Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 179 The Divine Sword in Wine (Thanks to GGary for the generous donation!)
After passing Xuanyuan Pass, head straight northwest.

Pan Shizheng and Li Chunfeng are both well-known names, and suddenly they have become juniors, which feels quite special.

As for taking on apprentices, I have no plans for the time being.

Zhou Yi had a sudden thought: Li Chunfeng was more compatible with Fellow Daoist Yuan.

After all, it's a combination of back-rubbing images.

With a chuckle, we climbed to the top of a mountain.

Looking north towards Yiluo, all one can see is a line of cold water, winding like a ribbon, flowing slowly, as if it cannot bear the weight of the withered reeds and autumn chill that fill the river.

He set his sights on the Yi River and quickened his pace.

As the sun sets, a lone wisp of smoke rises straight as a spear in the distance, seemingly about to pierce the evening clouds.

A fragrant aroma could be smelled from afar.

It turned out that someone had set up a bonfire on the banks of the Yi River and used sharpened bamboo to pierce the belly of a fish. The fish was roasted until it was shiny and oily, making people want to take a second look.

To the left of the campfire, a valiant young man with a broad back stood, and next to him, a tall woman was wiping her sword.

The moment Zhou Yi appeared, the dashing young man turned around.

Ba Feng Han saw that the newcomer was dressed in white, and although his steps were hurried, he gave people a strange feeling. This was because he did not have the slightest sign of being travel-worn, which was very different from the martial arts people who traveled around the world.

Compared to the handsome appearance, Ba Feng Han was more concerned about the long sword at the newcomer's waist.

Once the fighting spirit takes hold in one's heart, it becomes incredibly difficult to suppress.

A master swordsman, well done!

His eyes gleamed, and the corners of his mouth curled up: "Junyu, I have chosen my opponent."

Fu Junyu was about to ask, "Who did you choose?"

She glanced to the side; there was no need to ask any more questions.

Compared to Ba Feng Han, because of her cultivation of the Nine Profound Great Law and the Chess Sword Technique, she has the ability to see through the subtle and hidden, and her perspective on people is more discerning.

The saying goes, "One uses a person to play the sword, and one uses a sword to play the enemy."

Yi Jian Shu (弈剑术) is a transcendent skill created by Fu Cailin that integrates the principles of chess into swordsmanship.

But it's not just a swordsmanship; it's about being illusory in appearance but real in spirit.

It can illuminate the real and illuminate the unreal, and play with all things.

The Master of Swordplay has reached the ninth level of the Nine Profound Techniques, achieving a state where the lower level focuses on form and the upper level focuses on spirit, reaching a state of divine power and subtle signs of movement.

This lineage is rather peculiar; the younger the disciple, the higher their talent.

Fu Junyu is second only to her junior sister and has already mastered the Nine Profound Technique to the seventh level.

While maintaining a focused mind, he observed the approaching figure using the techniques of swordsmanship, and a sudden ripple of emotion stirred within him.

The white-clad man's steps were unremarkable, yet she had a strange feeling that his pace and speed were completely mismatched. The source of this feeling was the word "chess".

If you look at it casually, you won't find anything wrong with it.

But once she uses the "Swordplay Technique," it becomes a game of chess between two people sitting opposite each other on a chessboard, where she uses her own philosophy to strategize and play moves.

The players strategize, the chessboard is fiercely contested, and in the end, the victor is revealed.

In a short while, Fu Junyu glanced at the person who had come over, and then looked at Ba Feng Han.

He said to him, focusing his voice into a line:
“This person is unusual. There are so many experts in Dongdu. Why don’t you choose someone else?”

"Junyu, you underestimate me, Bafeng Han."

His smile deepened as he picked up a jar of wine he had brought from his seclusion and took a large gulp.

Ba Feng Han said with an air of dominance:

"When you have mastered your swordsmanship and are eager for an opponent, and a master suddenly appears, it must be a blessing from heaven. For a swordsman, who the opponent is is no longer important; this blessing should not be wasted."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank heavily, soaking a large area of ​​his shirt.

"Friend, please wait!"

Zhou Yi arrived at the Yi River and looked for the source of the sound, but he wasn't very interested.

When Ba Feng Han saw the wine gourd hanging on his head, he called out, "I have eighty-year-old Wucheng Ruoxiachun wine here, a gift from King Dou Jiande of Xia. Are you interested, my friend?"

Fu Junyu glanced at Ba Feng Han with surprise.

