Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 155 Meeting an Old Friend on a Precipice, Gathering in Shu for Qingli Wine
Alas! How perilous and high it is! The road to Shu is harder than ascending to heaven!
The Sichuan Basin is surrounded by mountains, with towering peaks and steep cliffs, and has been known for its difficult terrain since ancient times.

Winter is the dry season, with lower and relatively calm water levels, making it possible to navigate upstream through the Three Gorges.

However, due to exposed reefs, detours are often necessary.

The boatmen had to climb steep riverbanks and work with the boats to "chase the rapids," covering only a few miles each day.

Hence the saying, "Three mornings I climbed the Yellow Ox, three evenings I traveled too late. Three mornings and three evenings after that, before I knew it my temples had turned to white."

Instead of traveling upstream through the Three Gorges, Zhou Yi received news along the way related to the Great Ming Zunjiao, so he changed course and went to Shangyong City, north of Fangling County.

This place is also a major station on the main route to Shu County. If you travel half a day further west, you can enter the Daba Mountains.

After spending the night in Shangyong City, the next day on their way to the Daba Mountains, they encountered many fellow martial artists.

The Sichuan and Chongqing region has been bustling lately, and some daring martial arts enthusiasts are eager to go and see for themselves.

After walking for dozens of miles along the mountain road, the treacherous ancient plank road comes into view.

Stone holes were carved into the sheer cliff face, beams were inserted, and wooden planks were laid. As people walked on it, they touched the cliff face, looked out over the deep valley and treacherous ravines, and felt the mountain wind rise and the plank road sway slightly.

Even the bravest passersby are filled with trepidation.

However, for a master of light-footed skills like Zhou Yi, the strange sights that kept appearing before his eyes were extremely pleasing to the eye.

He would travel and enjoy the scenery, often lingering on solitary peaks and cliffs.

This caused some passersby to sigh with regret.

Occasionally, amidst the swirling mist and the sprawling branches, travelers could not see clearly. They would spot a white figure gliding through the air below the ancient road cliff, startling them so much that their eyes would widen and they would not even realize that the bundle on their backs had fallen off.

I thought I had encountered a hermit, a reclusive immortal from Sichuan, a man of high moral character, who lived beyond the mundane world.

As the saying goes, "three men can make a tiger," and this journey through the Dabashan Mountains has added many more bizarre and strange tales.

Those in the know understand that it was not some immortal being or demon, but a reclusive master with exceptional lightness skills.

The world is vast, and there are many renowned elders who have lived in seclusion in the deep mountains.

I just treated it as a feast for the eyes and an opportunity to broaden my horizons, and I wasn't surprised at all.

As Zhou Yi walked through the mountains, he saw various fir trees, including spruce, redwood, and hemlock, interspersed with fragrant fruit trees, ginkgo, paulownia, and other plants. Birds were playing on the trees, and he also saw many wild deer, golden monkeys, and antelopes.

Escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and immersing myself in this natural environment, my eagerness to go to Chengdu quickly subsided.

After traveling a few more miles, we heard the roar of a waterfall and could smell the water vapor from afar.

Upon closer inspection, a waterfall appears as a white dragon plunging down a cliff, relying on the mountain's slope to create a magnificent sight.

With a thought, Zhou Yi leaped up the side cliff and discovered a natural stone cave, which was a perfect place for meditation and practicing martial arts.

Once the desire to practice martial arts arose, I no longer wanted to leave.

When they were hungry, they ate dry rations; when they were thirsty, they drank from mountain springs.

Over the next few days, Zhou Yi practiced the Xuanzhen Temple Treasury, the Dao Heart Seed Demon Chapter, and the Changsheng Technique after its mutation in stages on the Twelve Regular Meridians, the Ren and Du Meridians, and various extraordinary meridians.

Simultaneously cultivate both body and mind, using the dantian (lower abdomen) to stimulate the life and death apertures, and then connect with the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows.

Grandma Dugu's method was both wondrous and strange.

Cultivating both body and spirit is supposed to be a secret method for returning to one's innate state after birth.

