Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 209 The Miracle of Transformation and the White Horse's Journey East
Unlike Wang Bodang, Wei Zheng quickly calmed down.

He rose from under the eaves, took a few steps forward, and bowed to the young man in white before him, saying, "Celestial Master."

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over Wang Bodang, a slight surprise in his heart, before he said to Wei Zheng:
"What's going on in Xingyang?"

“Li Mi is a man of his word,” Wei Zheng said angrily. “He has no intention of peacefully surrendering Xingyang. I underestimated his viciousness. To achieve his goal, Li Mi has resorted to any means necessary.”

"His actions are pointless; they're merely a way to buy time?"

“No,” Wei Zheng shook his head, “it’s to provoke you.”

"Oh?"

“He knows that you, Celestial Master, will definitely go to Chang’an. At this moment, the top experts in the world have gathered there. If Li Mi succeeds, Xingyang will surely be in chaos, the city will be burned down, and countless people will die.”

At this point, Wei Zheng gritted his teeth in anger, "This despicable and cruel psychological warfare tactic is merely to disrupt the Celestial Master's martial arts mindset, so that you cannot exert your due strength in the possible struggle for Chang'an."

Zhou Yi frowned; Li Mi's madness had exceeded his expectations.

It might be useless, but he chose to struggle in his death throes.

"Where is Li Mi?" Zhou Yi asked Wang Bodang.

Wang Bodang was no longer the dashing figure he once was, now his head drooped, and his breathing was heavy.

He shook his head, his tone self-deprecating: "I don't know."

It's not easy to lie to Zhou Yi.

Moreover, he was someone who appeared to have suffered some psychological trauma and was full of flaws.

"You kept Li Milian a secret too?"

Zhou Yi took a step closer: "It's all your fault for not recognizing people well and not being able to distinguish between good and bad. Helping the wicked will not end well."

Wang Bodang had been ridiculed by Wei Zheng for a long time, and at this moment he had no intention of arguing.

The truth is like a sharp knife, which has long since left him covered in wounds.

Wang Bodang sighed and said bluntly:
"Please, Celestial Master, give me a quick death."

Wei Zheng watched silently, his expression perfectly calm.

"Do you think he should die?"

Upon hearing Zhou Yi's question, Wei Zheng pondered for a moment, then changed his tone: "Damn it. The emperor doesn't need a reason to kill someone, especially since he was already guilty."

Wei Zheng then said:

"However, this person is still somewhat useful. We can make the most of him and kill him later."

He pointed north:
"The Xiaoguo Army of Wei Commandery is on high alert, and the army of Xingyang can meet them with the fastest speed. This criminal is quite prestigious in the army, and the commandery is unstable right now because the rebels have just been dealt with. Although he is blind and loyal to Li Mi, he has a fairly good reputation in Xingyang and other places."

"The Celestial Master, please grant him a few more days of life, in consideration of his merits this time, so that he can make some contributions to the people of Xingyang."

Wei Zheng then took out another knife and respectfully said:

“I can do these things for the Celestial Master. If you are unhappy but do not wish to deal with him, I, Wei, can take his head.”

Zhou Yi glanced at Wang Bodang, who was covered in blood, and said to Wei Zheng:

"You can keep an eye on him and make him do things. I'll kill him when I'm in a bad mood."

"Yes!"

For some reason, Wei Zheng appeared quite agitated when he responded.

Zhou Yi ignored Wang Bodang and asked Wei Zheng about the situation in Wei Commandery.

Soon, he learned the true nature of the Xiaoguo Army and the Wei Commandery.

Having confirmed that Xingyang was no longer a concern, he didn't linger and headed straight for Wei County.

After Zhou Yi left, Wang Bo clasped his hands in thanks to Wei Zheng, saying, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. Actually, I didn't intend to save you, nor am I speaking up for you."

Seeing his blank expression, Wei Zheng couldn't help but smile:

"This proves once again that what I told you before was right. What the Celestial Master cares about is not just a little personal grudge. He can kill you at will, and he can let you go at will. Apart from being blind, you are not a bad person, so you are not an eyesore."

