Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 246 Li Fu: "That's right, you're very smart." (4k4)

Li Fu had many doubts and asked a few more questions, but Fan Taisui only gave him these questions over and over again, and he really didn't know anything more.

He withdrew his gaze and dispelled the Soul Transfer Technique.

Fan Taisui suddenly shuddered, his eyes instantly regaining their clarity.

He covered his head, his face ashen, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, his gaze towards Li Fu filled with fear and disbelief.

"What—what did you do to me? What did I just say? How could I—"

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, and he trembled all over.

"Are you human or a ghost? Why do I lose consciousness and blurt out words involuntarily the moment I look into your eyes?"

Li Fu did not answer, but only looked at him coldly: "Do you think I'm afraid of the Prince of Nankang's mansion and wouldn't dare to kill you?"

Fan Taisui felt a chill run down his spine, remembering his earlier concealment and deception. He was so frightened that he scrambled backward, begging for mercy incoherently.

"Don't kill me! I've told you everything, I—"

Li Fu swung his hand back, and a white rainbow of palm force shot out, drawing an arc and striking Fan Taisui squarely in the face.

Fan Taisui's pleas for mercy came to an abrupt halt. He was sent flying, spun around several times, and crashed heavily to the ground several meters away. His brains were splattered when he landed, and he died on the spot.

The corpse lay dead with its eyes wide open, its face frozen in terror and pleading.

Xintong witnessed all of this and could not hide his astonishment. He sighed deeply and clasped his hands together.

"Amitabha Buddha—Your palm strike is incredibly profound; even a casual move is a world-shaking feat."

"And just now—this humble monk heard that the Mongol Yuan Dynasty National Preceptor, the Sage Lobsang Gyaltsen, whose martial arts have reached the realm of transcendence and sainthood, can make people fall into the cycle of birth and death, awaken themselves, and convert to Buddhism with just a glance."

"With a single glance, you can captivate and turn people into puppets. Although I have never seen the Holy Mani, I imagine he was no more than this."

Li Fu glanced at him and said, "No matter how many nice things you say, I will not spare your life."

You've been by this纨绔's side for years, aiding and abetting his evil deeds and harming countless innocent people. You should know this in your heart.

You call yourself a Buddhist, yet your hands are stained with blood.

"Since you killed even the Queen's own brother, this humble monk naturally cannot escape either."

Xintong remained silent for a moment, then looked down at the still-bleeding knife wound on his chest, a complex bitterness rising on his gaunt face.

"This humble monk has indeed committed many sins."

"To die at your hands today is not unjust."

The saying "When a person is about to die, their conscience is clear" means that it is easy for someone to suddenly realize their mistakes before death. This monk seemed to have some remorse as well.

But Li Fu would not spare his life because of this.

However, he did not use Bai Hong's palm force to humiliate him. He pointed his right hand together, and an invisible sword of energy emerged from his fingertip. The sword was about three feet long and left only slightly distorted air ripples in the sunlight, cold and sharp.

Xintong's gaze fell on the invisible sword of energy, his pupils contracted slightly, and he opened his mouth.

"This is the sword qi condensation technique that has been lost in the martial arts world for a hundred years?"

"To witness such extraordinary martial arts before my death is truly a blessing—"

Before he could finish speaking, an invisible sword of energy, capable of cutting through gold and jade, silently slashed across his neck, leaving a thin red line as fine as a hair.

Xintong's voice abruptly stopped, his eyes still open, but his gaze was unfocused. He leaned forward, fell to the ground, and never moved again.

Li Fu lowered his hand, and the invisible sword energy dissipated. He looked towards the direction of the Prince of Nankang's residence.

Could the person the Prince of Nankang secretly sent to search for be Wu Boyao?

Upon receiving the news, Li Fu did not linger in the woods outside the city any longer.

He simply left Xintong and Fan Taisui's bodies there, not caring whether the government officials would find them or whether it would anger the Princess of Nankang.

This Fan Taisui truly deserves to die.

Li Fu's figure flickered, and he once again sped towards the direction of Luzhou City.

When he returned to the city, he found that the situation had changed drastically.

The streets were filled with soldiers and constables, who patrolled in small groups, their steps hurried and their expressions tense.

Passersby who paused even briefly were stopped and questioned. Several vendors with accents from other places were surrounded on the street corner, stammering as they explained their origins.

Officials also stood in front of teahouses and restaurants, and all the customers entering and leaving had their faces checked.

The entire city of Luzhou was shrouded in a tense atmosphere, a state of high alert.

Li Fu knew without guessing that this was the work of Fan Taisui's sister, the Princess of Nankang.

Her younger brother was kidnapped in the street; how could she let it go?

In order to curry favor, the city's government officials naturally dared not neglect the task and immediately dispatched all available soldiers and constables to search the entire city.

Nowadays, any unfamiliar face will be stopped and questioned.

Li Fu remained calm and walked confidently down the street.

He was dressed in a blue robe and had a youthful face. At first glance, he was no different from any other young man traveling the martial arts world.

