Dimensional Strike Against the Martial Arts World

Chapter 87

"My Little Prince is still young, so he is bound to be a little mischievous. If he has offended you, I apologize on his behalf. Please show mercy where mercy is due."

The lama reacted quickly. The moment he realized the enemy was too powerful to fight, he immediately softened his stance.

Fear was fear.

But the lama knew very well that if anything happened to the Little Prince here, Liang Ziweng and he would be the first ones finished.

He clasped his hands in salute, but his hands looked like Doraemon’s, and the bizarre sight made the surrounding onlookers burst into laughter.

Little Prince?

Chu Yang glanced at the old man beside him named Liang Ziweng, then suddenly thought of something. "Are you Lingzhi Shangren?"

Delight appeared on the lama’s face, and he hurriedly replied, "That is indeed me!"

"The one on the ground is Wanyan Kang, the Little Prince of Zhao King Manor and the only son of Zhao King Wanyan Honglie. Since you know my name, you must know Zhao King as well."

Chu Yang smiled and nodded. "So it’s Zhao King. What a coincidence. I was just planning to pay him a visit…"

Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng exchanged smiles, both seeing the delight in each other’s eyes.

Though the Little Prince had been injured, they had brought back an exceptionally formidable body-tempering expert. Given Zhao King’s magnanimity, not only would he refrain from punishing them, he might even reward them.

Liang Ziweng cupped his hands and laughed. "This is truly a case of the Dragon King Temple being flooded by its own waters—one family failing to recognize another. So you also wished to pledge yourself to Zhao King and serve the Great Jin Kingdom."

Wanyan Kang, lying on the ground, finally let out a breath. He had nearly thought he would die here.

But before he could relax for long, Chu Yang’s next words sent his heart into his throat.

"Old man, I think you’ve misunderstood. I’m going to Zhao King Manor because someone kidnapped my friend and took him there. I’m going there to demand his return."

Chu Yang sneered. "You two can crawl back and tell Wanyan Honglie to bring my friend here. Otherwise, he may very well lose his only heir today."

Wanyan Kang shuddered from head to toe.

Liang Ziweng hurriedly helped the injured Wanyan Kang up. Lingzhi Shangren hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and stepping in front of them to shield them.

"May I ask the honorable name of your friend? Once I return to the manor, I will surely invite your friend out unharmed and intact."

Wanyan Kang’s face was pale, and he spoke with far less strength than before.

Chu Yang glanced at him. "My friend’s surname is Huang. He’s a little beggar."

The moment those words came out, Wanyan Kang and the others looked at one another, at a loss for how to respond.

A little beggar?

How could the grand Zhao King Manor possibly kidnap a beggar?

Wanyan Kang forced an ugly smile. "Surely you are not making fools of us…"

Chu Yang answered with a half-smile, "If I really wanted amusement, wouldn’t it be more fun to hang the three of you from a tree for several days and nights?"

Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng immediately shuddered. Chu Yang did not sound like he was joking.

Wanyan Kang took a deep breath and cupped his hands. "Please wait a moment. Once I return, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will find your friend and bring him before you."

Chu Yang shook his head. "I never said you could leave."

Wanyan Kang’s smile froze, and the atmosphere became awkward.

Wanyan Kang, Lingzhi Shangren, and Liang Ziweng slowly shifted their positions into a triangular formation, seemingly preparing to make a desperate stand.

Suddenly.

Noisy clamor rose from the surroundings, followed by synchronized footsteps that made the ground tremble faintly.

The commoners who had been watching the excitement hurriedly moved to both sides of the road, leaving a broad path down the middle.

A troop of soldiers approached from the distance. At the center of their formation was a splendid red sedan chair, which soon stopped before Wanyan Kang and the others.

"Kang’er, what are you doing?"

A woman’s voice came from within the sedan chair. Soft and gentle, it carried the distinctive charm of a Jiangnan woman.

Wanyan Kang slowly walked over to the sedan chair and, in an aggrieved tone, quietly explained that someone had bullied him and that he wished to use the army against Chu Yang.

The woman inside the sedan chair was Bao Xiruo, Wanyan Kang’s birth mother.

She knew Wanyan Kang’s nature very well and understood that he was most likely the one who had caused trouble. Thus, no matter what he said, she did not agree.

Bao Xiruo had always detested her identity as a princess consort, much less using Jin soldiers to bully others. That had already crossed her bottom line.

Seeing that he could not persuade his mother, Wanyan Kang gave up on using the army. Still, the arrival of the troops gave him considerable confidence.

