Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 132 Breaking Through the Moonlit Barrier and Charging into a Multitude of Troops! (Happy Dragon Boat Festival!)
Ancient cypress trees lined the path of Wolong Mountain, and two figures emerged from a bend in the mountain.

The two men pulled the horses down to the foot of the mountain, one in front of the other.

Lou Ruodan walked slower and slower, and Chen Ruiyang turned around to urge her: "Hurry up, we need to get things settled in Nanyang as soon as possible, we'll set off in two days."

Lou Ruodan stroked her chin thoughtfully, without saying a word.

Chen Ruiyang shrugged: "You were more decisive than me when we were climbing the mountain, so why are you so hesitant now? Since the abbot has already agreed, what else is there to think about?"

"I'm thinking"

Lou Ruodan revealed a troubled expression: "The ranch owner is already in a state of confusion. If this person comes to the ranch, won't the ranch owner's mind be even more confused?"

"Hey, how come someone as smart as you can't tell what's important at a time like this?"

Chen Ruiyang said decisively:

"Right now, the area around Jingling is in chaos, so who has time to worry about the women's feelings? Besides, they have close private correspondence and their relationship is better than you think. You're just worrying unnecessarily. The only thing I'm worried about is that we didn't listen to the owner."

However, the owner of the monastery will most likely not hold it against us; on the contrary, he'll appreciate our kindness. I suspect the owner is being hypocritical and actually really wants Master Yi to come and help. At this time, we lack someone to rely on, and in my opinion, no one is more reliable than the one on the mountain.

Last year in Nanchaohu Village, it was this same person who helped me.

Lou Ruodan nodded and looked Chen Ruiyang up and down: "The way you talk is almost the same as those matchmakers."

She gestured towards Wolong Mountain: "Do you think they're a good match?"

Chen Ruiyang scoffed, "I'm just speaking based on my feelings."

Lou Ruodan cautiously said, "I advise you not to make things up, or you might get punished by having to sweep horse manure. His identity is special, and the ranch has ancestral rules that cannot be violated. The ranch owner probably just treats him as a friend, similar to how he treats the Li family and those people."

Chen Ruiyang turned his head away after hearing this, too lazy to refute.

He kept delivering letters, fruit, chickens, ducks, and seafood. Is this a friend like Li Fa?
"Boss, I advise you to first understand your relationship with your single brother."

Before Chen Ruiyang could finish speaking, a whip cracked, and the horse beside him reared up and neighed, pulling him forward at breakneck speed.

"Look, you're in a hurry again."

Just as I was about to complain a bit more, the horse, in pain, buckled, so I had no choice but to follow its lead and ride towards the city.

More than half an hour after the two left, Zhou Yi also went from Wuzhuang Temple to Nanyang City.

He first met Yang Zhen and told him that he was going out.

Yang Dalong told him to go without worry, since he had been staying on the mountain these days and things were quite peaceful in the city.

Next, they went to see Chen Laomou to inquire about the situation in Jiangnan.

As soon as I entered the fan shop, I saw a familiar face.

"Tianshi!"

Having not seen each other for a long time, Bu Tianzhi's voice was filled with excitement as he greeted them with clasped hands.

Zhou Yi reached out to help him up and led him with a smile to the inner room where they could talk.

"Brother Bu, have you come here to deliver some important message?"

Old Chen said, "Chief Bu delivering the message was just a side effect; there's actually another plan."

Bu Tianzhi's expression turned serious:
"Yang Guang is about to descend upon Jiangdu. I will infiltrate Jiangdu and use the Dugu family's connections to deal with the various forces heading south."

Zhou Yi said, "There is someone you could try to contact."

"who is it?"

"He is Fan Zigai's son, Fan Wenchao, the elder brother of Fan Wenchu, the prefect of Lujiang. He is currently working under Yuwen Huaji."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Bu Tianzhi's expression changed slightly: "The Yuwen family and the Dugu family are enemies in Jiangnan. For someone of my status to contact Yuwen Huaji's people would be extremely risky. I wonder to what extent I can communicate with this person?"