A group of soldiers walked towards them. The squad leader was about to ask a question when Li Fu looked up and glanced at them.

His gaze was calm, his dark eyes like two bottomless pools.

The squad leader swallowed back his words as soon as they reached his lips. His eyes quickly glazed over, and he stiffened for a moment. Then, as if he hadn't seen anything, he led his soldiers straight past Li Fu, brushing past him.

The remaining soldiers also kept moving, their eyes blank, as if Li Fu did not exist at all.

Li Fu continued forward, passing by the group of soldiers.

After walking a dozen or so steps, the squad leader suddenly came to his senses, paused, frowned, looked around, and scratched his head in confusion: "Just now—did anyone pass by?"

The soldiers behind them also stopped, looking at each other in bewilderment. One of them hesitated and said, "I didn't see it—"

The sergeant looked around at the empty street again, feeling that something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Finally, he waved his hand and said, "Never mind, keep searching!"

Li Fu walked all the way to the vicinity of the Prince of Nankang's mansion, and with a flash, he leaped over the high wall and landed inside the mansion.

The prince's mansion covered a vast area, with numerous courtyards and winding corridors. As he strolled around, it felt as if he were entering his own backyard rather than a heavily guarded prince's mansion.

Several patrolling guards passed by, their eyes meeting his. Even though he was right in front of them, they seemed not to see him and walked past.

If a conscious person were to witness this scene, they would probably exclaim that they had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

This is the power of the Soul Transfer Technique. Against unparalleled masters, this martial art may not be very useful, but against those with weak martial arts skills or no martial arts knowledge, it is so powerful that it is almost like a sorcery.

Li Fu couldn't help but feel increasingly satisfied with this strange spiritual martial art as he used it.

He passed through two moon gates and arrived at a secluded courtyard.

In addition to the layout of the Prince's mansion, the communications bureau also provided information on the locations of the courtyards where three of the Prince of Nankang's trusted retainers lived.

In a room in the courtyard, it seemed that several people were talking, and judging from their breathing, they were all experts.

Li Fu leaped up and landed silently outside the window, standing with his hands behind his back, listening intently.

There was more than one person talking inside the room.

A slightly aged voice spoke, its tone unhurried and carrying the weight of a superior: "Still no clue?"

The other person replied, "Reporting to Steward Zhan, we have been investigating for a long time based on the clues you provided, but we still haven't found any trace of that person's past or who lived with him."

Li Fu came to Zhan Xiao's courtyard. The old man, who was called Steward Zhan, was naturally none other than Zhan Xiao, the Nine Heavens Crane.

Zhan Xiao sighed, "That person was cautious and proper when he worked in the Prince's Mansion in his early years. It's normal that he would be careful not to leave any traces or impressions wherever he goes."

However, we've already caught him, and we've identified his new appearance. It won't be difficult to trace his whereabouts and who he's been with all these years; we'll find out sooner or later.

Another person chimed in, "Steward Zhan, although we have some clues, we still don't know where he has stayed or where he has lived in the past. Searching aimlessly is not a solution."

If you ask me, now that the person has been caught, we should just subject them to severe torture.

Even if his bones are hard, can they be harder than a branding iron or a clamp?

I refuse to believe I can't get him to talk.

Zhan Xiao remained silent for a moment, seemingly pondering, then shook his head: "No."

The prince had instructed that that person should be treated with care, avoiding torture and humiliation.

The man seemed somewhat puzzled.

"Manager Zhan, what is the reason for this?"

He was just an old servant; once he's dead, he's dead. Why be so concerned?

Zhan Xiao slowly said, "Regardless of one's stance, from ancient times to the present, those who remain loyal to their former masters even after their deaths and carry out their masters' orders without fear of risking their lives deserve respect."

Even those in positions of power would be moved by such a loyal servant.

The Prince of the County is a descendant of the founding emperor, and possesses a benevolent heart. To subject such a loyal and righteous man to such severe punishment would not sound good if word got out.

After a moment of silence, the retainers nodded slightly. Throughout history, loyal servants and righteous men have always been highly regarded. Even if their positions differ, their loyalty cannot be faked.

At this moment, from a distance in the Prince's mansion outside the courtyard came the sound of hurried footsteps and low shouts, as if the guards, servants, and strong women of the mansion had been hastily summoned and were rushing towards the front courtyard.

Although the commotion wasn't loud, it conveyed a sense of anxiety and panic, quite different from the usual orderly atmosphere of the Prince's mansion.

One of the retainers listened intently and then spoke to Zhan Xiao.

"Steward Zhan, speaking of which, it seems something has happened in the Prince's mansion. I heard that the Princess's younger brother has gone missing."

The princess has already given the order to send people both inside and outside the residence to search.

Zhan Xiao said, "That's right."

I heard that she was kidnapped on the street by a master.

The guards around him—Zhang Tieshan, the Wind-Slaying Saber; Luo Kuohai, the Subduing Dragon Hand; and Lin Shu, the Yandang Swordsman—were all dead. Even the monk Xintong was captured along with them.

