Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

"Are we just going to stand by and watch that guy surnamed Tang get away with it? He might even hold a grudge against us and seek revenge later?"

Chen Tao's chest heaved, still uneasy.

"Boss..."

Li Fu listened calmly and simply said, "I understand."

……

Outside the iron prison in Yanzhou.

A blue-canopied, black-bodied, and exquisitely decorated horse-drawn carriage was quietly parked by the roadside.

Mr. Zhou stood by the car with his hands behind his back and a reserved smile on his face, waiting.

Several robust servants, who looked like guards from the Prime Minister's residence, stood behind him with their hands at their sides, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Before long, the heavy iron gates of the prison opened.

Tang Boyong walked out slowly, carefully escorted by two jailers.

He was thinner than before, his face was unhealthy and pale, his eyes were dark circles, and his steps were slightly unsteady.

He was injured by Tang Yubai's cold poison finger that day, and his injuries had not yet healed. In addition, the suffering he had endured in prison these past few days had taken a toll on him.

But when Tang Boyong, who was guilty of treason, was also released easily, and stepped out of the prison gates and came into contact with the sunlight outside again, his cold arrogance as a scion of a martial arts family and the resentment lurking deep in his eyes sprouted up again like weeds.

He took a deep breath of the free air, his gaze swept casually across the landscape, and then, as if drawn by a magnet, it fixed on the opposite side of the official road.

Li Fuzheng stood there with his hands behind his back, dressed in purple, his face expressionless, simply staring quietly at the iron prison gate.

Chen Tao, Wang Zhen, and seven or eight other constables stood behind Li Fu, their hands on their waist knives, their faces tense, their eyes filled with anger and resentment as they stared intently at Tang Boyong.

The two were separated by a narrow street, their eyes meeting in the dusty air.

"Officer Li, are you here to see me off from Yanzhou?"

Tang Boyong's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes flashing with undisguised hatred.

He was secretly pleased with himself.

So what if they arrest me? My Tang Clan is backed by Prime Minister Cai, and our power is immense. This little matter can be settled with a flick of the wrist.

I'm out now, aren't I?

What can you do to me?

Unfortunately, Li Fu stood there expressionless, ignoring him and looking at him coldly.

Tang Boyong assumed that Li Fu must be burning with anger but helpless, which was why he was acting this way. He became even more smug and snorted as he straightened his clothes.

"Young Master Tang."

With Mr. Zhou's ingratiating help, he stepped toward the carriage.

However, just as he stepped one foot onto the carriage pedal, with the other foot still on the ground...

puff!

Tang Boyong suddenly shuddered and spat out a mouthful of dark red blood, which splattered onto the carriage shaft, a shocking sight.

"What's going on?!"

"Young Master Tang!"

"What...what's wrong with you?!"

Mr. Zhou was shocked and frantically tried to support the swaying Tang Boyong.

At this moment, Tang Boyong felt as if his heart was being gripped, kneaded, and torn apart by a cold, invisible iron hand!

A sharp pain, far exceeding that of a sudden onset of cold poison, erupted from the deepest part of his heart meridian, instantly engulfing his entire body!

What's wrong with me?

Someone plotted against me…

Tang Boyong's martial arts skills were inferior to Li Fu's, and he was also suffering from internal injuries caused by the cold poison, which he had not yet noticed.

When Li Fu pushed him down in the prison that day, a wisp of pure, subtle, and imperceptible internal energy had silently seeped in and was constantly damaging his heart meridian.

By the time his injuries had accumulated to this point, he realized something was wrong, but it was too late.

"This...this internal force..."

Tang Boyong instantly recalled Li Fu's indifferent face. He wanted to say something, but then everything went black, the world spun around him, and he collapsed softly into Mr. Zhou's arms.

In his last blurry vision before collapsing, he only saw Li Fu on the street corner in the distance, still expressionless, with calm and undisturbed eyes.

He understood that expression; it was as if he were looking at a dead person.

"Young Master Tang, Young Master Tang! What's wrong?"

"Quick, get him into the car and we'll go find a doctor!"

Mr. Zhou was so frightened that he turned pale and, disregarding his dignity, roared at the guards.