It can transform the most ordinary true qi into innate true qi, making it refined and condensed.

The purity of his true energy far surpasses that of ordinary innate true energy.

But the more difficult it is, the harder it seems to open the ancestral aperture, even more so than the various wondrous methods of cultivating the twelve regular meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians.

The more one refines their true energy, the more it seems to weld their ancestral aperture shut.

Is this merely a "return from the acquired to the innate state," and once one enters the innate state, it becomes impossible to continue practicing?
Zhou Yi closed his eyes and pondered, trying out all the different types of Qi: Xuanzhen Qi, Changsheng Zhenqi, and Rendu Moqi.

He kept trying to impact the ancestral aperture with his true qi, but no matter how much true qi he poured into the wind gap, the ancestral aperture was like a bottomless pit, and he couldn't release any qi.

This continued for several days.

Although the ancestral aperture has not been opened, the essence, energy, and spirit are greatly enhanced, and the true energy in the orthodox and extraordinary meridians is also exceptionally active.

This shows that the secret method was correct.

Perhaps there's some secret that Little Phoenix doesn't know; she can ask her grandmother in the Eastern Capital.

Thinking this way, he had no more distracting thoughts.

Time flies, and more than half a month has passed.

He had already run out of rations, but there was no shortage of travelers and merchants on the Shu Road, so he traded Changshu Mou's shattered golden shield with someone.

When people travel the world, as long as they don't have any grudges, they'll do favors for anyone who has enough to eat.

They not only received dry rations, but also occasionally some new wine and dried meat.

The taste was ordinary, but Zhou Yi felt that the blandness of the food was almost comparable to the delicious feast that Xiu Xun had carefully prepared.

A month later, he had trained the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang to the Tianchong acupoint.

At the same time, the Yin Wei meridian in the extraordinary meridians is completely opened.

Perhaps influenced by the beauty of these mountains and rivers, his training progressed three or four months faster than expected.

The 137th day of the Emperor's death.

At the beginning of the Wei hour, Zhou Yi, who was nourishing the Yin Wei meridian, opened his eyes from his closed eyes.

The birds were startled and flew away, while the monkeys climbed far away.

Suddenly, branches flew and trees fell on the ancient road in Bashan, footsteps became hurried and chaotic, and shouts of fighting and killing filled the air.

"Ah~!"

The screams were more mournful than the cries of monkeys, echoing through the empty valley. Someone had fallen off a cliff and been smashed to pieces.

A hundred feet in front of Huiyan Waterfall, hundreds of chaotic figures were fighting each other.

The difficulty of traversing the Shu Road lies not only in the road itself, but also in the bandits that plague it.

The attackers from the east were not only more numerous, but also more ruthless.

Especially the four men at the very front who wielded knives; with each strike, someone perished.

I wonder what kind of sword technique is so bizarre.

A dark-skinned, muscular man emerged from the side with the larger numbers. He wielded a long spear and charged into the enemy ranks like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

His spear technique was similar to that of several knife users. With his inner strength infused, the Poison Dragon Pierced the Cave, stabbing seven or eight times. Four more people fell to the ground with cries of pain. Some were hit once, and some were hit twice.

Whenever he makes a move, he inevitably leaves a bloody hole.

Seeing his companion dead, a burly man wielding a knife roared, "You villains of Taihang! I will fight you to the death!"

He unleashed a slash of sword energy.

The opponent immediately lowered his stance, focused his energy into his dantian, and channeled his inner strength into his spear like a surging river.

He exhaled, and the power of his arms and hips instantly twisted together, transforming the spear into a black streak that tore through the air, piercing straight for his opponent's heart at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

The burly man with the knife had a chance to retreat when the force of his blade clashed with the real power of the spear.

But in the instant the spear flew, his movements froze, and he only managed to dodge the vital points, but his flesh was pierced and he was thrown off the cliff.

Even with protective inner energy, falling from such a height would mean certain death.

"Brother Liao!"

The others shouted, but it was too late to salvage the situation.

Liao Liang, the "Knife Madman" among the three heroes and four madmen of the Yellow River Gang, died in Bashan.

