Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 117 The True Inheritance of the Dao Ancestor, the Grand Commander's Might!

The atmosphere in Tu Jiangpai's banquet hall suddenly became tense.

No one expected such a turn of events.

As everyone was drinking and singing Wu opera, a living Yama (King of Hell) suddenly appeared.

Which martial arts master in the world isn't famous far and wide?
The person before them had only shown a little of his skill, yet it was clear that his martial arts prowess was beyond the comprehension of the three sect leaders. However, even after searching their memories, they could not find anyone in the martial arts world who could match him.

Li Taonian had a headache and, not knowing the other party's identity, naturally couldn't deliver a message.

But there was no time to think about it now.

As for fighting with internal strength?

Isn't this like an old man eating poison, tired of living?

He pushed the silent Sect Leader Lian aside, squeezed in space, and bowed respectfully.

"With such a master before me, how could I dare to make a fool of myself? I concede defeat."

He lowered his stance further, his tone full of apology:

"I am ignorant and have failed to recognize your greatness. I have offended you today. Please forgive me."

Li Taonian spoke softly without hesitation and didn't feel ashamed at all.

There are countless martial arts practitioners throughout the land.

The person before them was one of the few dozen extremely rare individuals in the martial arts world.

It's not easy to meet such a master even once, let alone have any dealings with him.

Even the leader of the Great River Alliance, which unites more than a dozen factions, is far from this level.

Li Taonian breathed a sigh of relief as the mysterious young man in front of him casually lowered his hand.

The lights in the hall immediately made him straighten up.

"Does your Qingjiang Sect have a branch in Qingliu City?"

"No."

Li Taonian hurriedly replied, "But there are naval bases in Danyang, Liyang, and Yancheng."

Before he could finish his attempt to get closer to them, a commotion erupted outside, and hundreds of footsteps grew louder and louder.

"Head!"

The Tu Jiang faction heard the commotion and rushed over.

Lian Zijun hurriedly stopped the people who were about to come in: "This is none of your business, all of you get out!"

Several Tu Jiang Sect elders noticed the unusual situation in front of the hall, but after exchanging glances with Lian Zijun, they realized that things were not simple and quickly took him away.

Tu Jiang faction is just one member of the Dajiang Alliance.

Lian Zijun wouldn't even want to offend the notorious bandit from Langya, let alone this deadly Yama King in front of him.

"Friend, please take a seat."

Sect Leader Lian shooed the people away and then went to invite Zhou Yi.

Seeing that Zhou Yi did not refuse, he swallowed hard and waved to the person next to him, urging them on:

"Quickly, change the table!"

"Yes, Sect Leader!"

The bald, burly man with a ring of blood around his neck stood ramrod straight; he no longer felt aggrieved.

He glanced briefly at the young man in the main seat.

He thought to himself that he had fought a fierce battle with a master, but had only suffered minor superficial injuries.

Of the twelve swift swordsmen of the Tian Dong School, only he had achieved such a feat.

What is the ninth knife?

He felt that his impressive record of victories had made him a top-tier fighter.

A great person is arriving tonight, and the Tujiang faction is in a flurry of activity. The kitchen staff are adding fuel to the fire, and all the cooks and cooks are working together.

The servants ran back and forth, and soon they added wine, relit the lamps, and resumed the banquet.

Only Jin Jin remained standing there, her mind a jumble of thoughts.

What kind of person did I bring back?
I thought it was all over, but now this person has calmly sat down again.

I really don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

He knew one thing perfectly well: with the influence of Sect Leader Lian, there was absolutely no way he could invite such a person.

"Three sect leaders, please have a seat."

Behind Zhou Yi is a carved wooden screen with a painting of the Yangtze River flowing eastward on the top and couplets on both sides.

Sitting in that position, he was like the leader of the Tujiang Sect.

Lian Zijun dared not be arrogant; in the world of martial arts, the most important thing is skill.

Although the three sect leaders were old, it was already quite respectable that they could sit down and eat at this time.

Lian Zijun and the other two were all very puzzled.

In particular, the other party's intentions and identity can only be kept secret for the time being, and asked when the time is right.

My mood fluctuated like the waves on the sea.

At such a young age, he already possesses such extraordinary skills.

Such a figure has never been heard of in the martial arts world before.

Lian Zijun recalled what he had heard earlier and respectfully asked, "Friend said you are here to do business. Is there anything we can do to help you?"

Zhou Yi paused for a moment, not in a hurry to respond: "I'd like to know, what were the three of you talking about tonight?"

The three of them looked at each other.

Sang Shihan from the Tiandong faction said, "We are talking about the Jianghuai Army."

"Brother Lian and I are preparing to each send five hundred men to stop Du Fuwei from seizing Qingliu."

Zhou Yi appreciated his candor: "The business I mentioned happens to be related to the Jianghuai Army."

Jianghuai Army's business?

The three sect leaders were taken aback.

