Chapter 280: Grand Ambitions and Hegemony Discussed with Laughter
Sunlight poured like water, the wind carried the whistle of arrows.
In the streets and alleys of the ancient city of Jingzhou, chaos and fighting were constantly spreading.
Vajra Sect martial monks and over a dozen people from the Western Regions martial world were fleeing like stray dogs. Upon seeing the signal flares, Manichaeism disciples active within the city rushed over from all directions.
As Manichaeism moved, White Lotus Sect cultists also came upon hearing the news, followed by Iron Palm Sect disciples. Further behind, the Imperial City Guard was also alerted.
The Imperial City Guard was in charge of palace security and espionage. Jingzhou and Xiangyang were gateways to the Lin’an Court, and thus had their own established offices.
Ouyang Feng’s abdomen was pierced by Zhou Yan’s spear, causing abdominal bleeding. Acupoint pressure for hemostasis was not very effective. The dignified Western Venom had become like a bloodied man, yet even so, he used the lightness skill “Instant Thousand Li” to flee, and neither Zhou Yan nor Zhang Sanqiang had any possibility of catching up.
Huo Gong Toutuo was also the same. Deploying the lightness skill “One Reed Crossing the River,” he moved like a wisp of smoke. Those with slightly lesser realms could only see a blurry mass of bright yellow light.
Ouyang Feng’s figure descended silently among the houses, rapidly gliding along the street. Suddenly, several Imperial City Guard Swift Runners appeared at the street entrance.
With curly hair and a high-nosed, deep-eyed appearance, covered in blood, he instantly drew the attention of the Swift Runners.
“Capture him.” The leading headman, without a word, led his subordinates to surround and kill.
“Ah…”
Ouyang Feng roared, his voice like the grating of broken cymbals echoing over Jingzhou. He lowered his body slightly, like a ferocious tiger charging to devour, and in a flash, he sped to the street entrance.
The headman’s heart tightened, and he brought his long saber down like thunder.
Ouyang Feng reached out to snatch the saber, cleaving open the opponent’s shoulder. From the rooftop on one side of the street entrance, Swift Runners who had intended to surround him leaped down. Ouyang Feng waved his saber, unleashing a torrent of sharp energy, and astonishing blood exploded in the air.
The red and white figure continued to push forward, and along its path, the walls on both sides were instantly splashed with scarlet.
“I curse your ancestors.” Seeing his comrades dead and injured, a Swift Runner, knowing he couldn’t survive, cursed ferociously. Ouyang Feng swung his palm, and the bones and teeth on the man’s face flew towards the sky in that instant.
He rushed out of the street entrance, and more Swift Runners, yamen constables, and city soldiers surrounded him.
“Little brat Zhou Yan, I will surely take your life.” Thinking that all of this was caused by Zhou Yan, Ouyang Feng gritted his teeth and swore inwardly.
Zhou Yan watched Ouyang Feng’s receding figure and chuckled softly. Ahead of his vision, Baoxiang, who had assassinated the Jin Emperor, was using his iron sleeves and Great Strength Vajra Finger to force back the Manichaeism Dharma King with a storm-like offensive.
“Zheng,” the Qingfeng Sword was sheathed, and Zhou Yan stepped forward.
“Little thief, I’ll fight you to the death.”
“That requires strength first,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.
“Ah!”
Baoxiang’s joints crackled, and his two palms swung and closed. The palm strikes of “Vajra Prajna Palm” descended like a storm.
Zhou Yan used “Yue Family Boxing” to meet the attack. The exchange between the two was like a storm, and the collision of their fists and arms sounded like booming cowhide drums.
Suddenly, Baoxiang’s body sank and then rose. His right hand’s five fingers clamped down, and Zhou Yan’s arm seemed to grow by a joint in an instant, directly gripping two of the opponent’s fingers and pressing down hard.
“Crushing Hardness Divine Claw” and “Great Strength Vajra Finger” collided once more.
These two martial arts were hard to distinguish, but the difference in realms between Zhou Yan and Baoxiang was now obvious. He reached for Zhou Yan with his left hand, only to be gripped by Zhou Yan in return. The five fingers of both hands were twisted backward by Zhou Yan’s pressure. The burly Baoxiang gritted his teeth, his body only holding on for a moment before his knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground.
