Starting with the divine power of the Great Vajra, he traversed the heavens.

Chapter 191 The Iron Curtain Slowly Opens

"Hiss~ It's hot!"

In the early morning, the western market of Yuezhou City was filled with shouts and calls of vendors.

Under the soft sunlight, citizens came out of their houses and began their day's work.

Similarly, at a breakfast stall in the West Market, four strange-looking people were sitting, drinking sesame porridge and groaning as they ate.

He was burned so badly he looked like a little grandson.

The boy in the white robe, made of cotton and riddled with holes, looked like a straw man after the "borrowing arrows with straw boats" incident, slurping his porridge with a pathetic expression.

The ugly-faced man next to him, who was already ugly and had been punched in the eye, leaving a bruise, was also drinking his porridge with a blank expression.

The man with the missing hand, sandwiched between the two, trembled with fear.

The girl with the ball-shaped hair in the very center didn't care about anyone else, nor did she care that the sesame porridge was scalding hot; she tilted her head back and gulped it down.

The boss grimaced, worried that she might burn herself and cause him trouble.

The ugly-faced man finished his sesame porridge in two gulps, then glared at the white-robed youth.

"Don't look at me!" Ren Shaoyang snorted. "You almost turned me into a bloody mess!"

Lang Fanyun snorted heavily. His head was still a little dizzy. This kid's fist was no less powerful than his swordsmanship. It hit him right in the eye socket and almost made him see his great-grandmother.

"You know that too?" Lang Fanyun sneered. "If I don't stop, you're dead."

Ren Shaoyang shrugged: "I also held back most of my strength, we're even."

"You kid, your swordsmanship is so strong, I really don't know where you came from!" Lang Fanyun clicked his tongue in amazement. "But all masters are made in the martial world through fighting, how come you are so unknown?"

Hongxiu chuckled, gently placing a hand on his shoulder, and said boldly, "Uncle Lang, our martial arts are a gift from heaven, of course you haven't heard of them!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ding'an muttered as he ate a pancake in a few bites.

Looking at their listless appearance, Lang Fanyun couldn't help but shake his head and smile. He casually plucked a straw from the stall and put it in his mouth, saying lightly, "Brother Ren, the ingenuity of your 'Flowing Wine Sword' is truly top-notch, a sword technique unmatched in the world. Yet, the sword intent remains undiminished, brimming with vitality. I wonder what kind of sword path it will take next?"

Ren Shaoyang handed him a few pieces of pork jerky and said as he ate, "There are two more swords, the Escape Sword and the Collapse Mountain Sword."

"Escape from the Netherworld, Collapse the Mountain." Lang Fanyun ate the meat pie, feeling the lingering fragrance in his mouth, and couldn't help but squint his eyes. "The Flowing Wine Cup is about skill, and the remaining two sword strikes are about speed and momentum?"

Ren Shaoyang laughed heartily and gave a thumbs up: "As the saying goes, 'A song that breaks the heart, where in the world can one find a kindred spirit?' With a kindred spirit like Brother Lang, I am not alone on the path of swordsmanship."

Hearing his words, Hongxiu couldn't help but secretly rejoice.

Ding An was slightly taken aback, then quickly took out a small notebook from his pocket and wrote it down.

Hongxiu glanced at it curiously and saw that the cover read "How to Speak Pleasantly".

The little beggar secretly gave a thumbs up.

Ding'an chuckled.

"Brother Ren, could you please demonstrate?"

"It's impossible."

As Ren Shaoyang spoke, the Dragon-Capturing Sword suddenly appeared in his hand. Although his movements were fast, Lang Fanyun could see it clearly, and his expression changed.

Ren Shaoyang swiftly brandished two swords, as if he were a child playing around, showing nothing unusual about them.

But it made Lang Fanyun's eyes light up: "It returns to simplicity, yet possesses a majestic and domineering spirit, the courage to stand with the enemy, and the determination to never turn back until victory is achieved."

Ren Shaoyang clapped his hands and laughed, "Brother Lang, you have a good eye!"

Upon hearing this, Lang Fanyun smiled, his dark-eyed face revealing a smile: "There are many masters in the world, but true swordsmen are few and far between. Even if 'Sword Monk' Bushe and 'Flower Fairy' Nian Liandan from beyond the Great Wall are not pure in my opinion."

