Scourge Messenger

Chapter 106 Thrilling Combination Techniques
Rotten Persimmon and Tangerine Road—this isn't its official name, but that's what the neighbors call this alley. The origin of the name is unknown, but it's probably because many sour persimmons and tangerines used to fall and rot along this road. Because it's not an official road, there are naturally no ever-burning streetlights that messengers transplanted from the secret realm, and there aren't even watchmen passing by. Even if the nearby residents hear strange noises from Rotten Persimmon and Tangerine Road, they would only think it's stray dogs fighting, and would never imagine that this place would become the center of the vortex in Jiangnan City.

Even the three people inside were unaware that this secluded alleyway had gathered the Prime Minister of Liang, the County Duke of Qi, and the Supervisor of Zhou. In this unknown place, on this ordinary night, they tore off the masks of etiquette, and their only means of communication was pure violence!
In the instant of the clash, Shang Xuanwen immediately sensed something amiss. Clearly, the flesh and blood weren't ignited, the weapon wasn't heated, and the opponent showed absolutely no characteristics of a self-immolator, yet the attack had breached his breastplate defense. Add to that the black wolf mask and white fox mask that were identical to those on the wanted poster…

He had initially thought these two were part of the second wave of ambushes by the Taihu rebels, but now it seemed they were the second cruel joke played by fate.

Two different forces launched an attack on him tonight.

Shang Xuanwen believed they weren't conspiring; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to escape from the alley. It seemed one of them had acted on impulse, using the chaos of Jiangnan City to carry out their own scheme. But this conclusion was even more unacceptable than their conspiracy—it was an unavoidable coincidence that had driven him to this dead end.

"A family of thieves." Amidst the flashing blades, Shang Xuanwen asked coldly, "What do you want to steal from me?"

However, all that responded to him was Yaoshi Yuan's cold laugh and Ying Rushi's silence. Shang Xuanwen's heart sank—the other party knew him very well, and even knew that he could hear his thoughts through conversation. Therefore, there was no more conversation at the start of the battle, for fear that he would hear his next tactical arrangements.

From their ambush along this road to their vigilance during the battle, everything indicated that the opponent had come prepared. While he was secretly observing others, someone else was secretly observing him; he wasn't the only chess player in the world.

Refusing to negotiate suggests that the other party only wants to kill and seize the treasure. Either they believe that Shang Xuanwen will never obediently hand over what they want, or... Shang Xuanwen's life is also one of their targets.

He guessed correctly.

After splitting into teams, the pharmacist and Ying Rushi reached a consensus: Shang Xuanwen must die. Completing the mission was one reason, but a more important reason was that this prime minister of Liang posed too great a threat to the states of Qi and Zhou.

During his thirteen-year reign, Shang Xuanwen was known for his clean governance, open channels for public opinion, suppression of powerful clans, and preferential treatment for the people. While the three major states of the Central Plains had already passed their period of enlightened development, the Zhou state was plagued by deep-seated conflicts due to Yaoshi Moke's elimination of dissidents, and the Qi state was plummeting due to Empress Ying Le's reckless actions. Only the Liang state, under Shang Xuanwen's rule, managed to remain relatively prosperous—of course, this was only Yaoshi Moke's and Ying Le's perspective; the official narrative within the Liang court was one of 'thriving prosperity' and 'a period of revival.'

When everyone else is going downhill, Liang Guo is going downhill very slowly, which makes him stand out.

One of them considered the Zhou Kingdom as her own, while the other was extremely loyal to the Qi Kingdom. Therefore, when they learned that the target of this theft was Shang Xuanwen's Heaven-Slaying Sword, Yaoshi and Ying Rushi secretly plotted to assassinate the Prime Minister of Liang. However, with Shang Xinlei offering advice and Yan Qing demonstrating the power of an inside agent during the meeting, they had to suppress their thoughts and prioritize the mission.

Tonight's events were full of surprises. Although they lost the possibility of easily completing the mission, they also had a chance to openly satisfy their selfish desires. Ying Rushi threw out the hook of "kill Shang Xuanwen first to prevent him from escaping," and Yaoshi Yuan immediately took the bait, saying, "That's exactly right."