But they weren't stupid; they quickly realized what was happening.

Thinking of the rumors they had heard recently, the three of them looked at the young man in the main seat with surprise.

Sang Shihan felt a chill in his heart and wished he could swallow back the words he had just spoken.

Li Taonian was the one with a slightly better mindset. The Qingjiang faction wasn't present and didn't get involved much in the affairs.

"May I ask?"

He paused for a few breaths before continuing, "May I ask what your relationship is with the Grand Admiral of the Jianghuai Navy?"

Zhou Yi poured himself a drink and said, "It is I, Zhou."

The three sect leaders secretly cried out in dismay, cursing Magistrate Kuang in their hearts!

Lian Zijun hurriedly stood up:

"Grand Commander, this is a misunderstanding!"

Sang Shihan knocked over all the wine cups beside him: "We have no intention of being enemies with the Grand Commander. It's all the work of that treacherous dog Kuang Yao!"

"Then why are you working for Kuang Yao? Is the Great River Alliance afraid of him too?"

Lian Zijun quickly explained:
"Kuang Yao is secretly connected with the seven bandits of Langya. Those seven bandits are quite powerful, have impressive martial arts skills, and are colluding with Zhang Shan'an of Lujiang County."

The families in the city couldn't do anything about him, and since he was adept at scheming and knew how to manipulate people, everyone could only go along with him.

Sang Shih-han added from the side:
"Our two families wanted to live peacefully in Qingliu and did not want to confront him head-on. Kuang Yao learned early on that General Du was going to attack Qingliu, so he secretly contacted various families. It wasn't just our two families who sent people, but all the forces in the city sent their men."

Five days later, tens of thousands of men will be lying in ambush, waiting for General Du to attack.

Similar news had been brought into the army by Bu Tianzhi's men, though not in such detail.

Knowing that the two were telling the truth, Zhou Yi waved for them to sit down.

"Grand Commander, ignorance is no excuse. Please give us a chance."

Lian Zijun did not sit down, and continued:

"If I had known that there was someone like you in the Jianghuai Army, even if we fell out, I wouldn't have listened to a single word that scoundrel Kuang Yao said."

Sang Shih-han, who had been sitting down, also stood up and said, "I feel the same way!"

Zhou Yi beckoned again, and Lian Zijun sat down, followed by Sang Shihan, who sat down in the second section.

"The sect leaders have shown their sincerity, and I can overlook what happened before. However, I need you to make a choice now."

Lian Zijun immediately interrupted:
"No need to choose, just give the order."

Sang Shih-han readily agreed: "I, Sang, am willing to open the gates of Qingliu City!"

Seeing that his two friends had found a powerful backer, Li Taonian was not about to be negligent.

"Several powerful families in the city do business in Danyang and have connections with my Qingjiang faction. I, Li, can make them obey the Grand Commander's orders without question."

I had heard Jin Jin say before that the forces in the city were worried about being affected and therefore did not welcome Du Fuwei.

Zhou Yi knew this in his heart, but he didn't mention it at the moment.

He smiled kindly at the three of them:
"Come, let me toast the three sect leaders."

The three stood up again:

"Grand Commander, please!"

Everyone drank their fill, and the tense atmosphere in the hall instantly dissipated.
After the banquet, Jin Jin led the way to the most luxurious guest house in the Lian residence.

Jin Jin's heart was not yet at peace.

The person beside him, just like when they met outside Liuhe City, did not exude any terrifying aura.

But he could no longer see things the way he used to.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally mustered his courage as they approached the inn: "This humble one was unaware of the Grand Commander's identity and has been very offensive. Please forgive me."

Zhou Yi patted him on the shoulder.

"You did nothing wrong by working for Sect Leader Lian. I should also thank you for leading me into the city to find the three sect leaders, which saved me a lot of time."

"Go on to do your business tomorrow, but don't let the guards notice anything amiss."

The scene was quite different from what Jin Jin had imagined; after all, judging from this person's behavior, he didn't seem to be a good-tempered person.

But that didn't stop him from being excited: "Yes!"

He responded loudly, lit the lamp, and then left.

Zhou Yi looked up at the sky but couldn't see the moon.

He had just given instructions to the three sect leaders and then left it to his own devices.

I'm not worried about them playing tricks.

In Nanyang, he worried about the Queen of the Underworld and also had to be wary of the Great Venerable Mother.

But to the various factions in Qingliu City, he was essentially the Empress Dowager.

I finally got to experience the carefree and joyful life of a top martial arts master.

That night, Zhou Yi focused on practicing his martial arts.

The following day, Zhou Yi did not leave the Lian residence.

The three sect leaders left early to take care of their business.

With someone else doing the work, he can practice his skills in peace.

From Nanyang to Liuhe, and then to Qingliu, my state of mind has been constantly changing, which is also a kind of tempering of my spirit.

