Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 177 Autumn Sounds Also Stained with Old Friends and Affairs

Once you leave Nanjin Pass, you enter the vast and open Jingjiang River.

At the end of the treacherous shoals, the river and sky suddenly open up.

In late summer, the Jianghan Plain is a vast expanse of fertile land, with waves of rice turning golden and stretching to the horizon.

Zhou Yi traveled eastward by ship, enjoying many scenic views.

The water was vast and calm, with shimmering gold on the surface, where seagulls soared and fish swam.

He sometimes thought that if there were no chaos in the world, he would feel even more joyful if he revisited the place.

When boatmen buy cargo, they also take the opportunity to inquire about information.

Recently, war has broken out again between the Yangtze and Huai rivers, which has become a hot topic of conversation among merchants and travelers.

Especially related to Pegasus Ranch.

People who travel all over the country to do business will always deal with horse caravans, and Pegasus Ranch is the largest horse caravan force, doing business all over the country.

In terms of business dealings, there's nothing new. Everyone knows that ranches have a wide network of connections and deal with various powerful forces.

What's unusual is that this time, Pegasus Ranch is directly involved in the war.

This is purely business; it doesn't involve martial arts battles or power struggles in chaotic times. The ancestral rules have been broken by the ranch.

"General Feng Ge of Jingling City led his army to attack Handong County directly. In the past, Nanjun County only cooperated secretly. Unexpectedly, Feima Ranch made no attempt to hide this time and sent thousands of cavalry, led by Grand Steward Liang Zhi, to conquer Handong County!"

"Your information is outdated. Second Steward Liu Zongdao is currently in Qichun County downstream."

Ten days ago, they cooperated with the Jianghuai Army to push the battle line to the opposite bank of Jiujiang, and Hu Rui, the prefect of Qichun County, surrendered directly. This time, they had thoroughly offended Lin Shihong and Xiao Xian; it is said that their ranch's business near Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake has come to a standstill.

At a ferry crossing near Dongting Lake, someone rationally analyzed: "Although Liang and Chu are each hegemons in their own regions, they are ultimately no match for Grand Commander Zhou. In the long run, the choice of Pegasus Ranch is not wrong."

Some people who knew the truth laughed and said, "You probably don't know the relationship between that beautiful farm owner and Governor Zhou, otherwise there would be no need to go to such lengths."

This attracted many onlookers to come closer.

When the people of Jiangdu talked about the Grand Commander's romantic escapades, many near the ferry crossing showed expressions of envy.

But the trope of a beauty falling for a hero is also quite amusing, especially with the interspersed battle scenes, which bring bursts of laughter and noise.

Of the four great masters in the world, this one is the most vivid.

After a man with an afro finished his long-winded talk at the dock, he said with lingering enthusiasm, "After the battle of Sichuan and Chongqing, the Grand Commander may go down the Three Gorges and return to Jiangnan at some point."

His voice wasn't quiet, and suddenly a boat set sail on the river.

On the deck, a young man in white glanced at him.

With just a glance, that incomparably handsome face with an otherworldly air was deeply imprinted in the heart of the man with the afro.

As someone who understands the ways of the world, he naturally has some knowledge.

The next moment, a jolt ran through me.

He stood still and waited until the boat was far away before whispering something to those around him.

In an instant, the ferry crossing erupted in a frenzy.

The Grand Commander is approaching Baling County!
Merchants from all walks of life were discussing the matter, while the scouts who had stayed at the dock to gather information hurriedly returned to Baling City to report to Emperor Xiao Xian of Liang.

There has been a war recently, and the enemy's lord has returned.

This was enough to allow the leaders of the anti-Zhou alliance to meet in parliament again.

Zhou Yi paid no attention to the reactions of Xiao Xian, Lin Shihong and others. In the past few days on the ship, he used the paper, pen and paint left by Hou Xibai to write several letters and make several paintings. He then asked the Kun Gang members near the ferry to send them to Xiu Xun at the ranch.

The cavalry of Pegasus Ranch are only there to protect the mountain city and never engage in external conflicts.

This time, Xiuxun has completely broken the rules set by our ancestors.
Drifting downstream day and night, we unknowingly approached Jiangdu.

