Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 118 A Powerful Figure in Langya, Aloof and Self-Admiring! (Thanks to aghfh for the generous donation!)
Southwest of Qingliu, the mountains are cold and the water is thin, the trees are bare and the rocks are exposed, creating a desolate and bleak scene.

The first snow of the eleventh year of the Daye era came a little earlier than usual.

Two figures, one after the other, stepped into the morning light and took their way through Langya.

After traveling more than ten miles, Zhou Yi looked out over the mountains and forests and saw that the frost was thick and the branches of the trees were hanging upside down, and the whole world was white.

"Good times."

He murmured something, noticed several forks in the mountain road, and reached out to pat the broad shoulder a step ahead.

"How to go?"

Li Bo, one of the seven great thieves, pointed to the road on the right: "Go up the mountain from here."

"You're honest enough not to lie to me."

"I wouldn't dare. How could I possibly play tricks in front of the Ancestor?"

He smiled ingratiatingly, glancing slightly behind him.

I had a vague feeling that a large army was following behind me.

These notorious thieves have committed countless evils. No matter how much Li Bo tries to appear weak, Zhou Yi will not be fooled by him.

"Once we enter the mountain stronghold, you'd better behave yourself as you are now, or I'll kill you first and then escape with my light-footed skills. No matter how many people are on the mountain, they won't be able to stop me. Although you can warn the thieves, you'll lose your own life in vain."

Li Bo feigned shock:

“I cherish my life and fear death, and I would never dare to take any risks. After you climb the mountain, you don’t need to say anything. I can lead you straight through the three passes and four streams to the main village.”

"The other brothers will be seen then."

"They must have heard about the situation in Qingliu City. Now that it's freezing cold, they'll definitely get together to warm themselves by the fire and drink, and also contact Senior Brother Zhang for advice. The Ancestor is interested in the Gangfa, so he must keep an eye on our leader, Fan Min."

“Aside from Senior Brother Zhang from Lujiang, he can be considered the number one expert under Patriarch Zuo.”

Li Bo then said:

"Not only is Boss Fan highly skilled in martial arts, but he also has a remarkable background. He is the nephew of the former Prefect of Lujiang. Because of his reckless behavior, he was disliked by Fan Zigai, so he became a disciple of Master Zuo. When several families in Qingliu City disobeyed, it was Boss Fan who wiped them out."

Seeing him rambling on and on, Zhou Yi couldn't help but interrupt: "Do you have a grudge against Fan Min?"

"No, I simply told the old ancestor everything, hoping to beg for a chance to live. I didn't actually do many evil things on the mountain; most of them were out of desperation."

He sighed, as if he were as innocent as the snow-capped mountains.

Zhou Yi didn't refute it, but in his heart he didn't believe a word of it.

Notorious, trying to whitewash with just a few words?

"Come on, lead the way."

"this way please."

The two climbed the Langya Mountain path and saw that the stone walls were covered with frost, the ancient pines were gradually covered with snow, and the clear sound of ice cracking could be heard from the mountain stream.

A few sparrows flew by, and Zhou Yi climbed several hundred steps again.

A pass appeared before them, flanked by two walls, each with a fortified tower. Seven or eight men stood in the wooden towers on either side, bows drawn and arrows nocked, their voices carried on the cold wind from afar.

"Halt! Who goes there?!"

The city of Qingliu has changed drastically, and bandits still need to be suppressed.

The notorious bandit leader of Langya has increased his defenses, and the sentries remain on duty even in the heavy snow.

It's been a long time since things have been this tense in the mountains; it's all because of that Grand Commander.

Seeing that they were about to shoot arrows and blow horns towards the mountain, Li Bo quickly stepped forward:

"Are you all blind?! Look who I am?!"

A petty thief was startled when he heard the sound.

"It's...it's Master Li?!"

With a startled cry, he used his lightness skill to leap down from the large rock to the foot of the pass, and peered at Chao Li's ship from left to right, as if trying to determine whether he was a human or a ghost.

"It really is Master Li! You're not dead?!"

"Ouch~!"

The thief screamed and stumbled against a red plum tree by the roadside, shaking off the snow piled on the treetop.

He covered his face; the slap had really hit him hard.

"Master Li will slap you across the face!"

Once Li Bo entered the mountains and returned to his territory, he immediately became the king of the mountain. If it weren't for the King of Hell by his side, he would have been even more powerful.

"Hurry and lead the way."

"Yes, yes, yes!!"

Those around looked at the white-clad youth beside Li Bo, who blended seamlessly with the snow, and none dared to ask any further questions.

Master Li was furious. It seemed he had suffered a terrible ordeal in the city, and no one wanted to be beaten in the dead of winter.

The little thief scrambled up from under the tree and hurriedly led the way.

Now everything is going smoothly.

Zhou Yi walked beside Li Bo and walked several hundred steps towards the pass. They saw a group of wooden houses built against the mountain, with a mountain stream flowing below. A pier was built in the air, with iron chains hanging on both sides. People crossed the swaying pier.

There were over a hundred people guarding the ravine, and one foolish fellow got slapped by Master Li.

At this point, the one leading the way became two people.

The two covered their faces as they climbed the mountain, passing through several checkpoints in succession. Four people had already received their rewards.

In the eyes of the bandits, Li Bo, who had not returned to the mountain for many days, was obviously a dead man.

