face turn a wine-red.

In the dim light of the night, that splash of red, with its exotic charm, was incredibly captivating.

Such stunning beauty has only been seen by one person in the world.

She said, her breath reeking of alcohol:
“Cousin, I’m not leaving. If Mother Shan comes, I will hold her off. You can use your limited lightness skill to escape. Once you’ve mastered your skills, you can help me take revenge.”

"it is good."

Zhou Yi nodded and pointed into the distance.

That was the moon, which had just climbed into the sky.

"There will probably be no chance for sketching for a while, but the good thing is that the moon is beautiful tonight."

What do you want to draw?

"Don't paint the clear spring under the moonlight anymore, just this one."

Zhou Yi pointed to the Tongbai Ferry where the waves swayed: "The Huai River, the Huai River under the moonlight, this time, don't let it be still, let it be turbulent."

"it is good."

Aruina agreed, then whispered, "Cousin."

"Ok?"

Can I lean on your shoulder for a moment?

"can."

The girl naturally leaned her face closer to him.

Her expression remained unchanged, but as she gazed at the moon, she felt an extreme sense of peace.

Thinking about traveling from the northern deserts to the Sui Dynasty, and then suddenly having to face the Ming Dynasty's veneration of religion, I had so many thoughts.

The person beside her remained motionless, and she asked curiously, "Cousin, what are you thinking about right now?"

Zhou Yi spoke frankly: "I'm thinking... I'm thinking about Little Phoenix."

……

"I'm sorry, friends, my abbot is not home."

There were three people in front of Wuzhuang Temple.

A middle-aged man with an impressive demeanor, a very tall man with a long beard, and another man, like the man with the long beard, who was also under forty years old and had a scraggly beard.

The unshaven man stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "I..."

He was about to introduce himself when the middle-aged man stopped him.

When will the abbot return home?

The burly man in front of Wuzhuang Temple responded with his hands clasped:
“The abbot said he would return within five days, and three days have already passed.”

"Just wait two days, and we will definitely come back to check."

"it is good."

The middle-aged man replied, "We'll come back in two days."

After the three finished speaking, they went down the mountain.

Only the day after they descended the mountain did Zhou Yi return with his cousin.

Xia Shu and Yan Qiu went to greet them.

The two children, unaware of the intricacies of the situation, simply assumed that the children had gone to sketch as usual.

"Senior brother, three visitors came to the temple yesterday."

After Yan Qiu finished speaking, Xia Shu gave a general description of the three people's appearances.

"May I leave my name?"

The two shook their heads in unison: "No."

Since the three of them said they wanted to come again, Zhou Yi didn't ask any more questions.

After reviewing the events of that day, he pondered for a long time and prepared to make some arrangements.

The next morning, they went straight to Nanyang City to find Yang Dalongtou.

I plan to finish this as soon as possible before welcoming these guests.

did not expect.
The three visitors who came to pay their respects also arrived early in the morning.

"The abbot has already gone to the county town. Please wait a moment, the three of you. He will be back before noon."

Upon learning that the abbot was not at home, the middle-aged man waved his hand and went down the mountain once again.

"Dad?"

The long-bearded man was very puzzled.

"The abbot knew we wanted to pay our respects at the mountain and sent someone to leave a message. Why didn't you come in?"

The middle-aged man sighed:

“It’s such an amazing place.”

"I heard that the abbot has not come down the mountain for a long time, and coincidentally, he was not there both times we came to see him."

"Could it be that fate is preventing me from obtaining what I desire?"

He looked up at the sky and walked all the way to the banks of the Baihe River.

The two men behind him exchanged glances but dared not say a word.

Since the upheaval in Jianghuai and the assassination of his father, his personality has changed drastically.

On the banks of the Baihe River, someone is fishing with a line.

The old man waved his hand slightly as he saw the three of them walk forward.

It turned out there was another pole beside him, but no one was holding it; it was just resting on a rock.

The fishing line tugged, indicating a catch.

The fish was incredibly strong and was about to drag the fishing rod into the water. The old man couldn't react in time. The middle-aged man's eyes narrowed, and he strode forward, grabbed the rod, and pulled it up, channeling his strength into it.

