Bad things happen often - Chapter 138
"Wei Qi... what did you do to the people from the Yue Lan Sword Sect?" Shi Le'er asked, suppressing her fear.
Wei Qi smiled, "Don't worry, everyone, how could I bear to kill them?" His gaze slowly fell on the Yue siblings, "You two must be the successors of the 'Huai' generation of the Yue Lan Sword Sect. You came to help when you learned that your family was in trouble. You are truly bound by blood and have selfless affection."
"Didn't you come here to compete? Why are you resorting to such underhanded tactics? Let's have some fun!" Yue Huaijiang shouted.
Wei Qi laughed and said, "Le'er is my betrothed wife, and I would never lay a finger on her. However, I can't guarantee the same for the people of the Yue Lan Sword Sect."
"What do you want?" Yue Huaixi frowned and asked.
Wei Qi spoke leisurely, saying, "The Yue Lan Sword Sect has secured its place in the martial world thanks to the 'Seventeen Forms of the Lan Sword,' and also the Qi family's famous weapon: the 'Lan Sword.' People only know that the Yue Lan Sword Sect possesses the 'Lan Sword,' but they don't know that the 'Lan Sword' is a pair, one representing a mountain, the other a wind. Only by combining the two swords can the essence of the 'Seventeen Forms of the Lan Sword' be unleashed, making one invincible throughout the world." He looked at the Yue siblings, his gaze falling on the wooden box they carried. "...The Nine Emperor Divine Weapons must have been forged by the Qi family, and are not recorded in the register of famous weapons. The 'Lan' of 'Mountain' and 'Wind' is naturally a divine weapon. Now, let's exchange the 'Wind' in your hands for the lives of the Yue Lan Sect. How about this deal?"
"So, you didn't actually want to subdue the Yue Lan Sword Sect; your real goal was the 'Nine Emperors' Divine Artifact'!" Shi Le'er realized in an instant. She looked at the Yue siblings and shouted, "Don't agree to his request! Wei Qi, you despicable and shameless scoundrel, you'll never keep your promises! Don't even think about it!"
Wei Qi wasn't angry. "Le'er, once you leave Taiping City, you're nothing. What right do you have to talk back to me?"
Shi Le'er's face flushed with anger, but just as Wei Qi had said, she was powerless and unable to resist. Frustrated, she struggled violently. The men holding her at swordpoint, who hadn't dared to harm her in the first place, were intimidated by her movement.
Wei Ying saw this opening. He drew his sword and, with lightning speed, attacked the person holding Shi Le'er hostage. The sword shattered on the blade, the fragments glittering in the sunlight. That dazzling sight lasted only a moment, and in that instant, Wei Ying had already shielded Shi Le'er behind him.
"The Martial Spirit Overlord Blade..." After seeing the weapon in Wei Ying's hand, Wei Qi's tone turned cold, "Le'er, you choose him?"
Shi Le'er, still shaken from her sudden rescue, reacted immediately upon hearing those words, saying, "What's wrong with choosing him? Do you expect me to choose a despicable person like you?"
Wei Qi's brows furrowed, his previous gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a quiet murderous aura. "Third brother, you are indeed blessed with extraordinary talent. From childhood to adulthood, everyone has chosen you. I pushed you to such a desperate situation, yet you still managed to turn things around."
Seeing the murderous intent in his eyes, Wei Ying felt a chill run through her heart.
"What are you daydreaming about! Give him a good talking to!" Shi Le'er stomped her foot and shoved Wei Ying, saying.
However, in that instant, countless sharp blades suddenly appeared from the ground, piercing straight at everyone's feet.
Wei Ying reacted quickly, picking up Shi Le'er and narrowly avoiding the danger.
The offensive had not yet ceased; a dozen sharp blades burst from the ground, exploding in clouds of dust that blinded the eyes. Countless figures could be vaguely seen flitting about, indistinguishable by sight, yet all the attacks were undeniably real. Many were unable to cope and were wounded.
Before Yue Huaijiang and Yue Huaixi could react, they too were attacked. Several strangely shaped hidden weapons flew towards them, and sharp blades surrounded their feet, making it difficult to dodge from above and below.
Yue Huaijiang frowned, opened the scabbard, and took out his sword.
The long sword was over three feet long, with colorful cloud patterns flowing across its blade, gleaming with silver light, and was incomparably beautiful.
