Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Li Fu was overjoyed.

The Lingbo Weibu (凌波微步) lightness skill made up for the deficiency and also had the effect of restoring one's energy.

He took a deep breath, mastering the Lingbo Weibu technique, and felt his body become much lighter and more agile, and his sense of the surrounding airflow became much sharper.

Li Fu then glanced over and looked somewhat surprised.

The hundreds of remaining Black Knights, clad in jet-black leather armor and standing silently like cold statues, shuddered.

Their eyes, which were originally cold and indifferent and only knew how to carry out orders, now showed a rare numbness and hesitation when they looked at the corpse of the Wujiang Jushi, as if they did not know what to do.

It was as if they had become accustomed to obeying orders, and that they must not act rashly without orders, as they had previously experienced such torment and brainwashing.

When no one commands them, even when their nominal master dies, they are at a loss for what to do.

Wu Jiang Jushi had previously seen that although Li Fu was highly skilled in martial arts, he was confident that his eight disciples working together would be enough to deal with him, so he did not order the soldiers and black cavalry to rush forward.

Even if these Black Knights swarmed in, they wouldn't make much of a difference. Against a master like Li Fu, they would be swept away like weeds.

These puppets were painstakingly crafted by him, each one made by hand using the golden needle acupuncture technique.

Each one was hard-won, a masterpiece he crafted for Cai Xiang.

Naturally, they do not wish to suffer losses easily.

Then, Wu Jiang Jushi personally took action, confident that his eighth level of the Nine Deaths Divine Skill was enough to capture Li Fu, and felt that he did not need the help of these soldiers.

Until the very last moment, he tried to threaten Li Fu with Cai Xiang's power in order to save his life. He also believed that invoking Cai Xiang's power to intimidate him was more likely to save his life than letting the Black Riders fight to the death.

Unexpectedly, Li Fu didn't buy into this at all. Before he could say another word, he killed him with a single palm strike!

At this moment, these soldiers, who had lost their only source of command, were suddenly plunged into an unprecedented predicament.

From the moment they were created, they were tortured by the Golden Needle Acupuncture Technique, which erased most of their independent consciousness and emotions, leaving only absolute obedience to orders and the ability to execute them efficiently.

Now that the one who gave the order is dead and no new orders are available, their simple and rigid thinking has come to a standstill.

"These soldiers may be considered sharp in executing predetermined orders, but if they lose the control of their master, they are like puppets with broken strings, standing still and unable to adapt."

Ultimately, they were merely weapons, not true warriors.

Li Fu watched coldly.

He had previously fought these Black Riders and found them to be fearless, ruthless, and cold-blooded, with excellent teamwork, making them truly first-rate killing machines.

However, at this moment, it seems that while this method of military strategy has its unique aspects, it also has obvious flaws.

Just then, a series of hurried and orderly footsteps came from the direction of the mountains outside the village.

There were about twenty or thirty people, all dressed in gray clothes similar to those of Tang Boyong's men, but their auras were more composed, and they moved silently, seemingly possessing superior martial arts skills.

The leader was younger than Tang Boyong, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He had a handsome face, and what was most striking was his pair of eyebrows, which were a rare snow-white color, making his expression even more stern.

He exuded a faint chill, as if he had just stepped out of an ice cave, and his presence brought a gust of cold air with him.

This person is none other than Tang Yubai, the seventh young master of the Tang Clan.

He led his men to the village entrance and immediately saw the scene unfolding before them.

The scene was chaotic, with corpses strewn everywhere. Tang Boyong and the others were subdued, and Wu Jiang Jushi died on the spot with his head shattered. The only one standing upright in the field was Li Fu.

Tang Yubai's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart jolted.

He was naturally aware of the power of the Hermit Wujiang.

Even he himself had to be cautious about the eighth level of the Nine Deaths Divine Art.

But what I saw before me... Master Wujiang was already dead, and the person who killed him didn't even seem to have been injured.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his fear, and quickly regained his composure, even putting on a polite smile.

A round of applause rang out.

Tang Yubai stepped forward slowly, stopped three zhang away from Li Fu, and said loudly.

"Excellent, excellent martial arts!"

Your divine might is truly astonishing.

Even someone as skilled as Master Wujiang was easily defeated by you.

Dressed in blue, you must be Li Fu, the master of the Divine Dragon Palm. I have long heard of you, but seeing you today, I realize that fame is not as good as meeting you, and meeting you is even better than hearing about you.

I am Tang Yubai, the seventh member of the Tang Clan from Sichuan.

His tone was gentle and his posture extremely humble, completely different from Tang Boyong's arrogance and domineering nature.

Li Fu's gaze fell on Tang Yubai, lingering especially on those snow-white eyebrows. He sensed the pure, chilling aura emanating from the other man, and his heart stirred slightly.