Deputy gang leader Wu Sansi's expression changed, and he looked at the Taihang Gang's mortal enemies in disbelief.

When it comes to understanding the Taihang Gang, no one surpasses the Yellow River Gang.

They even knew which brothels Huang An, the leader of the Taihang Gang, liked to frequent and which brothel he favored.

At this moment, he was both shocked and confused.

Where did Huang An get so many strange and powerful experts?

In the brief moment of thought, two more gang members were killed and fell to the ground.

"Don't get distracted; these people are skilled in mental magic."

Wu Sansi thrust out his blade, killing one man. While maintaining his composure, he used his superior internal strength to repel a strange swordsman. He then kicked a boulder at the black man with the spear, and reached out to grab his fellow gang member's shoulder, trying to save him.

But the burly man from the Taihang Gang was no less skilled than him. His spear technique pierced through flying stones, and the moment Wu Sansi took away the gang member, he stabbed the man through the chest.

And the spear's momentum did not diminish, heading straight for Wu Sansi.

Three other powerful swordsmen swung their swords at him.

In the midst of the crisis, two old men rushed out from beside Wu Sansi, each wielding a double-edged sword and slashing at him.

The two sides fought fiercely, and the fourth swordsman, who had just been forced back by Wu Sansi, launched a surprise attack on Wu Sansi from the flank.

The balance was immediately broken.

The old man rushed to save Wu Sansi, but the burly man from the Taihang Gang, wielding a spear, gave a cold smile, let Wu Sansi go, and then bent his spear and launched a flying attack. The old man hurriedly parried with his sword, but was struck by a tremendous force and forced to stagger half a zhang to the side, falling off the cliff.

"Old Hu~!!"

Wu Sansi, Xi Jie, and Fan Shaoming, the three heroes of the Yellow River, shouted in grief and anger at the same time, their pain beyond words.

Old Hu was doomed to die after falling into the deep cliff, but he never expected this.

In a fleeting moment, a white figure broke through the clouds at the edge of the cliff, soaring down like an eagle striking the sky.

Hu Xiuhuai fell five zhang (approximately 10 meters) off the cliff, knowing he was doomed.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind pressed down on my face, and a white shadow rushed towards me, so I couldn't see it clearly. My fall suddenly stopped, and I felt a sharp pain as someone grabbed my shoulder. The whole thing went from a rapid descent to a rapid ascent.

He was greatly shocked, never expecting such lightness skill.

In a flash, he realized that the person holding him was pressed against the cliff face, his five claws forming a powerful force that pierced through the rock.

Using the momentum, his figure also shot forward in a flash.

Having narrowly escaped death, Old Hu embarked on the ancient Bashan Road again, his feelings a complex mix.

Not only the Three Heroes of the Yellow River, but even the Taihang Gang members temporarily suspended their operations.

A young man in white robes stood against the wall, his white garments pristine and untouched by dust. A misty haze enveloped him. He stood silently, his eyes reflecting the colors of the mountains and rivers, his spirit embodying the essence of heaven and earth.

Deputy gang leader Wu Sansi glanced at Xi Jie and Fan Shaoming, and the two of them turned to look at him as well.

The information they interact with is the same.

The three heroes were bewildered, gazing at the terrifying cliff, each of them shuddering.

They looked at the young man in white and sensed that he possessed an aura completely different from ordinary people.

I felt as if I were an ancient being, living alongside the craggy rocks, not a commoner in this mortal world. Could I be a person blessed by the spirit of heaven and earth, living apart from the world?
The three heroes shook their heads; these martial arts practitioners were still relatively clear-headed.

Thinking back to what they had just witnessed, if Hu Xiuhuai hadn't been right beside them, they would have thought it was an illusion.

With such a master appearing in the Daba Mountains, the Taihang Gang dared not make a move.

Wu Sansi glanced at his mortal enemy, then turned back, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Senior."

They look young, but they might be over a hundred years old.

Just as Wu Sansi was about to speak again, the young man raised his hand to stop him, and then flashed in front of them.

