Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 93, "Ode to the Divine Sword of Peace"

A cup of hot tea dispels the chill of midwinter.

There were no outsiders in the main hall of the Huang family. After Zhou Yi invited Dugu Feng to sit down, he recounted the events surrounding the Black Stone Mortuary in front of Aruina.

The Dugu family is the powerful backer of the Giant Kun Gang, and while their members secretly harbor resentment, this is how things appear on the surface.

Dugu Feng naturally learned a lot of the information that Chen Laomou had gathered.

only.
Due to limited knowledge, I have no way of knowing the inside story of the Great Mingzun Sect in the northern frontier.

Zhou Yi narrated at a leisurely pace, which Dugu Feng listened to with great interest. Staring at the serious face of the Heavenly Master, she couldn't help but recall the events in the Emperor's Tomb.

That was when she first delved into the secrets of the demonic sects, such as "disciples of the evil emperor" and "the seed of demons in the heart of the Dao".

After drinking a few cups of tea, he listened more and spoke less, and he also learned about the exchange of scriptures and treasures between the Evil Extreme Sect and the Great Ming Venerable Sect, which involved eight martial arts masters.

Finally, they betrayed each other after using each other's resources, leading to fierce internal strife.

Dugu Feng looked at the Uyghur girl and understood how this cousin came to be.

Throughout the entire process, Ina rarely spoke.

She was aloof and serene, like a quiet oasis in the northern desert, only listening to the two of them talking back and forth.

His deep blue eyes would sometimes drift off into a daze, as if lost in thought.

"Is Old Master Zhou really exploring the secrets of the ultimate martial arts?" Dugu Feng was obsessed with martial arts and took this matter very seriously.

Her eyes were fixed on Zhou Yi.

She had no answer to this question, but she had an inexplicable trust in the Taoist master's profound knowledge.

Zhou Yi first nodded, then shook his head.

"The highest secret of the Heavenly Demon can indeed lead to the ultimate martial arts, but Old Zhou's path is not in line with tradition, and even with my limited knowledge, I have not been able to access it."

Dugu Feng pondered for a moment: "That is possible. This old demon is ruthless and cunning, and his obsession with martial arts is beyond ordinary people. Perhaps he can cause extraordinary evil."

"I hope your words won't come true, that wouldn't be a good thing," Zhou Yi couldn't help but think of "Random Thoughts on the Demonic Path".

It was after reading "The Record of Demonic Thoughts" that Di Ni created "The Compassionate Sword Manual" based on the principle that immortal embryos and demonic seeds go to extremes but originate from the same source.

Zhou Laotan's approach is somewhat similar to that of "Reflections on the Path of Demons".

"Reflections on the Path of Demons" is related to the cultivation of demonic tendencies within the Daoist mind and to strange encounters with ancient martial arts. It is a record of the feelings and experiences of predecessors.

Old Master Zhou also harbored a demonic desire for Taoism and delved into the classics of various schools. He was not only a man of thought but also a practitioner.

That Black Stone Mortuary was practically Zhou Laomo's martial arts research institute, and it even produced a bizarre and evil entity.

Dugu Feng waved her hand in front of Zhou Yi's eyes, and he finally came to his senses.

"Are you lost in thought, contemplating that old demon's demonic arts?"

"almost."

Zhou Yi casually replied, then suddenly remembered that he didn't seem to be that afraid of this old devil.

Dugu Feng composed herself and changed the subject: "Do you remember what I said to you when I left last time?"

"You said you had something to give me."

Having a good memory is an advantage, Little Phoenix said with a smile, as she pulled out several rolled-up items from her bosom.

Martial arts cheats?

Zhou Yi looked closely and was slightly puzzled.

She unfolded the silk, revealing a fine-painted felt mat and some small boxes inside.

It comes in a variety of colors, including vermilion, dawn red, azurite, malachite, ochre, and white powder, satisfying both meticulous brushwork and freehand washes.

"that's it?"

"Ah."

"I remember when we first met in Yongqiu, Master Zhou called himself a painter. These are the kinds of paintings that the painters of the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Workshop Department often use. I want to know if what you said back then was a lie."

Her voice was gentle, and a faint smile lingered on her pretty face as she spoke; her delicate eyebrows were incredibly charming.

Zhou Yi twirled the painting brush between two fingers: "The people who came today are not friendly. They said they wanted to make things difficult for me. Is this what they meant?"

Dugu Feng nodded.

Aruina, who had been sitting silently to the side, showed a hint of curiosity.

"Simple."

Zhou Yi summoned two young Taoist boys and asked them to bring all the inkstones so that he could mix the five colors himself: dark, light, and dark.

To an outsider, he certainly looked like a professional master craftsman.

In fact, Zhou Yi was just making do with what he had, as he wasn't familiar with these painting tools from the Imperial Painting Bureau.

However, with current micro-control capabilities and spatial imagery in the brain,

A glance at the drawing paper reveals the composition.

After getting to know him a little better, he probably won't be any worse than Hou Xibai.

