Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 158 They've gone mad! Everyone's gone mad! [Two-in-One]

Night fell quietly, but the fighting outside Suzhou continued.

Blood stained the earth red, and corpses lay strewn across the muddy ground, a truly gruesome scene, like a battlefield of carnage.

At the city gate, the guards of Suzhou retreated outside the city and sealed off the gate to avoid accidentally harming civilians.

As for the fighting outside the city, they had no intention of getting involved and remained indifferent.

The imperial court does not concern itself with matters of the martial world; this has been the rule since ancient times.

Rumbling--

In the center of the battlefield, Dugu Yihe protected the Heavenly Demon Harp Treasure Chest with one hand and fought against more than a dozen masters alone, including Yin Yewang, Li Tianyuan, and Bai Guishou from the Heavenly Eagle Sect, and Jing Wuming, Zhuge Gang, Xiang Song, and Tang Du from the Money Gang, as well as some wandering Jianghu people who were taking advantage of the chaos.

At this moment, people truly witnessed the terrifying power of this elder of Mount Emei.

More than a dozen experts had already fallen around them, the weakest of whom were at the mid-to-late stage of the Innate Realm. But at this moment, because of the Heavenly Demon Harp, they fell one after another, their cultivation halted here.

Not far away, disciples from the Money Gang, the Eagle Sect, and the Emei Sect were also fighting. The three sides were locked in a fierce battle, with endless bloodshed and severed limbs flying everywhere, making it a very tragic scene.

Many martial arts figures who came to join the fun were also moved in, and they didn't even have time to escape.

At that moment, everyone went mad.

Whether passively or actively, hundreds and thousands of martial arts practitioners engaged in a life-or-death struggle over the Heavenly Demon Harp outside Suzhou.

Further away, Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, Ximen Chuixue, and others had already left the battlefield.

It wasn't that they withdrew voluntarily, but rather that the Money Gang members were terrified of being killed.

Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou still had some survivors, but once Ximen Chuixue's sword was drawn, there would be no survivors.

Whether they were ordinary disciples in the Acquired Realm or experts in the Innate Realm, they were all killed with a single sword strike.

In less than a quarter of an hour, dozens of people had died by his sword. Even Yan Shuangfei, the 46th ranked weapon on the weapon list, failed to launch a sneak attack with his flying spear and was killed by a sword aura.

Gradually, the Money Gang members stopped attacking and changed direction, continuing their siege of the Eagle Sect and the Emei Sect.

Lu Xiaofeng and his companions took the opportunity to leave the battlefield and stand at a distance to watch the battle. Looking at the bloody and tragic scene on the field, their expressions were not very good.

"They've gone mad! Everyone's gone mad!"

Lu Xiaofeng's expression was complicated as he murmured, "For the sake of a Heavenly Demon Harp, various sects fought and killed so many people... His plan succeeded."

Hua Manlou, whose white robes were also stained with blood, looked equally pale: "With so many people dead, he should be showing up soon."

Lu Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and said, "I must see who this guy is, that he can manipulate so many people with his own strength!"

Ximen Chuixue stood beside the two men, sword in hand. His white robes were as white as snow and still spotless. He listened to their conversation without saying a word, but simply gazed at a woman in green in the middle of the battlefield.

Lu Xiaofeng turned her gaze and followed his line of sight, asking in surprise, "Ximen, you don't actually have a crush on her, do you?"

Ximen Chuixue was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes."

He never hides his feelings and preferences.

Lu Xiaofeng: "..."

He never believed in love at first sight before, but now he does.

Given Ximen Chuixue's status and prestige, how could he possibly take a fancy to a mere female disciple of Emei?

……

Inside Suzhou city, at the Han residence.

"Everyone has gone mad. Hundreds of people are fighting in a chaotic melee. More than a hundred people have died, including Yan Shuangfei from the Money Gang. The Emei Sect has suffered the most casualties, with four of the Three Heroes and Four Beauties dead..."

"Four leaders of the Sky Eagle Sect have also died!"

"The Six-Fingered Master of Wuyi Mountain also died in battle, killed by Jing Wuming of the Money Gang..."

In the lobby, everyone trembled as they listened to the news brought back by the spies.

In the martial arts world, there has not been such a large-scale casualty incident in a long time.

So many renowned masters died in battle, including veteran masters who were no less skilled than Han Xun and Wan Lifeng.

But now, because of a Heavenly Demon Harp, they have all perished here.

It's really terrible!

"Fortunately, we didn't get involved and managed to hand over that hot potato in time to extricate ourselves; otherwise, we would have been in grave danger too!"