The guards hurriedly lifted the unconscious and weak Tang Boyong onto the carriage.

Mr. Zhou himself also climbed into the car in a disheveled state, urging the driver to hurry up.

The coachman cracked his whip, and the strong horse pulling the carriage neighed loudly, dragging the carriage erratically and recklessly towards the city, leaving behind a pool of glaring blood on the ground and a few stunned pedestrians on the official road.

Chen Tao and the others watched the dust raised by the departing carriage, then looked at the pool of blood on the ground, exchanging bewildered glances.

Someone whispered, "This... why is this guy surnamed Tang suddenly..."

Li Fu withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened, turned around and said, "Let's go."

"What happened this time?"

Could it be that his younger brother suffered internal injuries from that finger strike? It's unlikely he'd be so ruthless towards his own brother.

Chen Tao and the others looked at each other, not understanding what was going on, but seeing Tang Boyong suddenly vomit blood and faint, the pent-up anger in their hearts dissipated a lot, and they quickly followed Li Fu.

Li Fu knew perfectly well that the pure, yin-yang internal energy generated by his Great Shift of Heaven and Earth had been secretly damaging Tang Boyong's heart meridian for many days.

Now, however, the injuries have accumulated, and Tang Boyong can no longer bear it.

Of course, Tang Boyong wouldn't die immediately.

However, unless a master of similar skill to him, who is proficient in healing, skilled in controlling internal energy, and adept at removing foreign true energy, is willing to sacrifice his own true energy to carefully protect his heart meridian, remove a wisp of his yin internal energy, and then do his best to save him, Tang Boyong will surely die.

Even if they were miraculously saved, their heart meridians would be damaged, and their martial arts skills would be essentially ruined.

Li Fu was not worried that Tang Boyong would survive.

He was confident that there wouldn't be any experts within a radius of hundreds of miles who could meet such demanding conditions.

Sure enough, the news came back quickly.

After Mr. Zhou took Tang Boyong to Yanzhou City to find a doctor without success, it's unclear whether he intended to take him back to the Tang Clan or the Prime Minister's residence.

Before the carriage had even left Yanzhou, Tang Boyong died en route.

The news that the people from the Prime Minister's residence had gone to great lengths to settle the matter and had mobilized a large force to bring back the person, only to find that what they brought back was a corpse, gradually spread.

Li Fu didn't care whether Tang Clan or even Cai Feng would suspect him.

If they want revenge, he will take it.

……

Several days passed quietly on the surface of calm.

Yanzhou City remained bustling, seemingly peaceful on the surface.

That morning, Li Fu had just finished practicing martial arts, warmed up his muscles and bones, and washed up when there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Chen Tao hurried in and announced in a low voice.

"Boss, Prefect Feng requests your immediate visit to the government office. He says he has important matters to discuss, and they seem... to be very important."

"Also, it seems that people have arrived from Shengjing."

Li Fu wiped the water droplets off his hands with a cloth, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

He draped the cloth back on the rack, turned around, and showed no surprise on his face.

"Important matters to discuss? Someone from Shengjing?" He repeated, his tone calm. "Understood."

He already had a premonition.

Even if the Prime Minister's residence were to retaliate against Tang Boyong, it's unlikely they would do so through Feng Shaoting.

The only important matter that could make Feng Shaoting so anxious, prompting someone from Shengjing to come and ask him with some unease, is probably this: In Yanzhou, there is currently only one such matter.

Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King who mysteriously disappeared from the impregnable iron prison of Yanzhou.

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

Li Fu changed into a purple robe and said to Chen Tao, "Let's go."

……

Upon receiving the message, Li Fu did not delay and quickly arrived at the prefectural government office.

Passing through the hall and courtyard, they arrived at the back hall, where Feng Shaoting was already seated. Four other people, two men and two women, were sitting below, their auras heavy and composed, clearly indicating that they were no ordinary people.

Li Fu clasped his hands in a fist salute, addressing Prefect Feng as "Prefect Feng."

Feng Shaoting quickly stood up, his face showing a mixture of worry and embarrassment, and said, "Officer Li has arrived. Please have a seat."

