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

Chapter 160 Shangguan Jin Hong, the top three on the Weapon Ranking gather, Murong Qiu Di of Seven Star Pond! [Two-in-One]

Summer is approaching, and the weather is gradually getting hotter, just like the martial arts world at this moment, which is in an uproar because of the battle outside Suzhou.

First, the Ghost Palace, the Blazing Fire Palace, "Jade-Faced Gentleman" Dongfang Bai, "Seven Fiend God Lord" Tan Sheng, and "Poisonous Hand Rakshasa" He Qinghua and his wife were defeated and killed halfway through the battle. Then, the "Demon Extermination Alliance" formed by various factions in Suzhou was completely dismantled by Youming with a single Heavenly Demon Zither, which instigated infighting among the factions and resulted in heavy casualties.

Finally, Youming appeared to end the matter, stealing the zither and killing people, resulting in the near annihilation of all factions.

It's unbelievable that so many people paid such a terrible price because of a single Heavenly Demon Harp.

This battle fully reveals the greed of human nature, the cruelty of the martial world... and also the tyranny and cold-bloodedness of the underworld.

This newly emerging mysterious force, single-handedly, has shaken the martial arts world, even daring to challenge the two top-tier factions, the Money Gang and the Sky Eagle Sect, shocking the world.

At this moment, some people who had previously harbored thoughts about the Heavenly Demon Harp gave up their ideas.

The painful lessons learned by various factions are already evident, proving that this martial arts treasure is not something that ordinary people can covet.

However, given the devastating losses suffered by the Money Gang and other factions, coupled with their betrayal by Youming and the deaths of their young master Shangguan Fei and Yin Yewang, they are unlikely to let this go easily.

Unable to find Youming's whereabouts, many people turned their attention to various factions, such as the Money Gang, waiting to see how things would develop.

It must be said that the Money Gang, as a powerful force in Jiangnan with thousands of disciples and influence throughout the provinces, prefectures, and counties of Jiangnan, truly lived up to its reputation.

In just a few days, several secret strongholds of the Netherworld were discovered and destroyed by the Money Gang, but no useful information was obtained through interrogation.

"That's it?"

In Wenzhou, at the headquarters of the Money Gang, Shangguan Jin Hong looked at the intelligence obtained from the interrogation, his expression unchanged, only slightly furrowed.

He was over fifty years old, dressed in a golden robe, looking like an ordinary middle-aged or elderly man. His face was expressionless, seemingly unmoved and angry at the death of his son and the defeat of the Money Gang disciples.

But in the eyes of the core disciples of the Money Gang, he was a lion without feelings, indifferent to all emotions, all life, and even his own life.

His face was never expressionless, as if nothing could move him, but now he was only slightly frowning, which proved that he was already angry.

"Please forgive me, Master!"

The helmsman in charge of delivering the message immediately knelt down, not daring to raise his head, and replied respectfully, "I personally carried out all the torture instruments. Even the strongest iron could not withstand such torture, but their confessions are still only these, and they are almost identical."

"Do you think they weren't lying?" Shangguan Jin Hong asked.

"Yes."

The leader hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "We acted very quickly. There is no possibility that they would collude with each other. Judging from their identities, they may really not know the internal situation of 'Netherworld.' Their purpose in existence is simply to collect intelligence and pass messages to those above them."

"Moreover, their secrecy level is extremely high; even if they are only separated by one city, they do not know each other."

"The specifics of the Netherworld are probably only known to their core members."

Shangguan Jin Hong narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "How much information do you currently have?"

"Almost none!"

The leader shook his head: "The Netherworld first appeared in the winter of the year before last. The Wen family in Taizhou was destroyed because the sixth son of the Wen family was killed by his enemies. This person was named Xia Xueyi. In order to seek revenge, he had joined many sects to learn martial arts. After the Wen family learned about this, they sent people to hunt him down. It is said that he was saved by a mysterious swordsman along the way. In the end, the Netherworld was born, and the Wen family was destroyed."

"This mysterious swordsman should be a member of the Netherworld, and Xia Xueyi should have joined the Netherworld by now as well."

"The second appearance of the Netherworld was three months ago. The Green Robe Pavilion in the Guanzhong region was destroyed, and the Green Robe Pavilion Master Huo Xiu was pierced through the throat by a swordsman."

"And this is the third time that Youming has made a move."