To achieve the dual cultivation of body and mind and open the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows, one needs a strong spirit.

This trip south did not hinder my training; on the contrary, it gave me a unique experience.

As evening fell, Feng Si led a member of the Giant Kun Gang to see him.

The Kun Gang brought some news related to the city's residents staying at home at night and the bandits hiding in the city.

After hearing this, Zhou Yi sent someone to work with him and arranged a completely new task.

For two consecutive days, Qingliu City remained unchanged, just like always.

Only at night could one occasionally hear cries, shouts, and curses.

The three sect leaders became extremely busy, running around day and night.

The happiest person was Lian Zijun, as a large Buddha statue that he could never invite in the past had come to his home.

Why did the Tujiang Sect form the Great River Alliance with more than a dozen other sects?
It's just that life in the martial arts world is tough, and people lack the strength to back each other up for peace of mind.

With a powerful backer right in front of them, how could they not seize the opportunity?

If it were just Du Fuwei, the Jianghuai Army would be easily predictable.

But few can match the talent of the person before them.

The three of them had done various analyses and speculations in private, and they absolutely did not believe that Du Fuwei had just gotten lucky and recruited a martial arts master.

To think that such a person could be used as a vanguard is simply wishful thinking.

The three did not believe it, but they did not ask any further questions.

They rush to get things done.

Li Taonian even suggested that, since he had the highest internal strength among the three, he should be the one to open the city gate.

Sect Leader Sang disagreed, saying that his blade was the fastest and his ability to open up cities was the most efficient.
As for Magistrate Kuang in the city, he was now able to rest easy.

The city's most powerful factions have repeatedly expressed their hostility towards Du Fuwei and have been actively sending men to the city gates.

But
Kuang Yao was happy for less than three days when he was awakened from his sleep by a loud noise.

He possesses exceptional skills and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the martial arts world.

Even when he's sound asleep, his keen hearing allows him to detect anything unusual in the city.

Kuang Yao lived in the Kuang family mansion, not far from the government office. It was located in the center of Qingliu, on the west bank of the inner river, which was the best location in the city.

Near the shops, there is also a large willow grove, creating an elegant environment.

In the most luxurious room of the Kuang family mansion, two luminous pearls were inlaid at the head of the bed, and the room was lit up with three lamps of varying heights illuminating the pear wood tea chair and the bronze mirror gleaming slightly.

Kuang Yao moved closer to the light, revealing a face that looked to be in his forties.

His eyebrows were sparse and light, and below them were a pair of triangular eyes, giving him a sinister look.

Suddenly, screams came from outside.

He was feeling somewhat drowsy, but this cry of pain immediately brought him back to his senses.

Without even bothering to put on clothes, he first took the long sword from the weapon rack.

Through the window paper, it looked as if I could see shadowy figures moving outside.

"Ah~!"

Then another, clearer scream reached my ears.

You heard me right.

Strangely, there were no sounds of fighting or weapons clashing.

Disorganized footsteps approached from afar.

Kuang Yao flicked his sleeves to extinguish the lights in the room, peeked through the crack in the window, then quickly put on his clothes, grabbed his knife, and went out.

"what happened?"

Twenty or thirty men walked up together, carrying torches; most of them were his subordinates.

One of the men wielding the axe was the chief clerk of the government office, and he looked flustered.
"Magistrate, something terrible has happened! The south gate has fallen!"

"How can it be?!"

The registrar's expression suddenly turned angry:

"The Tian Dong faction and the Tu Jiang faction have become rebels, colluding with Du Fuwei. They not only opened the city gates but also killed most of the archers on the city walls. The rebels are advancing from the south. Magistrate, make a decision quickly!"

Kuang Yao's eyes bulged outwards:
"Sang Shihan and Lian Zijun, you actually lied to me! I will wipe out your entire family!"

Enraged, he drew his sword, unleashing a fierce aura.

At this moment, a burly man dressed in martial arts attire, but with his coat open in the dead of winter, spoke in a rough voice:
"Brother Kuang, this place is not safe to stay for long."

"Let's go back to the mountain first. We can settle Qingliu's score later."

Kuang Yao nodded to him: "Brother Li, what's going on outside?"

"A master has arrived. Although his lightness skill is superb, he has been stopped outside by our men."

The big man didn't seem to care much.

"Ignore him. He can't get in right away. Let's just leave to prevent Du Fuwei from attacking. It's too dangerous for the two of us to fight Du Fuwei."

At this point, the man's desire to leave grew even stronger.

Kuang Yao immediately said, "Help me take the gold and silver with me, so they don't fall into the hands of the Jianghuai rebels!"

at this time
The screams outside suddenly grew louder, one after another, as if they were coming one after another, and never stopping!

Everyone turned to look.

The screams had turned into horrified cries, like a flock of sheep being chased by a tiger, all rushing towards them.

Sensing something amiss, the burly man surnamed Li leaped onto the roof.

