Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 191 The Soul-Destroying Blade, the Strength of the Rebel Army and the Ming Cult

Xi'an City, Zuixianlou Restaurant.

As the capital of Xi'an Prefecture, this place was heavily guarded and bustling with people coming and going.

With the recent resurgence of the Northwest Expeditionary Army, this matter has become a hot topic of discussion, and almost everyone in the restaurant is talking about it.

Among them were martial arts practitioners who roamed the martial arts world, as well as merchants and travelers, which shows how popular the topic was.

"I heard that the rebel army has occupied almost the entire northern Shaanxi region and is preparing to march south. Will they attack Xi'an directly?"

"Don't worry, the Prefect has taken precautions. The troops from the surrounding garrisons were transferred to the vicinity of Xi'an City long ago. It is said that there are more than 100,000 troops. The rebel army is only about 100,000 troops, and they are all peasants who are powerless. How could they possibly be a match for our Ming army?"

"That's not quite right. There are still quite a few regular soldiers in the rebel army, and the rebel king Li Zicheng has also gathered a group of martial arts masters. It is said that even the Ming Cult has allied with the rebel army. The Ming Cult has tens of thousands of people, and every single one of them is a martial arts practitioner!"

"Hiss... Has the Ming Cult really made a comeback?"

"That's right. Since being defeated by the major martial arts sects twenty years ago, the Ming Cult has retreated to the Western Regions and hidden on Bright Peak in the Kunlun Mountains. For twenty years, they have not dared to come down the mountain. Now, with the rebel army in rebellion, this is the best opportunity for them to re-enter the Central Plains. How could they miss it?"

"It is said that half a month ago, the Ming Cult was already waving its flag in Qinghai, gathering followers from all over the country, preparing to come and join the rebel leader!"

"It wouldn't be considered a defection, would it? Although the rebel leader was powerful, the Ming Cult itself was not weak either. At most, the two sides had a cooperative relationship."

"Who knows? In any case, the world will soon be in turmoil again. Xi'an is a must-pass for the rebel army to march south. The rebel army will definitely not give up attacking Xi'an. It won't be long before Xi'an becomes a place of trouble. Let's finish our meal and leave quickly!"

"The rebel army was already developing very rapidly, and now with the help of the Ming Cult, it's like adding wings to a tiger. However, the imperial court has reportedly appointed Lu Xiang-sheng as the commander-in-chief to lead troops to quell the rebellion. He's already on his way. Lu Xiang-sheng once led troops to quell the White Lotus Rebellion and is a peerless military genius. Now that he's leading troops to attack the rebel army, it's bound to be a fierce battle. Just thinking about it makes one's blood boil!"

……

Inside the restaurant, everyone was discussing in hushed tones, some even speculating about the outcome of the battle and wanting to stay and witness this fierce competition.

However, after confirming that the rebel army was indeed preparing to march south and attack Xi'an, many others decided to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible, fearing that they would be affected by the war.

The myriad aspects of life are vividly portrayed within this small restaurant.

In a corner of the restaurant, two figures sat listening to the surrounding discussions. Their expressions were calm, and they did not say a word, but their eyes would occasionally sweep over the people in the restaurant.

The restaurant was filled with all sorts of people, and it was hard to notice anything unusual unless you looked closely.

However, the two men quickly noticed that the two men sitting in the middle of the restaurant hall were acting strangely. It was these two who first brought up the topic of the rebel army, and they even raised their voices intentionally or unintentionally to attract the attention of others and create panic.

In recent days, there have been quite a few people creating chaos in Xi'an.

However, very few people noticed anything unusual.

“Master, these two people entered the city three days ago and have been wandering around restaurants, inns, eateries and other crowded places, spreading the news that the rebel army is about to enter the city and creating chaos. They are very likely also people from the ‘Soul-Destroying Blade’.”

Lin Pingzhi glanced at the two men in the center of the restaurant and said in a low voice.

