The inn's entanglement and turmoil
Chu Tong hadn't slept well all night, and only started to feel sleepy at the crack of dawn. Just then, she felt someone pushing her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Yun Yinghuai's dark face covered in a beard. Chu Tong couldn't help but say angrily, "Why are you pushing me? I haven't had enough sleep yet."
Yun Yinghuai said calmly, "There's a market nearby. Let's go get something to eat. You should also change your clothes. Your bright red outfit is too eye-catching. If the King of Jinyang is looking for you, you'll easily be discovered."
Chu Tong knew Yun Yinghuai was right, so she had no choice but to suppress her anger and get up to follow him to the market. They arrived at a market not far away. It was early morning, and the breakfast stalls were just being set up; the streets were deserted. Yun Yinghuai told Chu Tong to hide in an alley while he went to a secondhand clothing store to buy her some clothes. Chu Tong yawned repeatedly and nodded listlessly. As they were leaving, Yun Yinghuai held out his hand to Chu Tong and said, "Give it to me."
Chu Tong was taken aback and asked, "What?"
Yun Yinghuai said, "The money for clothes." Seeing Chu Tong's astonished expression, he raised his eyebrows and said, "I promised to send you to a wealthy family after the matter was settled, but I didn't promise to pay for your food, clothing, and lodging along the way. Now, buying clothes requires money, so give me the money."
At this moment, Yao Chutong's drowsiness vanished, and she stared wide-eyed in surprise, saying, "You, you, you, what did you say? You, a dignified man, are actually arguing with a little woman like me over such a small amount of money!" After saying this, she thought of the gold and silver treasures she had saved, which were now all in the Jin Yang Prince's Mansion. She didn't have a single penny on her, and she felt anxious and resentful.
Yun Yinghuai said slowly, "It's alright, I promised to do two things for you, didn't I? You can let me pay for your food, clothing and lodging along the way. I'll agree to it right away."
Chu Tong thought to herself, "So that's what that guy was planning." She sneered and said, "Fine, if you don't want to buy it, I'll just go out on the street like this. At worst, I'll have the guards from the Prince's Mansion arrest me and take me back! And you can forget about the jade and the sword manual!"
Yun Yinghuai looked up at the sky and said calmly, "Fine, at worst I won't take the sword manual. I'll just seal your pressure points and take back the jade now, leaving you to fend for yourself."
Chu Tong was annoyed. She took a breath and rolled her eyes, saying, "Didn't you say you'd give me a large sum of money once I finished drawing the sword manual? Now consider it credit."
Yun Yinghuai shook his head and crossed his arms: "No, no, let's do cash on delivery." Then he smiled slightly and said: "Of course, I'll grant you two requests. You can also let me give you the money on credit now."
Chu Tong found Yun Yinghuai's face utterly repulsive, and gritted her teeth, saying, "No need!" After a moment's thought, she suddenly remembered that Urina had given her a necklace. That night, the moonlight was dim, and she hadn't examined it herself. Excitedly, she took the necklace out of her purse, but upon closer inspection, her heart sank. The necklace was made of wooden beads, and the pendant was a wolf's tooth covered in silver. It was pretty, but worthless. Chu Tong cursed, "What a stingy old hag!" Then she threw the necklace into Yun Yinghuai's hand, her face cold, and said, "Hmph! Even if it's worthless, it could at least buy a tattered set of clothes!"
Yun Yinghuai took the necklace and turned to leave. A short while later, she returned carrying a set of coarse yellow clothes. Chu Tong was full of resentment. In a secluded place, she changed her clothes and dressed as a man. She then took the exquisite clothes she had changed out of to a pawnshop and pawned them for a silver ingot. She held the small ingot in her hand and dared not spend it.
Chu Tong was starving that morning, but she only spent one copper coin to buy a sesame seed cake. Meanwhile, Yun Yinghuai had bought a large bowl of beef noodles and was sitting next to her, slurping it down with gusto. Chu Tong could only smell the aroma of the food. Holding her sesame seed cake, she stared longingly at the noodle soup in Yun Yinghuai's hand, her beautiful eyes brimming with pleading. Yun Yinghuai, however, remained unmoved, happily shoveling noodles into his mouth as if no one else was there. Seeing that her attempt to gain sympathy had failed, Chu Tong grew even more resentful. She could only swallow hard and devour the sesame seed cake. After finishing his noodles and drinking all the soup, Yun Yinghuai calmly glanced at Chu Tong. She was flushed with anger, her head bowed, lost in thought. Actually, Yun Yinghuai had almost softened when he saw Chu Tong's pitiful appearance, but he had forced himself to ignore it. At that moment, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "She's just a little girl after all. All she does is act like a scoundrel and throw a tantrum. She has no experience in the ways of the world. She'll definitely have to admit defeat and surrender soon!"