The Taihang Gang, numbering seventy or eighty people, retreated from the court.

"The Taihang Gang has no intention of offending you, and hopes that Chief Huang will give us some face."

The dark-skinned man with the spear felt a pressure and took two and a half steps back as he spoke.

Who taught you kung fu?

"Naturally, it's Chief Huang An."

"lie."

Zhou Yi moved his feet, and the burly man reacted quickly, attacking with all his might.

His arm muscles bulged, and with a loud shout, he used his waist as an axis, his power rising from the ground, passing through his legs, waist, back, and shoulders, and finally flowing into his arms.

The heavy iron spear, accompanied by a muffled sound of wind and thunder, drew a devastating crescent-shaped arc of light, sweeping across a large area in front of it!

Under the surge of internal force, the spear shadow seemed to expand instantly, covering a wider area. The strong wind it generated swept up all the dust and gravel on the ground, forming a deadly fan-shaped area of ​​death.

However, amidst this powerful sweep of attacks, a slender hand reached in and pierced through the shadow of the spear.

With a "whoosh," the strong wind was torn open, and all the mysterious techniques and violent true energy instantly dissipated.

The spear was caught by a hand and frozen in mid-air!
The dark-skinned man gritted his teeth and exerted his strength, but was immediately terrified, and his spear did not budge.

He hastily discarded the spear and turned to retreat.

But as soon as he took a step, he heard a sudden gust of wind beside his ear, and a hand grabbed his head, as if pulling out his soul, causing him to lose consciousness instantly.

Zhou Yi inhaled a stream of true energy into the Heavenly Acupoint, revealing a look of understanding.

He flew sideways, rushing towards the other four swordsmen.

The Yellow River Gang members witnessed a shocking scene: a white figure flashed through the hands of the four Taihang Gang experts, and three of them, like the expert wielding the spear, were killed with a single claw strike.

The last person unleashed a fierce strike.

But the steel knife broke into several pieces the moment it touched the palm force, and was then killed by a claw.

A skilled person could tell at a glance that the master swordsman's blade, body, and the true force of his strikes had all been shattered, which is why he died so quickly.

There is clearly an insurmountable chasm between the two sides in the battle.

The three heroes of the Yellow River were dumbfounded, as were the members of the Taihang Gang.

In an instant, a chorus of screams erupted as the remaining members of the Taihang Gang fled for their lives, no longer daring to think of their mortal enemies, the Yellow River Gang.

Zhou Yi ignored the fleeing people, reminiscing about the night he fought the Four Bandits at Pegasus Ranch.

Wu Sansi was known as the "Living Zhuge Liang" in the Yellow River Gang. In his early years, he was the bodyguard for Yellow River shipping and was also Tao Guangzu's most trusted and capable lieutenant.

His sharp mind, however, froze at that moment.

Along their journey through the Daba Mountains, they had killed several strange and powerful individuals, and knew their strengths and weaknesses.

The five remaining were the strongest among the group.

The awe in their eyes as they looked at Zhou Yi was hard to conceal.

The Yellow River Gang is the largest gang among the eight gangs and ten associations in the world. It has been rooted in the Yellow River for hundreds of years and is a powerful force in the Yellow River basin.

They were very influential in Guanzhong, and the Li clan had been trying to win them over.

But even without the help of such a peerless master, Wu Sansi and his group were too ashamed to mention any bandit titles like "Three Heroes and Four Madmen" in the face of such a master, lest they be ridiculed.

"Thank you, senior, for saving your life."

Hu Xiuhuai's longsword had already fallen into the deep cliff. At this moment, he clasped his fists together and bowed to express his gratitude.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly and helped the old man up.

He looked a bit older than before, but his appearance hadn't changed much.

Wu Sansi noticed that the young man in front of him had a different attitude.

He seemed to be more affectionate towards Old Hu.

"Brother Hu, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not some senior."

Hu Xiuhuai took a breath, feeling that the person in front of him looked somewhat familiar, but seemed to be quite old, and he couldn't recall his identity.

He was a straightforward person and asked frankly:
"My benefactor, have we met before?"