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly, picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, and said, "It seems that the next target of the rebel army is indeed Xi'an City. Have the other rebel army's hidden agents been brought under control?"

"Everything is under control!"

Lin Pingzhi nodded and said, "As long as Master gives the order, we can take them all down immediately. They won't be able to cause any trouble."

For the past two weeks, rumors have been circulating in Xi'an that the rebel army is about to attack the city, causing considerable unrest and panic within the city.

These people were all spies sent by Li Zicheng. One purpose was to create chaos, but the main purpose was to have them lie in wait in Xi'an before the rebel army launched a large-scale invasion, so that they could cooperate with the rebel army to capture Xi'an.

The idea is good.

It’s a pity that the devil is always one step ahead of you.

These people were all identified by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It was eventually discovered that they were from an assassination organization called "Soul-Destroying Blade" under Li Zicheng's command. The organization consisted entirely of highly skilled martial artists from the Jianghu (martial arts world) and was responsible for various assassination operations.

The four leaders of the "Soul-Destroying Blade" were the four bodyguards under Li Zicheng, the heads of the Hu, Miao, Fan, and Tian families, and the four men led by "Flying Fox" Hu Tian.

However, these four people have not yet entered Xi'an.

"Send someone to keep an eye on these two, and don't alert them before the rebel army arrives."

After saying this, Jiang Xuan got up and went downstairs, no longer paying attention to the two rebel spies in the restaurant.

To him, these secret agents of the rebel army were nothing more than minor figures.

The only people he truly valued were Li Zicheng, Hu Tian, ​​and the Ming Cult.

Soon, the master and apprentice returned to the prefectural government office.

Along the way, every street was bustling with activity and pedestrians were hurrying by. It seemed prosperous, but in fact, there were secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard everywhere.

The entire city of Xi'an has long been infiltrated by the covert networks of various forces, and there are people watching everywhere.

This place has become a gathering place for powerful figures.

Ultimately, it comes down to who has the better skills and can gain the upper hand.

Upon arriving at the government office, Jiang Xuan did not go to see the Prefect of Xi'an, but instead went to a secluded courtyard.

The core members of the Imperial Guard were all gathered here at this moment. Upon seeing Jiang Xuan return, they all stepped forward and bowed.
"Captain!"

Jiang Xuan nodded, went straight to the head seat and sat down, and said, "Tell me, what have you found out?"

"Governor, that Li Zicheng is no simple man!"

Xu Longqing was the first to step forward, his expression solemn. He said, "I have found out that Li Zicheng instigated a mutiny among the border guards in northern Shaanxi. In that battle, Li Zicheng did not have the assistance of the four masters of Hu, Miao, Fan, and Tian. He suppressed dozens of border guards all by himself. He is definitely not as ignorant of martial arts as rumored. On the contrary, he is extremely skilled in martial arts. At least, he is a grandmaster, and possibly even stronger!"

"In addition, the reason why the Hu, Miao, Fan, Tian and other four families followed Li Zicheng was because the heads of these four families had all been defeated by Li Zicheng."

"In other words, Li Zicheng's martial arts skills are definitely superior to those of these four family heads!"

Jiang Xuan's face was calm, not surprised.

This is, after all, a martial arts world, and a leader of the rebel army is certainly not an ordinary person who is not skilled in martial arts.

"The four great families of Hu, Miao, Fan, and Tian are all first-rate families. Their strongest members are only at the Grandmaster level. Is Li Zicheng's martial arts above the heads of these four families? Let's just assume he is a Grandmaster."

Jiang Xuan nodded and continued, "Anything else?"

"As for the others, I am still investigating."

Xu Longqing shook his head and stepped back.

Pei Xing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Regarding the Ming Cult, I have discovered that two of the four Great Protectors have returned. Only the Golden-Haired Lion King Xie Xun and the Purple-Robed Dragon King Dai Qisi have not yet returned. Furthermore, the Right Protector of the Ming Cult, Fan Yao, is also missing." "At this moment, all five Ming Cult banners have gathered in Qinghai, numbering over fifty thousand, and they have confirmed an alliance with the rebel army!"

