Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 172 Ten Directions of Reclusive Cultivators, Eastern Barbarian Masters

Clouds and rain, pay homage to Your Majesty.

Although Lu Wubing thought the two girls were lively and adorable, and were definitely beauties, he wasn't out hunting for women.

This trip to Dongjun was a bit of a leap forward.

This has left behind many hidden dangers.

To eliminate these hidden dangers one by one, and to secure a stable trade route and a medicinal herb production base, which is crucial for future plans, intelligence is indispensable.

Currently, Mingxintang's influence is only focused on Donghai County. It is not well-informed about the overall situation in the world, or even about some news in the surrounding cities. It is not feasible to develop with its eyes closed.

Therefore, he set his sights on the Murong family's intelligence network.

What can I say about this family?

To ordinary people in the martial arts world, it was just a long-established family, no different from other large families that specialized in commerce. Their internal policy was to befriend powerful and influential people and focus on making money.

However, what Lu Wubing learned from Murong Qing was different.

He knew that Murong Longcheng, the head of the Murong family, was not satisfied with just making money. He wanted more and had secretly laid many traps in the struggle between the martial arts world and the imperial court, preparing to intervene.

If anything changes, they will immediately raise the flag and rebel.

To start a rebellion, one must have some understanding of the general situation and intelligence from all sides.

Otherwise, they'll only focus on their own little plot of land, like a frog at the bottom of a well...

If we can't even figure out who's strong and who's weak, who's winning and who's losing, how can we talk about snatching chestnuts from the fire or grabbing food from a tiger's mouth?

Just like someone who wants to fight a tiger but doesn't even understand the difference in strength between the tiger and themselves.

Once the move is made, it's basically a sliding tackle, delivering the meat to the doorstep.

Lu Wubing had confidence in the Murong family's intelligence network, but he had no interest in the Murong family's personnel matters.

He immediately took out the blood-red swallow token.

The two little girls stared blankly, lying prone on the ground.

The two abandoned their previous playful demeanor and invited Lu Wubing into the boat.

Immediately, a cook brought out dishes and drinks, and the painted boat quietly sailed back into the lake.

Watching the two girls smiling sweetly, one serving food and the other feeding wine, they were extremely attentive and served him with utmost care.

Lu Wubing was somewhat surprised.

He actually found the legendary feeling of visiting a brothel.

Moreover, these two are eloquent and their flattery is perfectly measured. Any more would be cloying, any less would be too refined…

The two had completely different personalities, like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, vying for beauty before his eyes.

He chatted casually for a few minutes, but never let his words fall into disrespect.

wonderful.

Only a prominent family could raise a woman like this.

Judging from her appearance, she was still a maid.

"So you really only recognize the token, not the person? Don't tell me you're afraid I stole this Blood Swallow Token?"

After drinking three cups in a row, Lu Wubing took a bite of food and said with a smile.

"Reporting to the Lord, the young lady said that even if the Blood Swallow Token was stolen, it was because the person who stole it possessed amazing skills. Serving him is only right and proper."

The little girl in the yellow dress said in a very serious tone.

The little girl in white smiled ingratiatingly and said honestly, "Lord, Yu Shui is lying to you. She wants to challenge your martial arts skills."

Although that's what the young lady said, her true meaning was that the Blood Swallow Token would only be given to the person with the strongest martial arts skills, and no one could possibly steal it.

"Clouds."

The rain was furious.

She secretly pinched the girl in white, and her serious expression immediately crumbled. A hint of shyness flashed in her eyes, and she said in a coquettish voice, "I'm sure the Lord won't blame me for playing a little trick?"

"I thought it was something serious. Xiao Qing didn't say that. She only said that you should obey the summons when you go to various cities, whether it's a sea of ​​blood or a mountain of knives, even if it means going to your death, you must obey the order."

Lu Wubing nodded and smiled.

This is no laughing matter...

A strange light flashed in Yu Shui's eyes, and her eyes darted around, clearly startled by Lu Wubing's sudden use of the term "Xiao Qing".

Immediately afterwards, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a wave of sorrow washed over her.

Did he think he was just a tool? And yet he was sent to his death amidst mountains of knives and seas of fire?

However, this is indeed their destiny.

"What the young lady said is true. Let alone going to our deaths, even if it were just the two of us sisters serving the young master, we would do our best to serve him."

