Soul Palace Regular Meeting, Consequences of Showing Off

The Soul Palace’s regular meeting began.

The Chu Yangs from the other worlds explained the situation to the Chu Yang from the martial arts world. Afterward, everyone shared their recent memories and abilities.

According to plan, Pirate Chu Yang had found the Lineage Factor technology and successfully separated out some Lineage Factors carrying Wood Release traits. Hokage Chu Yang would use this technology to extract the necessary Lineage Factors from the bloodline left behind by the Otsutsuki clan.

Then, they could try creating the Sage of Six Paths’ Lineage Factors.

Hokage Chu Yang had already learned Sage Mode.

Combined with the Sage of Six Paths’ Lineage Factors, he would be able to perfectly replicate Six Paths Sage Mode.

Besides that, Hokage Chu Yang had another idea.

"I want to see whether Lineage Factor technology can extract part of the tailed beasts’ Chakra from jinchuriki."

"If it works, we can fuse that Chakra and create Ten-Tails Chakra that belongs to us."

The idea was intriguing and immediately sparked discussion among them all.

Magic Chu Yang said, "In theory, it should work. The tailed beasts themselves were formed from the Ten-Tails’ Chakra being split apart, with different traits corresponding to different tailed beasts."

"The key issue is that the fusion may consume an enormous amount of Chakra. After all, the tailed beast Chakra we obtain from jinchuriki will be incomplete. It must be supplemented to ensure a successful fusion."

Shinigami Chu Yang reminded them, "Let’s put this plan aside for now. The important thing is figuring out Six Paths Sage Mode."

"Kisuke Urahara’s training for me is almost over. Before long, I’ll be entering the Soul Society with Ichigo and the others."

"I’ve never fought a captain-level Shinigami with everything I have, so I can’t be sure how much Sage Mode will help."

"Six Paths Sage Mode is an extremely important safeguard for me."

Hokage Chu Yang nodded.

Magic Chu Yang asked, "Has Kisuke Urahara’s training helped you sense your own Zanpakuto?"

Shinigami Chu Yang sighed. "It has helped, but I’m not Ichigo Kurosaki. I can’t do what he did. I have to take the conventional route—join the Shinigami faction before I can forge my Zanpakuto."

Magic Chu Yang reminded him, "Make good use of Observation Haki and avoid troublesome opponents whenever possible!"

"Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, Aizen Sosuke, Kyoraku Shunsui, Unohana Retsu, Zaraki Kenpachi… Those are the ones you need to avoid."

"You can fight everyone else without holding back."

Shinigami Chu Yang scratched his head and mocked himself. "Now that I count them up, there really aren’t many people I can beat."

Demon Slayer Chu Yang suddenly said, "I’ve recently gained a little insight into Source Breathing. When you return, take some time to experience it properly. It might help."

Pirate Chu Yang added, "Although I’ve been busy researching Lineage Factor technology lately, I haven’t neglected my Haki training. Don’t worry."

Shinigami Chu Yang nodded repeatedly. "I know you guys have my back. I was just joking earlier. I’m very confident about this trip to the Soul Society."

Marvel Chu Yang suddenly spoke up. "The core of Sage Mode is the balance between the body, spirit, and natural energy."

"There probably isn’t any natural energy in the Soul Society, right? Isn’t everything there made of spirit particles?"

"How are you going to use Sage Mode under those circumstances?"

Shinigami Chu Yang froze.

He had never considered that question.

Marvel Chu Yang patted his shoulder and consoled him. "When you get back, hurry up and practice figuring out how to use spirit particles to construct a new Sage Mode."

Shinigami Chu Yang immediately fell into deep thought.

Marvel Chu Yang turned to Magic Chu Yang and asked, "Can your current wandless casting level use the Unforgivable Curses?"

Magic Chu Yang shook his head. "Not yet. I can only cast a few simple spells."

Marvel Chu Yang felt somewhat regretful. He had been thinking that if his wandless casting could barely reach the level needed for the Imperius Curse, he would consider joining S.H.I.E.L.D.

If he could use the Imperius Curse to control Hydra’s upper ranks, he would gain a considerable source of support.

They chatted for a while longer before returning to their respective worlds.

Martial arts world.

The steel saber before him had been 0.01 seconds away from chopping into Chu Yang’s head. The moment he opened his eyes, black lightning invisible to ordinary people began raging wildly, and a terrifying force swept through the surroundings.

