Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 119 White Robe Under the Night, Heart Reaches Yunnan
Shang Xiuxun then looked at the white-robed young man's face.

His handsome face didn't stir any emotion in her, but she felt a strange sense of familiarity for no apparent reason.

Soon, she knew where this sense of familiarity came from.

This Mr. Zhou is also a gourmet.

Without needing any instruction, after tasting two slices of duck for the first time, he somehow mastered the technique on his own. With a little practice, he could sandwich the duck slices in a flatbread, wrap them with scallion shreds dipped in sauce, and then put them in his mouth and chew them heartily.

He nodded as he ate.

He clearly enjoyed it.

Young Master Zhou had a keen interest in food, his eyes fixed on nothing else, seemingly unconcerned about any stunning beauty.

Seeing this, Shang Xiuxun felt no blame at all; on the contrary, she found it amusing.

"Young Master Zhou, where do you come from, and how do you know how to cook this duck?"

"They came from the east."

"As for how to eat it, there's no need to learn."

"Oh? You've eaten this before?"

Zhou Yi didn't even look up: "I once wandered the world, roamed the streets and alleys, and saw many kinds of snacks and food. In the land of Yan and Zhao, there are people who have learned the art of roasting lamb in the north and cooking duck on fruitwood charcoal. The duck oil drips continuously and the aroma wafts for miles."

"The swordsmanship of the warriors of Yan and Zhao is mostly swift and fierce."

"Therefore, the duck is sliced ​​into pieces the size of bamboo leaves, wrapped in a flatbread, and then oil is poured into the flatbread, making it fragrant inside and out. One bite and you're done."

"For a wanderer of the martial world, this taste is something that even if the Martial Venerable of the Northern Desert offered beef and mutton sent by the Khan, he would not hesitate to refuse."

The image of a lone plume of smoke rising straight from the desert flashed through Shang Xiuxun's mind. Of course, the smoke here was caused by a martial artist lighting a fire in the stove.

A steel knife, used to stab and roast the duck.

Then it becomes a delicious treat in your mouth; the dripping duck oil splashes on the campfire, stirring up a sense of chivalry and adventure.

Just a few words were enough to make her feel the unique charm of the food.

Soon, Shang Xiuxun came to her senses, glanced at the stone table, and blinked her phoenix eyes repeatedly.

There was no time to reply at that moment.
Extending her slender, jade-like hand from beneath her silk robe, she took the last pancake and, incidentally, the sliced ​​duck as well, as Zhou Gongzi's incredibly swift chopsticks paused slightly.

I thought to myself, "That was close, I finally got to eat a bite."

She had come to Nanchaohu Village in a hurry and had no shortage of daily necessities, but she had not prepared much of her own gourmet food.

According to Master Xu, this young master did not eat.

I wanted to thank him for reminding me, so I invited him into the courtyard.

To my surprise, he was not polite at all.

He disregarded all notions of refined gentlemanly manners and focused solely on eating and drinking.
In the outer courtyard, Chief Steward Liang Zhi frowned slightly. He listened carefully, but there was no sound of people talking inside.

They were on high alert, fearing that the owner of the venue might be targeted by someone.

At this moment, he patted Liu Zongdao, who was eating, and pointed towards the inner courtyard.

The two walked slowly to the moon cave, looked inside, and saw a rather strange scene.

The two people in the courtyard did not speak, each eating their own food and drinking their own wine.

Liu Zongdao glanced at it and left.

Liang Zhi muttered to himself, thinking that the owner must have found this person boring and didn't want to say much, so he was just repaying a favor with a meal and drinks.

Come to think of it, that makes sense, when I just entered the door.

Although I may have spoken out of turn, this young master is quite arrogant.

He then withdrew on his own and stopped paying attention.

Little did they know, the moment they stepped away, the shop owner in the courtyard raised her pretty face, drank a glass of Yangzhou's famous Yunye wine, and sized up the person in front of her.

It was a very ordinary meal, but it gave her a unique experience.

Young Master Zhou was only there to eat; he didn't care about anything else.

Shang Xiuxun had intended to talk about the men in black, but seeing that he didn't mention it, she stopped talking.

She usually only eats quietly like this when she is alone.

The ranch's business spans the world, and whenever it hosts a banquet, the guests always have various motives.

Even when his good friend Li Xiuning came to the mountain city, he still had to add some of the social etiquette of the Li family.

Therefore, the person in front of you is quite special.

As she swallowed the Yunye wine, she tilted her head back to meet a wisp of night breeze and suddenly remembered another special person.

That person is interesting.
She admires not only his excellent painting skills but also his unique creativity in food.

Because the only correspondence was through letters, the feeling was both familiar and strange.

If we were to actually meet, I would feel uneasy.

Shang Xiuxun was naturally not shy, but she was worried that the man was playing the long game and had ulterior motives. If that happened, her beautiful fantasy would be shattered after just one meeting.

Therefore, they often communicated through letters, and she never suggested meeting in person later on.

I only hope that this bond of correspondence will continue.