As soon as he heard this, Lu Wubing knew something was wrong.

He let out a hearty laugh.

"Go ahead and make your move. I will forgive your disrespect."

"it is good."

Yu Shui looked up and smiled. This time, the smile in her eyes was the most genuine. The chopsticks she was using to serve the food disappeared into her sleeve with a slight sway.

Before anyone knew it, a sky-blue short sword had appeared on his long, slender fingers.

The sword light flashed, transforming into a drizzling rain, which swept across seven major acupoints on Lu Wubing's head and face.

Sneaked into the night wind, moisten things silently.

This swordsmanship blended seamlessly into the night and candlelight, without any sense of abruptness or the sound it produced.

It looks slow, but it's actually fast and ruthless.

Lu Wubing held the wine cup, his drinking motion unchanged, swallowing as he did so, when suddenly his middle finger, one of the three fingers holding the cup, flicked.

puff.

A very subtle sword aura struck the incoming sword blade.

hum!
The short sword emitted a loud bell-like sound and began to vibrate wildly.

Yu Shui's right hand, which was holding the sword, was violently shaken open by an enormous force, turning into a chicken claw shape, and then retracted sharply as if it had been burned.

Even so, we were still a step too late.

The power, like a tidal wave, had already swept over her entire body.

The shock left her mind blank.

A colossal wave crashed down, creating a series of illusions before my eyes, as if I were truly about to sink into an abyss.

Falling, falling...

"Your name is well-chosen, and your swordsmanship is excellent as well."

Lu Wubing chuckled softly, his movements continuing.

With his other hand hanging under the table, he lightly tapped with his fingers a short sword that had somehow already pierced his lumbar acupoint.

The clouds, like light wisps of cloud, and the short sword in his hand both stopped at the same time.

A hint of confusion flashed in the little girl's eyes, as if she were recalling the hardships of her early life and returning to that tragic past.

"mother……"

The cloud let out a mournful cry, like a cuckoo crying blood.

A gentle breeze stirred in the cabin, causing the candlelight to flicker.

The two women were startled at the same time. When they came to their senses, they found themselves kneeling on the ground, one in front of the other.

His head was almost hitting the ground.

The orange candlelight shone on the table, where a handsome young man was picking up food and drinking wine, a gentle smile on his lips, looking quite content.

"Get up. The night is cold and the wind is chilly. The ground is very damp and cold."

"Thank you, Lord... What was that move? I didn't even realize what was happening before the sword slipped from my hand, and I even had a nightmare."

Yun Duo, with a fawning smile on her face, stepped forward and gently massaged Lu Wubing's shoulders.

It was as if she wasn't the one who had been beaten and forced to kneel on the ground begging for her mother; instead, her eyes were filled with admiration and respect.

"Yes, yes, Your Highness's previous flick of the finger was like a thunderbolt, and this humble servant was completely unable to resist it. I felt as if my whole body was out of control, and my spirit was suppressed to the bottom of the water."

"Stop testing me. Even if you two had only a smattering of skill, you wouldn't necessarily last three moves against me."

Lu Wubing wasn't just bragging.

Thinking of Murong Qing, his heart warmed slightly.

That old maid, last time she was drugged with an embarrassing drug, made a complete fool of herself in front of me.

She simply went along with it, acknowledging herself as his wife or concubine and clinging to him.

In this way, even the most embarrassing situations become intimate moments in the bedroom, so she doesn't feel like she's at a disadvantage.

On the contrary, they actually got a great deal.

All I can say is that Murong Qing is extremely quick-witted and very intelligent.

Having cured her congenital heart disease, her cultivation technique was no longer restricted. With the speed of progress of the Xuan Shuang Treasure Scripture... once the foundation laid over the years is unleashed, she may break through to the Innate Realm in a very short time.

However, even if she broke through the Innate Realm and comprehended her own martial arts divine intent, she could not have imagined that her sword intent had already broken through the second level of the Innate Realm.

I wonder if she'll be shocked if she finds out this news?
He casually commented that the two girls' martial arts and swordsmanship were "amateurish," but that was certainly not the case.

From Lu Wubing's current perspective, the swordsmanship of these two is still quite remarkable.

The little girl in the yellow dress named "Rain" wielded her sword with the grace of silken rain, exuding confidence. Her last move struck seven vital acupoints, demonstrating her mastery of the essence of silent spring rain.

