Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Upon seeing Hua Manlou and Lu Xiaofeng burst through the broken window, Yan Tieshan's lips twitched into an ugly smile. He said in a low voice, "Please leave. I don't want to see anyone."

Hua Manlou paused slightly with his outstretched hand, then nodded and quietly withdrew, leaving behind only a strange sigh.

………………

"Why? Why did Yan Tieshan do this?" Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but ask in the room.

Hua Manlou said helplessly, "I think that when Brother Su mentioned his determination to die, he was referring to Yan Tieshan and... Dugu Yihe."

Lu Xiaofeng was taken aback, then understood, and said bitterly, "Only when all the parties involved are dead can the officials in the court be at ease? Only then can this matter be completely resolved? If Dugu Yihe is doing this for Emei, then what about Yan Tieshan?"

In a flash, Lu Xiaofeng understood why Yan Tieshan wanted to die: it was for Huo Tianqing. This former eunuch had proven with his actions what it meant to repay a life-saving debt with one's own death.

Hua Manlou got up and said, "Go to sleep. There's another battle tomorrow."

………………

Fengling Ferry Crossing.

This place is a strategic military location connecting Gansu, Shaanxi, and other mountainous areas, and linking Yanmen Pass and Shanhaiguan Pass. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times.

Near the Yellow River at Fengling Ferry, there is a path on the left. After wading through the overgrown path, there is a dilapidated ancient temple on the cliff. The temple has been neglected for many years, and there are still images of flying apsaras on the walls. The broken wooden door hangs on the frame, swaying in the wind and making a "creak, creak" sound.

Leaving the dilapidated temple and heading east, along both banks of the Yellow River, lies a vast peach orchard, its branches spreading out to the horizon. It was March, and in the north, besides the early spring azaleas, peach blossoms were the most abundant sight here.

A slightly chilly river breeze blew, causing the peach blossoms on the trees to flutter and dance, their pink petals reflecting in the sky.

Amidst the falling peach blossoms, Ximen Chuixue, dressed in white, stepped into the peach grove. He was cold, his sword was even colder, and the blowing wind seemed to have lost its strength, its whistling sound becoming low and muffled.

Dugu Yihe, dressed in a Taoist robe, stood in the cold wind. His upright figure resembled a knife or a sword. With a wave of his hand, his fingernails swept across the peach blossoms dancing in the wind, causing the petals to split into two even halves.

“Ximen Chuixue,” Dugu Yihe said.

Ximen Chuixue nodded and said, "My sword is only for killing, and it will never hold back."

“Okay,” Dugu Yihe replied.

The next second, a sword light shot up from the ground, traversing the distance so fast that it left no trace, and instantly arrived in front of Dugu Yihe.

Chapter 425 Sword Fight

The moment Ximen Chuixue moved, Dugu Yihe's sword had already leaped into his hand. With a casual flick of his wrist, the sword unleashed seven consecutive strikes, light and graceful, covering the area three feet in front of him.

Ximen Chuixue's sword was fast and swift, its blade leaving no trace. It only had the simplest straight thrust, but this move had already evolved into seven variations by the time it reached Dugu Yihe. Each variation was exactly what Dugu Yihe's sword technique needed to counter.

Seeing that Ximen Chuixue had so easily deflected his attack, Dugu Yihe remained calm. Instead, he added new variations to his swordplay, each of which not only compensated for the flaws in the previous move but also shrouded Ximen Chuixue in a deadly trap.

As soon as Dugu Yihe made his sword move, Ximen Chuixue's sword also changed.

The former's sword moves flowed like water, seemingly not as fast as Ximen Chuixue's sword, but each move was both real and feint, leaving flaws everywhere. However, each flaw could be made up for by the subsequent moves, allowing for a calm counterattack.

Ximen Chuixue's sword is faster, more accurate, and more ruthless. Each move is like a gazelle hanging its horns, with no set pattern to follow. Each sword strike changes at will, simplifying the complex and going straight, or simplifying the simple and making it complex, with each move producing different variations.

The two were quite similar in their lightness skills and agility. For a time, only their figures moved swiftly through the peach grove. Often, with just a flash of sword light, the peach trees that had been blocking their way seemed to vanish into nothingness, allowing the two to come and go as they pleased.