After breakfast, Yun Yinghuai bought a horse and had Chu Tong ride behind him as they rode forward. Chu Tong felt tired after half a day's journey, but she knew that if she protested, Yun Yinghuai would make her pay for a carriage herself, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and endure it.
Around noon, the two arrived at a small town, where Yun Yinghuai stopped at a small tavern. Chu Tong had only eaten a sesame seed cake that morning and was quite hungry, appearing rather listless. After entering the tavern, Yun Yinghuai ordered a pot of tea. Chu Tong also felt parched, licked her lips, took out her silver from her pocket, looked at it, but ultimately couldn't bear to spend money on tea, only watching longingly as Yun Yinghuai held the teapot and poured himself a drink. Suddenly, she rolled her eyes, slowly leaned closer, tugged at Yun Yinghuai's sleeve, and said mysteriously, "Great Hero Yun, I have something to tell you. Last night I met..."
Seeing Chu Tong's serious expression, Yun Yinghuai turned to listen attentively. Chu Tong said softly, "Last night I met..." But then, with lightning speed, she opened the teapot lid and spat into it.
Yun Yinghuai was immediately shocked. Chu Tong smiled and said, "Great Hero Yun, please have some tea." She then picked up the teapot to pour him some tea. Yun Yinghuai hurriedly protected the teacup, his expression still one of shock.
Seeing Yun Yinghuai's dumbfounded expression, Chu Tong said triumphantly, "I didn't finish what I was saying. Last night I met you, you little turtle, you dead turtle, you black turtle, you rotten turtle!" With that, she picked up the teapot and started gulping down the tea.
Yun Yinghuai then came to his senses and was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
After Chu Tong finished her tea, the braised pork pancake and a plate of refreshing side dishes that Yun Yinghuai had ordered were already on the table. Yun Yinghuai picked up his chopsticks, glanced at Chu Tong, and said indifferently, "If you spit into the plate again, I will press your pressure points every day from now on, making you starve and unable to move."
Chu Tong pursed her lips and remained silent. She looked around and saw six burly men sitting at a table in the corner of the room, each with broad shoulders and a powerful build. Several plates of steaming buns were on the table, and the men were eating heartily with chopsticks. Chu Tong watched them for a while, then turned to Yun Yinghuai and said, "Hero Yun, I'd like to make a bet with you?"
Yun Yinghuai raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are we betting on?"
Chu Tong gestured towards the group of burly men and said, "I bet those guys will give me a plate of steaming hot meat buns." She then pulled out some silver from her pocket and slammed it on the table, saying, "I'll bet you ten taels of silver!"
Yun Yinghuai glanced at the group of burly men, quite surprised, but then he remembered that this silver was Chu Tong's only savings. If he won the bet, Chu Tong would definitely ask him for money if she was short of cash. So he nodded and said, "Okay, let's bet."
Chu Tong immediately stood up and first bent down to rub her hands on the ground. Yun Yinghuai looked down at her rubbing her hands on the ground and became suspicious, observing the situation quietly. After rubbing her hands on the ground for a while, Chu Tong walked towards the six burly men. Just then, a plate of steamed buns was brought over by the waiter. As soon as the buns were placed on the table, Chu Tong rushed over and immediately pressed her hands onto the plate of buns! The snow-white buns were instantly stained with black handprints.
The six burly men were stunned for a moment. At this moment, Chu Tong pressed the steamed bun against her face, put on a pitiful expression, and said with a forced smile, "Gentlemen, please have pity on me. I'm stranded in a foreign land with no money and haven't eaten for two days. Please give me a steamed bun..."
One of the burly men glared at him and said, "Give you a steamed bun? Your two hands are covering the entire plate!"
At this moment, another person said, "This plate of buns is all dirty, let's just give it to him."
The burly man with glaring eyes wanted to lash out, but seeing that Chu Tong was just a skinny little boy with a wronged look on his face, he felt that if he raised his fist, it would be beneath his dignity to bully the weak. Seeing that everyone around was looking this way, he could only say, "Never mind, never mind, you can have this whole plate."
