Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 161 A Fist and a Cudgel, Unbridled Killing

"How dare they swagger into the city like that."

On the rippling lake, a young man in his twenties dressed in white stood at the bow of a boat...

The painted boat glided gently, and the sound of a zither rose from behind, as someone sang softly.

The middle-aged accountant standing beside him, slightly bowing, wiped the sweat from his brow and looked worried: "Those who come are not friendly; those who are friendly do not come. It is said that Cheng Lin and Wen Yuan are from the Tianxing Sect. Although they have not had any contact in recent years, they still maintain some degree of kinship..."

This time, Cheng Liangyu went to request reinforcements, in case…

"Hmph, the Tianxing Sect is too busy to take care of itself and is getting worse day by day. Even if its leader Ouyang Zheng comes to Donghai County, he can only swallow his anger and dare not interfere with the affairs of Mingxin Hall."

"Inform Yan Tieshou about this. He's taken such a large piece of the pie; how can he stand idly by? The benefits to the Zhu family aren't so easily obtained."

"Does the young master intend to drag the Lianyun Sect into this as well?"

"Hmm?" Zhu Yuanqing turned around and gave the middle-aged man a cold look, then sneered, "Tongfu, are you asking this on behalf of your elder brother, or do you want to know for yourself?"

"I wouldn't dare, I'm just curious. Now Yan Tieshou is using the government's name to arrest his accomplices everywhere, and his reputation is growing. I'm afraid his appetite is getting bigger and bigger, which will affect the Zhu family's interests."

"Don't worry about things that aren't your concern; he wouldn't dare."

Not only would he not dare, but even the Lianyun Sword Sect behind him wouldn't dare. Even Prefect Wei wouldn't dare go too far; he still had a sword hanging over his head.

The young master narrowed his eyes into slits and lightly licked the corner of his mouth: "This time, no matter who comes from the Heavenly Star Sect, tell Yan Tieshou that whether they are imprisoned or beheaded in the street, not a single one can escape."

"I must make Cheng Liangyu understand that she can't rely on anyone and can only obediently submit to me to save her younger brother's life."

"Yes, young master is wise."

Fang Tongfu stepped down, beckoned a man over, and whispered a few words in his ear.

The man leaped into the water, ripples spread across the lake, and he was gone in the blink of an eye...

……

"You mean, your second aunt has a lot more skilled fighters around her, and you suspect that the Zhu family has sent reinforcements."

The problem is, why didn't Uncle Cheng take any precautions against the Zhu family? And why did Uncle Wen tolerate her?

"That wicked woman, Zhu Ling, is extremely good at disguising herself; she always puts on a pitiful act..."

Over the years, she has helped Mingxintang a great deal. Even when her mother was in grave danger, it was she who risked her life to save her. Afterwards, she was severely injured and nearly died…”

When Cheng Liangyu recounted the past, her expression remained one of deep resentment.

Call the woman by her first name.

I don't want to call her Second Mother.

Looking back now...

It's likely that the woman was just putting on an act.

Zhu Ling is a person who not only plays the long game, but also is willing to invest capital and use self-inflicted suffering to gain trust.

So much so that Cheng and Wen, the two senior uncles, were moved by his "sincerity" and no longer guarded up.

He not only harmed himself, but also his two children.

"Zhu Ling comes from the Zhu family. Didn't you inquire about her background and personality back then?"

"The root of the problem lies here... This girl was abused by the Zhu family when she was young. As an illegitimate child, she almost had nowhere to go."

Logically speaking, she should harbor resentment towards the Zhu family, but unexpectedly, she actually joined forces with the Zhu family to try and take over Mingxintang...

Furthermore, I suspect this person is also connected to the Moon Shadow Hall. Otherwise, when the Bright Heart Hall was in trouble, it would have been impossible for several parties to work together and launch a simultaneous attack.

Cheng Liangyu felt a surge of bitterness.