This guy seems to have undergone a significant change in temperament since he started working with Sanlong at blacksmithing.

They even knew how to cater to his preferences.

They saw the man in white approaching.

Zhou Yi had tasted the earth cave spring in Xingyang and the burning spring in Jiannan, but he still lacked the Ruoxia spring in Wucheng and the stone frozen spring in Fuping.

He became interested.

I glanced at the man and woman and realized we had never met before.

"Why would you offer me a drink when we've only just met?"

Upon hearing this, Ba Feng Han picked up an unopened ceramic jar and threw it away.

With his strength, he could easily shatter the wine jar if he wasn't careful.

But the earthenware jar suddenly flew out, and thanks to a clever force, even the wine didn't tremble.

Zhou Yi casually stretched out his hand, and the wine jar obediently stopped in his hand.

Fu Junyu couldn't help but glance at Zhou Yi again, Ba Fenghan's fighting spirit intensified.

It should be understood that his strength, infused with the liquor, would erupt the moment the other person received the drink, yet the other person made no attempt to deflect the force. This is akin to a swordsman drawing his sword; he thrusts forward, but the opponent not only remains unmoved but is also completely unharmed.

Isn't that very strange?

"Indeed impressive, I was right about you."

Ba Feng Han praised him and then explained, "We've never met before, but there's a saying in the martial arts world: 'No fight, no friendship.'"

He gestured to Fu Junyu:
"Since I met this girl, I have become even more obsessed with swordsmanship. Although there are many swordsmen in the martial arts world, most of them are ordinary and not worth mentioning. It is a joy to meet a worthy opponent."

"I see that you possess superb swordsmanship. Why not challenge me to a duel?"

His tall and imposing figure unfolded, and his words exuded a strong sense of confidence.

Zhou Yi glanced at the two of them and guessed their identities from their words.

According to previous reports from Wagangzhai, Ba Feng Han seemed to have gone to Hebei with Shi Long Kou Xu.

The person next to him must be Fu Cailin's second apprentice.

Zhou Yi swirled the liquor in his hand: "What if I don't fight you with swords?"

Ba Feng Han laughed and said, "Then you have lost and will become another stepping stone for me to forge an invincible will."

He stroked the longsword in his hand:

"This sword is called Zhanxuan. Xuan is the Xuan in Bi Xuan. To kill the Martial Venerable is my goal."

As he brandished his blade, a white light instantly appeared:
"If you are afraid to fight, then there is no need to force yourself. Just like Qu Ao, whose martial arts will collapsed, no matter how wonderful his innate skills were, he no longer had the courage to draw his weapon against the Martial Venerable."

Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh: "I see you're drinking without eating any food, are you drunk?"

With one hand holding a sword and the other lifting the wine jar, Ba Feng Han tilted his head back and gulped down half the wine.

"This wine is mellow and sweet; I could drink a thousand cups and still not get drunk."

His eyes suddenly sharpened: "Draw your sword."

Zhou Yi unsealed the wine: "You like swords and you like wine. For the sake of this jar of wine, I'll give you a chance to get drunk on both swords and wine."

"Oh?"

With a powerful grip, the wine jar shattered, leaving only a sword in his hand. He then poured his entire spirit into the sword, almost becoming one with it.

His aura was powerful and imposing.

At that moment, even Fu Junyu, who was standing to the side, felt that Zhou Yi was being too arrogant.

He hadn't drawn his sword yet. If Ba Feng Han drew his sword soon, the distance would be less than two zhang, and it would probably be too late for him to draw it.

But then a clear and soothing voice entered his ears: "Draw your sword."

A surge of anger welled up in Ba Feng Han. Looking at the composed young man before him, he felt as if he had been looked down upon.

Instantly, images of the sounds of war beyond the Great Wall, the rising smoke of battle, and bones buried in the yellow earth began to circulate in his mind, transforming the seven styles into one.

With a single slash, one feels a sense of unbridled freedom, as if galloping through a storm in the Gobi Desert!

"Boom~!"

At that very moment, a clear sound rang out, like waves being stirred up in an oasis in the desert, and Fu Junyu's pupils suddenly dilated.

The young man in white was holding a jar of Wucheng wine in his left hand, and the wine seemed to leap out.

Then he clenched his right hand and grabbed the drink.

Incredibly, the liquor sculpted into the shape of a sword in the blink of an eye. He drew it upwards, and the amber-colored liquid formed a long, crystal-clear sword.