Zhou Yi looked around, finding everything fascinating.

No wonder the Langya bandits were so arrogant. They had occupied the mountain for a long time, built numerous strongholds and fortified passes, controlled the terrain, and coordinated their efforts with each other.

In addition, nearly a thousand people knew martial arts, and the rest were also quite fierce and strong.

To conquer them, a large manpower base is needed; otherwise, success will be difficult.

Near the summit, there are even more stockaded buildings.

The mountains are covered with black pine trees, and after walking through a row of transplanted wild hawthorn trees, Zhou Yi stepped onto the wooden ladder.

The "da da da" sound is very crisp.

He followed Li Bo up to a four-story stockade, where several burly men, who had heard the commotion, were looking down from the third-floor platform.

As they followed the wooden ladder, bandits wielding weapons greeted Li Bo and then sized up Zhou Yi, who was slightly behind.

"Junior Brother Li, you're still alive!"

This time, Li Bo dared not slap him again.

"Brother Fan, I almost didn't get to see you guys again!"

He let out a pitiful cry and went up to the third-floor platform with Zhou Yi.

The remaining five of the Seven Great Thieves were all present, and Li Bo and Fan Min embraced.

Fan Min was tall and imposing, with a faded black cloth covering his left eye and three claw-shaped scars diagonally across his forehead.

This notorious thief had a fierce appearance and was known by the nickname "One-Eyed Jackal." He was quite menacing and was currently wearing a tiger-skin vest stained with blood, with a chain of wild animal bones hanging around his neck.

Fan Min's right eye shifted away from Li Bo's shoulder, and like the other four thieves, it was all looking at Zhou Yi.

"Junior Brother Li, who is this?"

Zhou Yi's gaze shifted from a huge bronze horn on the balcony, and without him speaking, Li Bo introduced it:
"This is Brother Zhou, he is my great benefactor."

Li Bo said enthusiastically, "I was able to come back alive entirely thanks to Brother Zhou's help!"

"oh?!"

Fan Min's right eye flashed with an unusual light: "Brother Zhou, we're drinking right now, why don't you join in the fun?"

Li Bo led the way.

Beside Fan Min, the other four notorious thieves also called out "Please."

Zhou Yi showed no fear and continued to venture deeper into the thieves' den, catching up with Li Bo's pace.

"Fifth brother, go and bring up the best hawthorn wine."

"it is good!"

The tallest thief strode towards the fourth floor.

Inside the village, there were several chairs, with a complete bear skin draped over the head chair. However, upon entering the hall, no one sat down on the chair.

Instead, a circle of low bamboo stools was set up around the three large stoves.

Since two more people were needed, the bamboo stools were moved back to expand the space.

They even pushed the obstructive eight-immortal table back a little.

How did Kuang Yao die?

"He was killed by that Grand Commander."

Fan Min frowned: "Is he an idiot? The Jianghuai army has entered the city, why doesn't he leave?"

Li Bo poured himself a drink and took a sip: "He went too far with the women last night and didn't even know he was being attacked at home, which implicated me. If it weren't for Brother Zhou's help, I would have been killed by that Grand Commander too."

"This person's martial arts skills are very high, even surpassing yours, Boss Fan."

Li Bo downed his drink in one gulp: "I think at least the four of us brothers would have to join forces to have a chance of killing him."

"Are you exaggerating?"

Fan Min looked at Zhou Yi: "Brother Zhou, you were there at the time, what were your feelings?"

Zhou Yi removed his hands from the stove and rubbed them together:
"That's pretty much what Brother Li said."

Li Bo's gaze wandered, and the four major thieves all nodded. The fifth major thief made a thumping sound as he carried the wine down from the fourth floor of the stronghold.

He picked up a bowl with his left hand.

"This is the best wine in the village. It not only has the aroma of fruit wine, but also incorporates animal penis, which is very nourishing and invigorating."

"Brother Zhou, please."

After the tall thief finished his introduction, he poured a bowl full and handed it to Zhou Yi.

Apart from Li Bo, the other four glanced at the wine bowl.

Zhou Yi smiled and took it, then sat back down. Just as he was about to drink, he suddenly channeled his energy, flicked his wrist, and splashed the drink at Fan Min!

Fan Min waved his sleeve to cover his face, scattering the wine.

"You're asking for it!" he roared.

Li Bo rolled backward and shouted, "Boss Fan, that Zhou guy took my knife. I'm going upstairs to get it."

"His sword is fast, be careful!"

The voice reached the five men's ears, and the man carrying the wine jar had already raised his arm high, smashing it down with fierce force: "Attack!"

"Bang!"

Zhou Yi smashed the wine jar with a punch, instantly shattering several snake corpses as thick as an infant's arm inside. They splashed out along with the wine, and several hawthorns buried in the wine were propelled by the force of the punch and whistled towards Li Bo like hidden weapons.

Ignoring everything else, Li Bo rushed straight to the fourth floor, as if he really wanted to grab a knife.

Although the remaining five thieves noticed something amiss, they had no time to think about it in the face of a formidable enemy and drew their swords in unison.

The firelight reflected off the five steel knives.
Five beams of black iron sword light swept toward the white-robed youth in the center from different directions. Before the blades even arrived, the sword energy, already like molten lava, shattered several bamboo benches.

"Qiang!"