After Li Fu took his seat, he pointed to a tall, elderly man in the hall and introduced him:

"Officer Li, the escape of Iron Stream King from the Iron Prison in Yanzhou is due to my dereliction of duty, and the court is already furious."

The Kyoto Six Doors dispatched a capable officer to investigate this case.

This is none other than the Imperial Guard Constable, Master Luo Jiugao, who is leading the team this time.

Li Fu looked over and saw that the old man was about sixty years old, with an exceptionally robust build. Despite his advanced age, he stood tall and straight like a pine tree, and was full of vigor.

His face was as red as a jujube, his white beard hung down to his chest, each hair like a halberd, and his tiger-like eyes flashed with a sharp light when they opened and closed, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

What is most eye-catching is the long weapon standing beside him, which is actually a Green Dragon Crescent Blade with a gleaming cold light, a wide and long blade, and an ancient design!

The handle was as thick as a child's arm, dark and heavy, made of some unknown wood, with the end wrapped in anti-slip cow tendon.

Very few people in the martial arts world use such a long-handled broadsword, and even fewer can become famous with it.

"So it's Grandpa Luo. I've long admired the legendary Guan Dao constable. It's a pleasure to meet you today."

Li Fu cupped his hands in greeting.

He had indeed heard of Luo Jiugao's reputation. It was rumored that he had served in the military in his early years, and later joined the Six Doors. He wielded a Guan Dao (a type of halberd) and roamed freely throughout the north and south. His swordsmanship was fierce and powerful, and he once fought three of the top underworld masters without being defeated, making him famous throughout the government.

Luo Jiugao's voice was loud and clear, like the tolling of a bell: "Officer Li, you are too kind. I have heard of the name of the Divine Dragon Palm in the capital. This time, I will have to rely on Officer Li's strong support."

As Li Fu spoke, his gaze swept over the other three.

Standing next to Luo Jiugao was a short, stocky man, about forty years old, less than five feet tall, but extremely sturdy, with dark, shiny skin, as if cast from refined iron.

His eyes were not large, but they were as sharp as a hawk's, always showing vigilance.

His hands were empty, without any weapons, but his ten fingers had large knuckles and his palms were covered with thick calluses. Especially his fingertips and finger pads, which had a faint iron-like luster, clearly showed that he was extremely skilled in hand techniques and had profound internal strength.

The other two are women.

One was a middle-aged man around forty years old. She had a beautiful face and still retained her charm, but there was an unyielding and fierce aura between her brows and eyes. She carried two swords, one long and one short, with ancient and simple scabbards that exuded a faint chill.

She stood ramrod straight, her eyes sharp as swords, exuding an aura of integrity and uprightness.

The last one was a young woman, who looked to be around twenty years old. She had a tall and straight figure and wore a neat lotus-colored outfit with a silk sash around her waist.

She had willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and cherry lips, though her lips were habitually pursed slightly. Her beauty was seven parts femininity mixed with three parts heroism, like a resilient rose with thorns.

She wore a slender sword at her waist and stood quietly a little behind the middle-aged man. Her eyes were clear, yet they also revealed a formidable competence.

These four individuals possessed deep, sustained breathing and focused gazes, clearly demonstrating that their internal energy cultivation had reached a high level, far surpassing that of ordinary martial arts masters.

Feng Shaoting continued, "Officer Li, the escape of Iron Stream King is of great importance."

My Yanzhou government office... alas, only with your superb martial arts skills and established prestige, Officer Li, can we be of assistance.

We hope that Constable Li can lead the capable constables in the yamen, and work together with Master Luo and these colleagues from the capital to bring back that Iron Stream King!

If he were allowed to escape back to his old troops and regroup his bandits, I fear... the north, and indeed the entire land, would once again be engulfed in boundless warfare, causing immense suffering and death!

His tone was earnest, even carrying a hint of negotiation and pleading, quite different from how a prefectural governor would speak to his subordinates.

Apart from Luo Jiugao, who remained calm, the other three—the short man, the middle-aged man, and the young woman—all showed a hint of surprise in their eyes.

After they entered Yanzhou, they heard all sorts of rumors about Li Fu, the "Divine Dragon Palm Master," especially the case of the theft of three million taels of disaster relief funds and the killing of Eunuch Yicai...

