Hundreds of thousands of volumes! If they were taken to the main world to be printed and auctioned, they could sell for millions, even tens of millions of taels of silver. And they would be very popular.
Which aristocratic family wouldn't want to buy a copy to preserve their legacy? Which fifth-tier powerhouse wouldn't want to use this convenient method to learn about another world?
three
two
one
shoot!
Of course, the actual situation is definitely not like that. The person on the other end isn't deaf; how could they not hear?
Therefore, what actually happened was that Shia slowly raised his right hand, and then everyone began to aim. Then, he extended three fingers. He lowered one, then another, and then another. Finally, he lowered his right hand completely.
With the sound of triggers being pulled, dozens of crossbows fired simultaneously, unleashing dozens of deadly bolts. Each bolt was gleaming with a green light, clearly poisoned.
Under the close-range fire of dozens of crossbow bolts, even one of the ten imperial guards was unlucky enough to be riddled with holes. More than half of the fifty veterans around were killed instantly, their armor pierced by crossbow bolts.
"Protect the adults!"
There is an assassin.
However, the shouts were quickly silenced. At the same time, a soldier, before dying, lit a signal flare. Then, a huge firework shot into the sky, a truly beautiful sight.
Then came a ten-shot burst from the crossbows. When all the hundreds of bolts had been fired, the fifty veterans were all dead. Of the ten imperial guards, only half remained.
Even among the remaining half, two were seriously injured and three were slightly injured. He frantically pulled out a large quantity of antidotes from his pocket and quickly swallowed them.
As for Ye Mingchen's three subordinates, they were all seriously injured and completely unable to fight. The only thing that remained intact was the sedan chair.
In the next instant, Shi A descended from the sky, a dagger in his right hand. His figure transformed into a streak of light, and the dagger, which was originally pitch black and did not reflect light, now emitted a flamboyant silver-white glow. A foot-long cold light appeared on the surface of the blade.
Even from a distance, one can feel the coldness and loneliness contained within that chilling light. Some, with weak willpower, might even become completely absorbed in it, unable to extricate themselves.
Therefore, the remaining five imperial guards died with smiles on their faces, completely unaware of what was happening, which was absolutely terrifying.
Seeing this, Ye Mingchen stepped out of the sedan chair, one step at a time. As he emerged, he was still holding a crossbow bolt in his right hand.
These crossbow bolts are specially made. They're short and powerful, but crafted from high-quality iron. Within fifty paces, they can pierce even heavy armor.
At that moment, Ye Mingchen crushed the crossbow bolt, made of refined iron, into pieces. Not just in two, but pulverized it into iron mud.
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Chapter 47: Your mother is furious, your wife is cheating on you, and your child is actually mine!
"Good, what a brilliant move to turning iron into mud!" Shi Azan exclaimed.
For a master of internal martial arts, crushing steel with true qi is perfectly normal. However, to effortlessly and unintentionally turn steel into iron slurry is truly remarkable. Such a miraculous scene would be the envy of even fourth-rank masters.
"The army's powerful crossbows, the specially made crossbow bolts—whose man are you? The Hongmen? The Zhu traitor? Although I don't know how you managed to transport these powerful crossbows into Guangzhou City through so many obstacles, you shouldn't have come to deal with me." As soon as he finished speaking, a powerful aura soared into the sky.
Immediately following was a loud shout, long and powerful, that could be heard clearly by everyone in Guangzhou. At the same time, a murderous intent flashed, and with a slight flick of his right hand, a handful of iron mud transformed into a hidden weapon, which struck like a meteor.
Although this attack did not employ any superior concealed weapon techniques, its unparalleled speed and power alone were enough to make it impossible for most martial arts practitioners to withstand.
Seeing this, Shi A smiled slightly, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the dagger in his hand flew up like a peacock spreading its tail. Streaks of cold light formed a beautiful wall, blocking out the countless iron muds.
At the same time, his right foot lightly touched the ground, and the earth within three zhang around him immediately shattered beyond recognition. Then, chunks of soil flew up and began to swirl around Shi A.
Immediately afterwards, Shi A blew a breath at the swirling soil. The soil instantly transformed into a mud whirlwind, heading towards Ye Mingchen.
At the same time, Shi A narrowed his eyes, and like a hawk, he vanished from his spot in an instant, disappearing into the soil with incredible speed, heading towards Ye Mingchen.
"Good, good, good. For my sake, Ye Mingchen, you've actually mobilized a third-grade Grandmaster. That's quite a grand gesture," Ye Mingchen said with a sneer.
Although Shia was also a Grandmaster, he was not afraid. Because this was Guangzhou City. Tachar and Saishang'a weren't blind or deaf; they would arrive in a few dozen breaths at most. He absolutely did not believe that this guy opposite him could finish him off in a few dozen breaths.
"A heart of noble character and unwavering loyalty!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ye Mingchen unleashed his trump card. He cultivated the Righteous Heart Technique, a Confucian-influenced cultivation method that emphasized loyalty to the emperor.
As long as one is truly loyal to the emperor and the court, one can enter this state of mind anytime, anywhere, thereby increasing one's strength several times over.
This is why Ye Mingchen became the governor of Guangzhou at a young age, only in his forties.
Generally speaking, most superior martial arts are closely related to one's state of mind. As long as one's state of mind and martial arts are in harmony, one can achieve twice the result with half the effort and increase the power many times over.
Take the Dragon Subduing Palm technique, for example. It emphasizes boldness and grandeur. But if you use this palm technique while your mind is full of scheming and plotting, its power will naturally be reduced many times over.
This is why, throughout history, masters have always enjoyed engaging in verbal sparring during battles. They don't aim to completely ruin your composure; even the slightest flaw is enough for your opponent to seize upon and secure victory.
Imagine this: when two people are fighting, the other side suddenly says, "Your mother is dead, your wife is cheated on, and your child is actually mine."
Such a statement is incredibly damaging. Then, providing evidence to prove it's true will almost certainly demoralize the opponent. Unless, of course, they are inherently ruthless.
Therefore, Shi A spoke up at this moment: "The emperor you serve is a Manchu. The court you serve is also Manchu. Yet you, a Han Chinese, act as an accomplice to the wicked. Aren't you afraid of becoming a traitor after death?"
"Hmph, when the Chinese are invaded by barbarians, they are treated as barbarians; when barbarians invade China, they are treated as Chinese. It has been almost two hundred years since the time of the Holy Ancestor. It has also been two hundred years since the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains! Now, the court is the rightful legitimate successor. Your statements are utterly absurd!" Ye Mingchen said righteously.
He spoke without the slightest remorse. Clearly, he truly believed it; he genuinely agreed with this view.
Having said that, he waved his wide sleeve, which transformed into a wall. This wall was incredibly sturdy, and powerful gusts of wind emanated from it, completely blocking out the mud that filled the air.
At the same time, a huge fist emerged from the sleeve and clashed with Shi'a's.
With a thud, Shi A used the force of the attack to quickly retreat. Then, he performed a 360-degree flip in the air, completely dissipating all the force.