The sound of the longsword being drawn was like the cry of a crane.

Zhou Yi spun around and flicked his wrist, and an indestructible sword aura flowed across the sword. He made a circular motion with his sword, using his aura against his aura, and actually managed to push back the five sword auras!

The scarred man on the east side was the least skilled in martial arts; his tiger's mouth immediately split open, and his steel knife flew out of his hand and towards the supporting wooden pillar.

With a "snap," the thick cypress pillar, more than three inches in diameter, immediately cracked open like a spiderweb.

The five thieves were all taken aback, but dared not lose the initiative.

"Split Light and Combine Blade!"

The big thief on the west side shouted a warning to his companion, and the shortest thief on the east side drew his sword in response.

At this moment, two nine-ringed ghost-headed swords whipped up a foul wind, cleaved the huge beam in two, and hurtled straight at Zhou Yi.

The other three thieves raised their palms and pushed towards the broken beam, and with a sudden sound, they smashed down!

Zhou Yi lightly touched the broken beam with his toes, advancing instead of retreating, his sword moving like a dragon and snake, aiming straight for the two men's brows. The sword tip's energy split into two cold stars along the way.

The two thieves hastily changed their stance, brandishing their swords, only to see the sword light suddenly surge, the sword speed suddenly increase, and the qi, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, pierced through the shattered blade curtain.

"puff!"

Blood blossomed at their throats, and the two bandits, still in a crossed-blocking stance, crashed to the ground, their blades still jingling.

They died of terror.

The ghost-headed knife, imbued with powerful energy, was pierced through.

The remaining three men were furious, and a triangular encirclement was formed.

The thief with his tiger's mouth split open drew a short blade from his waist and threw it. Fan Min unleashed a "Threefold Raging Waves" slash in mid-air, the three waves of blades carrying the scorching heat of the furnace as they pressed down. The one-armed thief from the south rolled in along the ground, his silver iron curved blade slashing straight at his lower body.

Zhou Yi gathered his true energy, and the sword tip became extremely hot. He saw the flaw in the blade energy at a glance, and his fiery sword energy directly slashed at the core of the triple blade wave. The blade wave was pushed back by the sword energy!

Fan Min was horrified and screamed as he covered his right eye.

In an instant, Zhou Yi spun around and shattered the floorboards, sending the broken wood flying like arrows towards the one-armed thief rolling on the ground!

With skillful force, he deflected the short blade back with his long sword, and the thief, whose tiger's mouth was split open, dodged and jumped behind the Eight Immortals Table.

The next moment, he heard the sound of a sword ringing out.

The octagonal table in front of me swirls with wood dust and splits in two.

The teacups and teapots placed above jumped three feet up and split in two in mid-air.

With a scream of agony, his chest was pierced through by the sword energy.

Blood flowed like a ribbon, striking the chair behind him with a thud.

He fell with the remaining force, smashing the chair to pieces!
The one-armed bandit barely managed to deflect the wooden arrows, when he suddenly felt a slight chill on the side of his neck.

Zhou Yi used his lightness skill to leap forward, and before the sword energy arrived, the force of his energy had already severed half of his throat!
Fan Min's right eye was burned, rendering him unable to see. He cried out in pain and fled in a frenzy. Zhou Yi swung his wrist and threw his sword. A fiery beam of light pierced through his chest like lightning, and with undiminished force, he nailed Langya's number one thief to the west wall!

The entire wooden wall was blown open with a "bang," creating a gap of nearly ten feet, and the cold wind carrying wood chips poured into the third floor of the stockade.

At that moment, dozens of thieves rushed up and witnessed the scene of their leader being nailed to the wall and killed.

A quick glance around revealed utter horror.

Dead, all dead!

The notorious bandits of Langya, who dominated Langya and intimidated Qingliu and Lujiang, were all slaughtered by one man!

In their eyes, the leaders were already invincible.

The prestige they had accumulated over the years was now being transferred in a terrifying way to the white-clad youth in the center of the village.

He moved and pulled a blood-stained longsword from behind Fan Min.

A cold gaze swept over, and dozens of people were so frightened that they backed away and huddled together.

Five people were pushed off the rooftop and fell, while another seven or eight tumbled down the stairs. When Zhou Yi approached with his sword, despite their large numbers, they had no courage to fight.

"Go, let's go!"

"The entire family is dead, and even Boss Fan has been killed!"

"I don't want to die, get out of the way!"

"...

Beside the stronghold of the notorious bandit leader from Langya, the number of people who fled from a few dozen to several hundred headed down the mountain.

Zhou Yi did not chase after them, but instead looked towards the steep mountain path on the other side.

The powerful ships that led him down the mountain came from this direction.

I don't know what code he used, but he made the others scapegoats.

Ignoring him for the moment, I went to the terrace, mustered my strength, and blew the huge bronze horn I had just seen.

As he climbed the mountain, he discovered that at each pass and ravine, there were similar horns.

It was used by the big thieves to send signals.

The shouts from this side of the mountaintop might be a call for the thieves from below to come up the mountain.

Just as Zhou Yi had guessed, as soon as the horn sounded at the summit, the sentries guarding the various passes of Langya moved at the sound.

They all walked up the mountain together.

Meanwhile, the bandits on the mountaintop were rushing downhill, and the two groups collided head-on.

