Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 143 Inner Hall: Smoke and Clouds, Clear Light Sprinkling on the Sword
The more closely Dugu Ce examined the document, the more puzzled he became.

He was convinced that he did not know the scholar, but how could an outsider go into the inner hall?
My second uncle wasn't hosting a banquet; he was discussing confidential matters.

He turned to look at Dugu Feng.

He knew his younger sister's personality all too well, and had never heard of her having any dealings with any young scholar.

He muttered to himself, and Yun Yuzhen, who was standing next to him, also felt curious.

However, to her, the Dugu family was a prestigious lineage, and being brought into the inner hall by Young Master Ce was already an honor. Naturally, she didn't know as much about the internal affairs of this large family as Dugu Ce did.

Therefore, it wasn't too strange, just a surprise that someone I'd never seen before had suddenly appeared.

"Miss Feng."

As Yun Yuzhen greeted him, Young Master Ce's expression darkened, and he frowned as he walked towards Zhou Yi and the other two.

Among the third generation of the Dugu clan, he was not the eldest; he had two older brothers.

However, if we exclude the younger sister, who is an outlier, then his status is the highest.

My younger sister has amazing martial arts talent and is the apple of my grandmother's eye. She is the apple of her grandmother's eye and the one she raised herself, but it has no effect on him.

The family business should still be inherited by them.

Dugu Feng valued him highly, almost grooming him to be the next clan leader, so it was inevitable that he would be arrogant.

Yun Yuzhen had already greeted him, but the scholar ignored her completely.

Isn't that a bit impolite?

Young Master Ce strode away, exuding a certain imposing presence. He appeared to be in his late twenties, with a robust and imposing physique. His broad shoulders strained against his martial attire, which was emblazoned with tigers and leopards.

Unfortunately, his face was thin and he looked somewhat haggard, a result of his indulgence in wine and women.

"Little sister, who is this arrogant and rude fellow? I don't even recognize him."

After Dugu Ce finished asking, he noticed that his younger sister was glaring at him.

“Show some respect. Mr. Zhou was invited by my grandmother.”

Upon hearing the word "grandmother," Dugu Ce glanced at Zhou Yi. Although he was displeased, he didn't say anything more.

Suddenly, I heard my younger sister introducing herself as if no one else was around:
“This impetuous and arrogant person is my third brother, Dugu Ce. He always speaks like this. Mr. Zhou, please don’t take it to heart.”

Ok?
Dugu Ce felt offended.

"So it's Young Master Ce. I've heard the old lady mention him before. He is indeed a handsome and talented man."

Although it was said in good faith, Dugu Ce knew it was fake as soon as he heard it.

But I was too lazy to argue about it.

The people my grandmother sends usually have important business to attend to, so we must not disrupt her plans.

He can still distinguish between what is important and what is not.

As for your younger sister's sarcastic remarks, just ignore them.

After comforting himself, Dugu Ce gestured to Yun Yuzhen, who glanced at Zhou Yi again before heading towards the inner hall with him.

Seeing the girl's gentle expression, Zhou Yi winked at her, as if to say, 'I'm sorry you had to suffer.'

Zhou Yi smiled and shook his head.

He had already planned it out and didn't take it to heart.

It was even somewhat novel, as I had previously heard Chen Laomou mention Chief Yun and Dugu Ce.

I never expected to run into you in this kind of situation.

A sound like a gavel snapping came from the inner room. As the two entered the spacious and bright inner hall, another sound rang out, and the tea tray and the vase of flowers on the incense table next to Dugu Sheng all jumped up.

The old man was throwing a tantrum when he looked up and saw Dugu Feng approaching. He gestured for her to sit down.

Dugu Ce, who had entered earlier, was standing at this moment.

Zhou Yi sat to Dugu Feng's right and saw five unfamiliar faces, all of whom were the mansion's advisors and retainers.

"Who have you been dealing with lately?"

The old man stared at Dugu Ce, and seeing the anger on his face, Dugu Ce quickly said:

"Uncle, you are wise. I have always followed your instructions and have not done anything out of line!"

