Before You Arrived, Someone Else Had Already Gone on a Killing Spree-Please Vote

The three poisoned darts struck Quan Guanqing’s Qihai, Shimen, and Guanyuan acupoints. Damage to those three points meant that Quan Guanqing’s dantian had been completely crippled.

More terrifying than the pain was the fact that his internal energy was rapidly draining away.

"Ah! He crippled my martial arts!"

Quan Guanqing howled in agony, glaring venomously at Chu Yang.

Elders Chen, Wu, Song, and Xi changed expression upon hearing this and could not help glaring angrily at Chu Yang. They felt that even if Quan Guanqing had spoken disrespectfully, crippling his martial arts was far too severe.

Huang Rong was also startled and hurriedly turned back to look at Chu Yang.

"Elder Quan was at fault first. A lesson would have been enough. Why cripple the martial arts he painstakingly cultivated for decades? To act so ruthlessly—do you really have no regard for our Beggars’ Sect?"

Elder Xi clenched his fists, fury blazing in his chest.

"Poor Elder Quan had only just risen from branch leader to elder…"

Elder Chen sighed, glanced at Quan Guanqing, and shook his head helplessly.

Quan Guanqing had helped Kang Min frame Qiao Feng. Afterward, he had pulled a few strings and obtained the title of elder. He had recently been riding high, only to run into a calamity like Chu Yang.

"You people are interesting. He fired poisoned darts at me, and I returned them to him. He brought this upon himself, yet you want to blame me."

"For heroes and great knights to be this unreasonable, calling it a Dogshit Convention really is fitting."

With a faint smile, Chu Yang said, "But there is one thing you got right. Without Qiao Feng, I truly do not hold the Beggars’ Sect in any regard."

The Jianghu onlookers erupted in an uproar!

That was the largest sect in the martial world!

And it had just suffered such humiliation!

The Beggars’ Sect’s four elders trembled with rage, pointing at Chu Yang for a long while without being able to say a word.

"Little Chu, did I cause you trouble?"

Huang Rong quietly retreated to Chu Yang’s side, somewhat uneasy. She knew Chu Yang had always hated troublesome matters.

"You’re overthinking it. The threshold for trouble is not that low with me. At most, they’re roadside trash."

Chu Yang did not speak loudly, but anyone without hearing problems could hear him clearly.

The crowd buzzed with discussion. Chu Yang’s actions were no different from taking a shit on the Beggars’ Sect’s head.

Who could stand that?

If they endured it, how could the Beggars’ Sect ever show its face in the Jianghu again?

The hot-tempered Elder Xi stepped forward, his eyes fixed fiercely on Chu Yang. The other onlookers swiftly backed away, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

"Elder Xi is one of our sect’s foremost external martial arts experts. He excels with a steel staff and specializes in countering hidden weapons. If you beg for mercy now, Elder Xi may spare your life."

Before Elder Xi attacked, the straightforward Elder Wu even gave Chu Yang a warning. Seeing how Chu Yang had cleverly "returned" Quan Guanqing’s hidden weapons, he was certain Chu Yang was an expert in unorthodox techniques.

Seeing that he was a decent man, Chu Yang nodded and smiled. "For warning me, I will spare his life."

"You little bastard, you’ve got some nerve!"

Elder Xi gripped his steel staff and leaped forward, tracing a silver arc through the air as it smashed toward Chu Yang’s face. He had used so much force that his arms trembled faintly.

As an external martial arts expert, his strength was naturally extraordinary. A full-force blow was enough to smash a person’s skull to pulp.

Some of the more squeamish bystanders could not bear to watch and silently turned their heads away.

Chu Yang remained composed, every movement radiating confidence. He merely shifted his body slightly and slipped past Elder Xi at the very last moment.

Short and stocky, Elder Xi was not agile. He could not turn around in time, and as his back faced Chu Yang, he was kicked squarely in the lower back.

Thus, before everyone’s eyes, Elder Xi fell flat on his face.

The scene fell quiet for a moment before the surrounding crowd burst into laughter!

Elder Xi hurriedly scrambled to his feet. That kick had not hurt much, but it was immensely humiliating. As a renowned Jianghu expert, he could hardly keep face after that.

Huang Rong clapped and cheered from the side. "Falling face-first into shit is a perfect match for a Beggars’ Sect disciple. Why don’t you hurry up and thank my Little Chu?"

Mu Nianci hurriedly covered her mouth.

At those words, veins bulged at Elder Xi’s temples, and his face turned bright red as he swiftly entered a state of burning rage.

Even without Observation Haki or the Rinnegan, it was easy for Chu Yang to evade Elder Xi’s attacks. Their speeds were worlds apart.

Elder Xi continued swinging his steel staff. What had once been powerful, heavy strikes looked increasingly clumsy against Chu Yang’s graceful movements.