It gives one the strange feeling that he is pulling a long sword out of a wine jar.

Suddenly, the strong aroma of alcohol on the long sword was fully activated. It should be known that when the aroma of alcohol is extremely strong, it will ignite when it comes into contact with fire. As a scorching true energy descended, a sword in the wine, overflowing with flames, suddenly appeared in Fu Junyu's eyes!
Eighty years of wine aroma, at this moment, transformed from the abstract into the concrete, becoming a raging flame.

The air was filled with the aroma of wine within a radius of several meters.

As Zhou Yi slashed with his sword, Ba Feng Han felt as if he were seeing a mirage, because the sword in Zhou Yi's hand shattered with a single strike, making it difficult to describe the illusion of reality.

But the violent sword energy, mixed with the smell of fire and alcohol, rushed towards us.

He held his breath, trying his best to find a possibility in the impossible, but there was no flaw. He was unwilling to dodge, so he had no choice but to fly into the fire like a moth. He gritted his teeth, glared, and shouted loudly to meet the attack head-on with his sword. The force of the attack collided and his whole body trembled.
The next instant, he flew backward along with the Zhanxuan Sword.

With a "thump,"

The water was smashed into a huge wave, which extinguished the flames on Ba Feng Han's hair and body with a hissing sound, and a wisp of smoke mixed with the smell of alcohol spread out.

The fish in the Yi River were all attracted here, thinking that anglers from the Eastern Capital were fishing here.

Just moments ago, Ba Feng Han claimed he wasn't drunk, but after inhaling the fumes of alcohol, he immediately became intoxicated and motionless, flowing downstream along the Yi River.

"Good wine, indeed good wine."

Upon hearing this sound, Fu Junyu turned his gaze away from the river and took two steps back.

She looked at the young man in white, wondering about his identity.

Suddenly, she thought of something.

Ba Feng Han, you really know how to pick your opponents.

"Does the young lady also wish to duel with me?"

Fu Junyu shook his head, and then heard him say, "Your companion is dead drunk, take him out of the water."

"Farewell."

Fu Junyu cupped his hands in greeting, unwilling to be associated with such a dangerous person as him.

She didn't try to rescue anyone; instead, she trampled the setting sun and rushed downstream, waiting for Ba Feng Han there.

Zhou Yi sent her away and looked at the fish roasting over the campfire.

With the thought that not eating would be a waste, I sat down without any qualms.

Drinking wine, eating fish, and appreciating the autumn scenery of the Yi River—it's truly a unique experience.

After a while, looking downstream again, the two figures could no longer be seen.

After finishing the last sip of wine, feeling satisfied, he set off again towards the eastern capital.

At the same time, downstream of the Yi River near Yanshi, seven or eight people were standing at the bow of a merchant ship flying the "Song Clan" flag.

Hearing someone shouting from the bow of the ship, more people gathered around.

"My mother, Xiaoling, am I seeing things? Isn't that rheumatism?"

Kou Zhong's eyes widened, and Xu Ziling beside him said, "It's that kid Ba."

"Why is that brat floating in the water again?"

The people on the boat heard a gust of wind, turned around and saw Fu Junyu on the riverbank. She leaped six zhang (approximately 33 meters) and jumped onto the boat.

Fu Junyu originally intended to rescue Ba Fenghan, but the guy seemed to have suffered a huge blow.

He had clearly regained consciousness, but he remained clutching his sword, drifting with the current, unwilling to speak.

But Kou Zhong didn't care about all that.

Hearing a "splash," he jumped into the water, and with the waves, brought Ba Feng Han back to the deck.

Fu Junzhuo leaned closer and asked her junior sister, "What happened to him?"

Fu Junyu glanced at Ba Feng Han: "Him? He fought someone in a sword duel and then lost."

Ba Feng Han stared at the sky, seemingly oblivious to the people around him.

Song Shidao glanced at Fu Junzhuo, then stood aside without saying a word. Liu Heita and Kou Xu, who were beside him, squatted down as well, showing concern.

After all, he had also worked as a blacksmith at the Wagang Foundry.

They broke through the army formations of Li Mi and Yuwen Huaji, showing their very close relationship.

"How badly is he injured?" Liu Heita asked.

"It seems like they didn't use their full strength."

"You didn't use your full strength?" Kou Zhong turned his head. "Second Sister Yu, are you joking? How could you beat Ba boy like this if you didn't use your full strength?"