She has now figured it out: some people may have obsessions in their hearts. The more they hate certain people, the more unwilling they are to accept it and the more they want to gain recognition.

Zhu Ling, for example, was abused and abandoned as a child, but what she hated was that she could not become a direct descendant of the Zhu family and could not be valued, rather than truly wanting to take revenge on the Zhu family.

The Twelfth Generation Family was incredibly wealthy and powerful, wielding immense, intangible influence over its members and descendants.

Even those who were abandoned by them, once given the opportunity and knowing that they might return, would naturally flock to them like moths to a flame, shamelessly wanting to go back.

This is precisely the characteristic of our times.

A family, a dynasty, all are like this... Orders are issued from above, and it is said that "thunder and rain are all divine grace."

Those in positions of power who are in charge never make mistakes.

The ones who always make mistakes are the treacherous people around you.

Therefore, those born into dynasties or aristocratic families, whether direct descendants or illegitimate children, always cherish their roots.

As for outsiders, in their eyes, they are truly people who can be abandoned and betrayed at any time.

Treat it as a stepping stone for advancement.

"Can we find out the true identity of Moon Shadow Hall? What is their relationship with Fang Qi, the guard of Donghai County?"

Lu Wubing thought of the portrait of Cheng Liangyu he had seen on the wanted poster on the side of the city gate, and felt that there was a part of it that he hadn't figured out.

According to Cheng Liangyu, the Zhu family wanted to annex Mingyutang, and Yueyingtang was secretly involved, possibly indicating a joint agreement between the two sides. It was likely just infighting among martial arts practitioners, with no involvement from the government.

In fact, from beginning to end, Cheng Liangyu never spoke about the involvement of the Jinghai Division or the government constables, as if they had disappeared.

But what's the deal with this wanted poster?

Cheng Liangyu may have been limited by the perspective of ordinary people in this era and did not understand a certain principle.

If a local gang runs rampant and fights incessantly, it is definitely because the government is deliberately turning a blind eye.

Or rather, they're playing some kind of faction-based game.

Thinking even deeper, it's more likely that Donghai County has completely sided with one side, and they are one of the masterminds behind the division of the spoils.

This shows that Mingxintang's business was quite large back then, and it didn't leave much room for others to profit.

This has attracted so many enemies...

My two uncles are definitely business geniuses.

Being a business genius doesn't necessarily mean you're a genius in other areas.

At least, their approach to dealing with the Tianxing Sect was somewhat inhumane.

Those who try to monopolize resources often don't end up well; this is the difference between win-win cooperation and exclusive operation.

However, there's no need to mention these things to Cheng Liangyu.

This girl is more sensible than her parents. Although she also plays some tricks, when she went to the Tianxing Sect, she immediately asked for 50% of the profits, clearly leaving room for negotiation.

She didn't want much; she just wanted to take back the business and rescue her younger brother.

If it were the original, financially strapped Tianxing Sect, they would have been more than eager for such an opportunity.

Just by sending out a few experts, you can get such benefits; business is booming.

Therefore, it cannot be said that Cheng Liangyu's attitude towards going up the mountain was wrong.

"We also inquired about the people behind Moon Shadow Hall. Those experts seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, each one fierce and skilled in combat, like wolves and tigers."

Moreover, their family's swordsmanship is strange and unusual, resembling both swordsmanship and knife techniques. According to my father, it's very likely that a group of people who make a living at sea infiltrated the area.

"By the way, the time when the Moon Shadow Hall rose to prominence was also the time when Itō Yukihara Ichiken came from the east."

I suspect it was the swordsmen from the Eastern Barbarian fleet who came ashore.

"Ito Yukihara?"

This was the second time Lu Wubing had heard this name.

Back in Jiangzhou, my third senior brother mentioned that the reason Gu Dongting wanted to seize our family's sword manual was because he was forced by this man and felt that he could not compete with him, so he wanted to improve himself.