Zhou Yi understood his doubts: "Before you go to Jiangdu, go to Luzhou and find Fan Wenchu. He knows more about his brother's situation."

"it is good!"

Bu Tianzhi was meticulous in his work and immediately fell into deep thought.

Old Chen held a letter from the Jianghuai region in his hand:
"The strategist Xu and his men have already made arrangements, ceding Anyi City, which borders the Han Canal, to them. They not only allowed Yang Guang's ships to sail south, but also withdrew their troops to consolidate their power and increase the prestige of his imperial entourage. Yu Shiji, Pei Yun, and their ilk will soon be using this information to exchange for rewards."

Having suffered two defeats in two battles, Lai Zheng dares not attack again. Yuchi Sheng is currently only defending Jiangdu; if we consolidate our forces, this battle will not escalate. Send the Xiaoguo Army to Jiangdu and let them fight it out themselves.”

Zhou Yi took out the letter and read it once.

Although Yang Guang left Jiangdu ahead of schedule, this variable was still brought under control, and Gongsun Shangzhe's defeat was crucial.

The Jianghuai Army established its prestige in one battle, and the Xiaoguo Army dared not attack the city, so they could only obediently escort Yang Guang.

If they don't start a war, Lin Shihong, Li Zitong, Shen Faxing, and others will have no chance to reap the benefits.

Fortunately, he had people like Xu Xingzhi and Pharmacist Du; otherwise, the affairs of Jianghuai alone would have been enough to exhaust him.

Seeing Zhou Yi put the letter down, Chen Laomou smiled and said:
"Can the Celestial Master set a date for our trip to the Pegasus Ranch?"

"the day after tomorrow."

"Should we mobilize manpower from both sides of the Huai River?"

Zhou Yi shook his head: "I'm just visiting to enjoy the scenery of the ranch. There's no need for such a big fuss. Pegasus Ranch has plenty of manpower."

Chen Laomou suddenly said:
“Some people from Wagangzhai are also heading south, probably to the Pegasus Ranch.”

Zhou Yi became interested: "Is he one of Li Mi's men?"

“Our people have difficulty moving around in Xingyang, so the information we’ve gathered is incomplete. We’ve heard that Xu Shiji is leading the group. If that’s really him, then he’s naturally part of Li Mi’s faction.”

Just to be on the safe side, Mr. Chen would like to offer a word of caution:
"The Celestial Master must be careful in all things."

Zhou Yi nodded in agreement and then inquired about the Dugu family's situation in Jiangdu.

Bu Tianzhi and Chen Laomou exchanged a glance, understanding each other's unspoken meaning.

Let's start with Dugu Ba and Dugu Sheng. One liked to frequent brothels and theaters, while the other was led by the nose by the Yuwen clan.

Then, when we mention Dugu Ce, Yun, the leader of the Kun Gang, was also with him in Jiangdu.

After that, they talked about many things related to Dugu Feng.

Miss Feng was a secret figure within the Dugu family and was not publicized. If the Giant Kun Gang had not openly sided with the Dugu clan, they would not have been able to obtain so much information.

I noticed that one of the Taoist masters was listening attentively, and he occasionally smiled.

The two shrewd individuals couldn't help but exchange a glance.
For the next two days, Zhou Yi stayed in the small courtyard on the east side of the Nanyang Gang's residence.

He paints with a Uyghur girl and silently observes two young Taoist boys practicing their skills.

During the time he was in seclusion, the three of them would occasionally come up the mountain to visit him.

Aruina, in particular, often brought him food and drink, so he wasn't too sad to part with her when he went to Jingling this time.

The 97th day of the Longxing calendar.

The caravan of thirty-seven people from Dangyang left Nanyang County one after another.

At midday, the sun blazed fiercely.

Traveling under the blazing sun in the middle of summer is unbearable; even the slightest movement causes profuse sweating.

Therefore, some people would wear protective gear to ward off the dust and wind.

Zhou Yi followed in the caravan, with Chen Ruiyang and Lou Ruodan leading the way.