“Crack.” Zhou Yan snapped Baoxiang’s five fingers. With a shared pain, Baoxiang opened his mouth to cry out, but Zhou Yan released him and followed up with the “Red Jade Drum Beating” from Beauty Fist Technique, smashing the monk’s head with both hands.
Zhou Yan squatted down and fumbled on the kneeling Baoxiang’s body for a moment, retrieving a small medicinal box.
He opened the box, and what appeared in his sight was a dark paste emitting a musk scent.
It was Black Jade Continuing Bone Paste. Zhou Yan had not found it on Baolei, but Baoxiang had not disappointed him.
Accepting the medicinal paste with a smile, Zhou Yan stood up and followed a sense towards Zhang Sanqiang, who stood at the alley entrance, gazing intently with his spear.
He smiled and strode forward.
“The Imperial City Guard and soldiers are surrounding us. I’ll take you out.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Yan had no need to worry about Liu Qingzhou, Yanbo Diaosou, and the others. He followed Zhang Sanqiang.
…
Tree shadows swayed, and amidst the leisurely chirping of insects, the sound of a teacher’s lecture echoed in the academy classroom.
“A gentleman of virtue, like being cut and planed, like being carved and polished…”
Zhou Yan listened for a moment; it was the Book of Songs.
The academy was a Manichaeism activity base, which was beyond Zhou Yan’s expectations.
After Left Assistant Huo left with the tea, Zhang Sanqiang, with his rough appearance and weather-beaten face, said, “I originally intended to go to Zhongdu to find you.”
“To ask about Hong Bangzhu’s whereabouts?”
“You guessed it?”
“It’s not hard to guess.”
“Indeed.” Zhang Sanqiang smiled. “Outside Yuezhou city, the Beggars’ Sect attacked my church branch disciples. Since then, there have been conflicts in multiple branches. I wanted to ask Hong Bangzhu about this matter, but the Yuezhou Beggars’ Sect disciples have disappeared.”
“I took Hong Bangzhu away from outside Yueyang Tower, so the Cult Leader had this idea.”
“Exactly!”
Zhou Yan frowned. “Why the conflict?”
“We inquired, and the cause was that my sect’s disciples unintentionally obtained Hong Bangzhu’s personal weapon. However, it was already taken by the Beggars’ Sect, but the resulting conflict did not cease.”
“The Green Bamboo Staff.”
“Mm.”
Zhou Yan suddenly realized, “That is the token of the Beggars’ Sect Gang Leader.”
“No wonder.”
“Hong Bangzhu left long ago after his injuries healed, and I don’t know his whereabouts either. However, Elder Lu of the Beggars’ Sect is in Zhongdu, and we know each other. I can convey the Cult Leader’s message to him then.” Zhou Yan vaguely suspected internal strife within the Beggars’ Sect but did not deem it appropriate to tell Zhang Sanqiang, so he stated his own thoughts.
“Alright, you can give this academy’s address to Elder Lu. If Hong Bangzhu wants to see me, he can come here.”
“Okay.”
“Why were Ouyang Feng and the Vajra Sect pursuing the Cult Leader?”
“It should be for the Qiankun Great Shift.”
“How did they know Manichaeism’s sect-protecting cultivation method?”
“They learned it from Yu Huacheng. It’s truly good that you could injure him; your cultivation has improved again.”
“Purely by chance,” Zhou Yan smiled. “I encountered Yu Huacheng at Funiu Mountain. He was likely trying to win over the mountain stronghold bandits. I happened to run into him.”
“I underestimated you a bit, to be able to take down the strongholds of Funiu Mountain and Tongbai Mountain.”
“Helping a friend. What is the strength of the White Lotus Sect?”
“Mainly in Jiangnan, with about tens of thousands of cultists. Besides Yu Huacheng, there are two Dharma Protectors. One has decent strength, and the other is unknown.”
“Tell me in detail.” Zhang Sanqiang acknowledged the White Lotus Sect Dharma Protectors’ outstanding cultivation. To know oneself and the enemy to prevent unforeseen events, Zhou Yan pressed for details.
“One is named Jiu Sisheng, and the other is Zhuang Shiyi.”
