Old Sights on Poyang Lake

Chu Tianshu found the Sanqi Divine Sword, grasped the hilt, and controlled the blood flowing from his hand again.

The sword was slightly tilted, and blood trickled down its blade.

The continuous, rune-like patterns gradually covered the sword's surface, then quickly faded away.

When the demonic Saber Intent invaded, it was like a steel blade cutting through water, separating the Mind Power within the sword and leaving a significant wound on the Sword Soul.

Ultimately, the Sanqi Divine Sword is a magical artifact.

Similar to the wooden sword that Daoist priests wield when setting up an altar and performing rituals.

Even the Mind Power residing within the sword is biased towards medicinal use, facilitating the casting of spells and the exorcism of diseases and evil spirits.

The opponents I encountered in the past were either not good at dealing with the elusive Mind Power of telekinesis, or they were overwhelmed by the quality of the Mind Power.

This time, encountering the unique cultivation path of "Refining Spirit into Qi qi" and refining Divine Intent in this world, I have finally met my nemesis.

Fortunately, the Three-Seven Sword Soul was cultivated using the "Lesser Yang Blood River Chariot," making it skilled in battle and strong, and not so easily killed off.

"It's done?"

When Lu Shuangyan arrived at the scene, her eyes lit up when she saw that the Demonic Sect Leader had survived his defeat.

"His swordsmanship is excellent; it would have been a shame not to ask him more questions. Thank goodness you didn't kill him."

The Sect Leader Qiu glanced at him sideways and then closed his eyelids.

Chu Tianshu sheathed the divine sword at his waist, picked up the demonic blade, and said, "Let's go check on Xiahou's side."

Lu Shuangyan grabbed Sect Leader Qiu's belt and followed him.

The cavalry had been scattered.

Only a few dozen corpses remained on that battlefield.

It's unknown how many more have sunk into the icy river.

The Silver Zombie Protector leaned against a broken tree, his eyes blazing with fury, already dead.

He had few wounds, but his body was emaciated, as if the essence within him had been decayed by the Sword Intent at the moment of death.

Xiahou Feishan returned, panting heavily, dragging Protector Jin along like a dead dog.

Chu Tianshu could hear Protector Jin's heavy breathing and asked, "You captured someone alive too?"

Chu Tianshu had planned to spare the leader of the Demonic Sect Cult as much as possible.

That sneak attack was also to give Chu Tianshu some leeway to hold back later.

But these guardians, killing them is no big deal.

Protector Jin barely managed to turn his head and saw the appearance of the Demonic Sect Leader, his face turning even paler.

When he discovered that the cult leader had chosen to flee, he knew the situation was probably not good.

It was because he was distracted at that moment that Xiahou severed the meridians in his left arm, putting him at a disadvantage from then on.

That's outrageous!

This kid is clearly an assassin, yet he wasn't distracted at all by his biggest target's escape; he just kept attacking Protector Jin relentlessly.

When Jin Shi was furious and even wanted to remind the other party to chase after the sect leader, his left hamstring was severed by the Red Maple Sword Qi.

Only then did he realize that although he had cultivated his Divine Intent over the years as an instructor in this land of white mountains and black waters, it was all show and no substance.

Not everyone will be like the Imperial Guard, prejudiced against him, or subject to his authority and reprimands.

Not all Divine Intent is suitable for dealing with external enemies.

"The original plan was to stab him to death with one sword, but this old bastard said he could reveal the locations of several secret treasure vaults of the Demonic Sect."

Xiahou Feishan grinned, "Even if we can't move them all, we can send an elite team later to transport them in batches."

"At that time, it will be much easier for us to raise and train troops, and reduce taxes on agriculture and sericulture."

Chu Tianshu praised, "Young Master Xiahou, you've finally realized how expensive firewood and rice are."

"Snort."

Xiahou Feishan said, "Don't forget, my sword was honed in the marketplace. People who live their lives will have more ambition in the future, and I will be more comfortable when I roam the martial world."

His mindset has been improving recently.

They no longer look heartbroken, cold-blooded, or expressionless all the time.

When you have a good mindset, the joy you can experience in other things also returns.