Amidst a series of clanging sounds, sword energy emanated from the air. The two figures shifted, and their moves changed as well. After a long time had passed, the peach tree on the spot suddenly shattered into pieces with a loud crash, turning into a pile of broken limbs and leaves.

The wind grew stronger, and the peach blossoms flying everywhere became even more intense. Coupled with the falling debris and broken leaves, the two figures completely disappeared into the depths of the peach grove.

"Their moves are too fast, so fast that the tree trunks don't even have time to fall," Hua Manlou said.

Su Shaoying and the four beauties of Emei took a step forward, about to follow, but Hua Manlou waved his hand, and a gentle burst of energy stopped the five of them in place.

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Don't go over there. They are now completely focused on the battle. Any external influence will be attacked by them at the same time. No one can survive the combined attack of Dugu Yihe and Ximen Chuixue."

He paused, then said, "Of course, except for a certain monster."

Su Yuchen gave him a half-smile and said, "If you want to try swordsmanship like Ximen Chuixue, I can grant your wish. I'll also show you whether your Lingxi Finger can catch Ximen Chuixue's sword."

Lu Xiaofeng touched his nose, turned his head to the side, and remained silent.

Ma Xiuzhen bit her lip and asked, "Who will win?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Dugu Yihe has the advantage of profound internal strength, which can support all his skills; Ximen Chuixue has the advantage of youth and stronger stamina."

Hua Manlou shook his head and said, "But Ximen Chuixue's sword is lighter and sharper, while Dugu Yihe's sword is steady and heavy, which inevitably becomes a burden."

Su Shaoying said proudly, "My master has long since integrated swordsmanship and saber techniques into one. The weight of the sword has become negligible, allowing him to unleash domineering saber techniques that Ximen Chuixue might not be able to handle."

Just as the group was arguing, they heard a sharp "whoosh" of a sword, the sound like the roar of a dragon and the howl of a tiger. Turning their heads, they saw that Ximen Chuixue had been forced back by Dugu Yihe, his body flying backward.

Dugu Yihe's aura had changed. He was no longer as light and graceful as Mount Emei. Instead, he had become more iron-blooded and domineering. Before Ximen Chuixue could retaliate, he had already taken a step and caught up with Ximen Chuixue. His broad and heavy longsword was as fierce and swift as a knife, surging towards Ximen Chuixue with an indomitable momentum.

The longsword is like a knife, with wide and sweeping movements. The continuous slashing moves are as slow as a forest, as fierce as fire, as powerful as a tiger, and as continuous as a warrior on the battlefield. The swiftness is combined with the orthodox and the unorthodox.

His heavy swordsmanship is often interspersed with light and agile sword techniques. The changes in the weight, orthodox and unorthodox, speed and slowness of his martial arts are unpredictable and unpredictable. This is his ultimate move, "Forty-Nine Forms of Dual Killing with Swords and Sabers".

Dugu Yihe demonstrates his swordsmanship through his own body, hoping you can clearly see his swordsmanship. He does not want his martial arts skills to be buried in obscurity.

Hua Manlou listened to the swordplay in the arena and whispered, "What domineering swordplay! This is wielding the sword like a knife, turning the sword into a knife. The strangeness of the moves is even greater than that of swordsmanship."

Su Yuchen commented:

"Therefore, it is as swift as the wind, as slow as the forest, as fierce as fire, as immovable as a mountain, as unpredictable as darkness, and as powerful as thunder. It plunders villages and divides the people, expands the territory and distributes the profits, and acts with power. He who knows the strategy of both the direct and indirect approaches will win. This is the method of military competition. This is the application of the general's principles to martial arts."

"Dugu Yihe is indeed a genius. He has integrated his swordsmanship and the instincts honed on the battlefield with the Emei swordsmanship, making them inseparable. He can switch between swords and sabers at will. Ximen Chuixue is in trouble."

Su Shaoying and the Four Beauties of Emei wore proud expressions.

Ximen Chuixue's sword was faster and colder. His sword was still very fast and swift. Sometimes the sword wind howled and clashed head-on with Dugu Yihe. Sometimes the sword light was silent and invisible, like a gust of wind. Only the sword light was visible, not the sword itself. It was gentle and lingering, and it neutralized Dugu Yihe's fierce attacks.

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes lit up, and he looked at Su Yuchen, saying, "This is your swordsmanship."