Conqueror’s Haki.

The lackey’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed stiffly in front of Chu Yang.

It was not just him. Every thug on the entire street was struck by Conqueror’s Haki and instantly passed out.

The burly man with three huge bumps on his head felt as though his skull had suddenly been smashed by a hammer. He had barely reached up to touch the back of his head before his eyes rolled back and he passed out too.

He lasted two seconds longer than his underlings.

As for the big fool who had redirected trouble onto Chu Yang, he unexpectedly did not collapse. Instead, he swayed unsteadily against a pillar.

"Why is my head suddenly so dizzy?" the big fool muttered, looking as though he wanted to vomit but could not.

"You little bastard, you nearly got me killed." Chu Yang walked up to him and glared through gritted teeth.

"This brother, my apologies…" The big fool clasped his hands toward the space beside Chu Yang, clearly too dizzy to tell east from west.

"No need to apologize. One good turn deserves another." Chu Yang smiled, then knocked him unconscious under his bewildered gaze.

Chu Yang searched him from head to toe, taking all his silver and valuables. He even took the fur coat he wore over his clothes.

"I’m being merciful enough to leave you a set of clothes. Next time, use your brain and don’t drag innocent people into it. Not everyone is as lucky as I am."

Chu Yang gave him a glance, then headed toward the members of the flamboyantly styled "Funeral Love Clan."

"We have no grudges, yet you were willing to kill random passersby. You can’t be good people." Chu Yang picked up a steel saber from the ground and casually slit one man’s throat. "Then don’t blame me for repaying resentment with resentment and vengeance with vengeance!"

After saying that, Chu Yang walked forward with the steel saber in hand.

In an instant, the entire street became a river of blood.

Chu Yang’s expression remained calm.

Had today’s events happened to any ordinary citizen, they would have died at these people’s hands without question.

Chu Yang felt no psychological burden whatsoever in killing them.

When only the last person remained, the man with three bumps on his head suddenly sprang up from the ground and ran like the wind.

He had some foundation in lightness skill, but he was far from impressive. Even after running for quite a while, he never left Chu Yang’s sight.

Chu Yang threw the steel saber. Empowered by his brute strength, even an ordinary weapon became a deadly instrument that called souls to the gates of hell.

Hearing the whistle of something cutting through the air behind him, the fleeing man turned around and saw a steel saber flying toward him from afar. Its shape looked extremely familiar.

I’m finished!

The thought had barely crossed his mind before the steel saber pierced through his body. The terrifying force on the blade even carried him into the air, pinning both man and saber to the wall beside the street.

Chu Yang slowly approached and looked up at him.

"You killed me today… My senior brother… won’t let you off…"

The burly man left behind that threat, then tilted his head and died. His eyes were wide open, filled with unwillingness.

"So what? Who is your senior brother? Who leaves a threat half-finished?"

Chu Yang shook his head helplessly. "You were the one who wanted to kill me first, and then I killed you. It was simply karma. If you’re going to roam the Jianghu without even that much awareness, it’s really disappointing…"

Blood streamed down the wall. Before it could reach Chu Yang’s feet, he had already left, walking straight past the corpse with its eyes wide open in fury.

The authorities would arrive soon enough, and Chu Yang had left the big fool behind as the scapegoat.

Of course, calling him a scapegoat was not entirely accurate.

If the big fool was lucky, perhaps he could leave before the authorities arrived.

A while later, Chu Yang, now wearing the fur coat, arrived at the Earth God Temple. He searched around but could not find the little beggar.

After asking some nearby beggars, Chu Yang learned that the little beggar did not live here at all.

He had lied to him.

But Chu Yang could understand.

For someone with unusual preferences, gathering with other people was probably an uncomfortable thing.

After giving out some food, Chu Yang left the Earth God Temple.

He searched around the city but still found no trace of the little beggar.

At dusk, Chu Yang went to the restaurant as usual to listen to storytelling and eat. He still did not see the little beggar. He had wanted to share the joy of his cheat finally arriving with the kid, but who would have thought that little brat had gone completely off the grid.

"With such a huge table of food and no one to share it with, it all has to go into my stomach. This is truly…"

"Awesome!"

Good news put a spring in Chu Yang’s step. He dug in with gusto. What little beggar? Get lost!