The people down the mountain were still unaware of what had happened.

For a moment, chaos erupted on the mountain path.

Someone else shouted, "What are you doing? Hurry up to Dazhai, Boss Fan has given the signal."

"Make way, make way! Boss Fan is dead! How can a dead man blow the horn!"

Someone was running and shouting:

"That white-clad demon killed Boss Fan. He was clearly the one who lured people up by blowing the horn. If you want to die, then go ahead!"

"How can it be?!"

The people at the foot of the mountain suddenly remembered that Master Li had brought a young man in white up the mountain.

"Where's Master Li? Where's Master Li?!"

"That 'Master Li' is bullshit. He's a ghost. The bodies of the other leaders are still here, but he's nowhere to be found."

The more he spoke, the more frightened he became: "Get out of the way!"

Some people ran downhill, but others, further down the mountain, went uphill.

At this point, the people coming down the mountain had no patience to explain and only wanted to escape.

There were many bandits in Langya, but they were in disarray and extremely disorganized.

With the deaths of the major thieves, the organization lost its leader and its discipline collapsed.

On the way down the mountain, many people had already started fighting over the valuables.

The chaotic situation continued down to the fork in the road at the foot of the mountain.

Not daring to go to Qingliu, he headed west towards Lujiang.

But I never expected it to be...
Just two miles away in the forest, the chaotic bandits were surrounded and killed by the army!

As the sounds of battle cries echoed from the direction of Qingliu, a dramatic chase unfolded around Langya, with the bandits fleeing across the mountains, making it impossible to wipe them all out.

However, the seven notorious thieves who wreaked havoc in the region and instilled fear in the people of Qingliu have now become a thing of the past.

Zhou Yi heard a huge commotion down the mountain.

Then they dragged the bodies of the five bandits onto the terrace.

The rest can be left to Li Jing to handle.

These five people weren't bad at kung fu, but his mastery of the Kanli Sword Qi against their mediocre Qi techniques was like a dimensional reduction attack.

However, the true transmission of the Dao's techniques is indeed somewhat peculiar.

Once such thoughts arose in my mind, I couldn't stop them.

Zhang Shan'an was the mastermind behind the major banditry in Lujiang County, which wreaked havoc on Qingliu. Langya was not one of the seven major bandits, but rather one of the eight.

Oh, and there's also that old scoundrel, Zuo Youxian.

Kuang Yao's debt should be attributed to Zuo Youxian. First, go and see Zi Wu Gang, and calculate the interest accordingly.

With a clear mind, Zhou Yi followed the trail left by Li Bo.

This person runs fast, but he doesn't have the ability to leave no trace in the snow.

Moreover, the steep mountain path he chose was, in Zhou Yi's view, almost the same as flat ground.

He descended the cliff face, his gaze sweeping across the landscape.

Li Bo was very careful and kept his whereabouts hidden.

Unfortunately, the subtle oversight was magnified infinitely in Zhou Yi's eyes, appearing extremely crude.

Wildflowers have all faded, leaving only snow-white buds weighing down the branches.

Zhou Yi walked through the pure white snow, his spirit soaring through the clouds, stirring up the mountain winds.

If he could see a trajectory, he would take the route through Lujiang.

As the true energy circulated, the speed increased faster and faster.

Wherever it passed, shattered jade fragments scattered, like a white dragon flying westward through the mountains.
After passing Quanjiao, Zhou Yi discovered that Li Bo had changed direction.

He wasn't stupid; instead of continuing towards Lujiang, he went towards Liyang.

The snow kept falling, and the marks became clearer and clearer.

This means we're about to catch up with him!
Zhou Yi exerted his strength again, preparing to catch up with the thief before crossing the Chu River.

As we approached the banks of the Chu River, we heard the sounds of fighting ahead.

One of them was Li Bo.

"Fan Wenchu, are you crazy?" Li Bo shouted.

The other middle-aged swordsman ignored the warning and drew his sword to continue fighting him.

His swordsmanship was no less than Li Bo's, but Li Bo used his internal energy to fight head-on, and the middle-aged swordsman was at a disadvantage.

but
Li Bo fled at breakneck speed, running for his life. His already meager internal energy was now less than 50% depleted.

Therefore, the two sides fought to a standstill.

Gradually, Li Bo's blood and qi became agitated, and his chaotic true qi could no longer be transformed into qi.

He fought more and more dangerously, and after a block, he suddenly jumped towards the small boat behind the middle-aged man.

There were two people on the boat, one older and one younger, who were the middle-aged man's wife and child.

"How dare you—!"

He roared, but a white figure flashed by, as if descending from the sky, its white robes fluttering, and landed on the boat.

When Li Bo saw the white figure, he was about to rush towards the man's wife and children, but he froze.

Just as Fan Wenchu ​​was about to kill him, he suddenly witnessed a shocking scene and froze, leaning on his sword.

The vicious and ruthless bandit Li Bo threw down his knife and knelt in the snow pit.

He kept kowtowing towards the wooden boat, getting his head covered in mud, and begging for mercy.

"Grandmaster, spare me! Grandmaster, spare me!"

Upon hearing the words "Ancestor," Fan Wenzhu was also terrified and felt a chill run down his spine.

He came from Lujiang County and knew very well the background of Li Bo and his gang.