These two girls, who couldn't stand each other, became incredibly close allies tonight.

As the battle progressed, their teamwork became increasingly skillful, completely devoid of the awkwardness of their first collaboration. This was certainly due to their combat talent, but even more so because they were very familiar with each other's techniques—Yaoshi used the Zhou State Army's "Infantry Spear Technique," while Yingru used the Qi State's "Single-Handed Sword Technique." Both of these were practical combat skills derived from basic martial arts techniques and were widely circulated among the soldiers of both countries, so they could naturally recognize each other's techniques at a glance.

Widespread popularity does not equate to cheapness. On the contrary, in order to maximize the combat effectiveness of soldiers so that they can conquer secret realms, the combat techniques of various countries are all the finest products honed through countless trials. To accommodate illiterate, rough men, the names of these techniques are extremely simple, either indicating the applicable occasion or specifying whether they can be used with one or two hands.

But these seemingly ordinary moves became deadly killing blows in the hands of Yaoshi Yuan and Ying Rushi, their spears as powerful as thunder and their swords as swift as the wind.

They were the most outstanding heroes of their time, and with two against one, they had a clear advantage. As time went on, their energy and strength did not diminish; on the contrary, they became more and more courageous, displaying their skills to the fullest.

However, they felt no pride, only solemnity.

Although Shang Xuanwen was being overwhelmed by them, his protective shield remained intact, allowing him to absorb spirit jade while fighting. His defense was watertight, and he could even counterattack while fighting two opponents, repeatedly disrupting the flow of their weapons. Even when faced with situations he couldn't dodge, he could minimize the damage through his swordsmanship.

It's clear that Shang Xuanwen was in poor condition when he entered the path, and he had no guards with him. Even the monk accomplice Yan Qing mentioned was nowhere to be seen, indicating that Shang Xuanwen had already encountered an accident before arriving here. He didn't display any powerful tokens during the battle, but this isn't surprising. Messengers who aren't fighting on the front lines of the secret realm usually leave powerful tokens to their successors. Moreover, Shang Xuanwen was staying in the safest main city of Jiangnan, so the tokens he carried were probably at the bare minimum.

Even with a prime minister of Liang in extremely poor condition, they still couldn't easily subdue him. If it were Shang Xuanwen at his peak, with all the tokens in hand, they would probably have to flee in disarray.

Previously, Ying Rushi was relieved that the monk inside agent was not there, so she wouldn't be able to easily obtain the Heaven Sword. After all, if Black Wolf suggested retreating after she had snatched the Heaven Sword, she really wouldn't have a reason to kill Shang Xuanwen.

However, at this point in the battle, she began to worry about whether the theft mission could be completed. If even her long-prepared killing move failed to break through Shang Xuanwen's defenses, then everything would be over. The longer the battle dragged on, the greater the chance that reinforcements from Daliang would arrive.

However, it wasn't just the thieves who became increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed; Shang Xuanwen was also not as calm as he appeared on the surface.

Fighting a normal person and fighting a self-immolator are two completely different concepts. Self-immolators abandon all defense and seek only mutual destruction at all costs, so no matter how strong Shang Xuanwen is, he can only avoid them. But normal people can defend, dodge, and use weapons. This is the area that Shang Xuanwen is most familiar with. His ability to control people not only shines in the court, but is also his secret weapon in battle.

His third job advancement, the Path of the Messenger, is an extremely rare and precious profession. Its core characteristic, "Chaos of Weapons," allows him to easily change the direction of the enemy's weapon in weapon combat. Combined with the secret technique of sticky sword originating from the Southern Yue, he can almost suppress all armed enemies below the Foundation Establishment level. Fighting multiple enemies at once is commonplace for him. Whether the enemy is a demon or a messenger, he can make the enemy kill each other.

The Taihu rebels were well aware of this, so their assassinations either involved large-scale damage or used unusual weapons, never giving Shang Xuanwen any chance to display his sword skills.