His attitude toward Chu Yang changed completely. His former arrogance returned as he sneered, "Earlier, I respected your martial arts and treated you politely because I valued talent. Yet you do not know what is good for you and act so arrogantly."

"Now I’ll give you two choices. Either get lost immediately, or wait for me to take you back to the manor!"

Chu Yang looked at Wanyan Kang as though he were an idiot. "I’m rather petty, so I’ll only give you one choice. Stay obediently, and have someone bring my friend here."

Wanyan Kang narrowed his eyes, murderous intent gradually filling them.

Bao Xiruo heard their conversation from within the sedan chair and hurriedly called Wanyan Kang over.

Once he approached, she quietly asked what had happened.

Wanyan Kang had no choice but to explain why Chu Yang was blocking him.

After hearing it, Bao Xiruo was also puzzled. How could such a vast manor possibly abduct a little beggar?

Bao Xiruo hesitated. "Kang’er, that man may be targeting you…"

Wanyan Kang sensed that his mother’s thoughts had changed and immediately grew excited. "That man is relying on his superior martial arts to try and take me hostage. He most likely wants to use me to threaten Father. That beggar friend is nothing but a fabricated excuse!"

"A thief like him must be captured and handed over to Father for judgment!"

Bao Xiruo gently lifted the curtain and looked at Chu Yang, who was dressed like a scholar. After a slight hesitation, she nodded. "You may seize him, but do not harm his life. Once we return to the manor, we can determine right and wrong."

Wanyan Kang was somewhat dissatisfied, but he still agreed not to take Chu Yang’s life. He knew his mother was kindhearted.

After receiving Bao Xiruo’s consent, Wanyan Kang gave the guard captain beside him a look. The latter understood at once and, without another word, led a large group of soldiers to surround Chu Yang.

Seeing this formation, the surrounding commoners scattered like startled birds and beasts, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

The bald monk who had stood atop the platform shouting, "Who else?" was also badly frightened and vanished in a flash.

Mu Nianci, dressed in red, did not even glance at him. Since earlier, she had been staring at Chu Yang.

"Father, you were right. That scholar who looks so refined really is an expert!"

Mu Nianci exclaimed in amazement.

"He actually crushed the copper cymbals in that big lama’s hands with his bare hands."

"He looks so young, probably only a few years older than me, yet he possesses such powerful body-tempering martial arts!"

Yang Tiexin, who had taken the alias "Mu Yi," did not hear what his daughter was saying at all. His attention had long been drawn to that bright red sedan chair.

The voice inside was one that had haunted his dreams.

That gentle, tender voice, like wind chimes, instantly pulled Yang Tiexin’s thoughts back to Niu Jia Village eighteen years ago.

In the blink of an eye, the fighting platform turned into the warm little home from his memories.

"Brother Tie."

His gentle and virtuous wife stood vividly before him, smiling softly.

Lost in his daze, Yang Tiexin subconsciously reached out, wanting to touch his wife.

The instant his fingers brushed her cheek, everything around him shattered like an illusory dream.

His home was gone!

His wife, his child, his sworn brother Guo Xiaotian, his sister-in-law Li Ping—everyone was gone!

Returning to reality, Yang Tiexin’s eyes turned bloodshot, veins bulging across his face as he looked utterly crazed.

He stared fixedly at the sedan chair.

Yang Tiexin wanted to know exactly who was sitting behind that curtain!

Under Mu Nianci’s terrified gaze, Yang Tiexin grabbed the spear from the weapon rack and leaped down from the platform without hesitation. He did not even offer Mu Nianci a single explanation before charging out alone.

Only after Yang Tiexin had rushed out did Mu Nianci cry out in realization.

"Father, don’t!"

How could the crazed Yang Tiexin still hear Mu Nianci calling him? He only wanted to see the wife he had longed for day and night.

Even if there were mountains of blades and seas of fire ahead, he would charge through them!

Because the guard captain had transferred most of the Jin soldiers to surround Chu Yang, only a small squad of Jin soldiers stood in Yang Tiexin’s way.

The Yang Family Spear Technique was broad and forceful, a spear art honed on the battlefield. It was even more suited to dealing with military formations than martial arts experts.

Even though Yang Tiexin’s body was no longer what it had once been, dealing with a few Jin soldiers was still no difficult task.

In an instant, he tore through the weak military formation before him and charged to within fifty paces of the sedan chair.

Only Wanyan Kang remained in front of Yang Tiexin!

Yang Tiexin’s actions had thoroughly enraged Wanyan Kang, and his eyes brimmed with chilling murderous intent.

Having already been brutally beaten by Chu Yang today, he had suffered enough humiliation.

And now even this lowly street performer dared to attack him.