Then, like a persimmon that's been picked on the weak, they went after the Lu family.

Now that Gu Dongting and his disciples have passed away, and the [Azure Wave True Intent] they possessed has fallen into his hands, the grudges and grievances of his family have naturally vanished.

Lu Wubing didn't pay much attention to how the remaining forces of the East Sea Sword Sect were faring in Haizhou.

Unexpectedly, he then heard the name of the Eastern barbarian swordsman, Itō Yukihara.

"This person is a sword genius from the Eastern Barbarians. I heard that he has already advanced to the rank of Great Sword Master at a young age."

The first battle after landing was against Fang Congyun, the head of the Lianyun Sword Sect.

He only used three sword strikes before Old Master Fang was already covered in sweat, realizing he was no match for him, and hurriedly fled.

Rumor has it that this person possesses at least the combat strength of the initial stage of the Innate Realm.

Cheng Liangyu's expression was grave, clearly indicating that he felt it would be difficult to resist this person if he interfered in the affairs of Donghai County.

Lin Wenjing's expression also turned serious: "But is it Fang Congyun, the one known as the 'Long Sky Sword' with the name 'Burning Clouds and Azure Skies'?"

"It is indeed this person. The Lianyun Sword Sect and the Donghai Sword Sect are equally famous along the coast... Fang Congyun's swordsmanship and martial arts are even superior to Gu Dongting's."

If Gu Qingyun of the East Sea Sword Sect hadn't merely gone into seclusion and hadn't died... this sword sect would probably have risen above the East Sea Sword Sect.

Rumors in the martial arts world say that this old man's cultivation level should have reached the peak of the first rank, and he was half a step into the innate realm.

Even he was defeated in three sword strikes, and Ito Yukihara's name immediately resounded throughout the East Sea, making him a contender for the title of the number one young master.

At this point, Cheng Liangyu glanced at Lu Wubing again, looking like she wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to.

"Tell me, what does this have to do with me?"

Lu Wubing led his horse slowly, asking with amusement.

He had been staying in the Tianxing Sect and Mingyang City, keeping a low profile and diligently cultivating, without spending much time inquiring about outside news.

So I don't know how the outside world evaluates me.
However, most of the time, it wasn't anything nice to say.

Although I haven't been in this world for very long, I've already figured it out. Just like in my previous life, those who mingle at the bottom of the martial arts world love to exaggerate and spread rumors, so these rumors shouldn't be taken seriously.

"There really is something going on with Junior Brother." Cheng Liangyu looked at the street scene and became much more lively.

Perhaps it was because he was back in familiar territory, or perhaps it was because he had found a leader and was no longer worried about future changes. At this moment, his eyebrows were slightly raised, making him look spirited.

The people passing by were all walking and stopping, and they almost bumped into each other.

"Rumor has it that the four most powerful young masters in the world today are the 'Northern Hammer, Southern Sword, Eastern Saber, and Western Staff,' with the Southern Sword referring to our junior brother."

Cheng Liangyu had heard a lot of rumors, and when she went to the Tianxing Sect, she initially thought it was just idle gossip and didn't even know who Lu Wubing was. However, after the martial arts competition in the main hall of the Tianxing Hall, she had to admit that his reputation was well-deserved.

The junior brother looks young and doesn't seem particularly powerful, but he is actually incredibly profound.

"I?"

If it were just some busybody from Mingyang City praising him like this, Lu Wubing wouldn't think there was anything wrong with it.

It's our own territory, so of course we'll praise it a little... and even if we praise it wrong, we won't offend anyone.

However, even Cheng Liangyu heard the news, and Lu Wubing felt that something was amiss.

It's as if someone is creating hype for him, pushing him into the limelight.

"Isn't it supposed to be the Northern Hegemon and the Southern Hegemon?"

Lin Wenjing was also puzzled.