"However, the rumors circulating outside that the new emperor is 'meticulous' are actually a good thing."

"Only by inspiring awe can one effectively govern subordinates."

Wang Bodang had to admit that he was absolutely right.

"Brother Wei, what should I do?"

“It’s simple. Dedicate your blind loyalty to the right person, and then focus on your work,” Wei Zheng said, brandishing the knife in his hand. “And you must be extremely cautious for the rest of your life, because this knife at your neck will never be taken away.”

After he finished speaking, he chuckled and sighed:
"You're lucky to have met such a magnanimous king, otherwise you would be dead by now."

"Think carefully about what Li Mi did, and you'll see how big the difference is between the two."

Wang Bodang pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands in thanks once more.

Then, he bowed in the direction where the white figure had disappeared.

Wei Zheng smiled and helped him up: "You've finally polished the mirror in your heart. The sun is about to rise in the east. Let's go and investigate the city again."

"We absolutely must not allow any chaos to occur in Xingyang, otherwise we might end up hiding in the same place."

Wang Bodang breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling a sudden sense of ease in his heart:
"Let's go, Brother Wei."

……

Wei Commandery, Anyang.

The seat of Wei Commandery was originally in Ye City. In the second year of the Xiang Dynasty, Yuchi Jiong, the governor of Xiangzhou, refused to submit to Yang Jian and sent troops to attack him. He was defeated and committed suicide. Yang Jian then ordered Ye City to be burned down.

Therefore, the administrative center was moved to Anyang.

This place was also where nearly 100,000 elite troops were stationed.

The elite troops left behind by Guang Shen suffered severe morale damage after marching south to Jiangdu and then north to Weijun, and had long lost their former imposing military might.

However, even in the small place of Anyang, guarding the palace, they could still maintain a formidable defense.

After Yuwen Huaji led his troops to occupy this place, he honored Yang Hao, the son of the King of Qin, as emperor and appointed himself prime minister.

I heard not long ago that Yang Hao died.

To Zhou Yi's surprise, Yuwen Huaji remained nominally prime minister and dared not overstep his bounds and declare himself emperor.

Thanks to the alluvial plain of the Zhanghe River, the land here is fertile and produces crops such as millet and wheat.

While walking through Anyang City, Zhou Yi also saw many Ye Brocade shops.

Inheriting the tradition of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Wei County remained an important silk-producing area in the north and a major source of tribute to the imperial court.

Yuwen Huaji did not choose the wrong place.

This area is bordered by the Taihang Mountains to the west and the plains to the east, serving as a strategic eastern gateway to the Guanzhong Plain and the Hedong Plain.

The city's prosperity was naturally different from what Zhou Yi remembered.

"dong dong dong"

Patrols of soldiers marched along Huajin Street, with one patrol appearing every two quarters of an hour, making the patrol frequency extremely high.

Because this street leads all the way to the palace.

After Yang Hao's death, the Wei Commandery Palace was naturally occupied by Yuwen Huaji.

Despite the seemingly tight defenses, morale was low, and it was mostly just a show. From the generals to the soldiers, most of them were just going through the motions.

After Zhou Yi occupied Luoyang.

The Giant Kun Gang has marched north, joining forces with the Luoyang Gang, and has already established itself in Wei County.

But Yuwen Huaji was completely unaware.

Not long after Zhou Yi entered the city, he met with the capable members of the Giant Kun Gang and learned about the news in the palace.

That night, he went straight to the palace as if it were empty.

The Weijun Imperial Palace was newly built and was slightly larger than the Xunyang Palace in Jiujiang, but it was not as elegant and had more angular features.

Having seen the topographical map of the palace, it was not difficult to find Yuwen Huaji's residence.

At three quarters of Hai hour.

A white figure passed through the heavy guards and arrived at the Anyang Hall, which was close to the inner palace.

If the intelligence is correct, Yuwen Huaji is most likely in the palace.

Lanterns were placed under the corridors, and the entire palace was kept lit throughout the night. Unless there was a strong wind or heavy rain, there was light wherever you walked in the palace at night.

Zhou Yi walked up several stone steps and looked towards the main hall not far away.

