A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 130 Riverbank Willows at Dusk

As dusk falls, the azure mountain peaks seem to be draped in a hazy, warm yellow.

A great river flows out from the mountains, meandering northward. From afar, the river appears deep and dark, but up close, the water ripples and is crystal clear, reflecting the light of the setting sun in a shimmering display.

A dozen or so martial arts practitioners, armed with weapons, emerged from the Sword Forging Manor and rode their horses northward along the riverbank meadow.

Che Jinfeng was among them.

He had originally followed Chen Shouzhen's instructions, disguised himself, and went to the Sword Casting Manor to find his martial uncle, Zhao Wangui.

Unexpectedly, the Sword Forging Manor seemed to attach great importance to their annual gathering of famous swords. Not only was Zhao Wangui invited early, but many other martial arts heroes from the manor had also arrived two months in advance, making it a gathering of heroes.

When Che Jinfeng recounted the story of Han Yu, not only did Zhao Wangui immediately set off, but several other people who were eager for quick success and righteousness, or who admired Han Yu's reputation, also wanted to go with him.

Amidst the clatter of hooves, Che Jinfeng lagged slightly behind, his gaze shifting as he surveyed the group.

The noble young man following Zhao Wangui on the right, with two wine-red silk ribbons hanging from his hair, looked to be just over twenty years old, yet he was already known as Jiang Jiusi, the "Number One Swordsman of Luoyang, the Eastern Capital".

His father was the Minister of War in the imperial court. This so-called number one swordsman in Luoyang might be a bit of an exaggeration, but his status as a first-rate master was undeniable.

Slightly behind Jiang Jiusi was Chen Du, the deputy leader of the Pai Gang, who was tall and imposing with a beard as sharp as steel needles.

In fact, the man's muscles did not appear particularly robust, but his shoulders, back, and arms were broad and strong. Especially his exposed hands, which were holding the reins, were as large as palm fans, with prominent, distinct knuckles, giving them an extraordinary texture.

Although it was just a perfunctory grip on the reins, if Che Jinfeng stared at his hands for even a few moments, he would inexplicably think that even a divine lion or dragon would be held back by those hands and unable to break free.

Compared to Jiang Jiusi, who has risen to fame in recent years, Chen Du has been immersed in the realm of first-class masters for a long time, and has been famous for decades. His prestige in the martial arts world is even higher than that of "Taoran Jinyu" Zhao Wangui.

In Che Jinfeng's mind, the fact that this senior Chen was willing to go to the Han residence to help was the biggest unexpected joy of this trip to seek help.

Of course, besides these three top-tier experts, Chen, Zhao, and Jiang, the rest of the group were no ordinary people either.

The middle-aged scholar holding an iron fan is Li Tingsong, the leader of the Luoxia Sect. The man with withered yellow hair carrying a sword on his back, the scabbard of which is only about a finger's width, is Nangong Lei, the leader of the Nanfeng Sword Sect.

There's also Tie Qingzi, a master of hidden weapons from the southeast; Du Liesheng, a master of swordsmanship from the Chu region; Baili Puti, one of the top lay disciples of Shaolin in this generation; and so on.

Even though these people were not top-tier masters, they were still qualified to be invited by the Sword Casting Manor in advance, and their skills were far superior to Che Jinfeng's.

Like Baili Puti, who is said to already possess the extraordinary power of having all six senses, he is only a little short of cultivating Qi into steel, at which point he will be able to completely step into the first-class realm.

The river gradually bends westward ahead, and the galloping horses also gradually change direction along the riverbank. As they face the glow of the setting sun in the west, the sunlight shines directly on them, and the horses cannot help but slow down slightly.

"I visited General Han's residence last year. I remember the location. I came here from the Sword Casting Manor. I must have already traveled halfway here."

Chen Du asked a question.

Che Jinfeng spurred his horse forward, drew closer, and replied loudly, "Senior is right, we'll arrive in about thirty li."

Chen Du nodded slightly and snorted coldly: "This Fire Luo Dao is quite powerful, claiming to have twenty-four protectors and four envoys who are all top-notch experts, but their identities are kept secret, and we don't know exactly who they are. How dare they make a move on General Han?"

Li Tingsong, the leader of Luoxia Sect, laughed and said, "It's just that the Huoluo Sect has gained momentum because the righteous path of the martial world was greatly weakened and needed to recuperate after wiping out the demonic sect. It must be because they have had too many smooth sailing times in the past ten years, so they have lost the caution they had when they first entered Yumen Pass and have become arrogant."

"We shouldn't underestimate them. Even if those envoys and protectors are only 70% of the original number, they are still considered behemoths among the evil sects."

Although Baili Puti was a lay disciple, he always wore a string of prayer beads on his left hand and habitually held his palm upright in front of his chest. He said, "Even Shaolin today probably can't count more than twenty first-rate masters."

Back then, there were probably more than forty top-tier military experts and righteous martial arts practitioners who died in the southwest. There were also about a dozen or twenty who were seriously injured and went into seclusion. As for those second- or third-rate military officers and martial arts figures, it's even harder to say.

