Chapter 270: One Hand Seeking Marriage, the Other Secretly Shooting Arrows
“Heh heh, this old monk is increasingly fond of you, young man.” Huo Gong Toutuo, wanting to show off, struck out with his left palm. The wine bowl spun halfway around in the air and landed on the table.
Not a ripple disturbed the wine in the bowl.
Zhou Yan said: “The ‘Subdue External Heretics’ of the Vajra Prajna Palm.”
“Youngster, you have good eyesight.”
Huo Gong Toutuo smiled sinisterly, revealing his white teeth, and picked up the bowl to drink tea.
“A fine ‘Finger Flicking Divine Skill,’ this youngster must have had some fortuitous encounter to learn the divine skills of Seventh Brother and Brother Yao.” Ouyang Feng said, looking at Zhou Yan: “Let me see what level your cultivation has reached.”
Ouyang Feng picked up a bowl, poured wine, and pushed it forward with his right hand. The wine bowl flew directly towards Zhou Yan.
“Brother Feng, this is bullying the weak.” Hong Qigong glared.
“I am merely testing the skill of the ‘Finger Flicking Divine Skill.’ Brother Qi, your words are mistaken.”
Huang Rong said: “Hong Bangzhu also has someone to test.”
Hong Qigong laughed heartily, “You clever girl.”
Zhou Yan faced Huo Gong Toutuo and Qiu Qianren, with his back to Ouyang Feng and the others. While they were speaking, the wine bowl had already flown past him.
“Be careful!” Huang Rong couldn’t help but warn.
Zhou Yan heard the sound of wind behind him and circled his left hand. His five fingers had already grasped the rim of the bowl. This was neither the ‘Shenlong Tail Whip’ of the Subduing Dragon Eighteen Palms, nor the ‘Crushing Hardness Divine Claw.’
It was a variation of the Returning Spear from the Yue Family Spear Technique. Originally, it involved grabbing the spearhead five inches from the tip with the back of the hand, and without waiting for the opponent to counter, twisting the body and thrusting the spear towards the face, a killing move that could take a life. But Zhou Yan, unconstrained by the form, used it to catch the wine bowl.
As Zhou Yan’s five fingers gripped the bowl, he felt as if his fingertips had landed on a hot iron, burning and stinging. He was secretly shocked; Ouyang Feng’s internal force cultivation seemed to have improved again.
He remained composed, lifted the bowl, and drank. Ouyang Feng said sinisterly: “The technique of the Returning Spear can also be used to hold a wine bowl? My eyes have been opened.”
“This was not taught by the old beggar.” Hong Qigong laughed heartily: “Nephew Ouyang, have a drink with me.”
After Hong Qigong finished speaking, he flicked his Dog Beating Stick, and a bowl of wine flew towards the table where Ouyang Ke was sitting alone.
Ouyang Ke leaped up, employing the technique of the Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm. His palms flew out swiftly, and he caught the wine bowl with both hands, drinking it down in large gulps. He then bowed to Hong Qigong, “Thank you, Uncle.”
“Brother Feng, your nephew’s cultivation has improved considerably.”
Ouyang Feng smiled, “If that boy can have rapid progress in his cultivation, why can’t my nephew improve?”
“Makes sense,” the old beggar grumbled.
“Brother Qi is too polite.”
Huang Yaoshi looked at Ouyang Feng with suspicion in his heart, thinking, could the Old Venomous have taught Ouyang Ke the Nine Yin Manual? He thought this and decided to test him, “Since nephew has drunk Brother Qi’s wine, how can mine be absent?”
He flicked his finger, and the wine bowl shot off the table towards Ouyang Ke.
Ouyang Ke had just circulated his energy to neutralize the force contained in the wine bowl that Hong Qigong had sent, when Huang Yaoshi’s wine bowl arrived instantly. He broke out in a cold sweat, knowing that Huang Yaoshi would not use his full strength, but even so, the force carried by the wine bowl was not something he could break with his usual techniques.
Without hesitation, he employed the ‘Flying Catkins Force’ from the Nine Yin Manual.
This was an extremely clever technique for deflecting force, capable of rendering an opponent’s powerful attack into nothingness.
