Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 222 "Zhu family boy, Gong family girl. Dismount and come with me." (Two chapters combined)

Li followed Zhu An and indeed saw a spacious and clean blue-canopied carriage parked outside the dock, pulled by two exceptionally fine horses.

Zhu An personally took the reins from Li Fu and handed them to another waiting servant. He then lifted the carriage curtain for Li Fu, serving him very attentively.

The carriage slowly drove away from the bustling dock and turned into a quieter street.

Zhu An did not get into the car, but walked alongside it, smiling as he introduced the scenery along the way to Li Fu.

"Is this your first time visiting Jiangnan, Master Li?"

Our Jiangnan region is not as open and majestic as the North; it emphasizes elegance and ingenuity.

Look at this river.

He pointed to a clear stream outside the car window.

"This is a famous river in our Jiangnan region. Legend has it that it was transformed from a dragon that landed on the earth in ancient times. Although it does not have the surging and majestic power of the rivers in the north, it still has a gurgling flow and a unique flavor, especially the water which is so clear."

"Look at that bridge again,"

He then pointed to a small stone arch bridge not far away.

"Don't underestimate its small size. It was built by a retired official from the previous dynasty after he returned to his hometown."

In the Jiangnan region, there are countless bridges, pavilions, and gardens like these, each with its own story.

"If you have time, Mr. Li, you must try our Jiangnan snacks."

Crab roe soup dumplings, one bite and a burst of broth, so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off; osmanthus cake, soft, chewy, and sweet, leaving a lingering fragrance in your mouth; and Shen Ji's braised tofu, Wang Po's flaky pastry—oh my, just thinking about it makes my mouth water!

Zhu An spoke with great enthusiasm, brimming with the locals' love and confidence in their hometown.

Li Fu sat in the car, listening to Zhu An's detailed introduction, watching the white walls, black tiles, and green water slowly passing by outside the window.

The arched bridge, and the occasional Jiangnan woman carrying an oil-paper umbrella and dressed in simple clothes, create a unique atmosphere, quite different from the rugged and bold style of the North.

He nodded slightly and said.

"The scenery of Jiangnan is indeed well-deserved of its reputation."

Thank you for your help, Brother Zhu'an, in guiding and introducing us.

Zhu An hurriedly said, "Master Li, you flatter me!"

It is my small blessing to be able to guide you.

The young master specifically instructed that since Master Li is an honored guest and it is his first time here, he must first be allowed to fully appreciate the beautiful scenery and delicious food of Jiangnan.

"No rush, let's take our time. I'll make sure you understand what I'm seeing and find it interesting, so you can get a good first impression of Jiangnan."

Meanwhile, at Juyi Manor, where the Zhu family of Qixing Lianhuanwu resided, a scene of bustling activity unfolded.

The manor covers a vast area, nestled against the mountains and facing the water, with pavilions and towers scattered throughout, possessing both the grandeur of a martial arts sect and the exquisite beauty of a Jiangnan garden.

At this moment, the manor was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and servants were bustling about, exuding a festive and solemn atmosphere.

The once-every-five-years rotation of the chief dock owner is a top priority for the outlaws of the Jiangnan waterways.

Although it is not open to the public, the leaders of the various branches within the dock, important leaders, as well as some close friends in the martial arts world and famous figures in the martial arts community will come to witness the ceremony.

As the current head of the Zhu family, they are naturally responsible for organizing this grand event. They need to show off their grandeur without being too extravagant and causing controversy, while also ensuring safety and fairness. The tasks are complex.

Young Master Zhu Tongzhou, dressed in a brocade robe, was standing in the courtyard outside the front hall, directing his servants to set up the area.

-

He pointed to the locations of the hanging lanterns and colorful ribbons, while also inquiring whether the purchased drinks and dishes were complete. He then turned around and instructed the manager in charge of reception to pay attention to the preferences and taboos of the distinguished guests. He was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground, yet he was in perfect order.