After several exchanges, Wu Changfeng already knew Elder Xi was no match for Chu Yang and began itching to join in.

Ganging up on opponents had always been one of the Beggars’ Sect’s finest traditions. If ten could fight one, they would never send only nine. Everyone in the Jianghu knew it, and the Beggars’ Sect members had no shame about it.

After waiting for a while and seeing Elder Xi fail to force even the slightest opening, Wu Changfeng stopped waiting and drew his ghost-head saber.

Wu Changfeng lived up to his name. He moved like the wind, and his saber skills were exquisite. Having known Elder Xi for many years, their coordination in battle complemented each other perfectly, making up for Elder Xi’s clumsy techniques.

However…

Even with the two of them together, the battle did not seem to change much. Chu Yang still toyed with them as he pressed them down.

"Elder Chen, Elder Song, if you two still refuse to act, the Beggars’ Sect will truly lose all face today!"

Quan Guanqing wailed loudly from where he lay on the ground. Hearing this, Elders Chen and Song no longer held back and picked up their weapons to join the battle.

The Beggars’ Sect’s four great elders were considered experts even in the Jianghu. Anyone capable of fighting all four at once while holding an absolute advantage was undoubtedly a first-rate master.

The problem was that, despite so many Jianghu people being present, not a single person knew who the scholar fighting the four great elders was.

No one had ever heard of such a figure in the Jianghu. His clothing did not resemble that of someone from beyond the borderlands, and he looked so young.

For a time, the onlookers were more interested in Chu Yang’s identity than in the fight itself.

After watching for a while, Mu Nianci whispered into Huang Rong’s ear, "Brother Chu could obviously have defeated them long ago. Why hasn’t he gone all out?"

Huang Rong chuckled. "He usually refuses to practice the martial arts in the Nine Yin Manual with us because he is afraid of hurting us. Now that he has a few punching bags to practice on, of course he has to make the most of them."

"Oh~" Mu Nianci suddenly understood. Realizing that Chu Yang was using Wu Changfeng and the others to test the martial arts in the Nine Yin Manual, she could not help looking at them with pity.

His ghostly figure continuously darted among the four men. After enough time passed, even Wu Changfeng and the others understood Chu Yang’s intentions.

An intense sense of humiliation immediately rose in their hearts.

At this moment, the Heroes’ Convention at Juxian Manor was about to begin, and more and more invited Jianghu heroes had arrived.

Yet all of them were outside watching Chu Yang fight the Beggars’ Sect’s four elders. The vast Juxian Manor was utterly neglected, its doors deserted.

The You Brothers waited in the main hall for a long time without seeing anyone arrive, and they could not help looking at each other.

"Big Brother, could we have remembered the wrong date?"

"Nonsense! You alone might remember the wrong date, but could the hundreds of people in this manor all remember it wrong too?"

After saying that, the brothers fell silent. If they had not mistaken the date, then it meant no one had come to attend the Heroes’ Convention they were hosting.

How could the You Brothers bear such embarrassment?

"First Master! Second Master! Someone is fighting outside the manor!"

The steward rushed into the hall in a panic.

You Ji looked displeased. It was bad enough that no one had come to attend the convention, but now people were causing trouble within Juxian Manor’s grounds?

Had the two brothers truly grown old and lost their former reputation?

"Who is causing trouble outside the manor?"

"At first, the Beggars’ Sect’s four great elders—Chen, Wu, Song, and Xi—had a conflict with a young scholar. This servant does not know the exact reason, only that the newly promoted Elder Quan spoke disrespectfully and had his martial arts crippled by the scholar."

"Gasp—crippling someone’s martial arts over a mere verbal conflict? This scholar is far too domineering. He does not sound like someone from the righteous path."

"That is what this servant thought as well."

"However, the four elders are renowned experts. They should not have joined forces against a junior. Could you be mistaken?"

"Reporting to First Master, this servant is not mistaken. Even working together, the four elders could not defeat that scholar. Like Elder Quan, they had their martial arts crippled. Later, Shaolin Masters Xuannan and Xuanji passed by. Seeing how domineering the scholar was, they stepped forward to reason with him, and the two sides began fighting as well…"

"Wait! What did you just say happened to the four elders?"

You Ji suddenly shuddered.

The steward forced a bitter smile. "Reporting to Master, of Elders Chen, Wu, Song, and Xi, three were severely injured and lost all their martial arts. Only Elder Wu Changfeng was in somewhat better condition."

You Ji and You Ju sucked in a breath and asked in unison, "Qiao Feng came?"

The steward hurriedly shook his head.

You Ju said gravely, "What a formidable expert! Those four elders are no pushovers, let alone when they join forces. Yet three of them had their martial arts crippled by him."

You Ji nodded, unable to suppress his astonishment. "How domineering!"

Then he asked, "You said Master Xuannan also fought that scholar? What was the result?"