Mentioning this matter caused a slight change in the atmosphere inside the room, with some people shaking their heads and sighing.

"Zhang Tieshan, Luo Kuohai, and Lin Shuke are all well-known figures in the martial arts world."

The monk Xintong's martial arts skills were even superior to theirs, yet he was defeated by a young man of unknown origin, whose identity was unknown.

Could it be some old monster who knows the art of preserving youth?

Someone scoffed, "There are always people better than you, and there's always a higher level to reach."

The world is full of hidden talents and powerful figures.

Although Luzhou is not a large place, it is a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters, and has always been favored by hermits and hermits. Perhaps some master will live in seclusion here and spend his life teaching his disciples.

This young master Fan is usually reckless and will inevitably offend someone he shouldn't, causing trouble for the Prince's mansion.

What happened today was probably bound to happen sooner or later.

Someone said, "If Luo Kuohai and the others hadn't been implicated by that Young Master Fan, they wouldn't have lost their lives."

Upon hearing this, the others remained silent for a moment, but no one responded.

After all, it involves the princess's younger brother, and the prince dotes on the princess. Some things should be said only briefly; saying more would only lead to trouble.

Zhan Xiao didn't linger there. He changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat somber.

"However, it's not necessarily because they're after him."

My concern is that this man's real target might not be the princess's brother.

Some people were puzzled: "What Steward Zhan means is—"

"After that person was captured, perhaps there were still some experts among that group from back then. They discovered that they could no longer make contact with him in secret, so they tracked him all the way to the Prince's Mansion and wanted to kidnap one or two people alive to interrogate him about the inside story."

If that's the case, things might get a bit complicated.

Outside the window, Li Fu raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this.

This Steward Zhan was indeed meticulous; he was able to deduce almost half the truth from the fact that a playboy had been kidnapped.

No wonder he stood out among his many retainers and became the trusted chief steward of the Prince of Nankang. Besides his superb martial arts skills, his meticulous and thoughtful nature was probably also a reason.

Zhan Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Alright, you can go and get back to work now."

The Prince has already given instructions regarding the kidnapping of the Princess's brother; I will arrange for people to search for him.

Your task is even more important, and you cannot afford to fail.

As for whether any of the experts from that group are still alive—I'll go to the princess and see if I can find out anything.

The men responded, footsteps sounded, the door opened and closed, and the retainers left one after another.

Zhan Xiao pondered for a while longer, the thoughtful look between his brows not fading away.

He turned and walked toward the weapon rack by the wall, on which sat a pair of Emei daggers, pure silver-white, gleaming and shining with a cold luster under the sunlight.

These Emei daggers were his signature weapons. He devoted his life to this art, and while many in the martial arts world used Emei daggers, none could ever defeat him with this weapon.

When he strikes, his twin daggers are as sharp and unparalleled as a crane's beak. Combined with his superb lightness skill and agility, this is how the extraordinary name "Nine Heavens Crane" came about.

He reached for the pair of Emei daggers, but his fingertips had just touched the cold daggers when he suddenly stopped—someone was behind him!

A powerful aura emanating from a peerless master locked onto him, as if he were being targeted by a ferocious beast. An invisible pressure enveloped him like a collapsing mountain, and his entire body's blood and qi seemed to freeze.

He could vaguely sense the gaze of the person behind him fixed on his neck.

That gaze wasn't sharp; it carried a condescending indifference, like a tiger staring at a sheep beneath its claws—calm, resolute, and ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

When?

He was completely unaware that someone had come up behind him.

Zhan Xiao's hand froze in mid-air, not daring to extend it any further.

He had a strong premonition that as soon as he grasped the pair of Emei daggers, a fatal blow would come in the next instant.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally slowly withdrew his hand and removed it from the pair of gleaming silver Emei daggers.

"That's right."

A faint voice sounded from behind.

"You are very smart."

As those words fell, the murderous intent that had brought him such an extreme sense of threat, like a sharp blade pressed against his neck or a dagger against his back, dissipated somewhat, as if it were a reward for his sensible nature.

Zhan Xiao did not turn around rashly, nor did he move an inch.

Throughout his life, he possessed exceptional lightness skills and considered his ability to stealth and remain hidden to be unparalleled in the world. No one had ever been able to get so close behind him before he noticed them.

Today, however, he not only failed to notice when the person had infiltrated, but he also barely sensed their presence until the killing intent locked onto him, at which point he realized that someone was standing behind him.

"Who are you?"

Zhan Xiao spoke, trying his best to keep his voice steady, but a hint of difficulty still showed through.

"I, Zhan Xiao, have been wandering the martial world for many years, and no one has ever been able to come up behind me so silently."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"With your murderous intent locked on me, I felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on me, as if any rash move would shatter me to pieces."

I have no doubt that if I had taken up the weapon just now, my head would have already flown three feet into the air, blood splattering on the roof beams.

",