However, he still had no intention of returning to the Xiahou Mountain Manor.

"The news of the Poyang Lake rendezvous should have already spread throughout the martial arts world by now."

Xiahou Feishan thought to himself, "By the time we get to Poyang Lake, the old man will probably already be there, waiting to join in the fun."

Just as Xiahou Feishan had thought.

News of the Poyang Lake rendezvous has already spread like wildfire.

The Layman Tian, whose influence has spread to several coastal provinces, and the Flowing Cloud Manor, which controls more than three provinces and is deeply entrenched.

These two prominent figures are both top-tier experts; it would be hard to believe that they didn't clash when they met.

The location of Poyang Lake alone is quite intriguing.

It was in this very place that Zhu Yuanzhang defeated Chen Youliang's army, resulting in Chen Youliang's own death from an arrow wound.

It can be said that during Zhu Yuanzhang's process of unifying the country...

The Battle of Poyang Lake was a major turning point that cannot be ignored.

When the messenger from the Flowing Cloud Manor went to the Southern Shaolin Temple to see someone off, he issued an invitation.

But as soon as the news spread, everyone heard it as a challenge.

Therefore, the area around Poyang Lake has become more and more lively over the past two weeks.

There were several times more people carrying swords and knives at the market than in previous years.

In the various inns, one could often see weary martial arts heroes leading their disciples to check in.

There are some high-end restaurants with buildings and courtyards, rockeries, creeks, and garden pavilions, where you can meet many people from all walks of life and stay together.

Inevitably, some people harbor old grudges, but upon meeting, they all remain silent, unwilling to be the first to speak out in this chaotic situation.

During the day and night, people arrived on the island by boat one after another, first going to visit Kang Mountain.

Kangshan Island was originally named "Wave-Resisting Mountain".

Legend has it that in ancient times, the people living near Poyang Lake would look out over the lake and see that this mountain was the most resilient to the wind and waves, standing tall and unyielding, hence its name.

Also during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, Zhu Yuanzhang surveyed the terrain here and found the mountains lush with trees and the land in front of the mountains open.

It facilitates the concealment of troops and allows for rapid deployment when needed.

Zhu Yuanzhang was very fond of it, but when he sent someone to inquire about the place name, there was a slight error, and it was later mistakenly reported as Kanglang Mountain.

A few years later, it was simply called Kang Mountain.

The island has a large number of palaces and temples, which were built by order of Zhu Yuanzhang to commemorate the soldiers who died in the Battle of Poyang Lake.

In recent years, local officials have sent people to renovate and expand the building, and erected steles one after another, making it appear increasingly grand.

Miaogao and Miaoji walked along the mountain paths between these palaces, looking around.

Both of them were of high seniority and served as martial monks, possessing an exceptional understanding of the ways of the martial world.

Despite their simple attire of a bamboo hat and monk's robes, without much disguise, they were already recognized as many well-known figures in the martial arts world.

Many of them are suspected to be highly skilled individuals who disappeared in previous years.

Xiahou Yi, the old steward of the Xiahou Mountain Manor, stood beside them with his hands tucked into his sleeves. He was very knowledgeable about the figures in the martial arts world and the stories of the martial arts community.

Several individuals whose identities were discerned by the senior monk but could not be confirmed were ultimately identified by the old steward.

"Is he truly the last remaining Supreme Elder of the Hainan Sword Sect?"

Miaogao showed a hint of worry, "We were ordered to sweep away the coastal gangs, which already made us quite a few enemies. Now, the Layman Tian has used his methods to confiscate the property and prosecute many officials in these provinces."

"The higher one's rank in officialdom, and the more powerful and influential a family, the more distant relatives and cronies they have, and they are not necessarily all in the same place."

"These people have gathered here under the pretext of this challenge, clearly looking for an opportunity to harm Layman Tian."

Miaoji his index finger, producing a muffled thud in the air, his tone firm.

"We have dispatched many experts this time, including not only those from our own temple but also many close allies. How can we allow these petty villains to disturb the peace of Layman Tian?!"

Throughout history, a duel between the top martial arts masters has always caused a great stir.

If the date and location are set in advance.

