Under One Person, Engage in Black Technology

Chapter 222 Calm
Upon hearing this, Liu Wu Kui glanced at the fierce momentum of the Guan Dao swordsman opposite him, and without hesitation, he reached up and grabbed the protective magic weapon on his chest—a jade bead engraved with runes, its entire body emerald green, with flowing Qi light, clearly containing considerable defensive power, the engraved runes shimmering with a faint green light.

With a high flick of her wrist, she tossed the jade pendant to Harichagai. At the same time, she clasped her hands together, assumed a fighting stance, and chanted incantations, once again summoning her Five Directions of the Dharma Image around Harichagai, somewhat like repeating her old tricks.

"Hey!"

Seeing that the equipment was ready, Harichagai roared again, his voice like thunder, causing the surrounding dust to fall and the earth to tremble.

He muttered incantations, like ancient spells from the grasslands, obscure and difficult to understand, yet carrying a mysterious power.

As he chanted, countless delicate halos seemed to fall from the azure sky, merging into his body like starlight, causing his aura to rise steadily. The azure-gold light became increasingly intense, almost blinding, like a miniature sun.

When his momentum reached its peak, Harichagai stretched out his body and leaped out, preparing to take the initiative to attack.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
As he ran, the golden bloodline within him erupted completely, every muscle bulging like steel, veins popping out, brimming with explosive power...

Well, of course, his pose, combined with the aura emanating from his body and his tactical purpose, makes him look like Ultraman Taro about to unleash an Ultra Bomb, exuding a sense of 'power'.

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Regardless of how intense the fight between Haricha Gai and Liu Wu Kui and the Guan Daoist was, there was still a highly skilled individual in Biyou Village who could be considered "in his prime" and "in the prime of his life," but had not yet made a move.

Yes, that person was Jin Yong, one of the six remaining high-level combatants in Biyou Village, who came from Liaodong and was a disciple of the Step-Gang Fighting Step Heavenly Gang Qi.

At this moment, he was standing guard a few dozen meters away from Ma Xianhong's 'village chief's office'.

The reason he was staying here was simple: although Biyou Village was currently embroiled in another conflict, Ma Xianhong, who had entrusted the management of the [Flying Insects] entirely to Qiu Rang, was currently... 'probably' completely unaware of what was happening in the village and was still resting.

This is what everyone in Biyou Village hopes for; they want Old Ma to get some rest. After all, as the backbone of Biyou Village, Village Chief Ma holds a very special position in terms of both combat power and 'unity'.

Therefore, protecting Village Chief Ma's safety, helping him recover quickly, and preventing others from disturbing him naturally became Jin Yong's responsibility at this moment.

Of course, even so, when he heard the continuous rumbling explosions coming from afar, Jin Yong himself was still a little restless. He didn't know whether he should go and help his companions.

There was no other way, perhaps to calm his mind, so he picked up a small stool, sat on it, circulated his internal energy, closed his eyes to rest and purify his mind.

After a short while, perhaps due to insufficient 'concentration' or simply 'restlessness', he frowned, placed his hands together in front of his lower abdomen, and changed his posture and mental incantation again.

As he cultivated a breath of Heavenly Qi that was even purer than usual and placed it in his throat, his breathing gradually became long and steady. When he inhaled, it was like a gentle breeze entering the forest, and when he exhaled, it was like a spring gushing from a deep valley, becoming as still as a deep well.

Then, perhaps sensing something, the Qi around him began to slowly flow and change, as if surrounded by an invisible ripple, sensing all the movements within a hundred meters around him—even the changes in airflow caused by a bird flying over the roof in the sky could not escape his perception.

In fact, his investigation and caution were not superfluous. After all, Qiu Rang and the other two had said they were going out to scout ahead, and nearly an hour had passed without any news returning.

Jin Yong didn't think they had suffered a complete rout or a great victory—after all, in that situation, both Zhang Kun, who was skilled in earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of escape technique), and Qiu Rang, who was meticulous, would have tried to send back information, even if it was just a simple signal.