Zhou Yi didn't touch the exquisite silk scroll, but instead took out a piece of paper, dipped it in ink, and held the brush, his eyes fixed on the little phoenix:

"How about this, I'll paint you a picture of a mythical bird facing the phoenix."

Dugu Feng responded, her eyes filled with anticipation as she watched him begin to write.

With a flick of his wrist, Zhou Yi seemed to be performing a magic trick, and in a short moment, he lifted his sleeve and stopped writing.

"Mission accomplished! How was it?"

Dugu Feng was taken aback: "What kind of picture is this?"

"The Divine Bird Paying Homage to the Phoenix" painting.

“There’s no divine bird,” the little phoenix’s expectations vanished. “This is clearly just chicks eating rice.”

"I drew a halo, isn't that the divine bird?"

Zhou Yi pointed to the halo, and the little phoenix felt a sense of suffocation.

She held the painting in her hand, thinking to herself that Master Zhou had lied to her when they first met in Yongqiu, and she thought that he would be more blaming her after it was proven true.

But upon glancing at this strange painting, I couldn't help but chuckle.

I suppose that's just the kind of person he is—sometimes unreliable, but interesting.

At this moment, a distant cousin was also present. Little Phoenix kindly blew the ink dry and prepared to put it away.

To my surprise, when I looked around, I saw that a certain Taoist master had cleared the tea table.

Unfold the exquisite silk scroll.

He started painting again.

This time, it's no longer just for laughs, but exudes an immersive quality that's impossible to ignore.

It seemed that all he could see were various colors and this roll of silk.

This kind of temperament is truly eye-catching.

Dugu Feng did not disturb her, resting her elbow on the table and supporting her delicate cheek, gazing quietly into the distance.

Even the Uyghur girl, who had previously shown little interest, couldn't take her eyes off her.

The main hall suddenly fell silent.

The statue of Huang Lao Er witnessed this for more than an hour.

This time, Zhou Yi finally finished his work, tossing the brush into the brush washer with a graceful and fluid motion.

The silk painting was painted primarily in malachite green, ochre, and vermilion. The woman in the painting wore flowing robes, had a sword at her waist, and held a scroll in her arms with the four characters "Huainan Honglie" on it.

The brushwork used is the ancient and elegant "floating silk" style, with lines that resemble spring clouds floating in the sky and flowing water on the ground.

It perfectly matched Zhou Yi's swordsmanship, elegant and agile.

Judging from the woman's demeanor in the painting alone, she is undoubtedly Little Phoenix.

Dugu Feng took the silk, both surprised and delighted. She turned her back to look at it, a blush spreading across her pretty face.

Then Zhou Tianshi said:

“Back then, Gu Kaizhi painted ‘Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River’ on silk. Today, I follow his style and create ‘Ode to the Phoenix.’ Are you satisfied, Miss Phoenix?”

"Of course I'm satisfied," Dugu Feng said happily. "Suddenly, this silk feels so precious. I never expected that Master Zhou Xiaotian would have such skill. All the painters in the Imperial Workshop are pale in comparison."

That's not entirely true.

Zhou Yi sat down to drink tea. “The quality of a painting is completely different in the eyes of different people. I wouldn’t dare say that I am better than the painters in the Imperial Household Department. I just have a slight advantage.”

"What's cheap?"

"Because the figure in the painting has the beauty of a goddess, no less than that of the Goddess of the Luo River, the silk scrolls capture much of Gu Kaizhi's spirit."

Little Phoenix smiled shyly after hearing this, and lightly patted Zhou Yi on the shoulder, saying, "Little Celestial Master Zhou, don't be so nice to me."

Aruina, who was standing to the side, was slightly taken aback.

She had never seen such people before on the northern grasslands, nor had she ever experienced such a scene.

Thinking of the teachings of the Great Venerable One and the Benevolent Mother, thinking of the battles in the northern desert, the hatred between the various tribes, thinking of the wind blowing across the grasslands where cattle and sheep graze.
The sight of this silk scroll painting unfolding before her filled the Uyghur girl with envy.

Even though she knew nothing about Gu Kaizhi and other things, it did not diminish a young girl's expectation of beautiful things.

This beautiful state of mind even touched Sabulokhan.

therefore
She leaned closer to look at the colorful paints and picked up the paintbrush, gently stirring it in the brush washer.

It has the blue of lapis lazuli and the red of rouge, so beautiful.

He didn't seem to care much about what his two close friends were talking about.

Dugu Feng was immersed in the joy of "Ode to the Phoenix God", while Aruina intertwined the colors of the northern desert with the colors of this place.

They each had their own thoughts and ideas.

The two swordsmen had long forgotten the sword energy they had previously held back.

Zhou Tianshi naturally enjoyed peace and tranquility.
Dugu Feng then spoke to him about the situation in Runan, saying that although Nanyang seemed peaceful, things were not so peaceful outside.

"In Runan, several more rebel armies rose up."

“Zhang Xutuo fought across prefectures, traveling north and south. Although the Runan rebels were defeated, most of their experts fled and were absorbed by other forces.”