Burning with rage, Wanyan Kang circulated his internal energy and curled his five fingers into claws. A sinister, terrifying aura quietly spread through the air.

He intended to use the Nine Yin White Bone Claw to crush the skull of the middle-aged man before him.

At that moment, Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng attacked at the same time, blocking Yang Tiexin.

If the Little Prince was injured, Wanyan Honglie would most likely spare them!

But if anything happened to the princess consort, they would undoubtedly die.

Lingzhi Shangren’s hands were trapped inside the copper cymbals, leaving him unable to use his signature Great Handprint and Poison Sand Palm. His martial arts were greatly weakened, and he could not kill Yang Tiexin!

Thus, Liang Ziweng became the main force against Yang Tiexin. With Lingzhi Shangren assisting him, he used the Great Capturing Hand to suppress Yang Tiexin.

If Yang Tiexin had not been crazed and fighting in a style that traded his life for injuries, he would likely have already been subdued by the two men.

As the three fought fiercely, Mu Nianci also caught up.

Though she had no idea why her father had become like this, only one thought remained in her heart: she had to help Yang Tiexin fight.

Unfortunately, Mu Nianci’s martial arts were even weaker than Yang Tiexin’s. She could not even break through the Jin soldiers’ defensive line and was trapped firmly in the distance.

She could only watch helplessly as Yang Tiexin was beaten until he kept coughing up blood by Liang Ziweng and Lingzhi Shangren.

Who will save my father?

Mu Nianci fought the Jin soldiers while desperately praying in her heart.

On the other side, under the guard captain’s command, even more soldiers launched an attack on Chu Yang.

The guard captain knew that Chu Yang was a body-tempering expert, so he had the soldiers wield spears and attack from different angles, hoping to find Chu Yang’s weak point.

Experts whose bodies were impervious to blades and spears were rare, but each of them had a weak point. Once that weak point was broken, the martial arts they had accumulated over a lifetime would be ruined.

Yet faced with countless spearheads stabbing toward him, Chu Yang merely watched coldly, utterly unmoved.

With his current Armament Haki, ordinary weapons could not harm him at all. Even Shanks’s sword, Griffin, could not easily break through it.

The moment the spearheads struck Chu Yang’s long robe, they shattered.

Dozens of spears broke at once, creating an immensely shocking sight. The Jin soldiers held their headless spear shafts as though they were mere fire pokers.

The Jin soldiers’ combat discipline was fairly good. After the front row of spearmen lost their weapons, they immediately retreated and changed formation, allowing the spearmen in the rear to continue attacking.

Wave after wave followed, with spears raining down across every part of Chu Yang’s body.

Once a military formation began to operate, it was like a merciless killing machine that never stopped.

Under normal circumstances, that was how it worked.

But after seven or eight rounds of attacks, the Jin soldiers stopped moving. Every spear in their hands had become a fire poker.

And the ground was littered with shattered spearheads…

The Jin soldiers froze. The guard captain and Wanyan Kang behind them also froze.

Wanyan Kang’s face turned red from strain. Only after a long while did he force out a sentence. "What kind of evil art is this?!"

Chu Yang looked at him with a faint smile. "You’ll find out soon enough."

Wanyan Kang’s head buzzed. He was truly afraid now. Since the day he was born, he had never been this terrified.

Ignoring his mother’s instructions, he screamed hysterically, "All of you, attack! Use your fists! Bite him with your teeth! You must kill him!"

The Jin soldiers threw away their bare spear shafts, their eyes reddening as they surged forward together!

The Little Prince was enraged. If they could not kill this scholar today, they would be the ones to die tomorrow.

Chu Yang shook his head. His Conqueror’s Haki erupted completely, and an invisible golden storm swept through the area.

It was like a stone thrown into a tranquil lake, the ripples of Conqueror’s Haki spreading outward without end.

The image of the Jin soldiers charging valiantly came to an abrupt halt, as though someone had forcibly pressed pause.

The military formation of nearly a thousand men stood motionless, and silence fell in an instant.

The bizarre sight made Wanyan Kang’s scalp tingle, every hair on his body standing on end.

THUD!!!

A Jin soldier closest to Chu Yang suddenly collapsed, falling stiffly to the ground. Then the other Jin soldiers fell one after another like dominoes.

A dense mass of Jin soldiers collapsed across the ground, creating a breathtaking scene!

Wanyan Kang’s mouth fell open at the sight, and he felt an intense suffocating pressure.

The abilities Chu Yang had displayed had already surpassed the limits of his understanding.

Wanyan Kang was not the only one frightened. Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng, who were besieging Yang Tiexin, were also so shocked by the horrifying sight that they lost their wits.

