The Villain's Counterattack

Yang Kang, Yang Tiexin, Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong set out from Peach Blossom Island and headed straight for Zhoushan. They joined forces with hundreds of large ships before heading for Ryukyu. Along the way, the three top masters competed with each other. Huang Yaoshi's "Nine Swords of Dugu" became more and more proficient, and Hong Qigong watched helplessly. What made him even more desperate was that Yang Kang actually passed on the Broken Palm Style to him, and Hong Qigong's Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms also became restricted.

It was only then that Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi realized that Yang Kang had never truly used his full strength against them. To this question, Yang Kang's answer was very direct: "You two elders have reached an extremely high level of martial arts. Your profound internal strength is no longer limited by simple moves. Before, my internal strength was not strong enough. Even if I could break your moves, I might not be able to keep up with your speed. Even if I could keep up, you would use force to defeat my cleverness, and I would not be able to achieve any good results."

"There is no perfect martial arts in the world. As long as it is a move, there will be flaws. However, moves are dead and people are alive. Realm and skill are the foundation. Island Master Huang's "Nine Swords of Dugu" can deal with Qigong's Dog Beating Stick Technique, but it may not be able to break my Yang family spear technique." Yang Kang took out his spear and fought a fierce battle with Huang Yaoshi. He defeated Huang Yaoshi with his infinite strength and unmatched ferocity.

Hong Qigong watched from the side, shaking his head. How could the Yang family's spear skills, especially the foot combat, be compared to the Dog Beating Stick Technique in single combat? Yang Kang, using his spear with all his might, had simply "smashed" Huang Yaoshi into submission. "I far surpass Island Master Huang in strength, internal energy, and speed, and my control is equally strong, which is why I've achieved this. Those at the same level or weaker than us would be hampered by our 'Nine Swords of Dugu' and be at a disadvantage. But for those truly stronger than us, this sword technique would be less effective."

"Realm and internal strength." Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi looked at each other.

“If you can walk your own path, your martial arts will become more perfect and satisfactory. Then the ‘Nine Swords of Dugu’ will lose its meaning, unless you can also reach a higher level in the artistic conception of ‘breaking’. When it comes to artistic conception, only artistic conception can rival. If the ‘One Yang Finger’ and the ‘Finger of Magic’ have reached extremely high levels, the ‘Nine Swords of Dugu’ may not be able to win.” Yang Kang is very optimistic about the ‘One Yang Finger’, but it is not convenient to practice in this world. Master Yideng is still quite popular.

All three of them were martial arts masters, and they had a lot of fun learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses. With Yang Kang in charge, the voyage was exceptionally smooth, and the escorting warships were full of fighting spirit. It was a pity that no one was so blind as to stir up trouble and give them a chance to show their abilities.

Yang Kang stayed in Ryukyu for more than a month. Huang Yaoshi went directly to the library to read the "Wanshou Daozang", which is the original copy of the "Nine Yin Scriptures". Although he did not practice the complete set of "Nine Yin Scriptures", he had read it all. Now he read the "Wanshou Daozang" carefully again and naturally gained a lot. As Yang Kang said, when martial arts has reached his level, finding his own way is more important than anything else.

Hong Qigong wandered around Ryukyu, playing the role of a little spy to the fullest, fearing that he would miss something. However, the more he wandered around, the more frightened he became. The Han people here were always busy, but they always had smiles on their faces. They worked hard to reap a good life, which was not common in Song State.

What surprised Hong Qigong the most was that there wasn't a single beggar here. Even disabled people with missing arms and legs could find a job to support themselves. Seeing those disabled people working, Hong Qigong went up to persuade them, but they angrily scolded him, saying that they were disabled but not mentally disabled, and could use their own strength to support themselves, so why not do the same? They also told Hong Qigong that no truly good person would become a beggar.

