A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

Chapter 145 A Needle

"kill."

A violent roar rang out like thunder, and a burly man leaped toward Zhou Zhiruo. The moment he got close, the long sword hidden behind him suddenly rose up, and the blade flashed like lightning.

The original plan was to capture Bei Jinyi and Zhou Zhiruo, but Chen Yu's sudden move disrupted their rhythm. The capture turned into a killing.

As Zhou Zhiruo stepped ashore with her sword, she lightly leaped backward like a crane dancing, causing the man's attack to miss. However, the steel sword, following the "Willow Dance in the Wind" move, struck the back of the man's neck from above.

The man reacted swiftly, twisting his wrist to reveal the long sword behind his back, a streak of light flashing from his right armpit.

"Clang!"

With a crisp clang, the longsword was knocked up, and Zhou Zhiruo used the force to flip backward, like a swallow darting through the clouds.

The burly man strode forward, leaping into the air, his long sword raised high, ready to unleash a powerful "Splitting Mount Hua" attack on Zhou Zhiruo.

"call!"

A lotus seed, flying from the inn, landed on the man's back at the Mingmen acupoint. The man's figure froze in mid-air for a moment. Zhou Zhiruo landed, and a moon-shaped sword light shot up from below, piercing the man's chest.

Zhou Zhiruo had no time to look around; she drew her sword and charged at the two men fighting with Bei Jinyi.

A little further away, a figure in a deathly gray robe appeared at the bow of the ship, sparring with an old man Chen Yu had seen at the dock the other day, who was carrying a judge's pen and holding an acupuncture point stake.

The judge's pen moved with the old man's movements, spinning rapidly between his fingertips, seeking every gap and crevice, unleashing moves such as Fairy Guiding the Needle, White Ape Offering Fruit, and Stealing Peaches from Under the Leaves. Two streaks of silver light, as white as snow, danced and flew about.

In addition, the old man used acupuncture points to pierce, press, pick, and stab, with each move targeting major acupoints throughout the body.

The two joined forces, launching a vicious and impenetrable offensive that pressed down on Extinction.

"It's the River Stream Duo." Upon seeing the opponent's skill in weaponry and martial arts, Chen Yu naturally thought of the two masters who had appeared in Shaoshi Mountain and fought against the Three Elders in the world of Yitian. However, he couldn't figure out why they were acting together with this group of people who practiced the Nameless Sword Technique.

Chen Yu intercepted about ten people at the restaurant.

In his field of vision, a man overturned the tables and chairs blocking his way and leaped toward the window. Chen Yu's steel sword whistled out as he caught up with the man.

The long sword pierced through his back and emerged from his chest, carrying the man several feet away and pinning him to the wall.

"ah----"

A thunderous roar erupted as a burly man charged forward, causing the wooden planks on the ground to dent as if invisible footprints were spreading out.

A streak of purple light burst forth from Chen Yu's waist.

puff!

Sword and arm flew into the air simultaneously, followed by Chen Yu's powerful left fist striking the man's chest. The man was sent flying, crashing into the collapsed wall and tumbling onto the bluestone ground of the dock. After a few moments, he lay still.

Chen Yu's figure flickered, passing the wooden pillar in an instant. He grabbed the pillar with his left hand, his arm muscles bulging, and his body circled the pillar like a dragon. In his field of vision, a burly man rushed straight at him. The rapidly trembling Purple Rose Soft Sword coiled around the man's long sword like a nimble snake, instantly shredding the sword. The broken sword fragments fell like pearls and jade onto a plate, making a tinkling sound. The soft sword then shredded the man's palms and fingers, sweeping through his body like a plow sweeping across acupoints, shattering his forearm, shoulder, and elbow in turn.

Amidst the billowing blood mist, Chen Yu burst forth from the mist, his figure swaying as he spun sideways like a top, slashing out with his sword in an instant. Blood spurted from the buttocks of the man whose sword had missed its mark.

"It's Junior Brother Chen."