At this moment, a white shadow flashed to his side like a ghost. The man surnamed Li stepped on the tile and flipped down to Kuang Yao's side.

The man on the roof was the same expert in light-footed martial arts who had been making his move outside.

The man surnamed Li was startled, realizing he had misjudged the situation.

"Friend, who are you?"

Kuang Yao's sparse eyebrows furrowed together.

"Qingliu is still too unfamiliar to me; I need someone to show me the way wherever I go."

Zhou Yi glanced at the dozens of people below and looked down at Magistrate Kuang: "You must be Magistrate Kuang Yao, right? I heard you are very popular in Qingliu."

“Friend, I’ve never seen you before, and we don’t seem to have any grudges.” Kuang Yao looked him up and down.

“I was passing through the gates of Qingliu City when your men took a 10,000 gold coin from me as a meeting fee. Now, if you repay me tenfold, I, your creditor, will spare your life.”

"Go! Kill him all at once!"

Kuang Yao dismissed the ten thousand taels of gold as mere nonsense and a way to stall for time.

At this moment, all the experts in the government office were present, and those who had previously lost their courage drew their weapons again.

“翙翙翙”

The group gathered their strength and leaped into the air, followed by the sound of birds taking flight.

On the roof tiles, a dozen or so people suddenly attacked!
Zhou Yi had faced a similar situation back in the Nanyang brothel, but his composure now was incomparable to that of before.

The moment he picked up his sword, his entire demeanor changed.

When the Wind God appeared, his sword was like an elusive gust of wind, vanishing from everyone's sight in an instant.

With insufficient skill and poor eyesight, one cannot even see his sword clearly.

A white shadow flickered on the rooftop, and the wind grew stronger.

He was as fast as the wind, appearing and disappearing in a flash, dazzling the eye, and in the torchlight, he looked like a ghost.

The man surnamed Li and Kuang Yao were stunned.

There were only screams, no other sounds.

The weapons had no chance to collide!

Those moves with weaknesses could not possibly hit that sword in the wind.

The sword was too fast; the head and neck didn't even have time to react before they realized they had separated.

But the blood kept flowing.

Two groups of more than twenty people rushed up in succession, but were all slashed in the neck by the white shadow. The person in front died long before the people behind noticed.

By the time he realized it, his consciousness had also become rigid.

Then bodies fell to the ground, and heads rolled down the roof like balls!
The third group of people couldn't stop in time, and half of them rushed up, while the other half were so frightened that they fell from above.

The half that rushed up quickly hugged its own neck again.

If we only consider the speed at which he kills ordinary martial artists, there are few in the world who can match him.

Those with poor eyesight will die instantly.

Zhou Yi darted down from the rooftop and chased after them; there were several clever people among them.

They discovered that the old monster only went to behead people; even though they couldn't see the sword light clearly, they knew to protect their necks with their weapons.

Finally, Kuang Yao heard the sound of weapons clashing.

however!
Longswords, shortswords, broadswords, and narrow blades were all cut down!
The neck still couldn't be protected.

Zhou Yi's longsword was stained with blood, and the blood seemed to have come alive, flowing continuously on the sword.

That was a flowing force formed from true qi.

The aura grew stronger and stronger, displaying an invincible sharpness!
Upon seeing the divine power, Kuang Yao and the man surnamed Li seemed to recognize him.

This was something even more terrifying to them than the deadly wind sword.

"Friend, I can slowly return your ten thousand gold coins."

Kuang Yao threw away the scabbard and gripped the knife with both hands.

Another burly man made almost the same gesture, also holding a knife.

“I, Li, can help Brother Kuang repay it.”

The man in white drew his sword and advanced, while the other two retreated, and the remaining dozen or so people followed the two masters in retreating together.

One person is oppressing a group of people!

"Knock knock~~!"

The two figures, who had been standing, fell down behind the man in white, their heads rolling far away.

Zhou Yi stared at the two men's knives, his eyes lighting up.

It was actually internal energy! Their internal energy techniques were somewhat similar to Lu Zushang's; their swords were double-edged, and their knives were single-edged.

In terms of the flow and adhesion of Qi alone, a single blade is simpler than a double blade.

Those who haven't mastered sword qi will find it easier to use a knife.

Zhou Yi had seen Lu Zushang's internal energy cultivation technique, and it was purer than those two's.

However, what they were using was indeed the Sword Qi Technique.

"Interesting. What is your relationship with the true preachers?"

Locked on by a powerful killing intent, and with their opponent's lightness skill far surpassing their own, Kuang Yao and Li Bo dared not hastily flee and expose their vulnerability.

So he retreated while saying:

"Since my friend understands sword energy, it must be related to my true teachings. Why don't we stop fighting and make peace?"

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the two men's swords again: "What is your relationship with Zuo Youxian?"

When Kuang Yao heard him call out "Zuo Youxian" in a calm tone, he was greatly alarmed.