The lights were on inside, and there were faint shadowy figures flickering.

As he approached the Anyang Hall, he deliberately left his footsteps visible, and the people inside noticed him.

Zhou Yi only heard a breathing sound.

And the sound of his breathing stopped abruptly the moment he revealed his footsteps.

Those who react in this way are not bad at all.

"Who?!"

A slightly heavy male voice rang out.

"Squeak~!"

His response was the sound of a strong wind pushing open the doors. The two doors swung open, and before the person inside could see clearly, a white figure flashed in like a ghost.

Once your body has come to a stop.

The people in Anyang Hall recognized the newcomer instantly.

A look of fear flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and took two steps forward:

"Yuwen Shiji pays respects to the Celestial Master!"

After shouting, he had already knelt down.

Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback. This was another unexpected event. When he looked up, he saw that the man was obviously younger than Yuwen Huaji, and their appearances were also quite different.

Yuwen Shiji appeared even thinner, and compared to his elder brother, he lacked a fierce air.

Furthermore, Yuwen Shiji had always been in the north and had never been involved in the affairs of Jiangdu.

His relationship with the Li clan of Guanzhong was particularly close.

As Zhou Yi quickly pondered, he sat down on a tall chair carved with orchids next to him.

"Where is Yuwen Huaji?"

Yuwen Shiji married Princess Nanyang, and he became Yang Guang's son-in-law.

However, his past status no longer carries any deterrent effect.

He quickly replied, "My brother is not in the palace; he has gone into hiding to avoid danger."

"Avoid whom?"

"A member of the Great Ming Zunjiao sect."

Zhou Yi exclaimed in surprise, "Did you kill Yang Hao?"

“It was the palace guards who killed him,” Yuwen Shiji continued. “Yang Hao was bewitched by the people of the Great Ming Zunjiao. He had gone mad and wanted to command the Xiaoguo Army to fight against the Celestial Master. The palace guards refused to obey his orders, so he drew his sword and killed them. He was then killed in the chaos.”

"At that time, my elder brother was no longer in the palace."

"The people of the Great Ming Sect are trying to force him out using this method. Because by controlling him, they can control the Xiaoguo Army."

This is reaping what you sow.

Zhou Yi still had doubts: "Hasn't Yuwen Huaji always been cooperating with the Great Ming Zunjiao? How did they start fighting amongst themselves?"

Yuwen Shiji responded immediately:

“I heard from my elder brother that the Great Venerable said he wanted him to be the next generation of the Venerable Atom, so he passed on a secret technique to him. After practicing this secret technique, the power of my family’s Ice Profound Force increased greatly. But over time, we gradually discovered the conspiracy behind it.”

"The secret technique has a flaw, and the Great Venerable intends to use it to control him."

"After discovering this secret, he was restless and unable to eat or sleep. Since he had no chance of getting rid of the Great One, he hid in the shadows and did not meet with the Great One."

Zhou Yi thought of the group of people in Xingyang and roughly understood Yuwen Huaji's situation.

"Were you here arranged by Yuwen Huaji?"

Yuwen Shiji shook his head: "At first I was in Chang'an, but I came to Wei County after listening to the advice of the second young master of the Li family. He said that the Celestial Master would definitely come here, and only the Celestial Master could solve the crisis in Wei County. My brother dared not show himself, so I waited here."

"Summon Yuwen Huaji to see me."

"Yes, Celestial Master, please wait a moment."

Upon seeing him nod, Yuwen Shiji hurriedly ran out of the palace.

After more than half an hour, footsteps were heard outside the palace.

As the night deepened, Yuwen Shiji walked behind, with two other people ahead of him.

One was Yuwen Huaji, and the other was naturally Wei Zhenzhen.

"Celestial Master." The two immediately bowed down upon entering the hall.

Wei Zhenzhen looked up at the person in front of her again in disbelief, and the scene from Jiangdu suddenly appeared in her mind.

If it were an ordinary person buying steamed buns, they would forget about it as soon as they turn their head.

But some people can remember something after just one glance.