Su Yuchen shook his head and said, "This is Ximen Chuixue's swordsmanship. He is indeed a genius. He has tried to integrate the rules of wind into the sword. This is no longer the unity of man and sword, but a swordsmanship unique to him."

As they spoke, Ximen Chuixue's sword moved even faster, so fast that it seemed to slow down. Even the Four Beauties of Emei could clearly see his swordsmanship, but no matter how Dugu Yihe's moves changed, he could not get within three feet of Ximen Chuixue.

"His swordsmanship isn't slow, it's faster, so fast that the sword light seems to solidify. His comprehension is truly enviable," Lu Xiaofeng exclaimed.

Ximen Chuixue's face grew even colder, but with a wave of his hand, the cold iron sword in his hand seemed to transform into more than a dozen swords. Each sword seemed real yet also fake, and each sword emitted a slight clanging sound, accurately striking the weakest point in Dugu Yihe's sword technique.

Anyone could see that no matter how Dugu Yihe changed his moves, his techniques had no advantage in Ximen Chuixue's hands.

The next second, Dugu Yihe suddenly smiled, and the long sword in his hand was neither a sword nor a knife, but a combination of sword and knife, attacking Ximen Chuixue with a strange beauty.

Ximen Chuixue's eyes lit up, and the longsword in his hand left a trail of blade marks. The longsword was like a child's scribbles, and the tip of the sword flashed with countless changes as it met Dugu Yihe's longsword.

The next second, Dugu Yihe revealed a strange and sad smile, his long sword paused slightly, and in that instant, Ximen Chuixue's long sword had already slashed across his neck, their figures passing each other.

"Master..."

Su Shaoying and the Four Beauties of Emei were suddenly shocked and rushed towards Dugu Yihe.

With his death, Dugu Yihe declared the end of the once mighty Golden Roc Dynasty.

Because of Dugu Yihe's understanding and tact, the important figure finally put aside his last worries, and the Three Heroes and Four Beauties of Emei were preserved.

P.S.: Having written this far, I had to cut a portion of the outline.

With Hua Manlou's temperament, the Longevity Formula, and the geniuses of Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng, this world would only become a future of power struggles and shattered void, which would be too long and not in line with my idea of ​​ending it as soon as possible.

So, let's just get the pearl and leave. We can bring up this idea later in the ending, when we go back in time, which will save us a lot of chapters.

Chapter 426 A Dangerous World

"How wonderful! The Middle Kingdom truly produces many outstanding individuals. Thank you for showing me another realm, but unfortunately... I no longer have the chance."

Dugu Yihe stretched out his hand and handed the long sword in his hand to Ximen Chuixue, saying, "Please take this sword with you and pass on my swordsmanship."

Ximen Chuixue sheathed his sword, remained silent for a moment, then took Dugu Yihe's longsword, and with a flash, disappeared into the depths of the peach grove.

"Master!" Su Shaoying knelt down and wept as she looked at Dugu Yihe, whose face was growing paler and paler.

Dugu Yihe forced a smile, patted his head, and said, "Foolish child, your master sought benevolence and attained it, and died a worthy death. Why be sad?"

He then looked at Lu Xiaofeng beside him and said, "I consider Lu Xiaofeng a friend. In consideration of my friend's last request, please protect them and help them return to Emei."

As soon as he finished speaking, a line of blood appeared on Dugu Yihe's neck. The blood gushed out without delay, staining the peach grove red.

………………

The dilapidated temple has been adorned with white sails, and several white ribbons flutter in the cold wind at the temple entrance, creating a particularly desolate scene.

In the dilapidated temple, the only offering table had been moved away, and Dugu Yihe's coffin was placed in the center of the temple. The coffin was made of sandalwood that Su Shaoying had urgently purchased in the city to wrap the body of the Emei Sect Leader.

The headless, pitch-black statue silently watched all this. The somber atmosphere, coupled with the overgrown hay and drafty temple, made it seem exceptionally cold and eerie.

Su Shaoying and the Four Beauties of Emei wore white cloths on their arms and white headscarves on their heads, with hemp ropes hanging from their waists. They knelt on the ground, sobbing and their eyes were red.

Out of respect for the deceased, Su Yuchen, Hua Manlou, and Lu Xiaofeng all offered incense.