Even if I'm alone in this mountain city in the future, I'll still have something to rely on.

Thinking of this, I feel a sense of loneliness.

Looking down at the dishes on the table related to that person from Nanyang, I found them all empty.

She revealed a smile as bright as the moon breaking through the dark clouds, thinking to herself that this person was indeed knowledgeable.

"Does Young Master Zhou like these dishes very much?"

"good."

Zhou Yi commented, "Each has its own unique flavor, and it's not easy to do them well."

"Like that duck, all my ideas came from my friend."

Shang Xiuxun smiled slightly as she thought of her friend: "I have a bad habit of being greedy and always looking for more delicious food. It is this friend of mine who has ingenious ideas and can always give people unexpected surprises."

"It's truly a pleasant surprise."

He tentatively asked, "Hearing what you've said, young lady, I'd also like to meet your friend. May I ask who he is, and where he lives now?"

Shang Xiuxun hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond.

They had no choice but to cover it up:
"He lived a secluded life deep in the mountains, disliking being disturbed by others."

"That's fine."

Zhou Yi seemed to have lost a friend, and his sigh revealed a look of regret.

Seeing this, Shang Xiuxun, remembering his help to the ranch, changed the subject, pointing to a dish of food and saying:
"Why doesn't Young Master Zhou take a bite of this dish of braised chicken with mushrooms?"

Zhou Yi frowned: "This..."

He hesitated, then Shang Xiuxun said, "Young master, please speak freely. This dish was not taught by my friend; it is just a common Jianghuai recipe, only the ingredients are slightly better."

Zhou Yi asked, "Miss Shang, have you ever heard of the Five-Foot Path?"

Shang Xiuxun nodded naturally: "Is it the road to the south built by the First Emperor?"

"Indeed, during the Han Dynasty, the Five-Foot Road was extended, from Sichuan and Chongqing to Yunnan and then to India."

Zhou Yi’s voice was unhurried: “Emperor Wu of Han discovered this trade route and was very envious. In order to attack the Dian Kingdom, he used the excuse that he dreamed of a colorful cloud.”

When asked, he waved his sleeve and said: "South of the colorful clouds is the direction of my heart."

Upon hearing this, Shang Xiuxun couldn't help but laugh. She felt that he was just making this up, but she didn't want to interrupt and wanted to hear what else he had to say and how it was related to chickens.

"After conquering the Dian Kingdom, the soldiers of the Han Dynasty did not leave. Instead, they stayed to spread the etiquette, culture and food of the Central Plains. The interaction between the two sides led to the creation of sweet wine."

"This wine is made from glutinous rice and infused with flowers. Compared to the mead made from barley and honey from the northern deserts, this wine is clear, sweet, and has a refreshing aroma. Later, Emperor Wu of Han drank it and also liked it very much."

Zhou Yi's One-Finger Stewed Chicken:
“I have tasted chicken stewed in sweet wine by people from the south, and the flavor of your dish is very different. I have tasted the fragrant sweetness, but now I taste the bland and dry meat, so I do not want to eat it.”

Shang Xiuxun wrinkled her delicate little nose, feeling her mouth water and her face filled with anticipation.

"Young Master Zhou, could you teach me how to cure this sweet chicken?"

She added, "I can give you five top-quality Turkic horses."

"No need."

Zhou Yi waved his hand in refusal and read out the recipe directly:
"First, select mushrooms, making sure they are fresh and not moldy. Then, take one pound each of sweet rice wine and chicken from southern China, and four qian of maltose made from sugarcane juice from Lingnan. Simmer over a low flame until it's cooked through, without using water."

"Simmer the chicken until it's about 80% cooked, then add the mushrooms."

"In this way, we can obtain the sweet wine chicken from the south and taste the flavor that Emperor Wu of Han enjoyed."

Upon hearing this, Shang Xiuxun was greatly excited, but unfortunately, he was in Nan Chaohu Manor, and there was also the notorious bandit from Lujiang lurking around. Otherwise, he would have already sent someone to the south to buy sweet wine.

"Thank you."

She thanked him, feeling fortunate to have met such a fellow diner, and wanted to chat a little longer.

But this young master Zhou seemed too simple compared to the other guests. After he had eaten and drunk his fill, he seemed to have lost interest in continuing the conversation.

After glancing at her, he immediately stood up:
"Miss Shang, this meal was delicious, and I will remember it fondly in the future."

He intended to take his leave.

Shang Xiuxun smiled and called out, "Old Xu."

Old Xu trotted in.

"Please invite this young master to stay at Qingyuan for a while."

Old Xu was startled upon hearing this.

The owner's mother was named Qingya. The Qingyuan and Yayuan courtyards in Nanchaohu Manor were the best courtyards, and no outside guests had ever stayed there.

Moreover, it's very close to the inner courtyard, separated only by a moon gate.

"Yes."

He acknowledged the arrangement and dared not object.