He leaped into the air, flipped headfirst, and swung his sword in a whirlwind. His movements were incredibly agile; in the blink of an eye, all the hidden weapons had fallen to the ground. He lightly touched the ground with the tip of his sword, using the momentum to rise, and with a backflip, he regained his footing.
He had just breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a palm strike coming at him.
Seeing this, Yue Huaixi, who was standing beside him, immediately stepped in to block it for him.
After receiving the palm strike, Yue Huaixi frowned and stepped back, his breath trembling slightly, and said, "Nether Thunder Palm!"
The one who made the move was Wei Qi. His first palm strike failed, so he immediately launched another attack on Yue Huaijiang.
Yue Huaijiang was worried about Yue Huaixi's injuries, and for a moment, his moves became somewhat chaotic.
Wei Qi struck at his chest with a palm, but Yue Huaijiang bent over, deflecting the blow. He retreated several steps to regain his balance, then drew his sword to take Wei Qi's head.
Wei Qi spun around, dodging the sword strike. Then, with his back to Yue Huaijiang, he leaned back. His left elbow instantly pressed against Yue Huaijiang's throat. Immediately, his right hand seized Yue Huaijiang's wrist, which was gripping the sword. He pressed on Yue Huaijiang's pulse point, applying slight pressure.
Yue Huaijiang felt a numbness in his wrist, his strength vanished, and the longsword slipped from his hand.
Wei Qi immediately took the sword and quickly retreated.
When Yue Huaijiang came to his senses, he saw Wei Qi already holding a long sword, his expression a half-smile.
"When the Storm Swords are combined, they are invincible under heaven," Wei Qi said leisurely. "But now there is only one, how could you possibly be my match!"
The Yue siblings exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing deeply...
Meanwhile, Wei Ying shielded Shi Le'er, dodging the attacks. Suddenly, a flash of crimson light appeared within the dust and smoke. He instinctively swung his sword, the sound of weapons clashing crisply. Wei Ying felt a jolt from the blade, which made his wrist go numb.
In the world, the only thing that the "Martial Spirit Overlord Blade" cannot cut is the divine weapon that is also one of the "Nine Emperors"!
The crimson light drew closer again, and Wei Ying hurriedly tried to block it, but the dust obscured his vision. He managed to defend against that attack, but he couldn't guard against the chilling palm strike that followed. In his haste, he raised his sword to defend. The palm strike hit the blade, the force so strong that it forced him to loosen his grip, and the "Martial Spirit Overlord Blade" was sent flying, spinning several times in the air before landing at Wei Qi's feet.
Wei Ying was forced back several steps, slightly out of breath.
As the smoke and dust dissipated, Wei Ying saw a man in his early fifties. In his left hand he held a pair of crimson double swords—the very same swords of "Zhu Yang," one of the "Nine Emperors"—while his right hand remained poised to strike. This was none other than Wen Jing, the former lord of the seventy-two islands of the East Sea. Beside him were dozens of Japanese ninjas; the sharp blades and smoke from before were all the work of ninja magic.
Wen Jing withdrew his hand and looked at Wei Qi, "Young Master Wei, didn't I advise you long ago not to waste your breath?"
Wei Qi smiled and nodded, "The island lord is right."
Wei Qi pulled the "Martial Spirit Overlord Blade" from the ground and slowly said, "Kill."
The moment the words were spoken, a murderous intent appeared. The group from Taiping City had all suffered injuries from the earlier attack, and their situation was extremely unfavorable.
Just then, eerie music drifted in, and everyone felt a wave of dizziness, their internal energy becoming disordered. At the same time, silver-white arrows pierced the air, heading straight for Wei Qi and Wen Jing's troops.
"Enchanting Sea Divine Sound..." Wen Jing hurriedly dodged and uttered the name.
But that wasn't all. A faint, sweet fragrance wafted through the air, and a ten-year-old girl, carrying a palace lantern, gracefully descended. A group of women dressed in silk and brocade, with flowing ribbons, followed closely behind, carrying flower baskets and floating in. In an instant, blossoms filled the air, and beautiful women appeared like clouds, a breathtaking sight.
The women stood still, turning slightly to the side, and said in unison, "Welcome, Alliance Leader!"
...