“Yes.” Zhou Yi smiled and took a step toward the edge of the cliff: “A few years ago you even treated me to drinks at Dapeng Residence, which left a deep impression on me.”

Dapeng Residence?
Tao Guangzu, the leader of the Yellow River Gang, loved to drink, especially Xingyang Tukuchun liquor. So he opened many taverns, all of which were called Dapengju.

Zhou Yi only mentioned these three words, and Hu Xiuhuai had no idea which company it was.

He was a connoisseur of drinks, and he had treated people to drinks countless times.

It happened a few years ago, I can't remember it right now.

Just as Hu Xiuhuai was about to ask another question, Zhou Yi spoke up: "Brother Hu, how did you get chased down by these people?"

Hu Xiuhuai temporarily set aside his doubts and responded:
"The Taihang Gang colluded with bandits in the Daba Mountains to ambush us, which is why we are in such a sorry state. As for the origins of these people, we have no idea where Huang An recruited them from."

He looked closely at the dark-skinned man holding the spear as he spoke, but still couldn't place him.

"Are you going to Sichuan?"

"Yes, this time I was ordered by the gang leader to find Monkey King Feng Zhen, the leader of the Qiang tribe in Bayannur. Leader Feng and my gang leader have known each other for a long time."

Zhou Yi reacted very quickly:

"Has the Yellow River Gang sided with the Li Clique?"

Although Wu Sansi didn't say anything, he listened attentively to every word.

From this sentence, I suddenly sensed a change in the other person's tone.

Hu Xiuhuai, however, lacked Wu Sansi's cunning and frankly said, "The Li clan has already occupied Chang'an. Although the gang leader has not made a clear statement, he has already made his move. Otherwise, he would not have used such an old friendship."

"The Li Clan leader invited the gang leader to his home. After returning, he asked us to go to Chengdu to find Alliance Leader Feng, hoping to persuade him to join forces with the Li Clan."

Sure enough.

Zhou Yi glanced at the old man in front of him and shook his head slightly: "I've heard that there have been many bad things happening in Sichuan and Chongqing recently. Brother Hu, please be careful."

After saying this, he didn't even greet Wu Sansi and the others.

With a leap, he disappeared into the mountain path in just a few steps.

The three heroes of the Yellow River hesitated to speak.

Hu Xiuhuai hurriedly called out, "May I ask your esteemed name, my benefactor? I, Hu, will never forget your kindness!"

After a moment of silence, suddenly the mist and haze began to dance along the edge of the cliff.

A voice came from afar:
"We were only ten miles apart just now. I saved you once, and we met in the wine country. But the road ahead is long, and our gratitude will be gone."

After hearing this, Wu Sansi looked at Hu Xiuhuai.

This old man had a fiery temper and was known as the "Ten-Mile Madman" among the Three Heroes and Four Madmen of the Yellow River Gang. Within ten miles of him, if anyone dared to touch his friend, he would fight to the death for his friend.

The fact that the other party mentioned this title is clearly related to this.

Some members of the Yellow River Gang were dealing with the corpses, while Wu Sansi and Fan Shaoming walked over to Hu Xiuhuai.

Xi Jie carefully put away his red-tasseled spear and frowned, saying:

"Am I mistaken? This expert's attitude towards us seems to have changed drastically."

Fan Shaoming said, "That's right."

"He saved our lives, so he should give us a chance to express our gratitude. Although my life is insignificant, I am not an ungrateful person."

"Do they look down on us?"

Seeing that he had gone astray, Wu Sansi shook his head: "The problem is not here. I think it has something to do with the Li family."

"With heroes vying for power and the Li clan occupying Guanzhong, if he came from another force, he would surely consider us his enemy. If that is indeed the case, the fact that he is still willing to help people shows his magnanimity, which is truly admirable."

Xi Jie and Fan Shaoming quickly looked at Hu Xiuhuai: "Old Hu, think carefully, when have you ever invited such a master to dinner?"

Hu Huaixiu was still deep in thought.

The three heroes of the Yellow River walked to the edge of a cliff. If one had not seen it with their own eyes, how could one believe that such lightness skill existed?