Under everyone’s gaze, the wine bowl landed on Ouyang Ke’s palm and slipped off. He quickly caught the wine bowl with his other hand, but in doing so, some wine inevitably splashed into his palm.
“Good technique,” Huo Gong Toutuo praised.
Huang Yaoshi’s expression turned somewhat grim. He could clearly see Ouyang Ke’s force-deflecting technique, and the Old Venomous had broken his solemn oath, his words not matching his heart.
Hong Qigong tutted, “Nephew Ouyang, did your uncle get inspiration from snakes to comprehend this force-deflecting technique?”
Ouyang Ke did not know that he was cultivating a technique from the Nine Yin Manual. He said, “My uncle taught it to me, but he never told me the name of the technique.”
Huang Yaoshi, being exceptionally intelligent, understood immediately and snorted inwardly, “I swore an oath with the Old Venomous that we would not reveal Chongyang’s Inscription to any third party. He is taking advantage of loopholes, unworthy of being a Grandmaster.”
Huang Rong, seeing Ouyang Ke catch the wine bowl and spill some wine, clapped her hands and said, “You lost.”
Huang Rong’s smile made Ouyang Ke’s heart flutter. He said, “If it can make Miss Huang smile, what does it matter if I lose?”
“Smooth talker, I’m not talking to you.” Huang Rong walked towards Zhou Yan. After taking two steps, she suddenly heard Ouyang Feng laugh, “Brother Yao, my nephew has drunk your wine. Old Venomous, I have a favor to ask.”
Huang Rong stopped and looked back.
If it were any other day, given Ouyang Feng’s personality, for him to utter the word “ask” would indicate the matter was of great importance and that he valued her. Huang Yaoshi would have been pleased, but now he was still immersed in his previous displeasure and said in a deep voice, “Brother Feng, please speak freely.”
“Is my nephew worthy of your esteemed daughter?”
As he said this, Zhou Yan was startled and looked at Huang Rong.
Huang Rong did not lose her composure; she smiled at Huang Yaoshi.
Ouyang Feng finished speaking, reached into his robes, and took out a brocade box. He opened the lid, and on the brocade lining lay a yellow, round ball about the size of a pigeon’s egg. Its color was dark and unremarkable. He said, “This ‘Tongxi Dilong Pill’ was obtained from the body of a strange beast from the Western Regions, and I have refined it with medicinal herbs. Wearing it, one is immune to all poisons. There is only this one in the world. It is a betrothal gift for your esteemed daughter.”
Hong Qigong tutted, “Brother Feng, you are truly generous. However, if this girl were to marry Brother Feng’s nephew, it would be like a flower falling into cow dung.”
Ouyang Feng smiled sinisterly, “Brother Qi, it is better to tear down ten temples than to ruin one marriage.”
Hong Qigong pulled out the stopper and took a few large gulps from his wine gourd, saying, “If it were a good match, the old beggar would not do such a wicked thing. It is your nephew’s character that is flawed.”
Ouyang Feng smiled sinisterly, ignoring Hong Qigong, and looked at Huang Yaoshi: “Brother Yao, you are the Eastern Heretic, and I am the Western Venom. We act according to our desires. A marriage alliance between our two families can be considered a match of equal standing, wouldn’t you agree?”
When Ouyang Ke heard Ouyang Feng ask this, his heart felt like it was hanging by a thread.
Ouyang Feng continued to himself, “Moreover, Brother Yao and I have a connection, wouldn’t you agree?”
Huang Yaoshi thought, I swore an oath by my beloved wife, yet you took advantage of loopholes and taught the Nine Yin Manual to Ouyang Ke. I, Huang Yaoshi, detest those who break their promises the most. You say we have a connection, but in reality, you are just saying that we both know about the manual.
Huang Yaoshi had read Chongyang’s Inscription and obtained the lower volume from Mei Chaofeng. He knew that what Wang Chongyang had carved in the stone room of the Ancient Tomb was not the complete text. He knew that Ouyang Feng was deceitful and extremely cunning, and he suspected that Ouyang Feng’s proposal was a pretext to discuss the manual, with ulterior motives.
Thinking this, he said, “Rong’er, you still refuse to marry?”
