Riding the Wind and Rain, Free and Unfettered

"You're a rat!!"

Su Xian shouted, interrupting the Tubo man.

He had been waiting for so long, waiting so bitterly, when finally the people of the Great Tang came to pick him up.

He was as overjoyed as he was outside the city gate, and now he was just as furious.

The fight between Chu Tianshu and his group just now was too fast.

After the battle, everyone was still lingering intimidation from the howling of the Heavenly Wolf. When they came to their senses, their anger only intensified.

As Su Xian shouted, he wanted to summon the resting Weapon Soul in the mechanical chariots to help him.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, the world spun around him, and he staggered back two steps, his face turning deathly pale.

Poison!

He was poisoned and his strength was failing him.

It was when the woman in red bowed to Li and Su that the poison was already seeping into their hearts and souls.

Among the dozens of black-clad riders, four of them acted simultaneously, grabbing Su Xian from above and holding his limbs in their hands.

The four assassins were positioned in a crescent shape behind Su Xian, some standing upright and others crouching.

In a split second, they would tear Su Xian's limbs off.

But a flash of silver light suddenly appeared from the forest, a fleeting glimpse, cutting straight past.

The two standing assassins felt a chill at their waists, while the two crouching assassins felt a cold shiver run down their spines.

Before the four could react, they had already lost the ability to continue fighting.

Cheng Xin reached into his heart, and he reached out and grabbed it.

A beautiful, slender, single-edged sword appeared in his hand, its silvery sheen as smooth as a mirror and its coldness as piercing as the moon.

Cheng Xin's sword, which he had nurtured for half his life, was destroyed by Zheng Tianchang. However, when he bowed to the woman in red beforehand, he adhered to etiquette and avoided danger, thus he was not poisoned.

Although the sword in Sanqi hand was not his own, it awakened a Saber Intent within him.

The dozens of black-clad assassins trained by the aristocratic family operated flawlessly when they fought.

Four had just died, but the remaining ones showed no fear whatsoever. They simultaneously drew their swords and swarmed forward to attack.

Dozens of long swords were drawn, yet only one sound was heard.

But just as that sound rang out, Cheng Xin also flicked the blade, letting out a soft hum in unison.

That old man with white hair, wearing a purple official robe, and carrying a silver knife.

He should have been an easily recognizable figure in the room.

But just as the sounds of the blades mingled, the assassins at the forefront only felt a blur before their eyes.

It was as if Cheng Xin had stepped on the ground, turned around, and become their companion.

The "comrade" swung his knife, instantly severing the necks of several people around him. More assassins awoke, raising their knives to kill him.

The one who fell to the ground after being stabbed was indeed a man in black.

As the assassins were filled with shock, a chill ran down their lower backs.

An arc of light had already swept past their waists.

The Turks, A'ertai, noticed this scene out of the corner of his eye.

He controlled his pupils, keeping his eyes fixed on Chu Tianshu without shifting his gaze, but his heart was shaken.

Wasn't Cheng Xin Xin's Saber Intent, which he cultivated in the past, like a whirlwind lashing Zongheng battlefield?

Battlefield swordsmanship is the easiest thing for these assassins to counter with the techniques they've mastered.

How could it be such a peculiar swordsmanship?

"Saber Intent that blends seamlessly with the world."

Chu Tianshu didn't deliberately control his gaze; his eyes glanced directly towards the battlefield while he continued to chat and comment.

"Being imprisoned and forced to ingest rare poison every month, he became no different from an ordinary old man. No wonder his Saber Intent transformed into this type..."

He clapped his hands to attract attention.

"Alright, you guys, stop getting distracted."

"Cheng Xin will take care of killing the rest of them. As for you few, just focus on being killed by me."

The Tubo' hearts clenched upon hearing this.

He knew that in a duel between masters, the most important thing was momentum and mindset.

If the difference in strength is not significant, then the difference in momentum can play a decisive role.

If no one stops Cheng Xin, it would be tantamount to confirming the first half of Chu Tianshu's statement.

Then the second half of the sentence will naturally come to mind.

Upon realizing this, the Tubo man's feet stomped down silently, as if they were the pads of a tiger's flesh.

Its plump body suddenly sprang forward, its movement exceeding the volume of sound.

The large, fat fist, thrown so fast, seemed to stretch out, becoming skin and bones with jagged joints, aimed straight at Cheng Xin.

Chu Tianshu had been waiting for this moment, and a layer of red light suddenly appeared on his body.

Just like the outline of his entire face, it grew larger, forming a phantom that enveloped him.

This is his soul.

After all, Sanqi was not Cheng Xin's Weapon Soul, and their cooperation would soon decline.

Chu Tianshu used his own charisma to pressure the Tubo man into making a move, aiming to sow discord among the three top enemy experts.

Then his soul left his body, and in an instant, he first killed the Tubo, then flashed back into his physical body to fight two great masters.

Unexpectedly, before his soul left his body...

On the battlefield, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking the Tubo's fist.