Those who wanted to watch would inevitably crowd together in a continuous stream.

In reality, in this vast world, with its long mountains and wide rivers, there aren't that many idle people in the martial arts world who would travel such a long distance just to watch a fight.

Those who are just busybodies among the onlookers are usually only a minority.

Most others rushed to the scene for their own benefit.

Some of them wanted to get firsthand information so they could better assess the situation later.

There are also people who have grudges against the challengers and hope that both sides will suffer heavy losses in the ensuing battle.

Only afterward could they gather their followers and carry out an ambush and killing.

Ideally, one should die and the other should be seriously injured.

So, the one who's seriously injured can basically forget about returning to his lair alive.

There's no way around it; the influence of top masters is undeniable. Even if they don't establish their own sects, as long as they have a stance and friends or relatives, they're bound to attract hatred.

"The outcome of this battle will ultimately depend on the strength of Layman Tian and Flowing Cloud Manor Master themselves. These opportunists are not worth worrying about too much."

Xiahou Yi smiled. "Besides, if we're talking about enemies, Flowing Cloud Manor Master has more than ten times as many enemies as Layman Tian."

The people in the Flowing Cloud Manor are already considered ruthless and cunning, capable of eliminating any threat completely.

However, in this world where you can find a master anywhere and learn a few martial arts skills, an individual's survival skills are by no means ordinary.

Whether you seek refuge in the city or in the mountains, where can't you escape to?

However, many of these fugitives give up on revenge, and the rest are either willing or unable to do so.

As long as Flowing Cloud Manor remains at its peak, they will not be able to cause any trouble.

This incident, however, has shown many people an opportunity.

"That person seems to be the chief escort of the Luoyang Escort Bureau fifteen years ago. He was known as having a knife in desperate situations, and he repeatedly came back from the brink of death. He fought his way out of desperate situations and led the Luoyang Escort Bureau to become famous."

"Unfortunately, I later heard that he was defeated by the fledgling Ye Zongsheng."

Xiahou Yi chuckled softly, "Ye Zongsheng blocked the canyon with falling rocks and then surrounded the caravan with three hundred men armed with bows and crossbows, claiming it was a fair duel."

"In that kind of situation, even if it's truly a one-on-one fight, can it really be considered fair?"

The two senior monks looked in the direction he indicated.

There stood an elderly man rowing alone across the lake. He was lame in his left leg and one shoulder was slightly slumped.

But when this man wielded the oar with one hand, one could vaguely discern some traces of the style of the Great Guan Dao (a type of halberd).

As soon as he stepped ashore, others seemed to notice his extraordinary nature, and they approached him to greet him.

"Clad in hemp clothing and straw sandals, yet the hair tie in his braided hair resembles icy silk... Hmm, could he be a swordsman from the Five Colors Hall of Shanhai Pass?"

Xiahou Yi's expression softened slightly, showing more respect.

"This lineage was wiped out seven years ago, after which the scimitar trade from beyond the pass swept in unimpeded, crossing the pass without any further hindrance. It's regrettable; it turns out there were hidden talents among them."

The three were observing and chatting when they suddenly heard a commotion coming from one side of the island.

After the three of them hurriedly crossed the mountaintop plaza, they reached the other side and leaned on the railing to look out.

In the distance, a large ship is cutting through the waves and sailing into Poyang Lake.

The shadow of the large ship covered the surface of the lake, which was several dozen feet wide, making the surrounding small boats appear like tiny fallen leaves in comparison.

The large ship was adorned with dozens, even hundreds, of flags, fluttering in the wind—the very symbols of the Flowing Cloud Manor.

The commotion on the island gradually subsided, becoming even quieter than before the group arrived.

It wasn't the sheer size of the ship that intimidated me, but rather the people it represented that made me feel oppressed.

Xiahou Yi's expression was solemn, as if he felt a gust of wind pressing down on him.

Miaoji suddenly slapped the railing and laughed, "I think they're doomed."

Xiahou Yi was taken aback. "Master, what makes you say that?"

Have you not heard of which side once commanded a chain of large ships on Poyang Lake?

Miaoji said decisively, "That's Chen Youliang."

(End of this chapter)