She was certain it wasn't a hallucination, because the Celestial Master, whom even Yuwen Huaji feared greatly, actually gave her a slight smile.

"Sister-in-law Zhen, have Xiao Zhong and Xiao Ling come looking for you?"

As Zhou Yi spoke, he helped her up.

Upon hearing these familiar titles, Wei Zhenzhen almost burst into tears.

Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Shiji were stunned; they had never expected such a scene.

Wei Zhenzhen didn't know how to address him, and she never expected that the person who came to buy steamed buns back then would have such a status!
I had no choice but to respond:

“They both came to see me, but it was inconvenient for me to meet them, and I was worried that I would harm them, so I had to miss the opportunity.”

Zhou Yi was mostly concerned about the two boys. Although he knew Wei Zhenzhen was kind-hearted, he didn't talk to her much.

He nodded slightly in response.

He then turned to Yuwen Huaji and said, "Tell me about your affairs. I have had quite a few dealings with your Yuwen family."

Upon hearing this, all three felt a chill run down their spines.

There's no point in explaining past grievances.

Yuwen Huaji clasped his hands and said, "Celestial Master, apart from my hundred personal followers, I am willing to offer the entire Wei Commandery and the Xiaoguo Army to your command!"

Zhou Yi's face turned cold:
"Since you are so sensible, why did you collude with Li Mi when I was in Luoyang?"

Yuwen Huaji sighed and explained, "Master, you may not know this, but ever since I met Zhenzhen, I have found the world's struggles utterly tasteless, and I have no desire to fight with you."

"I mobilized the Xiaoguo Army because the Great Venerable forced me to do so."

"At that time, I discovered that there was a flaw in the martial arts technique I was practicing, and I knew that I had fallen into a trap. I had no choice but to play along with him. Otherwise, I would not be alive today."

Zhou Yi noticed a flaw in his words: "Since you're already tired of fighting, why don't you leave Anyang sooner?"

Meeting his cold gaze, Yuwen Huaji felt immense pressure; if he was lying, his mental state would be full of flaws.

“He did it because of me,” Wei Zhenzhen said, rolling up her sleeves.

A black line was visible on her arm, starting from the Shenmen acupoint, extending like a tree trunk to the Shaohai acupoint, spreading out like branches. The blood lines were all blackish-purple, looking hideous and ugly.

"This poison was planted by Poison Water Xinnaya, a subordinate of the Great Venerable."

Yuwen Huaji said with a hint of hatred, "They know that Zhenzhen is my weakness, so they waited for me to show myself. If they don't cure the poison, Zhenzhen will die sooner or later, and my life will have no meaning."

"Husband."

Wei Zhenzhen cried out in sorrow and shook her head repeatedly.

Seeing the two holding hands and gazing at each other like star-crossed lovers, Zhou Yi felt slightly uncomfortable.

Although it's hard for others to understand, their love is truly genuine.

Tell me your thoughts.

Yuwen Huaji said, "I have no other request, I only hope that the Celestial Master will save Zhenzhen's life."

"At that time, I will go east to Japan with Zhenzhen and never set foot back in China. Japan is a barren island with a small population. I am willing to occupy this place for the Celestial Master and make offerings to China every year."

Zhou Yi thought for a moment, then reached out and grabbed Wei Zhenzhen's wrist.

I channeled my true energy into her hand along the Shaoyin Heart Meridian.

Visibly, the black aura on her arm dissipated like melting snow, and in an instant, the cult's strange poison that they had been unable to use disappeared from Wei Zhenzhen's body at an incredible speed.

Yuwen Huaji was terrified.

Such skill is truly beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

I heard that the Celestial Master once cured a group of martial arts practitioners in Chengdu. I witnessed it with my own eyes and was truly amazed.

"Thank you, Celestial Master!"

The two turned their sorrow into joy and bowed in gratitude.

After bowing, Yuwen Huaji said again:
"If I'm not mistaken, Li Mi should be in Chang'an. He has recognized Fu Nanda as his national teacher and has many dealings with the Great Ming Zunjiao. This time, they want to control me so that they can transfer 100,000 Xiaoguo troops to Chang'an to cooperate with the Golden Wolf Army on the grasslands to deal with you."