With fires raging all around, Zhang Xutuo, the fire brigade leader, was overwhelmed.

Zhou Yi asked, "Have you finished your business?"

“One of my family’s businesses was robbed by bandits in Zhenyang, and many people died. So I chased the bandit leader south all the way to Yong’an County.”

"After killing a few leaders, the remaining people joined forces with several groups from the Iron Cavalry Society. There were many experts among them, so I dared not pursue them too far."

The Iron Cavalry Society is also one of the Eight Gangs and Ten Societies.

These guys are backed by the Tiele people, and are subordinates of the Northern Frontier Grandmaster Flying Eagle Qu Ao.

"So the Iron Cavalry wants to be your enemy?"

"No, those bandits were afraid I would kill them, so they joined the Iron Cavalry Society, and the Iron Cavalry Society is currently hunting someone down."

Dugu Feng smiled mysteriously: "I ran into this person, and you even recognize him?"

Are they being hunted down by the Iron Cavalry?

"Is he a short, stout Taoist priest?"

"It seems you two are quite familiar with each other."

Dugu Feng smiled, pursing her lips:
"He said that the gold you owed him had not been paid, and that he had been tricked by you. He went to the people in Pushan to collect the debt, but he encountered a bunch of experts and was almost captured by Li Mi's men."

"This Taoist priest is utterly unreasonable."

Master Zhou said with a dark face, "If you can't even collect your debts, why are you ruining my reputation?"

Dugu Feng added, "He said he would come to find you in a while."

Did you tell him where I was?

"I saw that he was furious and looked like he wanted to fight you, so I didn't say anything."

Zhou Yi nodded with satisfaction, secretly thinking to himself, "What a fine phoenix!"

"Nanyang is temporarily stable, but the neighboring areas of Huai'an and Xiangyang are frequently in turmoil, and there is also the great threat of Zhu Can of Champion City upstream. It would be best for you to remain anonymous here."

She added, "I've already been to the county town and spoken to the Giant Kun Gang. You can ask them for information; they won't charge you any fees."

"Among the major forces in Nanyang City, there is a Zhenyang Gang. Their leader, Hou Yan, does hardware business with the Sha family, a powerful clan in Dongdu, involving crossbows and weapons for city defense."

"The Sha family controls ten major mines in Guanzhong, some of which are operated jointly with my Dugu family, and their craftsmanship is renowned throughout the world."

"The Zhenyang Gang's large-scale transactions depend heavily on our attitude."

She took out a jade pendant from her bosom. "This is my identity jade token. If you need to do something for the Zhenyang Gang, just show this to Chief Hou, and he will most likely give you face."

Zhou Yi looked at the exquisite jade pendant in his hand, and a warmth welled up in his heart.

Aren't you afraid I'll misuse your identity to do things?

"Don't be afraid, you're not that kind of person."

Dugu Feng's gaze fell on the painting again: "I really like this painting. When I go back to Luoyang to find my grandmother this time, I will definitely bring you something nice back."

Zhou Yi pressed for details, but Dugu Feng turned her back and ignored him.

I know she's a very good person at keeping secrets, like when she tested his ability to paint.

Zhou Yi simply stopped asking.

Then he looked at the Uyghur girl, who was studying the paints with great concentration.

As dusk fell, Zhou Yi cleared out a guest room next to his own room for Dugu Feng.

The next day, it suddenly started snowing heavily.

The wind and snow kept Dugu Feng there for several days.

From their initial fighting spirit to their eventual conversation, perhaps the phoenix and fire are a perfect match; they discussed swordsmanship and martial arts together.

If the Uyghur girl had no interest in martial arts, she wouldn't have been tricked into going to the mortuary.

When two combative people meet, a battle is ultimately inevitable.

It was the eighth day after Little Phoenix climbed the mountain, and snowflakes were falling from the sky.

At the foot of Wolong Mountain, on the frozen surface of the Baihe River, two swordsmen, one in black and one in purple, engaged in a fierce battle.

In the distance, on the thick ice, there were still a few people gathered around several ice holes.

Zhou Yi, Uncle Xie, and Xia Shuyan each held a fishing rod.

"Senior brother, the two sisters are fighting."

"Do not care."

Zhou Yi knew they were just competing, and that this was only after they had become somewhat familiar with each other.

This was quite different from when we first met in front of Wuzhuang Temple, so I wasn't worried.

Xia Shu was mesmerized: "Senior brother, what's their sword technique called? The snowflakes seem to be flying into the sky, it's so beautiful."

One is called "Azure Heaven and Mortal World," and the other is called...

Zhou Yi casually said, "Let the snow fall on earth."

Yan Qiu asked, "Who will win?"

"I will win."

Zhou Yi noticed that Yan Qiu's fishing rod was moving, so he rushed forward and pulled up the fishing rod that Yan Qiu had placed on the ice.

There was a crash.

A large red bream with upturned snout was pulled out of the water, and Zhou Yi carried the fish to Old Man Xie.