With a hint of wariness in his heart, after dropping Zhou Yi off in the next courtyard, he ran to the First and Second Deacons and asked mysteriously:
"The two deacons were outside just now; did they hear what the owner said to him?"

Liu Zongdao opened and closed his one eye a few times, then shook his head repeatedly: "He didn't say anything, except for eating, he just talked about food."

Liang Zhi, with his exceptional hearing, said, "They're saying that Emperor Wu of Han conquered the Dian Kingdom for a bite to eat? That's laughable."

Liu Zongdao shook his head again: "You misheard."

"It means the same thing."

He glanced irritably in the direction of Qingyuan: "After a while, I reckon some of us will be going to Nanzhong. This guy really knows how to give us trouble."

"Old Liu, you should take this job. I'll go and cause trouble for Zhang Shan'an."

“His men injured me, this is not over.”

Liang Zhi revealed a look of resentment.

Liu Zongdao looked around and said, "The owner of the venue has no intention of leaving for the time being, so we still need to be on guard tonight. Zhang Shan'an has now become the big boss of Lujiang. Not to mention the power under his command, his skills are unmatched in Lujiang."

Liang Zhi snorted:
"If Zhang Shan'an dares to come in person, it can only mean that he has completely gone mad."

"If the owner wants to leave, can he be kept away?"
Besides, whether we head towards Liyang or Danyang, I have tons of friends on my ranch. In a fight to the death, how long can Zhang Shan'an hold onto his top position?

That makes perfect sense; the power of Pegasus Ranch far surpasses that of Zhang Shan'an.

However, Liu Zongdao did not dare to be careless. After finishing his meal, he immediately led his men to patrol and investigate.

Zhou Yi stayed in the room and could clearly hear footsteps outside.

Shadows kept passing by the paper windows. This place was not far from where Shang Xiuxun lived, so the security was even tighter.

He meditated peacefully, undisturbed.

When he was practicing the Fire Sword Qi, he had already fully mastered the Small Intestine Meridian of Hand-Taiyang.

Currently, I am practicing the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian.

This eleventh point is serious; we're already more than halfway through the process.

Adding the last meridian, the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang, will complete the training of all twelve meridians!

Thinking about this, I can't help but feel a little excited.

The image of the little demon girl reappeared in my mind.

Once the twelve meridians are fully connected, based on his current understanding, Zhou Yi has a strong premonition.

Even without having read the Heavenly Demon Strategy, one can still decipher the supreme mysteries of the Heavenly Demon Great Art.

He also longed for the ingenious method of distorting space and making it feel like it was collapsing.

It was purely coincidental that we found Shang Xiuxun by following Zhang Shan'an's men.

But it aligns with the purpose of this trip.

If Zhang Shan'an were to pursue them to this village, it would be as if he had left his territory, making him ten times easier to deal with than if he had been placed in Lujiang County.

Zhou Yi also felt apprehensive when he thought of the military formations recruited in the Jianghuai region.

The army of Lujiang may not be as strong as the Jianghuai army, but if they rashly charge into the enemy lines, they will be putting themselves in danger.

Therefore, we still hope that Zhang Shan'an can come.

Zhou Yi's ideas were completely opposite to those of Liu Zongdao and others.

In the middle of the night.

It got colder, and icicles formed on the eaves outside.

The snow on the roof was frozen solid, like a blanket.

Zhou Yi, who had fallen into a light sleep, suddenly opened his eyes. It was an extremely keen intuition; he vaguely heard something.

At this time, focus your energy and listen attentively.

In Nanchaohu Village, all was deathly silent at night, except for the constant sound of footsteps from the night patrol guards echoing through the corridors.

At first there was no unusual activity, but after the sentry's footsteps faded into the distance.

The sound of footsteps on the frozen snow on the roof was very faint, but it still did not escape Zhou Yi's ears.

These people's lightness skills are so-so.

If Liang Zhi and Liu Zongdao were asleep, it would be absolutely impossible to find out.

After a moment's consideration, I realized that it was not an appropriate time to take action.

Most members of the Demonic Sect value their lives, so once he makes a move, Zhang Shan'an will sense something is wrong and run away.

Zhou Yi didn't even know what he looked like; he had to wait for the guy to show himself.

but
These masters of light-footed martial arts headed straight for Shang Xiuxun.

He walked quietly to the lamp, picked up the copper lamp holder, and listened to the footsteps to determine the location of the people.

At the right time.
He flicked his wrist and sent the lamp flying out through a narrow crack in the window.

A loud bang shattered the icicles under the eaves, followed by a loud explosion from a glass lamp.

The sound was extremely loud!
On a quiet winter night, the group of internal martial arts masters on the ranch opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

The deathly silence was shattered in the next instant!

With the windows wide open, the sounds of weapons being drawn filled the air. The expert on the rooftop, realizing he could no longer hide, shouted for his companions as he exposed himself and charged toward Shang Xiuxun's location.

The sound of weapons clashing suddenly rang out, followed by increasingly chaotic footsteps all around.

The footsteps converged on the site of the battle.