The only one who could be addressed as "Ancestor" by thieves like Li Bo was that old monster from the Demonic Sect surnamed Zuo.

A glance at that young face made Fan Wenzhu feel terrible.

The old monster of the Demonic Sect has a knack for maintaining his youthful appearance; this one looks young, but his age is unknown.

I wonder what terrifying methods they possess that have made Li Bo so afraid.

No wonder he fled all the way.
Fan Wenzhu finally understood why Li Bo wanted to escape, but the thought of his wife and children behind the old monster filled him with sorrow.

Knowing that the wicked villain had his own evil deeds, he shouldn't have intervened. His thoughts were interrupted by a young voice: "How did you warn Fan Min and the others?"

Li Bo dared not conceal the truth:

"Because I never repay kindness, the moment they hear the word 'benefactor,' they know that the old ancestor has come with ill intentions."

Zhou Yi's voice pierced through the wind and snow: "You've got guts."

"I just want to live."

Li Bo pleaded in a pleading voice, "If the Ancestor agrees to spare my life, I can tell the Ancestor the secret place where Senior Brother Zhang is hiding in the Ziwu Gang."

"Ptooey!!"

Fan Wenzhu, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but say, "You beast, it would be better if you were dead. I know where that thing is."

"you--!"

Li Bo's last lifeline was snatched away, and he turned to glare angrily at the middle-aged man.

His fierce expression had just been revealed when suddenly the wind and snow intensified in his ears.

He bent down to pick up the long knife, but a strong gust of wind rushed towards him. His hands failed to block it, and a finger struck his forehead, killing him instantly.

The scene was not bloody; the woman on the boat who had been covering the child's eyes removed her hand.

"Fan can tell me the secret place he mentioned, I only ask that Your Majesty let my family of three leave."

Upon hearing the name "Fan Wenchu," Zhou Yi changed the subject: "What is your relationship with Fan Min?"

"Eh~!"

He sighed bitterly: "My name is Fan Wenzhu, and that is my cousin. He willingly became a villain and entered the demonic sect."

Thinking about Fan Min's background, Zhou Yi pressed further, "And who is Fan Zigai to you?"

"It's my father."

This time, Zhou Yi glanced at him a few more times.

General Fan had an excellent reputation for being honest, prudent, and strict in disciplining his troops. It was he who prevented Yang Xuangan from leaving Luoyang and killed tens of thousands of rebel soldiers.

Yang Guang's favor towards him was comparable to that of Xiao He to Emperor Gaozu and Kou Xun to Emperor Guangwu.

Fan Wenchu ​​said, "After the siege of Yanmen, my father suffered from many mental illnesses. When he learned of the news of Fan Min and others, he was so angry that he died."

He pointed at the dead Li Bo:

"It was they who intentionally passed the message to my father. Once my father died, the people who had gathered around me in Lujiang County completely dispersed, allowing Zhang Shan'an to take over Lujiang County."

"Are you the Prefect of Lujiang?"

"No, Prefect Jin was too upright and was killed by Zhang Shan'an. I am the Assistant Prefect of Lujiang County. I pretended to cooperate with him to survive. Since Qingliu was captured by the Jianghuai Army, Lujiang has been in chaos. It was by seizing this opportunity that I escaped here."

Fan Wenzhu said with a hint of panic, "What I've said is enough to prove that I know Zhang Shan'an's secret. The mansion that this thief has occupied is my home."

"I have heard of the two sects and six paths of the Demonic Sect. I presume that Your Excellency and Zuo Youxian are not from the same sect, otherwise you would not have asked for his Gangfa."

"I have no grudge against you, Your Excellency. I only hope to exchange this secret for leaving this place."

He didn't know if the old monster from the demonic sect in front of him was reasonable, so he had no choice but to try it out as a last resort.

Zhou Yi countered, "Where are you going?"

Fan Wenchu ​​hesitated for a moment, but still said, "I'm not sure either. I originally planned to go straight to Jiangdu to seek refuge with my brother, but I don't really want to deal with the Yuwen family."

"I've recently heard that the Grand Commander of the Jianghuai Army is quite capable, turning Qingliu into the most stable place north of the Yangtze River. I plan to take a look. If the rumors are true, I'll settle down here; otherwise, I'll have to go to Jiangdu."

Zhou Yi nodded slightly: "If you go down the Chu River, you can go straight down to the clear stream and take the body there to the authorities."

Upon hearing this, Fan Wenchu ​​was slightly taken aback.

His reaction time was quite fast.

The old monster said that he didn't intend to make things difficult for him, so why did he take the body away?

Fan Wenchu ​​didn't understand, but he did as instructed.

He checked Li Bo's pulse, then lifted him up and threw him into the boat.

Then, he told Zhou Yi about the hidden place of Fan Mansion in Lujiang.

"If Zhang Shan'an dies, can you still take over Lujiang County?"

Fan Wenchu ​​was stunned for only a moment before he understood the old monster's purpose: to turn him into a second Zhang Shan'an.

It must be an internal struggle within the Demonic Sect.

"It's possible, but there's a big problem."

"What trouble?"

"If Zuo Youxian returns, he will definitely unleash his fury, and I estimate he won't be able to withstand it."

Zhou Yi nodded: "You go to Qingliu first."

After saying this, he turned and walked into the wind and snow without looking back. The three people on the riverbank watched him leave.