Zhou Yi nodded, then asked:
"What shortcomings did the Great Venerable leave in the cultivation method he gave you?"

This cannot be explained in a few words, and even with his understanding of martial arts, he may not be able to explain it clearly.

Yuwen Hua was prepared in advance, and took out a secret manual from his pocket and handed it to Zhou Yi.

"I can't say for sure what the consequences will be."

"This was given to me by the Great Venerable. He destroyed the original text, but this copy is almost identical to the original. After the Celestial Master has seen it, he should have the answer."

Yuwen Huaji thought for a moment and then said:

“I heard the Great Master say that there was someone who also practiced this skill, but he is now dead.”

"Who?"

"Shangguan Long, the former leader of the Luoyang Gang."

Shangguan Long?
Zhou Yi recalled what Bai Cong'an, the deputy leader of the Luoyang Gang, had told him back in Dongdu. Shangguan Long appeared to have died from a qi deviation; his body was desiccated, his arms were nothing but skin and bones, and his pupils were bloodshot, suggesting he hadn't been murdered.

He glanced at the manual briefly, then closed it again.

"Once you have settled things in Wei Commandery, then head east. As long as you don't cause trouble, no one will bother you."

"Yes!"

Yuwen Huaji turned to look at Wei Zhenzhen, a relieved smile on his face.

Wei Zhenzhen couldn't help but say:

"If Xiao Zhong and Xiao Ling ask you about it, please tell them that Sister Zhen is doing well and there is no need to worry."

Zhou Yi smiled and replied, "Okay."

"Thank you."

She thanked him several times and walked out with Yuwen Huaji.

Yuwen Shiji breathed a sigh of relief.

The feud between the Yuwen clan and the Celestial Masters has been largely resolved, at least there's no need to worry about being killed.

Although this trip to Weijun was risky, it was well worth it.

What's the situation in Chang'an right now?

Yuwen Shiji was not stupid; when he asked about Chang'an, he was naturally asking about the Li family.

Given the current situation, anyone with a sound mind should understand that it is absolutely impossible to break out of Guanzhong.

Therefore, Yuwen Shiji could not fathom Li Yuan's attitude.

"I heard from the second young master of the Li family that the head of the Li clan was initially persuaded and was preparing to send you a letter of surrender, but then suddenly changed his mind and delayed giving you a definite answer."

He recalled for a moment and continued:
"So far, only one thing has happened."

"What's the matter?"

"Dong Shuni, one of the two beauties of Luoyang, was taken as a concubine by Li Yuan. It is said that they often made love. Some people say that he heard some whispers in his ear. Of course, this is just a rumor at this time. I have no idea what the Li clan leader is really thinking."

Pillow talk?
There's no doubt that Li Yuan was a lecherous old man, after all, he had more than forty children.

People in the martial arts world all know he's a womanizer, so this rumor isn't surprising.

But to say that he listened to pillow talk in this matter is absolutely impossible.

Unless he's suicidal.

Dong Shuni's true love was Yang Xuyan.

Xiao Yang is really ruthless; even the Demon Master Pang Ban would have to call him a senior.

Yuwen Shiji's claims were based on mere speculation, but Zhou Yi had already guessed the gist of it from his few words.

Not receiving a response from Zhou Yi, Yuwen Shiji racked his brains and told him everything he knew about Chang'an.
The next day.

Anyang has undergone tremendous changes.

The generals in the Xiaoguo Army have received instructions from Yuwen Huaji, and Wei Commandery, following Xingyang, has also raised the Zhou flag.

This news, when it spread, actually relieved many soldiers.

They had absolutely no loyalty to the so-called Wei Commandery court, and joining the Zhou Tang was great news for them.

Not only the soldiers, but also the people of Wei County cheered.

What excites them is not the feeling that the future new emperor will be good, but a sense of security.

Judging from the overall situation in the world, it seems that there is no need for war in the Nine Provinces.

On the seventh day after Yuwen Huaji crossed the sea to Japan.

Shan Xiongxin and Du Fuwei arrived in Wei County and smoothly took over the Xiaoguo Army.