Outside the restaurant, Bei Jinyi cheered upon seeing the Ziwei Soft Sword. A streak of green light flew from her longsword, and together with Zhou Zhiruo, they used the Four Symbols Sword Formation to trap a burly man who had lunged at them. With a bang, amidst the exploding blood, the burly man staggered out of the bloody light and collapsed to the ground.

In the restaurant, a purple sword shadow pierced the air and fell towards a man wielding a long sword. The man overturned a wooden table, but Chen Yu withdrew the Purple Rose Soft Sword as if it were a phantom. He then raised his knee and slammed it into the man.

boom!

The wooden table shattered into pieces, and the knee struck the burly man's sternum with a deafening crack, sending him screaming as he crashed through the wall.

It flew away.

Chen Yu moved with the grace of a ghost, appearing in front and then suddenly behind, his soft sword flashing like flowing water as he moved forward, leaving countless intertwined lines of blood in the air.

In terms of pure martial arts skills, any of the burly men wielding swords and knives in the arena could exchange more than ten blows with him. However, he was at a disadvantage because the Ziwei Soft Sword was too sharp and unlike the Yitian Sword, its sword traces were unpredictable and could be used to encircle and entangle. Chen Yu's swordsmanship was also superb, which is why he was caught off guard and suffered a great loss.

In less than a hundred breaths, Chen Yu killed the dozen or so people who were blocked inside the restaurant and charged out with his sword.

As dusk fell, Du Baidung and Yi Sanniang also swept over from the inn in the distance.

"It's the Emei Sect. Let's get some help and make a good connection. Maybe we can get more information about the villain Xie Xun in the future." Du Baidung was deaf but could speak without difficulty. As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly raised his hands, each palm flashing with blue light, and each had three throwing knives less than half a foot long.

He had six weapons in total, and the moment they flew out of his hands, they bloomed like a silver plum blossom in his palm.

Yi Sanniang's figure rushed through the afterglow of the setting sun, her chain spear entangled a burly man's long sword. In the instant the burly man tried to snatch the sword, a flying knife ripped open his throat and disappeared inside.

With a whoosh, the chain gun was retracted as if it had a life of its own, and Yi Sanniang lunged at another burly man.

Chen Yu's guess was absolutely correct; the two men who appeared at the dock were indeed the River Fiends, named Bu Tai and Hao Mi.

The two joined forces to fight against Extinction. The three figures moved and flashed within a few feet of the bow of the ship, raising clouds of dust. The aura emanating from Extinction's long sword cut fine gashes into them.

Bu Tai and Hao Mi were already anxious. Their plan was flawless. They were to act swiftly and capture the Emei Sect disciple. If they failed to force Miejue to hand over the Dragon-Slaying Saber, they could still defeat her by fighting together. However, their carefully planned scheme was ruined by the expert who appeared from the restaurant.

Of course, the fact that Du Bai and Yi San Niang took action was beyond expectations.

Also unexpectedly, Zhao Min appeared on the city wall of Jingzhou.

Zhao Min and her group chased after the enemy from Yueyang, passing through the city and arriving at the Linjiang City Tower. They could see the fighting in the direction of the dock from afar, and Zhao Min went straight up the city wall.

This is a rare opportunity; let's sit back and watch the show.

Her gaze swept past the sallow-faced Chen Yu, lingering briefly on Miejue at the bow of the large ship. She then looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Master Ku, could it be that the black-clad men who rescued Dai Qisi aren't from the Emei Sect?"

Master Ku's gaze remained fixed on the burly men who were fighting in a sword formation with Ding Minjun, Tang Zhihu, and others. When Zhao Min asked a question, his gaze returned, and he made a hoarse sound while gesturing with his hands.

Zhao Min, being intelligent, suddenly changed her expression and said, "Master Ku, you mean the martial arts techniques of those burly men are the same as those used by the assassins who killed my father at Qingcheng Mountain several years ago?"

The ascetic monk nodded in agreement.

Zhao Min's face turned cold as she said, "Master Ku, A-Da, A-Er, A-San, and Zhao Yishang, sneak to the dock and seize them when the opportunity arises."

