Bloodied Hands, Uproar

Righteous King.

This mansion was actually smaller than Zheng Hui's mansion.

Because Zheng Hui's mansion was built for him by order of the king after the Nanzhao moved its capital.

This Righteous King was already the residence of the Duan Family long before the Nanzhao moved its capital.

Originally, the place in Taihe City was the Righteous King, while this place was just the residence of Duan.

After the capital was moved here, Taihe City became the Duan residence, while this place was renamed the Righteous King.

Duan Zhong disliked extravagance, so he only had the signboard changed and did not continue to expand it. Naturally, it was far less magnificent than the Prince's Mansion in Taihe City.

Duan Rusu lived in a side courtyard of this mansion.

He didn't wear armor at night, but only a white robe, and sat cross-legged in the pavilion, wiping his long sword.

On the artificial hill to the southwest, three elegant-looking guests from the royal palace, with long beards and wide sleeves, had arranged to admire the moon. They all noticed the figure in the pavilion and nodded to each other.

"The general is quite good, but the prince is always dissatisfied with him and wants us to advise and assist him more. It seems we're being a bit too harsh."

As the three spoke, they looked up at the sky.

When the moon rises, the sun has not yet set, and the pale crescent moon is not conspicuous.

As soon as the sun sets, a lone moon in the sky exudes an aura of absolute dominance.

In the evening, Duan Zhong was urgently summoned to the palace by the king. Confident in his martial arts skills, he did not believe that the king would turn against him at this time. Even if he did, he could easily get away and go to the palace without any trouble.

As soon as he left, Duan Rusu became the highest-ranking person in the mansion.

But these three diners were no ordinary people either. Known as the "Three Swords of Diancang," they were shrewd and insightful, and Duan Zhong valued them highly. He asked them to advise Duan Rusu to be less hasty in her actions.

"His Highness is skilled in both literature and martial arts. He painstakingly selected General as his successor from among the clan's sons. Of course, he hopes that General will also excel in both fields and not neglect either."

"We should explain more military strategies, tactics, and cunning plans to him."

Inside the pavilion, Duan Rusu continued wiping her sword, but her ears twitched slightly, and she sneered inwardly.

He always felt that his uncle was like a well-fed man who didn't know the hunger of a starving man!

My uncle had already entered the ranks of the world's top masters when he was in his prime.

Practicing martial arts using conventional methods won't yield much progress, but stopping won't cause you to regress either.

Such an uncle would naturally have time to read books on strategy and military tactics to improve his strategic acumen.

However, the martial arts skills of the other members of the Duan Family are far from reaching that level.

For families of generals, martial arts skills are fundamental.

Military generals who study strategy may barely reach the level of a first-rate strategist, but they neglect their martial arts skills.

What use would a plan be if someone were suddenly assassinated in their tent?

Duan Rusu knew from a young age that she had a great talent for martial arts and was determined to hone her skills to the highest level during her prime.

As for other things, we can talk about them after we've mastered the art.

Therefore, his uncle only thought that he was a bit hasty in his actions when he was in charge of the scheme, but he did not know that Duan Rusu was also deliberately looking for some danger to hone her martial arts skills.

There hadn't been a war for ten years, and none of the skilled fighters in the Prince's mansion truly intended to kill him.

The slaves captured in secret were murderous, but lacked the strength to fight back.

In that astronomer's tavern, a sword and a saber were clearly excellent practice subjects.

Bass!!

Duan Rusu's silk hand swept across the sword blade with a slightly heavy touch, recalling the two of them that day, and her heart still felt burning.

They're quite strong, and their demeanor suggests they're both incredibly tenacious. If we capture them, we could definitely practice on them many times over.

That old man Zheng is such a jerk!

Duan Rusu's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a muffled loud noise in the distance.

Thump!!!!

Judging from the sound, it seemed to be coming from the main gate of the Prince's Mansion.

The next moment, shouts and roars of alarm and anger from the guards of the Prince's Palace rang out.

Guards from all over the Prince's mansion rushed toward the main gate, their steps hurried, swords and spears raised high, lanterns scattered about.

However, the shouts of alarm and anger began from the courtyard closest to the main gate of the Prince's Mansion.

One after another, the tune changed.

The angry shouts and rebukes sometimes stopped abruptly, and sometimes turned into screams of agony.

The Three Elders of Diancang leaped up, each taking a step on the artificial rock, and soared towards the top of the pavilion.

Three figures, like a flock of geese arriving in formation, all stopped on the top of the pavilion.

Their eyes were bright and alert, like the most vigilant falcons, gazing at the main gate of the Prince's Palace.

The heavy, red-lacquered solid wood door has vanished, leaving only scattered fragments on the ground.