Meanwhile, Dou Jiande, the King of Xia, who lived nearby, also sent people south after hearing the news from Wei Commandery.

Liu Heita, Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling, and Su Dingfang finally defeated Luo Yi of Youzhou.

At this time, Dou Jiande was attacking Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou, two Turkic lackeys, so he sent another trusted confidant, Zhuge Dewei.

This man resembles Hou Xibai. He is dressed as a Confucian scholar, looks very elegant, and uses the same fan.

The difference is that it was an iron fan.

"Zhuge Dewei greets the Celestial Master!"

In the imperial city of Wei Commandery, Zhuge Dewei composed himself, not daring to be the slightest bit impolite.

This middle-aged man, who usually enjoyed joking around with Liu Heita, was now extremely serious.

Even Dou Jiande wouldn't have seen such an attitude.

Zhou Yi took the letter he handed over and smiled, "I've wanted to meet King Xia for a long time, but I haven't had the chance until now. This time, I'll go with you."

"Absolutely not!"

Zhuge Dewei hurriedly said:

"King Xia said that he came from humble origins and that he had no choice but to raise an army to make a living in the chaos of the world. He said that as soon as the war in the north was over, he would come to pay his respects to the Heavenly Master. He would never dare to let the Heavenly Master come to his door in person."

His words were earnest, as if he had perfectly mimicked the mannerisms of the Xia king when he spoke.

Zhou Yi didn't have any ill feelings towards Dou Jiande.

He smiled slightly, unfolded the letter, and asked as he read it, "What else did the Xia King say?"

Zhuge Dewei solemnly said:
"The Turks are marching south, having allied with the Khitan and the eight tribes of the Mohe, intending to invade the entire land. We await only the Celestial Master's command, and a large number of soldiers from our Yan and Zhao regions will bravely fight to the death to join you in eliminating these treacherous bandits."

"Alright, I understand what King Xia means."

After Zhou Yi finished speaking, Shan Xiongxin grinned and gestured for them to enter: "Brother Dewei, this way please!"

He naturally went to entertain Zhuge Dewei.

After the two men had walked away, Du Fuwei, on the other side, also laughed:

"As expected, Dou Jiande has also lost his ambition to contend for supremacy. Now, all that's missing is Chang'an."

He looked at Zhou Yi, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said earnestly:
"Du Fuwei offers his early congratulations to His Majesty on establishing the capital over the nine provinces and completing the great task of unification!"

Zhou Yi helped him up and laughed, scolding him, "Brother Du, why are you being so polite?"

"Eh~!"

Du Fuwei waved his hand: "There is always a difference between the martial world and the imperial court. The emperor has the majesty of an emperor, otherwise how can he govern the world? I should be the first to uphold it and never overstep the proper etiquette between ruler and subject."

Seeing that he wasn't joking, Zhou Yi closed Dou Jiande's letter and recalled:
"I still remember the scene when we first met in Shouchun."

"Yes, back then we could never have imagined things would turn out this way."

Zhou Yi patted him on the shoulder: "Come on, let's go have a few drinks."

Du Fuwei hesitated slightly.

Zhou Yi gestured to the surroundings: "Brother Du, don't overthink it. I haven't ascended the throne yet, and besides, there's no one around."

"I think that in the future, when we talk about the relationship between ruler and subject, I'm afraid we won't have many opportunities to drink together. I'm heading to Chang'an tomorrow, and it won't be easy to find another opportunity. I want you to know that no matter what you say, in my heart, the bond of gratitude will not be diluted by time."

Du Fuwei, being a straightforward and bold man, chuckled and sighed:
"it is good!"

He used only a single word, yet his heart held a wealth of thoughts and emotions.

Throughout history, there have been many who share joys and sorrows, but few who share blessings.

Du Fuwei felt that he had a good eye and had not misjudged the person.

On this day, they drank heartily in the imperial city of Wei County, reminiscing about the past in the Jianghuai region.
……

"Quickly, you guys get off the boat!"