Nonsense
Following the women, a troop of archers rode up on horseback, clearing the way as usual. Then, Yin Xiao and Jiang Cheng led the way, followed by Li Si and Luo Yuanqing, with Gui Jiu bringing up the rear, leading a large sedan chair carried by sixteen men. On either side of the sedan chair were Wen Su and Lian Zhao. Ba Ji Tian, He Lan Qi Feng, and many other people brought up the rear. The large group thus proceeded in a grand procession.
Needless to say, the person on those sixteen sedan chairs was none other than Zuo Xiaoxiao, the "Three-String Heroine" who was inexplicably and unexpectedly elected as the leader of the alliance.
This grand sedan chair, crafted from sandalwood, could comfortably accommodate five people lying down. Crystal cushions covered the chair, upon which sat a carved low table laden with fine wine, fruit, and sandalwood incense. Embroidered soft cushions provided support. A young woman, dressed in jade-colored silk, reclined in the chair. A glass hairpin adorned her hair, and jade earrings graced her ears. Agate necklaces and white jade belt buckles completed her look. A three-stringed plucked instrument rested lightly in her arms; her fingers gently stroked the strings, producing a muted, melancholic sound. Yet, amidst the extravagance, a profound and dignified air emanated from her.
Even Wei Qi and Wen Jing were momentarily stunned by the scene. The others were completely dumbfounded.
Xiao Xiao, sitting in the sedan chair, felt stiff and embarrassed. Heavens! Throughout history, which alliance leader had ever made such a grand entrance? Looking at her own extravagant attire, she became even more speechless. This wasn't the style of the martial world; it was clearly a display of wealth. What was this called? This was called bluffing, relentlessly trying to intimidate!
Looking at the situation before her, she felt a little uneasy. From the Shennong family, she had traveled non-stop for a month and a half to reach the vicinity of Taiping City. Along the way, she had received a constant stream of news: Wei Qi going to Taiping City to propose marriage, using Mo Yun and Zhao Yan to undermine the Qi family, and joining forces with Wen Jing to attack the Yue Lan Sword Sect…
These are all extremely important matters. But unfortunately, the journey is long and arduous, making it impossible to reach them in time. Today, we have finally arrived at the critical moment!
"You audacious madman, how dare you not pay your respects to the Alliance Leader?" Gui Jiu stepped forward and shouted.
Before Wei Qi and his group could react, Xiao Xiao mustered her courage, steeled herself, and said in a tone that was both authoritative and gentle, "Gui Jiu, do not be rude."
"Yes." Guijiu obeyed and stepped back in front of the sedan chair.
She cleared her throat slightly and said, "Young Master Wei, how have you been?"
Wei Qi was uncertain and dared not act rashly, so he could only reply, "So Miss Zuo has really taken the position of leader of the alliance. Congratulations!"
With a small smile, she said, "I am incompetent and lack virtue, but I am honored by the kindness of my fellow martial artists. However, as the leader of the alliance, I will uphold justice for everyone. Young Master Wei, you set a trap, impersonated a disciple of the Yue Lan Sword Sect, and plotted against Taiping City. I, Zuo Xiaoxiao, cannot stand idly by in the face of such a violation of the code of the martial world."
Wei Qi sneered, "Hmph, Miss Zuo, you've colluded with a cult and harbor ulterior motives. As the lord of Hero's Fortress, I cannot stand by and watch you do evil!" As soon as he finished speaking, a large group of people surged over, consisting of Hero's Fortress and various sects, large and small, that had submitted to him in the martial arts world.
"Stubborn fool." Xiao Xiao said with great momentum, "Today I will settle old scores with you!" She waved her hand leisurely and said, "Do it!"
The alliance members were already excited and eagerly awaiting her command. In an instant, a fierce and breathtaking battle erupted between the two sides.
Xiao Xiao secretly wiped away a cold sweat and breathed a sigh of relief. She had done what she needed to do. The rest was beyond her control. She looked at the battle situation in front of her, thought seriously for a while, and finally picked up a piece of watermelon from the low table and began to eat.
...
The members of the alliance, having previously received "favors" from the Divine Firmament Sect, harbored a deep-seated resentment. Now that they had finally found their enemy, setting aside morality and justice, their personal grudges alone were enough to ignite their fighting spirit. The group fought with great enthusiasm and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Among them, only Wen Su had no such thoughts.
Wen Jing stood with his sword in hand, looking at him with a half-smile in his eyes, "You survived my Nether Thunder Palm with all its power, you're really tough."
Wen Su remained silent and did not respond.