The Tubo man punched the man in the stomach.

Bones piled high like mountains, yet a man became king.

It is said that the Mountain King's school possesses a set of techniques called "White Bone King Fist," whose power, in its gathering and dispersing motions, can blast a person's entire skeleton out of their body, separating the flesh from the bone.

Everyone around can swear an oath.

They saw that the person's bones were bulging and protruding under the skin, revealing the outline of the entire skeleton from behind.

But the man remained unfazed and plunged his knife into the Tubo man's chest, the blade pointing upwards.

The wooden-handled machete had some rust on the back that couldn't be washed off, and the blade was also rough.

She was a rough-looking village girl with a sallow complexion and a headscarf.

The Tubo found it completely unbelievable.

How could such a lousy knife penetrate his skin and even sever his sternum?!

The wood-chopping knife, with its blade pointing upwards, had already made a downward slash.

The Tubo man's chest split open from the top of his head.

His body was intact from the chest down; from the chest up, it resembled a blooming flower.

The body split open to the sides, and blood gushed out.

As the blood splattered, the village girl looked up and took a deep look.

This unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard.

Although neither the woman in red nor A'ertai witnessed this scene directly, they could both sense the dramatic change.

Chu Tianshu witnessed this scene firsthand.

All three were shocked by this unexpected situation, and all of them acted in response.

Chu Tianshu was one step ahead.

The moment the woman in red raised her sword, Chu Tianshu's hand had already gripped the broken sword once more.

This time, he didn't try to inject any force into the broken sword to press forward. Instead, the moment he grasped the sword, he dragged it backward.

The woman in red was about to exert her strength to break off the blade when she realized that her sword had almost been snatched away by the other party. In a panic, she grabbed the hilt with her five fingers.

This is really bad.

She was completely dragged away by Chu Tianshu.

This time, Chu Tianshu didn't retreat horizontally, but flew backwards into the air.

In the Fragrant Pavilion, besides the hole he had already made, another large hole had appeared.

Chu Tianshu flew backward, his hair straightened forward, his clothes fluttering, and in an instant, he was already high in the sky.

The woman in red also followed, as if flying, into the sky.

She looked up at Chu Tianshu, already sensing something was wrong.

Boom!!!

The woman in red left a trail of afterimages beneath her feet, shattering the air and providing her with a force to move sideways.

With a hum, the broken sword snapped off its blade, and the remaining edge slashed towards Chu Tianshu's waist.

Chu Tianshu smiled.

His figure vanished as if from nowhere, circling halfway around in mid-air before appearing behind the woman in red.

High in the air, he used his internal martial arts skills to move with far greater agility than the woman in red.

The remaining half of the sword blade was blocked by the broken sword when it pierced the back of the woman's neck.

Chu Tianshu released the sword blade with his fingers, then pressed down with the heel of his palm, slamming it into her back.

That woman in red is truly clever.

When Chu Tianshu pressed down with his palm, he could still feel it.

Any force that touches her body at this moment will become an aid to accelerate her movement in the air and make her more agile.

However, after Chu Tianshu pressed down with the base of his palm, he pulled away.

A bloody gash burst open on the back of the woman in red, and her heart leaped out.

The moment his heart touched his hand, Chu Tianshu tapped the air with his toes, his body shifting sideways, leaving a long trail of afterimages.

He didn't want the heart at all.

A Shitou the size of a fist pierced through the spot where Chu Tianshu had just been standing, grazed past his heart, and shot straight into the clouds.

Those were the stones that A'ertai had thrown.

He knew that if he tried to catch up to the high altitude, he would only be at a disadvantage, so he grabbed a brick.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

On the ground, the woman in red could probably fight Chu Tianshu for five or six rounds.

But high in the air, two rounds had already decided life and death.

"You're the only one left!!"

After dodging the rocks, Chu Tianshu let out a low whistle and suddenly began to spin.

The golden-blue light formed a spiraling current, making his figure resemble a rapidly falling drill.

As A'ertai saw the spiraling figure hurtling towards him, he immediately dodged to the side.

Despite Chu Tianshu's incredibly powerful spiraling force, it didn't pierce the ground upon impact and plummet downwards.

He really was like a flat-bottomed spinning top; the moment he touched the ground, he bounced to the side.

He struck A'ertai squarely with his right shoulder.

A'ertai blocked Chu Tianshu's shoulder with his left hand, causing Chu Tianshu to lean backward. Chu Tianshu then swung his elbow, which was blocked by A'ertai's right hand.

After the shoulder strike and elbow strike, the next move should be a downward claw to tear apart the person's groin.

In the instant he blocked the elbow, A'ertai transformed his palm into a claw, his fingers like wolf fangs, digging towards Chu Tianshu's elbow tendon.

The protective Gang Qi on Chu Tianshu's elbow was instantly shattered by his wolf-tooth-like fingers.

"Oh?"

Chu Tianshu suddenly leaped into the air, dodging the grab with his arm and kicking A'ertai's chin with his heel.