The leader paused for a moment, then continued, "Based on their three attacks, we can only conclude that there must be several top swordsmen within the Netherworld, including the mysterious swordsman who defeated Ximen Chuixue with a single sword strike. This person is very likely their leader."

"In addition, the Six-Fingered Qin Demon is also confirmed to be a core figure of the Netherworld, otherwise the Netherworld would not have gone to such lengths and mobilized so many people to avenge her."

"We know nothing else."

After the leader finished speaking, the room fell silent again.

Shangguan Jin Hong was silent for a moment, then asked, "What's the movement of the Heavenly Eagle Sect and Emei Sect?"

The leader of the guild hurriedly said, "On the Sky Eagle Sect's side, 'White-browed Eagle King' Yin Tianzheng personally came out of seclusion and also sent people to investigate, but they didn't find anything."

"Abbess Miejue from Emei is coming in person with the Heaven-Slaying Sword, but she is quite far away and is still on her way. It will take at least seven days for her to arrive."

"The other factions, including the Blazing Fire Palace, the Ghost Palace, the New Heavenly Dragon Gate founded by Dongfang Bai, and the Flying Swallow Gate led by Tan Sheng and his wife, have all experienced turmoil. Their power and territory have been swallowed up by other factions, and their decline is inevitable."

Shangguan Jin Hong looked at him: "Where do you think their base will be?"

"Your subordinate... Your subordinate is unaware and dares not speculate." The captain quickly lowered his head.

"Then continue the investigation!"

Shangguan Jin Hong said indifferently, "Don't let any clues related to this sect slip by. Xia Xueyi, the mysterious swordsman, Qingyi Tower, the Six-Fingered Qin Demon, Flying Tiger Escort Agency... investigate them all thoroughly!"

This matter is no longer as simple as just a Heavenly Demon Harp.

He didn't even care about the deaths of Shangguan Fei, Jing Wuming, and others.

A son can be born again if he dies, and a subordinate can be trained again if he dies.

However, if this matter is not thoroughly investigated, it will inevitably deal a great blow to the prestige and status of the Money Gang.

This is something he absolutely cannot tolerate.

Throughout his life, besides martial arts, power was his greatest pursuit and also his bottom line.

Anyone who dares to cross his bottom line will die!

"Your subordinate obeys!" The captain quickly bowed and agreed.

Boom!
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. It was only once.

Shangguan Jin Hong looked up and calmly asked, "Who?"

"Seventy-six," came a respectful reply from outside the door.

"Speak," Shangguan Jin Hong said sparingly.

"Reporting to the leader, the bodies of the young master and Elder Zhuge have been brought back," the person outside the door said.

Shangguan Jin Hong's eyes finally showed a hint of emotion. He slowly walked out, and the leader inside hurriedly opened the door in front of him. Shangguan Jin Hong went out and immediately saw rows of corpses covered with white sheets outside the door.

Tread...  

Shangguan Jin Hong slowly stepped forward and came to the first corpse. The disciple next to him quickly pulled back the white cloth, and the corpse was none other than Shangguan Fei.

At this moment, Shangguan Fei's face was extremely pale, and a faint stench emanated from his body. The fatal sword wound on his neck had already congealed, with traces of blood still visible.

Shangguan Jin Hong stretched out two fingers, pried open the wound to take a look, but couldn't see anything. He only knew that it was the work of a master, who was very fast and accurate.

But among the swordsmen in the world, there are at least ninety or a hundred who could inflict such injuries, and Shangguan Fei's skill level was well known to him.

Shangguan Jin Hong looked at the second corpse, and as expected, it was Jing Wuming's.

Both victims suffered stab wounds to the throat, but the wounds were almost invisible; the one who struck was clearly faster and more accurate.

This moved Shangguan Jin Hong somewhat.

He was also very clear about Jing Wuming's martial arts skills, and was able to defeat Jing Wuming with a sword, and kill him so quickly and accurately.

He firmly believed that there would be no more than thirty people in the Great Ming Dynasty, including the ten on the Sword Dao Ranking.

"Who could be the one who has comprehended sword intent? The mysterious swordsman who rescued Xia Xueyi? Or the leader of the Netherworld?"

Shangguan Jin Hong's eyes flickered slightly; she finally had a clear main clue.

He examined each body and found more traces.

There were sword wounds, knife wounds, and wounds from some strange weapons, most of which were not surprising.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as he noticed the fine sword wounds on the chest of a corpse: "Written with a soft sword? Swordsmanship, perhaps no weaker than Jing Wuming's... sword aura?"

