Chapter 395: "Still Water Sword Technique"!
West Wind palace. Harmony palace hall.
The heaven is sometimes fair; when it was cold outside the palace was just as biting-cold. When it snowed outside, snow was also swirling within the palace walls.
The West Wind Emperor Chu Xianda was giggling and drinking imperial wine with his new concubine by a warm stove, and on the table were fresh fruits presented by the four districts. In Chu Xianda"s embrace was an alluring woman peeling a purple-jade grape and feeding into his mouth. Chu Xianda took a bite, at the same time the concubine"s soft and smooth finger was pressed between his mouth.
"Your Majesty, you"re so bad." The concubine was lying in the Emperor"s arms, her soft body trembling constantly, her youthful clothes were slightly untied and her shoulders were half revealed, looking extremely s.e.xy.
"The bad is still to come." Chu Xianda tipped the purple grape in his mouth closer to the concubine"s little mouth. "Come, I will allow you to eat grapes. You and I share one."
The concubine dared not disobey, shyly pulled her face closer.
Soon, there was an interruption.
At this moment, a little palace eunuch silently appeared at the doorway.
Chamberlain Li Fu stopped him, asking, "Your Majesty is resting, what is the matter?"
"Reporting back to Chamberlain Li, the City patrol and the Monitoring Division broke into a fight on a street near West gate." The little palace eunuch reported the urgent matter to Li Fu. "I heard that the outside is now a mess. The City Defense also joined, Official Yi Luo was also injured when he tried to intervene to calm things down—"
"These people are really—–it"s snowing so heavily, but they are not having a good rest at home. Why did they run outside to have a fight." Li Fu muttered.
"Li Fu, come in." Chu Xianda heard the whispering by the door.
"Yes, your Majesty." Li Fu hurriedly went in with his body bowing respectfully and his head hung low. "Your Majesty, the City patrol and Monitoring Division broke into a fight in Tiandu city, I heard the City defense also joined in——Lord Yi Luo also was wounded by those barbarians when he tried to mediate the conflict——"
"Hahaha, my Monitoring Division and City Patrol are fighting? The City Defense also joined in? It"s so lively out there?" Chu Xianda laughed. "Pity, I am the son of the heavens, it"s inconvenient for me to go out. Otherwise, I would watch at the side."
"Your Majesty"s body is priceless, you must not enter this dangerous place." Li Fu hastily persuaded. He has already had a taste of his Master"s easily changeable mood before.
"What? In my territory, my country, there are people who dare to hurt me?" Chu Xianda scowled at Li Fu.
Thump!
Li Fu immediately fell to his knees, his head against the ground, "Your Majesty is accomplished in literature, skilled in martial arts, wealth includes the four seas and is loved by all citizens. Why would anyone dare to be disrespectful? I am just worried that those barbarians would carelessly hurt your Majesty——"
"Get up." As though thinking of something, Chu Xiand""s face again became gloomy. "Accomplished in literature, skilled in martial arts? It has been a few years since I ascended to this throne, what have I accomplished in literature, what have I acquired in martial arts? My wealth includes the four seas, nominally the fours seas are mine, but in reality? Who is the four seas, I know, and the world knows."
Li Fu got up from the ground, bowed his head and afraid to speak anymore.
"Just let them fight," Chu Xianda laughed grimly, "in the end the winner and loser will be decided, right? Just treat it as training soldiers in the city."
After a pause, he suddenly asked, "Tomorrow is the 60th birthday of that old man of the Lu family right?"
"Yes." Li Fu replied in a quiet voice.
"Well, 60th birthday, it"s a big day. You have to help me choose a gift to send over——no, I should personally go offer birthday congratulations to express the harmony between my minister and I, don"t you think so?”
Li Fu put up a smiling face and dared not say a word——
Subdue the dragon and tame the tiger, and kill the group of demons.
Li Muyang launched a killing blow, cleanly wiping out all black-clad swordsmen around him.
His previous use felt a little not as strong as he had wished. The Golden Buddha was tottering in the air, as though may crumble and disappear at any time.
But this time, the big Buddha not only erupted in a blaze of golden light, the power was much superior than it was before.
From this it can be seen that, after a period of training, Li Muyang"s strength had greatly improved, and even his body of qi had grown greatly.
After clearing the enemy in front, Li Muyang did not waste any time.
Taking advantage of the fact that the other people had not yet reacted, he sped towards the old woman, at the same time throwing out Breaking fists to explode the black-clad men who were attacking the old woman from all sides.
The old woman finally escaped, anger rising rapidly inside, her two palms transformed into blades and repeatedly slashed out. The remaining black-clad men who wanted to retreat were severed in two.
"Are you all right?" The old woman hurried to Li Muyang and asked aloud.
After a hard battle, she no longer disguised her appearance, her voice was sharp and clear, and her movements were light and quick, like a 16-year-old girl, completely different to her appearance before.
"I"m fine." Li Muyang said out loud. Seeing that the old woman was uninjured, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Miss Hong Xiu, why did you come?"
"Obviously to protect you." The old woman stated. "Do you think I came out to see the snow?"
Then, her expression grew serious. "These people are skilled in sword, and the sword techniques they use can organise into formation. It should be the Still Water Sword School"s "Rain of Sword Technique". They are the people of the Still Water Sword School."
"Still Water Sword School?" Li Muyang had heard of this famous school of West Wind Kingdom, also knew that there were 3000 disciples in the Still Water Sword School, which include countless n.o.bles, Princesses and Princes who came to learn sword techniques in this school. Therefore, the Still Water Sword School can also be called the "Imperial family"s Sword School. Those that can mobilise the imperial family"s Sword School, naturally has to be the West Wind Chu clan.
It was difficult for Li Muyang to understand why they would mobilise so many sword masters of the Still Water Sword School to a.s.sa.s.sinate him?
Even if Li Muyang"s ident.i.ty had been exposed, there was still no need to cause such a big scene, right?