"Bullshit."

Dugu Sheng snorted coldly:
“If you did nothing, why would Pei Qiantong say to His Majesty that my Dugu family also colluded with rebels? His Majesty trusted me and did not pursue the matter, but Pei Qiantong said that you were drinking with the Bamboo Flower Gang in a brothel, which I think is undeniable.”

Empress Dugu Jialuo, wife of Emperor Wen of Sui, was the mother of Yang Guang, and the two families had an extremely close relationship.

Therefore, among Yang Guang's many skilled bodyguards, Dugu Sheng was the most trusted.

Upon hearing this, Dugu Ce's eyes widened in surprise. "I did drink with the Bamboo Flower Gang members. Could it be that they have also become rebels?"

"What do you think?"

Dugu Sheng grew angrier as he spoke: "You're out drinking and carousing, while I'm stuck in the palace cleaning up your messes!"

Dugu Ce cried out in protest: "I think Shao Lingzhou, the strategist of the Bamboo Flower Gang, is a talented man and I want to recruit him into my ranks."

"What use would it be to collect it?"

The old man grabbed the overturned teacup and took a sip haphazardly: "There are over 150,000 soldiers in Jiangdu right now. What trouble can a small Bamboo Flower Gang cause?"

Dugu Ce asked, "Is the Bamboo Flower Gang colluding with the rebels in Jianghuai?"

"No, it's Shen Faxing and Xiao Xian. Anyway, the situation is tense right now, and your third uncle is missing. Don't cause me any more trouble."

Dugu Sheng glared at him angrily, then gestured to Dugu Feng:
“Learn from my niece, and when you have free time, practice your skills more and avoid contact with these traitors.”

Dugu Feng glanced subtly to the side and saw someone nodding in agreement with Dugu Sheng's words. She couldn't suppress the smile on her lips and picked up her teacup, pretending to drink tea.

Dugu Ce sat down dejectedly, not daring to argue with his second uncle.

Suddenly, I saw my second uncle facing the young scholar: "I heard that Mother also gave me a message?"

Dugu Feng interrupted:
"Grandmother told Second Uncle to listen to advice and not to act arbitrarily as usual. His Majesty is now in Jiangdu, which is very different from the situation in Dongdu. The morale of the Xiaoguo soldiers is unstable, and a slight mistake could lead to a major disaster. Second Uncle is walking on thin ice. He cannot act recklessly just because His Majesty trusts him."

The tone of the lecture came from his mother, and Dugu Sheng was able to listen to it.

He glanced at Zhou Yi again, knowing that he was quite capable.

Since he could relay a message to his mother and had his niece's confirmation, he was trustworthy, and Zhou Yi's gaze became much more attentive.

Thinking of the Red Dust Steps he used this morning, I casually asked:

"Mr. Zhou, what would my mother possibly want you to come to Jiangdu for?"

"I don't have much talent, but I was entrusted by the old lady to do my best in Jiangdu, except to deliver letters and messages."

"In that case, let me tell you about a few troublesome matters."

The old man looked at Yun Yuzhen:
"Chief Yun, tell your men to keep a close eye on Xiangyun Tower and not miss any news related to Dugu Ba. I heard from several people from the Imperial Guard that they saw him going upstairs arm in arm with a voluptuous woman in a bright red dress."

Yun Yuzhen immediately nodded: "Of course I wouldn't dare to be negligent, but what about His Majesty?"

The last time Bu Tianzhi investigated Dugu Ba, the tavern was immediately shut down.

The seal was affixed by palace eunuchs, indicating that it was at the behest of Emperor Yang Guang. If the palace did not provide assistance, their efficiency would be greatly reduced.

Dugu Sheng looked puzzled: "Today I tried to ask him, but I felt that His Majesty was unwilling to mention this matter. You should investigate it secretly first."

Yun Yuzhen had no choice but to agree.

The advisors around him analyzed Dugu Ba's situation again and gave many suggestions on how to find him.