Wanli Feng sighed, but also felt somewhat fortunate.

Even experts of Mr. Six Fingers and Yan Shuangfei's caliber have died in battle. If they had also joined the battle, it is still unknown how many of them would have survived.

The others nodded in relief.

There aren't many experts in Diancang. Although Han Xun and Wan Lifeng are well-known veterans, there are no fewer than a dozen people outside the city who are capable of defeating them among the various sects and wandering martial artists who are participating in the struggle for the Heavenly Demon Harp.

Now, several of them are dead.

If they also get involved in this battle, how can they guarantee that they will escape unscathed?

"Throughout history, treasures have been a powerful motivator, and countless heroes have perished because of greed!"

"Treasures are wonderful, but you have to be alive to enjoy them..."

Wanli Feng took a deep breath, looked at Han Xun, and said, "Senior brother, with so many people killed or wounded by various sects this time, they will certainly not let this go. I'm afraid it won't be long before Suzhou City becomes a place of conflict and strife for various sects to fight for treasures."

Han Xun narrowed his eyes slightly: "So, what does Junior Brother Wan mean?"

"In my opinion, it would be better to abandon the Suzhou industry and withdraw temporarily."

Wan Lifeng's expression was solemn as he said, "The strength of the Tianying Sect, the Jinqian Gang, the Emei Sect, and other sects is all above that of our Diancang Sect. So many people have died in this struggle for the Heavenly Demon Harp among the three sects, but there is only one Heavenly Demon Harp. No matter who it ends up in, the other two sects will never let it go."

"In the end, even 'White-browed Eagle King' Yin Tianzheng and Shangguan Jin Hong might personally intervene. This matter is beyond our control."

"The most important thing is..."

Wanli Feng paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "The Six-Fingered Qin Demon has not shown himself yet, but with just a Heavenly Demon Qin, he has caused conflict among various factions and resulted in so many deaths and injuries."

"This man's cunning is far beyond our comprehension."

"Moreover, his goal is revenge. My Diancang Sect was one of the main culprits in the massacre of the Tianlong Sect and Huang Dong's family back then. Even if we withdraw from the competition for the Heavenly Demon Harp now, he will never let us go!"

"Just in case, I propose abandoning the Suzhou industry and retreating to Cangshan!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Han Xun's eyes flickered, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

"Senior brother?" Wanli Feng looked at Han Xun.

"I think it's worth taking a risk!"

Suddenly, Han Xun narrowed his eyes and said, "Right now, the various factions are fighting amongst themselves, suffering heavy casualties, while our strength has been relatively intact. While they are fighting amongst themselves and their reinforcements have not yet arrived, this is the best time for us to fish in troubled waters!"

"Senior brother, you..." Wanli Feng's expression changed. He didn't expect that Han Xun would still want to compete for the Heavenly Demon Harp.
"Junior brother!"

Han Xun said in a deep voice, "I understand your concerns, but this opportunity must not be missed!"

"Besides, since we're going to abandon our Suzhou businesses and retreat to Cangshan anyway, why not take a gamble and pull off a big heist before we do!"

"As long as we obtain the Heavenly Demon Harp, with this treasure protecting us, our sect's strength will surely increase greatly. In addition, our Cangshan Mountain has a strategic location that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it is also far away. Even if things are exposed, we will have nothing to fear!"

Wanli Feng frowned, disapproving of such a risky move.

If they really did that, the Diancang Sect would not only have to face the Six-Fingered Qin Demon, but would also offend the Eagle Sect, the Money Gang, and other sects.

These people will not let this go easily.

But the more Han Xun thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Since he was going to leave anyway, if he could really obtain the Heavenly Demon Harp before he left, it would be worth it even if he had to give up his businesses in Suzhou and retreat to Cangshan.

Moreover, just thinking about the scene of Huang Dong wielding the Heavenly Demon Harp, fighting against many and slaughtering everyone, Han Xun couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement in his heart.

"That's it!"

Thinking of this, without waiting for Wanlifeng to say more, Han Xun made a decisive decision: "Continue to send people to scout out the battle situation outside the city. We will be prepared and wait for the various factions to determine the winner and loser, and see who ends up with the Heavenly Demon Harp. Then we will take action immediately, seize the harp, and leave immediately!"

Wanli Feng hesitated to speak, which showed Han Xun's resolute attitude. He could only sigh inwardly and silently agree.

"That guy..."

Han Xun looked at the disciple who had come to deliver the message and instructed, "Go quickly, and report immediately if the situation changes!"

"Yes!" The disciple nodded quickly and turned to leave.