Not only were there people from Pegasus Ranch, but also the Night Raid Bandits.

Those who came were all skilled in martial arts, and their weapons, imbued with internal energy, were disrupting the magnificent scenery of the lakeside village during the battle.

The blossoming trees and jade-like branches are scattered into flying debris!
Right now, everyone is focused on killing and inflicting casualties; no one cares about anything else.

Screams and curses rose and fell.

Under the glass lamp, the faster the fighting, the faster the shadows swayed, eventually turning into a pool of blood in the corridor.

The ranch people slowly gathered, and the battle dragged on for longer and longer until they were exhausted.

At this moment
Another series of light footsteps came through the snow!

"Hahaha--!"

In the night sky, someone burst into laughter, followed by a barrage of arrows piercing the air.

"The thief shall die!"

Deacon Liang's voice was unusually loud; he was already burning with rage.

"Zhang Shan'an, after tonight, you scoundrel will never have a peaceful day!"

In the darkness, no one answered; only the sounds of more intense fighting could be heard.

Between the two courtyards outside the inner courtyard, Liu Zongdao sensed that the enemy outnumbered him and knew that they could not split up to fight again. So he killed the bandits while ordering his men to retreat and defend the inner courtyard.

However, the new bandits from Lujiang arrived and blocked the middle courtyard.

The old ranchmen, who were originally able to kill some petty thieves, have now encountered a group of troublesome people.

Old Xu, Liu Zongdao, Liang Zhi, and others were the same.

Liu Zongdao was locked in combat with a burly man with a blue face. By the light of the lamp, he recognized the man's identity:

“Bing Taiyue, it’s you. I never thought that you four friends from Luzhou would also become Zhang Shan’an’s lackeys.”

There were three other men beside the burly man with the blue face, and they all had strange expressions after hearing his words.

But they ignored it.

These renowned figures from Lujiang County, who were said to be only interested in martial arts and never concerned with disputes, appeared under Zhang Shan'an's command, which surprised Liu Zongdao and the others.

Only when you become an enemy do you realize that their reputation is well-deserved.

It would be almost impossible to kill all four of them in one go.

Liu Zongdao glanced around and saw many corpses in the inner courtyard, all killed by the master's sword.

She possesses a unique family swordsmanship technique, which she has mastered to perfection.

Ordinary people are no match for her.

Liu Zongdao watched as the sword shadows fell, and several more bandits were killed or wounded.

Just then, a strong wind arose, and someone else headed towards the inner courtyard. Realizing something was wrong, Liang Zhi and I simultaneously used our strength to knock the person back and hurriedly ran towards the inner courtyard.

At this time, there were five ranch experts in the inner courtyard, fighting alongside Shang Xiuxun.

There were about fifteen people surrounding her. Although the enemy outnumbered her, none of them were a match for Shang Xiuxun. If the fight continued, it would be these bandits who would die.

However, a series of creaking sounds of tiles being crushed underfoot rang out.

Eight tall people stood there!

These eight people had long, drawn-out breaths; seven of them carried knives, and one carried a sword on his back.

The man carrying the sword had a broad face, large ears, and bright eyes. He wore a crimson cloak, his arms were crossed, and his face had a fierce and domineering look. Judging from his age, he was around forty.

His cloak swept across the roof, sending large plumes of snow flying from the blue tiles.

The thieves in the inner courtyard all retreated. Shang Xiuxun flicked her sleeves, creating a strong gust of wind that fanned away the snow foam.

But sensing the force of the snow, a look of worry appeared on her pretty face, knowing that the newcomer's skill was even above hers.

In Lujiang County, only Zhang Shan'an possesses such skill.

“Zhang Dalongtou, you’ve broken the rules, and I’ll make you pay the price.”

She flicked her longsword, and the gleaming blade, held slightly close to the lamplight, reflected her icy phoenix eyes.

The ranch owner's true fire is something no power in the world is willing to withstand.

"My lady, there is no need to be angry."

Zhang Shan'an was a local tyrant with nearly 30,000 troops under his command. In addition, he was the first disciple of the Left Ancestor and possessed the fourteenth level of the Meridian Gang skill. Naturally, his words carried an air of dominance that was difficult for ordinary people to match.

“I didn’t want to make things difficult for the venue owner, but I extended a warm invitation, but the venue owner ignored my good intentions, which led to the current situation.”

Liu Zongdao, who had stormed in, flashed his one eye in anger and let out a cold shout:
"What kind of bullshit joke are you talking about? You call that a kind gesture?"

"Hahaha! How can you call it a good intention?"

Zhang Shan'an laughed: "I am a powerful ruler of this region. Wouldn't it be perfect if I asked a business tycoon to be my wife? It would be the best possible match."

"Pah!"

Blood was seeping from Liang Zhi's shoulder. He gathered his saliva and spat it towards Zhang Shan'an:
"You toad, you actually have such a beautiful dream, it's hilarious! How can you have the nerve to say such things in front of so many people? I bet even your men would feel ashamed."

"What do you have that makes you a good match for my farm owner?"