Chu Tong thanked Yun Yinghuai profusely after receiving the steamed buns, then turned and winked at him. Yun Yinghuai chuckled and shook his head, remaining silent. After leaving the restaurant, Chu Tong held out her hand to Yun Yinghuai and said, "Give me ten taels of silver."
As Yun Yinghuai took out some silver, she said, "You're lucky. Those six people were the 'Six Wonders of Fengcheng' from the Fengcheng Sect. Because they are righteous martial artists, they won't make things difficult for a little girl like you."
Chu Tong made a face and said, "When I was a little beggar four years ago, I begged for food everywhere like this. At first, I would go up to the customers who were eating and beg. When I was lucky, I could get some food and steamed buns. When I was unlucky, I would be beaten and scolded. Later, after doing it many times, I could naturally distinguish between people who looked fierce and kind. Those six people did not look like fierce people, so I went over to beg for food."
Yun Yinghuai was slightly moved upon hearing this, thinking to himself that this little girl had indeed suffered a lot. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Even if you were begging for food, you wouldn't ask me for help?"
Chu Tong snorted and said, "What begging? In the future, I can perform sword dances and sing a little song. Why would I be afraid of not earning a few copper coins a day?"
Yun Yinghuai was taken aback upon hearing this, then let out a long sigh, thinking to himself, "I didn't expect this little girl to be so tough. I was the one who kidnapped her from her wealthy home and brought her to this world. If I treat her like this now, I'll be the one who loses my righteousness." With that thought, he untied the reins of his horse and continued walking forward with Chu Tong.
The two traveled for another half day, and as evening fell, they arrived at the foot of a mountain. There was no village or shop in sight, only an inn with a wine sign by the roadside. They went inside, and Yun Yinghuai took out a string of coins and ordered the waiter to prepare food for both of them. Almost every table in the inn was full. Yun Yinghuai looked around and found some empty seats in a corner, so he and Chu Tong sat down. Chu Tong frowned, hesitating whether to eat flatbread or steamed buns. Soon the food was served, and Yun Yinghuai pushed a bowl of rice in front of Chu Tong before starting to eat in silence. Chu Tong was first surprised, staring at the rice for a moment, then looked at Yun Yinghuai suspiciously and said, "Why are you suddenly so kind? Are you suggesting I spend several tens of taels of silver to compensate you for eating this rice?"
Yun Yinghuai raised her eyelids and said with a half-smile, "If you really don't want to eat my food for free, how about you become a little maid and serve me along the way to offset the cost of food and lodging?"
Chu Tong snorted and said, "Who said I don't want to eat your food for free? I'm going to eat it for free anyway." With that, she picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a piece of beef, and shoveled rice into her mouth.
Seeing this, Yun Yinghuai chuckled and picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks. After they ate for a while, Chu Tong glanced at Yun Yinghuai and thought to herself, "This little turtle might not be as annoying as I think. Why don't I make peace with him, tell jokes and sing little songs along the way, and we can all get along well?" Thinking of this, Chu Tong saw that Yun Yinghuai had finished his large bowl of rice, so she put on a big smile and said solicitously, "Hero Yun, let me get you a bowl of soup." With that, she stood up and picked up Yun Yinghuai's bowl.
Yun Yinghuai raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering why this quirky little girl had suddenly become so attentive to him. Just as Chu Tong finished serving the soup and was about to hand it to Yun Yinghuai, a slightly drunk man passed behind her, lost his balance, and bumped into her. Chu Tong cried out "Ouch!" and the soup bowl slipped from her hands. Yun Yinghuai saw it clearly. He quickly reached out, bent down, and caught the bowl with a light and steady motion—the soup didn't spill! Yun Yinghuai placed the soup in front of him and nodded slightly to Chu Tong, saying, "Thanks."
Chu Tong was taken aback, then exclaimed admiringly, "Master Yun's martial arts are truly top-notch!"
Yun Yinghuai glanced at her and said calmly, "If you want to learn, I will teach you. In any case, I will grant you two requests."
Chu Tong shook her head repeatedly and said, "I won't learn, I won't learn." She thought to herself, "I don't want to be a female knight-errant or a red-robed general, so learning martial arts is useless. Besides, I'll have to suffer. It's a losing proposition, I won't do it."
Yun Yinghuai glanced at Chu Tong without saying a word. He possessed exceptional talent and innate intelligence, and having received the complete instruction of a master, along with a fortuitous encounter, his martial arts skills were already extraordinary. He would undoubtedly benefit greatly from being taught by Chu Tong. Looking at Chu Tong's face, Yun Yinghuai thought, "Perhaps this little girl is simply unaware of my abilities." Little did he know, even if Chu Tong knew of his immense power, she would likely still disdain him.