"Old Xie, I have won today."

He placed the red carp with its upturned snout on the ground and measured it with his foot.

It was nearly three legs long, a truly large creature!
Xie Jiyou pointed at Yan Qiu: "That was Yan Qiu's first catch, a gift from the River God. How could the Celestial Master steal the credit?"

"Oh"

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "The three of us brothers and sisters have been fishing for far less years than Master Xie, so we naturally work together."

"Alright, the Celestial Master wins this time."

Old Xie added with a smile, "Now it's one to nine."

“Senior brother, the odds of victory or defeat are still very different,” Xia Shu said solemnly.

Zhou Yi rubbed her little head: "How could you forget the teachings of my Taoist school? The so-called 'one begets two, two begets three, three begets all things.' Once you've won, the next nine times won't matter."

He was speaking when the other end finally finished.

Huo Mei didn't come this way. After her sword duel, she seemed to have realized something, gave Zhou Yi a look, and then headed towards Wolong Mountain.

The little phoenix smiled, it seemed she had won.

"Actually, my victory was not honorable."

"Why?"

“These past few days, Ina and you have both shared martial arts techniques with me, and I have gained a lot of understanding of Sabulokan, so…”

Zhou Yi interrupted her: "Same here, you should also share your experiences with Huo Mei and complement each other."

The martial arts talent of the person in front of me is terrifying. At such a young age, his skill level is already comparable to that of the old lady of the Dugu family.

Limited perspective due to the constraints of tradition.

Although the martial arts of the Dugu clan are among the best, they lack top-tier secret scrolls such as the Four Great Classical Novels.

but
Since her encounter with him, Xiao Fenghuang's horizons have broadened beyond the confines of the Dugu Clan.

Dugu Feng did not respond, but looked at Zhou Yi and said, "I plan to return to Luoyang."

She had already been delayed in Runan, and then lingered in Nanyang.

If we don't go back soon, the Dugu family might send people to look for us.

Zhou Yi did not try to stop him and got up to see him off.

Dugu Feng bid farewell to the two young Taoist boys and then greeted Old Man Xie.

The two did not take the main road, but walked side by side along the frozen surface of the White River.

Cold clouds hang low over the fields, like a leaden curtain enveloping everything.

Reeds droop low along the riverbank, and icy sap hangs gently from the branches.

The two young Taoist boys watched as a vast expanse of white, blue, and black stretched into the distance, disappearing into the narrow bend of the river.
After seeing Little Phoenix off, Zhou Yi made a detour to the county town to inquire about the recent situation around Nanyang from Old Chen. By the time he returned to the temple, it was already evening.

The two young Taoist boys and Old Man Xie have all returned.

After entering the backyard of the main hall, he pondered the matter from before the New Year until after the New Year.

War broke out in the area surrounding Nanyang, with various forces vying for power.

Although the dojo's strength has greatly improved, there are now five Taibao who have cultivated Gang Qi.

But that's nothing compared to the fact that, in comparison, the major sects in Nanyang City each have several thousand members.

In a real fight, we can't beat them.

To Zhou Yi's surprise, the Uyghur girl came carrying a bunch of things.

"Didn't you go to comprehend the sacred scriptures of the sect?"

"Yes, I've discovered something that's good for my mood."

The girl pointed to the paint left by the little phoenix: "Can you paint a picture for me? I want to learn by copying it."

Zhou Yi shook his head: "I have to practice my skills, I'm very busy."

The girl was very straightforward: "I promised before that I would only help you guard your home, but now I can extend that and help you go down the mountain to take action once, no matter who you kill."

That's how the bottom line is crossed.

Zhou Yi smiled: "What do you want to draw?"

"It should be similar to the painting of Dugu Feng."

Half an hour later, Zhou Yi finished his work, just as Yan Qiu called for dinner.

Huo Mei didn't look at what he was drawing until she saw him put down his pen, then she came over.

She had expected the painting to depict a beautiful girl with exotic charm, and she was curious to see how Master Zhou would paint her eyes.

but
There are no figures in the painting.

That was a corner of the northern grasslands, with green grass, cattle and sheep, horses, and a crescent-shaped oasis.

However, the colors are somber, the background is nighttime, and a crescent moon hangs above.

"This is a painting that brings me peace of mind, but it doesn't seem to be what I was looking for."

"the same."

Master Zhou said calmly, "This is the 'Ode to the Moon over the Clear Spring'."

"That day by the White River, you said, 'Aryuna, meaning a clear spring under the moonlight,' hoping you would enjoy this tranquility."

After Zhou Yi finished speaking, he turned and left.

The Uyghur girl, her deep blue eyes fixed on the painting, breathed slightly rapid, suppressing her emotions, remaining silent for a long time.
……

The 142nd day of the Lion King calendar.

On the last day of the ninth year of the Daye era, a gathering of wise men was held at Wuzhuang Temple on Wolong Mountain.