The existence of the Demonic Sect has not been forgotten in the slightest even after ten years. This is certainly because the victory in that battle, which suppressed the Six Zhao Kingdoms and intimidated foreign countries such as Tibet, was a feat worthy of great praise.

Another reason is that the battle was so brutal that the friends and families of those who were killed or wounded would feel heartache whenever they recalled it, and it was not so easy for them to forget it.

Take this group of people for example. The reason they were willing to set off immediately to help Han Wengong when they heard that he was being targeted was because they had some connection with him when they were in the Southwest Army.

Although they were not soldiers, they were almost like comrades-in-arms, sharing life and death.

As for Jiang Jiusi, it was probably because of his father's friendship with Han Wengong in the court.

Che Jinfeng thought to himself: In Fan Kelian's confession, it seems that he mentioned the identities of all the other protectors. They were all well-known figures in the Jianghu evil path. Although some of them had disappeared for a long time and their fates were unknown, he spoke with certainty that he had joined the Huoluo Dao, which was probably true.

However, I'll bring up this matter again when they arrive at the Han residence, and show them the confession...

The halo on the western horizon dimmed a little more. Che Jinfeng spurred his horse forward with his legs, urging the others to speed up. He craned his neck to look ahead, calculating that they should be able to enter the city and reach the Han residence before sunset.

Not far ahead, there is a grove of trees by the roadside, mostly planted with willows, their branches swaying gently, all covered with newly sprouted buds.

Behind the many willows, in the shadows, Bu Suanzi transmitted his voice secretly, saying, "There are more people than we expected."

Meng Wanghou said, "There are fewer people than I expected. Wu Pingqiang is also someone who participated in the Southwest War, yet he didn't come out. Ha, just trying to gain fame."

"Let's do it, kill as many as we can."

When Meng Wanghou raised his eyelids, the lower eyelids of both eyes suddenly seemed to be filled with a deep blue luster, as pure as the sea, bright and lustrous.

He bent his left ring and little fingers, and in an instant, the other three fingers changed, pressing fourteen acupoints around his chest and abdomen.

When each acupoint is pressed, the contact between the fingertip and the clothing seems to illuminate a faint yet undying star.

The three guardians and the diviner behind him simultaneously struck out with their palms, placing all four hands on Meng Wanghou's back.

Four distinct and pure true energies surged forth, bursting forth like rivers flowing into the sea. They should have generated an extremely violent collision and conflict, but they were mysteriously controlled and dominated by Meng Wanghou.

These four forces mixed into his own true energy, causing Meng Wanghou to unconsciously straighten his spine and raise his head.

The radiance of true energy seemed to flow out from every pore of his body, and his entire head seemed to become a mysterious source of light with seven orifices in that instant.

The crowd was still at least a hundred meters away.

Chen Du's expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "Be careful!"

His horse trembled, its hooves buckled slightly, and the person on its back disappeared.

Actions performed using internal energy are different from those performed using only the limbs.

Chen Du's sudden exertion was not due to borrowing the reaction force from the horse he was riding, but rather the sudden circulation of his internal energy. The various primordial energies that were omnipresent in the world immediately resonated with his internal energy, generating a powerful repulsive force.

By the time those nearby heard the warning, the other person was already high in the air, delivering a palm strike forward.

This palm strike directly unleashed a powerful gust of wind high in the sky.

But at that moment, a sudden and alarming change occurred in the willow grove.

It was a shimmering light, a swirling energy, so that even those who witnessed it could not describe its specific color, yet it encompassed everything in its path.

Whether it was dust in the air, fluttering willow leaves, tender grass and pebbles on the ground, or tall and sturdy poplar and willow trees, none of them had time to make a sound before they broke apart and flew into the air.

At least ten thick willow trunks, lying haphazardly across the ground, were enveloped by this force and bombarded towards them.

What kind of power and size was that?

It was truly like a small hill being smashed down on us!

Chen Du's palm strike was already incredibly powerful. Even if a dozen people stood in front of him at the same time, they would probably feel that the force of his palm strike was like a strong wind and fog, enough to engulf them all, and they would still feel that the wind was too strong and the people too few.

But compared to the power on the other side, his palm strike was like a small witch meeting a great witch, a withered bamboo pole facing a bunch of main beams.

The immense force, carrying countless debris, shattered Chen Du's palm strike and swept past him.

But it was thanks to his warning and the slight obstruction that things were stopped.

Everyone abandoned their horses and fled.

Rumble rumble rumble —

The heavy object crashed to the ground, creating a cloud of dust. The grass cracked, and dirt flew everywhere. Dust rose seven or eight meters high, covering a large area with a diameter of forty or fifty meters, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Even with the keen eyesight of a martial arts master, one could vaguely see the trunks of those willow trees in the thick dust and smoke, fallen in different directions, leaning and stuck in the ground, with broken willow branches and leaves still fluttering in the air.

With a loud neigh, some of the horses, though not killed by the impact, were terrified and galloped wildly out of the dust.

The broken reins flew through the air, the saddles on their backs tilted and shattered, and the herd of horses galloped off in different directions.

Boom!

