Chapter 285: A Startling Stab
“Who’s there?”
“Who?”
In the deep and quiet night, Huang Rong’s voice seemed to be amplified infinitely. Ouyang Ke turned to look at the stone house, while Yang Kang took out a signal flare from his embrace and lit it.
“Bang!” A fiery firework bloomed in the sky above the Valley of Unfeeling.
Huang Yaoshi’s figure suddenly retreated to Huang Rong’s side and asked, “What’s wrong, Rong’er?”
Huang Rong also found it strange. The sharp pain in her chest, though brief, had been so real and intense. Why was that feeling gone now?
With a great enemy before them, Huang Rong, fearing Huang Yaoshi’s worry, said, “It’s nothing. When I was leaving just now, Rong’er looked back and lost her footing, falling from the big tree. Father, we’ve been discovered.”
Huang Yaoshi said, “So what? If I want to leave, who can stop me?”
Huang Rong giggled, “Father is right, let’s go.”
…
Zhou Yan, Qiu Qianchi, and Yang Miaozhen only heard a scream, and in an instant, fireworks bloomed in the sky.
Qiu Qianchi quickly said, “There must be outsiders in the valley.”
Zhou Yan nodded, “Indeed.”
Yang Miaozhen said quickly, “I need my spear.”
“I know where your sister’s spear will be kept. Let’s go, let’s get our weapons first.”
Qiu Qianchi led Zhou Yan and Yang Miaozhen straight to the sword room.
…
The fireworks blooming in the sky could be seen for miles. Li Mochou, who was lingering on the mountaintop, exclaimed in surprise, “Why are there fireworks blooming? Could it be that Ouyang Ke and the others are there?”
Thinking this, Li Mochou followed the path taken by Zhou Yan and Yanbo Diaosou from the mountaintop towards the Valley of Unfeeling.
She had followed Qiu Qianren’s group from Xiangyang from afar, and naturally fell behind. By the time she reached the valley, Huang Yaoshi and Huang Rong had already entered the valley by boat.
There were boats by the stream, but Li Mochou was not good at rowing and could not swim. She had lived in Zhongnan Mountain for a long time and was familiar with the terrain of ravines. She reasoned that since the other party had entered the valley by boat, they could also reach the valley from the cliff tops on both sides.
Thus, Li Mochou used her lightness skill to sprint to the mountaintop. By chance, she saw the firework Yang Kang had set off. Following the direction of the blooming firework, she rushed straight towards it.
…
Qiu Qianchi, familiar with the way, led Zhou Yan and Yang Miaozhen to a stone room. Zhou Yan casually closed the door, took out a fire starter, and lit the lamp.
Inside the room, on the walls, tables, shelves, and cabinets, were all filled with weapons. They were of many styles, and nine out of ten were ancient swords, some over seven feet long, others only a few inches short. Some were mottled with rust, others gleamed with a chilling light, dazzling the eyes.
Yang Miaozhen’s spear was displayed in a corner of the stone room.
“Here it is.” Yang Miaozhen happily went to retrieve her spear.
Zhou Yan couldn’t help but cast his gaze towards a painting hanging on the west wall, thinking, “The Gentleman Sword” and “The Lady Sword” were behind that painting.
“Head Escort Zhou, would you like to change your sword?” Qiu Qianchi suddenly asked.
“No need.” Zhou Yan withdrew his gaze. “Let’s go, Yanbo Diaosou, Liu Qingzhou, and the others are still waiting in the bamboo forest.”
“Wait a moment.”
Qiu Qianchi looked around and picked up a long saber with an ancient design.
Zhou Yan recognized the design; it was a Tang saber.
The ancestors of the Gongsun lineage had migrated from the Tang Tianbao era. Zhou Yan guessed that this Tang saber had been brought to the valley at that time and passed down through generations.
“Let’s go!” Qiu Qianchi said.
Zhou Yan opened the door, and the three of them left the stone room. He asked Qiu Qianchi, “Does Valley Master Gongsun still have any interest in hunting eagles and refining pills?”
“I have been away from the valley for a long time and do not know the current affairs of the valley. The Pill Room is over there, why don’t we go and see?” Qiu Qianchi pointed to the Pill Room.
The moonlight reflected a hint of a somber smile on Zhou Yan’s face. He said, “Since you don’t know, and time is pressing, there’s no need for this extra step.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Yan leaped out first and headed straight for the bamboo forest.
A chaotic sound had already spread from the bamboo forest like boiling water.
…
The moonlight illuminated the bamboo forest, houses, and waterside pavilions, making them bright and clear.
Huang Yaoshi did not rush with Huang Rong but walked leisurely. Figures pierced through the moonlight, rapidly approaching.
The Old Valley Master Gongsun Li, the Valley Master of the Valley of Unfeeling Gongsun Zhi, Yang Kang, Ouyang Ke, Ouyang Feng, Zhou Botong, Huo Gong Toutuo, Baoshu, as well as Fan Yi Weng and his disciples from the Valley of Unfeeling, and more than ten people from the Iron Palm Sect.
Huang Yaoshi’s appearance caused everyone to freeze for a moment. When they reacted, the Old Urchin shouted loudly, “Huang Yaoshi? Little Huang Rong is here too.”