"Pfft~!"

The fish's tail sweeps the water, creating waves.

Old Xie was taken aback: "What a huge one!"

It turned out to be a large bluefish, weighing at least forty pounds.

The middle-aged man laughed loudly, flicked his sleeves, and used his hidden power to take the large bluefish in his hand.

"Old man, who placed this fishing rod here?"

Seeing that he was extraordinary and had come down from the mountain, Old Master Xie said, "This is the staff of the Yi Guan Master."

“He came down the mountain with me in the morning, but he didn’t have time to fish with me, so he left a fishing rod with him.”

Old Xie stroked his beard, his voice neither hurried nor slow:
“Master Yi is a kind and gentle person with little murderous intent, which is why he has been fishing for a long time without success. He often leaves his fishing rod here, and the God of the White River does not care about it.”

"That's why I was afraid of disturbing you when a fish took the bait."

"I'm going to catch it and take it home tonight to make him happy."

"But to my surprise, it was such a big fish."

Old Xie smiled slightly at the middle-aged man: "It seems that the abbot has a distinguished guest."

"Last time a guest came to visit, the River God also gave a gift, which was truly wonderful."

The three of them were all surprised when they heard this.

Not only was I amazed by the fish, but also by the old fisherman's conversation.

Even in just a few words, his extraordinary nature is evident.

The middle-aged man tossed the large bluefish aside, and the long-bearded man caught it. He clasped his hands in greeting and asked, "May I ask who you are, sir?"

"Eh~"

Xie Jiyou waved his hand repeatedly: "You flatter me. I am just a fisherman, how can I be called a high-minded scholar? I just have a little reputation from my ancestors."

"May I ask which family you belong to?"

Old Xie recalled Zhou Yi's words: "They are descendants of the Wang and Xie families of old, the Xie family of Chenjun."

The mention of the Wang and Xie families was enough to make the three men ignorant.

The middle-aged man suddenly asked, "Brother Xie, what do you think of this Yi Guan Master?"

"This old man's opinion is merely one-sided and not worth mentioning."

Xie Jiyou added, "However, some things that cannot speak are better at expressing themselves."

"Please teach me, Brother Xie."

The middle-aged man had a sincere expression on his face.

"First, it was a gift from the River God; second, it was the sword of benevolence."

The three looked at the white water and saw the strange big fish again. The gift from the River God was almost divine, and there was no need to say more about it at this moment.

"What about the sword of benevolence?"

Old Master Xie said, "The first of the five divine swords forged by Ou Yezi, Zhanlu, is located in Wuzhuang Temple. If the abbot of the temple is not a benevolent and heroic person, how could the divine sword recognize him as his master?"

While the two younger men were shocked, the middle-aged man remained calm.

"I see."

After he finished speaking, he picked up the large blue fish from the bearded man's hands.

Stroking its scales, I marveled at it.

With a splash, it was thrown into the river.

"Father, why is that?"

"Yes, how could Father disappoint the River God's kindness?"

The middle-aged man waved his hand and said with a touch of domineering arrogance, "There is no need for the River God to give me this gift. I will take the place of this fish and lead the Grand Commander into the Yangtze and Huai Rivers."

"This shot."

He pointed to the fishing rod placed on the large rock:
"This fishing rod may not fish in the Baihe River, but it can fish in all corners of the land."

Before the two could react, the middle-aged man said goodbye to Old Man Xie and walked away.

Instead of going up the mountain, he went to Baihe Village at the foot of the mountain.

Perhaps due to his background, as a local tyrant, he was able to quickly integrate into the villages and fields.

Tax reductions, the abolition of funerary sacrifices, and the punishment of corruption were all measures he implemented as soon as he became the hegemon.

However, while his ideas were good, his methods were far from adequate.

The people below are not doing too well.

At least, he failed to bring prosperity to Baihe Village.

I wandered around the village and asked some people.

These simple, honest farmers will tell him the simple truth in simple words.

In Nanyang, they liked two people the most.

Yi Guanzhu, Yang Dalongtou.

If you go to the Jianghuai region and ask around, you won't find a single, unified answer.

The three of them then spent another day exploring Nanyang.

The prosperity of this place is even more captivating.