Han Xun and the others also got up and began to prepare.

"what!"

"Oh no, an assassin! Be careful..."

"Go and report this immediately!"

Suddenly, a flurry of shouts came from outside, accompanied by sounds of fighting and screams.

boom!
With a loud crash, the disciple who had just left was thrown back in through the door, his face filled with terror, coughing up blood. He turned to look at Han Xun and the others, weakly reaching out his hand and shouting, "There...there's an assassin..."

As soon as he finished speaking, his head lolled to the side, and he died completely.

Everyone changed their colors.

"Go and see what's going on!" Han Xun shouted, grabbing the broadsword beside him and preparing to go out to check the situation.

But before he could leave, he stopped abruptly, his eyes fixed on the doorway, filled with surprise and doubt.

"Master Han, it's been many years. How have you been?"

A cold voice sounded.

Outside the door, Huang Xuemei, dressed in a black 'Netherworld' robe and wearing a 'Netherworld' ghost mask, slowly walked in. The words 'King of Equality' were embroidered on her collar, exuding a majestic yet sinister and terrifying aura.

Behind him, a group of 'Netherworld' assassins, also dressed in black robes, stood indifferently, exuding a ghostly aura. The Diancang Sect experts who came to reinforce from afar after hearing the commotion all died at the hands of these men in black.

The entire Han mansion was filled with murderous intent, screams of agony, and was stained red with blood.

"The Netherworld...the Underworld?!"

Han Xun's expression changed drastically, and he staggered back, his eyes fixed on Huang Xuemei. He guessed her identity: "You are the 'Six-Finger Qin Demon'?!"

"Does Master Han still remember the little girl who was forced to jump off a cliff to escape by you back then?"

Huang Xuemei removed the ghost mask from her face and stared coldly at Han Xun, her eyes filled with intense killing intent.

"You are Huang Dong's daughter?!"

Han Xun's face was grim; he had already guessed Huang Xuemei's identity.

"It seems that Master Han has not forgotten. Then, it is time for the Diancang Sect to pay back the blood debt from back then!" Huang Xuemei said coldly.

Tread...  

At this moment, Lü Lin also entered, holding a golden knife. He looked at Han Xun with murderous intent and shouted, "Han Xun, return my parents' lives!"

"You are Huang Dong's son?" Han Xun's face darkened, and he immediately realized Lü Lin's identity.

"Not bad!"

Lu Lin shouted, "Back then, for the sake of the Heavenly Demon Harp, you destroyed my Heavenly Dragon Sect, killed my parents, and caused my sister and me to lose our family. It's time to pay this blood debt!"

As he spoke, Lü Lin raised his hand and threw a package out.

pat-

The package fell and scattered, revealing a bloody human head inside. Everyone looked and was horrified, for the head belonged to Han Xun's son, Han Ping.

"Ping'er..." Han Xun staggered back, incredulous, but his expression was quickly replaced by anger and hatred as he roared, "Kill! Kill them all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew his sword and charged forward himself.

ding ding ding-

A great war broke out.

Huang Xuemei casually executed two Diancang disciples, and while dealing with Han Xun's attacks, she ordered the execution of all Diancang members.

Even without the Heavenly Demon Harp, her martial arts skills were still far superior to Han Xun's.

But she didn't kill Han Xun immediately; she wanted Han Xun to witness the destruction of the Han family and the ruin of Diancang.

"Ugh……"

Wanlifeng sighed, "Once greed arises, disaster will follow. Why bother?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew his sword and charged out.

Although it was Han Xun who committed the sins, the entire Diancang Sect was involved in the matter back then.

Now that our enemies have come knocking, there's no point in saying anything more.

Cause and effect, the cycle of reincarnation.

Blood debts can only be repaid with blood.

This is Jianghu.

……

Night time.

The fierce battle outside Suzhou is nearing its end.

Nearly four hundred disciples from various sects and wandering martial artists were killed or wounded. They all went mad with killing. At first, it was just to seize the treasure, but as more and more people died, and they watched their companions and friends die one after another, many people were aroused by the hatred and killing intent in their hearts, determined to kill the enemy and avenge their grievances.

Many of the grudges and feuds in the martial arts world originate from this kind of situation.

Of the original thousand or so people, after several hours of fighting, some died and some fled, and now only a little over a hundred are still fighting to the death.

Most of them were members of the Money Gang and the Sky Eagle Cult.

The people of Emei were almost completely wiped out. At this moment, only five or six people remained, holding their swords and holding on. Of the three heroes and four beauties, only Su Shaoying and Sun Xiuqing were left.

The scene was extremely horrific.