In his cheerful mood, Chu Yang was unusually quiet while listening to the storyteller today. Even when he heard ridiculous tales, he remained perfectly composed.

"Since the Northern and Southern Beggars’ Sects last clashed at Yanmen Pass, the Jianghu of the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties has been much quieter."

"However, in the Ming Dynasty, which borders both the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, the Jianghu is in turmoil."

"The Ming Dynasty’s two great demon sects, the Ming Cult and the Sun Moon Divine Cult, have always clashed over matters of doctrine, and conflicts between their followers have never ceased."

"Just days ago, Yang Xiao of the Ming Cult and Xiang Wentian of the Sun Moon Divine Cult fought fiercely. Both men hold the position of Left Guardian of Light in their respective sects, their status second only to their leaders."

"Their battle has once again pushed the conflict between the two sects into the spotlight."

"As for the cause, it seems to have been a female disciple of Extermination Master from Mount Emei, named Ji Xiaofu."

"And this Fairy Ji, Ji Xiaofu, is said to be the missing fiancée of Yin Liting, the Sixth Hero of Mount Wudang…"

Chu Yang stared in utter disbelief!

The Ming Cult was fighting the Sun Moon Divine Cult?

"It was already ridiculous enough that the Southern Song and Northern Song became two separate countries. Now even the Ming Dynasty is joining in…"

"Qiao Feng is from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, Hong Qigong is from Legend of the Condor Heroes and The Return of the Condor Heroes, Yang Xiao is from The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, and Xiang Wentian is from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer."

"The entire northwest has turned into a complete mess!"

As Chu Yang returned home, the big fool who had nearly gotten him killed was rushed through the night into a manor.

The big fool opened his eyes and saw a vicious-looking bald man glaring at him.

It gave him a fright!

"Who are you?"

"Who the hell am I? You killed my junior brother and four disciples. Who do you think I am?"

"Junior brother and disciples? You mean Hou Tonghai and the Yellow River Four Demons? I didn’t kill them!"

"Still trying to deny it? They went there because of you. How could they have died at someone else’s hands?"

"I really didn’t kill them!"

The big fool kept trying to explain, but he was too clumsy with words.

He could only repeat that he had not done it, and the bald man refused to listen.

The bald man sneered. "Guo Jing! First, you ruined the prince’s great plan to assassinate Temujin in Mongolia. Now you’ve killed my junior brother and disciples, Hou Tonghai. There’s no way I can spare you!"

"I’ll keep you in the prince’s manor and torture you slowly, making you wish you were dead, so I can vent the hatred in my heart!"

After saying that, Sha Tongtian ordered his servants to drag Guo Jing away!

"Old Sha, judging by that foolish kid’s expression, he doesn’t seem to be lying."

The man standing beside Sha Tongtian was his friend, "Thousand-Handed Butcher" Peng Lianhu, also one of the five great experts under Wanyan Honglie.

Peng Lianhu said, "Hou Tonghai and the Yellow River Four Demons were not weak. Even if they couldn’t defeat that kid, there’s no way he could have killed them."

"I examined the wounds. Every one of the Yellow River Four Demons had their throat slit in a single strike. Hou Tonghai was pierced through the chest by a steel saber and pinned to a wall. He too died in one move, with no other external injuries."

"Even you and I would probably find that difficult, wouldn’t we?"

Peng Lianhu’s words startled Sha Tongtian!

He had always been hot-tempered. In his rage, he never stopped to think. But after hearing Peng Lianhu’s analysis, he finally realized the severity of the matter.

His disciples aside, while his junior brother Hou Tonghai’s martial arts were not outstanding, he could at least exchange a few moves with him. He was not completely incapable of fighting back…

"Could someone else really have done it?"

Sha Tongtian was filled with confusion, wondering when exactly he had offended such a formidable expert.

Peng Lianhu said earnestly, "Don’t touch that kid for now. If he has any connection to the killer, as long as he remains with us, that killer will reveal himself sooner or later."

"Once he enters the prince’s manor, we can ask Lingzhi Shangren and the others for help. We’ll definitely be able to take the other party down!"

The more Sha Tongtian listened, the more sense Peng Lianhu’s words made. He nodded again and again.

Locked in the prince’s manor dungeon, Guo Jing felt more and more wronged as he thought about it. He truly had not killed anyone.