Especially considering it's located on the edge of a den of demons, the fact that it can remain so peaceful is truly admirable.

The three of them were well aware of the terror of Champion City.

In the blink of an eye, another day has passed.

This time, before the three even climbed the mountain, they were greeted by several burly men from afar as soon as they appeared.

Upon reaching the halfway point of the mountain, a distinguished young man in white appeared, smiling as he approached.

"Brother Du."

"Brother Zhou."

In the ancient cypress forest, under the dappled shadows of the trees, the two patted each other on the arm and entered the Wuzhuang Temple amidst laughter.

“Yesterday I asked someone to keep the guests here, but why did Brother Du go down the mountain again?”

"I bought some fine wine and food in the city."

Du Fuwei said:

"Back then, Lord Xuande visited Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage three times to invite him to join his cause. I, Du, am not as fortunate as Lord Xuande, but upon seeing Wolonggang, I was feeling frustrated and resentful in Jianghuai. Suddenly, I became interested and wanted to see him. I climbed the mountain several times to meet you."

Du Fuwei glanced around the main hall of the Huang family and exclaimed, "What a wonderful place!"

"correct."

Zhou Yi didn't speak, but Du Fuwei interrupted, "I'll show you something."

Despite it being winter, Du Fuwei was only wearing an outer garment.

He took off his coat, revealing a gruesome knife wound.

After showing it to Zhou Yi, she put the clothes back on.

"Was it left by Li Zitong?"

"It is thanks to him."

Du Fuwei straightened his clothes: "I have fought countless battles and never had a wound on my back. This time, I was ambushed by that villain Li Zitong. If it weren't for Lan Fang's timely rescue, I would have died under Li Zitong's blade."

The Wang Lanfang he mentioned was a female general in the army and the wife of his adopted son, Ximen Junyi.

Zhou Yi sighed softly.

"Brother Zhou must be wondering why Du didn't listen to your advice."

"good."

Zhou Yi asked candidly, "Li Zitong just broke up with Meng Rang, so why does Brother Du believe him?"

"When the army attacked, I fought alongside Li Zitong. He charged forward bravely, flanking me from both sides. His right arm was pierced by a spear, but he didn't make a sound. I thought he was a heroic man."

But unexpectedly, it turned out to be a wolf wagging its tail.

Du Fuwei's face darkened: "This scoundrel, I must kill him!"

“If he kills you, the Jianghuai army will inevitably be thrown into chaos, and the remnants of the Jianghuai forces will attract the attention of Zheng and Yuchi Sheng. He will then be able to take advantage of this opportunity to expand his power.”

Once the north is in chaos, the Sui army will launch an attack, and in the Jianghuai region, no one will be his match.

Zhou Yi comforted him again: "Since things have come to this, Brother Du, there's no need to take it to heart. We'll just wait for an opportunity to collect our debt from this scoundrel."

Du Fuwei took a sip of tea, and his expression softened slightly.

After some thought, he came up with an extremely pointed question.

"Meng Rang is under heavy attack from Zhang Xutuo's army and probably won't be able to hold out for long. At that time, the pressure on our Jianghuai army will be great, and we may be forced to return to Huainan."

"Again."

"I heard news from Jiangdu that many prominent families have recently moved there, and there is much discussion outside that Yang Guang has decided to move south to Jiangdu."

"At that time, if the Xiaoguo Army of 100,000 arrives, how will we resist them?"

Du Fuwei looked at Zhou Yi. His question was very sudden and would be a great challenge for anyone.

Li Jing was originally an unknown figure, and it was Zhou Yi who promoted him.

Li Zitong was also seen through by him.

Upon first meeting, he also saw through my mental calculations to conquer Liuhe.

So, how should he think about this problem?

Is it truly a flawless plan?

After listening, Zhou Yi only pondered for a few moments.

The speed at which he spoke surprised Du Fuwei, Ximen Junyi, and Kan Leng.

Because they had been discussing it all along, they still had no solution at this moment.

"Brother Du, once Yang Guang and the Xiaoguo Army arrive, the Jianghuai Army will immediately have an additional 100,000 troops."

"oh?!"

Du Fuwei was deeply troubled: "How do you know?"

