Chapter 124: Ni Mo Xing Falls from the Sky
Near water, distant mountains lay a rainbow, pleasure boats cast shadows, swaying in the clear breeze. Ancient pagodas’ light shimmered within the lake’s mirror, while Suzhou’s causeway echoed with song and dance from pavilions.
In Zhou Yan’s senses, the West Lake scene was at dusk. He walked along the lake, gradually approaching the pagoda on Rihui Peak of Nanping Mountain.
The West Lake shimmered, and Zhou Yan thought of Taihu Lake again.
During the Taihu Lake naval battle, Wanyan Kang and his group retreated. He wondered if they had adjusted their plans after this incident and if they were in the city now.
Seeing the pagoda was near, Zhou Yan’s thoughts returned, and he ascended the steps.
…
“Brother Ni Mo, what do you think of this West Lake scenery?”
On the second floor of the pagoda, Helian Chuncheng, the Boss of Changfeng Escort Agency, spoke to the foreign man beside him.
“Haha, my knowledge is shallow, and my literary talent is poor, so I cannot express it in words.”
“Whether Brother Ni Mo’s literary talent is good or not is hard to judge, but his martial arts cultivation is truly admirable.”
“Young Master is too kind,” the foreign man said with a smile.
Helian Chuncheng gazed at the clouds and mist of the West Lake, sighing, “Changfeng Escort Agency has mainly escorted goods to the Western Regions and Beyond the Pass. We rarely traveled south from Henan. Now that I’m in Lin’an Prefecture, I realize how prosperous Jiangnan is. If we had connected the escort business between Jiangnan and the Western Regions a few years earlier, Changfeng would have already been the number one escort agency in the land.”
“Young Master is far-sighted; it’s not too late,” Cui Qingshan flattered from the side.
“With the help of Brother Ni Mo and Escort Cui, it is indeed not too late.”
“Young Master and Brother Yin and I share a camaraderie; we will wholeheartedly assist.”
“Thank you, Brother Ni Mo.”
Helian Chuncheng’s words were polite, but Cui Qingshan found them rather unpleasant.
During the battle on the long street on the Lantern Festival, the escort agency lost Shi Xiangui, and his nephew Cui Changshun was also killed on the long street. To this day, they still don’t know who the killer wearing the Kitchen God Mask was.
Hu merchants from the Western Regions would hire Changfeng Escort Agency. After the Lantern Festival, he escorted goods to the Western Regions with Yin Kexi and encountered an Indian man named Ni Mo Xing.
After some interaction, Yin Kexi and the other man became sworn brothers.
When the escort team returned to Zhongdu, Ni Mo Xing stayed at the escort agency. Helian Chuncheng, Yin Kexi, and Ni Mo Xing spent their days drinking and discussing martial arts. If this continued, the Indian man might even become the Chief Escort of the Zhongdu Branch of Changfeng Escort Agency.
Cui Qingshan had originally planned to join Shi Xiangui and the others, thinking Changfeng Escort Agency was full of hidden talents, and Shi Xiangui becoming Chief Escort was a bit ambitious, but becoming Chief Escort of the Zhongdu Branch was not a problem. However, Shi Xiangui died on the Lantern Festival. Without Shi Xiangui, Cui Qingshan clearly felt the cold stares from the Hu People’s escorts at Changfeng Escort Agency. Although Helian Chuncheng remained polite, he did not value Cui Qingshan.
This trip by Helian Chuncheng to Lin’an Prefecture was partly to accompany Western Region Hu merchants in purchasing silk, porcelain, and other goods, and partly to visit Dragon Gate Escort Agency. If he hadn’t often traveled to Jiangnan when he was in Fu’an, he wouldn’t have been summoned to accompany them.
Thinking this, Cui Qingshan sighed at the fickleness of human hearts. He felt quite dejected and out of place, his gaze wandering aimlessly between the distant mountains and nearby waters.
Suddenly, Cui Qingshan’s gaze fell upon a man ascending the steps. He observed him for a moment, his eyes becoming fixed.
“Young Master, it’s Zhou Yan, Zhou Yan of Fu’an Escort Agency.”
Helian Chuncheng was startled.
“Zhou Yan?”
He looked in the direction Cui Qingshan pointed, his pupils contracting slightly, then he smiled, “What a coincidence.”
Ni Mo Xing, who was staying at Changfeng Escort Agency in Zhongdu, had also heard of Zhou Yan.