The woman sighed:

"My husband, you've gotten yourself into trouble again."

Fan Wenchu ​​comforted his wife and patted the snow off her shoulder:
“I don’t want to implicate you either, but this thief is my father’s killer. Normally, I can’t do anything to him, but now that I see he’s exhausted, how can I not kill him?”

"But unexpectedly, we've provoked another old monster from the demonic sect."

Fan Wenzhu stared at the corpses on the boat, slumped onto the boat, and hugged his son in his arms again: "When you're in the martial world, you're not in control of your own destiny."

"Once I get to Qingliu, I'll have someone send you away."

The woman's expression hardened: "I won't leave."

Turning his head, he asked again:

"If the Qingliu government asks about the origin of this thief's corpse, what will you say?"

"Tell it like it is."

Fan Wenzhu said, "This old devil is most likely related to the Qingliu government. He mentioned Fan Min earlier, and looking at Li Bo's appearance, it is conceivable that the Langya bandits are probably no longer around."

"This person must have a grudge against Zuo Youxian, which is why he is purging Zuo Youxian's disciples."

"This is a struggle between demonic sects, involving some powerful martial arts masters, which can easily change the landscape of the martial arts world in a region, unlike the small sects of the Jianghu."

"Just by looking at his lightness skill, one can tell that his demonic arts are all-powerful. Once he has his eye on us, it will be difficult for us to leave."

The woman said, "Judging from her face, she is no more than twenty years old."

"Madam, you are unaware of this."

“I’ve heard Zhang Shan’an say before that top experts in the Demonic Sect often possess the ability to preserve their youth, so they don’t show signs of aging. Look at him, he’s only twenty, but he’s probably already seventy or eighty. Otherwise, Li Bo wouldn’t need to call him ‘Ancestor’.”

"This person's skill level might even surpass that of Old Monster Zuo."

Seeing him sighing and groaning, the woman said, "According to you, Zhang Shan'an is not going to make it."

"This guy has been bullying you for so long, don't you want him to die?"

“Of course I hope he dies, but I’m more worried about our family.”

Fan Wenchu ​​looked towards Qingliu and snorted: "Now, I have little expectation for Qingliu City. That Grand Commander is nothing more than a lackey of the Demonic Sect."

The three of them boarded a boat and sailed down the Chu River, looking utterly helpless amidst the swirling snow.

A lone boat sails alone, waves rolling with a thousand sorrows.

Fan Wenchu ​​gazed at the clear stream, seemingly seeing the city gates dimly lit. At that moment, his poetic inspiration surged, and he composed a poem entitled "Winter Crossing at Chuzhou".
……

"drive!"

"Giddy up!!"

To the east of Lujiang County, a large army is rushing in.

Two groups of people were chasing and fleeing, fighting on horseback. One group consisted entirely of strong horses and light cavalry, and all the riders were highly skilled horsemen.

The group being chased kept falling off their horses.

Some were killed by weapons, and some were trampled to death by horses.

"Thief, you're looking for death!"

The man who shouted was short and stocky, around forty years old, but had a long, glossy black beard. He had a knife at his waist and a spear in his hand. He ducked to avoid a spear, then flicked his spear and stabbed a man nearby.

Look at his shoulder, he also has a wound.

He was furious at this moment and relentlessly pursued the enemy.

Unable to reach the spear, he grabbed the crossbow from the bow sack on the left side of the saddle, drew the bow, and fired three arrows in quick succession. A cry of pain rang out in front of him, and two more people fell from their horses.

Many riders around him, like him, possess this skill.

Judging from their mounted archery skills, they have a fighting style similar to that of Turkic warriors.

"Deacon Liang, let's go!"

In the heat of the battle, a companion suddenly shouted.

Liang Zhi's temples throbbed, and his sharp eyes gleamed as he looked ahead, instantly discerning the movements of the fleeing enemy.

The fleeing bandits slowed their horses and turned back, only to find that a large number of reinforcements had arrived behind them!
"Pat-pat-pat!"

The sound of the army trudging through the snow grew louder and louder.

Charging into battle at this point would be certain death; stopping and turning back would be too late.

Liang Zhi knew he had fallen into a trap, but he remained calm. He shouted, and the dozens of riders around him did not slow down. They turned a corner and used their superior horsemanship to break away from the enemy's formation.

However, the snowy road was too slippery, and several people were swallowed up by the army.

One pursued the other, but the situation reversed, and before long, all but a few hundred cavalrymen in the army lost track of them.

These people were mostly skilled soldiers, and they pursued each other relentlessly, resulting in casualties on both sides.

As the time approached Shenshi (3-5 PM), Liang Zhi and his men finally managed to shake off all their warhorses near Chaohu Lake.

Seeing that the pursuers had retreated, they turned and headed in another direction.

Seventy or eighty riders went out, but fewer than fifty returned.

Although the number of enemies killed was far greater than that, it was still painful to witness.

As evening fell, they stopped their horses in front of a lakeside manor north of Chaohu Lake. To the southeast of this place lay Xiang'an.

"Grand Steward, how many people have you killed?"

An old man walked out of the manor.

He was lighting a cigarette and puffing out smoke.

Deacon Liang sneered, "I estimate that over a hundred people were killed. It's not a lot, but it can still give the owner some satisfaction."