"Cousin!"

A clear, crisp voice called out, and Gong Xiaoshang, lifting the hem of her skirt, strode in through the moon gate.

She was wearing a pale yellow shirt today, which made her skin look even whiter and more radiant, and urged her on.

"Are you still busy with these things?"

"Didn't you say Brother Li would be arriving soon? When are we going to pick him up?"

Zhu Tongzhou laughed and said, "Look how anxious you are."

We've already sent Zhu An and the others to wait at various docks and intersections, so we'll receive the news as soon as Brother Li arrives."

Just then, a guard came running up to report.

"Young Master, Brother An sent word that Master Li has received the message and is on his way to the manor. He should arrive in about half an hour."

""

Zhu Tongzhou was overjoyed upon hearing this and said to Gong Xiaoshang, "It's done! Let's go out of the manor to greet them!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly handed over his work to a seasoned steward beside him, and then pulled Gong Xiaoshang toward the stable in the front yard.

drive!

With a soft shout, the two men set off, their horses galloping out of the manor gate, followed by eight skilled guards.

In the market not far from the gate of the manor, a pair of eyes coldly watched the departing figures of Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang on horseback.

The man was dressed in ordinary gray cloth clothes and was not particularly striking in appearance. When he saw the two men riding out of the city, he quickly gave a wink to another porter who was squatting in the corner of the wall, pretending to take a break.

The porter nodded slightly, then immediately retreated into the shadows, took a carrier pigeon from his load, released it into the air, and the pigeon flapped its wings and flew away to deliver the message.

When Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang left the manor, they selected eight capable guards to accompany them.

These eight men were all skilled guards of the Zhu family, with excellent fighting skills, proficient horsemanship, and swords at their waists, protecting the two men from all sides.

The group rode out of the manor and headed south along the official road.

The autumn air is crisp and clear, and the mulberry fields and lotus ponds along the roadside create a delightful scene.

-

Gong Xiaoshang was in a good mood and turned to Zhu Tongzhou with a smile.

"Cousin, what do you think Brother Li looks like now?"

Six months ago in the desert, he was already highly skilled in martial arts and had an extraordinary demeanor.

Now he has made a great name for himself in the martial arts world, and his reputation is known throughout the country. Just hearing his name makes him sound impressive!

If I weren't certain it was really Brother Li, I wouldn't have recognized him!

Zhu Tongzhou also exclaimed, "Who says otherwise?"

Brother Li's reputation in the martial arts world is now at its zenith.

A few days ago, my father was discussing matters with several uncles and mentioned the most prominent martial arts master in the martial arts world recently, and Brother Li's name was prominently among them.

When I saw my father talk about Brother Li, he looked quite serious and even asked me if I really had a past relationship with Brother Li.

Upon learning that we had indeed met in the desert and fought side by side against the enemy, my father could not hide his surprise, repeatedly saying that such an opportunity was rare and should not be taken lightly.

Gong Xiaoshang stuck out her tongue: "Even my uncle values ​​him so much, it seems that Brother Li's martial arts skills are now much more advanced than they were in the desert."

I wonder what kind of demeanor Brother Li will have when we meet again, before he became famous?

As the two were chatting and laughing, they came to a tree-lined path ahead.

One of the guards, with sharp eyes, whispered, "Young Master, there are people on the road ahead."

The group reined in their horses and slowed down.

In the middle of the road ahead, a person stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from the road they had come from. He was tall and thin, dressed in inconspicuous black clothes, and stood motionless, as if he had been standing there for a long time.

Although he was just standing there casually, he possessed an imposing and majestic aura, as solid as a mountain, which made the wide official road seem narrower.

"Hey, you in front, move aside!"

One of the guards rode forward a few steps and shouted.

The man seemed not to hear, remaining standing with his hands behind his back, completely still.

Zhu Tongzhou frowned slightly and raised his hand to signal everyone to stop.