"Zhang Shan'an, you've really mastered the art of thick-skinnedness. You're the most shameless person in the world."

Zhang Shan'an instantly lost his composure, his face filled with murderous intent.

"you wanna die!"

Liang Zhi was not afraid at all. He attracted hatred and glanced at the group of experts around Zhang Shan'an.

At this moment, a cold shout rang out:
"Leave the place quickly, owner! I'll hold this toad off. Once you return to the mountain town, you can avenge me!"

He roared, channeling his energy into his longsword; this fearless spirit greatly enhanced his combat prowess.

"You all retreat first," Shang Xiuxun said, holding her sword horizontally in front of her. "I can leave at any time; he can't stop me."

Liu Zongdao and Old Man Xu over there knew she was putting on a brave front, and they both shouted:
"Owner, hurry back to the mountain town. We have a plan."

Zhang Shan'an drew his longsword, and the force of his energy spread out, pressing snow into the tiles. The tiles shattered with a cracking sound, and no one present could match the strength of his energy.

After Zuo Youxian, he was the only true disciple of the Dao who practiced both the Ziwu Gang and Renbing sword techniques.

The outer disciples around them could only wield long swords.

The two are worlds apart. "Hmph, in this Lujiang County, if I, Zhang, don't let you leave, none of you will be able to leave."

“In Lujiang, my word, Zhang Shan’an’s word counts.”

Zhang Shan'an concentrated his inner energy into his sword, creating a dense form of true energy that was quite different from Shang Xiuxun's sword energy.

It has lost some of its agility and shrewdness, but gained an invincible sharpness.

When Liu Zongdao and the others saw his magical technique, their expressions changed slightly.

He was about to tell the owner to use his light-footed skills to head towards Liyang, when suddenly...
Liu Zongdao followed closely behind Zhang Shan'an and Shang Xiuxun, and together with Liang Zhi, Old Man Xu, and others, they all made a head-tilting gesture.

A white figure appeared from the cold winter night sky; it was as light as a feather and drifted down.

"Not very famous, but quite boastful."

"Who is Zhang Shan'an? I've never heard of him before."

A bizarre thing happened: two voices fell from the sky, but the people were still drifting down.

It should be known that when a martial artist speaks, breath will enter and exit, thus affecting their internal energy.

This is especially evident when using light-footed skills.

Yet, despite having nothing to wear, the white-clad man's movements remained completely unaffected.

His lightness skill was so high that it was beyond comprehension.

Only then did Old Man Xu realize that he had wronged those sentries. They were not useless. He also understood why, when he exhaled a puff of smoke, he suddenly saw a person appear in front of him as if he had seen a ghost.

This kind of lightness skill is almost like that of a ghost.

Liang Zhi and Liu Zongdao also widened their eyes, realizing they had misjudged the situation.

Zhang Shan'an's expression changed drastically. The newcomer seemed to have descended from the sky, landing in the stone pavilion in the courtyard without making a sound.

Even if Master were here, he wouldn't possess such lightness skill.

"Zhang misspoke, he was unaware that a master was present."

Zhang Shan'an was unaware of the visitor's relationship with Pegasus Ranch, so he didn't speak harshly at first. There was no need to offend a master of unknown origin.

However, as a local tyrant in Lujiang and having a mentor, he still maintained a very high and mighty attitude.

"Forget about whether you misspoke or not, hurry up and draw your sword, or you won't even have a chance to use it later."

Zhang Shan'an's heart skipped a beat. He was initially horrified, but quickly calmed himself down, realizing that this was a shameless tactic by the other party to break his momentum.

The sword's aura intensified, completely revealing its true nature.

"Do you recognize this secret technique of mine?"

"It's just a minor skill used to truly transmit the teachings."

The other party answered immediately, and Zhang Shan'an sensed something was wrong. He wanted to back out, but quickly put on a show of having powerful backing:

"That's right, it was passed down by Ancestor Zuo Youxian. Ancestor Zuo is one of the eight great masters of the Holy Sect, and he has few rivals in the world. I am a disciple of Ancestor Zuo, so please give me some face."

He introduced himself, which made the ranch staff wary.

Liu Zongdao, Liang Zhi, and others were unaware of Zhang Shan'an's background.

The eight masters of the Demonic Sect—anyone who roams the martial world can feel the pressure emanating from them.

Shang Xiuxun looked up at the young master Zhou, intending to tell him not to interfere and invite trouble, but she keenly noticed that the man in white glanced in her direction.

Before the thought even crossed my mind, it was too late to speak.

"You've revealed your background, yet you haven't dared to make a single move. Are you afraid?"

"Unfortunately, what face does Zuo Youxian have?"

“Friend, we have no grudges against each other!” Zhang Shan’an felt more and more uneasy.

As Zhou Yi drew his sword, he said, "I was just enjoying a delicious meal in my dream when you disturbed my sweet dream and then said you didn't deserve to die."

The word "death" burst forth almost simultaneously with the sound of the sword.