The people they mentioned involved many departments, including the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Household Department, and the Court of State Ceremonies.

One has to admire the power of the Dugu clan in the palace.

Whether the Sui Dynasty was at its peak or on the verge of collapse, if they wanted to contact various departments, many government offices would give them face.

Zhou Yi felt conflicted and puzzled by Yang Guang's attitude.

Logically speaking, from Yang Guang's perspective, there was no reason for the Dugu family to rebel, and judging from his behavior, he trusted the Dugu family very much.

After arriving in Jiangdu, Dugu Ba was transferred to the Left and Right Guards Office and became a General of the Vanguard.

He commanded the archers on both sides, and not only was he capable of wielding a sword, but he also led thousands of personal guards skilled in archery.

When Dugu Ba went missing, Yang Guang should have ordered people to search for him, so why did he instead create obstacles?
I haven't figured it out yet, but I heard several advisors come up with a bunch of ideas.

These people were very familiar with the various forces in Jiangdu. Some of their ideas were not particularly brilliant, but they gave him a clearer understanding of the relative power of each force.

Zhou Yi listened in the whole time, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

Little Phoenix seemed to ignore him, but as soon as he finished his tea, she casually picked up the clay teapot on the incense table and refilled his cup.

This scene was witnessed by the depressed young master Ce, who exclaimed inwardly in surprise.

But the younger sister's expression remained unchanged.

Looking at the scholar again, there was nothing ambiguous about him; he was just overthinking it.

He chuckled to himself, thinking, "How could that be?"

Thinking of his younger sister's martial arts talent, he admired her greatly. Recently, her strength had improved significantly, and her future achievements might surpass those of her grandmother, making her a new pillar of the Dugu family.

Fortunately, she wasn't born a man, otherwise, the next leader of the clan would have been a foregone conclusion long ago.

Unbeknownst to them, the conversation in the inner hall shifted from Dugu Ba to the Xiaoguo Army and the Yuwen Clan.

After listening to them talk about the ledger for a long time, Zhou Yi, who had been silent all along, found a suitable opening when they mentioned the deployment of troops.

"Is military power now in Yuwen Huaji's hands?"

Dugu Sheng shook his head: "After Yuwen Huaji came to Jiangdu, he did not command the army, but he could freely enter and leave the palace."

He continued:

"His Majesty's personal guards have all served me for many years, so there shouldn't be any problems. However, His Majesty is currently planning to build the Danyang Palace and shows no intention of returning to the capital. The Xiaoguo Army is somewhat unstable, and many of these guards come from Guanzhong. I can't guarantee whether they have developed any disloyal intentions."

Besides his personal guards, the garrison in Jiangdu itself was commanded by Yuchi Sheng. The Xiaoguo Army had several generals, including Sima Dekan, Pei Qiantong, Wuben Langjiang Yuanli, and Linghu Xingda. Sima Dekan was the most skilled in martial arts and commanded the most men.

He, along with myself, Yuwen Huaji, Yuwen Zhiji, and Pei Qiantong, form the five great bodyguards, usually leading the imperial guards to protect Your Majesty's safety.

When Dugu Sheng spoke of these things, a dignified expression appeared on his face.

In the capital, the old man would hold a very high position and great power.

However, Zhou Yi ignored his imposing manner and calmly said:

"Pei Qiantong just mentioned that Prince Ce has made friends with rebels. Yuwen Zhiji and Yuwen Huaji are both from the Yuwen clan. Not to mention Sima Dekan, three of the five guards are already at odds with us."

Although Yuwen Huaji does not command troops, Yuchi Sheng has always been on good terms with him. If the generals of the Xiaoguo Army also obey his orders, then the account books we have will not only fail to bring down the Yuwen clan, but will instead become a source of trouble.”

A staff member surnamed Du bluntly stated:
"Mr. Zhou, you flatter me. The Xiaoguo Army is not something the Yuwen Clan can mobilize."