There are only two possibilities for the current lack of news: either they are in the middle of a fierce battle, with their moves flowing seamlessly together, leaving no time for distraction; or... they have already met with misfortune and have no chance to send a message.

Of course, he also felt that given that Qiu Rang and his group weren't that weak, there was indeed a possibility that their entire group could be wiped out, but... the probability should be low.

Thinking of this, Jin Yong's brows twitched almost imperceptibly again. He unconsciously considered: 'If the other side truly possessed that kind of strength, they could have simply stormed into Biyou Village; there was no need for them to hide so secretively, resorting to both enticement and ambush.'

'Then the answer... is obvious. They've been bogged down by an evenly matched opponent, unable to break free, and are locked in a stalemate.'

"But then again, the fact that they were lured out of the village under the pretense of attacking villagers, and then a ruthless character who could suppress two people with superior cultivation levels and still gain the upper hand, makes anyone think that these two groups are working together, with a clear division of labor, one in the open and one in the shadows."

Based on this consideration, if we temporarily consider these two groups as one, the other party's purpose becomes the biggest mystery, like a fog shrouding Jin Yong's mind.

It's important to know that while some fights in the world of supernatural beings can often be described as 'nonsensical,' such as supernatural beings potentially starting a full-blown brawl over a mere verbal argument...

However, no fight is ever fought without a reason, especially a duel between masters. There must be some unknown reason behind it—whether it's for 'resources', for grudges, or for some kind of secret.

At this moment, although Jin Yong had no clear idea or reason, he had a guess about the fog in his mind that the other party was after Ma Xianhong.

Of course, this "answer" is currently just a bold hypothesis.

Jin Yong's idea and approach were actually quite simple: since Biyou Village had no long-standing grudges or recent conflicts with other forces, and apart from some ordinary mechanical artifacts, there was really nothing in the village that others would covet.

The only special one is Village Chief Ma himself, or rather, the Divine Refinement Technique he possesses—that 'miracle skill' that can create countless amazing mechanisms, enough to drive the entire world of supernatural beings crazy, even to the point of taking risks for it.

Just as Jin Yong was pondering over the six or seven sacs in his hand, like playing with walnuts, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from afar, "thump thump thump," as if someone was running desperately, breaking the surrounding tranquility.

The newcomer was a man, about thirty years old, dressed in ordinary coarse cloth clothes, dusty and gray, with mud and even bits of grass on his trousers. He looked like a farmer who had just returned from working in the fields, a completely ordinary person. Jin Yong's Qi sense swept over his entire body, but he couldn't detect a single fluctuation of Qi, and thus couldn't find anything unusual.

When he got close, the man seemed to suddenly notice Jin Yong. He stopped abruptly, put his hands on his knees and gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently like a broken bellows.

After a moment, he straightened up and walked quickly toward Jin Yong, his face full of anxiety, his brows furrowed, and his lips slightly parted and downturned, looking as if the situation was extremely urgent.

"Master Jin Yong! Master Jin Yong!"

The man, about seven or eight meters away from Jin Yong, raised his voice and started shouting urgently, his voice trembling slightly, as if he was afraid that something terrible would happen if he was a step too late.

Upon hearing this, Jin Yong's face remained expressionless, like an unchanging rock. He simply turned his head slowly, looked at the man, and nodded slightly in response.

His squinty eyes were as calm as a deep pool, without the slightest ripple, yet they seemed to see through people's hearts and take in every move they made.

As they drew closer, the man was startled when he saw Jin Yong's gaze. After a long while, he gasped for breath and said, "Master, Master Wu Kui and Master Haricha Gai... fought with those who came into the village to cause trouble for a long time, but now... now they are at a disadvantage."

He spoke with a hint of panic, then continued, "Just now... Master Wu Kui took advantage of a lull in the fighting to escape and sent us bystanders to ask you for help. He also told us to hurry up and tell Master Ma what happened."

At this point, the man paused, swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing noticeably, and continued, "Master Wu Kui said that the other side might still have people lying in ambush, and they might break in soon. We need the leader to make a decision as soon as possible."