In the arena, Dugu Yihe was covered in blood, holding a long sword, with dozens of wounds on his body, almost becoming a blood-soaked figure, but he was still fighting fiercely with the masters of the Money Gang and the Sky Eagle Sect.

On the Money Gang's side, apart from Shangguan Fei being protected by a group of Money Gang disciples, many of the other experts had also died, leaving only Jing Wuming and Zhuge Gang still holding on.

The Sky Eagle Sect suffered a similar fate; apart from Yin Yewang and Li Tianyuan, all the other elders and leaders had been killed in battle, resulting in heavy losses.

But even now, the three-point contest remains undecided and the game is still close.

Dugu Yihe fought against many opponents single-handedly, demonstrating terrifying combat power and shocking everyone.

Lu Xiaofeng and his companions had retreated to the city gate and stood with the Suzhou city defenders. Watching the battle unfold, everyone fell silent.

Such a large-scale battle is extremely rare even on military battlefields, let alone in the martial arts world.

But now, because of a Heavenly Demon Harp, this tragic scene has happened again.

Even Lu Xiaofeng, who is always a busybody, was powerless to help in this situation.

He had considered asking the Suzhou garrison to intervene and stop the fighting, but they refused, saying that the imperial court did not concern itself with matters of the martial arts world.

Therefore, the battle has continued until now.

However, the mastermind behind it all, the "Six-Fingered Qin Demon," has yet to reveal himself.

Unbeknownst to them, several pairs of eyes had been watching the entire treasure-hunting battle from the top of the city wall behind them.

The group, all dressed in black robes, with cloaks covering their heads and ghost faces covering their faces, sat on the city tower as if no one else was there, watching the battle raging outside the city, while no one in the crowd noticed anything amiss.

Even the Suzhou guards on duty nearby kept their eyes straight ahead, pretending not to see anything.

This is the benefit of having connections.

The imperial court doesn't interfere in matters of the martial arts world, but this is only on the surface; many things are actually manipulated.

As long as the local government doesn't directly send troops to aid either side, other matters can be handled by spending some money to bribe the Suzhou city guards to turn a blind eye.

Of course, given Jiang Xuan's current status, resolving this matter would be a simple matter of a single sentence, without any need for further effort.

However, he came this time as the 'Netherworld' Palace Master, the 'Underworld Emperor,' and the Commander of the Imperial Guards of the court. There was no need to expose himself for the time being; he could keep it a secret for as long as possible.

Even if some people have doubts, it won't help unless there is concrete evidence proving that he controls Youming.

This treasure-hunting dispute was merely a matter of the martial arts world; the imperial court did not intervene.

This is enough.

Wearing a ghost mask, Jiang Xuan stood quietly by the city wall, watching the battle outside the city.

Behind him were Yan Shisan, Xi Yu, Xia Xueyi, A Fei, Xiao Leixue, Qiu Moyan, Yang Huizhen, and others.

This time, apart from Cheng Shifei and Jin Xiangyu, almost all the people from Youming were present.

"As expected of someone who can stand alongside Huo Xiu, Mu Daoren, and others, the Emei Mountain Guardian Elder's strength is truly extraordinary..." Jiang Xuan couldn't help but sigh as he watched Dugu Yihe fight against many opponents and still manage to turn the tables, and persist until now.

With his broad perspective, he could naturally see through the strength and level of the various masters in the arena at a glance.

Among the members of the Money Gang, Yin Yewang, Li Tianyuan, Jing Wuming, Zhuge Gang, and others, even the weakest among them possessed strength at the mid-to-late stage or even the perfect level of the Innate Realm, and their external martial arts skills were also quite formidable.

Jing Wuming, in particular, possessed an exceptionally sharp and swift swordsmanship, almost reaching the level of artistic conception.

But the fact that Dugu Yihe has been able to hold out until now despite being besieged by so many experts shows his extraordinary abilities.

His internal strength has reached the Grandmaster level, just a step away from the Great Grandmaster. His swordsmanship is also quite fierce, and his foundation is extremely profound.

He truly deserves to be ranked alongside Huo Xiu, Mu Daoren, Ximen Chuixue, and others as one of the top six.

Yan Shisan nodded in deep agreement: "If we were to fight head-on this time, facing experts from various factions at the same time, we would have no chance of winning."

Although Youming's foundation is not weak, only he, Jiang Xuan, Xi Yu, and Xia Xueyi can truly be called experts now.

The others, A Fei, Xiao Leixue, Qiu Moyan, and Yang Huizhen are all a notch weaker.