The towns and cities on both sides of the river are gradually becoming prosperous, with cargo ships and merchant ships coming and going in great numbers.

On a bright and sunny day, Zhou Yi received news of the Giant Kun Gang. He passed Qingliu and Liyang without entering, and ordered the boatman to moor the boat in Danyang County, heading straight for Jiankang City.

Xu Xingzhi was the first to greet him with a smile:
"Lord."

Zhou Yi glanced at him and saw that he had neat hair and beard, a full face, bright eyes, and good spirits, which immediately put him at ease.

Xu Xingzhi understood his intention, and a genuine smile squeezed out from his face:
"My lord, please rest assured. Although I am not good at fighting, I have more than enough energy to handle worldly affairs. I will never fall before you unify the world."

"Judging from your words, it sounds like you're about to retire after achieving your goals."

Zhou Yi didn't give him a chance to speak, and instructed him: "Practice your skills whenever you have free time. Even if the world is unified, you must not overwork yourself."

Even a small county has many trivial matters to attend to, let alone such a large territory.

Xu Xingzhi was able to manage everything in an orderly manner, which solved a big problem for him.

Throughout history, there have been many examples of emperors who, after achieving great things and unifying the world, were like rabbits killed after they were caught, or dogs discarded after they were killed; they could share hardships but not prosperity.

Some intelligent people, after helping emperors complete the unification of the country, would choose to retire to protect themselves in order to avoid suspicion and trouble.

Zhou Yi glanced at his strategist.

Xu Xingzhi lowered his head and said, "Yes."

He responded and felt a pat on the shoulder, after which his lord walked ahead.

As Xu Xingzhi pondered what he had just heard, he followed along.

"You captured Jiankang not long ago, and I heard along the way that there was a great battle here, but I haven't seen any trace of the battle."

Xu Xingzhi explained from the side: "That battle was fought on the river."

"Chen Ling, the garrison commander of Danyang, wanted to defend the city by relying on the river, but unfortunately, the disparity in troop strength was too great. Generals Li Jing and Xu Shiji attacked from different directions, and Chen Ling suffered a great defeat. Later, he led his remaining troops to escape into the city, and the Qingjiang faction, Yangming gang, and other major forces in Danyang directly opened the city gates."

"When Chen Ling saw that the situation was hopeless, he surrendered directly, so it did not cause any impact on the city."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi noticed a lotus pond to the south. It was late summer, and the lotus leaves were lush and green, with a few scattered red petals, and a white egret stood alone on it.

Some people hurried along the lotus pond, while others strolled leisurely.

This scene would be hard to witness if the battle were fought inside the city.

Before they even reached the main camp, another large group of people came running to greet them.

Li Jing and Xu Shiji were organizing their troops when they heard the news. They immediately put down what they were doing and brought another strong man with them.

"Lord."

Li Jing and Xu Shiji paid their respects together.

"Grand Commander," the burly man bowed in greeting.

Zhou Yi stepped forward to help Li and Xu up, while Xu Xingzhi introduced the man: "This is Marquis Xin'an, General Chen Ling."

Chen Ling was originally appointed General of the Cavalry by Yang Guang. He participated in major battles such as Liaodong, Donglai, and Yang Xuangan's rebellion, and was considered a seasoned and capable general.

"General Chen, can't you see the disparity in troop strength? How dare you leave the city to fight?"

Chen Ling sighed: "The Jiangdu army is currently clearing out Li Zitong's remnants in Hailing. If several generals attack now, Jiangdu will be unable to provide assistance. I am defending the city alone and will not receive support from within the city. It would be better to fight a decisive battle."

"It would be better if we could win. If we lose, I have done my duty and followed General Zhang's instructions to ensure that the people in the area are not affected."

As a general defending a city, being defeated so swiftly must have been somewhat depressing.

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over Li Jing and Xu Shiji, then turned to Xu Xingzhi, thinking to himself, "You deserve to lose."

Even if you had all the troops in Jiangdu, you still couldn't hold Danyang, let alone the disparity in troop strength.

"What are General Chen's plans?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling immediately bowed and said, "As a defeated general, how dare I mention any plans? If the Grand Commander thinks highly of me, I am willing to serve as a lowly soldier."