It's obvious that he has already entered the mastery stage.

As for internal energy cultivation, the energy flows throughout the body, making the body as light as a feather. Internal energy is also hidden at the tip of the sword.

This signifies reaching the peak of the seventh rank and being close to entering the second rank of the martial arts world, and then the sixth rank.

Meanwhile, the cheerful little girl Yun Duo, who was launching a sneak attack from behind, used the sword technique "Floating Clouds Without Fixed Circumstances."

One moment they were preparing to serve the dishes, the next they had circled around from right to left, their swordsmanship graceful and fluid, their movements equally powerful and energetic.

The two women were of equal cultivation and swordsmanship, and were even stronger than Senior Sister Xiaolan, whom they had met for the first time.

In other words, compared to the disciples of the Tianxing Sect, before Lu Wubing came up the mountain, apart from the eldest senior brother Yue Lingfeng and the second senior brother Tie Chongshan, none of the other fellow disciples could defeat either of these two young girls.

They were only about sixteen years old.

What kind of concept is this?
There's no need to ask; this must be a capable assistant that Murong Qing has carefully cultivated with a great deal of effort and resources.

They may look like maids, but you really can't treat them as maids.

Moreover, according to Lu Wubing's estimation, women with such talent are not easy to find.

It is estimated that Murong Qin adopted countless little girls and selected the best of the best, choosing only the most outstanding among them.

I wonder how many people are like that.
In Lu Wubing's opinion, it shouldn't be too many.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be very reasonable.

Even if the Murong family has a long and rich history, it is not enough to overpower the Tianxing Sect, even if the Tianxing Sect is in decline.

Overall, this also proves the teaching quality of the sect leader and his wife.

Indeed, they were a pair of brilliant strategists, each worthy of the title of "Sleeping Dragon" and "Young Phoenix," equally brilliant in their time.

"Let's get down to business. You changed the mark I left behind. What important information do you want to report?"

The two young girls who came forward to serve again showed more respect and less pretense.

Clearly, Lu Wubing's earlier attack had genuinely frightened them.

These past few days, they've heard so much about Lu Wubing [Southern Sword], his numerous exploits are legendary. They're so tired of hearing about him that their ears are calloused.

However, you really don't know how powerful it is until you experience it for yourself. That's how people in the martial arts world are.

Anyone who achieves even a little success gets praised by everyone, with each person being lauded as a god.

Just how strong is it? There's no way to know for sure.

You won't know until you try it, and once you try it, you'll be amazed.

So much so that now, when they see Lu Wubing, they all feel immense pressure and a slight sense of unease.

Clearly, they were terrified by that one move.

That feeling of being unable to control one's own life is really unpleasant.

Don't ask them if they really don't know who the [Blood Swallow Commander] is. If they can't even recognize the Commander, then they don't need to do intelligence work; they might as well just find a block of tofu and smash their head against it.

All those previous gestures were just an act.

Lu Wubing was well aware of this.

I'd be happy to keep you company for a bit.

Little guys need to be given some leeway to make mistakes.

Try it if you want, just don't cry.

……

"That's right. I heard that Lord Ling has taken back Mingxin Hall, so I sent people to find out about the departure of the large ship."

According to intelligence, the [Hidden Mist Mystic] on the ship did not disembark. After receiving the severed-armed Hidden Mist Autumn Frost, they left that very night. They were heading either to Dongning City or Yuntai City/Qingyuan City…”

Yun Duo, who always had a smile on her face, spoke clearly and logically when it came to serious matters. Before Lu Wubing could ask any questions, she continued, "The reason we judged that this group of Dongyi swordsmen were heading to three places is because these three cities are extremely important."

Furthermore, it is highly likely that the original forces within them had some kind of secret connection with the Eastern Yi.

The ships and cargo of the Zhu family of Yuntai and the Cui family of Qingyuan were rarely plundered by ronin. Everyone assumed this was because these two families were so powerful that the Dongyi people dared not provoke them, but the truth was far from that…

Dongning, as the capital of Haizhou, is surrounded by prosperous counties and is also the seat of Prince Gong. Logically, it shouldn't be allowed to allow the Dongyi swordsmen to plunder freely. However, recent news indicates that it is the area most severely affected by war, which makes one suspicious.