The steward answered with a terrified expression, "The two masters were defeated. After the scholar captured them, he used their Zen staffs to knock on their heads like temple monks striking wooden fish. They lost all face."

"Later, Tan Gong, Tan Po, and Zhao Qiansun arrived and helped the masters escape."

Cold sweat poured down You Ji’s back as he listened. "The two masters are stronger than the four elders. With Tan Gong, Tan Po, and Senior Zhao Qiansun, that should have been enough to take him down."

The steward replied miserably, "The two masters and the three seniors all had their martial arts crippled by that scholar!"

Again, crippled martial arts!

What demonic-path fiend was this, to be so rampant?

The You Brothers felt their hands and feet turn cold, their whole bodies trembling.

Not a single martial arts expert they had invited to the convention had even stepped through Juxian Manor’s gates. All had been crippled outside the manor. If word got out, they would become the Jianghu’s laughingstock for decades!

You Ju froze, then suddenly asked as though clutching at a lifeline, "What about Hero Shan and his sons?"

The steward shook his head. "Hero Shan Zheng did not fight the scholar…"

Known in the Jianghu as the "Iron-Faced Judge," Shan Zheng had been one of the main people who exposed Qiao Feng’s Khitan identity in Apricot Forest.

His five sons were also known as the Five Tigers of the Shan Family.

You Ju immediately sighed in relief. "That’s good. At least the Shan family is all right."

"Something did happen!" the steward explained tearfully. "Although Hero Shan did not fight the scholar, several of his sons fought the little girl beside him and had their martial arts crippled as well."

"Overcome with grief and anger, Hero Shan vomited blood and fainted."

You Ji closed his eyes, wanting to cry but having no tears. Well, that settled it. What fucking Heroes’ Convention was there to hold? All the heroes had been crippled.

Seeing the steward hesitate as though he still had something to say, You Ju’s heart sank. He snapped, "Spit it out! At a time like this, what is there left to fear?!"

Trembling, the steward lowered his voice. "While Tan Gong and Tan Po were fighting the scholar, their hidden weapons accidentally struck Divine Doctor Xue, who was watching from the side…"

You Ji’s eyes flew open, and he glared furiously. "What happened to Divine Doctor Xue?!"

The steward scarcely dared breathe as he continued in a low voice. "Divine Doctor Xue died on the spot…"

You Ji’s face turned ashen. The reason this Heroes’ Convention could be held was not only the influence of the You Brothers, but even more so Xue Muhua’s reputation as the "Foe of King Yama."

As the saying went, those who wandered the Jianghu could hardly avoid getting cut. No matter what level of expert one was, if they suffered serious injuries, they had to seek out Divine Doctor Xue to save their lives.

But now?

Sigh…

The Foe of King Yama had encountered the real King Yama.

Juxian Manor was certainly responsible for Xue Muhua’s death.

In the future, the You Brothers would become targets of condemnation from countless martial artists. Those people would not care about right or wrong; they only needed someone to vent their anger on.

At that thought, You Ji’s hands and feet went numb, his body turned ice-cold, and blood rushed to his head.

Pfft!

After violently spitting out a mouthful of blood, You Ji’s vision went dark, and he fainted on the spot.

"Big Brother!!!"

You Ju sorrowfully caught You Ji as he collapsed unconscious.

Half an hour later.

Qiao Feng arrived at Juxian Manor with A Zhu, whom he had accidentally injured at Mount Shaoshi. He had come to find Divine Doctor Xue and save A Zhu’s life.

Qiao Feng knew a Heroes’ Convention was being held here with the purpose of dealing with him, but to save A Zhu, he could no longer care about such things. Though he knew there were tigers on the mountain, he had no choice but to walk toward it.

Carrying A Zhu, Qiao Feng entered Juxian Manor.

The lively Heroes’ Convention had ended in bleak ruin. Combined with the First Master coughing blood and falling unconscious, the entire Juxian Manor was shrouded in gloom.

You Ju heard the servants whispering among themselves but could only wear a miserable expression and pretend not to know.

At that moment, a bold voice rang out.

"Qiao Feng has come to call upon Juxian Manor!"

You Ju was horrified upon hearing it, wondering why this bringer of disaster had chosen this moment to visit.

It was over! It was over!

Juxian Manor would surely know no peace today!

Then, a burly man with a square face, thick brows, large eyes, a high nose, and a broad mouth slowly emerged from behind the screen wall. In his arms was a woman whose breathing was faint.

His strides were like those of a dragon and tiger, his presence immensely intimidating. Who else could it be but Qiao Feng?

You Ju collapsed to the ground in utter despair, muttering, "Kill me or torture me as you please. Blame Juxian Manor for its terrible luck, suffering one calamity after another in a single day."