Zhou Yi smiled with satisfaction and helped him up.

Zhou Yi knew that the fact that Xu Xingzhi and the others were able to bring Chen Ling meant that this person was trustworthy and capable.

So they headed towards the main camp.

Chen Ling was somewhat surprised.

He glanced at the man in white in front of him every now and then.

This new lord is very different from what I imagined.

Upon entering the command tent, Zhou Yi listened to several people explain the situation in Jiangnan in detail.

Lin Shihong, Xiao Xian, and Shen Faxing formed an anti-Zhou alliance. They occupied a large area of ​​territory south of the Yangtze River and had 400,000 soldiers under their command.

Next was the Sui Palace in Jiangdu.

The magnificent wall guarded by more than 100,000 soldiers was difficult to cross, and the garrison in Jiangdu was composed entirely of elite troops. As can be seen from the Battle of Hailing, Li Zitong's forces were no match for them.

Jiangdu City has many skilled generals, making it a tough nut to crack north of the Yangtze River.

If we can't crack it, we must remain vigilant at all times.

Further south lies the Lingnan Song Clan. Their strength, though concealed, should not be underestimated, and they also possess a Heavenly Blade.

To deliberately run into the head of the Heavenly Blade is truly courting death.

At this time, the area between the Yangtze and Huai rivers, apart from Jiangdu and Hailing, was entirely Zhou Yi's territory, followed by the anti-Zhou alliance, the Song clique, and Jiangdu City, which was guarded by Zhang Xutuo and You Hongda.

Small groups were either wiped out or surrendered and incorporated within a short period of time, and the overall situation has become very clear.

Zhou Yi listened silently as they explained the more detailed plans to Danyang County.

This marks the first time that a prefecture-level city south of the Yangtze River has been breached.

He faced off against Shen Faxing, Lin Shihong, and Xiao Xian.

After listening to their strategy for attacking the anti-Zhou alliance, Zhou Yi finally spoke:
“I will write a letter, and you can send someone to Lingnan to see how Lord Song responds.”

Xu Xingzhi's eyes lit up: "Is my lord confident that he can persuade Song Que?"

Zhou Yi was quite confident. Firstly, he had a connection with Song Que; secondly, Song Que supported the Han people; and thirdly, he had connections with Duzun Fort.

He pondered for a moment and cautiously said, "I can get along well with Lord Song, so perhaps he might send troops to help."

Xu Shiji hurriedly said, "If Lord Song sends troops, we will attack from both the north and south. Xiao Xian and the others will be unable to defend themselves from both ends, and the alliance will collapse in an instant. They will fight on their own, and their strength will be greatly reduced."

Zhou Yi nodded and added, "I can also write a letter to Jiangdu."

Chen Ling, who had been describing the situation in Jiangdu City, was first taken aback, then sighed:
"My lord, you must know that General Zhang Xutuo has long been determined to die and will defend the Sui Palace in Jiangdu to the last moment. He will never surrender."

Zhou Yi is actually more confident here in Jiangdu:
"General Zhang is loyal, and this may not be a bad thing for us in taking Jiangdu City."

Chen Ling was deeply moved upon hearing this.

But I just can't figure it out.

Since Zhang Xutuo was loyal, why would he surrender?

The Way of Emptiness: "In this way, we can temporarily slow down the pace of the war."

Li Jing chimed in, sounding quite confident:
"If we start a war now, we can hold back the enemy in Danyang and draw Lin Shihong's forces away. Then we can attack Jiujiang from Qichun and Liyang. Xiao Xian, Shen Faxing and Lin Shihong are only allies and have not joined forces. Their marching and deployment are far slower than ours. As long as we make proper arrangements and move them around from multiple sides, it will only be a matter of time before they collapse."

"But this would result in even more casualties."

"If we wait for the support of Jiangdu and the Song clan, and then the army marches in together, many prefectures and counties will probably open their gates and surrender, reducing casualties and making it easier for Jiangnan to remain stable."

"But this move will delay things, and we don't know the specific attitudes of Jiangdu and the Song faction. We also need to consider whether it will affect the timing of our northward journey."

"After all, General Du and General Shan have already crossed the Huai River and are heading towards Pengliang."

