Chapter 92: Western Venom, Northern Beggar
Lion head, dragon head roared, spun, and collided.
Zhou Yan and Shi Xiangui’s figures pushed out towards the center of the street. The moment they clashed, both unleashed their internal and external force to its peak. Amidst crackling roars, the iron-cast lion and dragon heads continuously struck each other, splashing countless sparks dense as fireworks exploding. Dust and smoke billowed on the long street, like dragons and snakes wildly leaping and entwining.
The swirling energy “poof, poof” continuously extinguished lantern after lantern. Suddenly, the dragon head and lion head “bang” collided rigidly together again. Both figures separated simultaneously. Zhou Yan retreated several steps, his body crashing into a lantern stand.
With a “crash,” the stand collapsed, and a large number of bamboo poles and the lanterns hanging on it fell down. He seized a bamboo pole, using it as a spear, controlling its offense and defense with ease, and thrust it at Shi Xiangui.
Shi Xiangui, who had rolled several times on the ground, sprang up with a “Kite Turns Over.” A bamboo pole pierced towards him within his line of sight. He exerted force with his feet, leaping sideways. The bamboo pole crashed into the bamboo frame behind him, and the sound of the bamboo pole being shattered rang eerily.
As Shi Xiangui stabilized himself, Zhou Yan drew out the bamboo pole and advanced. The pole in his hand flicked up in a curved arc from bottom to top, employing the killing move “Desert Solitude Smoke” from the Yue Family Spear Technique. The bamboo pole was as fast as lightning, its tip aimed at Shi Xiangui’s face.
This move was also extremely similar to “Phoenix Nods” found in all spear techniques, but the power of this move, aimed directly at the face, far surpassed the former by several times. A mere touch would shatter Shi Xiangui’s facial bone like cracking an egg.
Shi Xiangui did not recognize that the person fighting him was Zhou Yan, who had defeated him by one move in the martial field of the Fu’an Escort Agency. In his mind, Zhou Yan’s impression was fixed: skilled in fist techniques and supreme in archery.
As for being proficient in spear and staff techniques, he had never considered it.
Seeing that he could not dodge this killing move of the Yue Family Spear Technique, Shi Xiangui suddenly roared, using the Crushing Monument Hand, which he had diligently cultivated for over ten years, to “snap” and grip the oncoming bamboo pole.
In the flickering light of the remaining lanterns on the long street stand, Zhou Yan pushed the pole forward. The bamboo pole instantly arched into a semicircle. However, in an instant, he released his grip.
With a “snap,” the bamboo pole sprang back into a straight line. The recoil force transmitted along the pole made Shi Xiangui’s tiger mouth go numb.
Zhou Yan abandoned the pole, his figure like a dancing phantom. His fists rained down like falling flowers, whistling towards Shi Xiangui.
That day in the martial field of the Fu’an Escort Agency, Shi Xiangui had attacked Zhou Yan from behind with the Crushing Monument Hand. He had used his full strength, but under Zhou Yan’s ultimate move “Shenlong Tail Whip,” he was repelled. In the clash of internal and external force, he had been at a disadvantage.
After the examination, Zhou Yan went to cultivate in the mountains and fields, tempering his main and secondary meridians. His internal force had also made significant progress. Zhou Yan pounced forward, unleashing the Free and Easy Journey fist technique. How could Shi Xiangui resist?
His Crushing Monument Hand collided with Zhou Yan’s fists a few times. Zhou Yan’s figure flickered and appeared at his opponent’s flank. His right hand rotated inward and downward, while his left hand rotated outward, passing from his chest, over his right wrist, and thrusting forward. With one move from the Free and Easy Journey’s “Exploring the Path to Find the Snake,” his right hand gripped Shi Xiangui’s left elbow, and his left fist struck the opponent’s ribs.
Shi Xiangui’s body swayed, and he retreated with heavy steps. Then, he was enveloped by Zhou Yan’s fist shadows, like a heaven and earth net. Amidst the sound of fists smashing a cowhide drum, Shi Xiangui’s body seemed to float up, then continuously retreated. With every step he took back, the sound of his muscles and bones cracking could be heard.
After more than ten steps, he crashed onto the ground, falling backward.
Amidst the chaotic crowd on the long street, Mu Nianci, who was secretly providing support, was deeply shaken. She recognized the Free and Easy Journey fist technique that Zhou Yan was using.
“Head Escort Zhou is his disciple,” Mu Nianci murmured to herself.
…
Zhou Yan killed Shi Xiangui with his fists and was about to rush to aid Huang Rong, who was being attacked by Yin Kexi and Cui Qingshan, when suddenly a metallic clang echoed through the night sky.
“Ke’er!”
The voice, from an unknown distance, pierced through the long street and reached the ears of everyone engaged in combat.
“Uncle, I’m here.”
Voices answered each other from two directions on the long street. Zhou Yan was greatly shocked. Ouyang Feng, the Western Venom, was actually in Zhongdu.
He followed the sound and saw that several hundred zhang away, a seemingly burly figure flickered in and out among the scale-like arrangement of houses, approaching like a giant phantom with lightning speed.
…
Misty waves ripple, shaking the azure sky; pavilions and halls, staggered, lean against the bright moon.
On the roof of the Kaifu Temple’s meditation room, Hong Qigong, with a short beard under his chin, large hands and feet, and clothes patched in various places, lay on the fish-scale tiles, drinking from a large vermilion lacquered gourd with gulps.