Dongjun, bordering the Yellow River to the north, guards the Baimajin Ferry crossing. Several fast boats are heading east on the waterway near the Yongji Canal.

This place controls the river crossing and borders the canal, making it an extremely important hub for water and land transportation.

Further east, you will reach the vital passage of the Yongji Canal and the distribution center for goods.

Shouts rose from several wooden boats. A burly man with a stubble beard, about six feet tall, stood at the bow of one of the boats, speaking in a Guanzhong accent. He wiped his sweat as he shouted into the boat.

"We haven't even reached the shore yet, why are we getting off the ship?"

A neutral voice rang out.

This was a man in his thirties, accompanied by a young woman and a middle-aged man who looked like the woman but was older than him.

The man had barely finished speaking when he drew his sword.

It was because the burly man at the bow of the boat pulled out a steel knife.

"What do you want to do!"

He drew his sword in preparation, but at that moment, the middle-aged man stepped forward and sheathed his sword.

"Brother?"

The middle-aged man winked at him and bowed to the burly man at the bow, saying:

"Brave warrior, do not draw your swords, let's disembark now."

"You're a smart guy, hurry up and leave."

The man at the bow urged them on, and as they were about to disembark, he added, "We, the Wei River Sect, work for the Yellow River Gang. To prevent you from tarnishing our reputation, we are asking you to disembark to save you."

"If you're a step behind, you'll have to become a water ghost like us."

"I'm afraid you're all landlubbers and can't stay in the water, so we'll have to trouble the corpse retrievers."

Upon hearing this, the two men and one woman were clearly startled.

Yellow River Gang!
As the most powerful force among the eight gangs and ten societies, they immediately thought of Tao Guangzu of Dapeng.

The young man who had drawn his sword couldn't help but ask, "Following the Yellow River Gang is the same as following Master Peng, isn't it? Is there any business on this waterway that Master Peng can't protect?"

"That was acceptable a few years ago, but who would dare to make such a boast now?"

This six-foot-tall man worked on the boat year-round and was a talkative fellow.

He quickly stopped himself from speaking: "Hurry up and leave!"

At the same time, seventeen or eighteen people emerged from the surrounding boats, each armed with weapons.

Passengers from several boats disembarked one after another, and some of the faster ones even lost their cargo.

After the middle-aged man surnamed Shen led the two off the boat, he looked back.

A small boat glided swiftly down the river, closing in on them.

There were only two cold-looking men dressed in black at the bow of the ship. When they looked over, these two men, whose senses were extremely sharp, turned around and stared at them.

that moment
The three of them felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

Before they could react, the small boat stirred up a wave, and the men in black picked up their weapons and charged forward.

They were not afraid even when faced with a large number of people.

The weapons clashed and clanged, dazzling the onlookers. The two men in black moved with incredible speed, their swordsmanship fierce and rapid when they unleashed their fury.

And strangely enough, whenever they clashed swords with the Weishui Sect members, their bodies would stiffen as if possessed.

The two outnumbered opponents killed seven or eight skilled fighters in a short time.

It is foreseeable that this group of Weishui faction members will be wiped out.

He had intended to help, but was frightened by the man in black's methods and silently retreated.

"Where is your gang leader?"

A man in black spoke up.

The Wei River faction ignored them completely, and the remaining people, realizing they couldn't win, jumped into the water with a splash.

The two men and one woman who had spoken to them at the beginning finally understood what it meant to "be a water ghost".

It turns out that the people who asked them to disembark did so out of kindness, not wanting to involve them.

The young man who had been about to draw his sword was now resting his hand on the hilt, eager to help.

The middle-aged man surnamed Shen said in a low voice, "Don't be reckless, we are no match for you."

The woman standing nearby asked, "Big brother, second brother, who are they?"

"do not know."

"But those who dare to kill members of the Wei River Sect must be just as strong as the Yellow River Gang."

For them, the Yellow River Gang, a large gang of 20,000 people, was already a behemoth.

We should not provoke forces that can oppose us.

Just then, the three of them exclaimed "Huh!" at the same time.

As they were talking, in the blink of an eye, a man in white appeared on the boat they had just been on!