The cloud's words weren't very clear; many things were just speculation and hard to ascertain.

However, we must look beyond the surface to see the essence.

Lu Wubing understood the meaning behind her words.

In short, this means that a large number of Dongyi swordsmen landed along the coast this time, causing disturbances and attacks everywhere, and also harboring a large number of hidden troops. It is likely that they are secretly colluding with the royal family and aristocratic families.

What exactly is the matter? It hasn't been launched yet, so we can't be sure for now.

Ultimately, it's not a good behavior.

For the counties and prefectures along the southeastern coast, this was, in a sense, a tremendous disaster.

Lu Wubing listened quietly without offering any opinion.

Having experienced a great deal in his past life, he had a wide range of interests and was very receptive to stories of pirates colluding with officials and the government, or of internal traitors leading people to defect to foreign lands.

For example, the famous story from the previous life, "A man's anger for a woman's sake."

Furthermore, there was the resistance against Japanese pirates in the southeastern region that spanned a certain dynasty...

Many things are not as simple as they seem on the surface.

For some people, concepts like nation, family, righteousness, people, ethnicity, and the distinction between Chinese and barbarians are all meaningless.

The only thing that matters is whether one's own family is doing well and whether one can profit from it.

Therefore, Lu Wubing was not surprised by the actions of certain aristocratic families or even Prince Gong.

What puzzled him was how the large ship could leave so easily.

No matter how you look at it, Donghai County can be considered an important port.

Given the brutal and violent acts those people committed at sea, Lu Wubing found it somewhat incomprehensible that they could swallow this insult and not send reinforcements to retaliate or seize the port back.

Could it be that there are no more experts?
Who is 【Hidden Mist Mystery】?

"This person rarely makes a move, his true combat strength is unknown, and we don't even know how old he is."

It is said that this person possessed a priceless treasure and held a very high status among the Dongyi people.

Even though Ito Yukihara was the leader of the group, he treated him with utmost respect.

By the way, the Hidden Mist lineage is the lineage he passed down...

As for why he withdrew, there is an unconfirmed report.

That night, someone saw an old fisherman sitting on the Deer Cry Reef, fishing late at night, about 30 miles south of the port.

Judging from its appearance, it somewhat resembles the legendary "Fisherman of the East Sea".

Perhaps for this reason, Wuyin Xuanzang never disembarked; he likely had some reservations.

"Who is the Old Fisherman of the East Sea?"

Lu Wubing discovered that he could hear a lot of news from the clouds that he had never heard before.

Even Senior Sister Xiao Lan, who was extremely well-informed on Tianxing Peak, had never heard of these secrets, which greatly surprised her.

"It's just some ancient legends. The strength and identity of this East Sea Fisherman are unknown. Occasionally, someone sees him and even learns a move or two of his powerful martial arts, which makes him famous in the martial arts world."

Rumor has it that this person is a highly accomplished member of the "Ten Directions Hermitage," a true reclusive master. His figure can be vaguely seen every time a large Eastern barbarian ship docks.

The Ten Directions Hermitage?
Lu Wubing seemed to be deep in thought.

This name sounds familiar.

Two of the Ten Directions Seals relate to oneself; the Seal of Form is missing a head, and the Seal of Shadow is disjointed and its meaning is not connected.

Ever since Lu Wubing obtained the two copies from Wuying Hongye and Wuying Qiushuang, he had harbored a certain longing in his heart, and of course he wouldn't just stand by and watch.

That night, after killing Nagata Shinichi of the [Severing Water Sect], he ostensibly returned to Mingxin Hall, but secretly, he stealthily followed the kitten out.

As a result, they chased him all the way to the dock.

Surprisingly, the kitten refused to move forward no matter what.

They simply watched as the dark, massive ship turned and left.

Lu Wubing watched from afar, and every time the thought of going to investigate arose in his mind, he couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety.

Therefore, he could only return to Mingxin Hall empty-handed.

It's not a big deal if you make a wasted trip.

However, he suspected that there were enemies on the ship that he could not possibly defeat... If he went aboard, he might suffer a great loss, so he held back.

This is something I can't talk about with others; I can only keep it to myself.

Only after hearing Yunduo's explanation did I understand some of the causes and consequences.

It is quite possible that, on some unknown level, there are also some highly skilled individuals hunting each other down.