"Where is the Dragon Slayer Saber?" Ah Da asked.

"We must use strategy. The docks are full of eyes and ears. If the people of the martial arts world find out that the Prince's Mansion has obtained a knife, wouldn't that just add trouble and backfire?"

"clear."

Ah Da, Ah Er, Ah San, and the others descended the city wall and quickly disappeared among the rows of buildings.

Zhao Min looked at Chen Yu again, wondering if the blond man was the one who stole the Dragon-Slaying Saber and rescued Dai Qisi. His martial arts skills seemed very high.

The sunset glowed like fire, and the fighting was intense.

Chen Yu, who rushed out of the restaurant, also realized the problem: the fighting style of the men who fought against Ding Minjun, Tang Zhihu, Bei Jinyi, and Zhou Zhiruo was the same as that of the black-clad men who trafficked children in Hanyang.

His thoughts returned, and his figure transformed into a swift shadow, suddenly closing the distance and appearing from the billowing dust beside a man.

Rear.

The sudden surge of terrifying killing intent caused the man to slash backward without thinking. With a crisp clang, half of the longsword flew into the air. Chen Yu's Purple Rose Soft Sword, still full of momentum, fell towards the man. In a flash, the man's companion reached out and pulled him away, avoiding the sword thrust.

Chen Yu's sword momentum had weakened, and he leaped into the air, his knee striking the ground.

With a muffled thud, the man was sent flying backward, crashing into a cargo container that had fallen on the dock. As the porcelain shattered, his body rolled backward, kicking up a cloud of dust.

With a sudden whistle, Bu Tai and Hao Mi launched a series of powerful attacks, then with a swift movement, they swept towards a light boat on the dock. Miejue, in a flight like a large bird, pursued them relentlessly.

Bu Tai landed on the stern of the light boat, channeling his strength into his legs, which felt like a thousand pounds. Suddenly, the light boat rose from the water like a dragon, its bow soaring high and blocking the way in front of Miejue. Miejue stomped her feet on the bottom of the boat repeatedly, her body swooping backward toward the large ship.

But Bu Tai capsized onto another boat.

On the dock, the burly men who had fought with Chen Yu, Bei Jinyi, and others made feints, threw hidden weapons, or sped away at breakneck speed.

Just as Chen Yu was about to chase after a burly man, a strong figure suddenly darted out from behind the restaurant like lightning. Before the figure even got close to the burly man, a crackling sound like popping beans erupted rapidly from the man's bones. At close intervals, Chen Yu could also hear a rumbling sound like the tide coming from his chest and abdomen.

It's Ah Er!

In a flash, the burly man also threw a punch without showing any weakness. With a muffled roar like a storm, the burly man flew backward like a bullet.

Chen Yu was taken aback. Ah Er had appeared, and Zhao Min was also nearby. They were not a group.

He turned around, winked at Zhou Zhiruo who was about to rush over, and ran towards the dock with the Ziwei Sword in hand, chasing after Hao Mi, one of the River Fiends.

Behind him, more than ten experts, including Ah San and Ah Da, rushed out. Some surrounded the burly men who were running around, while others ran wildly toward the dock. Yi San Niang and Du Bai Dang took advantage of the chaos to quickly escape.

"Master, Senior Brother Chen has signaled that we should go first."

Zhou Zhiruo leaped onto the large ship and hurriedly reported to Miejue.

Tang Zhihu, Ding Minjun, and the others, who had arrived swiftly, boarded the ship one after another. Miejue glanced at Chen Yu, who was speeding towards the dock, knowing his exceptional swimming skills, and said in a deep voice, "Set sail!"

"Set sail! Set sail!"

The boatmen on the three large ships shouted hysterically, and the crew quickly weighed anchor and raised the sails, and the large ships slowly left the dock.

More than ten feet away, Bu Tai and Hao Mi were one in front of the other, their figures rising and falling among the various boats. Behind them were Chen Yu, A Da who had caught up, Ku Toutuo, and seven or eight other people.