Xu Ziling looked at Ba Feng Han's burned fur-covered clothes: "It looks like he's been roasted by fire."

Shi Long, who had been meditating at the ship's side, couldn't help but come closer.

Fu Junyu then recounted the story of Ba Feng Han's challenge to find someone.

Actually, she didn't need to go into such detail; she was just observing Ba Feng Han's reaction while speaking, giving him a chance to stop herself.

However, Ba Feng Han completely ignored her.

Finally, the conversation turned to choosing an opponent and the appearance of the man in white.

Liu Heita scratched his head: "Who is this person? Has he given his name?"

Fu Junyu shook her head: "No, but I already know who he is."

"who is it?"

Fu Junzhuo noticed the change in her junior sister's expression and immediately knew that this person was no ordinary person.

Fu Junyu said with certainty, "It is indeed the Taoist Celestial Master."

"ah?!!"

Kou and Xu let out a strange cry, and were very excited.

Those around him, including Shi Long and Song Shidao, all wore different expressions, giving Ba Feng Han an admiring look that said, "You've got guts."

Beside Liu Heita, a young general named Su Dingfang was taken aback.

"Brother Liu, is Brother Ba actually challenging that martial arts grandmaster?"

"It's him."

Liu Heita was both expectant and worried, as the Celestial Master he had been longing for had actually appeared in Luoyang.

Thinking of Ning Sanren's prophecy that he "would not live past the age of twenty-eight," I wonder if the Celestial Master has any way to break it.
His thoughts were interrupted by Xu Ziling:

"Young Master Ba is so lucky to have experienced swordsmanship that is rarely seen by others as soon as he came out of seclusion."

Shi Long said, "We are indeed lucky, but I'm afraid this time the blow we suffered was too great."

Looking at the dejected Ba Feng Han, Kou Zhong suddenly had a brilliant idea.

So he raised his voice, making Ba Feng Han's ears ring: "Ba boy, judging from your appearance, your martial will is already shattered. Should we send you to Xingyang and have the Indian monk mend your spirit?"

"He might be able to be your mentor."

"Qu Ao fought against the Martial Venerable, and you fought against the Celestial Master. Your injuries should be about the same."

Kou Zhong's words indeed had an effect. Provoked, Ba Feng Han turned around and said, "Qu Ao doesn't even have the courage to face a Martial Venerable. How can this coward compare to me?"

"After I escaped from Wu Zun's clutches, all I could think about every day was how to defeat him."

His parents were killed by bandits when he was young. To survive, he lived a life of constant danger and hardship, which fostered his tenacious character.

This personality trait is also integrated into martial arts.

Just thinking about the fantastical scene he had just witnessed had a huge impact on his understanding of martial arts.

I can't understand how that was done.

He braced himself against the deck with both hands and returned to a normal sitting posture.

Seeing that he had come back to his senses, Xu Ziling asked curiously, "You've faced the Martial Venerable before, and this time you've faced the Celestial Master. Which one do you think is stronger?"

After careful consideration, Ba Feng Han said, "They can all use scorching and boiling true energy, but their fighting styles are completely different. Bi Xuan prefers the traditional techniques of the Northern Desert, which are like the blazing sun over the desert."

"This one is hard to describe and difficult to define. I have been thinking about it for a while, but I can't figure out how to turn wine into a sword and strike with such power."

"To be honest, this is a sword technique I've never seen before."

Even a resilient person like Ba Feng Han looked bewildered: "His swordsmanship inspired many ideas and inspirations in me, but I could hardly grasp them. The deeper I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I felt."

Fu Junyu asked, "Why do you say that?"

Everyone looked at Ba Feng Han, who drew inspiration from the swordsmanship of the martial arts grandmaster.

Isn't this a good thing?
Ba Feng Han's gaze was profound: "I suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a Martial Venerable, but I could sense the limits of the Blazing Sun Technique. As I continue to practice, the gap between us is narrowing day by day, and one day I will surpass him."

"However, when you try to experience the martial arts of this Taoist master, there are limits that cannot be explored. The more you pursue them, the further away they become. It's like walking in the desert and suddenly losing your way. The sandstorm is so thick that you can't see anything. That's the most despairing thing."

He scoffed, "I wish these were just illusions."

Upon hearing this, Fu Junzhuo took it very seriously and looked at her junior sister: "Junyu, is that so?"

Fu Junyu shook his head: "I didn't face that sword directly, so my feelings are not as deep as his."

"but."