He said in a flat tone:

"Young Master Tang Qi? Did you come here for your second brother, or for the disciple of the Hermit of No Frozen Body?"

Li Tiangu was trapped in the Heavenly Silkworm Net, his head throbbing with pain. He was greatly stimulated by familiar people and events, and it seemed that his memories were returning.

"Officer Li, please don't misunderstand." Tang Yubai quickly waved his hand, his smile humble.

"I have absolutely no intention of being enemies with Constable Li."

If my good-for-nothing second brother acted rashly and offended anyone before, I, Tang, would like to apologize to Officer Li on his behalf, and hope that Officer Li will forgive him.

His actions caused Li Fu to raise an eyebrow slightly.

The Tang Clan is known for its domineering and ruthless nature, and its members are extremely protective of their own.

It's rare to see Tang Yubai, a direct descendant of the Tang Clan, being so polite and even apologizing on behalf of his brother when faced with the fact that he had killed many members of the Tang Clan and captured his elder brother.

"I've killed many members of your Tang Clan, and you can still speak to me calmly?" Li Fu said indifferently. "Everyone says the Tang Clan members are cruel and domineering, but it seems that's not entirely true?"

Tang Yubai remained composed, still maintaining his polite demeanor.

"Our Tang Clan's reputation for being domineering is not without reason."

But being domineering depends on who you're dealing with.

Faced with a master like Constable Li, whose martial arts have reached a state of perfection and can be considered unparalleled in this world, even the most domineering Tang Clan must know how to assess the situation and give him the respect he deserves.

These words, without any attempt to argue or deny the Tang Clan's ways, actually showed that they were giving Li Fu a lot of face.

Tang Boyong, who was being restrained, was both shocked and furious to see that his seventh brother was not rushing to save him, but instead apologizing to the other party on his behalf. He was even being so humble towards Li Fu, who had previously humiliated and threatened him.

"Seventh Brother!"

Why are you afraid of him?

We had already captured that "rare item," but this person intervened and snatched it away!

You once found and consumed the Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm in the snowy mountains of the Western Regions. Your inner strength is extraordinary. You even turned the cold poison of the Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm into your own use. Don't you have the strength to fight him?

Your behavior has utterly disgraced the Tang Clan and brought shame upon its prestige!

"Second brother, what are you talking about?"

Upon hearing the sound, Tang Yubai slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on the disheveled Tang Boyong.

The gentle smile he once had for Li Fushi was gone, replaced by a cold, gloomy expression.

What do you call that young hero Li?

Something rare?

He is a human being, a living, breathing human being, not some thing you're talking about. Even if he's gone mad, lost his memory, or is mentally unstable, he's still a human being!

I ask you, if he is a thing, then what are you, and what am I?

His tone was stern, and his gaze was sharp as a knife, making Tang Boyong's momentum falter.

But in front of so many people, so many martial arts practitioners, so many constables and police officers, he was reprimanded by his own seventh brother without any politeness.

Tang Boyong was so angry that his face turned red, almost dripping blood.

That's enough.

"Not enough!"

Tang Yubai continued to rebuke.

"I have not yet held you accountable for being more trouble than you've done anything, for acting on your own, causing the loss of many of my Tang Clan's best fighters, and nearly causing a major disaster, and forging a feud with someone like Constable Li."

Instead of reflecting on your actions, you're making a scene here, shouting and speaking recklessly.

Are you simply incredibly foolish, or are you harboring malicious intentions, trying to incite me to fight with Officer Li?

Tang Boyong's expression changed, both shocked and furious.

At that moment, a cold glint flashed in Tang Yubai's eyes. Without saying another word, he raised his hand and made a faint gesture towards Tang Boyong from a distance!

laugh--!

A concentrated, icy finger strike shot out, swift as lightning, and accurately struck Tang Boyong's chest.

Ugh!

Caught off guard, Tang Boyong let out a mournful howl.

It was as if a terrifying, bone-chilling cold, as if it could freeze even his blood and bone marrow, invaded his meridians and raged wildly.

In the blink of an eye, thick white frost formed on Tang Boyong's eyebrows, hair, and eyelashes. His face turned ashen, his lips turned purplish-black, and his whole body trembled violently as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss of ice, or as if countless ice needles were stabbing and churning inside his body. The pain was indescribable.

He curled up on the ground, writhing in pain, his teeth chattering, unable to utter a single complete sentence.

"Seventh...Seventh Brother...I..." Tang Boyong's eyes were filled with pain. He wanted to beg Tang Yubai for mercy, but he couldn't bring himself to say it in front of so many people. In the end, he fainted from the pain.

Tang Yubai stopped looking at him, as if he were just casually dealing with a subordinate who had made a mistake.