Hong Qigong had eaten snake soup in Zhou Yan’s courtyard and left after teaching him two moves of the Subduing Dragon Eighteen Palms. He had actually remained in Zhongdu all along, but being a free spirit, he hadn’t intentionally sought out Zhou Yan.
“Ke’er.”
A sound like metal scraping passed through the incense-laden temple night sky and reached his ears.
Hong Qigong, who had choked on his drink, coughed twice and wiped the wine stains from his lips with his sleeve. “Why has the Old Venomous come to Zhongdu?”
Thinking this, he picked up the jade-green bamboo staff beside him, and his figure flickered, disappearing into the night.
…
Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng’s arrival was too swift. The shuttle-like, lightning-fast gray and white figures, which moments before were at Kaifu Temple and several hundred zhang away from Zhou Yan respectively, arrived on the long street where the sounds of fighting were boiling. The flying lanterns and paper scraps in the air trailed behind the two figures in a straight line.
Hong Qigong was unaware that the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan and Guo Jing were assassinating Wanyan Honglie. As his figure was about to pass, he suddenly saw Liang Zi Weng, along with his disciples and Royal Residence Guards, attacking Ke Zhen’e and others.
He suddenly recalled his conversations with Zhou Yan, where he said that people like Liang Zi Weng, with their corrupt morals, should be killed. Seeing him working for the Jin soldiers, he was naturally angered. He leaped up with “Flying Dragon in the Sky,” landed in front of Han Xiaoying, and kicked Liang Zi Weng into a somersault with a flying kick.
Hong Qigong, with a backhand grab, accurately seized Guo Jing and used a subtle force to throw the Golden Saber Consort towards the side of the street.
Guo Jing somersaulted in the air and landed steadily on the ground several zhang away. He then saw Hong Qigong’s figure swaying, either reaching out to grab or using the jade-green bamboo rod in his other hand to entangle. With several “bang bang bang” sounds, Senior Master, Second Master, and others all landed.
The bronze cymbals in the hands of the monk who had been fighting with the masters earlier, and the iron fan in the hands of the young master from White Camel Mountain, flew into the sky.
“Run, the Old Venomous Ouyang Feng is here.”
Liang Zi Weng rolled up from the ground and, upon seeing Hong Qigong, was instantly terrified. “Hong Bangzhu, why have you come?” the Ginseng Immortal Old Freak said as he retreated. He tripped over a corpse on the ground, and with that momentum, he flipped backward several zhang and darted into an alley by the street.
Hong Qigong relieved the siege, his figure rising, like a dragon in the sky, heading towards Ouyang Feng.
The Western Venom had already landed among Zhang Wangyue and Helian Chuncheng.
He did not see Ouyang Ke, but he saw that Zhang Wangyue was wearing a mask. He surmised that they were the group who had assassinated Wanyan Honglie.
Amidst the dust and smoke, Ouyang Feng smiled grimly and punched towards the Chief Escort of the Fu’an Escort Agency.
Zhang Wangyue swung his bamboo rod to smash it over. With a “bang,” the bamboo rod shattered into fragments scattering everywhere. Ouyang Feng advanced with a punch. Zhang Wangyue parried with all his might. After three exchanges of fists and palms, his figure rapidly retreated. His body crashed through the street wall and into the courtyard within, then rolled on the ground. Afterward, the Chief Escort of Fu’an used the ground for leverage, leaped up, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
As Zhang Wangyue stood up, two figures rushed through the swirling dust, pushing it aside. Huyan Lei and Shi Baichuan, wearing masks, entered.
“Chief Escort, how are you?”
“I can hold on. How is Brother Zhou?” Zhang Wangyue asked.
On the long street outside the courtyard, Ouyang Feng lunged at Zhou Yan.
“Run!” Zhou Yan kicked the corpse of Cui Changshun on the ground towards Yin Kexi and Cui Qingshan. Huang Rong somersaulted several zhang away. She glanced back at Ouyang Feng, her face under the mask turning a little pale. The momentum stirred up by the opponent was no less than her father’s.
The Western Venom’s figure had already magnified in Zhou Yan’s line of sight.
“Kid, why aren’t you leaving?”
Suddenly, Hong Qigong’s voice appeared by his ear. The next moment, the Beggars’ Sect Gang Leader, carrying his gourd, swept past him.
“Old Venomous, you have no shame, helping the Jin people.”
“Nonsense.”
Ouyang Feng kicked the pole of a sedan chair, causing it to tilt high up and block Hong Qigong’s path.
Separated by the sedan chair, Hong Qigong unleashed “Kanglong Regret,” and Ouyang Feng’s fist landed on the sedan chair at the same instant.
“Let’s go.” Huang Rong, seeing Hong Qigong blocking Ouyang Feng, had no reason to stay in this dangerous place. She shouted to Zhou Yan and turned to leap towards the side of the street.
Zhou Yan sprinted wildly, but he charged towards the courtyard where Zhang Wangyue had fallen.
In the direction behind him, the sedan chair was torn to pieces under the palm momentum of Hong Qigong and Ouyang Feng, dust and smoke swirling. A half-wrist-thick pole whistled out and smashed onto Huang Rong’s back with a “bang.”
Caught off guard, Huang Rong flew several zhang and landed in an alley.