He already sensed something was wrong. This person had an extraordinary demeanor and was deliberately blocking his way, so he was afraid that the visitor had ill intentions.

He clasped his hands and said loudly, "I am Zhu Tongzhou from Qixing Lianhuanwu. I am passing by with my sister Gong Xiaoshang. I did not know that you are here. What advice do you have for me?"

Please make way for me.

The man slowly turned around, revealing a burly face with a full beard, appearing to be around forty or fifty years old, with sharp eyes.

He glanced at Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang, his voice rough and domineering: "Zhu family boy, Gong family girl. Dismount and come with me."

They really came for them!

Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang exchanged a glance, both seeing the wariness and unease in each other's eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you making things difficult for my brother and me?"

Zhu Tongzhou asked in a deep voice, while secretly giving a wink to the servant behind him.

"If you take someone's money, you do their bidding. No need to ask any more questions."

The man's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Arrogant!"

Seeing the other party's rudeness and hearing the young master's signal, one of the more impatient servants shouted loudly, spurred his horse forward, and with a flash of cold light, slashed his single-edged sword straight at the man's shoulder!

This strike was powerful and heavy, showing considerable skill.

However, the man didn't even look. When the blade was about to hit him, he slightly turned his body, and his left hand shot out like lightning, flicking his finger on the blade!

"clang!"

With a crisp sound, the farmhand felt an irresistible force coming from the blade, his hand throbbed with pain, the sword flew out of his hand, and he was thrown off his horse, rolling to the ground, unable to get up for a moment.

The other seven servants were shocked and enraged. They shouted in unison, drew their weapons, spurred their horses and surrounded the man, attacking his vital points with both swords and knives.

The man remained standing with his hands behind his back until the swords were about to strike him, at which point he suddenly swayed.

His footwork was wide and sweeping, moving freely among several horses. His hands clapped, tapped, grabbed, and threw, his movements as fast as lightning and incredibly powerful.

All that could be heard were the sounds of bangs and groans. In the blink of an eye, all seven guards of the manor had been knocked off their horses, their weapons falling from their hands, and they lay on the ground groaning. Not one of them could withstand even a single move from him!

Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang were horrified by what they saw.

Although these guards in the manor were not top-notch experts, they were still among the best of the best, yet they were so easily defeated!

This person's martial arts skills far exceeded their expectations.

After dealing with the servants, the man dusted off his hands (which weren't actually dust) and turned his gaze back to Zhu Tongzhou and his companion, repeating the same words.

"Dismount and follow me."

"Don't force me to use force and hurt the two young ladies, especially this little girl, whose skin is so delicate. My whip doesn't discriminate."

As he spoke, he reached behind him with his right hand, pulled something out from his waist, and with a flick of his wrist, made a crisp snap, like a thunderclap in a clear sky!

A strange, long, jet-black whip, glossy and shiny, unfurled like a venomous snake, its tip leaving a trail of afterimages in the air before lashing out at a half-person-high blue stone by the roadside!

boom!

Gravel flew everywhere.

The hard bluestone was shattered into pieces by this whip!

"A thunderbolt struck like lightning!"

Gong Xiaoshang gasped in shock.

Zhu Tongzhou's expression also changed drastically as he finally recognized the other person: "You are—a thousand-gold thunderbolt!"

Lei Wanhe is a renowned master in the underworld, known for his unbridled and ruthless behavior. He possesses exceptional martial arts skills, especially his Thousand Gold Thunder Whip, which is incredibly powerful and can be heard clearly within ten miles when it is used.

This person only cares about money. It is said that to get his help, you need at least a thousand gold pieces, hence his nickname.

"senior!"

Zhu Tongzhou suppressed his fear and clasped his hands in greeting.

"My Seven Star Linked Dock has no grudges with you, senior. My father, Zhu Tinggao, is also somewhat famous in the martial arts world. I don't know where he offended you, senior, that you would want to kidnap my brother and me."

"If someone offers to hire a hitman, please name your price, and my family is willing to pay double, just to turn hostility into friendship!"