"It would be best to... first subdue the ones that have broken in, otherwise it will be difficult to deal with both ends if it's free."

After he finished speaking, he emphasized the words "make a decision as soon as possible" in an attempt to stress the urgency of the situation.

Upon hearing this, Jin Yong nodded noncommittally, his face remaining expressionless. He then pointed behind him and said in a calm voice, "Go ahead, the cult leader is in his room. But he might be sleeping, so keep your voice down so as not to disturb him."

"Master... things haven't been going well in Biyou Village lately, and his emotions are a bit unstable," Jin Yong added, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry. He also glanced at the village chief's office behind him, where the doors and windows were tightly closed, and it was quiet, as if isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

The man was taken aback upon hearing this, seemingly not expecting Jin Yong to let him see Ma Xianhong so easily. He paused for a moment, a barely perceptible look of surprise flashing in his eyes, before nodding and saying, "Understood, Master."

After saying that, he continued walking forward, but this time his pace was not so hurried. Instead, it seemed that he had turned to brisk walking because he was tired from running for too long.

His footsteps made a soft "tap-tap" sound as he walked toward Ma Xianhong's village chief's office.

The sunlight shone on his back, casting a long shadow that slowly changed as he moved.

Just as he passed by Jin Yong—BOOM! A loud bang, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, was heard as Jin Yong's Heavenly Qi, which he had been cultivating in his lungs for nearly an hour, suddenly erupted!
That pure energy surged and circulated within his body, like a river bursting its banks, impacting his limbs and bones, causing every muscle to bulge and emit a slight "crackling" sound.

His large, fan-like hand flipped rapidly, a faint white light emanating from his palm, like the glow of the rising moon. He unleashed a fierce Heavenly Gang Splitting Palm, accompanied by a whistling wind, like a gale sweeping up a boulder, aimed directly at the man who had just passed by.

At the same time, his other hand was not idle either. His fingers moved quickly at his waist, as if playing a fast-paced melody. The fingertips collided with the sac and made a soft "ding-ding" sound.

In an instant, several plumes of smoke and dust erupted from the pouch at his waist, like small mushroom clouds rising from the ground.

The buzzing of machinery rose and fell, and forty or fifty "Ru Hua" machines were released in an instant.

These mechanical figures... at least the ones with rough faces landed steadily, their joints creaking as they picked up their weapons—swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks—all kinds were readily available. The cold metallic luster gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting a blinding light. They were ready for battle, and an intense fighting spirit instantly filled the air, as if blood would flow like a river in the next second.

Jin Yong's powerful palm strike was no joke. Where the palm landed, the ground exploded with a deafening roar, sending mud and gravel flying like a fountain into the sky. It blasted a large crater half a meter deep, and the bluestone slabs at the edge shattered into spiderweb-like patterns, releasing a large amount of smoke and dust that engulfed the man's figure as if shrouded in a thick fog.

Just as Jin Yong was on high alert, having prepared all his methods, a calm voice came from the center of the smoke and dust, carrying a hint of helplessness and mockery: "Why bother?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the smoke and dust, reaching Jin Yong's ears as if whispered in his ear.

As if he had anticipated this move, he showed no panic whatsoever. Instead, he seemed to be blaming Jin Yong for being too hasty and breaking some kind of tacit understanding.

Jin Yong frowned slightly, forming a deep "川" shape. His gaze grew increasingly solemn, like a volcano about to erupt, staring intently at the plume of smoke. The Heavenly Qi around him circulated faster, and the white light in his palms intensified, almost solidifying.

He knew that although his attack was sudden and unexpected, the fact that his opponent could deal with it so calmly meant that he was no ordinary person and was probably even more troublesome than the ones that Qiu Rang and Haricha had encountered.

As the smoke and dust slowly dissipated, it was as if the curtain on a stage had been drawn back, revealing the figure of the man inside.

He was completely unharmed, except for some dust on his clothes and some disheveled hair.

At this moment, he remained turned away, his face no longer showing the anxiety and exhaustion of before, but instead displaying a profound and unfathomable calmness.

(End of this chapter)