He asked, “The one who is very arrogant, that Fu’an escort?”
“Yes.”
Ni Mo Xing smiled, “How does the Young Master wish to handle him?”
The twilight was vast, and crows cawed.
Helian Chuncheng said, “It would be a pity not to kill him.”
“Understood.”
“Wait a moment.”
As Ni Mo Xing was about to step out, Helian Chuncheng said, “Zhou Yan wouldn’t come to Lin’an Prefecture alone. Just in case, Brother Ni Mo, don’t reveal your true appearance.”
“No problem.”
Ni Mo Xing took a handkerchief from his embrace and covered his face.
The Indian expert’s figure moved along the pagoda’s corridor towards Zhou Yan. Helian Chuncheng said to Cui Qingshan, “The kid is cunning. Take a few men and surround him.”
“Alright,” Cui Qingshan covered his face and led several escorts from Datong Prefecture towards the stairs.
Ni Mo Xing’s body suddenly flew out of the pagoda.
…
The shadow cast from the setting sun’s afterglow instantly made Zhou Yan’s hair stand on end.
He didn’t have time to look closely. His body suddenly leaned back, and he forcefully pushed off the ground with his feet. He shot out like a long arrow, soaring ten feet into the air. His body descended, his toes tapped the bluestone steps, and he suddenly floated out another ten feet.
A sound of “Yi” came from the man in front of Zhou Yan. Then he saw the other person’s body stretch out, his toes tapping the ground, and he lunged forward like a hawk.
His speed was so great that it stirred up a roaring sound like thunder.
Zhou Yan thought, “How can I encounter someone trying to kill me just by visiting the West Lake pagoda?” Looking at the momentum the other person carried, his cultivation was definitely no less than Peng Lianhu’s.
Fleeing is the best strategy.
In an instant, Ni Mo Xing lunged forward. His punches were heavy and swift. Zhou Yan’s arms shook as he used Yue Family Boxing, his body shifting, punches, elbows, chops, and pushes coming in rapid succession.
As soon as the two clashed, their fists and palms stirred up thunderous and torrential roars in the blink of an eye.
With a “bang,” a violent sound, Ni Mo Xing and Zhou Yan retreated. The Indian expert’s back foot pressed against the stone steps, and he sprang out, his hands crossed, pushing towards Zhou Yan’s chest.
Swish, lime powder exploded.
Zhou Yan turned and leaped into the mountain forest without looking back.
“You’re cheating!”
An angry voice came from behind Zhou Yan.
…
White smoke billowed in the air. Ni Mo Xing’s sleeves, propelled by his internal force, acted like two iron fans, sweeping the lime powder away with several swift movements.
He drew a short iron whip shaped like a spirit snake from behind his back and pursued Zhou Yan.
Helian Chuncheng on the pagoda had a grim expression.
He knew Zhou Yan’s skills and understood Ni Mo Xing’s realm even better. Yet, as soon as they clashed, the other party threw lime and escaped. Although he was fleeing, in the few moves they exchanged, it was clear that the other party’s realm had improved.
“If Zhou Yan escapes today, the future trouble will be endless.”
“That kid is no match for Brother Ni Mo. He’s cunning. I’ll go help,” Yin Kexi said.
“Since it’s like this, let’s go together.”
Helian Chuncheng covered his face. He and Yin Kexi leaped down from the pagoda, one after the other, and rapidly pursued Zhou Yan.
…
In the woods and fields of Nanping Mountain, several figures rose and fell, chasing each other.
Behind Zhou Yan was Ni Mo Xing, and further back was Cui Qingshan, who, with six escorts, began to surround them from both sides. Further in the forest, Helian Chuncheng and Yin Kexi flew among the tree crowns, observed for a moment, then concealed themselves in the woods, pursuing at lightning speed.
Zhou Yan’s figure weaved and extended in the twilight, heading straight towards the West Lake.
He didn’t look back but instinctively judged that the attack on him seemed meticulously planned, which meant it was unlikely to be the work of a single person.
One opponent was already a handful; with helpers, if he were surrounded, he would surely die.
Zhou Yan’s current reliance was his swimming ability.
He had trained in the Yangtze River’s waves, developing good swimming skills. Although not as good as Huang Rong or Hou Tonghai, he was not inferior to the Taihu Lake water ghosts.