A stone lion that should have been in front of the Prince's mansion has knocked down the screen wall in the courtyard.

The corpses of the Duan Family guards were all around the wood and stone fragments.

The three elders immediately focused their gazes on the back along the central axis from the main entrance.

In courtyard after courtyard, corpses lay scattered, and lanterns flew about haphazardly.

There was a bright red cloak, stretched straight in the night wind.

The man in red grabbed two guards by the neck and stormed into the main hall of the palace.

The Three Elders of Diancang of Diancang were deeply shaken.

As they arrived at the pavilion, their gaze swept across the area, taking in the situation.

In just a short time, the intruder had actually fought his way from the main gate of the Prince's Mansion all the way to the central hall.

What kind of skill is this? What kind of style? Can this even be considered an assassin?!

"That red dress..."

The Three Elders of Diancang blurted out, "It's Hai Donglai!!"

The master who wears red in this world is not necessarily Hai Donglai.

However, with such brutal methods, there was reason and ability to directly attack the red-clad experts at the residence of the Righteous King of Nanzhao.

The first thought that came to these people's minds was that Hai Donglai.

Just as they uttered that name.

The roof of the central lobby suddenly shook!

A figure in red suddenly rose into the air, smashing a large hole in the roof.

Broken wooden rafters and heavy roof tiles scattered outwards with a deafening crash.

The man in red swayed, stepping onto the side of the large hole, his head already turned towards the pavilion in the side courtyard.

In that instant, the Three Elders of Diancang saw an excessively young face beneath the red cloak.

He seemed to be only twenty years old, unlike the Hai Donglai of legend.

But they didn't have time to think about it anymore.

Because that young man's gaze was fixed on them, and he started moving from the roof of the central hall, seemingly with just two large strides.

The sound of the wind suddenly drew closer, and the person had already leaped onto the pavilion in the side courtyard.

That red cloak resembled a fiery tail piercing the sky.

The Three Elders of Diancang's eyes flashed with anger, and they attacked almost simultaneously.

A silvery-white sword flashed from their sleeves, its gleam fleeting across their aged faces.

Three sword blades were already aimed at the red figure.

Chu Tianshu suddenly raised his right hand, creating Dao Qi boom.

With a flick of his arm, like the tip of a spear, three afterimages slammed into the sword.

Each sword was struck at the spine by a fingernail and instantly deflected.

Three sounds combined into one "clang!"

These three swords are all longswords with a semi-rigid spine, not flexible swords.

The Three Elders of Diancang were able to conceal this sword within their wide robes and sleeves, making it impossible to discern its nature while walking, sitting, or lying down.

This one move alone demonstrates their profound sword control skills.

All three were skilled swordsmen to the point where they could carve words on a person's skin with the tip of their sword, leaving only white marks without breaking the skin.

If such swordsmanship were used to kill, the person might not even feel pain before their head and body were separated.

Moreover, their Weapon Soul power was quite similar, and all three named it "Sword Eye".

The human eye is a part that is difficult to train using the Strength-Tempering Method. The ordinary human eye has a limit to the speed at which it can perceive things.

Beyond this limit, even if the other party makes a move in front of you, your eyes won't be able to detect it.

The "Sword Eye" was far more perceptive than the three elders' own eyes.

Their longswords seem to automatically detect fast-moving objects and even sense the enemy's next move, proactively preparing to strike at any opening.

All the three elders had to do was sense the signs on the sword and subconsciously apply their strength to the direction the longsword was pointing.

When Chu Tianshu deflected those three swords with one arm.

The three swordsmen simultaneously jerked their swords and thrust downwards in unison.

The three swords came from different directions, yet their tips overlapped at one point.

All the force was aimed precisely at Chu Tianshu's belt.

This location is not only where Chu Tianshu's divine sword is located, but also a central point for him to exert his full power.

However, Chu Tianshu suddenly lowered his head forward and his feet quickly rose backward.

His entire body seemed to be suspended in mid-air, with the three swords beneath him.

The Three Elders of Diancang didn't need time to think; their swords automatically showed signs of upward thrust, ready to unleash their power.

But Chu Tianshu's two palms had already snapped back from the side.

The arms of the Three Elders of Diancang were holding swords were squeezed together by the two large hands at lightning speed.

The thin, strong arms concealed by the three sleeves resembled three gnarled, bark-covered tree trunks lined up together, seemingly colliding.

The sound of bones shattering, a sound that makes your teeth ache, was clearly transmitted.

All three swords were released from my hand at the same time.

Amidst the excruciating pain, the faces of the Three Elders of Diancang went blank for a brief moment.

Chu Tianshu released his hands and unleashed three consecutive palm strikes in an instant.

All three had their faces bruised, their skulls caved in, and their bodies violently arched backward.

Bass!!!