He changed his clothes, with a long sword at his waist and dressed in a blue robe. There were at least a dozen other people in the caravan dressed similarly to him, all wearing wide blue bamboo hats that could block out the sun, and by lowering their heads slightly, they could block their view.

From a distance, it is not conspicuous at all, blending perfectly into the caravan.

After traveling for a while, not only the burly man behind Zhou Yi, but even Lou Ruodan, who was wearing a black veil under her hat, was covered in sweat.

Zhou Yi was different; he possessed an aura of frost and coldness.

No matter how hot it was outside, he could feel cool all over after breathing in the air.

Therefore, after walking a hundred or eighty li, his condition was no different from when he left the city.

Lou Ruodan and Chen Ruiyang had traveled all over the country for many years and noticed his unusual behavior at a glance, but they didn't find it strange.

Zhou Yi didn't have to worry about any miscellaneous matters along the way, and he could even meditate and cultivate during the team's rest periods.

Since they weren't selling anything, the group's pace wasn't slow.

However, due to the fierce fighting between rebel forces and bandits in the Hannan area of ​​Xiangyang, they detoured to Chunling County and then headed south.

Pegasus Ranch is located in Nanjun, which is right next to Jingling County to the west.

They traveled south from Chunling County, but were harassed by several groups of bandits who damaged the wooden bridges and plank roads, causing them to lose some time. Five days later, they passed through the small path on Dahong Mountain and entered Jingling County.

This is south of Xiangyang, in the lower reaches of the Han River.

Zhou Yi's influence was mostly concentrated along the banks of the Huai River, but his words no longer carried much weight in this area.

Fortunately, Pegasus Ranch was a local power, and once it made its name known, it could pass through county and prefecture cities without any hindrance.

Before sunset, the group rode their horses at breakneck speed and finally saw the city walls.

On the city gate tower are the two ancient characters “Fenchuan”.

"We'll rest in the city tonight, and we'll arrive in Jingling City tomorrow."

Lou Ruodan glanced at Zhou Yi as she spoke, wanting to hear his opinion.

"I will naturally follow the arrangements of the two leaders."

After listening to Zhou Yi's explanation, Chen Ruiyang saw the tight security at the city gate. Knowing the situation in Jingling, he wasn't surprised.

He dismounted and went forward to deliver the message.

Several men in black, who were leaning against the city wall, straightened up as if they recognized them and ran up to greet them.

The man in the lead was about forty-five or forty-six years old, with a short beard.

He glanced at the caravan members with a friendly expression, paying no attention to Zhou Yi in the crowd, and smiled:

"Are you a friend from Pegasus Ranch?"

"Exactly."

Chen Ruiyang looked the man up and down, and although he didn't find him familiar, he still responded.

Considering the ranch's relationship within Fenchuan, he guessed:

"Is your friend from the Dongfen faction?"

The Dongfen faction is a powerful force within Fenchuan, and it has good relations with the ranch.

Upon hearing this name, the man's face stiffened, and fear appeared on his face: "The people of the Dongfen Sect are mostly dead. The sect leader, Dou Mi, has been beheaded. My name is Hu Liangcai. I work for the government. I am here waiting for my friends from the Flying Horse Ranch because the county magistrate instructed me to."

"What did you say?"

Lou Ruodan and the others also came over, her face full of suspicion:
How come I didn't know anything about the Dongfen faction?

The man said, "You must have just returned to Jingling. This incident happened less than three days ago, and the body of Sect Leader Dou is still inside the sect."

What he said is most likely true.

Chen Ruiyang had a bad feeling: "Do you know who did it?"

"I don't know."

"Does Brother Hu have any news about the ranch?"

The man smiled and said, "Don't worry, the ranch is doing very well. I've heard it's been getting a lot of visitors lately."

"Inns in the city are in high demand, let me make arrangements for you."

Chen Ruiyang nodded, and then heard a young voice come from the group: "Excuse me, Brother Hu, why did the magistrate ask you to wait for us here? Is there anything else he instructed you to do?"

"That's not true."

Hu Liangcai scratched his head and said, "It was arranged by General Feng Ge of Jingling County. Since the death of Master Fang, the county magistrate has been under General Feng's command."