Zhou Yi asked with a smile, "Then Pei Qiantong is also a general in the Xiaoguo Army. As a bodyguard, he had a fairly good relationship with us before. Now he suddenly criticizes us in front of His Majesty. Isn't that siding with the Yuwen Clan?"

The advisor surnamed Du frowned in thought, while the advisor surnamed Zeng beside him said:
"Mr. Zhou is merely speculating and does not actually understand the situation in the palace. If it were that dangerous, why would Imperial Censor Pei Yun speak up for the Second Master?"

Zhou Yi asked in a deep voice, "What kind of person is Pei Yun? He and Yu Shiji have been deceiving the higher-ups all along. How could he dare to expose the Yuwen Clan at this time?"

"This," the Zeng-surnamed staff member was also pondering.

At this moment, an old voice rang out from the head of the table: "Mr. Zhou, you may not know this, but Linghu Xingda of the Xiaoguo Army shares the same sentiments as Second Master. He is on good terms with Sima Dekan, which shows the sentiments of the Xiaoguo Army."

The man who spoke was named Lü Hanxing, one of the Eight Scholars of Luoyang.

This message was kept rather secret. Although Zhou Yi had never heard of it, it didn't stop him from knowing what kind of person Linghu Xingda was.

He then shook his head repeatedly:

"Mr. Lü should change his perspective. This Linghu Xingda is probably the same kind of person as Pei Yun."

The fourth advisor, surnamed Xing, asked, "In Mr. Zhou's opinion, how should we use the funds allocated to overthrow the Yuwen Clan?"

Zhou Yi pointed to the candlestick on the cabinet in the inner hall: "Burn it."

"Hey! How could this be!"

The last advisor, Sang Xin, with the longest beard, stood up, slapped his palm with the back of his hand, and said to Zhou Yi, "Then all our arrangements will have been in vain."

Zhou Yi said indifferently:
"This ledger was brought back by Dugu Ba, and now that he has disappeared, it is clear that the ledger itself is problematic. Moreover, the Yuwen Clan has already discovered this matter. Right now, we should not be thinking about the ledger or who to bring down, but rather how to survive in this chaotic situation."

If the Xiaoguo army were to rebel, which force in the city could resist them?

Although the staff members were surprised and suspicious, they were also thinking about it seriously.

Dugu Sheng stared intently at Zhou Yi, gradually understanding why his mother had summoned him here.

If his words truly come true, then...
Thinking of this, Dugu Sheng felt a chill run down his spine.

If an ordinary person said this, given his temperament, he probably wouldn't believe it. But how could he ignore his mother sending someone at such a crucial moment?!

The old man dared not be stubborn, and for the time being, he regarded Zhou Yi as his external brain, and asked for advice:
"What plan do you have, sir?"

All the advisors looked at him, and at this moment, they saw that the scholar was as if he had seen a lot of big scenes, and remained calm and composed.

The clear voice spoke slowly and deliberately: "Zhang Xutuo and You Hongda have been taken to Yangzi County by Yuchi Shengzhi. We should find a way to lure them back to Jiangdu."

After hearing this, Dugu Sheng drank several sips of tea, looking hesitant.

"What are your concerns?"

Lu Hanxing said, "Sir, you may not know this, but Zhang Xutuo and we do not have a good relationship. Back when we were wiping out the remnants of Yang Xuangan, Second Master wanted to protect a few old friends, but Zhang Xutuo did not give them any face and killed them all."

Zhou Yi didn't speak again, but a gentle female voice sounded from beside him:
"Second Uncle, we should follow Mr. Zhou's opinion."

Although the old man looked troubled, he nodded: "Yesterday, Zhang Xutuo also sent someone into the palace to find Lai Huer and deliver a message, but Yu Shiji stopped him."

"I'll give it a try; I can't fathom His Majesty's true intentions."

After that, they carefully planned their strategy, using Zhang Xutuo and You Hongda's large army as a starting point.

The original intention was to overthrow the Yuwen clan, but it ended up saving the Dugu clan.

By the time everything was discussed, it was already dark.