The gravely wounded Yang Tiexin seized the opportunity and stabbed both men’s vital points with two successive thrusts!

Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng each let out miserable screams before collapsing onto the ground.

Looking at the unconscious Jin soldiers around her and her father’s desperate reversal, Mu Nianci stood dumbfounded.

Did Heaven truly hear my plea?

Chu Yang slowly walked toward Wanyan Kang. As he passed Mu Nianci, she finally came to her senses and asked, "Did you do this?"

Chu Yang nodded, then suddenly stopped and looked at the pretty young woman in red before him.

A marriage contest.

Wanyan Kang had appeared as well.

Then she must be Mu Nianci.

Mu Nianci blushed under Chu Yang’s direct gaze. A flush rose across her lovely face, and she could not help lowering her eyes to avoid his gaze.

"Miss Mu, shouldn’t you go check on your father?"

Seeing Mu Nianci fidgeting before him, Chu Yang asked in confusion.

Mu Nianci let out a startled cry. Her face reddened even more as she ran toward Yang Tiexin without looking back. Due to his severe injuries, he had collapsed by the roadside like Lingzhi Shangren and the others.

Even so, Yang Tiexin’s gaze remained fixed on that red sedan chair.

Mu Nianci supported Yang Tiexin and asked about his injuries with concern, but to her surprise, Yang Tiexin pushed her away.

"Nianci, don’t worry about me. Go lift the curtain of that sedan chair and let me see who’s inside."

Mu Nianci looked at her father in confusion. He had suffered such severe injuries, yet he was still concerned about who was sitting inside a sedan chair?

"Go, now!"

Yang Tiexin shouted excitedly, only to cough up a mouthful of hot blood.

Seeing this, Mu Nianci did not dare delay any longer and hurried toward the sedan chair.

Wanyan Kang suddenly appeared and blocked her path. Just as he was about to strike, a sharp pain shot through his wrist.

He looked up and found Chu Yang standing beside him, gripping his wrist.

Wanyan Kang broke out in a cold sweat from the pain!

Remembering how he had been lifted and smashed into the ground earlier, he immediately did not dare move.

Bao Xiruo had no idea what was happening outside. She only felt the surroundings suddenly become unnaturally quiet.

Feeling uneasy, she lifted the curtain and poked half her head out, softly calling for Wanyan Kang.

"Kang’er, how is the situation?"

Bao Xiruo received no answer. Wanyan Kang was in too much pain to speak.

Then Mu Nianci strode up to the sedan chair and yanked open the curtain, revealing the person inside.

She froze.

Inside sat an extraordinarily beautiful woman. Her bearing and appearance were unlike anything Mu Nianci had ever seen in her life.

She’s so beautiful!

This was the only thought left in Mu Nianci’s mind.

What was the relationship between such a beautiful woman and her father? Why had her father insisted on seeing her face?

Mu Nianci turned to look at Yang Tiexin.

Yang Tiexin strained to stretch his neck, trying to see the face of the person inside the sedan chair clearly.

It was a face almost identical to the one from eighteen years ago, as though time had never left a trace upon it.

Yang Tiexin stared in a daze, tears slipping down his face without his notice.

"Xiruo…"

The weathered middle-aged man spoke very softly. It was impossible to tell whether it was because his injuries had left him too weak, or because he felt ashamed of himself and did not dare call her name loudly.

Bao Xiruo wore elegant, luxurious clothes. Her complexion and features were like those of a young woman in her teens, making it obvious that she was living well now.

In a daze, Yang Tiexin suddenly remembered that the current Bao Xiruo was the princess consort spoken of by the Jin soldiers.

"She’s a princess consort… How could she be a princess consort?"

Yang Tiexin muttered to himself, utterly despondent, as if all the spirit had been drained from his body.

Once the curtain was fully lifted, Bao Xiruo saw the Jin soldiers all lying on the ground around her, then saw her son being restrained. Her face immediately paled in alarm.

Though terrified, her instincts as a mother still drove Bao Xiruo to shakily step out of the sedan chair.

Bao Xiruo said gently, "My son has behaved improperly and offended you, sir. Please be magnanimous and do not harm him. I apologize to you on his behalf."

Seeing his mother lower herself and apologize for him, Wanyan Kang felt a surge of anger rise in his heart.

He did not know where he found the courage, but he roared at Chu Yang, "Villain, if you have the guts, kill me! If I die here today, you can forget about leaving Yanjing City!"

"Now you’re acting tough?" Chu Yang sneered. He lightly stomped his foot, and the stone slabs beneath him instantly shattered as the ground sank three feet without warning.