Zhou Yan inwardly scoffed. He knew Jiu Sisheng; he was one of the two elders who, along with Old Man Hundred Herbs, celebrated Guo Xiang’s birthday in the Divine Condor world, possessing exceptional lightness skill.
“That name is quite unusual,” he said with a smile.
“Indeed.” Zhang Sanqiang nodded. “Jiu Sisheng is a successor of the White Lotus Sect founder Master Cizhao, skilled in lightness skill. His iron fists are not to be underestimated, though slightly inferior to Yu Huacheng. Zhuang Shiyi is mostly responsible for the White Lotus Sect’s internal affairs, and his cultivation is unknown, but as a Dharma Protector, he is certainly not weak.”
“That is true,” Zhou Yan nodded.
“Brother Zhou, why did you come to Jingzhou?”
The topic returned. Zhou Yan smiled, “Actually, like the Cult Leader, I was looking for Hong Bangzhu.”
“Since that’s the case, I won’t delay Brother Zhou’s journey. Please trouble yourself to pass on the message to Elder Lu then.”
“Certainly.”
Zhang Sanqiang hosted Zhou Yan and his group at the academy, offering simple vegetarian food. The group then took their leave.
…
Laughter mingled with the sound of horse hooves, originating from the outskirts of Jingzhou.
“I never thought Ouyang Feng would have a moment of fleeing like a stray dog. It’s truly satisfying,” Liu Qingzhou said.
Yanbo Diaosou sighed, “When we were at Shaoshi Mountain, this old man heard Zhang Sanqiang tell the young friend that if he practiced diligently, he might not be Ouyang Feng’s opponent in the future. Now, you have already injured the Western Venom.”
Zhou Yan smiled, “It was a good opportunity. Who knew Zhang Jiaozhu’s spear would fall from the sky? If it were a longsword, it would have been impossible to stab through the wall.”
Yanbo Diaosou laughed heartily, “That’s true. Young friend, you will need to carry your spear and horned bow in the future. The more, the better.”
“Wise words,” Zhou Yan replied with a smile, taking out a medicinal box and handing it to Old Man Hundred Herbs. “This is Black Jade Continuing Bone Paste from the Vajra Sect. It has the effect of restoring bone injuries, reshaping bone strength, and connecting damaged meridians. Can Immortal Elder see if it can be replicated?”
Old Man Hundred Herbs opened it and sniffed for over ten breaths. “The ingredients are not difficult to identify. The main challenge is the dosage of each medicinal herb. This old man will try slowly, and at least I can formulate a medicinal paste with similar functions.”
“Thank you, Immortal Elder. Even if the effect is similar, it is at least a miraculous medicine for treating bruises and sprains.”
“Yes, when we reach Funiu Mountain, I will study it carefully.”
“Excellent,” Zhou Yan nodded.
Liu Qingzhou suddenly asked, “Manichaeism and the White Lotus Sect’s actions, in simple terms, are rebellion. They are not like Leader Yang of Cuya Mountain resisting Jin, nor like the Iron Palm Sect joining the Jin Dynasty to expand their power. Brother Zhou, do you think they can succeed?”
“Difficult.”
“Why?”
Yanbo Diaosou said, “Yu Wupo and Fang La were both leaders of Manichaeism, but did they succeed?”
“No, they were all suppressed by the court,” Liu Qingzhou replied.
Zhou Yan analyzed from the surface to the core. “Taking Fang La as an example, when he rebelled, he proclaimed ‘all dharma is equal, without high or low.’ He himself could not achieve this, so how could he succeed? The White Lotus Sect, in order to expand its power, has become a place where all sorts of filth gather. If Yu Huacheng claims to ‘open peace for all generations,’ who would believe him?”
“What about Zhang Sanqiang?”
“The meal at the academy was very simple,” Zhou Yan smiled. “He is a straightforward person, lives frugally, and has his own principles, but he is clearly still searching. Perhaps he will forge a different path than Yu Wupo, Fang La, and others, or perhaps he will repeat their mistakes. But as a person, he is admirable.”
“Grand ambitions and hegemony discussed in laughter, young friend, you speak well,” said Old Man Hundred Herbs.
“Life is but a drunken dream.”
Zhou Yan said with a smile, galloping on his horse.