Li Jing's words made perfect sense; as the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war, and the opportunity cannot be delayed.

Everyone looked at Zhou Yi, waiting for his decision.

Only he knew the true attitude of Jiangdu and the Song Clan.

After careful consideration, Zhou Yi slowly said, "Let's wait for news from these two companies. During this phase, your preparations should not stop."

"I'll take advantage of this break to go to the Eastern Capital."

They were all intelligent people and immediately understood.

Xu Xingzhi's expression hardened: "Does my lord intend to retrieve the He Shi Bi jade?"

During this period, news of the He Shi Bi jade has spread widely in the Eastern Capital, and all the major powers in the world are flocking to the Eastern Capital.

The He Shi Bi jade and the Yang Gong treasure vault—possessing either one is enough to gain control of the world.

Such rumors have been circulating for a long time.

Zhou Yi nodded slightly: "I will do my best to get my hands on the He Shi Bi jade."

Xu Xingzhi was somewhat excited and spoke faster:

"The He Shi Bi is the national seal and a symbol of imperial power, implying that one is ordained by Heaven. Once you obtain it, my lord, you can march south and defeat the Liang and Chu kingdoms, using these two false rulers as sacrifices to declare to Heaven that you have been ordained as emperor. Then, taking advantage of this momentum, you can send troops north, and the world can be pacified."

Li Jing, Xu Shiji, and others all agreed with the assessment.

Li Jing said, "We can send more men to Pengliang. At that time, General Du and General Shan can provide support towards the Eastern Capital at any time. We can stay here to deal with the changes in Jiangnan."

In the Eastern Capital, Wang Shichong and the Dugu clan were locked in a power struggle.

The Twelve Imperial Guards were all under the control of the Dugu clan.

Little Phoenix is ​​in Dongdu, and Zhou Yi felt that he didn't lack manpower. However, Jianghuai currently had enough manpower, so he agreed to Li Jing's suggestion.

That evening, Zhou Yi spent a long time writing the letter to Song Que.

As for the letter from Jiangdu, Zhou Yi is still working on it.

The next day, I went to take a look at the Qinhuai River.

Unfortunately, with war raging and the situation tense, the poetic charm of the Qinhuai River was not as strong.

Xu Xingzhi then led him on a tour of the city, letting all the soldiers and civilians know that he had come to Jiankang.

Zhou Yi's role was maximized by the virtual strategist.

The arrival of a martial arts grandmaster alone is enough to make the Anti-Zhou Alliance nervous. Shen Faxing and his men will likely have to lay down heavy troops near the residence and cause quite a ruckus.

The twentieth day of the Heavenly Emperor's Calendar.

Zhou Yi took a detour, heading east from Danyang to the Yangzijiang Ferry, where the magnificent wall of Jiangdu once again came into view.

He did not linger, but headed north along the Hangou Canal. When he passed Gaoyou Lake, he met Bu Tianzhi, the deputy leader of the Giant Kun Gang, who was waiting there. The two of them traveled together to Shanyang.

During the late Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Wu dug the Han Canal for military purposes, but it could only be navigable by small boats. Emperor Yang Guang reopened the Shanyang Canal, which is how it came to be the large-scale canal we see today.

Zhou Yi rested for a night in Shanyang, and he finally made up his mind.

After several instructions, Bu Tianzhi personally delivered a secret letter to Jiangdu.

After settling things here, Zhou Yi felt at ease heading towards Nanyang. Before going to the Eastern Capital, he wanted to go home for a final look.
……

Zhou Yi traveled upstream along the Huai River, returning to Nanyang in early autumn.

The rushing water that bypassed the moat was still swift, and the sound of the water could be heard from afar.

Look at the old willows on the bank; their leaves have turned slightly yellowish-brown, and their drooping branches brush the water, still carrying a hint of summer's weariness.

Looking at the scenery along the river, the phrase "silver candles cast a cold light on the painted screen in autumn" suddenly flashed through my mind. Although there is no painted screen here, the clear light on the river does reveal a hint of the sparse and cold colors of autumn.

Perhaps because he was closer to Nanyang, a place of great importance to him, Zhou Yi felt more emotional and became more sensitive.

No matter the time, there were always a few old soldiers guarding the east gate of Nanyang.