Lou Ruodan nodded to Zhou Yi.

Hu Liangcai witnessed this scene and couldn't help but take a closer look at the young man wearing the blue hat.

"Good work!"

Chen Ruiyang cupped his hands in greeting, and the group followed behind Hu Liangcai.

Everyone entered the city from the north and then headed west.

Hu Liangcai was right. There were a lot of martial arts practitioners moving around in the city, so the inns and hotels must be in high demand. Finally, they came to a relatively secluded place, where a row of three-story houses was called Fuxinglou.

This area is close to an inland river and is planted with willows.

Hu Liangcai was familiar with the place, and as soon as he made a message, the shopkeeper inside became extremely enthusiastic.

Several smooth, large stones were placed at the entrance of the inn, and five or six men dressed in short clothes were shaking off the heat while holding up their clothes.

A little further out, there was a man around thirty years old carrying a long sword. He was handsome, dressed like a scholar, with a small mustache, and a cold expression. He was gently waving a plain fan.

There was another guy lying next to him, short and stocky with a bulbous nose.

He was wearing only his underwear, holding a stick, and fast asleep.

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the scholar, and they made eye contact.

They looked away as soon as their eyes met, ignoring each other.

Before long, the guest rooms were arranged. Lou Ruodan saw Hu Liangcai off, and Chen Ruiyang led Zhou Yi up the wooden stairs to the second floor, where they chose a room with good ventilation by the window.

Outside, cicadas chirped loudly in the tall willows, their calls restless and incessant, their strength exhausted yet unending.

"Brother Chen, are you very familiar with Feng Ge of Jingling City?"

"I'm somewhat familiar with him. Ever since the two masters of Duba Manor died, Jingling City has relied on Feng Ge for stability. He's old and was a general in the Sui Dynasty. He's highly respected and popular."

"So, the army in Jingling is currently under the command of this old general?"

"Not entirely. There's another one named Qian Yun, who was originally a general under the manor lord Fang Zetao. Before the manor lord died, he was Feng Ge's superior. Qian Yun also led an army, with about 20,000 men."

Judging from Chen Ruiyang's expression, the situation was complicated.

These two are mostly fighting, each wanting to become the new overlord of Jingling.

No matter how close the Pegasus Ranch is, it's still in Nanjun. Besides, they're just doing business, and they have no say in who's the big boss in Jinglingjun.

Zhou Yi pondered for a while.

The Dangyang horse caravan had been away from the pasture for a long time, and the news was outdated.

Most of the intelligence obtained from Lou and Chen along the way will be rendered useless.

When we ate dinner in the evening, it was already too late, so we just ate a few bites.

Zhou Yi ate while lost in thought, so he ate slowly and didn't even finish his meal.

The mall owner owes me for this meal.

He went back inside to meditate and practice his martial arts, ignoring the commotion outside.

More than an hour later, it was completely dark.

Not long after Zhou Yi fell asleep, he suddenly opened his eyes and sniffed a strange odor.

That's right. It's a sleeping potion.

Those with internal strength have a strong resistance to this type of fragrance, but it also distracts them, preventing them from exerting their full strength in combat.

Zhou Yi heard a faint footstep and slipped out of the room.

By the light of the two candles lit in the inn, a man could be seen standing in the lobby on the first floor.

The man didn't hear anything, but when he looked up, he was terrified.

Suddenly, a figure appeared on the second floor.

He squinted and recognized the young man from the Dangyang caravan.

"Brother Hu, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

Hu Liangcai, holding a gleaming steel knife, said, "Do you believe I wandered into this place in a dream?"

Zhou Yi nodded slightly: "I believe you."

"Oh?"

Hu Liangcai was taken aback, then heard him say, "Actually, I'm having a dream right now. Also, I often kill people in my dreams."

Hu Liangcai heard a loud chorus of footsteps all around him and couldn't help but laugh:

"Hahaha, you're something else, kid. You're making your grandpa laugh even before you die. I'll use less force with this blade and leave you a whole corpse."

Zhou Yi spoke without lowering his voice, and Lou Ruodan, Chen Ruiyang, and others had already woken up.