"I will tell you the truth as long as my friend stops."

"You have no right to negotiate with me."

As Zhou Yi slashed with his sword, Kuang Yao and Li Bo, who had been on guard, roared and drew their blades.

The two, one on the left and one on the right, actually knew how to launch a combined attack!

One cut to the left, one cut to the right, one cut to the front, one cut to the back
The two men's swordsmanship was like a mirror, imbued with fierce energy, slashing in all directions, forming a net of sword energy that created strong winds in all eight directions.

Zhou Yi's sword light was within their sword wind.

The two fought with all their might, disregarding their own exhaustion, and in a short time, they had already unleashed countless strikes.

But once the swords clashed...
Then you hear a "crackling" sound, like icicles falling from the roof tiles to the ground.

The nearly four-foot-long sword broke apart inch by inch.

Blades flew, killing seven or eight people around them.

True Qi transforms into Qi, its strength lies in its density.

However, its weakness is also obvious: if one's true energy is inferior to that of the opponent, it is dense yet fragile.

In an instant, only the hilts of the weapons in Kuang Yao and Li Bo's hands remained!
The two men looked terrified, then felt a sharp pain in their chests as they were each struck by a palm and sent flying backward.

Zhou Yi slipped past the two men and caught up with the remaining people who were trying to escape.

He killed with a single sword strike, and then made no further moves.

All of Magistrate Kuang's men who participated in the encirclement and suppression of him were killed in a short time.

Screams echoed throughout the mansion.

The servants in the mansion fled outwards, but Zhou Yi ignored them.

"Stop playing dead, I'm not going to kill you."

Zhou Yi stepped forward, and Kuang Yao opened his eyes from his closed eyes. Before he could even thrust out the dagger, Zhou Yi pointed a finger at his shin, and Kuang Yao's body stiffened instantly.

Zhou Yi had mastered the fourth level of Dantian cultivation, and his technique was extremely precise. The next finger struck the Golden Furnace of the Yellow Court in the Dantian.

Kuang Yao let out a miserable cry, losing all his martial arts skills.

Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Magistrate Kuang fainted.

"He's dizzy, you answer me."

Seeing Kuang Yao's miserable state, Li Bo, already injured, was terrified.
"Can you spare my life, or at least not cripple my martial arts?"

"That depends on your value."

Zhou Yi's eyes turned cold: "You're that notorious bandit from Langya Mountain, aren't you?"

“Kuang Yao’s martial arts style is the same as yours, so he must be one of the Seven Thieves.”

Zhou Yi didn't pause: "What is your relationship with Zuo Youxian?"

Li Bo was intimidated by his imposing presence. His reaction was too slow, and there was no way he could lie anymore. With his life at stake, he had no choice but to confess the truth:
"We are disciples of Master Zuo, belonging to the true lineage of the Dao Ancestor."

He clutched his chest, trying to establish some connection: "Your sword aura is no less than that of our ancestor; you must have some connection with our sect."

"There's a reason for this," Zhou Yi said casually. "Since he's one of Zuo Youxian's men, why would he be a notorious thief on Langya Mountain?"

"This"

"Ok?"

Zhou Yi's cold gaze swept over, his domineering aura making Li Bo feel the majesty of their sect's patriarch.

Then, lost in thought, he said:
"Brother Zhang was able to control Lujiang County because we kept supplying him with money and goods in Qingliu. Once he stabilizes Lujiang, we will have to cooperate with him to expand towards Liyang."

Therefore, our ancestor instructed us to continue our covert operations in Langya.

Zhou Yi came to his senses and realized that Zhang Shan'an, the leader of the rebel army in Luyang County, was actually one of Zuo Youxian's men.

"Are you practicing the Meridian Divine Technique?"

"No."

Li Bo said, "I am only an outer disciple. Senior Brother Zhang is the true disciple. Only he was taught the true methods of our sect and mastered the ancestor's Zi Wu Gang."

"There are eighteen levels of the Zi-Wu Gang technique. Senior Brother Zhang has already practiced the Gang technique to the fifteenth level. He is not yet forty years old, and his talent is not much different from that of the Ancestor."

Isn't that good enough?

Zhang Shan'an is no match for Zuo Youxian
Although Zuo Youxian had reached the eighteenth level, his years of training had only resulted in profound skill.

The sword energy flowed together, yet they could never climb it.

"So, Zhang Shan'an possesses a genuine manual of the Gangfa (罡法)?"

Li Bo said, "It's not the real book, just a copy. The real book is only in the hands of Old Ancestor Zuo."

Zhou Yi was somewhat intrigued and wanted to find some inspiration: "What about Zuo Youxian?"

"Old Master Zuo went to Sichuan and has not yet returned."

"Besides the Seven Great Thieves of Langya, how many more men do you have?"