As Dugu Sheng watched his niece take Mr. Zhou away, he couldn't help but glance to the north.

I always feel a little ashamed, that at my age I'm still being worried about by my mother.

When Dugu Ba was around, the two of them, the "Sleeping Dragon and the Young Phoenix," could still discuss things, but now they are powerless to do anything alone.

After everyone had left, a well-dressed woman slowly walked out from behind the inner hall.

Dugu Sheng knew who it was without even looking: "What does Madam want to say?"

Madam Zhang came to his side: "Although Mr. Zhou has only just arrived in Jiangdu, he is an observer and sees things more clearly than you who are directly involved. In addition, he is an assistant arranged by my mother, so you should value his opinion."

The old man naturally understood what she meant: "Just say that I am ignorant and narrow-minded, why be so tactful?"

Madam Zhang then asked, "By the way, have you heard Mother mention this person before?"

"No."

"That's strange. Feng'er seems to know him very well, and she also knows our family's secret movement technique. When did Mother train such an outstanding person?"

"Hmph, I don't think so." Dugu Sheng shook his head.

Mrs. Zhang asked, "What's not right?"

“My mother is strong-willed, domineering, and fiercely protective of her own. Her personality is just as intense as her staff technique. This kid doesn’t seem to be her type. At first, we discussed it for a long time, and he just listened without saying a word. But as soon as he opened his mouth, he completely rejected our ideas.”

"That's just your fabrication. Isn't Feng'er what her mother taught her?"

Following a hunch, Madam Zhang suddenly asked, "What is his relationship with Feng'er?"

The old man turned to look at her: "What could it possibly have to do with anything?"

Madam Zhang said, "I always felt that Feng'er was a bit strange. A few days ago, she was preoccupied and didn't smile for many days. Today, after seeing Mr. Zhou, although she didn't show anything, I felt that she had changed.

"hehe."

Dugu Sheng scoffed repeatedly: "What do you mean by feelings, you woman? You're actually better at making up stories than I am. They didn't know each other at all before, and they almost got into a fight at the door today. My niece only loves martial arts, and she was naturally happy when my mother wrote to her. But you're trying to bring up some romantic relationship between children, which is really ridiculous."

"I see," Madam Zhang said, dragging out her words before swiftly grabbing Dugu Sheng by the back of the neck.

"Madam, please speak calmly."

As night fell completely, Zhou Yi ate a quick meal and then changed his clothes in the east wing of the pavilion in the backyard.

He transformed from a scholar into a black-clad night thief.

The door creaked open, and another man in black entered.

"Here you go." Little Phoenix handed over a black face mask.

"You seem to lack nothing."

“A few days ago, I wanted to find my third uncle. I went out to investigate at night, but I couldn’t reveal my identity, so I had to act in a masked manner.”

After she finished speaking, she asked, "Where are you planning to go?"

"Go find Lai Hu'er."

"Why him?"

As Zhou Yi tied the black cloth around his neck, he said:

"There aren't many people who can gain Yang Guang's trust, but he's one of them. I don't think your second uncle will necessarily succeed, but if we add him, the chances of Zhang Xutuo's army entering the city will be much higher."

Moreover, his son, Lai Zheng, also commands an army. If he were transferred from north of the Huai River, he would be a perfect match for Yuchi Sheng. Without Lai Zheng in the way, I can better expand upstream along the Tongji Canal—a win-win situation.”

Dugu Feng nodded and said, "I'll listen to you."

"Let's go, you'll have to lead the way. I can't find where Hu'er's house is."

The two leaped onto the roof and headed east into the night.

As the hour of Hai (9-11 PM) approaches, the long street night market remains bustling.

The shops selling fine silks were still open when merchants from other regions, speaking in foreign languages, were heard.

This general enjoyed drinking, and there were many wineries near the "Lai Mansion".

Green banners hung high in front of the taverns, and the newly brewed wine was fragrant.

Upon first whiff, though not quite as good as Lao Lu's Six Fruit Wine, it still carries the charm of Yangzhou and is sure to tantalize the senses.