Li Muyang felt that the present Tiandu was extremely complicated and dangerous. It was like a huge pot filled with sulphur and black oil, and could explode with a bang at any moment.
What made Li Muyang even more troubled was that, it seemed as if he had become the flint that lights this big pot of oil.
"Quickly go." Hong Xiu pushed Li Muyang"s arm. "I"ll delay time, when you have gone, I naturally will have a way to escape."
"I"m afraid I can"t go." Li Muyang lifted his head and looked at the far corner of the eaves.
There, two robes were dancing in the gale, and the snow covered their shoulders like frost——
"Li Muyang? The Li Muyang who killed Cui Zhaoren and hid in Starry Sky Academy?" Baili Changhe"s face was twisted with an astonished expression. "This boy dares to return to Tiandu? Is he not afraid of the Cui family chopping him up into minced flesh?"
"So he changed his appearance and dares not to reveal his ident.i.ty." Mu Yubai explained out
"Change his appearance? Humph does he think there"s no one in Tiandu. Tiandu is vast and the experts are numerous, can he deceive all eyes?" Baili Changhe sneered, then suddenly it dawned on him: "Master already know about his true ident.i.ty, therefore kept hidden and did not attack? You want him to expose his ident.i.ty himself? That way, it is justified to kill him because he destroyed His Majesty"s entire Monitoring division?"
"What if I know? What if I don"t know?" Mu Yubai glanced at Baili Changhe. "It has nothing to do with this."
"How would it not matter?"
"If he is not Li Muyang, can we not kill him? He"s just a cart driver, if he were killed, would the Lu family fight back for him? What if he is Li Muyang? The killing of Cui Zhaoren, the destruction of the Imperial Monitoring Division——If we killed him, there will be countless cheers and applause, and even the royal family will heavily reward us.""
"What does Master mean?"
"It"s not what I mean, it"s the meaning of that person." Mu Yubai said aloud. "Whoever he is, that person wants him dead. So, who he is, is not a matter of importance."
Baili Changhe"s expression was serious when he said with a sneer, "this boy is unlucky. He thought that he can deceive everyone, but he did not know that he had already fallen in the eyes of a resolute person. In the heart of some important people, whether he is Li Mu or Li Muyang, he is just a weed to get rid of——It"s the weed fault for being an eyesore."
"All beings are chess pieces. Who can escape the chessboard?" Mu Yubai looked to the sky, where the hole created by the Buddha statue had healed back to its previous state. There was another whistle of cool breeze, snow fluttering down. "Except the Sun, moon and stars, what can live for eternity?"
"Why does Master sound so low spirited? It just takes a night of enlightenment to step into the Starry Sky, step into the unknown realm. Shine forever like the sun and the moon, and immortal with the heaven and earth.
" I"m not in a low spirit, just that the path ahead is difficult, and makes one sigh." Mu Yubai said in a quiet voice. "Go. Sever his head off.""
Baili Changhe was taken aback for a moment before his face lit with joy and bowed respectfully. "Yes Master."
Baili Changhe spread out and his like body was like a giant bird spreading its wings, sweeping down to where Li Muyang was.
Hu!
As he was rapidly advancing in midair, he did not unsheathe the sword, instead abruptly brought the sword in its sheathe down in the direction of Li Muyang.
Rumble——
The sword was heavy, like a giant iron ruler across the sky.
The iron ruler was blazing with blue flames, as blue as the sky, and like the colour of the sea.
The wind penetrated into the flame, tinting the wind a blue colour.
The snow drifted into the flames and turned to blue coloured snow.
Strangely, the wind was still there, and the snow was there.
They were not incinerated nor refined by the raging flames.
The fire was a tangible fire, but a fire without temperature.
It was a fire of water!
"Still water sword technique"!
Chapter 396: Bringing contempt upon oneself!
Plum garden.
Lu Xingkong stood by the window of his study, watching two snow doves in the garden chirping on the branches. A snow dove with red patches had found a worm from an unknown place, and the other one with dark spots on its forehead was gazing intently behind, and repeatedly fluttered over to s.n.a.t.c.h the worm away. Pecking each other"s eyes and feathers, the two birds fought endlessly.
The old housekeeper Uncle Lu pushed the door open and came in with a copper kettle in his hand to fill Lu Xingkong"s cup of tea with boiling water. "Master is admiring the snow again? It is strange, this year the snow is not only heavy but it hasn"t stopped for several days. It is said that many of the pine and cypress trees on West Mountain range are crushed. This really is a rare snowstorm of a century."
Lu Xingkong pointed to the two snow doves that were focused on fighting and paid no attention to the spectators pointing and watching them. "Look, isn"t the Lu family just like the snow dove?"
Uncle Lu came closer, narrowed his eyes and stared for a moment, before he asked out loud, "master, which one are you talking about?"
"The red-topped snow dove found an earthworm, which attracted the black-topped snow dove to come over. The two sides fought fiercely, pecking each other for nearly hundred rounds——You say, at this time, do you think the red-topped snow dove should surrender the earthworm in its mouth or fight to the end, to defend its dignity and ownership of this earthworm?" Lu Xingkong asked in a low voice.
"Master, is the answer not in sight?" Uncle Lu pointed to the two birds and said with a smile. "The snow dove, in order to eat, knows it must fight bravely to the end. Let alone people?"
"Yes. Snow doves are like this, let alone people?" Lu Xingkong shifted his gaze back, went back to his seat to take a sip of tea. "Tell them to all go back. Just say I won"t see guests today."
"Just send them away? How would they feel rea.s.sured? Li Kefeng and the City patrol are now in conflict with the Monitoring Division"s Cui Jian. There are casualties on both sides. They are locked in a fierce struggle. The city patrol"s Wan Heyou and the imperial residence Yi Luo also got involved——The outside is now a mess, if you do not give them an explanation, would they leave without knowing anything?"
"Just what is on your mind. There"s got to be an order you an give. So that they can carry it out following the rules, right? The are a group of rough fellows, if you don"t let them fight, don"t let them go, telling them to sit there and quietly wait, is that not asking for their lives?"