"Wasn’t it said that heroes had gathered to take my, Qiao’s, head? Why are you the only one here? Where are the other heroes?"

Qiao Feng frowned, suddenly feeling insulted. Could it be that the You Brothers believed they alone could handle him?

You Ju broke down and wailed, "It’s over! Everything is over! What Heroes’ Convention is there anymore? Before you arrived, someone else had already gone on a killing spree!"

Qiao Feng: "…"

Gone on a killing spree?

Who was he talking about?

Qiao Feng was utterly confused. This Heroes’ Convention had been convened to deal with him, so how had another Cheng Yaojin suddenly appeared out of nowhere?

"Brother Qiao, is Divine Doctor Xue not here?"

Lying in Qiao Feng’s arms, A Zhu weakly called out.

Qiao Feng hurriedly pressed You Ju, "Where is Divine Doctor Xue? Qiao Feng needs his help! I know he contributed greatly to this Heroes’ Convention, so he should be a guest at your Juxian Manor."

At the mention of Xue Muhua, You Ju became as devastated as if his own mother had died, sobbing so hard that he could barely catch his breath.

"Could Divine Doctor Xue have met with misfortune?"

Qiao Feng was both shocked and enraged.

If something had happened to Xue Muhua, A Zhu was doomed!

Who else in the world could save someone on the brink of death with all five viscera and six bowels damaged?

You Ju’s eyes were vacant. Only after Qiao Feng set A Zhu down, grabbed his arms, and shook him did he subconsciously nod.

Qiao Feng’s body suddenly trembled. He did not dare turn around to look at A Zhu, afraid of seeing despair on her face.

Yet A Zhu reached out on her own and tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Qiao, you do not need to worry about me. This was all fated."

Qiao Feng clenched his fists. "We searched everywhere for doctors and medicine and finally found a glimmer of hope. Heaven is truly too cruel."

A Zhu showed no sadness. Instead, she smiled. "Heaven isn’t cruel at all. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have let you stay by my side."

Qiao Feng felt comforted by her words, yet his heart ached even more.

"Brother Qiao, I’m curious. Who exactly ruined the heroes’ assembly at Juxian Manor? And how does that person’s martial arts compare to yours…?"

A Zhu quietly changed the subject.

Qiao Feng fell silent in thought, then looked at You Ju and frowned. "Manor Lord You, please tell me the full story."

Ruining the heroes’ assembly had, in a sense, helped Qiao Feng out of a difficult situation. But Xue Muhua’s death had made their current predicament even worse.

Qiao Feng desperately wanted to know who had done it.

By now, You Ju’s emotions had finally settled somewhat. Looking at the frail A Zhu, an idea suddenly came to him.

"The one who ruined the heroes’ assembly was a scholar. His target was Divine Physician Xue. He had come specifically to intercept and kill Divine Physician Xue."

"Many martial arts heroes tried to protect Divine Physician Xue, only to have their martial arts crippled by that man. In the end, they still failed to save Divine Physician Xue’s life."

You Ju embellished the story, placing Xue Muhua’s death squarely on Chu Yang’s shoulders. He made it sound as though Chu Yang had acted deliberately, leading Qiao Feng to believe the man had intentionally targeted him.

A Zhu’s blood and qi were depleted, and her spirit was weak. Though she sensed flaws in You Ju’s words, she lacked the strength to think deeply about them. She could barely keep her eyes open.

After thinking it over, Qiao Feng felt that the mysterious scholar You Ju described might be connected to the mysterious person who had killed his parents and benefactor.

Both seemed to be targeting the people around him.

At that thought, Qiao Feng’s fury flared. He hurriedly asked You Ju for information about the scholar.

You Ju had never seen Chu Yang himself, so he could only summon the old butler, who had witnessed everything.

The old butler shakily described the appearances and builds of Chu Yang and the two girls. Qiao Feng fell silent after hearing him out.

Since all three were exceptionally striking in appearance, such a group should attract plenty of attention. They would not be difficult to find.

Qiao Feng picked up A Zhu and decisively took his leave.

The old butler, who had narrowly escaped death, nearly wet himself. Then he suddenly heard the second manor lord burst into laughter and jolted in fright.

"When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits! I truly am Zhuge reborn!"

Seeing the second manor lord beaming with smug satisfaction, the old butler’s trousers were already soaked through. His heart filled with despair.

If those two fiends did not end up fighting, Juxian Manor would be the ones to suffer.

Many passersby who had watched the battle were still gathered on the streets. Qiao Feng questioned them one by one and quickly learned the direction Chu Yang’s group had taken.

Even in her muddled state, A Zhu, whose condition was terrible, continued trying to persuade Qiao Feng not to go.

The other party was clearly an expert. With her as a burden, Qiao Feng was already at a disadvantage before the fight had even begun.

Unfortunately, Qiao Feng would not listen.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang and the others returned to the inn, retrieved their carriage, and prepared to continue their journey.