"Oh dear, Seventh Senior Sister, this is ancient history. It is said that when Junior Brother was furious for a woman, you were involved.

It is said that the Seventh Senior Sister was humiliated by Murong Tiangang and outsiders, and the Young Master Wubing drew his sword in anger and killed the master and servant of the Western Desert Mad Blade of the Western Yi Chuyun Tribe.

Furthermore, the two sword strikes caused Murong Tiangang to lose his armor and weapons.

After this battle, the title of "Northern Overlord and Southern Hegemon" lost its luster, and Murong Tiangang's reputation as the leader of the Four Young Masters of Jiangnan became infamous. On the contrary, Junior Brother Wubing became famous for his swordsmanship, becoming as renowned as Yuwen Ba of Northern Zhou, and was known as "Northern Hammer and Southern Sword".

And the seventh senior sister also received a nickname.

At this point, Cheng Liangyu suppressed a fit of laughter and, without waiting for Lin Wenjing to press for details, blurted out, "Seventh Senior Sister is even praised by people in the martial arts world as the 'Vajra Jade Maiden,' ha..."

"Junior Sister Cheng, feel free to make fun of me."

Lin Wenjing was both amused and exasperated, thinking to herself that it wasn't "a man's anger for a woman" at all, but rather "a man's anger for a cat."

Rather than saying that the junior brother was avenging himself, it would be more accurate to say that it was because Tuoba Yun injured the kitten that he was in danger of being killed.

Some of the subtle emotions involved might be imperceptible to others, but as the person involved, I can naturally feel them clearly.

In Lu Wubing's opinion, the injuries on his wrists were really nothing.

However, if the kitten hadn't dodged quickly, it would have been caught and taken away...

Even so, he had one leg broken and pitifully begged Lu Wubing for help.

The man and the cat had been together for many years and had a very deep bond. The kitten's injury was the underlying reason why Lu Wubing killed it without any mercy.

And I am just an accessory.

"That's right, those people came to my Tianxing Sect and even dared to hurt my seventh senior sister. They're simply courting death."

Lu Wubing quickly interjected, sensing that his seventh senior sister had started to wallow in self-pity again.

This girl is so big, yet she still lacks confidence.

If one cannot completely overcome one's own personality, it will be difficult to achieve mastery of swordsmanship.

"If I'm not mistaken, the [Northern Hammer] is Yuwen Ba, and the [Eastern Blade] should be Ito Yukihara."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Wubing understood the origin of the nickname that Cheng Liangyu had mentioned.

"That's right. The Dongyi people don't distinguish between swords and sabers. Their swordsmanship and saber techniques are combined into one. When Ito Yukihara makes a move, he uses more slashing and less thrusting. It's called swordsmanship, but it's actually saber technique."

【Dong Dao】refers to him. Not to mention the younger generation, there are very few people among the older generation who can defeat him.

As for the "Western Stick," he is Wei Wuji, a direct disciple of the Beggar Clan's Elder Ge Yun...

This man, known as "The One-Handed Staff to Heaven," was truly a hero. At the Great Liang Pass in the Western Desert, he terrified the experts of the Golden Wolf Tribe.

It is said that his "Nine Heavenly Staffs" technique was passed down from the "Staff King" and he once defeated the innate swordsman of the Western Desert Green Field Tribe.

Nine blows merged into one, and that single blow shattered the sky, even smashing the opponent's knife.

I heard some time ago that this person was leading eighteen Blood Riders south, but I don't know why.

In my opinion, it's possible that he rushed back to deal with the invasion of the Demonic Sect.

After all, the old immortal Ge Yun and the Dragon King of Northern Zhou fought to a standstill, resulting in a bitter feud between them. Given this situation, the Beggar Clan masters had to lend a hand to Da Li, no matter what.

"It turned out to be him."

Lu Wubing turned his head and exchanged a glance with Lin Wenjing.