After saying all that, Li Bo didn't hold back: "Nearly a thousand of the guards in Qingliu City are our men. In addition, the stronghold has more than three thousand men, of whom more than eight hundred are skilled in martial arts."

"Since you seem to be relatively honest, I'll spare your life for now."

Zhou Yi crouched down, touched Li Bo's body, and sealed his meridians:

"After you've rested for a while, I'll send you back to the Langya bandit stronghold."

Li Bo's expression changed.

"What, you don't want to go home?"

"Return time."

He replied twice, a chill running through him.

The bandit stronghold is doomed; the person in front of us is definitely on par with Old Master Zuo.

He glared hatefully at the unconscious Kuang Yao.

This bastard brought people here from who-knows-where.

As he was cursing in his heart, he suddenly felt a pain in his back and fainted.

Zhou Yi dragged them to either side of Kuang Yao's bedroom, tossed them aside, and left them for the time being.

There was also the sound of breathing inside the room.

After the lamps were lit, a disheveled woman, about thirty years old, was seen. When she saw Zhou Yi's blood-stained clothes, she looked terrified and trembled all over.

Upon inquiry, it was discovered that the item had been stolen from the city by Kuang Yao, thus tarnishing its innocence.

Her simple attire stood out starkly against the luxurious decor around her.

This is a pitiful person.

Zhou Yi knew she wasn't lying. "Come on, I'll see you out."

The woman was stunned for a moment, but quickly climbed off the bed.

Seeing a set of heavy silver teacups on the tea table, Zhou Yi flattened them and tied them together with a cloth curtain.

After seeing the woman out, he placed the silverware in her hand.

"Go buy some clothes."

Zhou Yi couldn't offer any comfort either: "Magistrate Kuang will die soon. Just treat it as a nightmare and live well."

The woman only realized what was happening when he turned around, and cried out in a trembling voice, "My benefactor!"

"move."

Before returning to the bedroom, Zhou Yi kicked the unconscious Kuang Yao into the garbage heap.

He dragged a pear blossom chair out of the room and sat by the door, watching the direction the woman had left in.

As dawn broke, the air was filled with the sweet scent of blood.

The shouts of battle at the city gate had ceased, but the streets were deathly silent.

In the past, no one was seen at night, and now no one dares to move around during the day either.

However, it was a rare fine winter day, with a glimmer of dawn appearing early in the east.

The quiet city of Qingliu was suddenly filled with the sound of hurried footsteps.

"Dong dong dong~!"

Following the chaotic footsteps came a well-organized military formation.

Some daring city residents peeked through window and door cracks and witnessed an incredible scene.

In Qingliu City, all the famous and influential figures gathered together and headed in one direction.

Meanwhile, the rebels with red cloth wrapped around their shoulders followed behind these people, guns in hand.

As you can see, the expressions on the faces of those important figures are all different.

Some were terrified, some were hiding their anger, but most were uneasy.

The mansion of Magistrate Kuang was a place that all the major families in the city were very familiar with.

Whenever there's a private transaction, they always have to make a trip here.

"Everyone, please!"

Li Jing, his armor stained with blood, strode forward, followed by dozens of spearmen on either side.

Upon entering the depths of Magistrate Kuang's mansion, everyone smelled a strong stench of blood.

That was Kuang Yao's exquisite courtyard, with the bedroom situated in the center.

The leaders of the major families in Qingliu City, numbering over a hundred, gathered at this time, representing all walks of life.

They were well-traveled and knowledgeable, yet they were stunned by the scene before them.

The roof was covered with headless corpses, and blood dripped down the tiles as if frozen by the cold of winter, hanging from the eaves and forming icicles.

The blood of these people was somewhat dark, so the bloodstains were also pitch black, which was quite eerie.

The ground was covered with heads, near and far.

The bodies were scattered haphazardly, some leaning against trees, some against walls, and some propped up on the ground.

Among the scattered heads, the city's bigwigs also spotted many familiar faces.

They were the most domineering figures within the government offices.

In the past, these people received the most tributes and acted with impunity in the city.

They all have one thing in common: they are ruthless and highly skilled in martial arts.

But the people here died even more tragically than the soldiers guarding the city walls.

Apart from a few lucky ones who were killed by shattered weapons, the rest were dismembered.

This scene of heads rolling around was deliberately staged.

They make sure you can't find any other wounds, and the way they die is the same. Although it's bloody and terrifying, it also blossoms into a unique art form.

Some people had been angry before, but now, seeing this scene, they didn't even dare to look up at the young man sitting amidst the blood.

Everyone received the same message.

That Grand Commander of the Jianghuai Army single-handedly slaughtered all the masters of the Kuang family!
Use the sword that was stuck in the doorway, embedded in the bricks.

"Grand Commander!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, jolting all those who were stunned into a daze.

咚咚
With a wave of his hand, Li Jing ordered the spearmen to move aside and form a battle formation, allowing the important figures in the city to step forward.

