All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Chapter 117 Confrontation with Murong

While waiting for her men to pack Bao Butong and Feng Bo'e into the wooden crates, Li Qiushui first said to Duan Yanqing and the others, "I have some family matters to attend to here, so please wait here for a moment."

Then he instructed Nurhai: "These are my distinguished guests. Find a few people to serve them well."

Nurhaci bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. I understand." He immediately dispatched a squad of Western Xia warriors, who stood respectfully beside Duan Yanqing and the others.

After the Western Xia warriors had packed the people up, Li Qiushui prepared to set off with Zhang Cheng, along with Azhu and Abi.

Before the two left, the Old Woman Tong suddenly spoke up: "Are you going to fight the Murong family? Do you need my help?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head: "No need, Sister Wu. The other side has a formidable fighter. You and Boss Duan should be careful here. Don't let anything go wrong." As he spoke, he glanced at Duan Yanqing again.

Upon hearing this, both of them became serious.

Although Granny Tong is sometimes impulsive, she is indeed a formidable fighter. Duan Yanqing, on the other hand, has made rapid progress in his cultivation since recovering from his physical illness and resolving his inner conflicts, and he has also become more cautious in his actions.

With the two of them in charge, Zhang Cheng wasn't too worried about this side.

So Zhang Cheng and Li Qiushui, along with Azhu Abi, Nurhai, and sixteen Western Xia warriors carrying boxes, swaggered towards Gong County.

On the way, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but complain to Li Qiushui, "Aren't it a problem for your people to be so ostentatiously wandering around Song territory?"

Upon hearing this, Nurhaci hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Excellency, our mission to Bianliang is under the guise of paying tribute, and we have official documentation from the Song Dynasty to back us up."

As for whether the Jianghu gangs are our enemies, that depends on their own abilities. In situations like this, Song Ting usually won't take sides.

Zhang Cheng thought to himself: So they're not taking sides? That's quite the characteristic of a "coward".

The woods where Nurhaci and his men were stationed were not far from Gong County, and the group soon arrived at Yipintang's stronghold in Gong County.

Upon entering, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose and a mustache, dressed in a bright red brocade robe, stepped forward to pay his respects. "Helian Tieshu greets Your Majesty."

"Get up." Li Qiushui didn't stand on ceremony with him and quickly walked into the room.

Li Qiushui ordered her men to carry Deng Baichuan and the other three out of the wooden box, blindfold them, gag them, and tie their hands and feet. Then she woke up Deng Baichuan and Gongye Qian separately.

Then, she turned to Azhu and Abi: "You two little girls just need to behave yourselves as spectators. No matter what happens today, your great-aunt guarantees that the six of you will be safe."

Having said that, he ordered his men to tie up the two women along with Deng Baichuan and the other three. After the six women were tied up, they were thrown into a corner, and a screen was brought over to cover them.

Li Qiushui then turned to Zhang Cheng: "Then I'll trouble you, Sect Leader, to temporarily serve as my bodyguard." Zhang Cheng nodded.

Li Qiushui immediately instructed Helian Tieshu to fetch a set of standard Western Xia warrior armor for Zhang Cheng to change into. She then found a veil to cover her face.

With the armor on, Zhang Cheng's [Well-Dressed] ability, which had been dormant for a long time, started working again.

This ability allows him to increase the buffs and reduce the negative effects he receives from armor when he is dressed in a proper outfit.

In a game, this would likely be a powerful buff, similar to "Iron Cavalry." Unfortunately, in the real world, the armor he can acquire isn't even as robust as the physique provided by a level three "Soldier."

After changing his clothes, Zhang Cheng stood behind Li Qiushui. The plan could then proceed to the next step.

Li Qiushui immediately ordered Helian Tieshu to send someone to summon Li Yanzong. Before long, his men brought the man to him.

At this moment, Li Yanzong, or rather Murong Fu, was filled with confusion.

He had only been infiltrating the First Rank Hall for a short time and had to put in a lot of effort to climb to the position of a mid-level general.

Therefore, it is unclear whether "the Empress Dowager of Western Xia was a top-notch martial arts master and would occasionally personally instruct the senior members of Yipintang in martial arts".

He had originally accompanied Helian Tieshu on this trip, ostensibly to pay tribute to the emperor, but in reality to seek an opportunity to attack the Beggars' Sect. Unexpectedly, a bloodbath occurred in Luoyang, plunging the Song Dynasty into chaos.

Helian Tieshu then changed his plans, leading this powerful army with official backing to lie in wait in the heart of the Song Dynasty, ready to strike at the crucial moment and add fuel to the fire in the chaos.

Unexpectedly, yesterday, Helian Tieshu suddenly said that a great figure from the Western Xia had arrived and that he wanted to select young warriors with suitable appearances from among his officers to be summoned the next day.

With his outstanding appearance and masterful aura, Murong Fu was naturally chosen to stay in the town to await an audience.

He secretly made up his mind: he must seize this opportunity to make a name for himself in front of the important figures of Western Xia, even if it meant revealing some of his strength.

Unexpectedly, after waiting and waiting, I finally received a summons. The first thing the veiled woman in white said was, "Should I call you Li Yanzong or Murong Fu?"

Murong Fu was startled, realizing his identity had been exposed. However, after sensing the surroundings, he did not find any axemen lying in ambush, but rather six people hiding behind a screen in the corner of the room.

He took another look at everyone in the room. The woman in white who had revealed her identity was sitting leisurely in the main seat, drinking tea, while Helian Tieshu stood to the side with a forced smile.

Eight young warriors who had been left in town with him stood on either side of the house. Besides them, there was only one unfamiliar Western Xia warrior standing behind the woman in white, who was probably a guard accompanying a nobleman.

Murong Fu quickly calculated in his mind: Helian Tieshu's skills were limited, and he knew the background of those eight warriors very well. The white-clothed woman didn't seem to know martial arts.

The samurai behind her did have an impressive aura, but if it really came down to a fight, one-on-one, I would have the advantage.

Thinking this through, he decided to speak frankly and no longer conceal his identity: "Indeed, I am Murong Fu. May I ask your esteemed name?"

The woman in white didn't answer him, but instead scolded Helian Tieshu: "Look at you, you don't even know a ghost has infiltrated your ranks, you're getting more and more useless."

Helian Tieshu could only agree repeatedly, not daring to refute.

This only made Murong Fu more curious about the woman's identity. Helian Tieshu was the Grand General of the Eastern Expedition. What kind of important person could reprimand him like this?

The woman said a few more words to Helian Tieshu, then waved her hand and said, "Alright, you may all leave."

Helian Tieshu and the eight warriors standing on his left and right all withdrew, leaving only Murong Fu, the woman in white, and her guards in the room.

The woman in white put down her teacup and looked at Murong Fu's face: "It is widely known in the martial arts world that Qiao Feng is the best in the north and Murong Fu is the best in the south. Both are outstanding figures in the Central Plains martial arts world."

Why would Young Master Murong stoop to serve my Xixia Yipintang? If this matter were to reach the Central Plains, the reputation you have built up over the years would likely be ruined in an instant.

Or is it that you, Young Master Murong, have ulterior motives for joining my First-Class Hall, such as to gather intelligence on our movements?