Wu Sansi said, "Looking across the entire land, who has the best lightness skill?"

Xi Jie said, "Naturally, it is Ning Sanren. He is the number one Taoist master who is proficient in the creation of heaven and earth, and understands the workings of both non-action and action, and is profoundly familiar with all things. I heard that he has the Free and Easy Steps, and in terms of lightness skills, he should be the best."

"Ning Sanren's skill is naturally the highest, and his lightness skill is number one."

Fan Shaoming pondered for a moment: "I'm afraid it has to be Grand Commander Zhou from Jiangnan. It is said that he can walk on the wind, walk in the air, and ride on a crane. His lightness skill is unparalleled in the world, and he can even take someone's head in the midst of a thousand troops!"

After speaking, the three of them suddenly fell silent.

Looking down at the cliff, one can see the clouds and mist rising and falling, and faintly hear the distant roar of the great river.

That Zhou Grand Commander was the most powerful figure of his generation, and it is said that he was also dressed in white and had an incomparably handsome appearance.

When you compare the two, don't they fit perfectly?
This also explains the other party's attitude.

Fan Shaoming hurriedly asked Hu Xiuhuai, "Old Hu, have you drunk with Grand Commander Zhou?"

Shili Kuang frowned deeply: "How is that possible?"

"If I were to drink with someone like that, how could I not remember him?"

He denied it outright, but suddenly his head exploded and a familiar face appeared in his mind.

Eagle-wing Army, Tiger-leopard Camp, Dapeng Residence, Fuzi Mountain, Taiping Road.
The young man who was being hunted down back then and was very knowledgeable about alcohol was also named Zhou Yi.

Hu Xiuhuai roared to the sky, "I'm so stupid! I'm so stupid! It was him!"

At this moment, the old man understood even more the meaning of the twelve characters: "Meeting in the land of wine, the road of life is long, and the bond of gratitude has faded."

I heard a "bang".

Just as the three heroes of the Yellow River were about to ask questions, the old man's knees slammed heavily to the ground, his face full of shame.

"Old Hu, what are you doing!"

Hu Xiuhuai said, "I have a nickname, Ten Mile Madman, but I hesitated back then and failed to help in time. I only regretted it afterward. Now I have been rescued by someone risking their life. There is no debt of gratitude to repay. I owe them everything."

"Not only that, but I would also become an enemy of my benefactor. Wouldn't that make me a shameful person who repays kindness with enmity and forgets gratitude!"

He sighed and said, "This time I will disobey Master Peng's orders. I will not say a word for the Li family on behalf of the Alliance Leader."

Xi Jie asked, "Is he really Grand Commander Zhou?"

Fan Shaoming looked troubled, unsure of what to do: "We practically owe him two lives."

The first time was to save them, the second time was to refrain from killing them.

"Wu Zhuge, what should we do? You should make a decision quickly."

Xi Jie's hand holding the gun was a little unsteady: "I've often heard of Grand Commander Zhou's name, but this is the first time I've met him in person. I feel like the rumors in the martial arts world are a bit too conservative. It seems he's also going to Sichuan. Putting aside our past favors, if we really want to go against him, should we prepare some coffins?"

Wu Sansi remained calm, stroked his chin, and thought for a long time before saying:
"Old Hu, tell me about your story first."

Upon hearing this, Hu Xiuhuai recounted what had happened near Fule City.

The three of them belatedly realized that Zhou, the Grand Commander, had another identity.

"He's actually the Taiping Celestial Master!"

In that instant, Wu San, as the mastermind of the Yellow River Gang, thought of too many things.

Let's set aside all that chaotic power struggle.

He recalled a chilling piece of news: "Four years ago, he was being hunted down by the Tiger and Leopard Camp?"

Hu Xiuhuai nodded: "At that time, he was in a bad situation. I thought he had died by the river and was depressed for a long time. I even went to find Master Peng and asked him to come with me to cause trouble for Yuwen Chengdu. However, Yuwen Chengdu never appeared again after that."