Zhang Shan'an's spirit was already like a taut string; the moment the sword rang out, that string snapped.

He had lost all will to fight and, fearing for his life, was unwilling to clash with this unfamiliar expert.

He stomped his feet hard and blasted backward!

As he gathered his strength, he didn't forget to shout angrily, "Kill!"

The seven people around him raised their swords, preparing to cooperate with him to form the True Transmission Gang Formation, an eight-sided net, to fight against the white-robed youth.

But to his surprise, after raising his knife, he realized that Zhang Shan'an had suddenly retreated.

One by one, their hearts pounded with anxiety, their formations completely chaotic, forming a tattered, tattered net, which was then swept past by a white figure that moved like a dragon.

Four crisp sounds rang out as the longswords shattered. Then, a sword light transformed into an arc of fire, passing through the four broken swords. The four heads at the very front, accompanied by a burst of blood, shot into the sky!

The surging sword energy of the Li Fire directly vaporized the snow.

The other three were enveloped in snow vapor.

A slight gust of wind seemed to approach my cheek, followed by a sharp pain in my neck, and my head flew off.

Melted snow and gushing blood flowed together, forming a stream and a ravine between the tiles, rushing down with a gurgling sound.

The people below, whether from the ranch or Zhang Shan'an's men, were all terrified.

Seven masters, dying so quickly.

Before anyone could react, the white figure burst out of the snow mist and chased after Zhang Shan'an.

Just now, Zhang Shan'an looked back and saw that the seven heads also looked at him as they flew up.

It's as if it's saying, "We'll be waiting for you on the road to the underworld."

Shouts of battle rang out once more within the lakeside village.

Liu Zongdao and Liang Zhi's morale soared, turning the tables and taking the initiative. On the other hand, Zhang Shan'an's men, fearing that the white-robed expert would return after failing to catch Zhang Shan'an, immediately lost their spirit.

Soon, their fighting retreat turned into a desperate escape.

Seeing that the situation was settled, Shang Xiuxun fluttered her robes, strode through the snow, and flew straight towards the direction where the chaser and the fleeer were.

Sure enough, Zhang Shan'an had no chance of escaping from such superb lightness skills.

The sounds of fighting echoed along the edge of the lakeside village.

The snow-white rooftop reflected the glass lamps under the eaves, and with her excellent eyesight, she could clearly see the two fighting.

However, after only a few moves, a crisp sound of a sword breaking was heard.

Then it turned into a muffled wail.

The burly figure fell, crashing into the snow on the roof and leaving a human-shaped mark.

He was once the overlord of Lujiang, but now he is fallen and his sword is broken.

Although Zhang Shan'an fled without a fight and there was no way to say he had won, Shang Xiuxun still couldn't help but show surprise at how quickly he was defeated.

Sheathing his sword, he saw the white-robed young man groping the corpse.

She hesitated slightly, but still approached with curiosity in her step through the snow.

At this moment, Zhou Yi had already stood up, looking displeased.

"Is Young Master Zhou looking for his secret manual?"

"No, I'm short of money and I want to see if he has any gold or silver on him."

Upon hearing his reason, Shang Xiuxun couldn't help but laugh: "How much gold and silver do you want? I can give it to you."

“That’s different. Actually, I’m this person’s creditor, so it’s only right that I take his money.”

Zhou Yi made it clear: "I cannot take Miss Shang's gold and silver at will."

Shang Xiuxun said, "I think it's too cheap for Young Master Zhou to repay his kindness tonight in gold and silver."

"Yes, young lady, you are unaware of this."

Zhou Yi sincerely told me, "Actually, I was looking for this person. When I saw them coming to your lakeside manor, I followed them all the way. My purpose is not simple, so you don't need to thank me."

"Besides, the young lady has even treated me to a meal."

Seeing him smile slightly and casually give up his kindness to Pegasus Ranch, Shang Xiuxun felt a mix of emotions.

The ranch business spans the globe, and intrigue and backstabbing are never in short supply.

I have almost no friends who are willing to open their hearts to me.

Very few people are honest with her.

After all, there are so many things about her that people desire.

Although this young master Zhou, like that man from Nanyang, may have done it intentionally, with great ambitions.

But she knew she also had human emotions and couldn't be indifferent to things that touched her heart.

Not to mention, this man was also a gourmet, who imparted to her the lingering charm of Emperor Wu of Han and a secret recipe for treating chicken.

With that thought in mind, he kicked the snow off the roof.

“I’ve done a lot of business deals, and if all those businessmen were like you, young master, I would have much less to worry about.”

"It's not that it's worry-free, it's that it's terrible."

Zhou Yi then put on a cold and gloomy expression, as if he could frighten a child into silence, and pointed at Zhang Shan'an, saying:

You don't know me well enough.

"Actually, he's not the only one who owes me a debt. The number of people who have died by my sword is countless. You can imagine how ruthless I am."

Shang Xiuxun frowned slightly, recalling how he killed people, throwing heads into the air; it was indeed extremely brutal.