But apart from him, there had not been a second person at the scene.

Suddenly, a figure flashed through Guo Jing’s mind.

That scholar in a long robe, who looked utterly powerless!

"Even though I accidentally involved you, you took my money, stripped off my coat, and even framed me!"

"You bad person, don’t let me find you!"

Guo Jing, who could not even curse properly, immediately began shedding aggrieved tears.

After surviving the disaster, Chu Yang’s life did not change much. He still taught during the day and listened to storytellers at night.

In the past, Chu Yang only visited the restaurant to hear stories occasionally.

But ever since Little Yellow suddenly disappeared, he had begun going there more and more often.

Chu Yang would habitually order a full table of food and wait from evening until nightfall.

He thought that perhaps one day, while he was eating, that little brat might suddenly emerge from some corner…

But he did not see Little Yellow for several days in a row.

It was as though he had vanished from the face of the earth, as though he had never appeared in this city at all.

"That little brat always had such a foul mouth and acted so obnoxiously. Could he have offended someone and gotten beaten to death, then tossed into some filthy ditch?"

The more Chu Yang thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Whenever Little Yellow joked around with him, he had always been utterly disrespectful.

Chu Yang interacted with him using a modern way of thinking and did not feel there was anything wrong with it. But other people—especially those with status and position—would certainly not be able to accept it.

If he had offended some official or noble, the outcome was easy to imagine.

In ancient times, where human lives were as cheap as grass, no one would care if a beggar like Little Yellow died. Even if hundreds of them died, no one would care.

"Even if I report it to the authorities, they might not care whether a little beggar lives or dies. If I want to find him, I’ll have to rely on myself."

After living in this world for so long, Chu Yang could not find a second person around him whom he could call a friend besides Little Yellow. He could not simply stand by.

The values of modern people and ancient people differed by far more than a little. For Chu Yang, finding someone he could get along with in daily life was harder than winning the lottery.

If Little Yellow really had died, Chu Yang would once again be trapped for a long time in the lonely situation where he had no one to talk to.

Returning to that spiritual wasteland was a truly terrifying thing.

After hurriedly finishing dinner, Chu Yang headed to the Earth God Temple in the eastern part of the city again. Although Little Yellow was not there, most of the city’s beggars had gathered in this place.

When it came to finding people, if the Beggars’ Sect ranked second, no other force would dare claim first.

The moment Chu Yang entered the temple, a foul stench hit him head-on, nearly making him vomit up his dinner.

"Mr. Chu."

The beggars in the temple all lit up at the sight of Chu Yang.

They immediately swarmed over, and before long, he was surrounded.

The beggars at the Earth God Temple knew Chu Yang well. This "Mr. Chu" often gave them food, making him one of the kindest people in their eyes.

Chu Yang did not disappoint them. He had bought plenty of tasty food on the way over. After all, asking people for help empty-handed was rather embarrassing.

After tossing the beggars roast chicken, steamed buns, and a pile of assorted food, Chu Yang explained why he had come.

Upon hearing that Chu Yang needed to find someone, the beggars displayed the bearing of Beggars’ Sect disciples. Their usual lazy, careless manner vanished, replaced by utter seriousness.

"Mr. Chu, rest assured. As long as the person you seek is still within the Southern Song Dynasty, we’ll dig three feet into the ground if we have to and find him."

The man in charge of the Earth God Temple was a six-bag disciple named Dayong. He made the promise with absolute conviction, thumping his chest so hard it boomed.

"Then I’ll leave it to you all."

Chu Yang clasped his hands toward the beggars in the temple, remaining exceedingly polite. As a well-known teacher throughout the surrounding villages, he had given these Beggars’ Sect disciples plenty of face.

Dayong grinned from ear to ear. With his vanity satisfied, he became especially invested in the matter.

Before Chu Yang had even left, Dayong was already ordering his Beggars’ Sect subordinates out to search for the person.

The beggars scattered in a rush, and the Earth God Temple immediately became deserted.

Finding someone was not something that could produce results in a moment. Seeing this, Chu Yang did not linger. Before night fell, he left the Earth God Temple.

Three mornings later, while Chu Yang was teaching his morning class, a sudden knock sounded outside the courtyard.

Chu Yang opened the door and saw that the visitor was Dayong.