Behind the peach blossom courtyard, we sat in order. Though we lacked delicacies from all over the land, simple tea and village wine were enough to allow us to freely express our feelings.
The Annals of Taiping:
"At the beginning of the tenth year of the Daye era, Zhou Tianshi, in a drunken mood, viewed a painting of Zhanlu and composed a poem. One boy held a whisk, another boy held Zhanlu, and the Tianshi stood behind him. He composed the 'Ode to the Divine Sword of Peace,' which was hung in a high pavilion, with the intention of pacifying the four seas."

...More than half a month later, the sky cleared up.

"drive!"

"drive!"

"..."

Inside the city of Nanyang, a fast horse galloped, carrying a woman of about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. She had a beautiful face, bright and piercing eyes, and a heroic air about her.

She was an excellent equestrian, navigating the city streets unharmed.

In front of several shops in succession, a horse reined in.

The sturdy black horse raised its hooves high, its head tilted back and neighing, but it was pulled back and could not move forward another step, which shows how strong it was.

Inside the Dangyang caravan.

Seventeen or eighteen people, both men and women, emerged one after another.

Each of them had an angry expression on their face, and then quickly fixed their gazes on the newcomer.

"Gang leader!"

Chen Ruiyang, the deputy leader of the Dangyang horse caravan, immediately went to greet them.

Deputy Chief Chen looked to be in his fifties, and judging from his appearance alone, he was certainly more senior than Lou Ruodan, but there was not a trace of resentment in his eyes.

The previous leader died in the northern frontier; this one was parachuted in from Pegasus Ranch.

Even setting aside martial arts skills, his horsemanship alone is unmatched.

In a caravan, no matter how skilled you are in martial arts, it's useless if you can't train horses.

If you encounter a northern tribe and they give you a spirited horse, and you rely solely on brute force without any skill, you will be ridiculed by the northerners.

Moreover, once you enter the grasslands, bandits and thieves run rampant.

A person with terrible horsemanship is not fit to do business in the northern frontier.

The gang leader, Lou Ruodan, leaped off his horse, his expression grim: "What's going on? Is the message you sent true?"

"It's true."

"Our goods were seized by the Nanyang government as soon as they entered the city."

Chen Ruiyang grinned angrily: "Ren Zhi has nearly a hundred men with him, we can't make a move."

Lou Ruodan rushed all the way from Huai'an, holding a riding whip as she entered:
"How dare the Jingshan Sect be so audacious as to touch the ranch owner's things? Didn't they make an agreement with the big boss last time? Why is Ren Zhi going back on his word again? Do they think my Pegasus Ranch is easy to bully?"

She snorted coldly: "If our business fails, Ren Zhi's caravans won't have an easy time in the northern frontier."

"The gang leader should temporarily quell his anger."

Chen Ruiyang was also very angry, but when he saw the gang leader getting angry, he quickly tried to calm her down.

“If the business falls apart, it will be bad for both sides. Recently, our people have been having some unpleasantness with the Little Khan’s men in the North. It would be a huge loss to waste our goodwill in the North on such sordid matters.”

Pegasus Ranch frequently transports the finest warhorses from the Turkic Khaganate to the ranch for breeding, which ensures that the ranch produces a large number of excellent horses.

Sometimes, if they happen to acquire a fine steed, they will take it to the northern frontier.

They had a large enough empire, and they always let those tribes benefit. With these exchanges of interests, their relationship became very good.

But
Many of those tribes were previously under the Great Khan's control, but now the Lesser Khan is also gaining influence.

The Sui Dynasty was not peaceful, and now the grasslands are in chaos as well.

Besides the Great and Small Khans, there were also the four major tribes of Shiwei, Tuyuhun, the eight tribes of Mohe, Khitan, Gaochang, and other tribes.

The forces that were originally subservient to the Great Khan are now, for some unknown reason, suddenly waging war on all sides.

Under these circumstances, their caravan business is not easy to do.

But no one was willing to give up this huge deal in the northern desert.

Firstly, the profits are high; secondly, there are unique resources in the northern desert; and thirdly, the relationships cultivated over such a long period of time are too extensive.

Once you let go, the cost of going back will be huge.

When Chen Ruiyang mentioned the chaos in northern China, Lou Ruodan calmed down.

She was just feeling annoyed and venting her frustrations, but she didn't dare cause any more trouble for the owner.

"Brother Chen, you were right not to go back to Jingling this year."

Lou Ruodan said, "At the ranch's annual gathering, apart from those who were far away, a total of twenty-nine gang leaders returned. Everyone did an excellent job in their respective places, but here, the ranch owner had to make a personal trip."

"Now we've gotten into trouble again. If we have to make the ranch owner come all the way here again, how will we ever be able to face going back to Ranch Mountain Town?"

She held a riding whip in her hand, brushing the dust off her clothes as she spoke.

Chen Ruiyang felt uneasy thinking about the old ranch manager's gaze.

“I have already gone to see Yang Dalongtou, and his attitude was very good. He sent someone to go to the government office with me.”