Wanyan Kang sucked in a breath. Reason immediately overcame his anger again, and he lowered his head sincerely. "I’m sorry. I was wrong."

"Tsk, tsk." Chu Yang looked at him with contempt, then released his wrist and pointed at Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng. "Weren’t you going back to Zhao King Manor? Those two can’t move now, so this is the perfect chance for you to go back."

Wanyan Kang’s eyes widened, his delight mixed with disbelief.

Chu Yang pointed at Bao Xiruo. "But in exchange, she stays behind."

Wanyan Kang’s face went deathly pale.

Chu Yang patted his shoulder and said meaningfully, "Your features are pale, and your crown is dark. You have the face of a lone star cursed by heaven…"

Wanyan Kang gritted his teeth. "Rest assured, sir. I will definitely bring your friend here without a scratch."

Chu Yang smiled. "You’ve already made similar promises twice. Remember, there won’t be a third time."

Wanyan Kang nodded, walked over to whisper a few words into Bao Xiruo’s ear, and then left.

Only after Wanyan Kang had disappeared from sight did Bao Xiruo begin secretly studying the scholarly-looking man before her.

She suddenly realized that Chu Yang might be telling the truth.

Zhao King Manor was a mixed bag these days, filled with many people of Jianghu. Perhaps someone really had taken his friend away…

But why would such a powerful expert be friends with a beggar?

Bao Xiruo frowned deeply, unable to make sense of it.

She did not notice that Yang Tiexin beside her was still staring at her in a daze.

Chu Yang glanced at Yang Tiexin and secretly shook his head. There really seemed to be something wrong with this man’s head. His wife, whom he had lost for eighteen years, was right in front of him, yet he did not say a single word.

He had originally thought Yang Tiexin would recognize his wife at once, but it seemed this fellow was somewhat insecure and did not dare approach her.

"Your resolve is nowhere near Wanyan Honglie’s. It’s only because Bao Xiruo is so loyal and devoted that she hasn’t dumped you already."

Chu Yang sighed helplessly.

Mu Nianci noticed that something was off about Yang Tiexin.

She could almost conclude that there had to be some kind of relationship between the two.

Seeing her father acting timid and hesitant, Mu Nianci could only gather her own courage and walk up to Bao Xiruo. "You are the princess consort, aren’t you?"

Bao Xiruo looked at the young girl who had yanked her out of the sedan chair and nodded.

Mu Nianci continued, "My father seems to know you."

Bao Xiruo asked in confusion, "Who is your father?"

Mu Nianci pointed at Yang Tiexin in the distance, and Bao Xiruo followed the direction of her finger.

A middle-aged man with a sorrowful, weathered face entered her sight. Bao Xiruo looked at him for a while, then shook her head. "I do not know your father. He must have mistaken me for someone else."

Her voice was soft and weak, but to Yang Tiexin’s ears, it was like thunder exploding. The world before his eyes seemed to spin.

Mu Nianci had not expected such an answer either, and she immediately became flustered.

Chu Yang could not bear to watch any longer. He walked directly up to Bao Xiruo and said, "That man’s surname is Yang, and his name is Tiexin. You should know him."

Upon hearing the three words Yang Tiexin, Bao Xiruo’s body shook violently!

She turned to look at that utterly unfamiliar middle-aged man. His face was vastly different from the Yang Tiexin in her memories—one could even say they had nothing to do with each other.

"Impossible. Brother Tiexin died long ago…"

Thinking of her husband, Bao Xiruo became extremely agitated. Her tone was resolute, because for eighteen years, she had always believed this.

Yang Tiexin was dead!

Yet Chu Yang merely asked one more question, and it directly shattered her mental defenses.

"You say Yang Tiexin is dead, but when have you ever seen Yang Tiexin’s body?"

Those calm words landed in Bao Xiruo’s heart like a bolt from the blue.

"I never saw Brother Tiexin’s remains, but…"

Bao Xiruo could not continue. She slowly raised her head and looked at the middle-aged man.

At that moment, Yang Tiexin was also gazing at her with deep affection.

After Chu Yang had abruptly pierced through that thin layer of pretense, he no longer avoided her.

A face could change with time and hardship.

But the eyes of someone in love would not change.

Feeling Yang Tiexin’s gaze, Bao Xiruo’s heart finally wavered completely. Her voice trembling, she asked, "Are you really Brother Tiexin?"

Yang Tiexin struggled on the ground, trying to stand, but his body would not obey him.

Seeing this, Mu Nianci hurried to her father’s side and helped him up.

Yang Tiexin took several ragged breaths before saying, "Nianci, help me pick up my spear."