However, Dayong no longer looked as confident as before. With a grave expression, he said in a low voice, "Mr. Chu, we found him, but… the situation isn’t optimistic."

Chu Yang frowned. "Brother Dayong, what do you mean?"

Dayong took a deep breath and explained, "The brothers in the sect followed the clues you gave us and found traces of your friend. It seems he was abducted by a young expert."

"Those brothers originally planned to rescue him for you, but that young man’s martial arts were formidable. None of them were a match for him, and they were all injured…"

"I’m sorry, Mr. Chu. We were too weak to be of any help."

Chu Yang said nothing more. He simply turned and went into the house, then came back out carrying a money pouch, which he shoved directly into Dayong’s arms.

Dayong opened the pouch and was immediately shocked by the generous amount of money inside. He hurriedly tried to return it. "I can’t accept this, Mr. Chu. I already feel ashamed that we failed to rescue your friend. How could I take so much silver?!"

Chu Yang pushed his hand back and shook his head. "Take it. Use it to treat the brothers’ injuries. Winter is almost here. If they’re injured, they might not make it through."

"Make sure they recover properly. Don’t let their injuries become lasting ailments."

Dayong’s eyes immediately reddened. Trembling, he took back the money pouch. "Mr. Chu, you’re a good man. On behalf of the brothers, thank you. But rest assured, I’ll find a way to ask the elders at the main headquarters for help with this."

"There’s no need to trouble them." Chu Yang shook his head. "Tell me everything you know about Little Yellow. I’ll handle the rest myself."

Dayong became anxious and tried to persuade him. "Mr. Chu, don’t act rashly. That man really is an expert. You’re a scholar with no strength to truss a chicken. You can’t beat him."

Chu Yang smiled. "I’m not that foolish. I’ll ask someone else to take action when the time comes."

Dayong did not know what experts Chu Yang might know, but seeing how confident he was, he stopped trying to persuade him.

"The man who abducted your friend does not seem to be a martial arts expert from the Central Plains. His moves carry a trace of the Western Regions."

"They’re currently inside a manor in Yanjing City…"

Dayong slowly laid out the details, and the more Chu Yang heard, the stranger it seemed.

Logically speaking, if Little Yellow had offended someone, he would most likely have been killed on the spot. What sort of expert would kidnap a little beggar and take him so far away?

"Damn it, could these two have some kind of relationship dispute?"

"Probably not a respectable expert…"

Chu Yang instinctively imagined a dramatic romance between two men. Then he shuddered violently, a chill running through his heart.

"Fuck, I suddenly don’t feel like rescuing him anymore…"

The next day, after finishing his final class, Chu Yang announced that the private school would be going on break.

Cheers erupted, followed by another round of chaos in the courtyard.

Seeing how happy they were, Chu Yang smiled happily as well. Then he immediately assigned a huge pile of vacation homework, ensuring that the flowers of the motherland would spend every day of their break productively.

The cheers came to an abrupt halt. The little brats stared in stunned disbelief before bursting into tears of joy.

Chu Yang nodded with a smile and left through the gate in satisfaction.

Yanjing City lay within the Jin Kingdom and was the kingdom’s capital.

It was extremely far from the small Southern Song Dynasty city where Chu Yang lived.

In this chaotic merged world, the geographical map was completely different from the one Chu Yang remembered. The geography knowledge he had learned before had no reference value whatsoever.

Maps were rare things in ancient times. Chu Yang searched the entire small city but could not find a single complete map.

In the end, it was a storyteller at a tavern who gave Chu Yang a somewhat worn parchment map.

This map had accompanied the storyteller across the land. It had been handled so much that it was nearly polished smooth. Anyone with slightly poor eyesight might not even be able to make out the words marked on it.

Chu Yang sighed and prepared to set off with the map.

Actually, Chu Yang was not worried that the map was blurry. He planned to fly there anyway, so as long as the landmarks were roughly accurate, it would be enough.

Taking advantage of the deep night, Chu Yang used the Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique to fly into the sky. No one noticed him in the pitch-black night.

Looking down from above, the scenery actually looked remarkably similar to that polished map, carrying the same hazy feeling.

In less than half an incense stick’s time, Chu Yang had reached the border of the Southern Song Dynasty and saw a majestic frontier pass.

Beyond it lay the Jin Kingdom.