Jiang Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, finally feeling a bit of pressure.

On the rebel side, there was Li Zicheng, who was conservatively estimated to be a Grandmaster, plus four top Grandmasters from the Hu, Miao, Fan, and Tian families.

On the Ming Cult's side, there is Yang Xiao, the Left Guardian of Light, plus Yin Tianzheng and Wei Yixiao, the two Dharma Kings who protect the cult, making at least three Grandmasters, and probably no fewer than ten other Grandmaster-level experts.

Not to mention, the Ming Cult also has tens of thousands of martial arts practitioners, whose strength is by no means inferior to any regular army.

This martial arts power is truly formidable.

Thinking of something, Jiang Xuan continued to ask, "Has the identity of the new leader of the Ming Cult been ascertained?"

Pei Xing shook his head: "This person is very mysterious. His origins and name are unknown. Even within the Ming Cult, apart from high-ranking members like Yang Xiao and Yin Tianzheng, no other members know anything about him. The level of secrecy is extremely high."

Jiang Xuan shook his head; the intelligence from the Embroidered Uniform Guard had truly disappointed him.

Jiang Xuan looked at Lu Jianxing and Ding Xiu: "Have you received any news from the major sects?"

Lu Jianxing nodded: "Reporting to the Governor, the rebel army's offensive is too fast, and after the news of the alliance between the Ming Cult and the rebel army spread, all the major sects have gathered at Shaolin Temple on Mount Song to discuss how to deal with the Ming Cult. The marriage alliance between Wudang and Emei has been postponed."

The alliance between the rebel army and the Ming Cult stirred up a storm across the land, and even the righteous sects such as Shaolin and Wudang could not sit still.

Even a major event like the marriage alliance between Wudang and Emei could be postponed, which shows how much importance each faction attached to the Ming Cult.

"Lu Xiang-sheng will arrive in about five days. The major sects will also arrive from Mount Song in a short time. Now it depends on when the rebel army plans to march south and attack Xi'an..."

Jiang Xuan let out a long breath, looked at everyone, and said, "Go, everyone do your job, keep a close watch on the movements of the rebel army and the Ming Cult, and we'll talk about it when Lu Xiang-sheng arrives."

"Yes!" The group departed.

Jiang Xuan remained seated quietly, frowning in thought. After a moment, he suddenly spoke, asking, "What did you find out over there?"

Swish!
In the darkness, Qiu Moyan stepped out and said, "It's similar to what the Embroidered Uniform Guard found. However, three days ago, at the Songshan Conference, Abbess Miejue of Emei raised the issue of the lost Yitian Sword with all the sects. The sects were united in their hatred and agreed to Abbess Miejue's request to deal with 'Youming' after dealing with the Ming Cult, so as to help Abbess Miejue retrieve the Yitian Sword."

"In other words, if we show ourselves this time, our identities will be exposed and we will be targeted by various sects such as Shaolin and Wudang. The situation is very unfavorable for us."

Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered as he said, "Your true identities have not been exposed. Since you can't use the identity of 'Youming,' then this time, show your true faces directly. It's time to reveal your names to the world."

"But there's no need to rush into action. Let's wait for the people from the major sects to arrive first."

Qiu Moyan nodded, then seemed to remember something and quickly said, "By the way, news came from Xiyu that Zhu Wushi has left the capital with his men."

"So fast?" Jiang Xuan was a little surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, he understood.

After all, for Zhu Wushi, Su Xin was indeed more important than his own life.

Now that he has obtained a Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, which can save Su Xin's life, he is naturally eager to do so.

"Judging by the time, Cheng Shifei and the others should be arriving at Tianchi soon, right?" Jiang Xuan suddenly asked.

Qiu Moyan pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, "They should be about right. They set off a few days before us, and if they were traveling at full speed, they should have arrived by now."

Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered as he looked northwest and murmured, "If we use this trump card properly, we might not even need to lift a finger to solve this problem. Moreover, we can witness the true strength of this Iron-Blooded Marquis!"

Qiu Moyan was puzzled and did not understand Jiang Xuan's meaning.

Jiang Xuan didn't say much, but instructed, "Send a message to Cheng Shifei, telling them to bring Su Xin back to Xi'an City as soon as possible after they find her."

……

at the same time.

Northwest of the Ming Dynasty, near the vast Tianshan Mountains in the Western Regions.

The climate here is frigid, and the mountains are majestic and continuous, connected to the Kunlun Mountains, the ancestral home of the Central Plains.

Once, this place was sparsely populated, except for the Kunlun Sect, which established its sect here. Due to its superb swordsmanship, it ranked among the nine major sects in the Central Plains and was extremely famous.

However, twenty years ago, Xiong Ba, a disciple of the Three Wonders Elder, emerged out of nowhere and founded the World Society. In just over a decade, he unified the martial arts world in the Northwest. Even the Kunlun Sect had to avoid his sharp edge and submit to the World Society, losing its former prestige.

Today, the entire Northwest Tianshan Mountains have been occupied by the Tianxia Society.

With over 100,000 members and various affiliated forces, the Tianxia Society, along with hundreds of thousands of other people, gradually transformed this once sparsely populated northwestern region into a bustling and prosperous area, rivaling even most of the Central Plains.

The law——

On this day, four fast horses arrived at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, covered in dust and looking somewhat hurried.

These four people were none other than Cheng Shifei, Yan Shisan, Xia Xueyi, and Huang Xuemei, who had traveled day and night from the east.

Jiang Xuan had already considered that Tianshan was now the territory of the World Society, and that the World Society was developing rapidly recently, constantly fighting against Wushuang City, making the situation very chaotic.

To prevent any accidents, Jiang Xuan deliberately sent Yan Shisan, Xia Xueyi, and Huang Xuemei, the three strongest people in the Netherworld, to come with Cheng Shifei to bring Su Xin back.

The four walked along the road, watching as members of the Tianxia Society, bearing the 'Tianxia Society' flag and dressed in uniform, rode past on horseback from time to time, their faces all extremely solemn.

Since entering the Tianshan Mountains in the past few days, they have witnessed such scenes no less than a dozen times.

The influence of the World Society can be seen not only in martial arts competitions but also in ordinary people's lives.

The entire Tianshan region seemed to have become a country within a country, and the World Society was the master of this country within a country!

"The imperial court has relatively weak control over this corner of the northwest and rarely pays attention to it. I never expected that in just over a decade, this place would become the domain of the World Society!"

"How could a mere martial arts force have grown to such a terrifying extent? Not only does it have hundreds of thousands of followers scattered across various places, but it also controls the life and death of hundreds of thousands of people. Does the World Society also intend to rebel?"

Huang Xuemei frowned, watching a group of Tianxia Hui members hurry past, and said with a solemn expression.

"The imperial court isn't indifferent; it's that it can't manage it!"

Yan Shisan shook his head and said, "The development of the World Society is too fast. Moreover, when it first rose to prominence, it always considered itself a martial arts force and did not interfere in the affairs of the imperial court. According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court does not interfere in the affairs of the martial arts world. It was precisely because of this that the World Society was able to gradually grow stronger. Now, even if we wanted to, we could not control it."

"Moreover, the Northwest is located in a remote area. Although it is nominally under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty, it borders the Western Regions, and further northwest it is adjacent to the Song Dynasty. Going north across the Tianshan Mountains, it is under the jurisdiction of the Yuan Dynasty. Everyone wants it, but no one can control it. To completely conquer it would cost too much."

"The World Society values ​​this point, which is why it chose to establish its sect here and rapidly grow stronger."

"It must be said that Xiong Ba, the leader of the World Society, is indeed farsighted and a rare hero!"

(End of this chapter)