Uncle Lu noticed that Lu Xingkong"s cup was empty again. He went over to refill with boiling water, saying with a grim look on his face. "Besides, Master Muyang is still in danger. The people out there may not know, but don"t you feel anxious? It is the Still water sword school stepping out this time. The Still water sword school is known to have 3000 disciples, those unworthy disciples can be ignored, but the sword techniques Still water three gentlemen and Still water three crazy guests have its positive points———I heard that the descendant of Still water sword have also personally came. If you just leave young master there, with only Miss Hong Xiu, they may not able to return safely."
Lu Xingkong, clasping a cup of steaming tea, suddenly thought of something, went into a trance. He looked deep in thought.
"Master, should make a decision." Elder Lu reminded.
"Have you thought about it, who can tell the Monitoring Division and the Still Water Sword School"s Mu Yubi to stand out to fight against my Lu family?"
Elder Lu pondered for a moment, then pointed his fingers above. "It"s that person?"
"If that person"s goal was merely to kill Muyang, the Still water sword school would have been ordered to handle it secretly, or the masters of the palace would have done it instead. This matter would done quietly. Given Muyang"s current cultivation level, he natural would not be able to withstand." Lu Xingkong"s eyes were biting cold, like the snow dove outside fighting for food. "But they intentionally acted on the streets, causing such a big scene——What is the intention?"
"To scheme against my Lu family?" said Uncle Lu. "If so, what is the point of killing Young Master Muyang? At least for now, the people outside do not know of the relationship between Young Master Muyang and my Lu family——"
"To show strength." Lu Xingkong gently sighed. "The Still water sword school is just standing out to kill a servant, the cart driver is also packaged as a serious criminal by the Monitoring division. What choice can the Lu family make? If we do not counter-attack, Muyang will be killed. If the Lu family strikes back, that is ripping open the face of the Still water sword school, Monitoring Division and the West Wind Chu clan that are behind the Monitoring Division. Is the Lu family ready for that?"
"Master is saying that——they intend to force the Lu family to fight against the Chu clan with real swords and spears? Forcing our Lu family——"
Those two words, Uncle Lu could not say it out in the end. Because any one or any force a.s.sociated with these two words will most likely not end well.
"That is right."
"But——Master Muyang has to be saved."
Lu Xingkong"s tiger eyes flickered as he hissed, "the Eye of the Starry Sky, could it be that under this starry sky, there really is nothing that can be kept hidden from that old dog?"
"Master——"
Lu Xingkong gestured with his hand, saying: "Let Broken star bring back Young master. Also, write a written request to the Song family"s old mansion outside the city, saying that I would like to visit the State minister."
The West Wind Kingdom has a left minister and a right minister. But for hundred years, the only one that can be called the state minister, there was only Song Gudu.
"Master——" Uncle Lu exclaimed. For many years, the two families had never visited each other once. But now Master was sending a letter over to the Grandfather of the Song family, this was simply——bringing contempt upon himself.
"Go." Lu Xingkong motioned with his hand, his manner resolute.
Uncle Lu took a deep, long look at Lu Xingkong, then gently sighed, and turned towards the outside. His originally hunchbacked body seemed to have lowered even more——
———————————
The mind as peaceful as still water, the sword moves like flowing water.
This was the "Still water sword technique".
The "Still water sword technique" that had won resounding fame through West Wind and its reputation spread across the divine continent, naturally had it"s positive points.
Rhythm Technique!
Treating the sword as a stick, relying on the biting coldness of the sword qi and the powerful and unrestrained qi, the sword and stick forms into one, integrating the majestic force.
To wound the enemy with force, to kill with qi.
One sword hack was as if there were countless swordsticks covering the sky. The countless swordsticks above were blazing with countless blue flame, enveloping Li Muyang and the dozens of meters around him.
The wind was blue, the snow was blue, and Li Muyang, wrapped in blue flame, had also become blue.
Li Muyang did not feel the blazing flames or any waves of heat.
He did not even feel any strangeness; he could breathe freely, he had a normal heartbeat, as though everything around was just a puzzle, an illusion.
However, the more it were like this, the more worried Li Muyang was.
The "Still water sword technique" was well known to West wind citizens. The founder of the Still Water Sword School Mu Gubei had challenged heroes of the world and triumphed in every battle. He was called the best swordsman of the Divine continent. The current Master of the Still Water Sword School, Mu Yubai, a descendant of the Sword G.o.d, was also extraordinary.
Li Muyang did not wait for his sword power to form fully and had clenched his fist to fight back.
The Breaking fist of "The Art of the Breaking body" was a fierce and violent fist, and the Rhythm technique of the "Still Water Sword Technique" similarly contained majestic force.
Li Muyang was ready to go meet force with force, fight strength with strength.
It was the first reaction that flashed to his mind.
But when he balled his hands into a fist, he found that his both hands were as though bound. An invisible rope had bounded his body, making his body like a wooden statue. He was unable to lift his leg nor could he threw out a punch. Adding to all this, the qi in his body was disordered, the qi in the dantian region were scattered and difficult to gather together.
Soaring in mid-air, Baili Changhe naturally took in all the little changes on Li Muyang"s face, sneering unceasingly.
A grain of rice dares to win against the moon?
This was the sword power, Baili Changhe"s sword power.
The sword qi acc.u.mulates into power, the vast power crushes the opponent.
Li Muyang, who was trapped by his power, could only be crushed by him, beheaded in one strike, and hacked into minced flesh with one sword attack.
At this critical moment!
At the moment of imminent peril!
Li Muyang"s body was like a large humanoid rock, motionless, letting countless giant swords slashed toward his head and body.
"Idiot, evade!"
Hong Xiu yelled out.
Because Baili Changhe had locked Li Muyang in place with all his sword intent, so Hong Xiu who was also within the same sword power was not affected at all.
She stretched out her hand to push Li Muyang, but Li Muyang"s body was motionless.