Chu Yang crossed the border pass and quickly entered Jin territory. He saw city after city, yet he did not feel as though he had entered another country, because there was no discernible difference in architectural style on either side.

Flying steadily in the direction indicated by the map, Yanjing City soon appeared before Chu Yang.

Compared to the small Southern Song Dynasty city where he had lived before, the Yanjing City before him was more than ten times larger. From afar, it looked like an ancient ferocious beast lying dormant upon the earth.

Even in the dead of night, the city remained brightly lit and appeared exceptionally prosperous.

The people of the Jin Kingdom did not seem particularly concerned with curfews.

The brightly lit Yanjing City made it difficult for Chu Yang to find a place to land. After circling the city once, he finally descended in the relatively quiet northern district.

This seemed to be an area where commoners gathered, far less brightly lit than the other parts of the city.

The people worked at sunrise and rested at sunset. Everything was tranquil.

"Yanjing has plenty of nobles and officials, and there’s more than one royal manor. Where exactly is that guy Little Yellow?"

"It’s late at night. Most people are asleep, so Observation Haki is useless. I can’t sense anything…"

"Forget it. I’ll find somewhere to sleep and deal with it tomorrow."

Chu Yang walked alone through the streets, surrounded by silence.

Only the intermittent cries of the night watchman drifted over.

Once he left the northern district, the surroundings became much brighter, and the cries of street vendors filled his ears.

"Wontons for sale~~~ Hot wontons!"

"Roasted meat! Fresh mutton, roe deer meat, fish! Five coins a skewer!"

"Delicious noodle soup! Eight coins a bowl!"

Looking around, the streets were almost entirely lined with late-night food stalls.

As Chu Yang walked past them, he suddenly felt as if he were in a modern-night market.

"Food is the first necessity of the people. No matter the era, the warmth of everyday life is what comforts the Human Heart most."

Chu Yang sighed softly, found a wonton stall, sat down, and ordered a bowl.

The fragrant wontons whetted his appetite, and he lowered his head and dug in.

After flying all night, he had long since become hungry.

Just as Chu Yang was burying his head in his wontons, two figures approached from not far away. After looking around, they stopped beside the wonton stall.

The wonton stall was small, consisting of a little table and several long benches.

Three people could sit there, though it would be a bit cramped.

So the two of them stared straight at Chu Yang, intending to wait for him to finish before sitting down.

"Shopkeeper, two bowls of wontons!"

The speaker was a middle-aged man with a weathered voice. His temples were gray, while wrinkles and scars crisscrossed his face. At a glance, he looked like a man with a story.

Beside the middle-aged man stood a young woman. She was quite pretty, though not in an exquisitely delicate way. Her appearance was graceful yet carried a hint of heroism, with bright eyes and white teeth.

What truly drew the eye was her figure, curving in all the right places, along with her long legs.

The wonton stall owner was staring so hard his eyes nearly went straight.

The young woman seemed to notice the owner’s gaze and shook the bundle beside her. A series of clanging sounds came from inside.

The owner instinctively looked toward the bundle.

It was clearly packed with weapons, their cold gleam menacing.

The owner’s scalp went numb. He shrank his neck and did not dare look any longer, lowering his head to honestly cook the wontons.

Seeing this, the corner of Chu Yang’s lips rose slightly. The girl was quite pretty, and her temper was rather fiery too.

"Boss, another bowl."

The moment Chu Yang finished speaking, he sensed that the young woman standing beside him was somewhat unhappy.

"You’re done eating, so why aren’t you leaving? Eating so much in the middle of the night, aren’t you afraid you’ll burst?"

The young woman muttered quietly, but every word reached Chu Yang’s ears.

"Sorry, one bowl of wontons really isn’t enough to fill me up. I have a big appetite." Chu Yang turned and smiled at her.

At that, the young woman’s eyes flew wide open.

She had spoken extremely softly. Ordinary people could not possibly have heard her.

"Ah…"

Very quickly, the young woman’s fair, pretty face flushed red, and even the tips of her ears grew hot.

Chu Yang shifted his bench and said, "If you two don’t mind, you may sit with me."

The middle-aged man glared at the young woman irritably, then clasped his hands toward Chu Yang. "My daughter is still young and speaks without thinking. I hope you won’t take it to heart, brother."

Chu Yang chuckled. "It’s nothing."