"Once Yang Guang and his army arrived, their extravagance would weigh heavily on the people."

Zhou Yi's voice was tinged with heaviness:
"Those who rose up in rebellion gathered like clouds, and even the formidable Xiaoguo Army could not suppress them."

This perspective truly opened up new avenues of thought for the three of them.

Du Fuwei felt as if the clouds had parted and the fog had cleared, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

A moment later, a look of disappointment returned to his eyes.

This level of insight is beyond his capabilities.

"Brother Zhou, could you show me the Sword of Benevolence?"

"Why not."

Zhou Yi made no move, but two young Taoist boys strolled over. Their intelligence and grace could not escape the eyes of the three masters.

Yan Qiu held a whisk, while Xia Shu held a sword case.

They stood to Zhou Yi's left and right, the sword case opened, revealing a long sword with ancient patterns, as clear as a mountain spring, yet exuding a profound weight of a thousand years.

Ou Ye has been gone for many years, and the Zhanlu sword has also faded away.

This is the foremost of the five divine swords.

Du Fuwei suddenly became solemn: "Please draw your sword."

Zhou Yi drew his sword, and a low hum of metal rubbing against metal emanated from it. Half of the sword was exposed, and the flowing water pattern on its spine flowed naturally.

All the divine swords were drawn, and a deep, dark light shone brightly!
Even Du Fuwei squinted slightly to block the light.

The faint light flashed and disappeared, but Zhou Yi, wielding the divine sword, exuded a terrifying aura.

The Ode to the Divine Sword of Peace on the main hall of Huang Lao moved without wind.

At that moment, all three of them had a feeling.

If he were to draw his sword and strike, the heads of the three men would be lost.

At first, they didn't investigate, but only now did they recall the other party's level of martial arts skill.

Du Fuwei recalled what he had said when he conquered Miao Haichao; at that time, he was confident that he could completely suppress Miao Haichao.

But at this moment, I felt that I had already been defeated in every aspect.

He stood up and made a momentous decision:
"Master, let me, Du, play Miao Haichao this time."

Ximen Junyi and Kan Leng were both taken aback by what they heard, and they both understood what this meant.

The three of them entered Nanyang together, and discussed many things along the way.

Right now, it's all because my dad changed his mind at the last minute.

However, no one in the Jianghuai Army could oppose the decision their father made.

So they also bowed and greeted each other.

The two young Taoist boys put away their divine swords, and Zhou Yi helped Du Fuwei sit down.

"How did you know my identity, Brother Du?"

Du Fuwei said, "Yesterday we were eating duck in the county town when we met a Mr. Xu. He told me about this and also talked about many things in Jianghuai and Nanyang."

"His name is Xu Xingzhi, and he is a strategist who likes to come up with all sorts of crazy ideas."

"Mr. Xu is indeed good at recognizing people; I, Du, am rather blind."

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts already understanding each other.

"Master, please accompany me to Liuhe."

"My identity cannot be revealed."

Du Fuwei understood and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Then please invite Grand Admiral Zhou of the Jianghuai Navy!"

Zhou Yi smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, General Du!"

Suddenly, Du Fuwei felt a vast expanse before him, as if the dark clouds brought about by Li Zitong's upheaval had been cleaved by a divine sword drawn from its sheath.

His spirits gradually returned, and he couldn't help but laugh heartily.

The lunch at Wuzhuang Temple was not extravagant.

However, there were ducks from Gaoyou Lake sent by Chen Ruiyang, fish from Dongting Lake sent by Chen Ruiyang, and fresh fruit transferred from Sichuan and Chongqing.
Xu Xingzhi and Chen Laomou also came to have a meal.

There was plenty of food, but the two of them got completely drunk.

Du Fuwei was unhurried when he paid his respects at the mountain, but after settling the important matters, he was eager to go down to the Jianghuai region.

The battle between Meng Rang and the Sui army continued.

The situation in the six regions can change at any time.

That evening, he took his leave, and the drunken Xu Xingzhi suddenly woke up.

“Master, leave the matter of Nanyang to Elder Chen. I will first follow General Du into the Huai River.”

"it is good"

With Xu Xing by his side, Du Fuwei felt even more at ease.