A strange noise came from inside Fuxinglou.

Hu Liangcai's laughter stopped abruptly because the figure that was on the second floor suddenly flashed to the stairs.

In a flash, the figure appeared between the first and second floors, and then in another flash, it arrived in the lobby.

I couldn't see his footsteps moving, and my eyes felt a kind of disorientation.

It's like seeing a ghost in the middle of the night.

His hair stood on end, and he shouted, "Playing tricks? Go to hell!"

Hu Liangcai swung his sword, and the blade slashed with a sharp sound. The force surged and made a strange trembling noise. No matter what kind of monsters or demons you were, this strike was powerful and heavy, aimed straight at your throat.

But the blade's momentum was only halfway through when it suddenly stopped.

Hu Liangcai bit his lip until it bled, and kept trying to break the blade, but it remained motionless. Two fingers were clamping down on the tip of the blade.

He looked closely and immediately broke out in a cold sweat. "How much less force did you use?"

Zhou Yi frowned: "Didn't you eat dinner?"

"what--!"

Hu Liangcai roared in fury, gripping the knife with both hands and pressing it down desperately.

"Who sent you? Tell me, and I'll kill you with just a fraction of my strength. If your neck is tough enough, I might be able to leave you with a whole corpse."

"It was Feng Ge from Jingling City who sent me to kill you!"

He looked up and roared, "Come quick, kill this brat first!"

With that roar, blood spurted from the tiger's mouth of both hands, and the knife was snatched away.

Hu Liangcai wanted to shout again, but no sound came out when he opened his mouth.

It turns out that his head flew off and his neck was leaking air, so no matter how capable he was, he couldn't speak.

At this moment, shouts of battle came from all around, and the Dangyang caravan members had drawn their weapons.

Hu Liangcai's head flew through the air, meeting Chen Ruiyang and Lou Ruodan's gazes. Before his head even hit the ground, it was grabbed by someone.

He was a young Confucian scholar, holding a long sword.

The short man snatched the head from the scholar's hand and frowned, saying:
"Brother Hu, look at you, so mediocre, what are you trying to claim credit for? Now that you're dead, I, Zhu, will take care of your concubines for you."

While he was rambling on, the Confucian scholar beside him had already drawn his sword.

The sharp sword energy, like moonlight, splashed out, instantly shattering the pine wood table, which was more than three palms thick.

The sword energy pierced through the broken wood, shattering an afterimage.

Seeing this, the scholar suddenly retreated and returned to the short man's side before Zhou Yi could make a move.

"Brother Jie, you only used one of your thirty-eight sword techniques. Why didn't you follow up with the next move?"

The scholar stared at Zhou Yi and said in a low voice, "This is a tricky idea."

Upon hearing the sound, the short man tossed Hu Liangcai's head aside and focused all his attention on his staff.

Zhou Yi glanced at them a few more times. If the two were separated, he might not even recognize them. But upon hearing the thirty-eight sword techniques, he suddenly understood:

"So they were Xiao Xian's men."

The man who wields the eyebrow-level staff is called Zhu Zhong, also known as Niulang. He created the Niulang 108 Staff Techniques, which can be used at will and are ever-changing.

The scholar-swordsman with him must be the scholar-swordsman in plain clothes, Jie Fengge, who is known as the number one swordsman among the younger generation in the South for his thirty-eight moves of the Hidden Moon Sword Technique.

"Do it!"

Zhu Zhong stopped joking and, with a low shout, Jie Fengge immediately drew his sword.

Then several more whooshing sounds came from the surrounding area!

"kill!"

Four burly men and two beautiful women drew their weapons and charged forward.

Zhou Yi dodged the sword thrusting towards his chest, pinched the sword tip with two fingers, and used his inner energy to instantly make the sword, which was imbued with the woman's true energy, lose its flexibility and could no longer protect the weapon.

The woman was jolted back as if electrocuted when the sword broke.

"Wha~!!"

The sound of the sword tip cutting through the wind was even faster than her retreat; it pierced right through her heart, and the remaining force carried her as she crashed into the wooden door.