Most of these people were skilled in martial arts.

Although the martial artist was bold, the young man on the high chair in front of him already carried an invisible aura of power, and at this moment, his murderous intent could be seen everywhere in the Kuang mansion.

In this situation, everyone felt as if their necks and heads were loose, and that they might move at any moment.

The feeling of having a knife to one's neck is enough to make anyone afraid of death lack courage.

The city of Qingliu has changed.

This one looks more dangerous than Kuang Yao.

While most people were filled with anxiety, Lian Zijun of the Tu Jiang faction stepped forward:
"Grand Commander, all the well-known friends in Qingliu City have arrived."

Zhou Yi nodded, glancing around, but no one met his gaze.

“Just a few days ago, when I was still in Liuhe City, I heard many people in Qingliu City talking about me. Since everyone knows me so well, let’s treat them as friends.”

"Because we are friends, I did not invite you to the government office or camp today, but only to the residence of Magistrate Kuang. I suppose you are very familiar with this place, so there will be no awkwardness and it will be easier to talk."

Li Taonian of the Qingjiang faction nodded and said, "The Grand Commander is right."

Seven or eight family leaders who were familiar with Li Taonian also echoed his sentiments.

Once they chime in, all the gregarious people chime in as well.

Zhou Yi immediately spotted someone whose face was flashing with anger.

With a flick of his finger, Xu Xingzhi, seemingly having already anticipated this, pinpointed the person with pinpoint accuracy.

He was a man in his fifties, dressed in black with a rat-like beard.

"You seem quite dissatisfied?"

"Misunderstanding!" The man with the rat-beard was startled and was about to explain further.

Xu Xingzhi said, "Grand Commander, he is Manager Wei of Chunman Pavilion, the largest brothel in the city, and he is a member of the Baling Gang."

The Baling Gang was a well-known gang throughout the land, which reassured the man with the rat-beard somewhat, and he quickly said:
"Grand Commander, my Baling Gang has no objection to your army's occupation of Qingliu."

Everyone watched to see the young man's reaction.

"The Baling Gang is nothing but a bunch of scoundrels who traffic in other people's wives and daughters."

"Drag him away and behead him. Investigate Chunman Pavilion. Anyone connected to bandits should be beheaded. From now on, there will be no place for the Baling Gang under the rule of the Jianghuai Army."

Zhou Yi calmly gave the order, and everyone's expression changed.

Manager Wei trembled in fright. He roared and cursed as he threw a punch in retaliation, but several skilled fighters from the recruitment camp pounced on him and quickly subdued him, dragging him away like a dead dog.

As soon as I stepped out the door, I heard screams.

The leader of the Baling Gang was killed with lightning speed. The person who struck him was none other than Cao Zheng, the bald-headed member of the Tiandong faction who had attacked Zhou Yi that day.

Now he has abandoned the darkness and embraced the light, and has been appointed as the emperor's executioner.

Seeing this, no one dared to have any other thoughts.

The Baling Gang's power is far greater than theirs.

This Grand Commander was completely unscrupulous.

"You are all old men of integrity, and you must be well aware of the huge problem in the city."

"Those are bandits."

Sang Shihan, the leader of the Tiandong School, immediately stepped forward and said:
"Indeed, bandits have been disturbing Qingliu for a long time."

"The bandits must be wiped out; we have no choice but to do so!"

A commotion immediately broke out, clearly indicating that everyone was wary of the Seven Bandits of Langya.

A middle-aged man dressed as a wealthy man stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said:
"Grand Commander, bandits have plagued Langya for many years. Many of them are strongmen who can move swiftly and are difficult to guard against. We are willing but powerless to stop them."

"It's alright, you don't need to worry about the thieves outside the city."

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the crowd:
"But the thieves within the city are well hidden, and we need your cooperation to find them. I killed Magistrate Kuang because he was one of the Seven Great Thieves of Langya."

"What?!" someone exclaimed in shock.

Zhou Yi suppressed the noise:

“Some of you are unaware, and some of you are. I can let bygones be bygones. However, anyone who has had this kind of dealing with Kuang Yao, please go and explain to Military Advisor Xu. I will only give you half a day.”

"Then, with the help of our army, we wiped out all the thieves hiding in the city, and that was the end of it."

"Just a heads-up, I have another notorious thief in my hands. He knows the true nature of Langya. If his statements don't match yours, it means he has no remorse and will suffer the same fate as the bandits."

Everyone's hearts tightened, and then they heard Zhou Yi say:
"After our army entered the city, we did not kill a single innocent person."

"You don't need to worry. I have no interest in your business. Occupying this city will only benefit you."

"From now on, as long as you follow the rules of the city and act properly, the Jianghuai Army will not be your enemy, but rather your support."

Some people felt a little relieved after hearing his words.

However, I still couldn't put my mind at ease.

They had heard of the Jianghuai Army's reputation, but it wasn't necessarily as good as it seemed.