Seeing that Feng Shaoting, the prefectural governor, was so polite to a mere constable in purple robes, and even seemed to be negotiating with him, he couldn't help but think to himself.

It seems that the rumors about this Constable Li being granted an imperial gold medal, enjoying great favor from the emperor, and possessing unfathomable martial arts skills are probably true.

"If that rebel leader escapes and raises the banner of rebellion again, wreaking havoc on the world, who knows how many more innocent people will be destroyed, their families torn apart, and countless children to die tragically under the sword!"

When this matter was mentioned, the middle-aged man carrying two swords snorted coldly, his tone filled with deep-seated hatred, and his eyes flashed with cold light, as if he had an irreconcilable blood feud with the Iron Stream King.

Li Fu looked at her, slightly surprised.

After all, Zhang Hengbo, the Iron Stream King, seemed to have a good reputation in some folk tales, often being known for robbing the rich to help the poor and opening granaries to distribute grain.

Seeing this, Luo Jiugao spoke up to explain.

"Officer Li, please don't be offended."

This is Madam Zhong.

Five years ago, Zhang Hengbo's bandit army fled to Longxi. In order to raise funds, he allowed his men to break through several fortified villages that refused to surrender. All of Madam Zhong's relatives, including the elderly and children, numbering over thirty, perished.

When the Six Doors (a government agency) selected people to hunt down Zhang Hengbo, Madam Zhong volunteered to come.

The short, stocky man also said coldly, "Hmph, traitors and rebels, bringing disaster to the country and its people, what morality do they have to speak of?"

When the imperial court captured him, it should have publicly executed him as a warning to others!

Why all this trouble!

His name was Luo Wei, the Spleen-Shattering Hand, a renowned tough guy in the Six Doors, known for his iron palms and his hatred of evil.

An entire family was slaughtered?

Li Fu's heart stirred slightly.

Although he knew that in chaotic times, rebels often acted cruelly in order to survive and expand, his feelings were different when he heard about the specific tragedies.

The hatred in Madam Zhong's eyes was genuine.

I've heard that many of the things Zhang Hengbo has done seem to be good, and he has a good reputation among the people.

However, the so-called opening of granaries to distribute grain and robbing the rich to help the poor were sometimes just a means to gain the support of the poor.

He kept it a secret that following him meant having plenty of food and receiving gold and silver, and that's how the rebellious army grew like a snowball.

Throughout history, many powerful figures and even murderous tyrants have used this tactic to win over the people at the beginning of their uprisings. Once they have truly gained power and proclaimed themselves kings, their extravagance, debauchery, and oppression of the people in their own small territories often surpasses even that of the imperial court.

Just like Zhu Jie, the cannibalistic demon king at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Hou Jing during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and Wang Shi of the Southern Yan Dynasty...

Is this man, Hengbo, truly a hero who cares for the common people, or just another ambitious man who uses benevolence and righteousness as a banner?

It is difficult to make a judgment based solely on rumors.

Just as his mind was racing, the Heavenly Book of the Human World suddenly appeared.

The ancient ink-wash calligraphy, line by line, emerges clearly.

Zhang Hengbo, known as the Iron Stream King, gathered a crowd and started an uprising. After several years of wandering, some say he killed the rich to help the poor and was a man of great righteousness; others say he allowed his troops to plunder and wreak havoc on the region.

He has escaped his cage and returned to the sea like a dragon.

If he is truly a hero and a man of noble character, saving him can bring peace to the region; if he is actually a treacherous villain, letting him go will surely bring disaster to the world.

Please, sir, distinguish right from wrong.

If, upon closer examination of his conduct, he is indeed a virtuous and righteous person, please protect him, save his life, help him escape his predicament, prevent him from being slaughtered, and reward him with the title of a celestial immortal.

Judging from his character, he is truly a wicked and treacherous person. We request that this ringleader be executed to prevent future troubles and avoid further chaos. We hereby reward him with mastery of the forty-nine forms of the Returning Wind Willow Sword Technique.

The handwriting flowed and eventually settled.

Upon seeing the names of the two unparalleled martial arts techniques, Li Fu was also shocked.

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