"However, recently a batch of goods belonging to the Jingshan Sect was stolen by Zhu Can of Champion City. He insists that our sheepskins are from his batch, implying that we are colluding with Zhu Can. He is throwing excrement and urine at us, and there are two other forces in the city backing him up."

"They are being unreasonable, saying they need to investigate before returning the goods to us, thus dragging out the process."

"It's painful for us that the Jingshan Sect can continue its business as usual."

"He wants us to compromise and make concessions to cooperate with them."

Lou Ruodan said coldly, "That local scoundrel Ren Zhi, I really want to spend money to hire an assassin to chop off his head."

“It’s not that easy,” Chen Ruiyang said honestly. “Ren Zhi has extremely strong internal strength. Ordinary people can’t assassinate him, let alone bypass the elders and protectors of the Jingshan Sect.”

"Unless we can contact the Shadow Assassin and kill him in one strike and escape immediately, killing Ren Zhi will also mean dying at the Jingshan Sect."

“If things are exposed, we might not even have the chance to go back to the ranch to face punishment.”

"These major forces are incredibly ruthless."

Lou Ruodan asked, "During your time in the city, did you visit the Tiankui Sect, the Gray-Clad Gang, or the Chaoshui Gang?"

"We've searched, but only Old Master Lü Chong is truly sincere. He didn't mention anything else and was willing to ask around for us."

"The other two are also bloodsuckers."

"Moreover, even if we give them benefits, they may not be able to get things done."

Chen Ruiyang thought for a moment and then said, "This is only the first batch of goods. If we can't resolve this, I'm afraid the rest of the goods will continue to be detained."

"I can think of three solutions now, and the leader needs to make the final decision."

"You said."

"The first step is to find a leader who will willingly align his gang with the Nanyang Gang, share the profits with Yang Dalong, and become a subordinate force of the Nanyang Gang. In this way, the forces led by the Jingshan Sect will not dare to make things difficult for them."

"This requires the stadium owner's approval."

Lou Ruodan shook her head: "The world is in chaos now, and at the end of the year, rebel armies rise up everywhere. There are quite a few powerful forces eyeing the ranches."

"We have never made such a compromise before, and we must not set a precedent. Otherwise, if everyone sees that even a Jingshan faction can bully the ranch, wouldn't they see us as easy prey?"

Chen Ruiyang added, "The second is to do favors for the powerful families and put pressure on Nanyang through upstream business, forcing them to make concessions."

“This is a last resort,” Lou Ruodan said. “The four major clans are like four tigers, and the situation is still uncertain. The clan leader cannot violate the ancestral precepts and make promises to other forces. The Jingshan Sect is not worthy of such a favor.”

"I've already considered those two options. What's your third idea, Brother Chen?"

When it came to the third method, Chen Ruiyang himself hesitated.

Lou Ruodan looked at him with some confusion.

"Recently I met an old friend from the northern desert. He is an extremely skilled horseman, far surpassing even the most notorious bandits. He was very famous among the northern horse caravans back then, and was known as the Goose in the Wind."

“My original intention was to invite him to join the caravan. During our casual conversation, we talked about the caravan’s predicament, and he said he had a way to help us solve it.”

Upon hearing this, Lou Ruodan pondered for a moment. Having traveled extensively and always been on guard, she suddenly sneered.

"Brother Chen, you've been tricked."

"how you said that?"

"Let me ask you first, how long has he been in Nanyang City?"

"Later than us."

Lou Ruodan asked, "You wouldn't deliberately tell him about the caravan's situation, would you?"

Chen Ruiyang gasped: "He was the one who took the initiative to ask us about our conflict with the Jingshan Sect."

"Hmph, the conflict with the Jingshan Sect happened before the sect leader arrived. How would he know if he didn't inquire about it?"

Lou Ruodan tapped her palm with her riding crop, a flash of anger crossing her face:

"In this Nanyang city, there are really no people who dare to look down on us."

"Do you know what he does now? Which faction he serves? I want to see who has their eyes on the ranch."

Upon hearing this question, Chen Ruiyang hesitated even more.

If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have brought it up.

He sighed and said:

"He didn't say who he was working for, but now he says he's raising horses and driving carriages for someone."

Lou Ruodan laughed in exasperation, looking at him with the eyes of someone looking at a fool: "Brother Chen, you really need to open your eyes wider."

“This man is a complete liar. If his horsemanship were as good as you say, why would he confine himself to a carriage?”

Who would willingly wear such shackles?

"And who is there that would make him do this?"

"Brother Chen, have you thought about this? Answer me."

"Naturally thought about it"

Chen Ruiyang said, "He was a man of his word, with an excellent reputation in the northern frontier. That's why I brought him up with you; otherwise, I wouldn't even believe him myself."

Lou Ruodan frowned when she saw his expression.

Where is this person?

“We’re currently inside the city,” Chen Ruiyang said. “Does the Chief want to see him?”

Lou Ruodan cracked her whip: "I want to meet such a contradictory person."

Chen Ruiyang glanced at the sky: "Please wait a moment, Chief."

Having said that, he stepped out.
Half an hour later, footsteps were heard coming from in front of the Dangyang caravan.