The dust-filled area was still expanding. In one corner, Chen Du landed on his feet, his chest heaving, his face flushed, and his eardrums seemed to bulge outwards and get injured.

However, he sensed something familiar in the attack he had just received, and for a moment he seemed to forget his injuries, focusing only on gritting his teeth and growling.

"The Great Unifying Technique of the Celestial Constellations! The Great Unifying Demonic Art of the Celestial Constellations!!"

Chen Du roared to the heavens, his power transforming into sonic waves that swept away the surrounding dust, "Who is it?!"

The Great Art of the Celestial Constellations is one of the secret chapters of the Demonic Cult. Only elders can learn it. It can temporarily combine completely different attributes of power into one, accelerating the release of the attack.

A strike delivered in this manner causes far more damage than an attack by the same number of people, of the same skill level, directed in the same direction.

Many elders of the Demonic Sect used this technique to repeatedly engage in battles with the Tang Dynasty's cannons, deflecting cannonballs from a distance. As long as they got within two miles, the artillery positions would inevitably be destroyed.

Although this move has a dispersed power and generally cannot kill top-tier masters, and even those with lower skill levels can dodge it in advance, countless disciples in various sects who are still considered "newcomers" have died under this attack.

Chen Du's younger brother died as a result, and his body was never found.

The sound waves expanded layer by layer, bringing an unusual sensation from a certain direction.

Chen Du flipped over and struck with his palm, which met Meng Wanghou's cold, dim palm strike.

Their eyes met, and Chen Du's expression changed drastically: "The missing-brow Qilin Meng Xiuyang, so it's you, a remnant of the demonic sect!"

"You are mistaken! I am the Southern Venerable Envoy of the Fire Luo Path, Marquis Meng."

Meng Wanghou laughed coldly, "Reverse Whale Guest, it's been a long time."

One of Chen Du's famous deeds was returning a giant whale that had been stranded on a beach at the mouth of a river and was crying out in pain back into the sea. He was known as the whale-reversing hero.

Before he could finish speaking, a figure suddenly appeared behind Chen Du, and three other forces attacked simultaneously.

Chen Du suddenly turned around, his hair tie shattered, and amidst the flying tangles of his hair, he twisted his body and used his other hand to block a claw attacking his face. He then changed his palm into a fist and smashed away a long, slender, and gleaming sword. He also used his elbow to block a hand chop aimed at his ribs.

With one arm, three transformations occurred, leaving numerous afterimages as they bombarded the air.

Despite being top-tier experts, Chen Du managed to repel three people with just one arm, displaying divine power and awe-inspiring might, as if possessed by a god.

But just as he was repelling the three guardians, a black jade chess piece, whose origin and destination were unknown, suddenly embedded itself in his brow.

Chen Du felt a chill on his forehead, roared, and his protective true energy shattered the chess piece. A red spot appeared on his forehead, from which flowed bright red blood.

It felt as if half of my energy had drained away from those red spots, and I suddenly felt weak.

With a flick of his right hand, Meng Wanghou turned Chen Du around and lightly slapped him in the chest with his left hand.

What appeared to be a casual palm strike was actually the culmination of a lifetime's work, shattering Chen Du's powerful and unyielding vitality.

It caused a series of cracking sounds to emanate from his bones and muscles, which traveled directly out of his body and even disturbed the surrounding air.

"Never again will we see the Reverse Whale Guest."

Chen Du swayed, staggered, and fell to the ground.

Meng Wanghou and his three protectors vanished in a flash.

Amidst the dust and smoke, the willow tree leans.

Bu Suanzi sat on a section of willow tree in a relaxed, carefree posture, looking down at the surroundings, his fingers holding a chess piece, slowly tracing its path through the air.

After this action, the disordered willow trees and debris seem to possess a unique mystery.

Outside the dust and smoke, Zhao Wangui gripped the hilt of a knife, his eyes slightly narrowed.

When they abandoned their horses and fled, everyone chose different directions. Those people might not have noticed yet, but as soon as Zhao Wangui moved aside, he felt that the scenery around him seemed a bit abnormal.

For top-tier experts, no matter how unfamiliar the environment, their keen senses can quickly bring them a sense of familiarity and adaptation.

But right after that immense force crashed down, that feeling suddenly became blurred.

He clearly heard Chen Du's roar, but within a mere hundred meters or so, he couldn't discern the other party's exact location and therefore couldn't go to help.

"Senior Zhao."

Zhao Wangui shifted her gaze: "Jiusi?"

Jiang Jiusi arrived with his sword drawn, his eyes fixed on the dust and smoke: "This is a strange formation, adaptable to all things, arranged by the wind. It is meant to isolate us from our senses, to divide and destroy us. Senior Chen, you are probably already in danger."

"If we don't break this formation, we'll have no way to escape. Senior, are you willing to enter the formation with the resolve to die?"

Zhao Wangui smiled, a hint of self-mockery in his voice, and said, "There are many things I'm incompetent at, but going to my death is not exactly beyond my capabilities."

Jiang Jiusi listened to the sound of the wind and waves on the river, and the sound seemed to echo the sound of the water.

"Then come with me."

(End of this chapter)