And they must be the kind of people who have a keen eye and can recognize talent.

This time, there was no need for these veteran soldiers to show off their eyesight. Standing on the city wall, Meng Degong, the left-handed swordsman, looked into the distance. His mind was shaken, and after taking a second look, a look of joy appeared on his face. He called out to the people next to him and immediately rushed down the city wall.

"Celestial Master~!"

When Meng Degong spoke, nine out of ten passersby below the city gate stopped and turned to look.

A young man in white walked from afar, giving one the feeling of a solitary mountain's beauty reflected in the clear sky.

With such magnanimity, and having Meng Degong of the Nanyang Gang personally greet him, he must be that person!

The Taoist Celestial Master, one of the four grandmasters, is a source of pride for the martial arts community of Nanyang.

When familiar martial arts legends come to life, the shock is so great that even tea vendors telling stories in teahouses near Dongcheng would crane their necks and look outside repeatedly.

The local martial artists of Nanyang City had seen Zhou Yi many times.

But this time it was of extraordinary significance.

The victor in the top-level battle in Sichuan and Chongqing, the prophecy of the Taoist master Yuan Tiangang, and the judgment of the martial arts judge on the battle in which the Celestial Master beheaded the Heavenly Lord.
The commotion at the East Gate was quite large, and more and more people gathered.

Zhou Yi didn't pay much attention and chatted with Meng Degong along the way, asking about the situation of Yang Zhen, Su Yunfan, Naitang, and others.

"Brother Su went to Yuyang County in the north, and Da Longtou went to Xiyang County in the west."

Both of these prefectures are right next to Nanyang.

Meng Degong continued, "The forces of Yuyang and Xiyang have taken the initiative to send letters, and they are both interested in joining the Heavenly Master's forces. After the Grand Dragon Head and Brother Su have made this trip, the matter will basically be settled."

Having a big reputation definitely has its advantages.

Jie Hui finally did something practical; Zhou Yi talked to him about the power dynamics of the two prefectures.

Then, Meng Degong changed the subject: "There's something we can't decide about near Xinye."

"what's up?"

"It's related to Miss Ina."

Zhou Yi looked serious: "Old Meng, please explain in detail."

Meng Degong uttered the words he had rehearsed many times, and felt a sense of relief.

The core members of the Nanyang Gang were well aware of the relationship between the Uyghur girl and the Celestial Master, making the matter quite thorny and leaving it unresolved for a long time. As the two walked, Fan Naitang arrived.

After giving them some instructions, Zhou Yi headed towards the small courtyard next to the Nanyang Gang.

Wandering through the streets and alleys, the sounds of autumn permeate this marketplace.

The sounds of vendors hawking fresh dates and crisp pears filled the streets and alleys, their aromas rich and enticing.

Under the eaves of the teahouse, I saw several elderly men chatting leisurely, holding rough pottery teacups.

It is evident that Nanyang has been very stable recently.

As I arrived at the gate of the courtyard, before I even opened it, I heard two footsteps rushing in.

The door creaked open, revealing a simple, lively face.

The young man and woman were dressed in blue robes with patterns, and in addition to their lively spirit, they also exuded a refined and scholarly air.

Zhou Yi frowned slightly and compared the two smaller ones to each other.

"Why aren't you two growing taller?"

"Senior brother~!"

Xia Shu and Yan Qiu seemed to never grow up, still the same as before, each grabbing one of his arms, unafraid of the majesty of a martial arts grandmaster, because they couldn't feel it at all.

"Senior brother, you've been gone for a long time this time."

"Yeah yeah."

Xia Shu's hair, tied up at the back of her head, swayed back and forth: "Senior brother has been away from home for a long time, and as soon as he comes back, he starts to criticize people. Why do you grow up so fast? The faster people grow up, the more troubles they have."

Zhou Yi asked with a smile, "Who taught you that?"

"Of course, it was Sister Ina who taught me."

Zhou Yi looked into the courtyard and saw a girl in purple raising her head, her reflection in her clear, deep blue eyes.

She held a pen in her hand, not as if she were painting, but as if she were writing something.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi, Arui Na stopped writing and picked up her inkstone. A faint smile appeared on her perpetually indifferent, even somewhat cold, face.