Fan Shaoming and Xi Jie gasped in shock:
"In such a short time, he has grown to this level."

Wu Sansi frowned and pulled the embarrassed Hu Xiuhuai to his feet: "Let's go to Sichuan. If we see this Master Zhou again, Old Hu, you should speak first and clear up the misunderstanding."

"What misunderstanding?" Hu Xiuhuai asked, puzzled.

Wu Sansi said, "Brother Peng was tricked by Li Yuan; we missed too much information."

“Li Yuan must know all about Zhou Tianshi’s affairs, but Peng Ye is kept in the dark. People from the martial arts holy land have also been mobilized, so they probably already knew that Zhou Tianshi was coming. Only we are completely clueless.”

Fan Shaoming said, "Wouldn't we be in danger if we did that? Why didn't the Li Clan Chief explain this beforehand?"

“If we die at the hands of Grand Commander Zhou, then Master Peng will go all the way and send all 20,000-plus men of the Yellow River Gang to the Li Clan. Compared to the gang, our deaths will have little impact on the Li Clan.”

After Wu Sansi finished speaking, Fan Shaoming and the others all changed their expressions.

Xi Jie asked, "What should we do?"

"Go see Alliance Leader Feng first, just to strengthen our friendship. Don't mention a word about the Li clan."

"Therefore, we must go and speak with the Grand Commander, so that he knows that we have nothing to do with the Li clan."

Xi Jie was about to speak when Wu Sansi interrupted:

“We’re just ordinary folks, we don’t aspire to be kings or tyrants, we’re just trying to make a living, so we can’t afford to ruin our own bowl. Li Yuan is only trying to win over Peng Ye, there’s some relationship between the two sides, but it’s not to the point where we Yellow River Gang would risk our lives for him.”

With these words, Wu Sansi, as the deputy leader, set the tone.

Fan Shaoming and Xi Jie could both sense the change in his words.

Previously, this Zhuge Liang did not have this attitude.

However, this is actually quite normal.

In terms of personal charisma, Li Yuan's performance was really lacking; the gangs in Guanzhong all knew that he was a lecher.

However, the Li clan's power was not great enough for them to willingly offend such a master.

Moreover, the other side is also a regional hegemon.

When the Yellow River Gang set off again, their feelings were quite different.
High on the cliff, Zhou Yi watched as the Yellow River Gang members left.

He had initially intended to ignore the gang fight after only glancing at it, but upon recognizing an old acquaintance, he decided to intervene.

As for the Yellow River Gang siding with the Li Clan, he didn't take it to heart.

Those few members of the Taihang Gang were more attractive to him.

After spending another five days at the waterfall, Zhou Yi set off on his journey.
……

After traveling and stopping frequently for more than ten days, a large city appeared before them, with city walls over seven zhang high.

However, having seen the magnificent walls of Jiangdu before...

At this moment, Chengdu could only be described as petite and exquisite in Zhou Yi's eyes.

The Shu region during the Sui Dynasty inherited the management practices of the Southern Liang, Western Wei, and Northern Zhou dynasties, and experienced a brief period of peace after the unification of the country.

Chengdu, as the capital of Shu Commandery, was not only a major political and military center in the southwest, but also an important commercial port connecting the Western Regions, the South Central Plains, and the Central Plains.

As soon as Zhou Yi entered the capital, he felt its vibrant energy and the unique tranquility and prosperity of Sichuan.

Influenced by this atmosphere, the three major local powers in Sichuan and Chongqing held a meeting that would determine the fate of the people of Sichuan. They decided not to claim the title of king or hegemon, but to protect the Shu region and wait for a wise ruler to appear.

He was somewhat lost when he first entered this big city.

The feeling was similar to my first trip to Nanyang.

The two sides are indeed somewhat similar. Nanyang has the powerful Yangzhen, while this place has the three major forces of Duzunbao, the Sichuan Gang, and the Bameng.

There is chaos outside, but neither of these places has experienced the ravages of war.

As for fighting and killing in the martial arts world, it's unavoidable wherever there are people.

Zhou Yi saw the walls and gates of the neighborhood.