They had only wanted to watch the excitement, yet somehow they had become the excitement themselves.

"What a pity. I didn’t get to see Leader Qiao carrying a speaker into battle…"

Chu Yang pulled on the reins and led the little red horse before the carriage, sighing regretfully.

"What’s a speaker?"

Huang Rong blinked.

"Uh, a kind of musical instrument…"

Chu Yang did not know how to explain it, so he muddled through with a few vague words.

"Brother Chu, that scene just now was terrifying, and you were still thinking about playing music to liven things up…"

Mu Nianci complained, "Have we offended too many people? Especially Shaolin Temple. I heard it’s the foremost sect in the Northern Song Dynasty’s Jianghu."

Huang Rong stroked the little red horse’s mane and snorted dismissively. "What’s there to fear? We won’t be staying here long anyway. We’ll just leave. Once we reach Mongolia, who cares about them? If they’re unhappy, let them chase us. I’ll beat them until they’re crawling around looking for their teeth."

Mu Nianci sighed.

"Enough thinking. Get in the carriage. After leaving the Northern Song Dynasty, we still have to cross the Ming Dynasty before reaching Mongolia. It’s a long journey, so let’s set out early."

After arranging the carriage reins, Chu Yang urged the two girls aboard. They had spent half the day wandering around the city and were tired as well.

Yawning, Huang Rong entered the carriage. Mu Nianci instinctively reached for the reins in Chu Yang’s hand, but he waved her off.

"Get inside. You can drive tomorrow."

Mu Nianci obediently nodded. She really was exhausted. She had been too tense while watching the battle, and now that she had relaxed, fatigue washed over her like a tide.

The little red horse was exceptionally intelligent. Once the two girls had entered the carriage, it slowly pulled the vehicle out of the inn without waiting for Chu Yang to urge it on. Chu Yang sat sideways on the driver’s bench and closed his eyes to rest.

In today’s battle, he had used the martial arts principles from the Nine Yin Manual to break down the weaknesses in the techniques of each sect. The results had been unexpectedly good.

Not only could he identify openings, he could even reverse-engineer the complete forms of their martial arts. Combined with the Rinnegan’s ability to perceive the flow of internal energy, all martial arts under heaven looked like exam papers with the answers already written out to him.

"Just by fighting someone, I can learn their martial arts. This isn’t stealing techniques at all—it’s outright robbery…"

Chu Yang smiled happily. Hurting others for his own benefit was exactly his style.

Shaolin Temple’s Xuannan excelled in the Vajra Palm and Vajra Finger. Xuanji excelled in the Indian Buddha Finger and One-Slap Two-Parting Palm. Tan Gong and Tan Po were skilled in palm techniques and fist techniques respectively.

All of those unarmed arts had become Chu Yang’s possessions. As for everyone else, their martial arts were beneath his notice, and he had no interest in them.

"Looking at it now, the task that fellow Ghost Slayer asked me to do—finding superior sword arts—won’t be too difficult. I just need to fight some sword masters."

"Most sword masters are gathered in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. Its setting is the Ming Dynasty, so I’ll probably find some leads once I get there."

"As for the Northern Song Dynasty… aside from the Six Meridians Divine Sword, nothing else seems worth studying."

As he pondered, a thunderous shout suddenly rang in Chu Yang’s ears, like lightning exploding from a clear sky.

"Stop, villain!"

A broad-shouldered, muscular man landed before the carriage. His brows and eyes bore the marks of hardship, his gaze sharp and imposing.

Sitting on the driver’s bench, Chu Yang dug at his slightly numb ear.

Good grief!

I thought someone had set off firecrackers beside my ear.

This guy’s voice is ridiculously loud.

Chu Yang’s first impression of Qiao Feng was not good. He was rude and liked shouting for no reason.

"Between the two of us, who do you think looks more like a villain?"

Chu Yang pointed at his own clean, neat clothing, then pointed at Qiao Feng’s beggar-like outfit.

Qiao Feng lowered his head and glanced at his tattered clothes. For a moment, he could find no words of rebuttal.

"This raggedly dressed brother, please move aside. What you’re doing isn’t begging—it’s highway robbery. You’ll end up in jail."

Chu Yang waved for Qiao Feng to get out of the way.

Qiao Feng said gravely, "You caused havoc at Juxian Manor and killed Divine Physician Xue. What exactly were you trying to accomplish?"

Chu Yang asked in confusion, "What the hell does that have to do with you?"

Qiao Feng choked on his words, then angrily said, "Did you know all along that I was seeking Divine Physician Xue to save a life, so you deliberately killed him? Were the deaths of my parents and benefactor connected to you as well?"

Chu Yang was even more baffled. He looked at him sincerely and asked, "Is something wrong with your head?"