Just then, a loud shout rang out: "It's her! The hundred taels of gold in the martial arts kill order were for her head!"
The loud shout startled Chu Tong so much that she dropped her chopsticks. Looking up, she saw a man standing up at a table in front of her, pointing at her with gleaming eyes and an excited expression. As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes turned to Chu Tong's table. Then, with a clatter of chairs and tables, more than a dozen men stood up in the inn, weapons in hand, their eyes filled with cruelty and eagerness as they stared at Chu Tong. These were all despicable outlaws, despised by the righteous sects of the martial world, known for their robbery, rape, and kidnapping. Seeing Chu Tong, a seemingly weak woman, they initially intended to kill her immediately. However, they noticed a burly, dark-faced man sitting beside her. Tall and imposing, with a full beard, his appearance was ordinary, but he possessed an imposing presence, his cold eyes sweeping over the crowd, sending a chill down their spines.
Chu Tong was terrified and grabbed Yun Yinghuai's sleeve, thinking, "Oh no! I should have disguised myself before going out. Now we are outnumbered and in great danger!" Just then, one of them shouted, "Damn it! Grandpa has been looking for her for some time. I didn't expect her to actually be here!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Yinghuai's mind stirred, and he thought to himself, "Could it be that someone knows the whereabouts of this little girl? Otherwise, why would they say 'she is really here'?" Just then, several shouts were heard, followed by the wind of blades whistling through their faces. Several people, unable to resist the temptation of the bounty, had already taken the lead in moving.
Yun Yinghuai raised an eyebrow, shattering the soup bowl with a single blow. He then grabbed the shards and hurled them forward. The sharp fragments, like hidden weapons, grew even more powerful under Yun Yinghuai's palm strike. Those who rushed forward were struck by the fragments, groaning in agony, and instantly collapsed to the ground, some dead, some wounded. This sudden turn of events stunned everyone. The inn erupted into chaos; the diners quickly deserted, and those remaining, brandishing sharp blades, stood ready, but dared not advance.
Chu Tong saw clearly that Yun Yinghuai was highly skilled in martial arts and had no fear of ordinary bandits. She couldn't help but feel relieved and clapped her hands, saying, "Well done! Well done! Hmph! You think it's that easy to take my head! I'm afraid you'll lose your own lives before you even get my head!"
Yun Yinghuai said in a cold voice, "Those who are unwilling to die, get out!" This voice contained great internal force, which made people's hearts tremble. Everyone couldn't help but feel fear and took two steps back. They looked at each other and thought, "Money is good, but you can only spend it if you keep your life. A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle. We might as well leave."
Just as everyone was wavering, a long string of laughter came from outside the door: "Hahaha, so this vixen is not only a maid in the Prince's mansion, but also a wanted killer in the martial arts world! Now the Prince of Jinyang is also looking for her everywhere. Why don't we join in the fun? If she's alive, we'll send her to the Prince of Jinyang's mansion to please the prince. If she's dead, we'll take her head and collect the reward!" As soon as the words were spoken, seven men of different ages and dressed in different ways walked in.
Upon seeing them, Chu Tong exclaimed in surprise, "The Seven Scoundrels of Peach Blossom Spring!"
At this moment, Qu Wuliang cursed fiercely, "It's you! You've insulted my sect's reputation and ruined my honor! Even without the reward, I'll tear you to pieces!" Just then, several voices came from outside: "The enemies of the Peach Blossom Sect are our enemies too! We've come to lend the Seven Sages a hand!" Four men and a woman entered. The four men, all dressed in chestnut-colored robes, were in their twenties, and their faces were identical. The woman, about eighteen or nineteen, wore a light blue dress with lotus-colored floral embroidery and a sash at her waist. She had long, beautiful eyebrows and bright, captivating eyes, exuding a vibrant, heroic air. These four men were disciples of the Great Zhou Southern Huai Sect, named Zhong Ren, Zhong Yi, Zhong Li, and Zhong Xin. As quadruplets, they seemed to have a telepathic connection, always attacking simultaneously with seamless coordination. The beautiful woman was Bai Xiaolu, the beloved daughter of Bai Zhifeng, the leader of the Southern Huai Sect.