Zhou Yi stood on a five-story building and pulled the beautiful figure next to him, who was half a head shorter than him, back.

"what are you doing?"

"You look hungry, I'll get you some wine."

"Let's go, let's get down to business, why bother with the wine?"

The two of them ducked down, avoiding the patrol team's view.

After Yang Guang entered Jiangdu, the patrol force increased more than tenfold. If you offended even one of these groups, the whole city would be on high alert, which would be a huge problem.

Fortunately, the two were able to conceal their presence flawlessly, making them undetectable to others.

After walking for another fifteen minutes, passing through the long street filled with the aroma of wine in front of the guards, a large mansion filled with the warm light of candles came into view.

From the outer courtyard, you can hear many footsteps.

After the patrol teams passed by on the street, they reached the edge of the mansion.

After waiting quietly for a while, a visitor suddenly arrived.

The three visitors had an impressive presence and exuded the fierce and valiant air of soldiers.

A maidservant then informed the inner courtyard. Zhou Yi, who had come to find Lai Hu'er, naturally followed the maidservant and went inside until they reached the entrance of a spacious house.

"What's going on?" a butler asked.

The maid said, "A few people have come from outside. They say they are friends of the general."

"Please ask them to wait in the side hall."

"Yes."

The butler found it strange, but only glanced at the brightly lit main room without making any announcement.

Then, he suddenly looked up at the roof.

But there was nothing.

As if unwilling to give up, he frowned and leaped onto the roof tiles.

The next moment, two dark figures attacked from the left and right. He didn't utter a sound and instantly lost consciousness.

Zhou Yi didn't kill him; he just knocked him unconscious.

Just then, a creaking sound came from below, the candlelight flickered, and the door of the large room, where a seductive figure had been swaying on the window sash, opened.

A voluptuous woman with a captivating charm emerged, her perfume and makeup quite pronounced.

She was dressed in colorful clothes, looking like a flower butterfly.

The housekeeper didn't go to deliver the message, apparently because he was afraid of disturbing Lai Hu'er's good time.

The two looked at the large house and suddenly exchanged a glance.

The little phoenix landed at the doorway and waited for Zhou Yi to go in and investigate before entering the house after being called by him.

Then I saw an unbelievable scene.

On the bed, a burly man with a stubble beard, wearing pajamas on his lower body and bare-chested on his upper body, lay with his eyes closed, no longer breathing.

Zhou Yi removed her hand from his chest.

"he died."

The little phoenix raised the lamp and shone it on the bed, seeing the dead man's face clearly: "He came to protect his son."

Her voice was low, but there was a hint of surprise in it.

Lai Huer was not only a general in the army, but also a great master in the field. How could he have died silently?

Zhou Yi pried open his eyes but couldn't figure it out.

Dugu Feng took out a silver needle and pierced his throat. After probing several times, the tip of the needle turned black.

"He was poisoned first, and then his heart meridian was shattered by a single palm strike."

"I don't know what kind of poison this is, but it has rendered him unable to resist."

"Go after that woman first."

The two moved with lightning speed. As soon as they left the room, the door closed automatically. Dugu Feng couldn't figure out what kind of poison it was. He casually tossed the silver needle through the window paper and extinguished the lights in the room.

Lai Huer lay on the bed, quietly enjoying the darkness.

They moved swiftly across the rooftops under the cover of darkness.

There were guards all the way inside the house, so the woman didn't dare to walk too fast, otherwise she would attract attention. Therefore, before she even reached the entrance of the "Lai Mansion", she was caught up by the two people on the roof.

He chased after the woman for a short while.

Zhou Yi then heard the little phoenix gather its voice into a line and say, "This is the direction of Xiangyun Tower."

Xiangyunlou was a brothel in Jiangdu City.

Reminded by her, Zhou Yi realized: "Look at her clothes."

Dugu Sheng mentioned a "plump woman in bright red clothes" who was related to Dugu Ba's disappearance.