On the other hand, the three major factions, besides the top expert Dugu Yihe, also have Yin Yewang, Jing Wuming, and others whose martial arts skills are no less than those of Afei and others.

In addition, there were thousands of disciples from various sects and wandering martial artists at the acquired and innate realms.

No matter how strong they are, they are no match for this group.

“Lu Xiaofeng and Ximen Chuixue haven’t left yet. They’re obviously waiting for us to show up. If they get involved later, it might cause some trouble…” Xiyu looked down at Lu Xiaofeng and the others at the city gate and said with a frown.

"It's alright, I'll take care of them. You can take the zither and kill Dugu Yihe later," Jiang Xuan said calmly, but his gaze also turned to the white-robed swordsman in front of the city gate, a faint glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He also wanted to know, with his current strength, how he compared to a swordsman of Ximen Chuixue's caliber!

Tread...  

Just then, footsteps sounded from behind, and Huang Xuemei and the others returned, carrying a strong smell of blood.

"Palace Master!" Huang Xuemei stepped forward and bowed.

"Is it resolved?" Jiang Xuan asked.

Huang Xuemei took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Palace Master, for helping me take revenge!"

"Then all that's missing is Dugu Yihe..."

Jiang Xuan nodded, turned to look outside the city, and saw that Dugu Yihe was showing signs of fatigue under the siege of Yin Yewang and the others. His eyes flashed slightly, and he said, "It's time, let's make our move!"

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

Everyone drew their swords and leaped into the air.

Instantly, a murderous aura filled the air, and the dazzling sword light drew the attention of everyone engaged in the fierce battle.

Meanwhile, from the dark, dense forest outside the city, ghostly figures swiftly emerged, rushing into the battlefield and chanting eerie incantations:
"The netherworld appears, seeking lives and souls; good and evil are rewarded accordingly, and debts are left unpaid!"

"Dugu Yihe, it's time for you to pay the blood debt for the massacre of your entire family back then!"

A cold voice echoed throughout the arena as Huang Xuemei charged forward, heading straight for Dugu Yihe.

"The Netherworld?!"

"The Six-Fingered Demon of the Harp!"

The crowd quickly realized the identities of the men in black.

boom!
Huang Xuemei struck out with a palm, her true energy surging forth, shaking away Yin Yewang and the others who were standing nearby. Her palm struck Dugu Yihe squarely in the chest, sending him flying.

Dugu Yihe was already seriously injured, and this further blow caused him to groan and stagger backward. The Heavenly Demon Harp in his arms also slipped from his grasp and fell into Huang Xuemei's hands.

"It's you? A remnant of the Huang family?!" Dugu Yihe steadied himself, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stared intently at Huang Xuemei.

Huang Xuemei opened the wooden box, took out the Heavenly Demon Harp, and sneered, "Haven't you always wanted the Heavenly Demon Harp? Today, I'll show you its true power!"

Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. They were suddenly jolted awake and saw the Heavenly Demon Harp in Huang Xuemei's hand. Yin Yewang and the others' eyes turned red.

After fighting for this for so long, the fruits of our labor were stolen halfway through?
"Hand over the instrument!"

"Take the instrument back!"

Yin Yewang and Shangguan Fei shouted angrily at the same time.

Immediately, the group attacked again, showing no fear of the men in black, and instantly united to seize the zither.

"Blinded by greed, oblivious to the danger!"

Yan Shisan and the others snorted coldly and used their swords to block the people from the Sky Eagle Sect and the Money Gang.

Huang Xuemei then took the opportunity to play the zither and attack Dugu Yihe.

As the Eight Sounds of the Heavenly Dragon began, the air in the arena was filled with the sounds of wind and the invisible sound waves surged like a tide, layer upon layer. Dugu Yihe was seriously injured and could not withstand the attack. He was quickly swept away by the sound waves and coughed up blood as he flew backward.

"Master!"

The few remaining disciples of Emei cried out in alarm and rushed forward to help.

"Finally showed up!"

"The Six-Fingered Demon of the Harp, truly a being from the Netherworld!"

At the city gate, Lu Xiaofeng and the others were also invigorated.

"For the sake of a Heavenly Demon Harp, such a conflict has been stirred up, resulting in the deaths of so many people!"

Lu Xiaofeng's face turned ugly. He said, "I want to see who exactly is behind Youming and the Six-Fingered Qin Demon!"

As he spoke, he was about to make a move.

Ximen Chuixue also stepped forward with his sword, intending to save Dugu Yihe.

But at that moment, a figure floated down from the city wall and stood in front of them.

"Since you've all been watching the play for so long, why not watch another one?"

(End of this chapter)