Hong Xiu urgently rotated 180 degrees, her worn-out grey skirt also fluttered in the Wind.
She was situated within the blue flame when she leapt high up, her palm turning into a sword and aimed at Baili Changhe
Using the sword qi formed from the palm to withstand the already formed Still water sword, such a move was actually a path to death.
But it was the only counterattack that she could make at that moment.
When Baili Changhe slashes her into minced flesh, that would give the sword-power-locked Li Muyang a chance to live.
It was only at such a short moment that she could repay the Lu family for raising her and their kindness.
Hong Xiu had leapt into the air, above her was the force of the countless huge swords.
The sword qi launched from the palm of her hand was so fragile and weak in front of the giant swords, but at the same time also courageous and determined.
"Run." Hong Xiu turned, shouting to Li Muyang.
At the same time, she sped up, initiating a suicidal attack on Baili Changhe.
"Don"t——" Li Muyang roared, He desperately tired to move his hands and feet, his body struggled with all his might, but the invisible qi had locked him completely. His body was as though trapped under a hug boulder in an ice cave.
This was the power of water.
The water is invisible and million-shaped, the water is nothing but traps everything.
"Don"t." Li Muyang"s eyes reddened, and then his pupils were suddenly filled with blood redness.
In his heart, a black crystal slowly floated up, emitting a deep and mysterious l.u.s.ter.
Li Muyang raised his head and roared to the sky, punching out at the same time.
Chapter 397: "The dragon slayer punch"!
Li Muyang viewed himself as an insignificant n.o.body.
A man who was affectionate and loyal, and who treasured his life and the life of others.
He did not learn the ruthlessness of "one general achieves fame over the dead bodies of ten thousands". He was also unwilling to become the greatest hero who "rather that everyone were betrayed by him, instead of him being betrayed by everyone".
He just wanted to be a peaceful and normal man.
If other people hit him, he had the ability to fight back.
If the others love him, he also had the capital to repay them back.
This was the second time he saw Hong Xiu, though their first meeting could not be called a "happy" meeting.
However, the young girl was willing to sacrifice her life in order to protect him.
Li Muyang was not clear about her relationship with the Lu family, nor did he care about that. All he knew is that the girl was going to be killed under that sword in order to protect him.
The restriction that was everywhere made Li Muyang furious, and that powerless feeling of being unable to reverse the situation made Li Muyang frantically want to destroy the sky and earth, and want to send a deafening roar to the world——
I did not kill but people want to kill me.
I did not destroy the Heavens, but Heaven wants to destroy me.
The people, Heaven, are simply pushing me too far!
His blood was boiling, and strong vicious currents were erupting from the top of his head.
In the sea of his heart, following the rapid rotation of the black crystal, the pressure around Li Muyang"s body instantly dispersed, and the sword power scattered.
The weight on his body had vanished, but the fury in his heart remained.
He roared to the sky, punching out the same time.
Within the blue flames, a white lightning shot into the sky.
Like a bolt of lightning appearing the sky, like a clap of thunder roaring across the sea.
It swiftly rushed ahead of Hong Xiu into the dense formation of countless swords that was nearing her.
It was mighty and overbearing. It destroyed all obstacles in the way. It was like a long dragon with impregnable defense and indestructible to swords.
Rumble——–
A white dragon with a white, shimmering tail was charging upward.
The blue wind disappeared, the blue snow disappeared, and the blue flames also disappeared.
All objects that were touched by the long dragon were gone without a trace.
As it continued upward, its momentum did not reduce, but was more ferocious than before.
Boom——-
A burst of fierce explosions sounded.
The countless swordsticks also vanished.
In the air there was only one figure and the shadow of a sword.
Baili Changhe had never seen such a punch, and had never seen such a youngster.
From the beginning of the battle, he and the Master Mu Yubai were watching over the formation, spectating the battle coldly on the side.
Watching the young men of the Still Water Sword School going into battle, bleeding, and pushed into danger again and again, while that he luckily escaped every time.
At that time the Master was in no rush, he also was not worried.
There were 3000 disciples in the Still Water Sword school, so what if a few were dead?
Their goal was to kill the cart driver, which did not seem to be a very difficult task. If they really wished to, it would only take the slash of a sword.
The Master wished to see this young man"s performance. He wanted to know what exactly could the mysterious youngster, who had became well known across Tiandu, do.
When the Master told him to go down and behead Li Muyang, he was not at all afraid and instead was glad. In his mind, he still thought he could finish him with one sword attack.
Because he was too self-confident, he didn"t even draw his sword, instead used the most minimal and most gentle "Rhythm technique" of the "Still water sword technique".
That was enough!
However, what he did not expect was that the fellow who was repeatedly drawing back from the attacks before could unleash such powerful battle strength.
This punch—-is it a punch that a young man who had just entered the starry sky can throw out? Is this the power that a young man who had only been practicing for a few years be able to display?
Baili Changhe felt danger.
The dragon was fierce and the speed resembled that of lightning.
Baili Changhe had to use the same move as before, because it was already too late to change.
However, he could exert move strength.
Because of his contempt for Li Muyang, the first time he had only used 60% of his strength.
But once the punch was thrown out, he increased the strength to 100%.
No, 120%.
He exerted all his strength just to block this punch.
Once this matter ends, so will the battle.
If this boy does not die, he will become a legend of Tiandu.
No, even if he dies, he will become a legend of Tiandu.
The ordinary youngster from Jiangnan city had successfully blocked a full-strength strike of one of the three wild guests of the Still water sword school who had made a name for himself 20 years ago Baili Changhe—–
"Go die." Baili Changhe"s eyes were red as he gritted his teeth and roared.
The sword in his hand was heavier, and the blue flames around the sword were more intense, blazing more ferociously.
The target of the sword was no longer Li Muyang, but the lightning dragon that Li Muyang had sent flying out with one punch—–
The sword qi collided with the fist qi.
Boom——
A tremendous shock wave spread out in all direction.
Swoosh!