The moment these people entered, the already small inn suddenly felt crowded. Chu Tong felt a surge of anxiety, her bright eyes involuntarily glancing towards Yun Yinghuai. Yun Yinghuai remained expressionless, gently patting her arm in reassurance. In truth, Yun Yinghuai had been filled with apprehension ever since the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring and the Four Heroes of Nanhuai entered. Although he possessed exceptional martial arts skills, he was still young, while his opponents were all renowned figures in the martial world. He had never single-handedly faced so many masters, especially with a delicate young woman who had no martial arts skills in tow. Whether they could escape unscathed was uncertain, but he remained calm and observed the situation.
The Nanhuai School and the Taoyuan School have always been on good terms. The Seven Sages of Taoyuan hurriedly cupped their hands and said, "So it is the Zhong brothers, the Four Heroes of Nanhuai, and Lady Bai."
Bai Xiaolu said, "The Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring have always loved music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They emulate Ruan Ji and Ji Kang, who live with plum blossoms and cranes, and wish to be refined scholars in the mountains. How could they attract gossip?" After speaking, she glared at Chu Tong and scolded, "It is this little girl who has insulted the reputation of the Peach Blossom Spring School."
Among the Seven Sages of Peach Garden, Zhenxian once said, "That's right, it was her who slandered my seven brothers, calling them the 'Seven Scoundrels of Peach Garden'!"
Chu Tong blinked her big eyes and shouted, "How can they not be the Seven Scoundrels? Did everyone hear what they said when they came in? They claim to be refined scholars, detached from worldly affairs, yet they want to send me, a little girl, back to the Prince's mansion to please him. That's sycophancy, utterly despicable and shameless! They claim to be like plum blossoms and cranes, indifferent to wealth, yet they want to take my head, a weak woman, for a hundred taels of gold. That's greed for money, unscrupulous and unjust! They boast of being righteous and magnanimous in the martial arts world, yet they want to hunt me down and kill me just because I said 'Seven Scoundrels.' That's petty and despicable! Such filthy, shameless, unjust, and despicable people even call themselves the 'Seven Sages.' They want to be prostitutes and have their cake and eat it too. Every action of theirs reeks of 'scoundrels'! Humph! The Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring, the Seven Scoundrels of Peach Blossom Spring, falsely claiming to be noble, shameless! Scoundrels! Utterly scoundrels!"
Chu Tong, whose speech was always clear and melodious, delivered her words with dramatic intonation and imposing manner. She even made faces and slapped the faces of the Seven Sages of Peach Garden, her expression utterly comical. Many of the bandits present, usually despised by the righteous sects of the martial arts world, were delighted and gloating at Chu Tong's words. Being vulgar people, they immediately burst into laughter, hurling insults at each other incessantly. Bai Xiaolu wanted to retort but found herself speechless. The Seven Sages of Peach Garden, on the other hand, gritted their teeth, gripping their weapons and glaring angrily. Yun Yinghuai glanced at Chu Tong with surprise and couldn't help but smile, thinking to herself that this little rascal was quite eloquent; even the Seven Sages of Peach Garden, all learned men, were speechless.
At this moment, Qian Botao, one of the Seven Sages of Peach Garden, shouted in a shrill voice, "You little rascal, stop making trouble!" As he spoke, he swung his long whip at Chu Tong.
Chu Tong was startled when she heard the sound of the wind, but Yun Yinghuai quickly grabbed the whip and said loudly, "The Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring are renowned in the martial arts world, and I have always respected them. But to make things difficult for a little girl today is probably unbecoming of me."
Qian Botao secretly tried to pull back the whip, but it wouldn't budge in Yun Yinghuai's hand, his face turning pale and then red. Zhou Xianheng, seeing this, feared that Taoyuan Sect would be disgraced. He also realized that it was indeed their side that had been impolite. That little rascal was indeed despicable and deserved to die, but killing her in public would greatly damage Taoyuan Sect's reputation. Thinking of this, he coughed lightly and stepped forward, saying, "Please allow me to say a few words."
As soon as Yun Yinghuai released his grip, Qian Botao angrily retracted the whip. Zhou Xianheng stroked his beard and said, "Gentlemen, today's events were entirely caused by that little rascal. If she is willing to kowtow and apologize in public, admitting that she was in the wrong first, we, the Seven Sages of Peach Garden, will leave without saying another word." As soon as he said this, the other six sages immediately nodded in agreement.