"You wretched creature, how dare you lead the remaining people of the East Sea to oppose me!" Wen Jing rebuked, then mercilessly swung his knife at Wen Su.
Wen Su dodged the attack, not taking it head-on.
One reason is naturally that Wen Jing's weapon is "Zhu Yang," one of the Nine Emperor Divine Weapons. Ordinary weapons would only break if they were used against it. The second reason is somewhat of a woman's soft heart. It's not because he was instilled with "loyalty" from childhood, but because his heart has softened. The familial affection he once received has now become a shackle.
Wen Jing, however, harbored no such thoughts. His hatred grew stronger with each thwarted plan. His attacks were ruthless and merciless.
Wen Su continued to dodge. Seeing this, Wen Jing swung his sword down, aiming for Wen Su's shoulder. Wen Su dodged to the side. At this moment, Wen Jing sheathed his sword and gathered his strength to unleash a palm strike.
Unable to dodge, Wen Su had no choice but to strike back with his own palm, taking the blow head-on.
As they clapped their palms together, Wen Jing was surprised. Wen Su's internal strength had improved by leaps and bounds compared to before. Wen Jing understood in a moment.
“The Mysterious Moon Heart Sutra…” Wen Jing frowned and said, “You actually obtained the second volume of the Mysterious Moon Heart Sutra!”
At this moment, Luo Yuanqing stepped forward and said, "Wen Jing, the East and South Seas have already formed an alliance. Your fate is sealed. Why don't you lay down your arms and surrender?!"
Upon hearing this, Wen Jing's gaze towards Wen Su grew even colder. Without a word, he turned and attacked Luo Yuanqing.
Luo Yuanqing didn't hesitate and immediately attacked. Although she and Wen Su had exchanged the two volumes of the Profound Moon Heart Sutra, she had only been practicing it for a short time. With her current strength, it was still somewhat difficult for her to fight Wen Jing. In addition, Wen Jing was wielding a divine weapon, which made it even more difficult for Luo Yuanqing to defend herself.
Soon after, Luo Yuanqing found herself at a disadvantage. In her haste, her moves inevitably revealed flaws.
Wen Jing naturally wouldn't let this opportunity to win slip by. The blade in his hand flashed red and aimed straight for her heart.
Luo Yuanqing was powerless to resist and had no choice but to intervene.
At this critical moment, Wen Su pulled her away and used his wrist to block Wen Jing's hand holding the knife.
Wen Jing sheathed his sword and took a few steps back. Then, gathering his strength once more, he launched another attack.
Wen Su then drew his sword and stood up to meet him.
Luo Yuanqing steadied himself and, upon seeing this scene, felt only melancholy and couldn't help but sigh softly.
Wen Su felt a sense of relief wash over him, and his movements became fluid and effortless. All past grievances had been severed the moment he was struck by the full power of the Nether Thunder Palm. Clinging to those memories was merely pointless self-inflicted trouble. In this world, only what you hold in your hands is truly worth cherishing. What he couldn't afford to lose now was not his master-disciple relationship with Wen Jing.
As they exchanged blows, Wen Jing noticed Wen Su's change. He had once considered Wen Su his sole successor, imparting to him all his secret techniques except for the Nether Thunder Palm. Wen Su possessed exceptional talent in dual-sword skills, and Wen Jing was no match for him. Their current evenness was due to the "Chasing the Sun" sword in his hand.
Wen Su naturally knew he couldn't fight "Zhu Yang" head-on. He would never block Wen Jing's killing moves, but would try his best to dodge them. When he made a move, he would never clash with "Zhu Yang", but would focus on attacking Wen Su's wrist.
Seeing this, Wen Jing put away the knife in his left hand and turned to face it with his palm.
Wen Su also sheathed the knife in his left hand and struck out with his palm.
Their palms clashed, and the two were locked in a stalemate. However, the stalemate did not last long; in terms of internal strength, Wen Jing always had the upper hand.
Wen Su felt his inner energy waning and his strength beginning to dissipate. A smile gradually appeared on Wen Jing's face, and the blade in his right hand seemed ready to strike.
As the crimson blade of "Zhu Yang" drew ever closer, Wen Su had no choice but to raise his sword to meet it.
The two swords clashed, and Wen Su's sword was instantly shattered. Wen Jing's smile widened, and without the slightest pause, he thrust his sword straight at Wen Su.