Hong Qigong brought shame upon himself. The trade here was very developed, with ships coming and going continuously. However, foreign merchants could only stay in specific ports and cities. The interior of the Ryukyu Island was not open to the outside world, and only people from Luzon, Zhoushan and Shandong were allowed to live there. People who came in had to undergo strict inspection if they wanted to leave.

He saw many spies being forced to work and being scorned by ordinary people. Hong Qigong couldn't help but sigh, "We are all Han Chinese, why do we have to suffer like this?"

"We are both Han Chinese, but why can't you see us having a better life and only want to destroy it?" An old farmer passing by with a hoe on his shoulder glanced at Hong Qigong, snorted and continued on his way. Hong Qigong was speechless when he heard this.

Yes, they just want to have a better life, but some people don’t want to see them live well. They think that if they see you living well, we will not be good. This kind of thinking is mainstream in Song State.

Hong Qigong asked himself, how does the life of the Ryukyu people compare to that of the people in Song Dynasty?

Ten or a hundred times more superior, but this is the scene that the top leaders of the Song Dynasty fear the most. The people of the Song Dynasty are the source of their fine clothes and food, and the objects of oppression and exploitation. They do not allow these people to leave in large numbers.

In the State of Song, if more was left for the people, the share of the upper class would be reduced. Therefore, the upper class of Song was unwilling to let the people live well, and anyone who dared to destroy this distribution system was their enemy.

Conscience-wise, Hong Qigong favors Ryukyu, but standpoint-wise, he hopes for the good of Song. To do that, he must destroy or seize other people's good things. This is inconsistent with Hong Qigong's usual style. What's more, the people here are also Han people, just no longer Song people.

Hong Qigong discovered something truly terrifying: the peasants here were more industrious than those of the Song Dynasty, the workers here were more efficient, the merchants here were more astute, and the warriors here had a solid foundation, possessing both civil and military skills and a desire to achieve great things. There were no beggars, no idlers, not even bandits; almost everyone had something to do.

"The world of great harmony, the world of great harmony exists." Hong Qigong couldn't help muttering to himself and immediately found Yang Kang.

"A world of great harmony doesn't exist. Ryukyu and Luzon won't allow it to exist either. Classes have always existed. I am the King of Qi, and my son is the King of Song. We are born to be high and mighty and to dominate everything. We occupy vast resources, but we only allocate a small portion to the people of our territories, allowing and guaranteeing that their own property will not be invaded by outsiders. That's all." Yang Kang said calmly, "And most of the things that are allowed are just daily necessities and money. The truly precious items must be paid as tribute."

Hong Qigong shook his head indifferently and said, "Those so-called rare treasures that cannot be eaten or drunk are really nothing to ordinary people. This is the world of great harmony."

Huang Yaoshi shook his head after listening to Hong Qigong's story and said, "That's not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing is that education is open here. Anyone can receive education, and the knowledge imparted encompasses all schools of thought. Within ten years, Ryukyu alone will be able to rival the entire Song Dynasty, not to mention Luzon, which has even more abundant resources. Yang Kang, you're really playing a big game."

"If the chessboard is not big enough, how can it support so many Han people? The cavalry of the nomadic peoples is not something that the farming people can resist. The State of Song valued culture over military and controlled the military with culture. The final result was that it was conquered by the barbarians with force." Yang Kang then led the Ryukyu Navy, accompanied by Hong Qigong and Huang Yaoshi, to attack the Song Navy at night and looted all their warships, equipment and supplies.

"You are acting like a bandit. The State of Song will certainly not let you off." Hong Qigong was shaking with anger.

"Since they have ill intentions towards Ryukyu, why can't I cut off their claws in advance? As for the Song Dynasty court, humph, believe it or not, I just need to send those spies to the court, and then take the troops for a stroll on Taihu Lake, they will come back and apologize to me, and even chop off the heads of their own naval generals and send them to me." Yang Kang's words made Hong Qigong feel bitter. This possibility is almost infinite. Yang Kang's deterrence is not just great in the ordinary sense.