A man's figure floated lightly, as if his feet didn't touch the dust, and he moved with the wind. His lightness skill was not much inferior to that of the Bitter Monk. He should be a master under Zhao Minmo, who had compared his leg strength with Wei Yixiao in the battle of Wudang Mountain in the world of Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.

In the direction of the dock, Zhao Yishang and several others, with bows and arrows at their ready, were moving rapidly.

Chen Yu intercepted and caught up with the River Fiends before Ku Toutuo and A Da. As he leaped, he put on an iron ring on his left glove, his clothes fluttered, and his whole body seemed to turn into a phantom. He used the "Ape Somersault Force" and his body somersaulted repeatedly, falling from the air towards Hao Mi.

The last rays of the setting sun dyed the sky red, and the distance between Chen Yu and Hao Mi seemed to disappear. Hao Mi heard the wind rushing towards him, and he stepped on the mast in front of him a few times, quickly rising up and somersaulting down behind Chen Yu.

The two figures crossed paths in mid-air for a moment. Chen Yu suddenly turned around and lashed out at Hao Mi with his Ziwei Soft Sword like a whip. Hao Mi's acupoint striking point was like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, striking towards Chen Yu's Zhangmen acupoint on his waist and ribs.

With a crisp clang, half a piece of refined iron flew into the air. Chen Yu and Hao Mi crashed onto the deck. Hao Mi landed and spun around, throwing out half of his right hand as acupoint striking tool. He then extended his left index finger and used "One-Finger Zen" to strike Chen Yu's chest, specifically the "Shanzhong" acupoint, as Chen Yu turned around.

Chen Yu raised his arm and threw a punch. With a loud bang, Hao Mi felt as if his fingers had hit an iron plate, and his bones were almost broken. He retreated quickly, with Chen Yu following him like a shadow.

"laugh----"

A fine, buzzing sound, like the flapping of wasps' wings, suddenly amplified beside Chen Yu. He was startled, his arm jerked violently, and the Purple Rose Soft Sword was deflected outwards, swaying like a willow in the wind, and thrusting to his side.

"Clang!"

The Purple Rose Soft Sword blocked an embroidery needle that appeared out of nowhere. The energy contained in the needle exploded into ripples like water, and the sword trembled violently. The huge recoil force was like an iron hammer striking the soft sword.

Chen Yu took a step back, his body flipping into the river, and plunged in.

The water pressure assaulted him from all directions, but Chen Yu remained conscious.

Could it be that the mastermind behind the child trafficking at Hanyang Wharf has arrived, and that the perpetrator even possesses the "Sunflower Manual"?

With a splash, the water surface suddenly parted a few feet away, and Chen Yu emerged. He saw a man in tattered clothes wielding his long sword, creating a screen of light. Suddenly, the man shouted and plunged headfirst into the river. This extremely bizarre scene made both Bitter Monk and A'er stop in their tracks. On the other side of their field of vision, the River Demons leaped onto a light boat and rowed away.

Throughout the entire process, no one was seen using the embroidery needle, nor was it possible to determine whether the other party was on the boat where the River Demons were located.

call!

Chen Yu let out a heavy breath. Relying on the feeling of being struck by a hammer when he parried the embroidery needle with the Ziwei Soft Sword, he knew that the owner of the embroidery needle had suffered a hundred damages in internal strength.

The evening breeze rustled, and the setting sun, seeping into the wind, was like blood.

Chen Yu shivered.

If Zhao Min's men hadn't happened to arrive in time, it would have been another deadly trap similar to the one at Jingyun Nunnery on Guishan Mountain in Hanyang. That swordsmanship, so incredibly skillful, must have belonged to A'Da.

Why are Ah Da, Ah San, and the Bitter Monk relentlessly pursuing Hao Mi?

Chen Yu recalled a scene from Qingcheng Mountain several years ago.

Prince Ruyang, the assassins, and the man who castrated himself at the Jingzhou dockside restaurant —

Chen Yu suddenly had a flash of inspiration: Could the real person come from the Tartar royal palace? The reason they haven't shown themselves is because they're afraid of being recognized by Zhao Min or their subordinates like A'da?