Qiao Feng flew into a rage. He leaped into the air and unleashed a palm technique. His immense internal energy instantly transformed into a golden flying dragon that charged toward Chu Yang.

A dragon’s roar resounded!

"Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms…"

Chu Yang’s eyes lit up. He immediately understood the identity of the burly man before him. Rising to his feet, he thrust out a palm as well.

A golden hand appeared before Chu Yang, every line in its palm distinct and lifelike. It was the Vajra Palm he had just copied from Shaolin Temple’s Master Xuannan.

The golden hand slammed fiercely into the flying dragon. Its powerful palm force directly shattered the dragon, while the golden hand itself became badly fractured as it continued flying toward Qiao Feng.

Qiao Feng struck out again. Waves of energy surged around him, and his violent palm force shattered the enormous golden hand.

That simple exchange alone left Qiao Feng deeply shocked.

That move looked like Shaolin’s Vajra Palm… but how could it possess such terrifying power?

Qiao Feng’s expression turned solemn. The Vajra Palm was formidable, but it could never be more forceful than the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms. The only explanation was that its user was overwhelmingly powerful.

"You are not a Shaolin disciple. Why do you know the Vajra Palm, one of Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Supreme Arts?"

Qiao Feng gathered strength in both palms, ready at any moment to meet Chu Yang’s attack.

"Two bald monks at Juxian Manor used that move against me earlier. I thought it was interesting, so I learned a bit of it. It works pretty well."

Chu Yang jumped down from the carriage and walked toward Qiao Feng step by step. Since he had run into Leader Qiao, he was determined to fleece him today.

He had already broken down that previous move in his mind. Now he only needed the Rinnegan to record the path of his internal energy.

Chief Qiao did not waste words. He immediately began attacking, generously sending move after move Chu Yang’s way, as if afraid Chu Yang would fail to learn them.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Huang Rong poked her head out. She glared furiously at Qiao Feng. "You thick-browed brute, how can you be so unreasonable? Those people calling themselves heroes were clearly the ones who besieged us. How did it become us causing havoc at Juxian Manor?"

"And that man surnamed Xue was clearly killed by a hidden weapon from his own side during the chaos. What does that have to do with us?"

"Don’t you dare make false accusations!"

Qiao Feng froze for a moment and nearly took a blow to the face from Chu Yang. He hurriedly raised a hand to block it.

He wanted to ask what had happened, but Chu Yang’s attacks were too swift and urgent, giving him no opportunity to speak. He could only grit his teeth and continue fighting.

Huang Rong did not remain idle either. While Chu Yang fought, she stayed on the carriage and helped by insulting Qiao Feng.

The Sarcastic Yin-Yang Divine Skill was extraordinarily powerful. It enraged Qiao Feng so badly that he nearly suffered Qi Deviation. His verbal skills were no match for hers, so he could only swallow his anger, while the force behind his attacks grew heavier and heavier.

Chu Yang remained as calm as an ancient well, like a deep pool before Qiao Feng that gave him no way to act.

The Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, which balanced hardness and softness, was actually neutralized by Chu Yang using the most basic force-deflecting techniques.

Seeing this, Qiao Feng successively used the Dragon Claw Hand and Demon Subduing Palm, both among Shaolin’s Seventy-Two Supreme Arts, only to have them countered by Chu Yang’s Vajra Finger.

Great Ancestor Long Fist, Dragon Capturing Skill, Cloud-Dispersing Twin Palms—Qiao Feng used every technique he had in reserve, one after another, yet Chu Yang steadily dismantled them all using the martial arts principles of the Nine Yin Manual.

After fighting for a long time, neither side could gain the upper hand, and Qiao Feng began to grow anxious.

To keep A Zhu from being caught in the battle, he had settled her in a forest five li away. If he did not return soon, her life might be in danger.

Qiao Feng did not know that, before their fight had even begun, Chu Yang had quietly told Mu Nianci where A Zhu was and asked her to bring A Zhu over.

Xue Muhua was dead, and Qiao Feng could not find another person to treat A Zhu’s injuries. Chu Yang understood his anxiety.

Strictly speaking, although they had not started the chaotic battle that led to Xue Muhua’s death, they did bear some responsibility for it.

Just as Qiao Feng was nearly stripped clean by Chu Yang, Mu Nianci brought A Zhu back and handed her over to Huang Rong for examination.

Huang Yaoshi was a rare all-round genius, and his medical skills were among the best. As his daughter, Huang Rong had been influenced by him from childhood, and her medical skills were likewise not poor.

After a brief examination, Huang Rong saw that A Zhu’s internal organs had been badly damaged. Under normal circumstances, she was beyond saving.

"Rong’er, how is she?"

"I can’t treat her, but Little Chu definitely can. Hurry and stop them. Save her first."

Mu Nianci hurriedly shouted toward the two men locked in fierce battle, "Brother Chu, stop fighting! Come save her!"