Snow were swept away, leaving not a speck of snow on the ground.
Screech!
The icicles were like arrows, shooting everywhere.
Crackle—–
The roof tiles were lifted. The entire roof was not covered with the slightest patch of straw.
Snap—
The brick walls began splitting apart, and then the cracks were widening until a large area had collapsed.
It was as though a typhoon or an earthquake had struck the area.
Otherwise, no one can imagine who would possess such destructive power.
At the East gate of the long street.
As the men of the Monitoring Division and City Patrol men were battling fiercely, a heap of snow and knife-sharp icicles engulfed them like a flood. The battle halted and everyone looked skywards with a stunned face.
Very quickly reactions came over them, they each waved about the weapon in their hands to deflect the snow and icicles.
The nearby residents were more miserable. They had already hid inside their house to watch but why was their roof suddenly gone?
Before the wide-opened mouths could produce the sound of exclamation, the house walls were breaking apart at a speed visible to the naked eye—-
The explosions rang throughout Tiandu, as if there were countless huge firecrackers being set off at the same time.
After a while.
A long while.
There was a deathly silence at the scene.
Wind blew and snow fluttered.
But there was still a burning smell in the air.
Li Muyang stood where he was, gasping for breath, blood filled his eyes like he had been taken over by a demon.
He glanced at his right fist, as though he had never seen it before.
Frighten Dragon Fist!
Li Muyang knew well that this was the "Frighten dragon fist" that he had learnt after fusing with the tear of the Dragon king.
However, this was not the same Frighten Dragon Fist as before.
The previous Frighten dragon fists were never as powerful as this time, and the powerful qi that came gushing out was like streak of lightning, a blurred figure.
This time the Frighten dragon fist had unexpectedly formed a dragon shape. It was easy to distinguish that it was a dragon-shaped lightning for people with sharp eyes.
His arms were trembling, and his heart was shaking gently.
"Must not—" Li Muyang prayed in his heart, "must not come out."
"You—" Hong Xiu stared at Li Muyang with a look of fear, like she was looking at a creature she had never seen before. "Are you all right? Your eyes–your eyes are so scary."
Hong Xiu, an expert of disguise, had a deep understanding of facial expressions, people"s emotions and all kinds of body language.
But she had never seen such eyes.
HIs pupils were missing, the whites of the eyes were gone, and both his eyes were only red with blood.
The blood water were rising and falling following the movement of Li Muyang"s eyes.
The red blood made up a pair of eyes, a pair of new eyes.
Such eyes should not appear on the human body, but rather some ancient fierce beast.
"I"m all right." Li Muyang looked at Hong Xiu, repeating again. "I"m okay."
The blood in his eyes did not affect his eyesight.
He was able to see the panic and fear within Hong Xiu"s eyes. He saw his own blood red eyes from her pale yellow eyes.
Looking up, Baili Changhe"s figure was already gone.
It was as though that explosion had blown him up.
"What kind of punch is that?" A calm voice came.
Li Muyang abruptly lifted his head to see a man with long hair draped over his back and flowy white robe standing in midair.
One of his palm was lifted horizontally and above his palm was the badly mangled Baili Changhe.
Li Muyang coldly stared at Mu Yubai and did not utter a word.
The red blood fog tumbled and the white robed Mu Yubai had become a person covered with blood.
He knew that Mu Yubai was a peerless master, but it was not clear to him how much he had saw, and whether or not he recognised that the punch was the Dragon Clan"s Frighten dragon fist.
Li Muyang knew that the "Frighten dragon fist" was a secret skill of the dragon clan. He understood that only the dragon"s strong and mighty body could cultivate such a technique and if it were other body they would have already been torn to pieces.
Li Muyang was able to cultivate this technique because he was struck by lightning when he was born. In other words, when he was still a newborn baby he had already begun to bear the abnormal torturing of the lightning penetrating his body.
The growth of Li Muyang was in fact a painful and long history of restoration of his body, tendons, organs, and even the brain area and his spirit sea—-
Compared to this level of training, the story that circulated around Jianghu of the Mother wolf and father tiger carrying a three year old child and a five year old child across the Demon Valley in winter was nothing.
Mu Yubai lifted his right hand horizontally into the air and the huge body of Baili Changhe lied above his palm.
However, the body of Baili Changhe was suspended and did not touch the palm of Mu Yubai.
His expression was calm, and he did not find it difficult to accept the fact that Li Muyang had defeated Baili Changhe.
His eyes were studying Li Muyang with great interest. He asked again, "that punch just now was incomparably tyrannical, it seemed like it was the most powerful fist technique in the world. Moreover when it soared into the air, the shape was like that of the legendary dragon and there was a faint dragon roar—this fist technique has something to do with dragons?"
"That"s correct." Li Muyang said in a cold voice. "This is the Dragon slayer punch, a special technique to slaughter the dragons of this world."
Chapter 398: The G.o.d of sword of West Wind!
""Dragon slayer punch"?" Mu Yubai raised his brows, "never heard of it before, is there such a punch in the world?" "
According to the customs of the divine continent, when you finally defeated the opponent with your unique skill and the opponent asks you what technique you used, you should hold your head at a 45 degrees angle and shout back with an icily arrogant look, "Remember you are defeated by the "Black tiger steals heart"——Of course, there are also techniques such as "Golden rooster stands on one leg", "Life-taking chain knife", "The twelve breaking palm of the Huang family", and the "Tang family"s yin striking kick".
In Jianghu, the most important thing is the word "name". As they say, the name of a person follows them like the shadow of a tree. The more famous you are the more good wine and food you will receive and enemies will be frightened pale upon hearing your name, stumble back and knock down the table and chairs and wine cabinet——At that moment if your G.o.ddess or good friends are watching, how awe-inspiring would that be?
Who doesn"t want to be famous in Jianghu? Who doesn"t want to make a name for themselves?