The Celestial Master had many capable men under his command, and this strategist was the most outstanding among them.
After leaving Nanyang, they went to Tongbai, the upper reaches of the Huai River, where they gained a deeper understanding of the profound cultural heritage of Wuzhuang Temple.

Downstream from Tongbai Ferry, every ferry crossing has someone in charge of managing it.

It involves the four prefectures of Huai'an, Yiyang, Runan, and Yiyang.

When Du Fuwei arrived in Shouchun, Huainan, he couldn't help but look back. He was both shocked and reassured.

"Is the general thinking about the manpower at the ferry crossing?"

"good."

Du Fuwei said, "There are many righteous armies in the world, and the reputations of many people have spread far and wide."

"However, there is a force of such great power that remains unknown to the public."

He then smiled and pointed to Shouchun: "Now we also have to add Mr. Du. In the entire Huai River basin, with just one word, no one's boat can escape."

"This is the wisdom and methods of the Celestial Master."

Xu Xingzhi then laughed and said, "I have only recently become the lord's disciple under the Heavenly Master and have not yet achieved any merit. General Du, is there anyone you can recommend me?"

"Haha, I'm just afraid you won't be able to handle it all."

"There is something I need you to do right now, strategist and Lieutenant Li."

……

On the forty-ninth day of the border coffin calendar, the winter chill intensified.

The Dangyang caravan is heading north from Nanyang.

"Old Dan, keep an eye on the movements of the Northern Ma Gang on this trip, but remember not to confront them head-on. This group is extremely dangerous."

"And a reminder to Chief Lou as well."

Shan Xiongxin nodded immediately:
"Please rest assured about the Northern Horse Gang, Master. It's just that I can't go down to the Jianghuai region this time, which I deeply regret."

"There will be plenty of opportunities, and I won't stay in Jianghuai for long."

Old Dan is reliable, Zhou Yi patted him on the shoulder and then talked about the importance of Nanyang.

Upon seeing the caravan waiting, he instructed Shan Xiongxin to go with Chief Lou.

At this moment
Chen Ruiyang, who was in charge of staying behind in Nanyang, came over again. Zhou Yi knew that he was very gossipy and would ask all sorts of questions.

Before he could speak, he headed straight for the Nanyang Gang.

To the east of the Nanyang Gang, there is another small courtyard.

Xia Shuyan, Qiu and Aruina stayed in the courtyard.

Zhou Yi had experienced the humiliation of burning down Fuzi Mountain, and he would not have left Wuzhuang Temple if he had not been forced by circumstances.

But this time, the Great Ming Sect is coming on strong, so there's no way to avoid them.

I've considered taking the three of them on a trip to southern China.

Firstly, it would easily expose their whereabouts, and secondly, the Jiangnan region is also a murky place.

It's clearly safer inside the city.

After all, there are many people and spies in Nanyang City.

Even the thugs from Champion City didn't dare to act too recklessly with the Great Ming Sect.

However, this debt should be attributed to those two scoundrels, the Great Venerable and the Good Mother.

Yan Qiu noticed that Zhou Yi's expression was off and comforted him:

“Senior brother, this is how we live in the Cao family. We’re used to it.”

"Yes, and this time Sister Yina is here too."

Xia Shu's big eyes were full of laughter as she shook Aruina's arm.

"Do your homework properly."

Zhou Yi ruffled their hair.

"Yes!" they answered loudly.

Zhou Yi turned around, ready to give some more instructions, but the girl in purple, annoyed by his nagging, went straight into the art studio.

"This place is fine, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on them."

Her demeanor was no different from when she was inside the temple.

The three of them didn't seem to feel wronged, but Zhou Yi was unhappy.

As he pushed the door open to leave, another voice came from inside:
"Cousin, please be careful."

Zhou Yi glanced back briefly before heading to the Nanyang Gang.
"How long will the Celestial Master's journey take?"

Yang Zhen asked.

"It won't be long; I should be able to come back before the end of the year."

Su Yun and Meng Degong stood up together: "We'll go to Jianghuai together too."

"No need to."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "They don't need too many experts over there. I'm just going to get a feel for the situation."

Yang Zhen waved his hand, and Fan Naitang led twenty people in from outside.