A'ertai flipped his hand up, his hand like an eagle's claw, and as he retreated, his hand brought a tearing force, ripping towards Chu Tianshu's calf.

He flipped his hand up and swept his body backward in one fluid motion, as if he had wings growing from his back.

It was clearly entirely due to the changes in force generated by the balls of his feet.

But it gives the impression that he has also grown a pair of wings.

In Turks legends, there was a heroic ancestor who, accompanied by Canglang and a divine eagle, killed a giant monster that could turn the grasslands into deserts.

Based on this legend, Turks masters created a set of books called "The Great Demon-Slaying Hand".

The imagery and will of the Canglang and the eagle are incorporated into the fist techniques, making them versatile in both offense and defense, and invincible.

The human head, shoulders, and limbs can be transformed at any time, such as Wolf Head, an eagle's beak, wolf's teeth, and eagle's claws. Each part can evolve at will, as if flying or pouncing.

The woman in red was skilled in poisoning, and her disguise was exceptionally advanced and flawless. Her swordsmanship was also incredibly sharp, making her strengths stand out. However, apart from her swordsmanship, she was weak in every other area.

Although A'ertai was only the second-in-command in this operation, his boxing skills were truly flawless.

Just as Chu Tianshu was about to have his calf grabbed, he suddenly twisted his waist again.

As he leaped into the air, his body spun to the right, kicking the man with his right foot.

At this moment, he rotated to the left, as if he had completely reversed the trajectory he had just followed.

The surging air currents and the strong winds propelled him downwards at an accelerated pace, and his left foot shoveled out in an instant.

A long leg, almost skimming the ground, shoved right into A'ertai's left shinbone.

This kick was extremely sudden, and the force it generated was probably not strong enough. Moreover, A'ertai was still retreating, which allowed him to dissipate the force.

However, when the kick hit the target, the surrounding air vibrated violently.

A ripple of air spread out, as if squeezing out all the moisture from the air, forming droplets of water suspended in the air.

After a brief moment of suspended in mid-air, all the water droplets burst outwards.

The force was exerted to its maximum.

A'ertai clearly felt the scene of his left leg being shoveled off.

It wasn't just a broken bone; his entire left leg was severed.

He simply couldn't understand how the other party could move so rapidly and mysteriously in the air!

That's no longer just about having an advantage in the air due to internal strength.

Chu Tianshu incorporated the Divine Intent of the Kunpeng's transformation, the rise and fall of strength and gentleness, and the physical changes of rain and wind that he had recently studied.

This is why the trajectory from the initial ascent hasn't dissipated, but the body has already reversed the original trajectory and gone through it again, allowing for even faster performance.

Riding the wind and rain, dispelling the clouds, its endless transformations shake the vast universe!

In agony, A'ertai let out a long howl, and with a broken leg, he managed to transform his forward-falling body into a ferocious and overwhelming lunge by simultaneously exerting force throughout his body.

The silver-white Heavenly Wolf- like Fist Intent erupted once more.

Chu Tianshu suddenly stood up, his right hand seemingly carrying a deep-sea Submerged Current.

Emerald green ripples bloomed and collided with each other at various acupoints on his body, converging into a grand, flowing force on his palm.

It resembles a giant whale, yet it also seems to be something even larger and purer than a giant whale.

This palm strike landed squarely on Heavenly Wolf's face.

Silver White Heavenly Wolf collapsed on the spot, revealing A'ertai's true face.

A palm print landed on his face.

BOOM!!!!

When A'ertai was thrown backwards.

High in the sky, the woman in red fell and crashed to the ground.

Chu Tianshu slowly withdrew his palm.

There were some bluish-gray marks on his palms, shoulders, and temples, slowly spreading.

It's hard to tell whether it was ripples on water or scorching smoke.

But one thing is certain: these traces are all manifestations of martial arts.

The village girl had been watching this scene intently, her eyes shining with admiration, and she slowly walked forward.

She took two steps, then coughed up blood, completely unconcerned.

Not only did she ignore the pain, but to outsiders, it was clear that this village girl hadn't become weaker in the slightest because of her injury.

It seems that as long as she doesn't die, she won't become weaker.

As she moved, her skin color and facial features changed, and she bore a striking resemblance to the woman in red, with about 90% similarity to her appearance.

The difference was that the woman in red had a smile with dimples, and her beauty was stunning.

This village girl, however, doesn't evoke any sense of beauty.

All I could sense was a mixture of "peace" and "killing intent."

"After receiving a letter from the merchant group requesting help regarding the Divine Drum, I set off from Chang'an. On the way, I received another letter from the Inner Guard post station, forwarded by the Nanzhao, saying that a senior figure was here."

"The news about that senior came too suddenly and was a bit bizarre; I initially found it hard to believe..."

The woman dropped the wood-chopping knife and said, "It seems I was wrong."

She knelt on one knee, clasped her hands in a gesture of respect, and her eyes were clear and bright.

"Chang'an, Nie Hongxian greets her martial uncle!"

(End of this chapter)