"I am very happy to see Brother Ren."

Ren Shaoyang suddenly asked, "How happy are you?"

Lang Fanyun was stunned for a moment, and said blankly, "Didn't you hear 'very'?"

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "Likewise, finally there is a summit for me to climb."

Lang Fanyun smiled and then said, "You flatter me. May I ask where Brother Ren is going next?"

Ren Shaoyang said calmly, "Travel more, and read more books to enrich your knowledge."

"Well said." Lang Fanyun remained expressionless, but his eyes showed admiration. "In the end, what we martial arts practitioners compete on is our breadth of mind and inner strength."

Ren Shaoyang smiled and said loudly, "Just like Brother Lang now, breaking free of his shackles and seeing himself clearly, he is also at the moment of breaking through."

"It'll be soon, it's been going on for the next few years." Lang Fanyun smiled smugly.

Just then, Hongxiu called out from the side, "Come, come, the buns are ready!" Little Beggar walked over carrying ten steamers of meat buns in each hand.

The people eating at the breakfast stall were amazed and deeply impressed.

Ren Shaoyang smiled and invited, "Brother Lang, I know you haven't eaten enough, let's eat together."

Ding'an had already arranged the bowls, chopsticks, and vinegar dishes, and even took out a pot of Daughter's Red wine and placed it in front of Lang Fanyun.

Ren Shaoyang opened the lid and poured him a drink: "Come on, Brother Lang, you've had a long night, you should have a drink to relax."

Ding An had already raised his cup and said, "Please!"

Lang Fanyun was slightly taken aback. He hadn't seen such a scene for many years since Ji Xixi's death.

The little beggar then switched to a larger bowl, raised it, and shouted, "Come on, let's drink until we drop!"

Lang Fanyun looked at them, his pair of yellow eyes gleaming with an indescribable color.

That year, the Angry Dragon Gang was founded. "Spear Saint" Shangguan Fei and more than thirty of his good brothers, including Ling Zhantian, were full of ambition. Who knew that in the past ten years, more than thirty of his good brothers would die or be crippled. Even his beloved wife died in his arms.

In the end, apart from himself and his old friend Ling Zhantian, all his old friends had vanished like leaves in the wind.

Could it be that I am truly a cursed lone star, just as the fortune teller said?

Lang Fanyun looked at Hongxiu, and her boldness and charm seemed to be a mirror, allowing him to glimpse that era of iron-blooded tenderness.

This breakfast stall still tastes the same as it did back then. He vaguely remembered that after killing someone, he and his brothers would come here for breakfast.

However, the stall owner now is the son of the stall owner from back then.

He himself was no longer the spirited young man he once was. Lang Fanyun raised his wine bowl, clinked it with the others', and drank it all in one gulp. Then he looked at Ren Shaoyang and said, "Brother Ren, I noticed last night that your swordsmanship had some flaws. I wonder when you will be able to perfect it?"

Ren Shaoyang sighed softly, "If it goes quickly, it can be done tomorrow; if it goes slowly, it could take several years."

Lang Fanyun nodded, offered no comment, and picked up a steamer of buns to eat.

With Hongxiu and Ding'an, two big eaters, around, Lang Fanyun's appetite improved a lot.

The four of them devoured all twenty steamers of buns in no time.

Lang Fanyun wiped his mouth, then patted Ren Shaoyang on the shoulder and chuckled, "I'll be waiting for you."

Ren Shaoyang looked at the oil stains on his shoulder and said helplessly, "Brother Lang gave me this 'oil slap,' and I will definitely return the favor."

Lang Fanyun laughed heartily, picked up a straw, and left gracefully, leaving behind a single sentence.

"I'm not wearing a white robe, so you can touch me all you want!"

Ren Shaoyang stared at Hongxiu, then cursed, "This person is so stingy!"
-
The sky is vast and the wild geese are few; the moon sets and the mountains appear gaunt; it is a desolate time of late autumn.

As the summer heat gradually dissipates, autumn colors deepen and slowly cover the Central Plains, turning from green to yellow, and beginning to fade.

A donkey cart slowly traveled along the official road.

The fallen leaves covered the ground, a mottled mix of black, red, brown, yellow, and green.

Bathed in the light of the setting sun, it forms a continuous, splashed-ink painting.