Mu Nianci obediently picked up the spear and placed it in her father’s hands.

The long spear that usually moved as naturally as an extension of his arm felt incomparably heavy in Yang Tiexin’s hands after losing so much blood.

He tried to perform the Yang Family Spear, but after only the opening stance, the entire spear slipped from his grasp and crashed onto the ground. Yang Tiexin’s vision went dark, his head spun, and he could not even remain standing.

Mu Nianci quickly stepped forward to support him.

Seeing this, Bao Xiruo inexplicably felt distressed, and concern appeared on her face.

Chu Yang knew Yang Tiexin had suffered such serious injuries because he had fought Lingzhi Shangren and Liang Ziweng earlier.

Liang Ziweng’s martial arts were not weak. Before Guo Jing learned Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms, even he and Huang Rong together could not defeat Liang Ziweng. Lingzhi Shangren was even stronger than Liang Ziweng.

To have endured against those two until now already counted as Yang Tiexin surpassing his limits.

Chu Yang walked to Yang Tiexin’s side, placed a hand on his shoulder, and sent some life energy into his body.

Having served as "support" in many worlds, Chu Yang was thoroughly familiar with this sort of thing.

As a warm current flowed into his body, more than half of Yang Tiexin’s pain immediately eased, and his expression relaxed considerably.

A few seconds later, Yang Tiexin’s condition immediately improved. His pale face gradually regained color, clearly showing that his lost vitality and blood had been replenished.

Although the old ailments left behind from before remained, he was much more energetic, even in slightly better condition than before he was injured.

Mu Nianci watched as her father’s complexion improved bit by bit, becoming so excited that she could not speak.

Feeling his entire body relax, Yang Tiexin looked at Chu Yang with a complicated expression. This young scholar could not only identify him at a glance, but also possessed such mysterious methods. He could not possibly be an ordinary person!

The stray thoughts flashed by, and Yang Tiexin cupped his hands toward Chu Yang, saying gratefully, "Thank you, sir, for saving my life. Mu… Yang Tiexin will never forget this. May I ask your honored name?"

"Chu Yang." After answering, Chu Yang reminded him, "You still have something to do."

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Chu. Once Yang has fulfilled his wish, I will come speak with you again." With that, Yang Tiexin picked up his spear and walked toward Bao Xiruo.

The cold wind wailed.

Yang Tiexin looked at Bao Xiruo deeply, then began to perform the Yang Family Spear. His movements were broad and powerful, carrying the imposing momentum of an army sweeping all before it.

This spear technique was so familiar in Bao Xiruo’s eyes.

Eighteen years ago, she had seen her husband perform this very same spear technique almost every day.

Memories surged in like a tide and instantly engulfed Bao Xiruo. She could no longer restrain her tears, which spilled from her eyes.

She could finally be certain that this middle-aged man, who felt so unfamiliar to her, was the husband she had longed for day and night—Yang Tiexin!

"Brother Tiexin!!!"

That soft, gentle voice now carried a sob as it echoed in Yang Tiexin’s ears, making him unable to hold on to his spear any longer.

The two, reunited after so long apart, embraced tightly and told each other of what they had endured over the years.

Touching as the scene was, Chu Yang still found it a little awkward. He rubbed his nose and turned away, only to see Mu Nianci staring wide-eyed with a dazed expression.

The scene was far too shocking for the girl. After all, the person embracing her father was the princess consort.

Chu Yang found the girl rather cute and could not resist teasing her. Shaking his head in a critical tone, he said, "Senior Yang truly is a man of temperament. He embraces whoever he wants, and he’s even embracing another man’s wife! Impressive!"

Mu Nianci immediately glared at Chu Yang. Then, realizing that was improper, she hurriedly put on a gentle expression and said softly, "Mr. Chu, please do not make fun of my father. Since you know my father’s real name, you should also know the reason for all this…"

At that point, Mu Nianci suddenly realized that Chu Yang had deliberately been teasing her, and her face instantly turned red.

Chu Yang clicked his tongue in amazement. "In just a few breaths, Miss Mu changed her expression four or five times. If you performed in opera, you would surely become a legendary star."

The blush on Mu Nianci’s face immediately spread, turning her ears and neck red as well.

Chu Yang smiled knowingly. This girl in red was truly adorable, just like Little Yellow. That fellow sometimes made this kind of expression too.

Cute, a little silly, and somewhat tsundere…

Not good.

Chu Yang’s expression suddenly changed, as though facing a great enemy. He immediately sat up straight and kept muttering, "I’m straight. I like mature women. I like lolis. I like JK uniforms. I like black stockings…"

Mu Nianci looked bewildered, completely unable to understand what Chu Yang was saying, though she had the feeling that Mr. Chu seemed rather anxious.