The footsteps passed the front hall and were about to enter the inner courtyard.

Lou Ruodan has extremely sharp hearing. She judged the location of the person by the sound of footsteps. At this moment, she was leading a strong black horse.

Just as the person was about to enter the courtyard, she flicked the black horse's rump with her whip.

The horse neighed loudly and charged into the courtyard!

The caravan members were used to it; it was a Flying Colt, a breed of Persian red horse and Turkic horse, bred by the ranch over generations, meaning a divine steed that chases the wind and lightning.

Having a good horse on the grassland is like having wings.

Lou Ruodan put two fingers to her mouth and blew a horn.

The Flying Steed immediately kicked out; if one were truly a skilled horseman, one would know how to respond.

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, a loud laugh echoed through the Dangyang caravan.

"Brother Lou, bring it on! Good riddance!"

A burly man rushed across the courtyard, taking several steps forward. He circulated his true qi and internal energy simultaneously, clearly a powerful figure who cultivated both internal and external strength.

He moved to the front of the horse and lifted it up with both hands.

He grabbed the horse's legs and flipped it over forcefully. The horse, Feilian, failed to land and kicked the mud off its paws at the big man.

The big man laughed again and exerted his strength once more. The flying horse, with its four hooves suspended in the air, crashed to the ground!
Lou Ruodan glared angrily at the leopard-eyed man: "My horse!"

This horse truly lives up to its reputation as a strong ranch horse. Despite taking such a heavy blow, it rolled over without any ill effects and instead appeared even more ferocious.

Enraged, he charged at the burly man!

Just then, a whistle blew.

The whistle was imbued with internal energy, making it exceptionally clear.

Upon hearing this, the fierce and violent look in Ma's eyes immediately diminished by three points.

Then a simply dressed man with thick eyebrows leaped up and jumped directly onto the horse's back.

"Okay, stop making a scene."

He smiled and stroked the horse's head.

To the astonishment of the many members of the caravan, the thick-browed man's hand seemed to possess magic; the raging Flying Steed calmed down instantly upon his touch.

The man with thick eyebrows stroked Fei Lianju's fur a few more times, smoothing it down.

quickly
"Fu, fu—" came the sound.
This is Fei Lianju taking a deep breath; the vibration of his chest cavity is accompanied by the exhalation through his nose, indicating an extremely relaxed state.

"Brother Shan, the horses on the grassland are like human wings; they should not be broken without cause."

"They are also the best of friends and the most loyal of partners."

Strangely enough, when the man with thick eyebrows spoke, Fei Lianju's ears twitched slightly, turning towards the source of the sound.

This is listening quietly.

It only maintains this still posture when its owner speaks, which is extremely obedient.

Who...who is this person?

Such horsemanship!

Not only were the members of the caravan stunned, but even Lou Ruodan was dumbfounded.

Her horse, which no one else could ride, now seemed to have suddenly changed owners.

Lou Ruodan blew a whistle, but Fei Lianju remained unmoved.

This time, her expression changed again.

Chen Ruiyang, on the other hand, had an expression that said, "I knew it."

“Brother Zhang’s horsemanship is even more amazing than before. Even Yatubu, the most outstanding horse trainer among the major tribes of the grasslands, would not dare to say that he can surpass Brother Zhang.”

Zhang Chidao:
"I accept your praise, Brother Chen, but I learned my horsemanship from an old herdsman outside Yuguan. I will always be sincerely grateful for the horsemanship of the northern frontier."

Lou Ruodan's eyes lit up as she listened to his speech:
“Brother Zhang, why don’t you come with me to the Pegasus Ranch? My ranch owner will surely present you with a divine steed from the mountain city when he sees your horsemanship.”

Zhang Chi dismounted from Fei Lianju and gave a simple, honest smile:
"Thank you for your kind offer, Chief Lou. I am currently busy raising horses and driving carriages, and have no time to visit the ranch."

Seeing his relaxed and casual demeanor, it was clear he wasn't joking at all.

Lou Ruodan was suspicious. She couldn't imagine how someone with such extraordinary horsemanship would be willing to drive for others.

Then
Who is this person sitting in the carriage?

Judging from Zhang Chi's demeanor, he was not being restrained by anyone, which shows that he was sincere.

Filled with doubt, he looked at the burly man with leopard eyes next to him and realized that no one in the Dangyang caravan could match his bravery.

This man is fierce and domineering; he is likely a great general.

Lou Ruodan had some doubts about whether they were under the command of some major rebel king or warlord.

However, no matching example could be found for the time being.

"Both of you, please!"

Lou Ruodan stepped aside; regardless of the other party's intentions, she had to take it seriously.

Judging from these two individuals, the people in charge behind them must be very influential.

"Brother Zhang, Brother Shan, please."

Chen Ruiyang submitted his request again.

Zhang Chi and Shan Xiongxin smiled and agreed, then walked all the way to the inner hall of the caravan.

Once everyone was seated, the gang members came over to serve tea.