At that moment, I had a bad feeling.

Lai Huer is a case in point; in terms of martial arts, Dugu Ba was not as good as Lai Huer.

The two men did not make a move, but continued to follow her to see where she went.

This Jiangdu City is not Nanyang, so getting information here isn't so easy; we can only follow the clues.

The plump woman did not go to Xiangyunlou.

She turned onto another street, quickened her pace, and after walking for a quarter of an hour, stopped in front of a house next to a stone archway.

She knocked on the door with a strange rhythm and was quickly led inside.

Zhou Yi and Dugu Feng exchanged a glance. As they approached the house, they strained their ears to detect numerous auras.

Not just one house, but two houses on either side, all filled with people!
Even more astonishingly, before they could investigate further, a strange movement occurred inside, and suddenly a voice rang out:
"You came back on your own, but why did you bring a tail with you?"

A woman's voice, laced with a seductive laugh, rang out: "What a joke."

"Are you kidding? You're so careless."

The man's voice came from the roof, followed by a string of strange, incomprehensible words that Zhou Yi couldn't understand.

With a "whoosh" sound!

Before the strange voice had even faded, a long iron chain lashed out from inside the house, causing a buzzing and crackling sound in the air.

The force on the iron chain was extraordinary. When Zhou Yi reached out to grab it, the ripples in the air at night made the darkness in front of his hand seem to be twisting and swirling.

This force of spatial compression instantly caused the iron chains to pull and block.

Before he could fall, Zhou Yi grabbed him.

The burly man wielding the iron chain was pulled up by a great force, gripping the chain tightly. Only then did he reach the rooftop, ready to challenge Zhou Yi.

Unexpectedly, another sword pierced through the darkness!
He held onto the rope with both hands, felt a chill in his heart from the stab, and fell straight down.

Someone inside angrily shouted, "You slut, this isn't just one; you've brought back two troublemakers!"

"Come together and kill them!"

In an instant, more than ten people leaped onto the roof tiles, drew six iron chains before wielding their weapons, and formed a large, coiled array.

Zhou Yi infused the long chain he had been holding with his inner energy, and instantly the iron chain turned into a staff. Holding the center of the staff, he used a Mad Demon Staff Technique to spin and stir it rapidly. The strong wind howled and twisted the six iron chains around him together from six directions.

These six men possessed fierce and powerful strength, and their combined power created a situation where they were about to be torn apart by six horses.

However, the man in black on the roof was terrifying.

With six against one, he lost his balance.

In that instant, another slender figure in black moved with extreme lightness, forming a bridge with iron chains. With each step, her longsword was coated with a layer of silver light, as if she were absorbing the light of the stars and moon onto the sword.

He actually gathered his sword energy and unleashed it. In an instant, the sword energy, like a clear radiance illuminating the night, suddenly spread out in the darkness, illuminating a section of the building.

All six experts screamed in agony, dying in a single moment of loss of balance.

Although it is still the move "Falling into the Mortal World" from the Biluo Sword Technique, it has already obtained the Hongbao and has far exceeded the scope of the Dugu Sword Technique. The mortal world is as one pleases, and everything is in one's heart. It is a deep understanding of the essence of the Celestial Master's Reflections.

Therefore, even if Granny Dugu were here, she would not dare to admit her mistake.

Apart from Zhou Yi, no one else could tell where her sword came from.

The voluptuous woman below was immediately startled, realizing that such a skilled fighter had been following her all along.

Oh no!

She sensed an ominous sign; as the six men fell, seven shadows appeared on the ground.

The shadow was rushing towards her at incredible speed!

Blood splattered as a man who had stood in her way was instantly killed.

“Bang, bang, bang~!”

At the same time, dozens of sounds came from the buildings on both sides, and people broke through doors and windows.

The plump woman, however, could not be happy. Faced with the speed of this dark figure, the nearby houses were like "distant water," unable to quench the immediate fire.

She sprinkled a handful of powder from her bosom.