“Zhang Shan’an is a madman, delusional. Now that we’ve torn off all pretense of civility, he won’t be able to buy a single horse in Lujiang from now on.”

At this moment, a one-eyed giant walked out of the manor.

His aura was even stronger than that of Deacon Liang, who had returned from killing someone.

It was Liu Zongdao, the second steward of Pegasus Ranch. He was the second in line, but the one with the highest martial arts skills among the four stewards.

"Deacon Liu, what are you doing here?"

Liang Zhi frowned slightly. There were some minor conflicts within the ranch. He had risked his life to kill the enemy today in order to curry favor with the ranch owner, so he naturally did not want to see Liu Zongdao here.

Old Xu, puffing out smoke, said:
“Steward Liu came from Liyang. He heard the news from Qingliu City and knew that something had happened in Lujiang, so he came to help.”

"No need for that, the problem has already been resolved."

Liang Zhi patted the wet mud off his legs, while Liu Zongdao frowned and looked at the hoofprints behind them.

Have the pursuers retreated?

“They naturally retreated; why would I lead them here?”

The two fell silent, and Old Xu broke the awkward silence by speaking up:
"Deacon Liu, why has Zhang Shan'an suddenly gone mad?"

“Qingliu originally belonged to him, but now that it has fallen into the hands of the Jianghuai Army, how could he not be anxious?”

Liu Zongdao turned angry: "He used the caravans of Lujiang County and the business in the Jianghuai region as bait, trying to lure the owner here. His intentions are despicable. Fortunately, the owner was cautious enough not to go too far into Lujiang."

"Judging from today's situation, he arranged a large number of people, which almost caused us to suffer a major setback."

Liang Zhi revealed a smug look:

“As soon as I arrived in Lujiang, I sensed something was amiss as soon as I made contact with Zhang Shan’an’s men. The owner of the farm took my advice and avoided the danger. Afterwards, I led my men to lure the bandits away, and then turned back to kill them and vent my anger.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongdao smiled and clasped his hands in greeting.

"The Grand Deacon deserves the most credit this time, without any doubt."

Liang Zhi was satisfied with his attitude: "Let's go, I need to tell the owner about killing the thief."

After saying that, he strode towards the manor.

Liu Zongdao turned to Old Man Xu and said, "Master Xu, we cannot stay here for long. We should leave more people around here. After tonight, we will leave immediately."

“Zhang Shan’an has grand ambitions, but he doesn’t follow the rules of business, which may be detrimental to the market owner.”

"I'll settle things with him properly once we get back to the ranch!"

Old Xu nodded and went to make arrangements.

This Nanchao Manor is located on the shore of Chaohu Lake. It is not only exceptionally large, but also entirely in the style of Jiangnan.

A glance reveals white walls, gray tiles, and horse-head gables, with wood carvings, brick carvings, and stone carvings everywhere.

The interior is themed around water, with ponds and artificial hills, winding paths leading to secluded spots, making it an elegant and charming place.

This luxurious estate is naturally a residence for the business owner.

Every year, after spending too much time in the mountain city, I come here for a short stay to get closer to Jiangnan and taste the delicacies of Eastern Wu.

Old Xu dared not delay. After listening to Liu Zongdao's words, he sent out dozens of people in batches.

As dusk approached, the lanterns at the entrance of Nanchao Manor were already lit.

Old Xu sat by the door, and since no one came to report, he leisurely puffed on his cigarette.

Soon.
His slightly narrowed eyes suddenly opened.

He jumped up from the chair and turned his head to look. He noticed a white figure had appeared beside him.

Upon closer inspection, he saw a young man in white robes who looked as if he had stepped out of a book, standing under the lantern and looking at him with a slight smile.

Old Xu thought he had smoked too much.

He blinked, and he was still there.

At this moment, I glanced outside and a question flashed through my mind: Where are the sentries I sent out?

All dead?
No, we can still hear footsteps, which means the person is still here.

With so many people on guard, how could you leave a stranger under your nose?

Is this right?
A bunch of good-for-nothings!
Xu Fushan put his cigarette aside: "Who are you?"

"I'm just passing through. Old man, it's getting dark. Could I ask to stay the night?"

Zhou Yi glanced up at the lintel:
"The wind is strong and the snow is cold. I don't care about the quality of the room. I just need a place to stay and shelter from the wind. I can pay for the room."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of silver from his pocket, then another piece: "If there is food, that would be even better."

Old Xu's wrinkled face was beaming with smiles:

"Please forgive me, young master, it's not convenient to stay at the manor right now. If you don't have a place to stay, you can walk along the river. There's a boat dock a few miles away. Go there and see if you can stay for the night."

"Also, how did you get here, young master? Didn't anyone stop you outside?"

Old Man Xu saw him shake his head, and then heard him say:
"No one stopped me, but I saw quite a few people dressed in black who seemed to be looking for lodging here as well."

After all, your family owns the only large estate nearby.

Old Xu's expression changed: "Where are the men in black?"

Zhou Yi pointed north: "It's just to your north. If you row a boat across the lake, it'll be almost at your courtyard wall."

"What? You must be talking nonsense."

"You'll know once you send someone to check."

Old Xu steadied himself and calmed down. He looked at the person in front of him with suspicion and was on high alert.

At the same time, they shouted outwards.

More than a dozen sentries rushed over from all directions, and they were all taken aback when they saw Zhou Yi.