Huang Rong ran over and hugged Huang Yaoshi’s arm: “Rong’er will only marry someone like Father who is truly devoted to Mother.”
Huang Yaoshi stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “I apologize, Brother Yao.”
“Brother Yao’s actions are always unpredictable, and the old beggar cannot fathom his temperament, but this matter is done most satisfyingly.”
“Thank you, Brother Qi.” After Huang Yaoshi said this, he said to Huang Rong, “Since we have refused Brother Feng, it would be shameless to continue drinking. Let’s go.”
Huang Rong felt that it was not wise to approach Zhou Yan at this moment, so she said, “Yes, Father and I will go.”
Huang Yaoshi took Huang Rong’s hand and said, “Brothers Qi and Feng, we bid you farewell.”
After saying this, he looked at Huo Gong Toutuo: “If you seek revenge, you may come to Peach Blossom Island at any time. However, whether you can reach the island and leave it is another matter.”
Huo Gong Toutuo grinned, “I will certainly not disappoint Island Lord Huang.”
“Good!” Huang Yaoshi, with Huang Rong, leaped out of the window. The two landed gracefully outside Yueyang Tower, as if riding the wind, and disappeared into the night in an instant.
Hong Qigong picked up his wine gourd and shook it. “The old beggar is also going to get some wine. Young man, you should leave.”
Zhou Yan had not expected Huang Yaoshi to make such a decision. He came back to his senses and said to Yanbo Diaosou, “Let’s go, old brother.”
“Young man, you haven’t settled the score for killing my disciple, and now you want to leave.”
Huo Gong Toutuo suddenly attacked. He utilized every muscle and every nerve in his body that could exert power to its absolute peak, striking at Zhou Yan with a palm.
Huo Gong Toutuo’s attack produced no explosive sound; it was as if it had been annihilated. However, it unleashed the full ten-tenths power of the Vajra Prajna Palm, aiming for a single, heavy blow.
“A sect leader acting like this is not honorable,” Hong Qigong boomed. He slightly bent his left leg, curved his right arm inward, and pushed his right palm outward in a circle with a whoosh.
Hong Qigong knew that Huo Gong Toutuo was making a serious move, and he did not dare to be negligent, giving his all. As he pushed his palm out, the palm force broke through the air, emitting a low explosion. The palm force, like a raging tide, surged forward like an invisible dragon.
Huo Gong Toutuo laughed heartily, “Hong Bangzhu, you are attacking me sneakily, yet you call yourself righteous. I will receive your Subduing Dragon Palm Technique.”
Zhou Yan and Yanbo Diaosou rose simultaneously. The table between them moved silently and then flew up, imbued with great force, smashing towards Huo Gong Toutuo.
Qiu Qianren, who had been silent all this time, did not miss this opportunity. Without a word, he suddenly rushed forward, struck his right palm with his left, and his right palm shot out diagonally, directly at Zhou Yan’s lower abdomen. This was one of the most ferocious and deadly moves of his Iron Palm Skill, “Yin Yang Guiyi.”
From the private room by the window in Yueyang Tower, the Iron Spear vibrated, and Yu Huacheng’s body also swayed.
All movement was connected.
Hong Qigong’s palm strike was aimed solely at forcing Huo Gong Toutuo to abandon his attack on Zhou Yan.
Huo Gong Toutuo indeed abandoned Zhou Yan. He swung the Vajra Prajna Palm, and suddenly a “ge” sound came from behind Hong Qigong.
Hong Qigong’s heart tightened. A thought flashed through his mind: the Old Venomous is angry that I disrupted his nephew’s good fortune and seeks revenge.
In an instant, a palm wind, like a raging tidal wave, surged forth as if the sea had reversed its flow.
No matter how high Hong Qigong’s martial arts were, he could not simultaneously block Huo Gong Toutuo in front and the Western Venom, Ouyang Feng, behind. He inwardly cried: “My life is over.”
If he were to be struck by Ouyang Feng’s Toad Stance, his spine would surely break. Hong Qigong had no choice but to gather his energy in front of him, risking severe injury, and meet Huo Gong Toutuo’s palm strike head-on. He struck back horizontally with a ‘Shenlong Tail Whip’ towards Ouyang Feng.