Shangguan Jin Hong narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Go and investigate the martial arts world for masters who use soft swords."

"Yes!" the helmsman beside him replied respectfully.

Shangguan Jin Hong stood up with a flick of his sleeve, a faint chill flashing deep in his eyes.

Looking at the dozen or so corpses in the courtyard, all of them core members of the Money Gang, including his only son Shangguan Fei, he could no longer remain calm.

……

"Investigating a master of soft swords?"

At an inn in Wenzhou, Jiang Xuan had just arrived when he received a report from the Netherworld spies, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"As expected of a figure who has dominated Jiangnan for over a decade, he truly lives up to his reputation, finding clues so quickly."

There are quite a few swordsmen in the martial arts world who use soft swords, but those who can master the art and be considered masters are extremely rare.

Because soft swords are much more difficult to master than regular swords.

If the Money Gang investigates this further, they will eventually find out it's about Xi Yu.

As for Xi Yu, she once acted on behalf of the imperial court in Songshan, and many forces have already guessed her identity as the Black Stone female assassin.

There was nothing that could be done about it. His subordinates were all highly skilled individuals, and the higher and more unique their martial arts skills, the easier it was to expose their identities.

Even if the other party cannot confirm it, mere suspicion is enough.

Even if he is the commander of the Imperial Guard, it would be a headache to mess with a powerful and influential figure like him.

However, it doesn't matter for now, since the decision to take action has already been made.

"Is everyone here?"

Jiang Xuan looked up and asked Xi Yu and the others.

“The Money Gang is cracking down hard. So far, only a little over two hundred people have gotten in, and there are still about three hundred outside. It will take another two days before they can get in,” Xi Yu replied.

This was one of the largest movements in the history of the Netherworld, with almost 80% of its available elite forces mobilized.

However, in terms of numbers, it still can't compare to a large gang like the Money Gang with thousands of members.

Five hundred people? That should be enough.

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly. In the battles of the martial world, numbers are not the key factor in determining victory or defeat.

Moreover, once a battle involving more than a thousand people breaks out, the imperial court will no longer stand idly by, which would be bad for everyone.

Therefore, the key to this battle is whether he can defeat Shangguan Jin Hong.

If successful, the Money Gang will automatically split, and five hundred people will be enough to eliminate it. If it fails, even two thousand more people won't help.

"Keep a close eye on the Eagle Sect and the Emei Sect. Whether you let one sheep graze or two, it's all the same. If you can deal with the Money Gang, then take care of them as well. I just happen to be short of a good sword. If you can't deal with them, then you'll have to run away first."

The movements of the Eagle Sect and the Emei Sect were naturally under the control of the Netherworld Eyes.

Jiang Xuan was quite interested in the Yitian Sword of Emei.

But to be honest, he wasn't very confident about this battle, since Shangguan Jin Hong was no ordinary grandmaster.

However, having made two plans, he was able to ensure a safe retreat even if he lost, so he wasn't too worried.

……

Dusk.

Outside Wenzhou city, an old man and a young boy slowly arrived at the city gate.

"Wenzhou City, I never imagined that one day I would come here on my own initiative..." The old man Tianji held a storytelling banner in his hand, with an otherworldly air about him, looking at the city of Wenzhou before him, seemingly filled with endless emotions.

"Grandpa, this time when Youming is fighting the Money Gang, as long as you help Youming get rid of Shangguan Jin Hong, we won't have to hide anymore!"

Sun Xiaohong said in a clear voice, she understood what her grandfather was worried about.

Over the years, as the Money Gang's power has grown, Shangguan Jin Hong has become increasingly ambitious, attempting to unify the Jiangnan region.

However, the "Weapon Ranking" compiled by Bai Xiaosheng back then was recognized by most of the martial arts world.

On the weapons ranking list, Tianji Laoren ranks first, while Shangguan Jin Hong only ranks second.

Given Shangguan Jin Hong's pride, how could he tolerate anyone putting him above him?

Even if he were to compete, he would only aim for first place.

Therefore, over the years, Shangguan Jin Hong has been sending people to investigate the whereabouts of the Heavenly Mystery Elder, attempting to dispel the rumors and rearrange the weapon rankings to prove his strength and prestige.

The Old Man of Heavenly Secrets would naturally not care about such empty fame.

If it were just a normal fight, even if he lost to Shangguan Jin Hong, it wouldn't matter to him.