Yun Yinghuai frowned slightly upon hearing this, thinking, "Yao Chutong is just an ignorant little girl; her words were somewhat offensive, but for the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring to make her kowtow and beg for forgiveness in public is clearly going too far!" But then he thought, "Those refined scholars value their reputation more than their lives. Being publicly humiliated by Yao Chutong will surely leave them feeling ashamed and indignant, and their actions might be somewhat extreme. But I fear that this little girl, after her impassioned denunciation of the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring, will not kowtow in apology. A fierce battle seems inevitable." Thinking this, he looked at Chutong, whose eyes were gleaming and cheeks flushed. He sighed, thinking, "Fine, kowtowing is itself an insult to dignity. If she refuses, I'll just fight them!"
Yun Yinghuai was secretly gathering his strength to make his move when Chu Tong excitedly shouted, "Is this really true?" Yun Yinghuai was immediately taken aback. Turning his head, he realized that Chu Tong's flushed face was not due to anger, but rather to excessive joy. Little did he know that although Chu Tong was young, she always knew how to adapt to the times, was adept at changing her tune, and went with the flow. Her angry outburst just now was merely a way of venting her anger before a fight broke out, since a fight was inevitable anyway. But now, seeing a glimmer of hope to quell the conflict, she naturally wouldn't be the righteous and selfless hero. She thought to herself, "It's just kowtowing. Back in the day, I even kowtowed to the Second Madam, and that vixen still went mad in the end!"
Zhou Xianheng was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said, "Of course."
Chu Tong said, "Alright! Then I'll kowtow." With that, she lifted her clothes and was about to kneel down.
Just then, a sarcastic voice came from behind the human wall: "The renowned hero Yun Yinghuai, did you just stand by and watch your comrade kneel down and kowtow without even stopping him? It's a shame that everyone in the martial arts world praises you for your bravery, passion, and unparalleled loyalty!"
Upon hearing the name "Yun Yinghuai," everyone was startled and suspiciously examined the burly man beside Chu Tong. They all thought to themselves, "If this person is Yun Yinghuai, even if we exert all our strength to snatch him from his hands today, it will still be extremely difficult."
At this moment, the sarcastic voice rang out again, filled with sarcasm: "What? Master Yun, rumors are circulating in the martial world that you are a traitor to your master, disloyal and unfilial, utterly unjust and cruel. Years ago, you killed your mentor, Yun Zhongyan, and plotted to become the leader of the Cloud Peak Sect. A few months ago, your master's wife saw through your scheme, and you even murdered her as well. Now she's vanished without a trace! Are you disguised and traveling now because you're afraid of being recognized and seeking revenge by the members of the Cloud Peak Sect...?"
Before the words were even finished, Yun Yinghuai stood up abruptly, slamming his right hand on the table. With a loud crash, the table shattered. Yun Yinghuai roared, "Who's there! Show yourself!" His voice, like a dragon's roar and a tiger's howl, made everyone's ears ring. Under his piercing gaze, the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring involuntarily took two steps back, automatically parting to the sides. Behind the wall of people, at a table, sat a hunchbacked old man with a full head of white hair, dressed in shabby clothes, his cheekbones high and prominent. He chuckled, "What's wrong, Master Yun? Are you really feeling guilty, hiding your true face now?"
Yun Yinghuai sneered and reached up to touch his face. His full beard was instantly lifted, revealing a handsome face with a dashing and heroic air. His features were sharp and elegant, his face was like jade, and his eyes were as clear as autumn water. However, he was exuding a wild and fierce killing aura, and the veins on his forehead were bulging.
At this moment, Bai Xiaolu exclaimed in surprise, took two steps forward, and said in a trembling voice, "Yun, Master Yun, it really is you!"
Chu Tong turned her head and saw that Bai Xiaolu, who had just had a tense expression, now had a joyful look on her face, her beautiful eyes gazing at Yun Yinghuai with infatuation, a picture of girlish affection. But the Zhong brothers standing behind her had gloomy faces, their four identical faces filled with jealousy and hatred. Chu Tong's heart skipped a beat, and she thought, "Oh dear, could it be that that girl likes Hero Yun? And those four identical-looking guys like this little girl?"
At this moment, Zhong Ren said, "Yun Yinghuai, you really are a disgrace to the martial arts world!"
Zhong Yi said, "So you knew you had done something that the world could not tolerate, so you disguised yourself and went out to avoid being hunted down!"
Zhong Li said, "You betray your master and ancestors, how can you still have the face to live in this world?"
Zhong Xin said, "Today, the four of us brothers will join forces to eliminate you, this scoundrel!" After saying this, the four of them simultaneously drew their swords.