His martial arts skills are even more unfathomable.

Zhang Shan'an must have known his identity when he attacked just now.

Thinking about it this way, I suddenly realized that the person next to me was extremely dangerous.

When she felt nervous, she came to her senses again.

On this cold winter night, with no one else around, if he harbored even the slightest ill intention, he would likely be in grave danger.

Then, a pair of beautiful eyes stared at the other person's cold and terrifying face.

"Young Master Zhou, are you deliberately trying to scare me?"

"I told the truth."

"So, do you have any ill intentions towards me?"

"Have."

Zhou Yi's expression changed to a smile: "You remind me of Yunnan, and you've whetted my appetite."

Shang Xiuxun finally realized that he was deliberately trying to scare people with his words.

He couldn't help but laugh in exasperation, kicking up snow from the roof and splashing it onto his legs.

Zhou Yi took two steps aside and gave a slight bow: "Miss Shang, I have other important matters to attend to, so I must take my leave now."

Before anyone could react, he turned and left after speaking.

Shang Xiuxun quickly advised:
"Stay for another half day, and I'll have someone prepare a feast tomorrow."

"Never mind, maybe next time."

Zhou Yi pointed around and said, "This was originally a charming courtyard in the Jiangnan style, but now it's a real eyesore. You also have injured people, so let's settle them in first."

"besides."

Zhou Yi turned his head and said as he walked, "Don't kill all of Zhang Shan'an's men. Let some go back so that Zuo Youxian knows that I killed Zhang Shan'an."

After saying that, he leaped into the air.

The white figure disappeared into the night.

Shang Xiuxun chased after him to the spot where he had just leaped, but there wasn't a single footprint in the snow, as if he had never been there before.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he shouted into the night sky:

"Young Master Zhou, I am Shang Xiuxun. Come to Pegasus Ranch sometime, and I'll treat you to Yunnan sweet wine!"

This person left so quickly, without even leaving a name.

Shang Xiuxun was both frustrated and angry. She had never met anyone like him before. She was filled with anxiety, wondering if he had heard her.

suddenly
In the pitch-black night sky, a sound focused into a line and entered her ears.

"South of the pastures, the direction of my heart."

In an instant, her phoenix eyes curved into crescents, and a smile appeared on her beautiful face. Having heard him say strange things about Emperor Wu of Han, she was now saying something else.

However, it seems he overheard it.

He should have been upset after encountering a major upheaval in Lujiang County.

But meeting such an interesting person made her feel a sense of anticipation.

But for some reason, looking towards Nanyang, I felt a faint sense of familiarity.

She shook her head and kicked Zhang Shan'an's body off the roof, where it crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

You scoundrel!

Before long, Nan Chaohu Manor became completely quiet. Many thieves were killed while fleeing for their lives, but the manor was too large and open in all directions, so some people still managed to escape.

Another half hour passed, and it was the middle of the night.

The lakeside village finally quieted down completely.

The two stewards, Liu Zongdao and Liang Zhi, are no longer in a hurry to return to the ranch.

Zhang Shan'an's body lay in the courtyard.

The leader of Lujiang County died so simply and decisively.

With the bandit leader dead, most of the top fighters were also dead, and they were no longer in danger in Lujiang County.

"Master, did that Young Master Zhou leave his identity?"

Old Xu couldn't help but ask.

"No, he killed Zhang Shan'an and then left."

Didn't you ask?

"did not ask."

Old Xu thought to himself, what a pity, this was such an extraordinary person.

Liu Zongdao squatted down and took the broken sword from Zhang Shan'an's hand. They had seen Zhang Shan'an's sword aura before.

The chipped edge of the broken sword was so smooth and even that it was hard to believe.

"I have traveled all over the country for so many years, but I have never heard of such a person as Master Zhou."

Unfortunately, Liang Zhi was standing next to him.

If it were Chen Ruiyang from the Dangyang caravan, not only could he answer his questions, but they could chat about this matter from tonight until tomorrow night.

Liang Zhi stroked his chin: "I can't figure it out either."

"However, among the masters who have made a move in front of me, his skills are number one. Even the most famous martial arts masters in the world are no match for him."

After a moment of silence, Shang Xiuxun suddenly said, "South of the colorful clouds."

Liang Zhi's expression hardened: "What sect is that? Could it be a genius from the Yunnan Sect?"

"Not a genius, but a sweet wine."

Shang Xiuxun said earnestly, "Send someone to Yunnan. I want the most authentic sweet wine. Steward Liang, you are the fastest at getting things done. I'm entrusting this matter to you."

Liang Zhi gladly accepted the order.

He knew that this must be related to that young master Zhou.

He was the one who mentioned Emperor Wu of Han.

However, considering the kindness shown to them, it was not appropriate to complain at this point.

The following day, Shang Xiuxun left some people to clean and repair the manor, while the rest returned to the ranch.

Before they had gone far from Lujiang County, Zhou Yi had already arrived at Hefei, the county seat of Lujiang County.

The Fan family mansion is easy to find.