The greater one"s fame, the easier it is to make money——
"w.a.n.g Er"s soul-seizing scissors makes the enemy feel as though they are flying——"
"Liu Xiahui"s fashion shop, what I wear is not clothes, it is art——"
So, whether it is for the sake of fame or various benefits, no one will lie about what kind of unique skill they used.
To have a powerful cultivation technique was something that makes one incredibly proud.
For example, Mu Yubai"s "Still water sword technique". He will not change its name to "Irrigation sword" or "Spit sword"", because it had history and it was an inherited technique, which the people of the divine continent really treasured and were particular about pa.s.sing on to future generations.
Therefore, when Mu Yubai heard Li Muyang state that the fist technique he used was called the "Dragon Slayer punch", he did not question the truthfulness of his words and instead racked his brains to think of the origin of the fist technique.
In the end he couldn"t think of it.
"Such a mighty and powerful fist technique should be well known to the world." Mu Yubai seemed to be very interested in this set of fist technique. Casting a doubtful look at Li Muyang, he uttered, "If it is not a newly developed fist technique, then given the power of that punch, the force, it should be well known across the divine continent——I have seen many things, but I have never heard of this punch, strange, strange."
"How can you know all the remarkable cultivation techniques of the world?" Li Muyang breathed an inward sigh of relief.
Just now when Li Muyang heard him say the punch formed a dragon shape in the air and was asked whether the punch has any connection to the dragon clan, he really felt his heart jumped to his throat.
If his ident.i.ty as a member of the dragon clan were exposed, then the cultivators of the entire Tiandu——no, the entire divine continent will not be satisfied until he was killed. At that time his parents and sister will also suffer.
"You"re right." Mu Yubai nodded in agreement. "There are numerous heroes in this world, there are innumerable cultivation techniques, I really cannot learn about them all——this is a big regret of my life."
Holding out his hand horizontally and supporting Baili Changhe in his palm, he looked at Li Muyang with his face visibly devoid of expression. "However, to reach such a cultivation level at your age, you should be congratulated, but it is a pity——"
Li Muyang increased his vigilance, staring back at Mu Yubai. "What is the pity? I have no grudge against you, and I have never seen you before, why does the Still water sword school want to kill me?"
Hearing this question, Mu Yubai"s lips finally pulled back in a smile. "A youngster"s mentality after all. Back when I was your age I also like to ask "why" all the time. Later I didn"t ask anymore. The matters of the world, how many of them have a reason, have a cause? Someone wants you dead, so I"m going have to kill you. Is that the answer you want?"
Hearing these words, Li Muyang also felt he asked a really stupid question.
However, if he did not ask he would have felt resentful——Who would not feel indignant if a group of black-clad men just jumped out to take your life while you"re walking along the street? Who would not want to ask "why"?
"So you received order from someone, it is really hateful and pathetic. When I was young I already admire the Still Water Sword school and hoped to enter the Sword school one day, but I did not think that the Still Water Sword School is such a sword school and the master of the school is such a master, lack the dignity of a martial artist and lack the backbone of a swordsman. I would rather not learn such sword skills." Li Muyang sneered.
Mu Yubai gently shook his head, "Li Muyang, you think you can make me angry by intentionally humiliating me? The "Still water sword techniques" are particular about having the mind as peaceful as still water, the sword moves like flowing water——If the mind is not calm how can one sword flow freely? The sword skills have no boundaries, but a cultivator has boundaries. In this world, how many people can use sword to help the weak for the sake of justice? The higher your position, the more responsibility you have. You may not understand now, but you"ll understand in the future. That"s if you have a future."
"You know who I am?" Hearing the opponent call his name, Li Muyang was taken aback for a moment, then tried to calm himself down. If they did not know that he was Li Muyang, then the heroes of Tiandu really were too disappointing.
"Li Muyang, although the divine continent is big but genius youngsters are like a remarkable book of sword technique, extremely valuable and very rare——That Starry Sky Li Muyang was gone, but then a cart driver called Li Mu suddenly sprang up. This driver not only knows how to paint, but also has such a high level of cultivation. If we could not guess that it is you, then we really have no eyes." Mu Yubai lightly lifted his left hand, a beam of white light appearing between his fingers. "It was only a guess before, but when you threw out that Breaking fist, I knew that my guess is right."
When he raised his hand, the wind stopped and the snow ceased. With him as the center of the circle, there was no snow storm in a distance of hundred of metres.
It was as though he had used magic to stop time, fixing everything still around him.
Hong Xiu"s eyes were flashing fear, whispering to Li Muyang, "Mu Yubai is known as the "G.o.d of Sword of West Wind", do not forcibly receive his sword attacks. It is said that in Tiandu there are vey few people able to block one of his sword strike——think of a way to escape, I"ll cover for you."
Li Muyang shook his head, eyes coldly fixed on Mu Yubai suspended in the air. "I will not escape, also can not escape."
"Li Muyang, you can"t——" "
"There is no one that can"t die, just that n.o.body wants to die." Li Muyang interrupted Hong Xiu. "You have saved me once, let me protect you this time."
"I——" Hong Xiu"s face glowed with grat.i.tude.
As a subordinate of the Lu family, or rather a p.a.w.n raised by the Lu family, once she had been given an order, she must desperately complete the task, even at the risk of her life.
Her mission was to protect Li Muyang, and to bring it back him back safely no matter what.
That was exactly what she intended, and that was what she did.
However, the way Li Muyang treated her——was like a real friend.
Such feelings were not something that Hong Xiu had experienced before.
"Interesting," Mu Yubai looked at Li Muyang, smiled and said, "if you can block one of my sword, I won"t kill you." "
"If you can withstand one of my punch, I also won"t kill you." Li Muyang stated firmly. He felt that he could at most throw out another punch, and if that punch fails to defeat the powerful enemy in front, then there was no way he could kill his opponent——Mu Yubai also would not give him the opportunity to throw out a a second punch.
Because Li Muyang had gotten rid of the many disciples of the Still Water sword school that were sent out. Adding to this, Li Muyang had defeated one of the three wild guests of Still water, Baili Changhe, and whether he would survive was still uncertain.