…
Zhou Yan burst out of the forest, his vision suddenly widening, and a fishing boat came into view.
He ran towards it and leaped onto the bow.
“Boatman, lend me your boat.”
There was no response from the cabin. Zhou Yan, not caring where the boatman had gone, used a bamboo pole to push the boat.
At this moment, Ni Mo Xing’s figure appeared at the lakeside. He gathered strength under his feet, swished, and leaped up, crossing the lake like a water bird and landing on the other end of the fishing boat.
The bow where Zhou Yan stood suddenly tilted high, then “bang,” it fell back onto the water.
“Kid, where do you think you’re going?” Ni Mo Xing sneered, leaped onto the boat’s canopy, and lunged. As he attacked, Zhou Yan took a step sideways, using the bamboo pole as a spear. He twirled a large spear flower, and instantly, seven illusory images shot out from the spear flower, stabbing towards Ni Mo Xing’s shoulders, neck, chest, and abdomen.
Ni Mo Xing let out a strange cry and began to use his short whip. Sometimes he leaped and danced, sometimes he coiled and rolled. Amidst the dense sounds of the whip and bamboo pole clashing, bamboo splinters flew everywhere. He managed to intercept Zhou Yan’s seven shots in one step.
Cui Qingshan and the escorts arrived at the lakeside. Seeing the fishing boat was already two or three zhang from the shore, he ran along the lake for more than ten steps, seized two fishing boats, and rowed to surround Zhou Yan.
At this moment, Zhou Yan had already thrust out twenty-one shots.
He had never heard of weapons like the one before him. The short whip was like a venomous snake with a triangular head. The whip was soft and flexible, studded with countless tiny iron balls. Both the head and tail of the snake had sharp spikes. The most formidable aspect was the unpredictable bending of the snake’s body and the direction of its head and tail.
It was precisely by utilizing the peculiarity of the weapon that he managed to narrowly evade the killing move of the “Storm of Pear Blossoms Spear.”
“Take another thirty shots.”
Zhou Yan shouted and lunged forward.
Ni Mo Xing could not maintain his footing on the boat’s canopy for long. He did not dare to underestimate Zhou Yan’s fierce spear techniques. He tapped his toes and floated backward towards the stern of the boat.
Suddenly, he saw Zhou Yan’s bamboo pole disappear for a moment, and then he saw Zhou Yan thrust the bamboo pole backward, only to retract it like an illusion in an instant.
A returning spear strike. The Hu escort, who was rowing and leaping towards Zhou Yan’s fishing boat, collided with the bamboo pole as if.
“Pfft!”
The bamboo pole thrust out, then retracted. The spurting blood was like blooming fireworks.
With a “bang,” the escort’s corpse fell into the lake, splashing a large area of water.
He plunged the bamboo pole into the water, pushed off, and his fishing boat shot backward. In an instant, Zhou Yan leaped towards Cui Qingshan’s fishing boat.
As Zhou Yan landed on the bow, the continuous spear shadows erupted like an angry dragon whirling, roaring forth. The chest of the leading escort spurted blood from six places like a fountain.
Zhou Yan pushed the escort, sending him crashing into the cabin. He pulled out the bamboo pole, and at this moment, he saw a sword light like thunder slash down.
He took a step back and blocked with the bamboo pole.
With a “crack,” the bamboo pole was split into two pieces of unequal length.
As the escort who had leaped to attack with his saber landed, Zhou Yan thrust the bamboo pole fragments into the escort’s chest with his left and right hands like twin spears. He did not pull out the two bamboo poles but used them to push the escort and charge forward.
In Cui Qingshan’s view, the entire boat’s canopy shattered and flew outwards. As Zhou Yan pushed the escort and charged forward, he inwardly lamented. With the corpse blocking his path, he couldn’t use his abacus beads as hidden weapons.
He suddenly spun his iron abacus and hurled it towards Zhou Yan’s head.
Zhou Yan’s right hand suddenly spun left and right before Cui Qingshan’s eyes. Abruptly, he reached out and grasped the opponent’s wrist. A powerful internal force surged from Cui Qingshan’s Shaofu acupoint and Shenmen acupoint directly into the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian.
The Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian is distributed in parts of the human body such as the heart, liver, lungs, gallbladder, and kidneys, and it governs the entire body.
The internal force Zhou Yan propelled surged through the meridians, shattering Cui Qingshan’s viscera.