The middle-aged man smiled and naturally sat beside Chu Yang, not forgetting to glance back at his daughter.

Though he said nothing, the girl felt the reprimand in her father’s eyes. She hurriedly lowered her head, sat down, and apologized.

Chu Yang politely replied that it was fine. He had not taken it to heart in the first place.

"You look like a scholar, little brother, yet I never expected you to possess such impressive skills. One truly cannot judge a person by appearance."

The middle-aged man believed that Chu Yang’s senses were so sharp because he practiced martial arts, and that his strength was not weak.

"You flatter me, brother. I only know a few crude fighting techniques."

After saying that, Chu Yang focused on eating his wontons. The middle-aged man, who had wanted to exchange a few more pleasantries, quietly fell silent and lowered his head to eat as well.

While eating, the girl secretly studied Chu Yang. No matter how she looked at this refined scholar, he did not seem like an expert.

Before she could take a few more looks, Chu Yang swiftly finished his bowl of wontons, paid the bill, and left without looking back.

"Father, was that man really an expert?" The girl looked at Chu Yang’s departing back with disbelief.

The middle-aged man frowned and hesitated. "He should be. That young man gave me a strange feeling, but I can’t say what was strange about him…"

The girl was utterly confused.

The middle-aged man shook his head with a laugh. "What does it matter to me whether he’s an expert? Instead of wasting time on that, we should think about tomorrow’s martial contest for marriage."

At the words martial contest for marriage, a faint melancholy flashed through the girl’s eyes.

After eating and drinking his fill, Chu Yang found an inn and slept soundly.

Early the next morning, he began gathering information about royal manors throughout Yanjing City.

Dayong had only said that Little Yellow had been abducted into a royal manor.

He had not made it clear whose manor it was.

But Chu Yang quickly identified his target.

Because during his inquiries, he heard two familiar names.

Zhao King Manor.

Wanyan Honglie.

As the one who set the plot of Legend of the Condor Heroes in motion, Wanyan Honglie was an extremely important figure.

Zhao King Manor housed many martial artists who could be considered experts. In all of Yanjing City, only people from Zhao King Manor could have injured so many Beggars’ Sect disciples.

As for whom Little Yellow had offended, that was no longer important.

If he wanted to rescue Little Yellow, Chu Yang had to personally visit Zhao King Manor.

In broad daylight, the manor would certainly be heavily guarded, but Chu Yang did not care.

Even if he charged in by force, he could ensure that he came and went freely.

None of the so-called experts in Zhao King Manor could withstand even a single exchange with him.

After asking several passersby and confirming the location of Zhao King Manor, Chu Yang immediately set off toward the central district of Yanjing City along the bustling streets.

After passing through several alleys in succession, the street ahead suddenly became lively.

No one knew what the commoners were watching, but they were packed shoulder to shoulder, completely blocking the road.

Chu Yang clicked his tongue. He suddenly understood why Thanos had wanted to snap his fingers.

He stood on tiptoe and looked at the sea of people ahead, wondering how to get through, when he heard a scream.

A figure came crashing heavily into the open space in front of Chu Yang. Like a fish that had accidentally flopped onto shore, he thrashed wildly, baring his teeth in pain.

"Well, damn. What kind of acrobatics are they doing?"

Chu Yang looked up and saw a platform directly ahead, with a flag standing atop it and fluttering in the wind. Four large words were written on the flag.

Martial Contest for Marriage!

And this fellow lying on the ground had clearly been kicked down from the platform.

By the looks of it, he would not recover without ten days to half a month of rest.

And on the platform, the victor was actually a bald, burly monk.

"They’re this desperate? Even monks are joining?"

"Nowadays, the gender ratio is seriously imbalanced. Even monks are afraid they won’t be able to find wives…"

Chu Yang shook his head with a sigh. He hadn’t expected that even after coming to ancient times, he would still have to worry about birth rates.

Why risk their lives in a marriage tournament? Couldn’t they just sit down in a tavern and talk about life?

How foolish!

It was better to compare bride prices than martial arts.

The big monk stood on the stage and shouted arrogantly, "Who else?!"

Chu Yang clicked his tongue in amazement. This master was truly a man of temperament. He definitely smoked and drank regularly.

After waiting a while, Chu Yang saw no sign of the spectators dispersing, so he decided to take a detour. If he forced his way through, it would be no different from a tank rolling over the crowd.