"You two stay with this young master and do not neglect him."

"The rest of you, follow me!"

Old Xu gave the order and led his men into the courtyard.

Before long, shouts and roars could be heard from the courtyard. People climbed onto the roof tiles, weapons clashed, and a great battle was about to break out.

Splash, splash, people kept falling into the water.

It took about an incense stick's time to quiet down.

By then, it was even darker.

Zhou Yi sat under the lantern at the entrance of the manor, in the same spot where Old Man Xu had been sitting.

The two sentries accompanying him anxiously looked into the garden, yet dared not disobey Old Man Xu's words.

After the chaos subsided and silence returned, some time later, Old Man Xu hurriedly walked out from inside.

"Lord Xu!"

"Where is that young master?!" he called out from afar.

The two gestured towards the courtyard gate: "He's been waiting here."

Zhou Yi smiled at Xu Fushan: "Old man, has someone come to stay?"

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Old Xu wiped the sweat from his forehead. “What the young master said is absolutely right.”

"They've settled in."

"They've all settled in, everyone's settled in."

"May I stay the night?"

“Okay,” Old Xu glanced warily at his face a few times, “but you must first meet my master.”

"Does it include meals?" Zhou Yi asked with a smile.

Old Xu was somewhat speechless: "Guan, how can we miss out on this meal?"

"Young master, please come inside."

"This old man's surname is Xu. I don't know your surname, young master?"

"His surname is Zhou."

"Young Master Zhou, please!"

The Nanchao Manor is quite elegant, with rows of lanterns illuminating the flowers, birds, insects, and fish on the beams, lintels, and window frames.

The road is lined with small bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and towers.

We even passed by a library filled with calligraphy, paintings, and couplets.

After passing through several courtyards, the various green plants and flowers were not particularly unusual here.

One can imagine how wealthy the host family must be.

Finally, Zhou Yi followed Old Man Xu to a very large courtyard.

There were dozens of internal martial arts masters here, all of whom turned their gazes toward this place.

Old Xu continued walking and entered the second, even larger courtyard.

Deacon Liu, Deacon Liang, and several old men from the ranch all squinted and focused their gazes, scrutinizing Zhou Yi from head to toe.

His martial arts skills don't seem to be very high.

Liang Zhi felt that his temples were much more bulging than those of the young man in white.

Old Xu was about to enter the innermost courtyard when Deacon Liu raised his hand to stop him and asked with clasped hands:
"Young master, may I ask how you discovered those men in black?"

Zhou Yi said, "I also came from that direction, and I happened to be walking ahead of them."

Both stewards, Liang and Liu, glanced at his shoes at the same time.

It's very clean, with not much mud or water.

This proves he wasn't lying; if he had followed the warhorse tracks, he would definitely have been covered in mud.

Having just survived a major battle, Liang Zhicai cautiously glanced at the longsword at Zhou Yi's waist:
"Young master, please remove your sword."

Zhou Yi's face hardened: "Are there still such rules in the martial arts world?"

"Then it's fine if we don't meet. I'll go find a dock to stay in myself."

At this moment, a clear, gentle female voice rang out from the inner courtyard:
"Steward Liang, please don't joke. Young master, please come inside for a chat."

Liang Zhi also stepped aside, realizing he had misspoke.

Given the owner's skill level, it makes no difference whether this person carries a sword or not.

Stop worrying about it for now, sit back in the small pavilion in the courtyard, and prepare to eat.

“My master’s surname is Shang, Mr. Zhou, please.”

Old Xu smiled, and Zhou Yi followed in his footsteps.

In the center of the inner courtyard stands a stone pavilion with an octagonal glass lamp hanging from its eaves, illuminating the various flowers and trees below. In front of a rockery sits a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in elegant attire.

Her glossy black hair cascaded down from behind her ears to her shoulders, her skin was delicate and exuded youthful vitality, and her face was exceptionally beautiful.

Those deep, shimmering phoenix eyes, with their long eyelashes trembling slightly, exuded an air of nobility, yet also a sense of aloofness and mystery.

This woman can talk business with you while smiling, but if you misunderstand her smile in the slightest, you're just being delusional.

The chaos at the manor had already been quelled, and the stone table in the pavilion was filled with dishes and bowls.

Shang Xiuxun looked at the visitor.

After glancing at her, the young man in white was drawn to a dish of food on the table.

Shang Xiuxun didn't see any unpleasant looks, so her first impression was pretty good.

He then took a long sword from beside the table and gestured for Zhou Yi to sit down.

"Thank you for reminding me today, Young Master Zhou. I heard from Master Xu that you haven't eaten yet, so I've prepared a little wine and snacks to express my gratitude."

"Thank you."

Zhou Yi didn't stand on ceremony and sat down.

He didn't talk about the men in black, but pointed to the dish in the center.

It turned out to be a plate of sliced ​​duck, with shredded scallions, sauce, and served with flatbread.

"Miss Shang, who prepared this duck?"

Shang Xiuxun said, "It was made by the cook at the manor. As for the method?"

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "The idea came from a friend."

After speaking, she suddenly looked Zhou Yi over carefully, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, and asked:

"Young Master Zhou, have we met before?"

Zhou Yi picked up the duck, not looking at her, and casually replied:

"Of course I've never seen it."

……

(End of this chapter)