She paused, and though reluctant, she still said, "The swordsmanship of this Taoist master is extremely magical, and it is worthy of being compared with my master's swordsmanship."

When Fu Junzhuo thought about this man's age, she really didn't know what to say.

She glanced down the Yi River.

Gaisuwen was an ambitious fellow. He befriended the northern deserts and cooperated with Li Mi, who was the mortal enemy of the Taoist Celestial Master.

With Vonganda present, a fierce battle is likely to ensue.

Unsure of how to act towards her master, Fu Junzhuo felt a pang of worry.

Song Shidao, who had fallen in love with her at first sight, had been paying attention to her for some time. He didn't offer any sudden words of comfort, but instead changed the subject: "It's getting late, we should hurry to Dongdu." Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling also stopped joking with Ba Feng Han.

Although I had guessed that Boss Zhou was going to Dongdu, I was still excited to hear the confirmed news.

It has been a long time since we parted ways in Jiangdu.

This time, Liu Heita led the Xia King Dou Jiande's army to the Eastern Capital, and they also came to join in the fun. Miss Zhai Jiao's men clashed with Li Mi's army near Yanshi.

They had just fought and killed each other when they encountered Song Shidao, who was escorting Sister Fu to Luoyang.

Gaesomun colluded with Kim Jeongjong and Li Mi of Goguryeo, but this group was at odds with the Goguryeo king. The sword master also had two bets.

After Yang Guang died, the "dung-producing minister Yuan" he referred to from Goguryeo also died.

Now, it is Gao Yuan's half-brother Gao Jianwu who has inherited the throne as the Prince of Rongliu.

Goguryeo was also embroiled in internal strife. Kou Xu had met the master of Yi Jian and knew about the situation in Goguryeo.

Even without a sibling relationship, it's fine to travel together at this time.

As darkness fell, while Song Shidao and his group were still on their way, about nine miles east of the Eastern Capital, a figure in white stepped onto the bluestone official road.

"Giddy up, giddy up!"

Several fast horses galloped past, the riders only concerned with urging them on, none of them looking in Zhou Yi's direction.

Lately, far too many people have been heading to the Eastern Capital.

There were countless young people dressed in blue, black, and white, but as long as they didn't reveal their martial arts skills, few people paid them any attention.

Zhou Yi glanced at the few fast horses, walked forward about a hundred steps, and stepped onto a small hill.

Although we were still a short distance from the Eastern Capital, we could already see the majestic city ahead.

That magnificent wall is comparable to the one in Jiangdu.

If there are no internal problems, the city walls alone can easily block enemies from all directions.

Ordinary siege warfare is ineffective against this nearly forty-zhang-high city wall, having no effect whatsoever.

As dusk settled, Zhou Yi quickened his pace.

Just as they descended the hill, the sound of horses' hooves echoed in the distance.

The hoofbeats were very slow, as if someone was leading the horse.

Before long, a rider emerged from a bend in the reeds. The horse slowly trotted along the road, occasionally lowering its head to nibble on the grass. On its back lay a person dressed in brocade robes, whose face was turned to the side.

His face was not visible, but he was broad-shouldered, indicating he was a man.
Zhou Yi initially thought he was asleep, but then he noticed that his hands were hanging limply and he didn't seem to have any strength. He also ignored the horse as it wandered into the grass.

As soon as they got close, the horse became alert and galloped away.

Zhou Yi leaped onto the horse; if he couldn't outrun it, he would be utterly humiliated.

He leaped and lifted the man off the horse. The horse was intelligent; once the man was off its back, it snorted from a distance and refused to go any further.

"Hey, wake up."

The man was around fifty years old, with a thick mustache and a handsome appearance, but his hair was more than half white.

He called out several times but did not wake up.

Zhou Yi reached out and pushed Qi towards the Zhongshu acupoint on his back, all the way to the Shenzhu acupoint.

The muscles and meridians on both sides of the man's neck twitched, and he slowly woke up, opening his eyes groggily.

"Friend, who are you?"

"I was just passing by."

Zhou Yi briefly recounted the events that had just transpired.

The middle-aged man, weak and feeble, clasped his hands and said, "Thank you."

“Your horse is very intelligent and should be able to take you home. I’ll go ahead.”

That's not my horse.

Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the horse that was snorting. Wasn't this guy protecting its master?

“Friend, if you’re going to Dongdu, you can wait an hour. Don’t go right now. Someone is making a move in the eastern part of the city.”

"Will you be killed?"