"You two go practice your skills first."

To Zhou Yi's slight surprise, Xia Shu and Yan Qiu actually obeyed and went straight to the newly opened courtyard next door.

"Ina, how did you do that?"

Zhou Yi pointed to the next room.

"Of course, we discussed it with them in advance."

Zhou Yi remembered Meng Degong's words and knew she had something to say, so he moved a chair and sat down next to her.

Aryuina glanced at him, then shifted her gaze to the still-wet ink stains:
"Cousin, I have a little trouble."

"I can help you with that."

"You already know?"

Zhou Yi replied matter-of-factly, "This is Nanyang, what can be hidden from me? However, since it's your private matter, the local gangs haven't inquired further."

He then asked, puzzled, "Who was that person?"

That's my sister.

"Sister?"

“No, we are both Uyghurs. She converted to Islam a few years before me and has always taken good care of me. However, I know she didn’t come with good intentions this time, so I haven’t gone to see her since I received the news.”

Zhou Yi had already guessed: "Is it the Water Maiden of the Great Ming Sect?"

"Yes, her name is Ulege."

Aruina continued to explain, "I suppose that when I was walking around the county town, the people of the Respectful Church saw me and probably guessed about our relationship."

"So when she asked me to meet her, I didn't go because I didn't want to cause you any trouble."

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t bother with them, but she’s a little special.”

Zhou Yi nodded: "Is she near Xinye?"

"Correct."

"Go now. Once the news of my return to the city spreads, she will probably run away immediately if she has malicious intentions."

Aruina hesitated for a moment, then Zhou Yi patted her shoulder lightly and smiled:
“It’s nothing, I’ll go with you and see what traps she’s set up.”

"cousin."

"Let's go."

Zhou Yi helped her up and then went to the neighboring courtyard to take another look at Xia Shuyanqiu.

The well-intentioned lie has been exposed; the two kids have realized they've been practicing martial arts. Fortunately, they're on the right track, so whether they're truly focused on the surface or not isn't so important.

They lack combat experience and their tactics are rather rigid.

However, to Zhou Yi's surprise, the two of them mastered a set of Xuanmen internal skills.

In the martial arts world, he would be considered a first-rate figure.

Zhou Yi was very pleased: "That's good. When I come back, I'll teach you another set of Xuanmen sword techniques."

Xia Shu and Yan Qiu were pleasantly surprised.

They wanted to go too, but Zhou Yi thought they were too slow and didn't take them.

After leaving the city, the two headed southeast.

Although it's said to be close to Xinye, it's actually quite a long distance away.

On the Baihe River, the misty waves were like a light veil, and occasionally three or five boats would pass by.

As dusk approached, Zhou Yi leaped onto a tall willow tree and saw several roadside shops in the distance, surrounded by weeds and a large circle of dense reeds.

Do you think she's still there?

"exist."

Aruina said, "Uleg knows my character very well, and so do the people of the Great Ming Cult. However..."

She looked at Zhou Yi, and the coldness on her face immediately disappeared: "Wulege probably doesn't know about my change. She might be very surprised."

"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye on things secretly."

My cousin nodded and walked straight toward the roadside shop.

Zhou Yi suppressed his aura to the extreme, used his lightness skill to follow behind.

A short while later, Aruina arrived in front of the roadside inn.

As soon as I stepped onto the blue bricks in front of the shop, a beautiful woman dressed in colorful clothes walked out of the shop, seemingly all by herself.

She looked very young and was carrying a long sword on her back.

In terms of temperament, Ulge, as a water maiden, is the opposite of Aruina, more unrestrained and passionate, especially her eyes, which are full of brilliance, with every inch of light focused on the person who comes.

Ulege stared at her, frowning slightly as he said:
"Ina, you've changed a lot, but I knew you would come."

"Sister Wule, it's been a long time."

Uleg waited a while, but received no further news. A stern expression immediately appeared on her beautiful face.
"Don't you have anything else to say to me? Why did you betray the teachings of the Venerable Mother? Have you forgotten all the lessons she taught you?"

“I haven’t forgotten, but that was just a lie told by the Good Mother. I am just a sword in her hand, without feelings, and I will never have any peace.”