Five sharp weapons, each carrying a strong wind, slashed down. Instead of retreating, Zhou Yi advanced, his figure swaying as he dodged the weapons and leaped into the enemy formation.

He leaned his back against someone, who then punched Zhou Yi in the forehead.

Before the fist could even touch flesh, it was suddenly deflected by the force and struck the air above the shoulder.

He missed his target and was sent flying, crashing into a broken doorpost where he was pierced through.

Zhou Yi raised his foot and kicked the third person in the abdomen. The person screamed and his back exploded, his clothes bursting open, and he was thrown far away amidst the shredded cloth in the room.

The cowherd and the scholar in plain clothes were also taken aback!
In the blink of an eye, three of their masters had died. Knowing they had encountered a formidable enemy, one unleashed his staff technique, while another drew his Moon-Concealing Sword.

The two were far more skilled than the others; the Cowherd's 108 staff techniques were so numerous that they obscured the sword light.

This gave the scholar in plain clothes an excellent opportunity to make his move.

The sharp sword energy was hidden behind the shadow of the staff. They attacked together, and Zhou Yi grabbed the second woman and threw her backward.

The scholar in plain clothes paid no heed to his pale-faced companion and killed him with a single sword stroke.

The sword energy continued unabated, chasing after Zhou Yi once more.

The Cowherd's staff technique continued unabated, and the two became increasingly agitated, the force of their staff and sword strikes sending splinters flying from the surrounding tea tables and benches.

The remaining two companions were eager to retreat.

Zhou Yi spread his legs and kicked each person in mid-air.

Seeing his companion kicked away and his fate unknown, the Cowherd was not worried but happy, shouting, "Now's the time!"

How could Jie Feng not know!
A flash of white light appeared on the sword, like dark clouds moving away from the moon, almost bringing the essence of the Moon-Covering Sword Technique, the One Sword Clear Radiance, to its extreme!
With the sword at his side, Niulang swept his staff like raindrops, densely blocking all of Zhou Yi's landing points.

To their utter surprise, Zhou Yi leaped through the air as he landed, landing with one foot in mid-air.

Zhou Yi learned the method of contracting his strength, allowing the surrounding energy to condense.

This misstep caused a spatial ripple, like stepping on water and creating waves.

The feeling of having something stolen from you is enough to drive you insane.

The cowherd's eyes widened in disbelief; he simply couldn't understand how this was done.

Jie Fengge's sword flashed past Zhou Yi, but missed its mark. Niu Lang's shoulder slumped, and his staff technique stopped.

Zhou Yi's feet were placed on the shoulders of the cowherd.

"Senior, is it possible to reconcile?"

Niu Lang gripped his staff, his voice trembling slightly: "It was Prince Liang, Xiao Xian, who sent me here to do some small work. Tonight, we're killing people here, all under the command of Xiang Yushan from the Baling Gang. They're cooperating with the Four Great Bandits."

I received five hundred taels from this transaction, which I can give entirely to you, senior.

"If I had known you were here, I would never have come even for ten thousand taels of silver."

Where is Xiangyushan?

"It should be inside Jingling City."

Zhou Yi then asked, "Do you have 100,000 gold coins?"

"without"

Before the cowherd could utter another word, he was stepped on on the forehead and fell backward.

"who are you?"

Jie Fengge drew his sword again, his breathing somewhat heavy: "There is no one like you at Pegasus Ranch."

Zhou Yi didn't intend to answer, so Jie Fengge continued:
"You are also a swordsman, why do you keep drawing your sword? My Thirty-Eight Moves of the Hidden Moon Sword Technique is unparalleled, with few rivals. If you are a master swordsman, then let me see your swordsmanship. Even if I die, I will have no regrets."

He added after speaking, "The Four Great Bandits and Xiao Xian are preparing to attack the Pegasus Ranch, and they have also contacted the Pushan Public Camp."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi drew his sword.

Jie Fengge's veins bulged, and he immediately used all the sword skills he had learned in his life to the limit. His sword energy was like a dark cloud blocking the moon, enveloping all the moonlight.