Upon hearing this question, the man's eyelids twitched; he hadn't expected the young man to be so quick-witted.

"Yes."

"who are you?"

"Down below."

He hesitated for a moment, then looked at Zhou Yi again. He was stiff and needed help. This man in front of him shouldn't be a bad person, otherwise he would have killed him long ago.

"My name is Lu Chu."

"A big fish!" Zhou Yi laughed. "How did Lu Neishi get chased all the way here?"

The Grand Secretary was the highest-ranking official in the Imperial Secretariat. This man, one of the Seven Nobles of Luoyang, was even more miserable than the Guo family members on the mountain road.

They were at least on a mountain road.

You've been treated like this at the main gate of Dongdu, aren't you shameless?

Lu Chu was a little embarrassed and was about to explain when he suddenly heard a whistle in the distance, and a horse neighed loudly.

It gave a signal, and the person whistling in the distance immediately knew the direction.

Hearing the sound of wind breaking through the air, they realized it was two experts.

"One of our own."

Lu Chu reminded him from the side, and Zhou Yi's gaze pierced through the night, seeing that the person was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with his hair tied in a hero's bun, wearing martial arts clothes and a leather vest, and had a handsome appearance.

At this moment, he holds a pair of flying claws in both hands.

The other woman was an oval-shaped face, very pretty, a year or two younger than the young man beside her. She held a curved knife and exuded a wildness like Princess Lianrou.

Both men's weapons were stained with blood, and their breathing was somewhat rapid.

It was clear that they had just had a fierce battle.

"Lu Neishi, mount your horse and go quickly."

Zhou Yi ignored Lu Chu, who was preparing to mount his horse, and looked at the man and woman behind him.

Sure enough, a voice came:
"Where are you going?!"

The young man swung his flying claw, and the woman slashed backward with her knife.

Several sparks lit up the air, followed by loud "bangs," as three experts arrived. The stronger one fought the young man, while the other two battled the woman.

Zhou Yi had intended to observe from the sidelines, but suddenly sensed a familiar presence.

He took a step forward, and Lu Chu saw a white shadow flash by. The light was already dim, and now it was even harder to see clearly.

"Uh-huh~!"

Three screams rang out in succession, followed by a man's voice of praise: "Excellent claw technique!"

He originally used a flying claw, and had a good understanding of claw techniques.

He was fighting a formidable opponent when an unexpected claw struck from the side, exposing a gap in the opponent's defenses and killing him instantly.

The precision of his strikes and the accuracy of his timing are all at the level of a martial arts master.

The young couple escaped the battle under Zhou Yi's three claws and came to Lu Chu's side together.

Without saying a word, he blew his whistle to drive the horse away, then grabbed Lu Chu and jumped onto a tall willow tree by the roadside.

Under the cover of night, he crouched behind a branch, suppressing his breath and remaining motionless.

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves echoed, raising clouds of dust.

The sound of a large formation of footsteps came from the direction of the Eastern Capital. As soon as they appeared, they saw a forest of spears and archers lined up in rows.

This group of men was very imposing, numbering at least three thousand.

Moreover, they were all strong and capable soldiers, and traces of battle formations could be seen as they moved about.

Leading the group was a tall, imposing general in silver armor, with a sinister expression, carrying two swords on his back and a spear in his hand.

He possessed profound inner strength, and as he walked, he shouted, his voice carrying far: "Minister Lu, this humble general has annihilated the bandits. Come with me back to the city."

"Lu Neishi"

He strained his ears and called out repeatedly, ready to detect the slightest disturbance.

The man and woman held Lu Chu down from behind, helping him hold his breath.

At that moment, how could they dare to respond?

Once the army had completely passed and was chasing into the distance, Lu Chu, who was in the tree, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Who is that?"

"Wuliang Sword, Xiang Siren, is a confidant of Wang Shichong."

"As fellow members of the Seven Nobles, why does Lu Neishi avoid his own people?"

Seeing the smile on Zhou Yi's face, Lu Chu knew he was very capable and didn't take the teasing words to heart: "I don't get along with Wang Shichong. If something happens outside the city, it's hard to explain. Once inside the city, they won't dare to be arrogant."

After saying that, he asked again, "May I ask who you are, sir, and why you have come to the Eastern Capital at this moment?"

The way they ask so many questions clearly indicates they're not locals.

Zhou Yi explained, "My surname is Zhou. I am actually a country farmer who knows some traditional Chinese medicine. I was invited by the Dugu family to try to treat the old lady's illness."