Qiao Feng turned and saw A Zhu lying in Huang Rong’s arms. Shock and fury immediately filled him, and he feared they might harm her.

Chu Yang smiled faintly, leaped up, stepped on Qiao Feng’s shoulder, and flew back to the carriage.

Qiao Feng was about to chase after him when his entire body suddenly pitched forward. Looking down, he saw that his feet had somehow been tightly bound by a mass of tree roots.

Chu Yang placed a hand on A Zhu’s forehead. Pure life energy flowed into her body like spring water, repairing her damaged organs.

Her pale complexion quickly regained its color.

A few breaths later, Qiao Feng broke free of the restraints and sprinted wildly toward the carriage.

"You two, get down."

Huang Rong and Mu Nianci obediently jumped off the carriage.

With one hand pressed to A Zhu’s forehead, Chu Yang faced the charging Qiao Feng from the side. He knelt on the driver’s bench and fought with one hand.

In the blink of an eye, they exchanged several more moves.

Qiao Feng’s fists were as fast as lightning, producing peals of thunderous noise. His attacks looked terrifying, yet he could not get close at all. Instead, his anxiety exposed an opening, and Chu Yang sent him flying off the carriage with a horizontal palm strike.

At that very moment, A Zhu awoke. Feeling a warm current enveloping her body and leave her entirely comfortable, she immediately realized what had happened and hastily cried, "Brother Qiao, stop!"

Hearing A Zhu’s voice, Qiao Feng stopped attacking and asked worriedly, "A Zhu, how are you?"

A Zhu gave Chu Yang a grateful look and said excitedly, "Brother Qiao, I’m fine. This gentleman healed my injuries."

"What?!" Qiao Feng was stunned and hurriedly stepped forward to examine her.

He knew A Zhu’s injuries better than anyone. Even Divine Physician Xue could never have healed her in an instant.

The moment Qiao Feng touched A Zhu’s wrist, his expression turned to astonishment.

Her pulse was steady and strong!

How could it be the pulse of someone near death?

She was clearly a perfectly healthy person without the slightest injury!

"Such a miraculous thing truly exists in this world?"

Qiao Feng released A Zhu’s wrist and stared at Chu Yang in disbelief. While fighting him, Chu Yang had actually been able to divide his attention and save someone.

"Your methods are truly miraculous. Qiao Feng is impressed."

Completely convinced, Leader Qiao cupped his hands toward Chu Yang. He understood that since Chu Yang had been willing to save A Zhu, he could not possibly have killed Divine Physician Xue to target him.

"Now you know to be impressed? Where did that murderous attitude from earlier go? I even spoke up for you before those good-for-nothing fools and got myself into all sorts of trouble for nothing!"

Once Huang Rong heard Qiao Feng identify himself, she became furious and looked down her nose at him.

With A Zhu’s intelligence, she had already grasped the situation. She pulled Qiao Feng close and softly whispered into his ear, "Brother Qiao, we should apologize first."

Qiao Feng nodded, then cupped his hands in salute and sincerely apologized to Chu Yang and the others.

Having already taken the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms and numerous other supreme arts from Qiao Feng, Chu Yang was especially magnanimous now. Smiling, he said, "It was all a misunderstanding. Chief Qiao, please don’t take it to heart."

A Zhu began asking about the full sequence of events.

Huang Rong offered no explanation. She merely snorted and turned her head aside, clearly still holding a grudge.

At Chu Yang’s prompting, Mu Nianci took the initiative to describe the conflict outside Juxian Manor, while A Zhu explained how You Ju had deceived the two of them.

A short while later, both sides understood what had happened.

Filled with guilt, Qiao Feng cupped his hands toward Huang Rong. "Miss Huang, Qiao was rash. I never expected that it was because you argued on my behalf that you suffered such trouble. If you are still angry, whether you wish to beat or scold me, Qiao will accept it without complaint!"

"Forget it. Seeing how loyal and devoted you are, you do deserve my father’s high regard. I won’t hold your earlier rudeness against you."

Huang Rong still had the temperament of a young girl. Hearing that Qiao Feng had been willing to force his way into Juxian Manor for A Zhu’s sake moved her deeply.

It reminded her of how Chu Yang had faced Wanyan Honglie alone in order to save her.

It all felt as though it had happened only yesterday.

Huang Rong’s gaze immediately softened. Her deep eyes were like stars in the night sky, every speck of starlight falling upon Chu Yang alone.

"Mr. Chu, you saved A Zhu. I have no way to repay such kindness. If there is ever anything you need of me, please just say the word."

Qiao Feng spoke earnestly.

"It was nothing, Leader Qiao. Since Miss A Zhu is already fine, it is time for us to leave as well." Chu Yang clasped his hands with a smile. "Farewell, then. Until we meet again, if fate allows."