The master embroiderer Hongxiu has returned to the scene, sitting in the carriage slowly sewing a new white robe.

Outside the carriage, Ding An was driving, occasionally listening to their conversation inside, then taking out his notebook to take notes. He had already turned more than half the pages, clearly showing that he hadn't been slacking off during this time.

Ren Shaoyang chatted idly with Hongxiu while looking at Taoist classics from Wudang Mountain.

These are the spoils of war that Hongxiu obtained in the last world.

Knowing that Ren Shaoyang wanted to improve his knowledge, she copied it out for him to read on his journey.

After bidding farewell to Lang Fanyun, the three of them spent a year traveling around Jiangnan.

Now, on a whim, I've decided to head west.

Having long heard that "Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven," they traveled west to see how Guilin's landscape differed from that of the Bashan and Chushui regions and the misty rain of Jiangnan.

It was autumn, and night fell early. To avoid taking detours, we asked around and finally entered Guilin Prefecture before sunset.

After eating sesame cakes all day, in order not to deprive their stomachs, Hongxiu used all her strength to perform the "Bright Eyes Style" and found a tavern to stop the donkey cart.

The three got out of the car, smelled the enticing aroma, and looked at the brightly lit tavern with its bustling crowd. They all smiled happily.

Lifting the curtain and entering the shop, a wave of heat rushed out. The locals spoke in loud voices, and although their western Guangdong accents were difficult to understand, it was still possible to make sense of them by guessing.

The iron pot on the earthen stove bubbled and simmered, simmering snails with a tangy and refreshing flavor. People in Guilin have loved snails since ancient times, simply because Guilin snails are large, meaty, and delicious. They are usually stir-fried with pickled chili peppers, scallions, ginger, and Sanhua wine, resulting in a tangy, spicy, and refreshing dish that is extremely appetizing.

With a snap, Hongxiu slapped out some silver coins and beckoned the waiter over.

The waiter quickly asked with a respectful smile, "What would you like to eat, sir?"

Hongxiu counted on her fingers: "Rice noodles, braised pork belly with taro from Lipu, three large bowls of rice, and a fat chicken. As for wine, a small jar will do!"

"Okay~!"

Ren Shaoyang waved his hand: "Wait!"

The waiter turned his head: "Is there anything else you need, sir?"

Ren Shaoyang smiled and said, "Steam three Lipu taro for me, cut them open with a thin thread and serve them."

"Oh my!" The waiter's eyes lit up. "Sir, you know your food?"

"Passion!" Ren Shaoyang said casually, taking out a paper package from his pocket and slowly opening it.

Curious, the group craned their necks to look.

The paper package contained tiny white crystals, and a sweet fragrance emanated from it.

The waiter exclaimed, "Oh my, icing sugar?" He couldn't help but bow in admiration, "You really know how to eat!"

Ren Shaoyang laughed heartily and said smugly, "Go!"

The waiter shoveled the money into the wooden tray while walking away with a forced smile.

"Hey cripple, that Lipu taro is really delicious!" Hongxiu asked, blinking, as the waiter left.

Ren Shaoyang's voice was faint and he said in a low voice, "The emperor ate it and said it was so delicious that he wouldn't let go even when being slapped!"

"Wow!" The little beggar's eyes lit up, and he turned to look towards the kitchen, impatient.

On the other side, Ding An had been studying the white sugar on the table. Unable to resist any longer, he picked up some with his hand and put it in his mouth.

"Oh yeah~!"

Ding'an: (*￣︶￣*)o
The little beggar caught a glimpse of it, slapped him with his elbow, and angrily shouted, "Broken hand! You've learned bad habits from Fatty Tiger! You're stealing food!"

"No, I just wanted to let you taste it."

"Oh dear? You've learned to argue now?" The little beggar was furious and pounced on Ding'an, starting a fight again.

Just as they were fighting, the sounds of Jianghuzi drinking and talking came from the side.

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"Our western border outlaws are about to undergo a major transformation!"

"What's going on? Why are you saying something so scary?"

"My cousin from my aunt's side said that the leader of Zunxin Sect, one of the three major underworld sects, the boss of the 'Red Scarf Thieves,' 'Thief Tyrant' Chi Zunxin, has gone missing!"

"Clam?"

(End of this chapter)