However, his supposedly invincible fighting style proved ineffective against these two unfamiliar thieves.

He launched his sticky sword attack more than once, but his opponent always managed to withdraw or dodge it in time, and even managed to use the momentum to continue the pursuit from unexpected angles. This was not the first time Shang Xuanwen had encountered such an opponent. These people often did not use any secret manuals, but comprehended basic techniques, advanced techniques, and even secret techniques on their own. Therefore, their skill level far exceeded that of their peers, and they could adapt to the situation and innovate in battle. Their weapons were like extensions of their limbs, moving at will.

Few third-tier messengers reach such a level; it requires true talent and ability. Such individuals can often quickly climb to the limit of the third tier, and some can even forcibly establish their foundation without the aid of Foundation Establishment Pills, unlike most third-tier messengers who waste half their lives, never having a chance to reach the fourth tier or higher without Foundation Establishment Pills.

Even though the Divine Marquis's announcement had resounded throughout the land, Shang Xuanwen hadn't paid much attention to the Thieves' Clan, since no one had truly been able to control them for so many years. But seeing the two exceptionally talented thieves before him, Shang Xuanwen realized he needed to reassess the Thieves' Clan's strength.

If he survives.

The swordswoman, White Fox, used only her right-hand valiant sword to fight him from beginning to end. Her left hand remained tightly gripping the guard of her left-hand sword, and the murderous intent emanating from it stung Shang Xuanwen's eyes, clearly indicating that she was preparing a shocking killing move.

Black Wolf, the gun thief, has been fighting without any defense and has taken all the damage from Shang Xuanwen. However, her aura is growing more and more intense, like a volcano about to erupt. When she does erupt, it will be more violent than thunder and fire.

Just as the battle was becoming increasingly intense and the atmosphere increasingly tense, a whistle suddenly blew from afar. It could be an officer's whistle, a village head's whistle, or even a child's whistle that couldn't sleep at night, but no matter where it came from, this whistle became the charge for this battle.

"arctic fox!"

"Ah."

There's no need to worry about Shang Xuanwen figuring out their tactical plan, because their intentions are already clearer than the moon!
Yaoshi Yuan spun his spear high above his head, his legs firmly planted on the ground, completely abandoning his defenses. Shang Xuanwen found himself being pushed towards Yaoshi Yuan by the air currents; Yaoshi Yuan seemed to have become the center of a vortex, capturing any enemy trying to escape!
Secret Technique: Rotating Lamp!

The long weapon's charging technique greatly increases the messenger's damage (including damage from the token) with each rotation. The rotation creates a vortex that pulls everyone nearby towards the user!

Logically speaking, when the messenger uses the spinning lantern, it is the perfect opportunity to attack the opponent. However, since the pharmacist clearly has a token that increases damage the more damage she takes, Shang Xuanwen naturally will not do as she wishes. Instead, he quickly retreats to break free of the airflow, forcing the pharmacist to give up charging up!

As the pharmacist wished, just as Shang Xuanwen was about to escape her attack range, but precisely at the optimal attack distance of her spear, she roared, her cry like a wolf's howl or a tiger's roar, startling the children within a mile radius into tears. The spear became a blur in the air; she had poured all her energy and spirit into this single strike, a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble!
It can be chaotic.

Shang Xuanwen was neither worried nor afraid. He accurately judged that although this move had the damage of a third-tier attack, his Chaotic Martial Arts and Sticky Sword were enough to change the direction of the spear. Even if he couldn't lure it towards the White Fox, he could still draw it to the ground. Now he only needed to worry about the White Fox's hidden secret sword...

wrong!

Just as the spear was about to strike and Shang Xuanwen had already swung his sword, Yaoshi Yuan froze, as if someone had stopped her time. Beneath the black wolf mask, she revealed a triumphant smile, then spun around again, took a step forward, turned her spear, and swept the butt of the spear towards Shang Xuanwen—a dragon tail sweep.

And it's faster and stronger!
(End of this chapter)