The powder shimmered with a bluish-green phosphorescence like will-o'-the-wisps, indicating it was highly poisonous.

However, the poison powder was instantly blown everywhere by the powerful energy of the newcomer.

She spun around to dodge, then pulled out a dagger and stabbed again.

However, despite her skill in poisoning, her actual ability was still inferior to that of the people who had just died.

Halfway through the dagger's thrust, she felt a tap on her wrist. Instantly, a surge of energy broke through her entire Shaoyin Heart Meridian, causing the dagger to fall from her hand. The numbness traveled from her wrist to her right chest, almost robbing her of the ability to control her arm.

Before he could use his inner energy to suppress it, a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck, and he immediately lost consciousness.

Zhou Yifang grabbed her back, and a murderous aura condensed around them as seven or eight strange weapons attacked.

One man played an iron pipa, captivating the spirit, while another wielded a large iron hammer, smashing it down head-on.

He grabbed the voluptuous woman, channeled his powerful inner energy, and unleashed a powerful, swirling kick that sent the surrounding bluestone bricks and ground tumbling out like waves crashing against reefs!

Seven or eight figures were forced back by the shockwave, crashing through windows and wooden doors. Some were hit by blue bricks and screamed in pain, their voices uttered in a tone that did not belong to the Central Plains.

Zhou Yi didn't bother to finish him off; he grabbed the man and left.

He could hear the approaching winds, and more and more experts were gathering here.

There were sounds of horses being driven in the distance; they had stirred up a hornet's nest.

Dugu Feng was originally blocking the people on the roof, but as Zhou Yi and his men retreated, she cut the roof beam with her sword and followed closely behind using her lightness skill.

In an instant, at least thirty gusts of wind could be heard behind them.

However, they were fast enough that fewer and fewer people could catch up with them.

In addition, the commotion has attracted a large number of troops to the scene.

Surprisingly, despite this situation, several people still persisted in their pursuit.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi simply slowed down.

Dugu Feng didn't understand his intentions, and Zhou Yi whispered something to her.

Immediately, the two turned a corner and, right in front of their pursuers, leaped into a large house.

It was the residence of Pei Qiantong, one of Yang Guang's five chief bodyguards in Jiangdu!

I randomly picked an empty room and went inside.

"How dare you! Who goes there?!"

A loud roar came from outside, followed by the sound of a large group of footsteps.

Pei Qiantong's men discovered the people who had chased him outside the mansion and started a fight.

Hearing the commotion outside, Zhou Yi became even bolder.

Not only did it light up the lamps in the room, it also awakened the voluptuous woman.

"Who are you?" the woman asked coldly as she regained consciousness.

Zhou Yi said, "I have something to ask you."

"What are you asking about?"

Where is Dugu Ba?

The woman revealed a lewd smile: "Oh, so you're looking for my nemesis. He's incredibly lustful. He starts kissing and nibbling at people as soon as he sees them, and if they don't want to, he'll force himself on them."

Is he dead or alive?

"How would anyone know? He went back to the palace after he had his way with me. If you have the guts, go and look for him in the palace."

Zhou Yi, unsure of her purpose, asked again, "Why did you kill Lai Huer?"

"And who are you? Hidden masters from the Dugu family?"

She slightly twisted her body as she spoke, and Zhou Yi smelled a strange fragrance.

Clearly, this woman is poisoning people again.

But this bit of poison was completely useless against him.

“Someone’s coming~”

Dugu Feng, standing at the door, spoke softly. The woman had obviously heard the commotion outside as well.

She was not afraid of death and was about to shout.

Zhou Yi acted first, poking her with a finger at her Tanzhong acupoint, a point of vital energy.

Dugu Feng raised her hand and extinguished the lamp.

Footsteps sounded outside, seemingly heading towards them.

The little phoenix was about to draw its sword.

Zhou Yi pulled her close and hugged her back, signaling her not to make any moves.

In the darkness, the two nestled together.

The footsteps grew closer, but didn't stop; then, slowly, the sound faded into the distance.
……

(End of this chapter)