Bai Xiaolu stamped her feet and said urgently, "Stop! Master Yun has been kind to our sect, have you forgotten that? How can you repay kindness with enmity now? Besides, how he betrayed his master and ancestors is his Yun Ding Sect's business, what does it have to do with us?"
Zhong Ren said, "Junior sister, don't be so soft-hearted. This kind of scoundrel deserves to be killed by everyone in the martial world!"
Zhong Yi said, "Although Yun Yinghuai has been kind to our sect, my junior sister also saved his life. The debts are even, so we are even!"
Zhong Li and Zhong Xin echoed in unison, "That's right! We're even!"
Chu Tong scoffed, "Pah! Four against one, how shameless! Do you have any evidence that Hero Yun betrayed his master? It's clearly the four of you who are just jealous and slandering an innocent man!" It turned out that while Yun Yinghuai was furious during their conversation, Chu Tong couldn't hide the grief and indignation in his eyes. In this critical moment, she had already considered Yun Yinghuai one of her own, so she spoke up to help him.
The Four Heroes of Nanhuai immediately changed color and said in unison, "No matter how many enemies we encounter, we four have always been of one mind and will attack together!"
Yun Yinghuai laughed heartily and nodded slightly, saying, "Good, very good. I'll experience the swordsmanship of the Four Heroes of Nanhuai in a moment." Then he turned to the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring and asked, "What do you mean?"
Zhou Xianheng's expression shifted between light and shadow as he thought, "Yun Yinghuai is a young swordsman who has risen to prominence in the martial world in the last two years. He is brave and resourceful, and his martial arts are unfathomable. We, the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring, have always kept to ourselves and do not wish to be his enemy. However, the Nanhuai Sect and our sect have always been on good terms. Since they have already drawn their swords, if the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring sit idly by, it will greatly damage our sect's reputation." After weighing the pros and cons, he finally raised his head and said generously, "Since the Four Heroes of Nanhuai are determined to eliminate the scum of the martial world, how can we, the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring, sit idly by?" The Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring always followed Zhou Xianheng's lead, and everyone echoed his words.
Yun Yinghuai glanced back at Chu Tong, then said to the crowd, "This little girl is just an ignorant child. You are all righteous people in the martial arts world, so please don't make things difficult for her when the fight starts."
Xianzhang sneered, "Master Yun, you truly have a soft spot for women!" With that, he brandished his whip and charged forward. Yun Yinghuai roared, "Leave your life!" He then swung his palm, grabbing Xianzhang's whip and pulling him close. With his other hand, he unleashed a powerful strike, like a sharp blade cleaving his opponent's chest. Xianzhang screamed, blood gushing from his mouth, and instantly collapsed to the ground, dead. The crowd was horrified. They hadn't expected Yun Yinghuai's attack to be so ruthless and domineering. Xianzhang, ranked fourth among the Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring, possessed martial arts skills far surpassing those of other masters, yet he had been killed by Yun Yinghuai with a single palm strike!
Upon seeing Yun Yinghuai again, a murderous aura emanated from him, his usually calm eyes now blazing with killing intent. The Seven Sages of Peach Blossom Spring cried out in grief at the sight of their brother's brutal death, then all rushed towards Yun Yinghuai. Yun Yinghuai laughed loudly, "Well done!" Before his words even finished, a steel blade shot straight towards his face. He sidestepped the blade, grabbed the man's wrist with one hand, and slammed his knee into the man's chest. A "crack" was heard, as if the man's ribs were about to shatter! At that moment, he had already disarmed the man, and with a flick of his right hand, the blade had pierced the man's back with a "hiss."
The other members of the Seven Sages of Peach Garden cried out in anguish, "Sixth Brother! Sixth Brother!" Then Zhou Xianheng rushed forward, his left palm striking out, followed by his right. Zhou Xianheng's martial arts were exceptional; his wide robes and sleeves billowed as he unleashed a dazzling flurry of punches, closing in on Yun Yinghuai. Several others joined him from the left and right. Zhou Xianheng was short in stature, but incredibly agile. This move, called "All-Encompassing," involved using his inner energy to inflate his sleeves, concealing hidden weapons that he would unleash during combat—a highly dangerous attack. Seeing Zhou Xianheng's sleeves bulging with inner energy as he charged forward, Yun Yinghuai exclaimed, "Truly worthy of being the leader of the Seven Sages of Peach Garden! What a magnificent 'All-Encompassing' move!" As he spoke, his palm technique abruptly changed. His previously smooth and dignified fists and palms suddenly became as fast as ghosts, seemingly swallowing clouds and spitting out wind. The palm wind itself was erratic, appearing ethereal yet carrying a chilling killing intent.