However.
A cyan shadow flashed by in the dim firelight, its fiery arc piercing through the Moon-Concealing Sword's momentum before disappearing in an instant, swallowed by the scabbard.

After Zhou Yi sheathed his sword, the crisp sound of Jie Fengge's longsword breaking suddenly rang out.

Clang!

The broken sword fell to the ground.

Zhou Yi turned and left: "It's actually very easy to break your Moon-Concealing Sword Technique. Just cut through the dark clouds, and they will no longer be able to block out the moon."

Jie Feng muttered to himself, "That makes sense."

With a single strike of the broken sword, he severed his heart meridian.

At this moment, Jie Fengge already knew who the person in front of him was.

West of Qingliu, the Grand Commander of Jianghuai defeated Zuo Youxian, the master of demonic swordsmanship, with a single sword strike.

Zuo Youxian also suffered a crushing defeat in one move, and so did I.
In fact, I drew my sword more times than Zuo Youxian.
Jie Fengge was the only one among the nine who died who had a smile on his face.

Having figured out where this group came from, Zhou Yi immediately joined the battle against the Dangyang caravan.

Although Lou Ruodan, Chen Ruiyang, and the others were ingested with the sleeping potion, they were still able to cope.

Because the most capable ones are all fast asleep.

As soon as Zhou Yi entered the battle, the balance immediately tilted in favor of the Dangyang caravan.

He approached the two gang leaders, and with a single move, someone would die. He could kill anyone with a single strike, without even using a sword.

Most of these thieves were of mediocre skill, only at the level of ordinary members of the Nanyang Gang.

Lou Ruodan and Chen Ruiyang stared in disbelief.

Zhou Yi simply used his movement technique to close the distance, and his opponent's weapons could not touch him. Then he swiftly attacked, using all his internal energy to strike the opponent's vital points.

The thieves in Fuxing Restaurant were quickly killed.

Among them were more than twenty dead people, without a drop of blood flowing and without any visible external injuries.

Before long, all the thieves in the several buildings were killed.

Lou and Chen tallied the casualties and immediately came over to express their gratitude.

"If the abbot were not present today, I'm afraid we would be in trouble."

Chen Ruiyang's words were interrupted by Zhou Yi:

"Let's put that aside for now. Think about whether you should take a detour. Is it even possible to get to Jingling City? The people they sent out tonight were very well-timed. They know your background inside and out. It's clear they have spies all along the way."

Lou Ruodan glanced in the direction where the corpses of Niulang and Jie Fengge were located.

If Zhou Yi hadn't blocked these experts, things would have turned out exactly as he said.

“Let’s take a detour!”

Chief Lou made a decisive decision, and Chen Ruiyang nodded repeatedly in agreement.

They buried the people who had died on the ranch and then searched the bodies again for clues.

After a short rest, they left the inn that very night.

The moon wasn't very bright tonight. We picked up pine resin torches from around the corpses, lit them, and continued on our way.

After leaving the south of the city, head straight south, and once you've passed Jingling City, head west to Nanjun.

did not expect.
As soon as they left the city, they heard a great earthquake.

Both sides heard the sound of each other's horses' hooves. Not to mention Chen Ruiyang, even Zhou Yi's expression changed slightly.

A large number of people arrived from the southwest.

Judging from the looks of it, they came from the direction of Jingling City.

Even with Zhou Yi's high skill level, it would be impossible for him to deal with so many people.

Once a fight breaks out, everyone except him will surely die.

"go!"

Everyone turned their horses around, when suddenly a hurried shout came from afar: "Is that a friend from Pegasus Ranch!"

This is an old voice.

Lou Ruodan frowned but did not respond.

Standing on his horse, Zhou Yi turned and asked, "Who are you?"

He didn't need to shout, yet his voice carried farther than the old man's.

"My name is Feng Ge!"

Chen Ruiyang immediately said, "Master, beware of a trap!"

Hu Liangcai claimed to be Feng Ge's man; how could we believe him now?