So, at this moment, Mu Yubai ‘s right hand was still holding Baili Changhe"s corpse——No, body.
In other words, he can only use his left hand to draw his sword.
Left handed sword!
No sword in hand!
But there was no place to draw a sword, and there was no object to use as a sword.
Li Muyang"s body leaned forward. The red mist in his eyes was more intense, as though blood was bubbling in his eyes.
In the sea of his heart, the black crystal was spinning wildly.
He clenched his right hand, and the qi from his dantian moved toward his right arm.
The blue sea of the empty valley, the endless water of the tremendous sea, poured towards Li Muyang"s right arm that he held up.
Crackle——
On his right fist, there were flashes of white light, and a white little dragon was jumping and maneuvering around his hand——
Outside the city gate, the old residence of the Song family.
Crunch——
A full-black carriage stopped at the door of an old residence, followed by a dozens of mighty cavalrymen clad in wolf-head masks and heavy armour.
The Wolf army!
These were the iron troops that Lu Xingkong formed by himself during his time at the frontier. The nature of a wolf is naturally fierce and cruel, and a pack of wolves can beat a tiger. Under the command of Lu Xingkong, the Wolf army was victorious in every battle and invincible. After several hundreds of battles, they still maintained the organisational structure of the military, and had defended against invasion at the Broken Dragon Pool.
When Lu Xingkong left the army, he only brought the hundreds of soldiers of the Wolf army with him. And these hundreds of soldiers became the core power of protecting Lu Xingkong. Whenever he was out of the city, they will naturally follow him.
Soul Haunting Whip Luo Xu first slowed the carriage to a halt, jumped down from the carriage, lowered the stool, pulled opened the curtains and respectfully waited.
Lu Xingkong set down the scroll in hand, without stepping on the footstool, he directly leaped down from the carriage.
He looked at the tightly closed door of the Song family and asked aloud, "have you sent a notice?"
"Someone has delivered a message half an hour ago" A steward of the Lu family, Lu Yi, replied with a respectful bow.
"Knock on the door." Lu Xingkong said.
Lu Yi answered, trotting over to sound the copper head on the red lacquer door.
Creak——
The wooden door was pulled open from the inside, revealing a small gap.
A hunchbacked old man was standing at the door, his hands on each side of the door.
The old man with a smile on his face, looked at Lu Xingkong and explained. "Defense minister came in person, the humble house is honoured with your visit. But Master just happens to be unwell, so he won"t be seeing guests. I have to ask Defense minister to leave."
Bang!
The wooden door was vigorously slammed shut.
Chapter 399: Admiring the plum blossom and solving the mystery!
"This is too much." Soul haunting whip Luo Xu didn"t think the old guy of the Song family would not give any face to the Defense minister. In fury, he was about to charge up the steps and slam on the door again.
"Luo Xu." Lu Xingkong called out.
"Master——" Luo Xu"s face was red with anger. A minister would rather die than see his monarch humiliated. As a man saved by Lu Xingkong from the pit of death, this was more difficult to accept than death. "Let me break in. I want to see what sort of place is the old residence of the Song family."
Lu Xingkong with a smiling expression looked at the old door with paint was peeling off and softly said, "the Divine continent is vast, there are many towering figures and cultivators that want to burst through this door, but just how many can succeed?"
"I would rather die than submit." Luo Xu fixed a fierce stare at the door.
"You also can"t get in if you"re dead." Lu Xingkong said, smiling. "Do you know why the old residence of the Song family is not in the Tiandu city but is built outside the city gate of Tiandu?"
"Is it not to seek peace and quiet in a noisy surrounding." Luo Xu smiled coldly. "I heard that the person of the Song family——likes quiet, so he moved out to live in the old residence."
"If it were for the sake of quiet, then given the status of the State Minister how will he not find a better place in the city? The Xiang mountain next to the Grand Temple, the Jade mountain next to Golden lake, and the hunting garden behind the imperial palace, are these not all beautiful and secluded places to live in?"
"Then what is the reason?" Luo Xu asked.
"The Song Family is a gate." Lu Xingkong stated in a low voice. "They are the first gate of the Tiandu city. Any enemy that comes to invade must first break through the old residence of the Song family. Only then can they attack the second gate——For thousands of years, the Song family"s old residence, this first gate, had never been breached, which means the second gate of the Tiandu city also had never been breached. As long as the Tiandu city is not breached, the Chu clan"s country will never waver."
"A family and a clan keep the peace of a city and a country. Can other family and clan be compared? It is precisely because of this that the people of Tiandu extremely respect the Song family. The world all call the Song family as the "Kingdom"s Library". In fact, in my opinion, the Song family is not only the West wind library, but also the iron gall bladder of the Kingdom. With this gall bladder, the West wind will have the courage to face any difficulty and setbacks."
"The foreign enemy cannot break through the Song family"s old residence, how could the people of West Wind break through? What would the world think of us?"
"General——" Luo Xu was unwilling to let it go. He did not care what status the Song family had, or what status the old guy of the Song family had. Their General had been on horseback his entire life and had protected the borders of the country, but now that they had returned to the capital they could not even go through the Song family"s door? If this matter were to go out, the General and the Lu family would become the laughingstock of Tiandu.
"Isn"t the old guy in the Lu family powerful? How could he not even get through the door of the Song family residence?"
"Can the Lu family be compared with the Song family? I"m afraid they are not even worthy of scrubbing their shoes—"
"That person of the Song family gave a slap to the Lu family"s face——he already said he doesn"t like Lu Xingkong, but he had to go there and bring trouble to himself——"
All sorts of rumours, taunts and attacks will most likely come flooding over.
However, is the status of the Lu family and Song family that different?
"We just can"t let this go." Lu Yi said at the side.
"It might not be a bad thing to not see us." Lu Xingkong thoughtfully looked at the courtyard, as if his eyes could penetrate the walls and talk to the old man in the courtyard.