A Zhu smiled brightly. "May your journey go smoothly, Mr. Chu."

Qiao Feng clasped his fists. "Take care."

"Huh? We’re just leaving like this?" Huang Rong asked through gritted teeth. "I still wanted to beat up that guy surnamed You!"

Chu Yang rubbed her head. "I read the faces of those two brothers. They are not destined for long lives, so there is no need to go back and cause them trouble."

Huang Rong was completely baffled. They had never even entered Juxian Manor and did not know what the You Brothers looked like…

But since Little Chu said they were short-lived, they probably would not live much longer. At that thought, the corners of Huang Rong’s lips slowly rose, and her mood improved again.

"Miss Huang, rest assured. Qiao will pay Juxian Manor another visit."

Qiao Feng carried A Zhu down from the carriage shaft. Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she lowered her head without speaking.

In truth, A Zhu had already recovered completely. It was simply that Qiao Feng had grown used to taking care of her and had not realized it right away.

Seeing the happiness written all over A Zhu’s face, Chu Yang hesitated for a moment. He had Huang Rong bring him a sheet of paper, wrote a passage on it, then sealed it inside a wooden box and handed it to Qiao Feng.

"Chief Qiao, if you encounter something you cannot be certain of in the future, or if knowing certain things leaves you trapped in a dilemma, unable to decide what to do, you may open this wooden box and have a look."

Qiao Feng accepted the wooden box, curiosity appearing in his eyes. "What exactly is inside this wooden box?"

"You will know when the time comes."

As they spoke, Chu Yang and the other two had already boarded the carriage. The little red horse snorted and pulled the carriage away.

After Qiao Feng and A Zhu watched them leave, Qiao Feng impatiently wanted to open the wooden box, but A Zhu stopped him.

"Brother Qiao, since Mr. Chu told you to look at it later, do not act recklessly." A Zhu placed a hand on the wooden box, her expression grave. "I do not think Mr. Chu is an ordinary person. When he treated me, he used neither medicine nor needles. I do not even know how I was healed…"

"It does not seem quite right to call it internal energy either. Internal energy capable of healing someone on the brink of death in an instant is unheard of."

The more Qiao Feng considered it, the more alarming it seemed. He lowered his head to look at the wooden box in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then tucked it into his robes.

The moon shone bright amid sparse stars.

The carriage stopped beside a small stream. Chu Yang got down and loosened the little red horse’s reins. The horse affectionately rubbed against the back of Chu Yang’s hand, then walked to the riverbank and lowered its head to drink.

Huang Rong and Mu Nianci were resting inside the carriage. Chu Yang estimated that they would likely sleep straight through until dawn.

He had no intention of staying here. He only wanted to rest briefly and let the little red horse drink some water. Thus, he did not wake the two women. Instead, he sat by the river, listening to the murmuring water as he considered his next move.

The effects of the Nine Yin Manual combined with the Rinnegan were truly terrifying. Even profound martial arts like the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts and Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms could be learned with ease.

This far exceeded Chu Yang’s expectations.

In that case, perhaps he could use the same method to learn Tai Chi Fist as well. Should he visit Mount Wudang on his way to Mongolia?

"I seem to have overlooked something…"

"When did Tai Chi Fist first come into existence?"

"This world’s setting is so chaotic that time has no reference value at all. What if Zhang Sanfeng has not yet created Tai Chi Fist? Wouldn’t that trip be for nothing?"

After thinking it over, Chu Yang decided to proceed according to his original plan.

He would first go to Mongolia’s esoteric Buddhist sects to obtain the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, then visit Mount Wudang on his way back. Even if he failed to obtain Tai Chi Fist then, it would not waste any time.

With his mind made up, over the next half month, Chu Yang crossed the Northern Song Dynasty’s territory and then hurried without pause to the border between Mongolia and the Ming Dynasty.

Meanwhile, several days after Qiao Feng and Chu Yang parted ways, Qiao Feng returned to Juxian Manor to settle matters with the You Brothers.

He had originally only wanted to teach the two a lesson. Unexpectedly, though the You Brothers were not particularly skilled, they had plenty of pride. After Qiao Feng shattered their weapons, they immediately chose to kill themselves, dying at lightning speed.

They did not even give Qiao Feng a chance to save them.

After the two brothers died, Tubo’s State Preceptor Jiumozhi arrived at Juxian Manor while holding Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan hostage, where he ran straight into Qiao Feng. The two sides immediately began fighting fiercely.

Qiao Feng had gained insight from his battle with Chu Yang, and his martial arts moves became increasingly simple and natural.

Jiumozhi, having learned part of the Six Meridians Divine Sword, believed himself invincible beneath the heavens. Yet when he encountered the newly improved Qiao Feng, he was beaten until he spat several mouthfuls of blood and fled in panic.

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