I wondered if this "Western Stick" Wei Wuji's southward journey was due to the invasion of the Demonic Sect or the attack on the Mingyang Beggars' Sect branch.

Even if this person has a good reputation and always puts righteousness first in their actions.

However, one must also guard against members of the Beggars' Sect spreading rumors and inciting hatred by distorting the truth and making up stories about what happened that day.

Elder Nine Bags was considered a high-ranking member of the Beggars' Sect. His death in Mingyang deserves an explanation.

No matter how Lu Wubing tries to deal with it, he will eventually be able to maintain a close relationship with him, and they will inevitably clash sooner or later.

However, there's no rush.

What's urgent is the current situation in Donghai County, just like a group of constables rushing in aggressively from the front.

"Officials are arresting thieves! Make way!"

"It's her..."

Several shouts came from afar.

The crowd scrambled around like an anthill that had been blown apart.

A dozen or so people rushed over and surrounded Lu Wubing and his two companions amidst the whooshing sound.

Everyone had swords in hand.

"You dare to swagger into the city? Lay down your weapons, kneel down and surrender, or don't blame us for showing no mercy."

The leader was a burly man with a dark face, his eyebrows raised high like long knives, his eyes like copper bells, carrying a broadsword, pointing it and shouting.

Lu Wubing noticed that the man's right hand, which held the sword, was slender and jade-like, and incredibly white, while his left hand was as large as a palm-leaf fan and as black as iron.

Clearly, he not only mastered formidable swordsmanship, but his palm techniques were also extraordinary.

His aura subtly emanated from his body, penetrating half a foot, exuding an imposing aura.

Is a constable also a fourth-rank master?
The martial arts scene in Donghai County is so vibrant that skilled martial artists are practically worthless.

Not only was this constable quite skilled in martial arts, but there were also two middle-aged men with swords beside him, whose auras were faintly discernible, indicating they were either fifth or sixth rank.

"Yan Tieshou, when my father and mother were still alive, they had a lot of dealings with the prefectural government. Even if they don't care about old friendships, they wouldn't side with the Zhu family, would they?"

Cheng Liangyu looked slightly taken aback, then flew into a rage and said coldly.

"Enough with the nonsense. You can only blame your bad luck. Capture this woman. As for the other two, if they resist, kill them on the spot."

Yan Tieshou had no intention of saying anything more.

Clearly, not only were his hands as hard as iron, but his heart was also as hard as iron.

No sooner had he finished speaking than several constables wielding knives and swords surrounded him.

The swords and blades aimed at Lu Wubing and Lin Wenjing's arms and legs.

"Just kill them all, it's hard to explain."

Lu Wubing sighed.

This challenge is clearly a trap set by someone with ulterior motives.

It's nothing more than using the government to annoy people.

Whether you take action or not, if you offend the Prefectural Governor's Office, you will have no place to stand in Donghai County.

Even if we compromise, it won't help.

This constable and his men were clearly prepared; for every step they took back, he could take three steps forward.

Moreover, Lu Wubing also noticed that the way Constable Yan Tieshan looked at Cheng Liangyu revealed a hidden, strange greed.

Therefore, it's better to cut the Gordian knot quickly.

hum...

As soon as Lu Wubing spoke, two sword lights flashed coldly beside him.

The sword struck from the left; it was Lin Wenjing.

The sword light exploded, and the light and shadow flashed before our eyes. It was as if three huge balls of light appeared on the spot. With a bang, the three constables who rushed up all had a bloody hole in their chests at the same time.

It was a single sword strike that multiplied into three, the "Three Yangs Bring Prosperity" technique. Under the all-encompassing sword light, the enemy's attacks melted away like ice and snow.

After each battle, Lu Wubing would carefully analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each sword strike. He would even spar with Lin Wenjing to help her adapt to the life-or-death struggle and constant life-or-death crisis.

This is where the exquisite skill of the Kaiyang Sword Technique is revealed.