He had mobilised so many troops to come pay a visit but the other person refused to see him——How can that be a good thing?
Luo Xu couldn"t understand.
"Go back." Lu Xingkong turned towards the black iron carriage.
"Yes." Luo Xu answered, hurriedly dashed to pull open the curtain for Lu Xingkong and made an inviting gesture.
Throwing another fierce glance at the tightly closed door, Luo Xu leaped onto the shafts of the carriage, and urged the horse forward with his whip.
Go!
With a light shout, the black iron carriage began to move.
Behind were a dozens of troops of the Wolf army in heavy armour and wolf-faced masks.
When the clatter of hoofs had gradually faded into the distance, the old servant shook off the snow on him and headed over to the old man who was admiring the plum blossoms and enjoying tea in the courtyard.
"Master, they are gone." The servant said with a smile.
"Yes." Wearing an unlined garment, Song Gudu was sat on a mat under the eaves, intently gazing at the blooming plum blossoms in the snowstorm. "I know."
"Master really won"t see them?" The butler could not help asking.
"I won"t see them." Song Gudu with both hands held up the cup of tea that had gone cold, but he seemed to not care and carefully sipped a mouthful.
"This time, we will most likely offend the Defense minister." The old servant said with a smile.
Song Gudu put down the cup, gently sighing, "what benefits will there be to see him?"
"Yes. What is the benefit of seeing him?" Song Tao came out carrying a kettle of boiling water and filled Song Gudu"s cup of tea. "Already torn into each other"s face, don"t tell me we need to meet together and drink and chat merrily?"
Song Gudu cast a glance over Song Tao. "The reason I won"t see him is because I know what he wants to see me for. If I won"t see him, he will know what I want to say to him. It is better this way. Saves some time, I can enjoy a little more snow, admire the plum blossoms a little longer, isn"t this happier?"
"Grandpa——" Song Tao felt a tightness in his chest again. Ever since coming back from the Thousand Buddha temple, witnessing blood bleed from the bodhisattva"s eyes, he had as much as possible tried to stay at his Grandfather"s side, because he was afraid his Grandfather would depart anytime.
Everyone knew what the Grandfather"s presence meant to the Song family and what it meant for the entire West Wind Kingdom. If his Grandfather was not able to get through this, then the Song family"s status was no longer guaranteed. After all, the Song family had no one who can reach the same level of cultivation as the Grandfather. Even Lu Xingkong himself may not be able to contend with this old man.
At that time, how the Lu family would get revenge on the Song family for so many years of repression was needless to be said, right?
"Don"t worry." Song Gudu knew what his grandson was worried about. He smiled and said, "don"t worry. The day has not arrived, I still have a few more days——All the plum blossoms in the courtyard has not yet bloomed, how would I be inferior to even a few plum blossoms?"
Song Tao knew that the reason his Grandfather admired plum blossoms was because he admired the strength of plum blossom to bloom splendidly in the snow, as well as its spirit of never giving up.
Now his Grandfather was like a plum tree in winter and the coming tragedy was the snow that filled the sky. Whether or not he could, like these plum trees, endure the snow and wind to form a bud again next year, was still uncertain.
"I"m sure Grandfather will live to 200 years old." Song Tao said in a consoling tone.
Song Gudu was already over one hundred years old, if he had said, "may you live to a hundred" that would be cursing him to die early.
"Well. Let"s hope so." Song Gudu said indifferently. "Even the eagle Lu Xingkong could not sit still, which indicates the outside has become a mess now, right? You don"t have to stay in this old residence to accompany me the old man. The great drama that we arranged——we must not let them make it go wrong. I have told you many times to not act easily and to not make an enemy of someone easily. However, every time you make a move, you must strive for a fatal kill and have some gain out of it."
"Grandfather, don"t worry. Some dramas don"t need a story at all. We just have to put them on the same stage, and presumably they will act according to our wish." Song Tao said with a smile. "But, since Lu Xingkong came to see Grandfather, then that proves Grandfather"s speculation is correct——Li Muyang and the Lu family really have some unspeakable secret?"
"Li Muyang"s parents used to be the servant and driver of the Lu family. On a night more than ten years ago, that is, the night that a girl called Qiji was born into the Lu family, Li Muyang"s parents and Li Muyang, who was born on the same night, quietly left Tiandu and lived in seclusion in Jiangnan——"
"I thought it was the couple who made a big mistake that led the Lu family kicking them out in fury. Although I had doubts but I did not take this matter too much to heart——I had no idea that, more than 10 years later, when Li Muyang killed Cui family"s Cui Zhaoren and when Li Muyang"s parents and family encountered the retaliation of the Cui family, the Lu family"s daughter-in-law Gongsun Yu would personally travel all the way to bring Li Muyang"s parents and sister to the Lu family"s residence and showed no hesitation to stand against the Cui family who was in a state of rage at that time. It wasn"t until now that I know that the reason the couple left so mysteriously was to hide another secret."
"Lu Xingkong is not a man who only catches and does not let go. He is a clever enemy, also a formidable opponent. If a person does not know the way of choosing and giving up, there is no way he could climb to this position today——but, this time what he chose and gave up were completely not in line with his personal interests and the interests of the Lu family."
"Just a pair of servants. Why whould they, at this critical moment, become enemies with the inside and outside, and even the Emperor is beginning to feel discontented with him? Why would they jump out and stand against the Cui family and the Emperor? What good is it for them? If you do not want to conspire against the state, is it necessary to disobey the Emperor? Is there a need to embarra.s.s the Emperor? He could just throw out the few little fish to extinguish the fire between the Lu family and the Emperor?"
"So Grandfather told me to arrange this drama?" Song Tao asked with a glint in his eyes and a smiling expression. "You want to test the Lu family"s real att.i.tude towards Li Muyang——"
"There is a saying in the Kingdom: A lie requires 100 lies to cover it." The old man"s sight shifted again to the plum blossoms in the courtyard, continuing with a sigh, "however, a mystery has been solved and a new mystery has emerged. Just what is it for?"