These twenty people were all highly skilled in internal martial arts.

"Six of them are from the Tiankui Sect, and the rest are all members of my Nanyang Gang. They are all my most trustworthy brothers."

"Many hands make light work."

Yang Zhen smiled confidently:
"The Celestial Master is so concerned that he's confused, always considering the worst-case scenario. But even if that happens, so what?"

"This is Nanyang County."

“Our major gangs have tens of thousands of men, all of whom know martial arts. They are not like the soldiers of Champion City.”

Zhou Yi thought about it and realized that it made sense.

The Great Venerable is not himself; when he enters Nanyang, he is completely in the dark.

The only place that shines is Champion City.

The Ming Dynasty cannot ignore Zhou Laofang, this traitor.

Old Tan, give me a push, it would be best to kill them all.

Xu Kaishan and Sha Fang, they're all going to be buried.

Zhou Yi agreed to take the twenty internal martial arts masters brought by Yang Zhen to Jianghuai.

After having lunch with the Nanyang gang, we went to visit Chen Laomou.

He was instructed to arrange for people to look after the Taoist temple, Elder Xie, and to keep an eye on the bandits roaming the mountains.

"Master, you don't need to worry about such trivial matters."

After listening for a long time, Chen Laomou finally managed to utter a single sentence.

"I'm just repeating it again."

"It's happened many times already."

Old Chen smiled and said, "The Celestial Master is too attached to worldly affairs. As long as there is something he cares about, he is deeply affectionate."

"The deer lost by the Sui dynasty should be obtained by the Celestial Master, and it must be obtained."

"I have some exciting news that I'm sure you'll love."

"Oh?" Zhou Yi's eyes flashed with a strange light.

As the head of the intelligence department, Chen Laomou naturally had faster access to information than him.

Old Chen pointed north: "News has come back from the East Capital. Not only has someone obtained intelligence from the palace that Yang Guang intends to march south, but there is also a major event in the martial arts world!"

"The people from the two great martial arts holy lands have made their move, and their target is Nanyang. This time, the timing is perfect for the Celestial Master to flee to Jiangnan!"

"I am with Yang Dalongtou in Nanyang, and we will play along with them."

"At that time, let the Yin Gui Sect, the Evil Extreme Sect, the Great Ming Venerable Sect, and those great monks with amazing martial arts fight it out."

Chen Laomou looked at Zhou Yi, his gaze firm:
"In my decades of wandering the martial world, I have never seen a Celestial Master practice his skills so quickly. Even the three Grandmasters could hardly match him."

"A true man should aspire to travel far and wide, and have the world in his heart. Why should the Celestial Master take such a small grievance to heart?!"

With a click, the strange lock in his hand opened.

Chen Laomou suddenly spoke with a melancholy tone:
"Years later, perhaps the Celestial Master will miss these days, when he was unrivaled and alone, and all that remained in the world was endless loneliness."

Zhou Yi heard a loud chorus of footsteps.

He didn't care and walked to the plaque that read "Eagle Claw of Wu and Yue," looking up at the sky.

"Many trouble my mind, but only Old Strategist Chen can relieve my worries."

"Haha, who told me to be a born locksmith?"

As he laughed, he suddenly took out a piece of clothing from a screen.

"It's getting cold, Master, please put on some more clothes!"

He draped the garment over Zhou Yi's back, instantly changing his entire demeanor.

It was an exquisite white robe, its fur snow-white, matching Zhou Yi's tall and slender figure, adding an indescribable air of dominance to his originally slightly thin frame.

Even his handsome and extraordinary face became more rugged.

Coupled with the aura of a martial arts master, he was someone people dared not look directly at.

At this moment
The chaotic footsteps from a moment ago converged from all directions, and the internal martial arts masters of the Tiankui faction of the Nanyang Gang, the elites of the Jukun Gang, and the thirteen Taibao of the Taiping Dao all appeared in Meiwu Alley.

Influenced by his aura, everyone bowed in worship and chanted in unison:
"Grand Governor!"

The white robe fluttered, stirring up the chill of winter's frost.

"Let's go, down to the south of the Yangtze River!"

……

(End of this chapter)