Zhou Yi waved his hand, and Xu Xingzhi led them out.

Li Jing reported on the casualties, and with the help of the Tian Dong faction and the Tu Jiang faction, the Jianghuai army entered the city almost directly.

The siege turned into a pursuit, with the enemy troops being chased and slaughtered indiscriminately.

This blitzkrieg against Qingliu resulted in minimal casualties and almost no cost.

In the evening, Zhou Yi, Li Jing, and Xu Xingzhi gathered together.

Xu Xingzhi compiled the intelligence provided by various sources, and Zhou Yi explained the relationship between the Langya bandits and Zhang Shan'an of Lujiang County.

They discussed the matter and came up with a plan.

Li Jing first led his men out of the city to block the only road to Langya Mountain, and then Ximen Junyi and Wang Lanfang each led their troops to move inside the city.

They were led by members of the Giant Kun Gang, the Tian Dong Faction, and the Tu Jiang Faction.

For three consecutive days, a hunt was launched against the thieves hiding in Qingliu City!

Zuo Youxian's subordinates have infiltrated Qingliu effectively, and some have already integrated into various families, but these families dare not take action.

This time, Zhou Yi thoroughly cleaned him up, inside and out.

Most of the thieves who scaled the wall and tried to escape back to Langya were killed by Li Jing.

Qingliu City experienced a great upheaval.

But after the chaos, it's like a person who has been seriously ill finally getting rid of the root of the disease and being able to breathe a good sigh of relief.

Various forces within the city joined forces to spread the news that the Jianghuai Army would launch a "bandit-killing rally" on the seventh day after entering Qingliu.

Tens of thousands of bold civilians came to the city gate and witnessed Kuang Yao being publicly beheaded.

Zhou Yi stood up on the city wall, grabbed Magistrate Kuang by the hair, and begged him to die.

The moment the sword severed Kuang's head, the oppressed people in the city erupted in thunderous cheers.

At that moment, shouts of "Grand Commander!" rang out near the city gate!
Next, dozens of bandits captured in the past few days were lined up and pinned down under the city walls, where Cao Zheng and other skilled swordsmen from Tiandong were tasked with killing them. This combination of admiring the swordsmanship and slaying the bandits completely transformed the spirit and atmosphere of Qingliu City.

After the murder, Xu Xingzhi publicly announced the Twenty Policies of the Qingliu School.

These rules greatly benefit the people and provide a safer environment for business people.

Even those in the underworld must abide by local rules.

They could have acted as they pleased, but with the arrival of the Grand Commander, the rules for the Qingliu faction came into being.

At first, after the initial excitement wore off, people might have suspected that the Jianghuai Army was putting on a show.

For half a month straight, they truly did not commit any offenses.

This was quite a shock; the sudden peace and stability of Qingliu City left its residents somewhat unsettled.

Looking across the Jianghuai region, Chuzhou Qingliu City has truly become a breath of fresh air.

The money of Magistrate Kuang, along with the wealth amassed by his cronies in Qingliu over the years, all went into Zhou Yi's military expenses.

Meanwhile, the small granaries in Chuzhou all fell into the hands of the Jianghuai Army.

We have money and food, and the time is ripe.

Next, Xu Xingzhi put up a sign to expand his army and recruit brave warriors.

This time, without any forced conscription, a large number of strong men came to join, some even heading straight for the recruitment camp.
"Qingliu City is now completely safe!"

Inside the Qingliu government office, Xu Xingzhi was greatly encouraged.

Li Jing, who was standing to the side, also laughed and said, "In this way, General Du has us as his rear base, and Liuhe is no longer an isolated city. Lai Zheng and Yuchi Sheng will have more to worry about, and it will be difficult for them to take Liuhe again."

Xu Xingzhi was overjoyed: "The Celestial Master truly has a divine mandate upon him."

Zhou Yi put down the scroll in his hand and laughed, "Why are we bringing up fate again? Isn't it arranged by you?"

"Eh!"

The Way of the Illusion: "Kuang Yao is an official in name only, but a thief in secret. Therefore, even though he has the strength, he does not support Lai Zheng, causing Lai Zheng to miss the opportunity to break through Liuhe."

"And General Li, too, seems to be a divinely appointed general."

"A series of coincidences allowed us to gain a foothold in Jiangbei!"

Li Jing couldn't help but joke, "Mr. Xu forgot to add a Heavenly Advisor."

Zhou Yi asked with a smile, "Will you still need me?"

Xu Xingzhi waved his hand: "No need. Qingliu is completely stable. The Celestial Master can go find the ranch owner himself. We can deal with the Langya bandits."

Zhou Yi ignored his hint:
"I plan to go to Lujiang to see the true teachings of the Taoist patriarch."

"And those few notorious thieves, I'm also very interested in their sword aura."

"Let's go to Langya while we're at it."

……

(End of this chapter)