Just then, a handsomely dressed young man suddenly appeared among the crowd. Taking three steps in two, he leaped into the air, stepped on the shoulders of passersby, and headed straight for the stage, seemingly intending to join the marriage tournament.

The young man’s handsome face, coupled with such a flashy entrance, drew everyone’s attention.

Even the girl holding the marriage tournament on the stage was stunned.

A smug gleam flashed through the young man’s eyes. He enjoyed being the center of attention.

The next second.

His foot suddenly sank, as though it had been caught by a tremendous weight.

His graceful figure came to an abrupt halt, and a mocking voice sounded beside his ear.

"If you want to show off, then show off. Why the hell are you stepping on my head?"

Chu Yang gripped the young man’s ankle, his face full of displeasure.

If not for his quick reflexes, this fellow would have stepped on his head and flown onto the stage.

The handsome young man was extremely embarrassed.

One of his feet was caught in Chu Yang’s grip, while the other rested on the shoulder of a Big Mom who was watching the commotion.

Not only was Big Mom not angry, she even looked up at him with a silly grin, her eyes brimming with affection, just like certain starstruck fangirls.

The handsome young man shuddered, pulled his foot off Big Mom, and viciously kicked at Chu Yang’s face.

At the same time Chu Yang gripped his ankle, he raised his elbow and drove it forward against the incoming toes.

Empowered by his formidable strength, Chu Yang’s elbow was no different from a battering ram. The instant the handsome young man’s kick connected, there was a crack, and his entire foot suddenly went numb.

The excruciating pain instantly turned the handsome young man pale-faced. Not only had his complexion gone deathly white, even his breathing became rapid.

Chu Yang smiled and slammed him forcefully onto the ground, making the pale-faced young man feel as if the world were spinning.

This man had struck with exceptional ruthlessness. With Chu Yang’s temper, he was definitely going to teach him a proper lesson.

Just as the pale-faced young man was about to hit the ground, two people charged out of the crowd. One was a lama wearing a red kasaya, while the other was a white-haired old man.

The lama swung a bronze cymbal at the wrist Chu Yang was using to hold the pale-faced young man, while the old man launched several strangely shaped nails with his bare hands, aiming directly at Chu Yang’s vital chest area.

The two attacked Chu Yang’s opening at the same time, intending to force him back and save the pale-faced young man.

"Watch out!"

After seeing Chu Yang’s face, the girl on the stage recalled what had happened at the wonton stall last night and couldn’t help warning him.

What she hadn’t expected was that this young man dressed as a scholar showed no intention of retreating. Faced with the sneak attack, he still chose to smash the person in his hand viciously into the ground!

Boom!!!

The pale-faced young man spat out a mouthful of blood, the pain nearly making him pass out!

What a ruthless man!

A chill ran through everyone present.

At the same time, the bronze cymbal and nails all struck Chu Yang’s body.

This scholar was dead for sure!

The thought instinctively arose in the girl’s heart.

She wasn’t the only one. Everyone present thought the same.

However, the instant the lama’s bronze cymbal struck Chu Yang’s wrist, his expression changed.

From the feedback transmitted through the cymbal, it felt as though he had not struck a human body, but an exceptionally hard diamond.

That blow had numbed his entire right arm.

Protected by Armament Haki, the nails that struck Chu Yang’s chest were like nails hitting a steel plate, clattering to the ground.

"Not good, he’s a hard-body master!"

The lama’s pupils contracted sharply as he shouted a warning to his companion.

He was about to retreat when his gaze met Chu Yang’s.

The chill in Chu Yang’s eyes was like a biting cold wind that blew into the lama’s bones, making every hair on his body stand on end.

Chu Yang stretched out his other hand, pressed it against the bronze cymbal, and kneaded it.

The bronze cymbal, reinforced with refined steel, was like a sheet of paper in Chu Yang’s hand. He forcibly crushed it into a ball, trapping the lama’s hand inside so tightly that he could not move!

The lama’s eyes widened in terror, looking as though he had seen a ghost.

After roaming the Jianghu for decades, this was the first time he had seen someone crush refined steel into scrap metal with their bare hands.

The old man at the side had originally intended to help, but upon seeing this, he hurriedly stopped, skidding across the ground and leaving a long trail in his wake.