Ulege shook his head: "Men from the Central Plains are not only good at pretending to be cultured, but also good at deceiving people. If you continue like this, you will only harm yourself. Come with me to see Mother Shan. She has some questions for you."

"What are you asking? If it's my business, Mother knows everything, and you know it too."

"Of course it's related to the man who deceived you."

Ulege suddenly looked surprised as she saw a completely unfamiliar scene.

Suddenly, a crescent moon was reflected in the cold spring, a serene smile: "He didn't lie to me; this is one of the most beautiful memories."

Uleg shook his head again:
“Your talent in the mystical arts of our sect is extremely high. It’s hard to imagine that you would fall into such a scam. What’s so good about that man? Come back. The Great Master is already teaching you the Wisdom Scripture. He can save you.”

Aruina said, "Sister Ule, we have already met. You should go back. You won't get any information about him from me."

After saying that, she turned to leave.

Ulege drew his longsword and suddenly thrust it forward. At the same time, Ina drew her sword and parried more than ten blows amidst the swirling sword energy.

These were the sword techniques they used to spar with each other in the past, and they didn't seem to be used with much killing intent.

However, on the twentieth move, Wulege's vital energy and spirit merged, and he unleashed a sword strike.

It was with this move that she was blasted away by an even stronger surge of true energy.

Ulege took several steps back, looking at her with some surprise.

After not seeing her for several years, her skills have surpassed her own.

"How did you do that? The Great Master taught me a secret technique, so how could you still defeat me?"

Aruina seemed a little proud: "Because the Great Venerable is not as good as my cousin."

Ulege seemed to see right through her; admiring strength was a common trait among grassland people: "No wonder you're infatuated with him."

Ina shook her head, her face slightly flushed with drunkenness: "No, even when his martial arts were not as good as mine, he was still able to move people."

Ulege frowned, realizing she wasn't lying.

At this moment, she sighed softly and looked deeply at the girl opposite her: "It seems that you are sober."

"Ina, you should go."

Just as Aruina was about to speak, a laugh suddenly came from afar: "Hahaha, now that she's here, how can we let her leave?"

A tall, thin man with arms as long as an ape strode out.

He held a long whip, and was followed by seven or eight fierce-looking men.

"That's right, that's exactly the point!"

Just then, the sound of hooves rang out first. The newcomer was a fierce-looking man with a thick beard, wielding two axes and wearing a black animal skin. He exuded an imposing aura.

“Gee-gee~!!”

As soon as the burly man appeared, dozens of hoofbeats rang out.

These men were all burly and fierce, with bare arms adorned with iron wristbands and tattoos of Khitan wolf heads.

The burly, bearded thug leading the group was none other than Brother Ku, the leader of the East Sea Alliance.

Taking advantage of the chaos of war in the Central Plains, they colluded with scoundrels among the Han people to form the East Sea Alliance, specializing in plundering coastal towns, kidnapping valuables and women, and then transporting them back to Pinglu.

After arriving here from Pengliang County, they have been lying in wait for several days.

Upon seeing Aruiyina, Nakuge gave a lewd smile. He was the eldest son of the Qiqiu Mohui and acted with utter recklessness.

He immediately spoke before Uleg could:

"You're going to let her go? Then I've waited all these days for nothing, haven't I lost a lot of money for nothing? Will your Great Ming Venerable Sect compensate me?"

Uleg said coldly, "What's the use of capturing her if we can't get any information from her?"

"How did you know?"

"I know her."

The tall, thin man with extremely long arms cracked his whip: "In all my years of roaming the Bohai Kingdom, I've never met a single person who dares to talk back."

He was one of the four fierce generals under Bai Ziting, the Dragon King of Bohai Kingdom, and his name was Xin Lei.

"If I can't get the answer, I'll take him to Xingyang. With the Imperial Preceptor's spiritual secrets, how could he not get the answer?"

"Besides, if we capture her, we can use her to blackmail that Zhou guy. How can we let her go?"

Brother Ku laughed and said, "Let me interrogate him first."

After he finished speaking, a large number of people emerged from around him and surrounded Aruina.

"Ulege, you wouldn't betray the Great Lord, would you?"