Zhou Yi didn't beat around the bush. He waved for Lou Ruodan and the others to step back first, and said to the back:
"Today, someone at the city gate claimed to be General Feng's subordinate. Tonight, this same person spread sleeping potion and led a group of bandits to attack. We just fought back. How does General Feng explain this?"

At this moment, outside Fenchuan City.

An elderly man clad in armor paled. The middle-aged man beside him, holding a torch, whispered:

“General, even from this distance, this person’s voice sounds like it’s right next to your ear. He can control his aura to such an extent that he must be a master among masters.”

The veteran waved his hand to stop him and continued shouting:
“Friend, I have no ill intentions. I am here to clear up the misunderstanding. I have troops stationed here now. If you believe me, please come and meet me.”

After he finished speaking, the sound of horses' hooves stopped.

More than a thousand torches suddenly lit up outside the city, stretching like a long dragon.

Behind the torches, rows of long spears stood imposingly, a sea of ​​spears that even the grandmasters of the time feared.

"Guanzhu!"

Chen Ruiyang shouted urgently and, together with Lou Ruodan, spurred their horses back.

When they arrived at the city gate, they saw a man and a horse already leaving the city.

On the other side was a large army arrayed in formation.

The torches illuminated the tributary of the Ao River, and as far as the eye could see, there were heads everywhere, and it was impossible to tell how many people were secretly drawing their bows and arrows.

With friend and foe unclear, such a dangerous place is not a place for ordinary people to venture into.

Lou Ruodan watched as the man and horse were gradually illuminated by the torches, marveling at their grandeur. She couldn't help but turn to Chen Ruiyang and say, "The owner and him."

She sighed softly and didn't continue.

Chen Ruiyang knew exactly what she wanted to say, and if the occasion hadn't been inappropriate, he would have definitely wanted to chat a bit more.

At this moment, he could only stare intently at the location of Feng Ge's army.

"tatter"

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer and closer, finally reaching the front of the army formation.

General Feng and the others around him all looked on and saw that the newcomer was a handsome young man, but he was full of authority.

He charged into the enemy lines alone, his courage greater than the heavens.

The aura emanating from it at this moment was unmatched even by the former master of the manor who once dominated it.

The middle-aged man looked at Zhou Yi, knowing he was in great danger, and pulled Feng Ge away.

But the old general brushed his hand away, spurred his horse forward, and at the same time waved his hand, ordering all the soldiers under martial law to lay down their spears and bows.

"My name is Feng Ge."

Zhou Yi reined in his horse and stopped, his guard still high. Without introducing himself, he asked directly:

"General Feng, is Hu Liangcai your subordinate? Or are you a man of Prince Liang, Xiao Xian?"

"No."

Feng Ge did not get angry after being questioned; instead, he patiently explained:

"Master Fang once formed an alliance with the ranch, helping each other in Jingling and Nanjun. Although Master Fang is dead, the alliance remains. I hope that the two counties will be at peace and that we can work together to deal with the bandits."

Our scouts are stationed at the gates of Fenchuan City. They received intelligence today and guessed that the bandits intended to harm you, which is why they rushed here overnight.

Zhou Yi stared into the old man's eyes and thought it over again.

What Feng Ge said is mostly true.

"Thank you."

Zhou Yi cupped his hands in a fist salute, and Feng Ge returned the salute.

"Where is the thief now?"

"Those thieves are dead."

As the sound of horses' hooves grew louder, Chen Ruiyang and Lou Ruodan also led their men over.

Feng Ge said a few more words, and Lou and Chen cleared up the misunderstanding.

Feng Ge then looked Zhou Yi up and down, muttering to himself.

He couldn't recall the ranch having such a young expert, and tentatively asked:

"Are you from Pegasus Ranch, my friend?"

At this critical juncture, Chen Ruiyang, who was standing to the side, wanted to say "yes" after hearing this.

The ranch is in dire need of such a skilled worker.

Of course, he only thought about it and naturally didn't dare to agree.

However, Chen Ruiyang turned his head and looked.

As if hearing his thoughts, one of the Taoist priests nodded in agreement.
……

……

PS: ('-'*ゞ Happy Dragon Boat Festival, fellow book lovers!)

(End of this chapter)