After muttering for quite some time, Chu Yang looked at Mu Nianci’s lovely face and her outrageously long legs.

Restless desire stirred.

Very good!

Only then did Chu Yang let out a sigh of relief!

On the other side, Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo finished pouring out their hearts to each other and walked over while supporting one another.

Yang Tiexin cupped his hands and said, "My wife and I were able to recognize each other today entirely thanks to Mr. Chu. Should Mr. Chu ever require anything in the future, Yang will not hesitate to die ten thousand deaths in your service."

Chu Yang smiled and waved his hand. "No need for that."

The two sides chatted for a few moments. During that time, Yang Tiexin hesitated several times, but in the end, he could not hold back and asked, "I know that Mr. Chu possesses extraordinary abilities, but Yang is still very curious. How did Mr. Chu know my real name?"

Chu Yang clicked his tongue, thinking that this man really did not know how to behave. He was even prying into the secrets of his benefactor. In terms of dealing with people, Wanyan Honglie really was better than him.

Chu Yang extended his hand, his fingers rapidly moving through divination gestures so quickly that they left afterimages, making the other three dizzy.

"My family has passed down fortune-telling for generations."

Chu Yang’s fortune-telling technique looked quite professional. At the very least, Yang Tiexin could not spot any flaw in it. He immediately revealed an admiring expression and nodded. "Mr. Chu truly comes from a distinguished lineage…"

He actually believed that?

Chu Yang could not help rolling his eyes.

Mu Nianci asked curiously, "Father, what exactly is your relationship with this… madam?"

Yang Tiexin then recounted what had happened eighteen years ago.

Only then did Mu Nianci come to a realization. The look in her eyes when she looked at Bao Xiruo suddenly became complicated.

As a woman herself, she could fully empathize with Bao Xiruo’s experiences.

Mu Nianci had just wanted to say something when her expression suddenly turned awkward.

Yet Bao Xiruo chose that moment to take Mu Nianci’s hand and say gently, "Since you are Brother Tiexin’s adopted daughter, you are naturally my adopted daughter as well. If you are willing, you may call me Mother."

Mu Nianci’s eyes immediately reddened. From childhood until now, she had never called anyone Mother.

"Mother…"

Mu Nianci called out softly. Her gentle manner made Bao Xiruo adore her, and Bao Xiruo immediately beamed, holding Mu Nianci’s hand and rubbing it again and again.

"What should we do next?"

Mu Nianci asked, blushing.

Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo exchanged a glance, both their faces filled with hesitation.

On one hand, they wanted to flee far away and spend the rest of their lives in anonymity. On the other hand, they also wanted to see their son—or rather, Yang Tiexin wanted to acknowledge his son.

Bao Xiruo sighed. "I understand Kang’er’s temperament. Now that he’s returned to the manor, he’ll definitely ask the Zhao King to mobilize the army. And for my sake, the Zhao King will surely agree. It’ll be very dangerous if we stay here."

"We’d better leave first. When we get the chance later, we can explain the reasons to Kang’er."

Hearing this, Yang Tiexin hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding.

Seeing that her father had agreed to leave, Mu Nianci turned to Chu Yang and asked, "Mr. Chu, will you come with us?"

As she spoke, she dearly hoped that Chu Yang would nod.

But…

Chu Yang shook his head without hesitation. "I’m still waiting for that Little Prince to bring my friend over, so I can’t leave yet."

Yang Tiexin tried to persuade him. "Mr. Chu, your martial arts are the finest I have ever seen. But if Zhao King Manor mobilizes its army, it won’t be hundreds or thousands of men—it’ll be tens of thousands of Jin soldiers!"

"The Jurchen are invincible once they number ten thousand. That saying is no empty boast. Sir, you must not act on impulse. With your skills, you could find an opportunity to sneak into the manor and rescue your friend while they are unprepared."

Mu Nianci kept nodding beside them. When she heard Chu Yang say he intended to stay, she had been badly startled as well.

Bao Xiruo joined in trying to persuade him.

Yet Chu Yang merely shook his head again. He offered no further explanation, simply found a place to sit, closed his eyes to rest, and silently waited for Wanyan Kang to return.

When Yang Tiexin saw that persuasion was futile, he fell silent for a while before turning to Bao Xiruo. "Xiruo, Mr. Chu saved my life. I can’t just leave him behind like this. I’m sorry…"

Bao Xiruo did not complain. Instead, she smiled gently. "The thing I’ve always been proudest of is the kind of man you are. Ever since Kang’er was young, I told him that you were a great hero who valued loyalty and righteousness. So I won’t blame you."