Huang Rong smiled and said, “Old Urchin, long time no see.”
“Yes, yes.” Zhou Botong leaped in front of them. “Hey, Huang Yaoshi, why are you here?”
“Brother Botong, why are you here as well?” Huang Yaoshi smiled slightly.
“That old monk’s internal force is incredibly formidable. I compared with him, but he refused. So I followed him here. The Old Venomous one is also here. Shall we fight to our heart’s content together?”
Huang Yaoshi smiled, “I’m afraid we can’t avoid fighting.”
“Why?”
Before Huang Yaoshi could reply, Huo Gong Toutuo smiled sinisterly, “Island Lord Huang, we meet again.”
“Indeed. Life’s path is narrow, and enemies often meet.” Huang Yaoshi said.
“Brother Yao, we truly have fate.” Ouyang Feng said.
Zhou Botong was anxious, “Huang Yaoshi, what is going on? Do you know each other?”
Huang Rong smiled sweetly, “Father not only knows the old monk, but he has also fought him. This monk is fierce and bullied me.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll help you beat them.”
Ouyang Feng’s injuries had long since healed. The moonlight cast his deep face in an exceptionally sinister light. In an instant, Ouyang Feng felt that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kill Huang Yaoshi.
Even if Hong Qigong survived, his cultivation would surely be greatly reduced, posing no threat.
It was a sure thing that myself, Qiu Qianren, and Huo Gong Toutuo against Huang Yaoshi and Zhou Botong would not lose. At that time, I would be the only one in the world with the Nine Yin Manual’s martial arts.
Huo Gong Toutuo had the same thought. He cackled, “At Yueyang Tower, Island Lord Huang left first and we didn’t get to spar, which was a great regret. Why not do it today? Ever since I lost to Island Lord Huang at Shaoshi Mountain, this old monk has practiced diligently. Today, I will once again experience the peerless skills of Peach Blossom Island.”
“Old monk, I’ll fight you.” The Old Urchin put his hands on his hips.
Qiu Qianren thought that Ouyang Feng’s injuries had not fully healed, and that he had endured much in the valley while Zhou Botong disrupted the Iron Palm Sect’s plan to kill the Mongolian Imperial Envoy. He fanned himself with his palm-leaf fan and said, “Zhou Botong, I will learn your Quanzhen Techniques.”
“You recognize me?”
“You ruined the Iron Palm Sect’s plans by the Poyang Lake riverside, how could I not recognize you?”
“You old man are full of bad ideas.”
“What? Are you afraid?”
The Old Urchin rolled up his sleeves. “Watch how I beat you.”
Huo Gong Toutuo was already walking towards Huang Yaoshi. His body crackled and popped, leaving imprints with every step. With each step, his momentum grew stronger. After a few steps, he had adjusted his body to its peak state.
“Island Lord Huang, please.”
Huo Gong Toutuo’s figure suddenly lunged like an eagle. His body swept past the splashing mud lotus flowers, and his Vajra Fist struck Huang Yaoshi like a torrential rain, like a whirlwind.
“This is fun.” Zhou Botong’s figure flickered, like a wisp of ethereal smoke, graceful and agile. His palm momentum, in his flashes and dodges, rose and fell like waves that never ceased, falling densely and powerfully towards Qiu Qianren.
Qiu Qianren’s heart tightened. He dared not be careless and used his Iron Palm Skill, meeting the attack with all his might.
On the other side of the arena, the clash between Huang Yaoshi and Huo Gong Toutuo was far more intense than the battle at Shaoshi Mountain. The two figures darted in and out, moving back and forth, crisscrossing. At first glance, they looked like two intertwined flying dragons tearing at each other.
Amidst thunderous roars, in just a few hundred breaths, Huang Yaoshi had unleashed over a hundred moves in rapid succession, using twelve sets of cultivation techniques, each set comprising twelve moves.
Huo Gong Toutuo, on the other hand, continuously unleashed Shaolin peerless skills such as Vajra Fist, Kasaya Subduing Demon Skill, and Vajra Prajna Palm, countering every move and refusing to yield an inch.
Suddenly, Huo Gong Toutuo’s body flickered, and he kicked out with his right leg. His left leg followed like a shadow, unleashing dozens of kicks in a storm-like assault. Huang Yaoshi responded with Whirlwind Sweeping Leaves Leg. With continuous crashing sounds, circles of white air vortexes spread through the air.
Huo Gong Toutuo took a few steps back towards Ouyang Feng.
Huang Yaoshi’s figure approached like an unmoving phantom. Huo Gong Toutuo’s body flickered, drifting sideways like a light feather. Huang Yaoshi followed closely.
Ouyang Feng instantly crouched slightly and pushed his palms towards Huang Yaoshi’s back with a “Ge” sound.
Huang Yaoshi’s heart sank. Huo Gong Toutuo was luring him, giving Ouyang Feng an opportunity to strike.
“My life is over!”
At this moment, Zhou Yan appeared silently and swiftly behind Ouyang Feng. Using the dust and smoke as cover, he instantly thrust his Qingfeng Sword forward.