"I see."

They stayed in the willow tree and didn't come down. Sure enough, dozens of riders turned around and attacked.

Lu Chu had no conflict with the Dugu family, and they shared a common enemy, Wang Shichong.

Therefore, the way they looked at Zhou Yi was more friendly.

"Who were those people we just killed?"

The young man said, "He is a master from the Taihang Gang."

Zhou Yi recalled the people he met when he rescued Shili Kuang in the Dabashan Mountains; they were also from the Taihang Gang.

After the young man finished speaking, he introduced himself:

"My name is Tuoba Yu."

"This is my junior sister, Chunyu Wei."

Observing the change in Zhou Yi's expression, Junior Sister Chunyu Wei asked, "Does Young Master Zhou know us?"

"I have naturally heard of the Martial Venerable's disciples. I wonder why the two of you are with Lu Neishi? This is quite strange. Could it be that the Martial Venerable is also interested in the Eastern Capital's court?"

I sensed a hint of hostility from him.

Tuoba Yu was not angry; in fact, he could quite understand where this hostility came from:

“Young Master Zhou is overthinking it. We are only helping Lu Neishi to repay a favor. He helped us more than half a month ago, and now he has sent people to help us find our mortal enemy, Ba Feng Han. This man killed our senior brother, and we want to seek revenge on him.”

"that is."

Chunyu Wei said, "We have no time to meddle in matters within the Eastern Capital."

They had only been chatting for a short while when the few dozen riders who had just galloped off went back to catch up with the main force.

The four people climbed down from the tree.

Chunyu Wei blew a whistle, and the horse that had been hiding deep in the reeds suddenly emerged, truly displaying remarkable intelligence.

Even hairy animals can be spiritually connected, let alone horses.

Since Zhou Yi was heading towards the Dugu Clan, Lu Chu intended to use him as a messenger, and talked about his own affairs along the way.

“I received a secret letter saying that Shen Luoyan, Li Mi’s chief strategist, was outside the city. I was fooled and believed it. If it weren’t for these two friends, I would be dead.”

"Are you really planning to lure Li Mi into the city to check and balance Wang Shichong?"

"This is a strategy that the Duke of Lu came up with after a long period of research."

Does the Dugu family approve?

Lu Chu hesitated slightly:

"At first, the head of the Dugu family supported the Duke of Lu, but later the old lady objected, and the Dugu clan stopped paying attention to the matter. However, they are Wang Shichong's primary enemy. Young Master Zhou can go to the Dugu clan to explain the advantages and disadvantages. Wang Shichong holds great power and will definitely take action against the Dugu clan. There is no way to avoid it."

"I have no ability to persuade."

Lu Chu revealed a meaningful look: "Young Master Zhou is too modest. How could someone who can be invited into the Dugu Clan at this moment be an ordinary person?"

Zhou Yi smiled and asked, "Was it Yuan Wendu's idea to invite Li Mi?"

"Exactly."

Don't you think this method is stupid?

Lu Chu frowned slightly. He held a high position of power in Dongdu, and few people dared to offend him like this.

However, since he couldn't discern the true nature of the person before him and had helped him before, it was really not good to hold a grudge against him.

"What advice does Young Master Zhou have for me?"

"Li Mi is just looking for a way to invade Luoyang. You've come to his aid. He'll feign a retreat into the city, and when his army arrives, all he needs to do is behead you all, and Luoyang will be his."

This terrible idea left Zhou Yi speechless:
"If Li Mi's army were in Luoyang, the experts in Xingyang would be unrestrained. Tell me, Lu Neishi, what would you do if that Indian sorcerer monk wanted to kill you?"

"You're trying to balance Wang Shichong and Li Mi, but you don't even consider their personalities. If you ask me, it's quite possible that they'd team up to kill you all first, and then fight it out."

Lu Chu sighed: "I have a pact with Lord Yuan that if the country is in trouble, we will die together. If you think I am afraid of this or that, you are underestimating me."

"The Minister of the Interior has backbone, but his methods are wrong."

Lu Chu's eyes narrowed slightly: "Then what should we do?"

Zhou Yi said, "You all know that the Dugu clan is Wang Shichong's biggest enemy. Wouldn't it be better to directly support the Dugu clan and let them fight each other to maintain balance?"

Lu Chu had assumed he had a brilliant plan, but then he scoffed.

“Young Master Zhou, whatever you can think of, all the officials in the Eastern Capital can think of as well.”