Seeing that both her parents intended to stay, Mu Nianci said anxiously, "Father, Mother, you finally managed to meet again after all this time. You can’t stay here. You should go. I’ll remain and help Mr. Chu."

Yang Tiexin shook his head with a laugh. "I taught you your martial arts. I know exactly what you’re capable of. If you stay, you’ll only distract Mr. Chu."

Father and daughter continued arguing.

Chu Yang found it a little noisy. In truth, whether they left or stayed made no difference. The saying that the Jurchen were invincible once they numbered ten thousand held no threat for him.

Not to mention that before Conqueror’s Haki, those soldiers were as fragile as paper. Even if they compared firepower, he had nothing to fear.

The Second Mizukage Hozuki Gengetsu’s Steaming Danger Tyranny was a battlefield weapon. In an era without mushroom bombs, no group of ancient people could deal with such a bug-level "strategic weapon," no matter how desperately they tried.

If that brat Wanyan Kang failed to bring the man out and instead led a large force of Jin soldiers here, then he could not blame Chu Yang for abandoning martial ethics. Chu Yang would give him a memory he would never forget for the rest of his life.

At the same time, Wanyan Kang dragged his wounded body back to Zhao King Manor, throwing the entire manor into chaos.

The Little Prince had been injured, and the princess consort had been taken hostage. Such a thing was beyond anything the servants had ever dared imagine.

When Wanyan Honglie received the news, he was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan. He immediately decided to use his status as a prince to mobilize the army, capture the criminals, and ensure the princess consort’s safety.

But Wanyan Kang stopped him.

Chu Yang had underestimated the shadow he had left in Wanyan Kang’s heart. Wanyan Kang could no longer muster the will to become his enemy.

"Father, that scholar’s martial arts are extraordinarily powerful, the greatest I have ever seen. Besides, what he wants isn’t difficult to provide. There’s no need for us to fight him head-on."

Wanyan Kang kept trying to persuade Wanyan Honglie, who was pacing back and forth through the main hall.

"Kang’er, how could anyone from my Zhao King Manor possibly have captured some little beggar?" Wanyan Honglie said, sweeping his sleeve with a helpless laugh.

"People from Zhao King Manor naturally wouldn’t do such a thing, but what if it was one of the strange experts Father recruited? They were originally all sorts of people from the Jianghu. It wouldn’t be strange for them to do anything."

Wanyan Kang’s words plunged Wanyan Honglie into thought. He could not deny that Wanyan Kang had a point.

Though those people were usually deeply respectful toward father and son, they acted arrogantly and tyrannically outside, committing many outrageous acts that left the common people full of resentment. Wanyan Honglie had long heard about it.

Wanyan Kang continued, "Father, why not gather those experts and question them?"

The situation was urgent, and the princess consort was still in the criminals’ hands. Wanyan Honglie could not afford to think too much. He immediately ordered someone to summon those experts to the front hall.

After a while.

Peng Lianhu, Sha Tongtian, and a handsome young man dressed in white appeared in the front hall.

There were also several miscellaneous martial artists.

Wanyan Honglie explained the situation, then asked, "May I ask everyone present whether any of you, due to personal grudges, abducted someone and brought them into Zhao King Manor without authorization?"

Peng Lianhu and Sha Tongtian were instantly startled, both immediately thinking of Guo Jing.

The young man in white also frowned.

No one spoke.

Wanyan Honglie’s tone gradually became harsher. He said coldly, "This concerns the safety of the princess consort. If anyone knows something and fails to report it, then do not blame me for settling accounts afterward."

Peng Lianhu and Sha Tongtian exchanged a glance. The latter gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and said, "Some time ago, I captured someone and locked him in the manor’s dungeon. I don’t know if he’s the person Your Highness is looking for."

Wanyan Honglie narrowed his eyes. "What is that person’s name?"

Sha Tongtian replied, "Your Highness has heard his name before. He is Guo Jing, the one who disrupted our plans in Mongolia."

Wanyan Honglie looked toward Wanyan Kang. The latter shook his head. "That missing brother of his is surnamed Huang, not Guo. It probably isn’t him."

The young man in white’s expression changed upon hearing this.

Wanyan Kang noticed the change in his expression and frowned. "Ouyang Ke, did you bring someone into the manor too?"

Ouyang Ke, dressed in white, nodded. "The person I captured is indeed surnamed Huang, but she’s a girl."

Wanyan Honglie let out a long sigh. "One has the wrong surname, and the other the wrong gender. What are we supposed to do?"

Wanyan Kang gritted his teeth. "Bring them both over and let him choose!"