Lu Wubing clearly saw that his seventh senior sister's Kaiyang Sword Technique contained a faint trace of the Liuguang Sword's style.

The speed of the sword strike increased significantly, and the force became several times more ferocious.

She struck with her sword, then stepped forward again. With a flick of her wrist, her longsword flashed like a blazing sun, engulfing the constables behind her.

On the other side, Cheng Liangyu acted even faster.

One moment they're reasoning with each other, the next their expression remains unchanged.

The moment the sword flashed, it was a devastating blow. The four constables in front of him, who had just taken a step forward, suddenly stopped, their upper and lower bodies split in two at the same time.

"To actually resist, you're courting death."

Yan Tieshou's eyes turned bloodshot. He never expected that, even though he was wearing a constable's uniform and had several junior brothers and seventeen or eighteen constables with him, the other party would still dare to kill him in the city. How could this be possible?

Could it be that she is completely unafraid of being besieged by the Jinghai Division's troops, and has lost her mind entirely?
Whether he was afraid of subsequent attacks was another matter. The sword light flashed before his eyes and was already in front of him... Yan Tieshou slapped his left hand, and black mist rose up, like clouds and smoke, knocking Cheng Liangyu's long sword away.

His right hand, however, swung the longsword back along the ground, its blade blazing with light and flame, like a city engulfed in flames.

The scorching internal energy, with each breath, baked the air until it became sweltering, and was about to strike Cheng Liangyu's dantian.

This person concealed a sword in his palm, with the sword nestled within his palm, the arrangement clearly defined and quite ingenious.

It was the Burning Clouds Sword Style.

He thought to himself that he didn't care if he had to severely injure the woman or kill her on the spot.

Enraged, he disregarded everything, his ferocity erupting as he charged forward, sword and all.

"childish."

A cold glint flashed in Cheng Liangyu's eyes, and he withdrew his sword, holding it upright in front of his chest.

The first move, "Horizontal Sword and Standing Horse," is perfectly executed, full of spirit and energy, and its beauty is naturally perfect.

The sword light and palm shadow that Yan Tieshan unleashed seemed to have completely lost its mind, crashing straight into Cheng Liangyu's sword.

The force spread out like water, and his body suddenly tilted to the left, his feet staggering.

Cheng Liangyu's mastery of swordsmanship might not amount to much in Lu Wubing's eyes.

However, in the martial arts world, this is considered a top-tier level of swordsmanship.

In particular, the sword technique she learned was a top-tier sword technique from the Tianxing Sect, a major sect at the level of the Three Divine Peaks. Its exquisiteness was far superior to that of the Lianyun Sword Technique.

She had never become famous before, simply because this young lady was of noble status and her family took care of everything, so she didn't have to fight to the death.

As a result, everyone underestimated her.

Now that she had lost her parents, the former young lady had to rely on her sword to make a living, and she immediately revealed her sharp fangs.

With a single sword strike, Cheng Liangyu deflected the opponent's sword and palm techniques, and without a second thought, advanced and slashed forward.

The sword flashed brightly, and the sword energy shot straight up three feet.

call……

Amidst the dull cutting sound, just as Yan Tieshou's face showed a look of terror, a line of blood had already split open from his head to his groin.

With a whoosh, the two pieces of the corpse parted to the sides.

It is easy to imagine the ferocity of Cheng Liangyu's bloody battle style, his ability to break through enemy lines and formations, his relentless advance and invincibility.

With a slight tremor of energy, blood splattered, and in a flash of purple, she was already among the constables.

Lin Wenjing and Lin Wenjing stood back to back, one brandishing and the other sheathing their swords, surrounded by a scene of fallen corpses.

Lu Wubing stepped over Yan Tieshou's corpse and walked ahead. "Let's go, let's go straight to Mingxin Hall. I'm sure your second aunt already knows we're here."

……

(End of this chapter)