"You want us to support the Dugu Clan Chief."

He shook his head and sighed, looking somewhat helpless: "Actually, we wanted to, but the Dugu clan leader is a shrewd man on the surface but honest on the inside, and he is not suited to playing tricks. Wang Shichong, on the other hand, is an expert in this art."

He had already been very tactful.

But fearing that Zhou Yi might not understand, he added, "If the old lady of the Dugu family were in charge of the affairs, we wouldn't have these troubles. Unfortunately, she is old and suffers from chronic illnesses."

"I do hope that Young Master Zhou can cure the old lady."

Lu Chu smiled wryly:
"You probably don't know, but recently the Dugu clan leader has taken a fancy to Wang Shichong's niece, Dong Shuni. In fact, after Li Mi promised to give Dong Shuni to him, the Dugu clan leader did not object to Li Mi's occupation of Luoyang."

"Young Master Zhou, do you still want me to bet everything on the Dugu Clan Chief?"

After hearing this, Zhou Yi was speechless, knowing that it was true.

Fortunately, Xiao Feng always stayed with her grandmother, otherwise she would definitely have been led astray by her father.

Dugu Ce took his father as his role model and spent all his time socializing with Yun Yuzhen.

At his age, he's still a sycophant to Dong Shuni.

For the sake of Dong Shuni, he cooperated with Li Mi. After Li Mi was defeated, he fled to seek refuge with Li Yuan.

Those who served in the same court as Dugu Feng naturally understood his temperament.

He truly had no chance of winning against Wang Shichong.

His temperament is not even as good as Dugu Sheng of Jiangdu.

The thought that he was Little Phoenix's father gave Zhou Yi a headache, and he even wanted to call out to Old Man Zhou.

Lu Chu saw him deep in thought, his face darkening.

Despite his predicament, the Prefect managed to find humor in his misery and chuckled, saying, "Well, now that Young Master Zhou has grasped my predicament, do you?"

"The current capital is like a bunch of medicinal wines, nine out of ten of which contain deadly poison. If I have to drink one, I'd rather choose it myself. That way, even if I die, I won't have much to complain about."

Zhou Yi nodded:

"You have a point, but perhaps there is a way to find that one in ten."

Lu Chu waited for him to continue, but Zhou Yi remained silent.

They only asked, "How many troops can you mobilize?"

"Most of the army is in Wang Shichong's hands, led by generals such as Xiang Siren, Zhang Zhenzhou, Yang Gongqing, Chen Changlin, Lang Feng, Yang Qing, and Song Mengqiu. We can mobilize about 10,000 men."

"However, most of the Imperial Guards are in the hands of the Dugu Clan Chief, and Emperor Tai trusts him greatly."

The situation was similar to that in Jiangdu, where Yang Guang also trusted Dugu Sheng.

However, in terms of loyalty, Dugu Feng was far inferior to his second brother.

Wang Shichong had a large army, but there were also internal conflicts.

Leaving aside other forces, the situation in the Eastern Capital court alone is quite complicated.

Zhou Yi's eyes turned slightly cold as he pondered whether he could find an opportunity to eliminate Wang Shichong, this scourge.

On the way back to Dongdu, the two chatted back and forth.

Lu Chu had long since abandoned his underestimation of him, and the more they talked, the more he realized that this Young Master Zhou was no ordinary person.

Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei always listened and rarely spoke.

Before long, a magnificent city wall came into view.

The city hadn't completely fallen out yet. When Xiang Siren's men left at the city gate saw Lu Chu return, they even greeted him with smiles.

"Lord Lu, General Xiang heard that you are in danger and is looking for you."

"Thank you. Please call General Xiang back quickly."

"Yes~!"

Once inside the city, Lu Neishi breathed a sigh of relief and said to Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei:
"Rest assured, both of you. My men have been deployed to various major portals, taking turns to guard them around the clock. As long as Ba Feng Han appears, they will be able to find him based on the portrait you provided."

Tuoba Yu said, "He will definitely come here."

Lu Chu also sent people to each city gate to give them a heads-up, telling them to keep a close watch.

But what was unexpected was...
Shortly after Zhou Yi and the others entered the city, with Song Shidao clearing the way, Kou Zhong and Liu Heita carried a door panel, but Lu Chu's men didn't even notice it.

Who would have thought that the arrogant master Lu Neishi had instructed would be so unconventional, entering the Eastern Capital while lying down?
……

(End of this chapter)