When it was Lu Xiaofeng's turn, Ma Xiuzhen, who was kneeling, suddenly stood up, bit her lip, looked at Lu Xiaofeng, and slapped him across the face.

Lu Xiaofeng, who had taken the slap, did not dodge, but only showed a bitter smile.

“You said someone would stop this war,” Ma Xiuzhen said through gritted teeth.

Lu Xiaofeng nodded and said, "Yes, I did say that."

Ma Xiuzhen couldn't help but raise her voice: "But my master is dead!"

Lu Xiaofeng sighed and said, "No one can stop someone who wants to die. If he dies, you will all live."

"Junior Sister!!" Su Shaoying shouted.

Ma Xiuzhen turned her head away and then knelt back down.

Only after Lu Xiaofeng finished offering incense and Su Shaoying returned the greeting did he ask, "Is my master destined to die?"

Lu Xiaofeng sighed, "As long as he lives, the wealth of the Golden Roc Dynasty will never end. Some people will never be able to sleep. Only when all the people involved are dead can this matter completely disappear from time."

Su Shaoying said, "Even the Prince of Shu's residence can't?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "If the Shu King's Mansion wants to protect your master, then the Emei Sect will become an appendage of the Shu King's Mansion. It will no longer be a cooperative relationship. Your master is not willing to do that, and neither are the other members of the Emei Sect."

The boy gave a bitter smile and said earnestly, "I understand, thank you."

Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but say, "Your master's sword is still at Wanmei Manor, so live well."

………………

They carried Dugu Yihe's coffin onto the boat and watched as the five people escorted the coffin back to Emei.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed, "Dugu Yihe has handed over the sect leader's sword to Ximen Chuixue. Now, Emei is bound to be in chaos."

Hua Manlou said softly, "In this generation of Emei, there are no people with particularly outstanding martial arts or strategies. Rather than watching them kill each other for the position of sect leader, it would be better to let them unite as one and think about how to get back the sword."

Su Yuchen said calmly:

Fortunately, Ximen Chuixue is not afraid of trouble, and the Emei Sect will not think of causing trouble at Wanmei Manor.

"I only hope that everyone in Emei will not let down Dugu Yihe's good intentions."

"I'm going to see someone. Goodbye."

Before he finished speaking, Su Yuchen's figure had already disappeared, leaving only Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou standing on the shore, watching the last few boats disappear into the river.

………………

The night in the gentle Jiangnan water towns is so tender that even the wind is gentle, lacking the starkness of the north and possessing a more lingering charm.

Su Yuchen changed into a light blue Taoist robe and sat in front of a wonton stall on the street, looking at the brothel not far away. Upstairs, there was singing and dancing, and bursts of laughter, but Su Yuchen's gaze did not linger.

Anyone who has been involved in Gu Long's world of martial arts knows that there are four types of people who are most dangerous in this world: Taoist priests, Buddhist monks, women, and children.

So even if some passersby in the martial arts world disliked such a handsome young Taoist priest, they wouldn't take the initiative to cause trouble, because no matter how you looked at Su Yuchen, he didn't seem like someone to be trifled with.

The next second, Su Yuchen stood up, casually laid out a few large coins on the table, and commented, "Your wontons are quite good. The colorless and odorless bewitching powder is plentiful. This must be a delicacy that only the Flying Fish Guard in the Imperial Palace can make."

The old man selling wontons was bent over, cold sweat streaming down his forehead and neck. His smile was frozen, and he didn't even dare to blink.

Only after Su Yuchen had walked far away did the old man shakily straighten up, gather up the wontons, and carry the load towards the alley behind him.

After turning two corners, a black carriage was parked in the alley. The horse was black, the carriage body was painted black, and the curtains were also black, making it look dull and lifeless, as if it were hidden in the shadows of the alley.

Upon arriving here, the old man selling wontons had already straightened up, casually tossed his wonton stall in front of the unconscious old man by the roadside, and walked towards the carriage.

He walked and wiped his face as he went. By the time he reached the carriage, the old man had become a tall, thin man. With a single step, he silently sat down on the carriage shaft.

With a flick of the reins, the black horse moved forward silently, landing without a sound, because its hooves and wheels were covered with a thick layer of cotton.

"The mission failed?" someone in the carriage asked.

The skinny driver didn't turn around, cursing, "Damn it, the information was wrong. The other party is a master, a top-notch master."