It's truly absurd that the young master of the Zhu Family Manor was stopped and about to be kidnapped right in front of his own manor. Lei Wanhe's reputation is well-deserved; he has quite the audacity.

"Zhu Tinggao?" Lei Wanhe's lips curled into a cold smile. "I have naturally heard of the name 'Land Dragon.'"

Unfortunately, according to the unwritten rules of the underworld, when you're paid to do something, your reputation comes first.

I must take both of you with me today.

Don't refuse a toast only to suffer a penalty. My whip doesn't discriminate; one lash and you'll be lucky to lose a piece of flesh.

Especially for young girls, if they get slapped in the face, they'll never be able to show their faces in public again.

He glanced at Gong Xiaoshang with his own eyes, his words carrying a threat.

Knowing that things were unlikely to end well today, Zhu Tongzhou growled at Gong Xiaoshang, "Let's go!"

Gong Xiaoshang understood immediately and shouted, "Watch out for the hidden weapon!"

With a flick of her wrist, several points of cold light shot towards Lei Wanhe's face. At the same time, she and Zhu Tongzhou spurred their horses, and the two steeds neighed loudly, turned around, and galloped back the way they came to the manor.

However, those few cold stars were just a few pieces of silver, and there were no real hidden weapons.

Lei Wanhe, with his keen eyesight, paid no heed. With a swift movement, he blocked the two men's horses in front of them. With a flick of his whip, he created two whip shadows that attacked the front legs of their mounts!

Hijinjin!

The two horses neighed in pain, their front legs buckled, and they nearly threw their riders off their backs.

Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang hurriedly jumped off their horses, landing somewhat awkwardly.

"Trying to leave?"

Lei Wanhe snorted coldly, and his long whip coiled towards the two of them like a serpent.

His intention was to capture them alive, so he didn't kill them, but his whip technique was exquisite and powerful, covering all the vital points of the two men.

Despite their shock, Zhu Tongzhou and Gong Xiaoshang remained calm and drew their weapons to fight together.

Zhu Tongzhou wields a short staff, powerful and steady, capable of both offense and defense, a skill passed down from his family; Gong Xiaoshang's swordplay is light and agile, with exquisite moves, a style from Cuiping Manor.

The two are already among the best of the younger generation, and now that they have joined forces, their swords flashing, they are quite impressive.

However, they were facing Lei Wanhe, a notorious underworld figure who had been famous for many years!

Lei Wanhe's long whip moved swiftly, sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes hard, sometimes soft, sometimes like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, piercing straight for the center of the body.

At times, it coils around the body like a serpent, seizing weapons;

Sometimes the whip tip would crackle, the sound like thunder, making people's eardrums hurt and their minds shake.

After only a dozen or so moves, the two were already struggling to defend themselves and were in grave danger.

On the road, Li Fu's carriage was traveling at a leisurely pace.

Zhu An was still enthusiastically pointing to a bamboo forest in the distance, talking about how delicious the local specialty, dried bamboo shoots, were.

Sudden-

Crack!

One after another, deep, thunderous roars came from afar, interspersed with sharp, piercing sounds that could be clearly heard despite the distance.

The horses pulling the cart snorted uneasily.

"Huh?"

"The sky is so clear, why is it thundering?"

Zhu An looked up at the sky, somewhat puzzled.

Inside the carriage, Li Fumu opened his slightly closed eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

He listened intently and said calmly.

"It wasn't thunder."

It was the sound of a whip.

Internal energy was channeled into the whip, which crackled as it was swung rapidly.

Such a display of power—the whip wielder possesses formidable inner strength, a rare and exceptional master, currently engaged in combat.

Zhu An was taken aback: "A whip? A master's move?"

"This—it's not far ahead, almost to our Zhu Family Village's territory. How come there's some whip-wielding expert making a move here?"

Li Fu's eyes flickered, and he said to the driver, "Hurry up, let's go check ahead."