Upon hearing Xin Lei's words, Shui Chanu also drew her longsword.

Seeing that she had made her stance clear, the group from Bohai Kingdom, led by the fierce general Xin Lei, all swung their long whips.

They were well-prepared, and immediately unleashed a barrage of whips, clearly intending to take prisoners alive.

Aryuina thrust out her sword, a scorching sword aura piercing through the whip net, killing one of the whip's members in a single move.

Xin Lei was taken aback and cursed, "What kind of message did your Great Ming Venerable Sect give us!"

"Don't delay, attack together!"

The opponent's strength is beyond our expectations. If they escape now, it is very likely that we will not be able to stop them. You must know that this is Nanyang territory.

In an instant, thirty-four figures rushed forward at the same time.

Aruina stepped back.

Seeing her raise her sword, and having the opportunity but not escaping, Xin Lei and the others were overjoyed.

"Great opportunity, let's seize it!"

Just then, the light in front of me suddenly dimmed, as if the light had been blocked by more than thirty figures in front of me.

It was still true energy carrying a scorching heat.

But this time, it was far more massive than anyone could have imagined!

Xinlei, Wulegge, and even Kuge, who had just been laughing wildly, all changed their expressions.

“Ugh~!!!”

A series of screams erupted almost instantly. Aruina held up her sword, surrounded by flames. She looked at the sword energy that rushed by like flowing fire, smiled slightly, and felt that she had truly lived up to her name and become a real Fire Maiden.

More than thirty people, comprised of members of the Khitan people of the East Sea Alliance, the Bohai Kingdom, and followers of the Great Ming Zunjiao sect, were thrown into a chaotic tumble as their weapons clattered.

Those who had been clamoring to charge were now quiet and motionless.

A strong gust of wind swept in, and the vast, dense reed beds suddenly bowed and parted to the sides.

A white figure flashed and approached, and in a daze, he found himself standing next to the girl in purple.

He said with a smile, "Ina, this is also a sketching trip."

After hearing this, she smiled and hummed in agreement.

The Khitans and the Bohai people were not fools; the moment they saw Zhou Yi, they all fled.

They were terrified; how could they not know who had come!
Zhou Yi chased after him, but Ku Ge turned his horse around. Before the horse could run away, it suddenly neighed and raised its front hooves.

It felt like someone was about to stand there.

Ku Ge picked up his double axes and swung them at him.

"Ahh~!"

He cried out twice, and both arms were kicked and fell limply. The axe in his hand flew out of his hand, knocking the Khitan men on both sides off their horses.

"Don't kill me! I am the eldest son of Mo Hui, the Great Chief of the Khitan!"

Ku Ge looked up at the young man and shouted desperately.

The next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as his entire bone was dented by the kick. His legs left the saddle and were lifted into the air by the powerful force before exploding with a deafening roar.

This villain, who committed numerous atrocities along the coast, died a gruesome death.

Upon hearing the screams behind him, Xin Lei took long strides without daring to turn his head.

But the screams grew closer and closer. He had already pushed himself to his limit. In a moment of horror, he glanced back and saw a fiery light enveloping him. He gathered his strength and swung his whip backward. The force of the impact caused his entire arm to go numb.

In the next instant, he was engulfed by the sword energy, his blood soaking the purplish-red cosmos flowers, making them even more vibrant.

Zhou Yi fought for a while, but dozens of people still scattered and fled.

He didn't chase after them.

These people couldn't leave at all; Fan Naitang and Meng Degong's men were already waiting in the vicinity.

Zhou Yi arrived beside Shui Chanu:

"Why don't you run away?"

Ulege glanced at him, then looked at Aruina: "The Celestial Master's lightness skill is unparalleled in the world, how could I possibly escape?"

"Then how dare you make a move on Ina?"

"I was just following orders."

Zhou Yi's expression turned cold, and Wulegge sensed a terrifying killing intent.

The girl in purple walked up and grabbed his arm: "I've already seen her, cousin, let's go."

At this moment, the terrifying, suffocating killing intent subsided like a receding tide.

As Ulege watched their departing figures, he suddenly felt a jolt, and a voice rang in his ears:
“Tell the Great Mother that I will soon go and settle accounts with them.”

……

(End of this chapter)