He appeared out of nowhere, incredibly strange.

Seeing this in broad daylight, I thought I was seeing things.

The two men in black on the boat were also frightened and took several steps back.

At this moment, the woman next to the middle-aged man surnamed Shen frowned slightly, staring at the man in white, and felt a strange sense of familiarity.

She shook her head again.

"Who are you?!"

A black-clad expert gave a low shout.

"You're from the Taihang Gang?"

Upon hearing this, three people looked surprised.

Soon, the two men in black's surprise turned into terror.

Because the white-robed man in front of them only stretched out his hand, and the wisp of wondrous true energy in their bodies suddenly surged out of control, and then rushed out of the Heavenly Peak Acupoint at an unimaginable speed!
Finished!

In that instant, the two who had been so fierce just moments before shrank back like shrimp whose tendons had been removed.

"Ah~~!!"

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through Baima Ferry, and the Weishui Sect members underwater heard it clearly, all of them surfacing to the surface.

The onlookers, witnessing this horrific scene, felt a chill run down their spines.

"Plop~!"

With two consecutive sounds, the man in black fell into the water.

died!

He's dead!

Everyone retreated in unison, unable to discern how the two masters had died.

They looked as if their souls had been ripped out.

The man in white simply raised his hand.

People have an instinctive fear of the unknown.

The Shen brothers retreated several steps before realizing that the girl beside them had not retreated but was instead moving towards the wooden boat.

"Qiaolan, come back quickly!"

The two shouted in unison, but the girl walked faster and faster, and then ran directly to the side of the boat.

They could no longer care about anything else; they used their light-footed skills to try and catch up with her.

As Zhou Yi was sensing the martial arts cultivation of the person who had performed the attack through the two streams of true energy, he suddenly sensed someone walking towards him.

Looking back, I saw a gentle and beautiful slender woman, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.

Ok?
Upon closer inspection, he suddenly realized that the woman looked somewhat familiar.

When Zhou Yi turned around, the woman was startled, thinking to herself that she was hallucinating.

However, on that handsome yet unfamiliar face before him, he noticed a strange expression.

It seems like it recognizes itself?
Upon realizing this, she asked with extreme nervousness, "My benefactor, is that you?"

Upon hearing this, the Shen brothers both paused.

benefactor?

The two men then looked at Zhou Yi. The young man didn't react much, but the middle-aged man surnamed Shen was stunned for a moment. After taking another look, he felt as if a volcano was about to erupt in his heart.

At that moment, he felt that the deaths of those two experts were perfectly justified.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly: "You know me?"

Shen Qiaolan was initially unsure, but now, upon hearing that voice again, she felt nothing but excitement.

Back then, in the brothel in Nanyang, she met a sallow-faced man. If it weren't for his help, her fate would have been far more tragic, and she would never have been able to return to Yan and Zhao to find her relatives.

Although the face has changed, the voice remains unforgettable.

"My benefactor, are you... are you from Nanyang?"

Recalling the battles of that time, Zhou Yi smiled and recited a line: "The flowing waves carry the moon away, the tide brings the stars in."

These two sentences say it all.

Shen Qiaolan was so excited that she didn't know what to say.

"I never thought I would see my benefactor again in this lifetime."

With a trembling voice, she tried to bow in gratitude, but Zhou Yi caught her with a strong gust of wind.

“Miss Shen, I am also pleased to see you return to the land of Yan and Zhao.”

"Goodbye."

After Zhou Yi finished speaking, he jumped directly onto the small boat of the two men in black.

The people at Baima Ferry were dumbfounded; a miracle had suddenly appeared before their eyes!
The Yellow River flows eastward to the sea, but this time there is a boat that travels westward without the need for a ferryman. From afar, one can only hear the crisp sound of a white-clad figure cutting through the wind.

"The evening river is calm and still, spring flowers are in full bloom. The flowing waves carry the moon away, the tide brings the stars in."

Someone on the riverbank sang a tearful melody. Perhaps Guang Shen could never have imagined that his "Spring River Flower Moon Night" would resonate so melodiously on both banks of the Yellow River in such a way.
……

(End of this chapter)