Just then, a sword blade suddenly pierced up from under the pavilion.

Chu Tianshu and the three swords had not yet hit the ground.

This sword passed through the gaps between those powerless longswords, its tip aimed straight for Chu Tianshu's heart.

The person in the pavilion hadn't seen the battle unfolding above, yet their sword strike was incredibly precise.

Moreover, the sword blade pierced through the pavilion's roof tiles without breaking them.

Just like these tiles, they've returned to their original state before they were fired, like mud.

A single sword pierces through, its power concentrated, unimpeded!

Chu Tianshu's pupils contracted slightly, but he showed no sign of shock.

When he fought the Three Elders of Diancang, his seemingly dangerous moves were actually accompanied by his keen awareness of his surroundings.

They could hear the sounds of people in the pavilion kneeling, swords drawn, poised to strike.

This sword strike, though executed well, was also within his expectations.

Chu Tianshu used the remaining strength in his waist and back to twist his right shoulder downwards.

The sword that was aimed at his heart just grazed his chest, slightly tearing his outer robe.

Chu Tianshu had already swept his right hand out.

This palm strike was swift as lightning, leaving no room for buffering or evasion.

The precious longsword, which regarded tiles as mere dirt, snapped cleanly in two with a bang.

Chu Tianshu twisted his body again, facing the pavilion, and with a burst of air, his left palm struck down towards the top of the pavilion.

Boom!!!!

The roof of this pavilion is not as spacious and sturdy as that of the central hall.

As Chu Tianshu struck with his palm, the power of the Palm Thunder his palm instantly spread out along the wood.

Half of the pavilion's roof collapsed, and broken tiles and dust poured down all at once.

Duan Rusu hadn't expected Three Elders of Diancang so quickly; even her all-out sneak attack had no effect.

As the pavilion collapsed, he hurriedly lunged forward and rolled, grabbing a banana tree leaf with his hand and sweeping it away with a sudden turn.

BOOM!!

The large, soft banana leaves were shattered by the force he exerted in his hand.

The fragments of the leaf, however, shot out like steel.

Duan Rusu's Weapon Soul is not on her sword, but on her ring, which is called "Asura Path".

An ordinary iron sword, when activated by his Weapon Soul, can cut through iron like mud.

The sword's strength will also become exceptional, capable of withstanding lateral pressure of a thousand pounds without bending.

These banana leaf fragments, when used with his Weapon Soul power, were nearly as lethal as the bolts from dozens of crossbows.

But as soon as Chu Tianshu landed, he grabbed the cloak behind him with his left hand and swept it forward.

Break through the Shaolin Fist, Kasaya Demon Subjugation!

A typical Immortal Force can bind cloth into a stick, but it will make the fabric fibers tighter in one direction and looser in another, creating a flaw.

The "Kasaya Demon Subjugation" technique, which the monks specifically discussed, doesn't significantly alter the arrangement of the fabric fibers when the force is transmitted.

With just a single swirling motion, the fabric swayed like a trembling iron plate for a moment.

The shattered banana leaves, which had just been thrown at us, were all swept away by the cloak as it turned and swept them.

The process was so brief, it seemed to be just a matter of Chu Tianshu's arm moving back and forth once.

Duan Rusu originally wanted to use this move to create an opportunity to escape.

Unexpectedly, Chu Tianshu's cloak flicked, dispelling all the fallen leaves, and with a sudden leap, he was still able to catch up in a straight line.

Duan Rusu raised her arm to block, but the sudden closeness of that face made her heart tremble.

"You are not the sea..."

Thump!!

Chu Tianshu's palm slammed into his blocking arms, the impact striking his chest.

Duan Rusu's entire face suddenly turned red, as if painted with cinnabar, and tiny drops of blood spurted from both ears.

Chu Tianshu switched to his left hand and patted the same spot again.

A series of cracking and trembling sounds emanated from Duan Rusu's body.

With a single Palm Thunder, he shattered the capillaries under his skin, turning his entire body blood red.

With a single move, Storming Shaolin, using the power of his own muscles and bones to shake the opponent's joints and raise their body temperature.

"You saved my life last time, this time I'm here to take it away!"

Chu Tianshu murmured, stood up, and leaped onto the top of the wall.

"King Duan Zhong, from Chang'an, has come to Nanzhao specifically to seek a battle with you!"

The loud voice resounded in the ears of everyone remaining in the Prince's Mansion.

The surviving guards also saw the red figure leap away and disappear.

"March 15th, at Emerald Rock south of the city, a life-or-death invitation awaits; do not break your promise!!!"

Duan Rusu remained standing there, her face flushed and filled with shock.

A moment later, the armored soldiers rushed over, their footsteps shaking, and the corpse trembled and fell to the ground.

(End of this chapter)