He turned around to face Li Fushi, his face quickly regaining its previous gentle and humble smile, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Officer Li."

It is a misfortune for our family to produce such a foolish person who knows no bounds and speaks without restraint.

"The Tang Clan's discipline is lax; please forgive them, Officer Li."

His rebukes were twofold: first, he accused Tang Boyong of not treating people like human beings; second, he pointed out that Tang Boyong was ignorant of his place and harbored malicious intentions, and that his punishment was entirely justified.

But as everyone present watched him cruelly torture his own brother and then turn to smile at Officer Li, they couldn't help but feel a chill.

These seven young masters of the Tang Clan are so young, yet they are so shrewd and ruthless in their dealings.

Li Fu's eyes also flickered.

This person appears gentle and polite, but is actually more ruthless and cold-blooded than someone as arrogant and conceited as Tang Boyong, and his thoughts are unfathomable.

Tang Yubai continued speaking to Li Fudao.

"Since my second brother has offended Constable Li and shows no remorse, I will leave him to Constable Li to deal with as he sees fit."

Even if Constable Li wants to throw him into the Yanzhou prison and punish him according to the law, my Tang Clan will have no objection.

Li Fu looked deeply at Tang Yubai and said slowly.

"He is your own brother, the second young master of the Tang Clan."

"If you handle things this way, I'm afraid you won't be able to explain it to the Tang Sect when you get back."

Tang Yubai smiled slightly, his tone calm.

"Officer Li is unaware of this."

The position of head of the Tang Clan has never been determined by seniority, but solely by merit.

Only the most outstanding among their peers can succeed as the head of the family, and only their branch is considered the legitimate direct line.

I have been designated by my father and the elders as the next successor to the family head.

As for how to deal with an incompetent and troublesome older brother, I think... I still have that right.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Tiangu, who was bound by the Heavenly Silkworm Net on the ground, and then spoke.

"As for this young hero Li... he is entirely at the discretion of Constable Li."

Although our Tang Clan has some interest in him, it would be wise to back down when faced with someone like Constable Li.

As the head of the family, it is sometimes unacceptable to act willfully and recklessly. For the long-term benefit of the family, one should know when to bow one's head.

There's no shame in bowing down and yielding to a peerless master like Officer Li.

These words were spoken flawlessly, with an extremely humble attitude, leaving no room for criticism.

Li Fu gave Tang Yubai a deep look, but said nothing more.

"I have troubled you greatly today, so I will take my leave now."

My second brother and all those who did the deed... will be handed over to Constable Li for punishment according to the law, and the Tang Clan has no objection."

After saying that, he said no more and waved his hand in acknowledgment.

Tang Yubai didn't even glance at his second brother before turning and leaving. The group of men in gray moved swiftly, retreating like a tide, and disappeared into the mountains outside the village in the blink of an eye.

Li Fu watched them leave without stopping them.

Tang Yubai's attitude towards him was so humble that he couldn't find a single fault to be found, so there was really no reason for him to make a move.

"Officer Li is truly awe-inspiring; even the Tang Clan has to give way to him."

The group of martial artists were incredulous. They had expected a fierce battle to break out when the Seventh Young Master of the Tang Clan arrived with his men, but to their surprise, the other party decisively bowed his head and retreated in the face of Li Fu.

When has the Tang Clan, known for its domineering and ruthless behavior, ever acted in this way?

If this gets out, it will definitely cause a huge uproar in the martial arts world.

They then looked at Li Tiangu, who was trapped in the Heavenly Silkworm Net, but these martial arts figures had long lost their initial drive for revenge. To seek revenge meant to kill, and killing was a crime.

To kill someone right in front of him?!

These江湖人士 (jianghu figures) had never cared about the laws of the imperial court before, but now they have to consider them.

They looked at each other, unsure whether to go forward or leave.

At this moment, seeing that the frightening Tang Clan members and the black-clad knights were either dead or had fled, Doctor Meng finally dared to step forward tremblingly.

He bowed deeply to Li Fu in grief.

"Thank you, Lord Li, for avenging our entire village. We will remember your great kindness forever."

Li Fu nodded without saying anything.

His gaze swept over the bodies of the innocent villagers lying in pools of blood—the elderly, women, children, and young adults…

The entire village, men, women, and children, perished because that layman Wujiang wanted to kill them to silence them.

Immediately afterward, Doctor Meng, his hands trembling with anger, gripped his beard as he looked at Li Tiangu, who was bound by the Heavenly Silkworm Net. His words, however, were not harsh or stern, but rather carried a sorrowful helplessness, as if he wanted to vent his anger but didn't know who to direct it at.

"Do you...do you...do you remember anything?"

"Is your...your madness any better?"