The hunchbacked old man had been watching the battle from the sidelines. When he saw Yun Yinghuai change his palm technique, he was greatly surprised and exclaimed, "Great Cloud Hand!" Then he sneered several times, "Good, very good, he actually taught you this palm technique too!" His eyes flashed with endless resentment.
Zhou Xianheng, having never seen this palm technique before, was momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his composure and charged forward with a flick of his sleeves. He saw Yun Yinghuai throw a punch, and hurriedly pushed it away, only to be met with a sudden change in Yun Yinghuai's palm technique. In the blink of an eye, Yun Yinghuai grabbed Qu Wuliang's arm and swung him aside. Caught off guard, Qu Wuliang, a burly man, was pulled up and placed directly in front of Yun Yinghuai. Zhou Xianheng, who had already mustered seven-tenths of his strength to strike, was shocked to see his brother blocking his way. He abruptly withdrew his hand, his chest heaving, and coughed up a mouthful of blood. At this moment, Yun Yinghuai gripped Qu Wuliang's wrist and stomped on his knee. Qu Wuliang's knees bent slightly, and he felt a sharp pain in his wrist, causing him to release his weapon. Yun Yinghuai patted his back, and Qu Wuliang felt a sudden darkness before collapsing to the ground. In the blink of an eye, a group of people surrounded Yun Yinghuai again. Yun Yinghuai attacked with lightning speed, seemingly frenzied, and fought fiercely with everyone. A series of clattering sounds rang out.
At this moment, Chu Tong was huddled in a corner. Seeing Yun Yinghuai shielding her from the fierce battle, she felt anxious, unsure how to help him. Suddenly, she noticed a dead man with a steel knife stuck in his back lying in front of her. She quietly moved closer, her small hand slowly reaching for the knife, thinking to herself, "On the battlefield there are tripwires, and Yao Chu Tong has a foot-chopping knife. Bah! In a moment, I'll be behind Hero Yun and chop off the feet of all you lowly bastards, making you all kowtow and call me 'Grandma'!" Just as she was about to touch the hilt, a sword aura suddenly attacked. She was startled and quickly withdrew her hand. A white light flashed before her eyes, and a sword appeared. Yun Yinghuai kicked the man in the side, sending him stumbling back several steps. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chu Tong gripped the hilt, kicked the corpse, and pulled the knife out.
Just then, the hunchbacked old man who had been observing the battle from the sidelines suddenly moved, leaping into the air and charging straight down towards Chu Tong. The old man looked to be at least seventy years old, yet his movements were incredibly light and swift. Chu Tong, who was gripping her broadsword and carefully waiting for the approaching feet below, was startled to see someone land on top of her. She hurriedly raised her broadsword and swung it wildly, shouting, "What kind of demon are you!"
At this moment, Yun Yinghuai caught a glimpse of the man out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned around, scooped up Chu Tong, and pulled her into his arms. Seeing an opportunity, the others rushed forward to fight. The old man swung his palm down, and Yun Yinghuai, unable to dodge, was struck in the back. Chu Tong heard Yun Yinghuai groan and knew something was wrong. Just then, someone else stabbed Yun Yinghuai in the arm. Chu Tong thought, "Oh no, this is going to be bad!" Glancing sideways, she saw Zhou Xianheng puffing out his sleeves as if about to launch a sneak attack. Chu Tong cursed, "I'll beat you to death, you old turtle!" and raised her broadsword to strike. At this moment, Yun Yinghuai shifted her position, and the sword slashed towards Zhou Xianheng's hands. Zhou Xianheng was focused on Yun Yinghuai and didn't expect the little girl in his arms to suddenly attack. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. The longest middle finger of both hands was severed in half!
Yun Yinghuai was already feeling his strength waning, knowing he couldn't stay any longer, or he and the little girl would surely die here. He roared, grabbed Chu Tong, and leaped onto a table, then charged upwards with all his might. Chu Tong was startled and immediately closed her eyes. With a crash, Yun Yinghuai had broken through the roof tiles and was standing on the rooftop. He glanced down quickly, then jumped down, landing steadily on a horse. With a powerful tug, he snapped the reins, pulled Chu Tong into his arms, spurred the horse, and shouted "Giddy up!" The horse galloped away.