Lou Ruodan cut to the chase: "May I ask where you two friends come from?"

Shan Xiongxin said, "It's at Wuzhuang Temple outside Nanyang City."

Lou Ruodan was not familiar with this title.

As Chen Ruiyang thought of something, a sense of dread crept into his heart. He suddenly felt as if a cold wind had swept through the caravan, and his eyes filled with a dark and fearful expression.

He asked in a low voice:

"May I ask if this is the Wuzhuang Temple on Wolong Mountain?"

Zhang Chi replied with a smile, "This is indeed the residence of my abbot."

Lou Ruodan had been preoccupied with the affairs of the Jingshan Sect, traveling extensively in the north, spending the New Year in Jingling, and had only recently arrived in Nanyang.

She was naturally familiar with the major local sects, but Wuzhuang Temple...
It's like I've heard of it, but I haven't looked into it in detail.

At this moment, she looked at Chen Ruiyang, hoping he could answer her questions so that she would have something to say.

However.
Chen Ruiyang seemed like a different person; he didn't listen to her at all and ignored her gaze.

Lou Gang Leader then heard Chen Ruiyang ask:
"Has Master Yi been practicing meditation at the temple lately?"

Shan Xiongxin felt that Vice Chief Chen's condition was a bit strange, and nodded in response, "Of course he is."

"Hmm, these are common matters of the mortal world, I wonder why Master Yi would concern himself with them?"

Chen Ruiyang then said, "Wouldn't that disturb the peace and quiet of the temple?"

Shan Lingguan smiled kindly: "The actions of my abbot are beyond the comprehension of others. If you wish to inquire about the reasons, you must visit Wuzhuang Temple."

Chief Lou has become a mere spectator.

She sensed from Chen Ruiyang that there was something strange about Wuzhuang Temple, so she listened but said nothing.

Chen Ruiyang looked at Zhang Chi and asked again, "Brother Zhang, did Master Yi really mention the troubles our gang is facing?"

“That’s right,” Zhang Chi said calmly. “If the abbot hadn’t brought it up, I wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Chen Ruiyang immediately nodded: "Gentlemen, our gang will go to pay our respects at the mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

"In that case, we'll take our leave."

"slow!"

Chief Lou interrupted, frowning as she glanced at Chen Ruiyang. Why was he about to pay homage to the mountain without even asking him anything?

She speaks frankly:
"If the Abbot is to offer assistance, how much of the profits does he want from our sect?"

Shan Xiongxin smiled at her and said, "Then it depends on what you think. The abbot said that even if you don't give a single copper coin, it doesn't matter."

"Farewell."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the two left the caravan.

"Brother Chen, what's wrong with you?"

"What's so special about this Wuzhuang Temple? Even if we encounter the four great clans, we don't need to be subservient to them."

"Boss, you don't know this."

Chen Ruiyang gasped: "I've heard two things related to the Master of Wuzhuang Temple."

"what's up?"

"One of them happened in the Ren family of Sheqi."

"After the death of the old master of the Ren family, he rose from his coffin and was seen by everyone. Then the evil spirit of the corpse spread across the sky. It was this abbot who burned and killed the evil spirit and sent the old master of the Ren family back to the underworld."

Chief Lou's brow twitched.

Then Chen Ruiyang said:

"Last autumn, Su Yun, the right-hand swordsman of the Nanyang Gang, was seriously injured. His body was tainted by demonic energy and withered like a skeleton. Even experts including Yang Zhen were helpless."

"The Nanyang gang invited Wu Dexiu, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor from the county, who is a descendant of Hua Tuo. However, even if Hua Tuo were alive, he could not cure Su Yun's condition."

"On the very night Su Yun was about to die, Yang Zhen invited the abbot of Wuzhuang Temple. He used strange methods to communicate with the underworld and summon Su Yun's soul, bringing him back to life."

"Boss, you must believe me."

Chen Ruiyang said, "That old man Wu Dexiu is a kind-hearted doctor who never tells a lie. Even he said that it was this abbot who defied fate and saved Su Yun."

Lou Ruodan's expression changed drastically.

"This person is a true extraordinary figure in the martial world; otherwise, why would the wild geese in the northern desert wind willingly submit to his commands?"

"The ability of the Tongtian Shenmu of the Bashu Heyi Sect to communicate between Yin and Yang is well-known in the martial arts world. This abbot is far superior to the Tongtian Shenmu."

"Such extraordinary people, whether real or fake, should not be easily offended."

Lou Ruodan then understood why Chen Ruiyang was behaving this strangely.

"This abbot saved Su Yun's life; he truly has the ability to resolve our gang's difficulties."

Lou Ruodan muttered another sentence:
"But that man just said he could refuse to give a single copper coin. What's the catch?"

"Absolutely not."

Chen Ruiyang's expression of apprehension deepened:
"If the money isn't paid, a debt is formed. This debt is unbearable to bear, so I think it's best not to owe it."

……

……

……

('-'*ゞThank you all for the monthly tickets!)

(End of this chapter)