However, given their level of combat and Shangguan Jin Hong's personality, a duel like theirs would not be a simple matter of stopping short of a decisive victory. Once they clashed, it would inevitably be a life-or-death duel.

Therefore, the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets did not want to grant Shangguan Jin Hong's wish.

Because he is nearly a hundred years old, his body is frail and weak. In addition, he has suffered many hidden injuries from fighting with others when he was young. Now that he is older, he can no longer suppress them, and his strength has begun to decline.

Shangguan Jin Hong was in his prime, with both strength and prestige at their peak. In a fight between the two, he was indeed not confident of defeating Shangguan Jin Hong.

It wasn't that he was afraid of death; it was mainly because he was thinking of the younger generation.

The Sun family flourished under his leadership and became a prominent clan in the martial arts world, but perhaps his rise to power drained the Sun family's fortune.

After him, almost none of the second-generation descendants of the Sun family were successful. Only in Sun Xiaohong's generation were there a few decent younger generations.

He was the pillar of the Sun family until these younger generations grew up, so he absolutely could not die.

With his death, the Sun family will inevitably decline.

In the martial arts world, decline often means destruction. After all, how can one not have a few enemies in the martial arts world?

Moreover, he was not a kind person when he was young. He didn't have many friends, but he made quite a few enemies.

If he were alive, he would be a deterrent to everyone; even if he were not alive, no one would dare to lay a hand on the Sun family.

But if he dies, his enemies will certainly not let the Sun family off the hook.

Even if it's just for fame, many people will keep coming to him; that's just how the martial arts world is.

This is also the main reason why he has been traveling around with his granddaughter to tell stories all these years.

Firstly, it was to avoid those experts who came to challenge them, including Shangguan Jin Hong.

Unless he shows himself, someone like Shangguan Jin Hong wouldn't be able to directly take action against the Sun family.

Secondly, although I am old and almost buried, I still have to have some pursuits in life.

He was unwilling to stop there, to grow old and die like this...

"Once you're in the arena, you have no choice!"

The old man sighed, "I just didn't expect that the favors I gave out in Yuezhou last year would be used up so quickly..."

Sun Xiaohong frowned, somewhat puzzled: "Grandpa, what exactly is the relationship between Jiang Xuan and Youming? How did he know that Shangguan Jin Hong was looking for us? Besides, he didn't help us this time, so doesn't that count as repaying Grandpa's favor?"

"He is, after all, the commander of the Imperial Guard. It would not be difficult for him to find out about the current predicament of our Sun family."

The old man of the heavenly secrets shook his head and said, "For our Sun family, the Money Gang is the biggest threat right now. This time, Youming took action against the Money Gang, and he was able to notify us to come. We have a chance to resolve this threat, which can be considered as repaying a favor."

"Whether he did it himself or not is uncertain..."

The old man Tianji's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "Youming is a newly emerging force in the martial arts world in the last two years, and he has only started to rise in the last two years as well. Who can say for sure whether there is any connection between them?"

Sun Xiaohong's eyes widened. "Grandpa, do you mean he controls Youming? That's impossible! Didn't he already bring the Imperial Guards back to the capital?"

"It's just speculation."

The old man of the heavenly secrets smiled and said, "We'll soon find out whether it is or not."

"Let's go."

As he spoke, the old man of the heavens slowly walked toward the city gate.

"Huh? He's here too?!"

At this moment, Sun Xiaohong turned around and looked at a carriage approaching from a distance with some surprise.

The old man Tianji also turned around and saw that the driver of the carriage was a burly man, while inside the carriage sat a gentle and handsome middle-aged man, holding a small knife in his hand, and carefully carving a wood carving.

"If it was just a guess before, now we are 70% sure."

"If Youming had no connection with him, why would he have used his connections to invite this person?"

The old man smiled and led Sun Xiaohong to greet them, waiting at the crossroads.

"Xu..."

The carriage stopped, and Tie Chuanjia looked at the old man and the girl blocking the road ahead. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he called out in a low voice, "Young Master."

Li Xunhuan looked up and was somewhat surprised. After hesitating for a moment, he stepped down from the carriage, bowed slightly, and said, "Senior, we meet again."

Sun Xiaohong's gaze swept over the once-famous "Little Li Tanhua" (a scholar who had studied under Li Yu), and she suddenly smiled and said, "It seems that Li Tanhua has been doing quite well lately. His melancholy aura has disappeared. He must have completely become the master of Li Garden. This is truly a cause for celebration."