Zhang Shan'an had usurped the mansion, and the entire house was filled with his men. However, last night, all the experts were out, and the guards at home were lax, allowing him to enter as if the house were empty.

The mansion was in perfect order, indicating that no news had been sent back.

Zhou Yi was much faster than the group that stormed into the lake village.

We were worried about people like Fan Wenchu, so we decided to take the initiative.

Deep within the mansion was a small pond. Turning a pillar beside the pond revealed a secret passage leading to the bottom of the pond.

At the bottom of the secret passage was another stone door. Following Fan Wenchu's instructions, a stubborn rock was twisted, and the stone door to the secret chamber immediately opened.

The interior was adorned with jewels and treasures, a truly delightful sight.

Fortunately, the place wasn't very big, and after a little searching, we found a small wooden box with a tiger-head lock on it.

He cleaved the lock with a single sword stroke.

Inside were two booklets, one titled "Zi Wu Gang" and the other "Ren Bing Sword Technique".

found it!
This is the most treasured secret manual of the Daoist lineage, passed down from the Dao Ancestor.

Zuo Youxian's apprentice didn't learn any skills, but he did keep the secret manuals well.

A copy is enough.

Zhou Yi was in a good mood and carefully put the two books away from his body.

Seeing that there were many good things inside, and that he couldn't carry them all, Zhou Yi turned around and left the secret room, tearing the bed sheet into pieces and packing them into a bundle.

They would rather have gold than silver, and they would rather have jade than jade.

Bring along a pair of jade ruyi scepters, as well as ancient books from Louguan on both sides. The superior strategy is called "Xuanyi," and the inferior strategy is called "Faxian." These are side books from Louguan during the Western Zhou Dynasty and are not considered part of the main records.

In other words, these were the insights and reflections of the master and disciple after reading the ancient books of Louguan.

Zhou Yi brought them all along, without missing a single one.

In a corner of the secret room, I saw Gu Kaizhi's famous works "Yu the Great Taming the Flood" and "Boating".

This is good stuff, Mr. Zhang the Great Philanthropist.

Why isn't there a picture of "The Goddess of the Luo River"?

Zhou Yi searched carefully but still found nothing. It was a pity; if he had this picture, it would have been perfect to give it to Little Phoenix.

Sweep through the treasures hidden in the secret chamber.

Zhou Yi closed the stone door, gathered his energy into a powerful aura, and carved eight large characters.

“An unjust army is a band of thieves.”

This will definitely drive Old Master Zuo crazy.

You're the one who disgusted me by messing with the Langya thief.

After doing all this, Zhou Yi left the Fan family mansion.

He carried a large bundle on his back and walked arrogantly down the main street of Luzhou.

His pockets were also filled with large amounts of silver, which jingled loudly.

I bought a gourd of Luzhou Laojiu (a type of Chinese liquor) from a roadside vendor and drank it as I walked, feeling carefree and relaxed.

Passing through impoverished areas on the outskirts of the city, he found the noise of the money in his pocket too loud.

He broke off large pieces of silver and tossed them haphazardly into the windows of the poor households on either side.

As the saying goes, everyone has their own unique talents, and even if you spend all your money, it will come back again.
As he walked, his bag grew lighter, and suddenly a gust of wind blew it away. Carrying his bundle, he walked faster and faster, laughing heartily. In front of the city gate of Luzhou, he threw away the empty wine gourd and strode out of the city.

The city gate guards sensed something was amiss and stepped forward to stop him.

Zhou Yi leaped onto the city wall in a few strides, soaring high and far that people could only watch from afar, and horses could not catch up.

No matter how many people were in charge of Lujiang, they couldn't stop him.

Soon after, chaos broke out in the city, and news of Zhang Shan'an, the Zhang Dalongtou, dying in Chaohu spread far and wide.

That night, someone escaped back and brought the news with them.

The man who killed Zhang Dalong descended from the night sky, dressed in flowing white robes, his face obscured.

Witnesses also witnessed the seven top experts of the Zhang family being beheaded with a single sword strike!
When many people in Lujiang County heard this, they were secretly delighted and rejoiced.

These messages circulated for several days.

There are rumors circulating in Qingliu that the seven notorious bandits who had dominated Langya for years were all slaughtered by the Grand Commander of Jianghuai!
When the two pieces of information matched, they both indicated that it was a young man in white.

In no time, the discussions were unstoppable.
On the winter solstice of the eleventh year of the Daye era, Zhang Shan'an died at Chaohu Lake on the ninth day.

A loud explosion rang out in front of the Fan family's secret chamber!

The stone gate collapsed, and the eight characters carved by Zhou Yi turned into dust.

"Ancestor, this is the message we received."

A man in martial arts attire didn't dare to raise his head.

In front of him stood a strange man dressed in a brown-gray Taoist robe.

"read."

"Yes."

"The Grand Commander of Jianghuai roamed north of the Yangtze River, beheading fifteen major bandits, sweeping through Langya, and subduing Luzhou."

……

(End of this chapter)