What they're fighting over isn't anything else, it's very likely the [Ten Directions Seal].

Since I'm not involved in that circle, I naturally know nothing about it.

However, the departure of [Mist-Hidden Mystery] from the ship, abandoning the conquest of Donghai County, was certainly not entirely due to his own reasons.

Most likely, there were still people guarding the area, waiting for that old man from the Eastern Barbarian tribe to disembark.

Why not board the ship to attack? Lu Wubing guessed: either there was some kind of concern, or there was some kind of agreement.

"Besides Genzo Kirigakure and Yukihara Ito, what other experts have you found out about the Eastern Barbarians who have come?"

Under the influence of his innate constitution, Lu Wubing had nothing to worry about.

If the Eastern Barbarians were indeed being used as a "borrowed weapon" this time, then the experts who came were certainly not just a few; they must have something worth having "borrowed" from them.

"What can be confirmed at present are [Mu Yin Chang Sheng] and [Gui Cang Yi Dao], both of whom were great masters of the Eastern Yi who dominated the Eastern Border decades ago."

Nobody knows how strong it will become now.

They didn't make a move this time either...

However, the rumored "Eastern Blade" Ito Yukihara is the current successor of the "Guizang One-Sword" style. He is expected to contend for the title of the strongest young swordsman in the land.

When the phrase "the younger generation is the best in the world" was mentioned, Yun Duo became a little awkward and secretly glanced at Lu Wubing.

Clearly, she was thinking of Murong Tiangang from the Murong family.

Now, the young generation of Southern leaders who were once known as "the Northern Overlords" have disappeared without a trace.

Lu Wubing, however, rose to fame by stepping on this person and took over his position.

Above Nan Tian's head, the name Nan Jian was forcibly displayed.

Nowadays, people mention Murong Tiangang as if it were a joke, which has diminished the reputation of the Murong family.

Rain, clouds, and everyone else felt extremely embarrassed.

No wonder, he wanted to test his abilities earlier.

Lu Wubing found it amusing, but didn't take it to heart.

Anyway, these two girls will be my subordinates from now on.

It's normal for young people to feel resentful and unconvinced when they first meet.

Giving them a little nudge is enough; we can't really kill them off.

The Ten Directions Hermitage?
Lu Wubing shook his head, his mind racing, and decided to stop thinking about those things.

Things will work themselves out. Perhaps, when one's strength reaches that level, one will naturally be qualified to discuss the merits and demerits of the matter.

Let's see where this hermitage is hiding.

So, in whose hands are the Ten Directions Tokens hidden?
He looked up at the sea and made a decision in his heart...

Turning back, he asked, "Is there any other important news that concerns me?"

"It really does."

This time it's rain.

It was clear that the two girls had split up, each gathering information and then combining their findings.

"News has come from Wan Hua Lou that although Prefect Cui Ning is claiming illness and has not left his residence, his second and third sons have secretly left the city to request reinforcements, and their purpose is self-evident."

After accepting the truth, the sound of the rain took on a new quality, like the fine drizzle falling on a spring night.

Although slightly aloof, she is also gentle.

"Have you found out where they all went?"

"That evening, during the meeting, Cui Wenya, the third young master of the Cui family, was the most vocal in his calls for war. After leaving the city, he headed straight for the Zhu family branch in Changshan County."

There, Zhu San Taiye (Zhu Longhe) was in charge...

This person's cultivation has reached the Innate Realm, and his abilities are extraordinary.

It is said that Zhu Yuanqing grew up with his great-grandfather Zhu San in his childhood, and the two had a very deep relationship.

Cui Wenzheng, the second son of the Cui family, went to Yuhuan Ridge.

The bandits entrenched on this ridge are incredibly powerful. Rumor has it that their leader, Rouge Tiger Xu Sanmei, is the mistress of Xie Qinglong of the Pai Gang; her intentions are quite obvious.

"Well, it seems Governor Cui is still dissatisfied."

Good heavens, this morning, they relinquished their position as commander of the Jinghai Division.

Furthermore, he personally sent several senior brothers to take over the troops; it turned out to be a delaying tactic…

A slight smile appeared on Lu Wubing's face.

I feel that I should not underestimate the people of the world.

That old fox, though he might wet his pants when scared, is actually quite adept at scheming and plotting.

I just hope he doesn't cry.

……

(End of this chapter)