Inside the neighborhood are ordinary people's homes, with white-walled and black-tiled houses arranged in close proximity, deep courtyards, where you can hear children playing, women washing clothes, and neighbors greeting each other.

As you walk further, you'll notice a difference from Nanyang.

There was a moat outside the city, and the city was even more crisscrossed with canals.

Back then, Li Bing excavated the Dujiangyan irrigation system, which nourished the Chengdu Plain, with the Jinjiang River, Jieyu Creek, and Jinshui River flowing through the city.

The river here is clear and navigable by boat.

Willows sway gently along the riverbank, and on the stone steps, the sound of women washing clothes echoes with the gentle thud of their washing mallets, their laughter filling the air.

Flatboats laden with grain, Shu brocade, well salt, and mountain goods came and went, the boatmen's chants rough and melodious.

After walking for a while, Zhou Yi also felt at ease.

However, the city was extremely large, and it was pitch black everywhere, with streets and alleys all around, so I didn't know which way to go.

Zhou Yi considered it for a moment and realized he had two options. The first was to head south to Meishan County to find his fellow Daoist Yuan Tiangang.

The second option is to stay in Chengdu and find a wealthy young man.

With Hou Xibai's charm, things should be done by now, right?
Perhaps he has become the son-in-law of the gun-wielding tyrant Fan Zhuo. In that case, I should go to the Sichuan gang.

Zhou Yi smiled mischievously, thinking that staying in Chengdu was better.

Once we have a clear understanding of the situation in Shu County, we will then go to find Yuan Tiangang.

With this plan in mind, Zhou Yi stopped wandering around, looked up at the sun, and then looked around to find a food stall to treat his stomach.

For gourmets, Sichuan is a land of delicious food.

Zhou Yi was looking for food and drinks when, coincidentally, a fragrant aroma wafted over.

The scent was some distance away, but his keen sense of smell allowed him to pinpoint its direction immediately.

After crossing a small wooden bridge, I looked up and saw a two-story bamboo building.

Below is a large wine vat, and the sign reads "Qingzhu Xiaozhu".

There were people busy on the first floor, but not many customers.

The second floor was even more deserted, without a single customer, but the aroma that Zhou Yi smelled was wafting from there.

This is strange.

He went straight up to the second floor, lifted the bamboo curtain and went inside, where he saw a girl in a blue floral dress pouring wine into a gourd.

The aroma comes from the wine.

The young woman stood gracefully, with an elegant demeanor. She turned her head, revealing bright, dark eyes. While her appearance wasn't breathtakingly beautiful, it was still quite delicate and pretty.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi, a strange look appeared on her face.

If I hadn't heard the bamboo curtain swaying just now, I would never have known that someone had come in.

Duo Chao glanced at Zhou Yi's face, and the girl's clear voice rang out: "Young master, what brings you here?"

Zhou Yi pointed to the gourd in her hand: "What kind of wine is this?"

"Pitong wine".

"Oh? What's that? Why does it smell so good?"

The young woman smiled and said, "Young master, you must be from out of town. But the fact that you can smell its unique fragrance shows that you are a refined person."

She added, "This wine originated in the Han Dynasty. It is fermented in sealed bamboo tubes, which infuses the wine with the aroma of bamboo, resulting in a delicate and elegant flavor."

"The 'Chronicles of Huayang' mentions the 'beauty of wine and liquor' in Shu, which refers to this. As for why it is so fragrant, that is the secret of An Dahui."

"Which An Da leader?"

The girl stared at Zhou Yi: "It's An Long, the biggest wine merchant in the entire Southwest, known as the 'Fat Merchant of Sichuan and Chongqing.' He is the head of multiple guilds, hence the title 'Guild Head An.'"

So it was this guy.

As the saying goes, "Fish know the origin of Bing Cave's beauty, and wine recalls Pi Tong without needing to be bought." Zhou Yi felt something and boldly took out a broken piece of Chang Shu Mou's Shield.

"I'll take this gourd-shaped wine."

The young woman smiled lightly: "Young master, this wine is not for sale."

……

(End of this chapter)