"Hong'er, don't be rude."

The old man Tianji scolded him, then looked apologetically at Li Xunhuan and said, "Hong'er is rather mischievous, I hope you won't take offense, Li Xunhuan."

Li Xunhuan was somewhat embarrassed by Sun Xiaohong's pointed words, but he quickly adjusted his mindset. It was Long Xiaoyun who had wronged him first. On the contrary, he had done nothing to wrong Long Xiaoyun. Now that Long Xiaoyun was dead, what was wrong with him taking care of his wife and children?

Moreover, Shion was his fiancée.

Li Xunhuan smiled and shook his head: "It's alright. Miss Sun is innocent and carefree, how could I care? May I ask what brings you here, senior?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, it should be for the same purpose as the third-ranked scholar."

The old man of the heavenly secrets smiled slightly and said, "If the third-ranked scholar doesn't mind, could you give my grandmother and me a ride?"

Li Xunhuan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Of course, please, senior."

……

In Qixingtang, Jiangnan, a pavilion nestled amidst lush mountains and clear waters echoes with melodious and clear music.

But the music seemed to carry a sense of sorrow and melancholy.

In the attic, a woman with a graceful figure and stunning beauty sat at the table, gently playing the zither. Her elegant demeanor also contained a sense of desolation, just like the misty rain of Jiangnan, melancholic and chilly.

After finishing her zither performance, the woman did not get up. She simply stared blankly at the drizzling rain outside the window, lost in thought.

Tread...  

Before long, a handsome young man strode in. Looking at the woman in front of the table, a hint of admiration and tenderness flashed in his eyes. He slowly walked forward and called out softly, "Miss."

The woman woke up with a start, turned around, nodded slightly, and said, "Xiaozhu, it's you? How did it go? Did you find out?"

The woman's voice was soft, yet it carried a languid and mature charm, which intensified the young man's admiration.

Coming to her senses, Xiao Zhu's eyes showed a hint of apology as she nodded and said, "I've found out. The people from Youming intervened, and our people didn't have a chance to act. I'm sorry, Miss, we couldn't bring you the Heavenly Demon Harp."

The woman paused for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Never mind, it's my fortune to have it, and my fate to lose it. It's just a zither; it's good that you have the heart for it."

Upon hearing this, Xiaozhu felt even more guilty. She gritted her teeth and said, "Miss, our people have sent word that they suspect the 'Netherworld' has arrived in Wenzhou City, along with Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan. They arrived today, so it seems that 'Netherworld' is preparing to strike first and is about to take action against the Money Gang."

"When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. I want to personally lead a group to Wenzhou and find an opportunity to retrieve the Heavenly Demon Harp for Miss!"

"The top three weapons on the list have all gathered together; this is truly a rare and grand event..."

The woman was also somewhat surprised upon hearing this, and then asked, "Have you found out the origins of the Netherworld? And who is the Netherworld leader who defeated Ximen Chuixue?"

Xiao Zhu nodded: "We already have a clue, but we still need to confirm whether it is true or not."

The woman was silent for a moment, nodded slightly, stood up and said, "Very well, then gather the people and go. I will go with you this time."

Xiao Zhu's expression changed slightly, and she said, "Miss, Wenzhou City has become a place of trouble. I can go there myself. How can you risk your life?"

"It doesn't matter."

The woman shook her head and said, "I've been here for so long, it's time to go out for a walk. He hasn't come back yet, am I really going to wait for him my whole life?"

The woman smiled sadly as she spoke, saying, "I knew he wouldn't come back, but I can't let all these years of waiting go to waste, can I? If he won't come, I'll go find him myself."

A hint of hatred flashed in Xiaozhu's eyes as she gritted her teeth and said, "Miss, I've already sent people to investigate. He's definitely not dead. No matter where he hides, I will make him pay the price!"

"If we could kill him, we would have done it long ago. Why wait until now?"

The woman gave a self-deprecating laugh, shook her head, and walked out: "Let's go, let's go to Wenzhou City first. If we can't kill him, then let's find someone who can."

Xiao Zhu stood there, her face contorted in a grimace, her fists clenched, her eyes resolute and cold. She murmured, "Miss, I will definitely help you kill him. Only then will you forget him. You are mine!"

"One day, I will prove that I am worthy of you!"

(End of this chapter)