Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 200: A Daughter's Sword Stuns the Enemy! (First Subscription! Ahhh!)

The firelight was bright, and Hu San'er recognized the group of people in the lead. In addition to the two men surnamed Wu who had disappeared earlier, there were also the two leaders of Jiao Family Village, Jiao Lao Da and Jiao Lao Er.

"Brother Jiao, I don't know what we've done to offend you that you're making such a fuss. If there's anything wrong, I, Hu San'er, apologize to you."

Seeing the large, dark mass behind the group, and noticing a flash of cold light, Hu San'er was surprised but not flustered. Although merchants are profit-driven, what in this world doesn't? Since there was no conflict of interest, he had reason to believe there was a possibility of resolving the situation.

"Hu San'er, I said you were an honest man before, but now it seems you're not an honest man at all!" Jiao Lao Da didn't say anything, but Jiao Lao Er next to him shouted loudly.

"Jiao Erlang, I, Hu San'er, have never been stingy with my filial piety. I don't know where I have wronged you." Hu San'er was angry inside, but his tone remained calm. Merchants like them believed in the word 'harmony'. Unless there was a huge profit to be made, or the matter could not be resolved, they would never draw their swords.

"You two, go and talk to him!"

Jiao Er glanced sideways at the Wu brothers beside him, his eyes filled with disdain, and his face, full of fat, concealed a murderous intent.

"Brother Wu, Brother Wu, you two traitors!" A group of burly men behind Hu San'er noticed the Wu brothers standing beside him and immediately began to curse.

The Wu brothers exchanged a fierce glance. "Hu San'er, have you forgotten about that man and two women on the road? They were top-quality goods! Since you're planning to keep them all for yourself, don't blame us brothers."

They were blinded by greed. Given their tendency to kill at the drop of a hat, how could they possibly understand Hu San'er's sudden surge of virtuous intentions?

The burly men standing behind Hu San'er also showed surprise and doubt, and their actions became hesitant.

"I shouldn't have left you two troublemakers alive!" Hu San'er's face flushed red. "If I had such thoughts, why would I be feeding and drinking them so well?" The last sentence seemed more like an explanation to Li Xingzhi and the people behind him.

Once doubts arise, they cannot be resolved in a single sentence.

Li Xingzhi, however, believed Hu San'er's words without a doubt. After all, with his current level of cultivation, he could easily discern the other party's good intentions or bad intentions.

The Wu brothers didn't waste any more words with Hu San'er. They shouted to the crowd behind them, "Brothers, as the saying goes, 'A wise man doesn't suffer a loss before his eyes.' If you follow us, the Wu brothers, now, there will be no question of being treated unfairly. Besides, this Hu San'er only cares about being a rich man; he doesn't care about the lives of us brothers. If we kill him today and take his little nephew, all the hard-earned money will be ours... ours! I, Wu, am absolutely not lying!"

The Jiao brothers originally planned to inspect the goods first to avoid being taken advantage of, but unexpectedly, the Wu brothers took advantage of their influence and began to recruit soldiers.

The Jiao brothers frowned, their expressions grave, realizing they had underestimated the two from the Wu family. Then, they thought, having thoroughly offended Hu San'er today, they might as well go all the way…

Thinking this, Jiao Er echoed the words of the Wu brothers, saying, "If you follow the Wu brothers, our Jiao Family Village will naturally give them face."

Seeing the other party's overwhelming power, coupled with their coercion and enticement, Hu San'er immediately became furious. The veins on his hands and feet bulged, and although his mouth moved, he could not utter a word.

The saying goes, "Those who understand the times are the wise ones."

These wandering swordsmen are not chivalrous heroes or swordsmen; they have no regard for face or anything like that.

Having secured both their interests and their lives, these people naturally knew how to choose. Before long, behind Hu San'er, along with Li Xingzhi and his two companions, only a handful of others remained. Even the burly man who had just been cursing the Wu brothers was nowhere to be seen.

Li Xingzhi stood behind, watching the scene calmly without any expression. Zhou Rou'er stood beside him, her eyes softening, a fleeting look of worry crossing her face.

Beside her, Li Linzhi, dressed in coarse linen clothes, had her face flushed with anger, her cheeks puffed out, and her hand reaching towards her waist.

She had always thought that these tough men who roamed the martial arts world should be good men who would keep their promises and be ready to die for their cause, but she was greatly disappointed when she met them today!

A thin layer of dark cloud obscured the autumn moon, and the firelight gradually died down, leaving only the red glow of the embers to illuminate the scene.

A dark mass of burly men surrounded three or five people in the middle. In the darkness, their ugliest faces were revealed, unseen by anyone.

A sliver of cold light pierced through the gap in the clouds, revealing the gleam of a blade that made the group dizzy and chilled to the bone.

The Jiao brothers, squinting in the light, finally saw the faces of Li Xingzhi and his two companions. Overjoyed, they exclaimed, "This trip was truly worthwhile!"

Just looking at those two women's faces, they are the most beautiful I've ever seen in my life. If I could have a kiss with them, I would have lived enough for this life. If I could find a way to sell them, I wouldn't have to worry about not having wine and meat in my next life.

"Huh--?"

Just as the Jiao brothers were lost in their fantasies, a startled cry came from the darkness not far away.

Upon hearing the voices, everyone present immediately gripped their weapons, turned around, and revealed a wary and guarded expression, their killing intent palpable as they rushed towards the source of the sound.

A figure emerged from the darkness. Judging from his appearance, he was much more robust than the people of Jiaojia Village, and he carried a black lacquered broadsword that was about half a zhang long in one hand.

The broadsword had an extremely thick back with faint scale patterns, unlike any ordinary weapon. It was estimated to weigh at least several dozen kilograms, yet it felt as light as nothing when held in someone's hand.

As they drew closer, they could see the burly man's features clearly—his muscles were bulging like ancient vines; his face was covered in a thick beard, which slanted out, giving him a rather unrestrained air. Even the nearby thugs were intimidated by his imposing presence, and exclaimed inwardly: What a true hero!

"So it's Hong Dalang from Hongshan!"

Jiao Da saw the strong man's appearance clearly, and his wariness disappeared most of the time. His expression became slightly respectful, and he clasped his hands in a salute.

"But it was Jiaojiazhai who was handling things."

Seeing that Jiao Da was very respectful, Hong Shan stepped aside to let him pass, and returned with a half-bow, having already made up his mind.

"Please forgive us, Brother Hong. Once we've finished our business, we'll host a banquet with plenty of food and drink!" Normally, Jiao Da wouldn't be so generous.

Hong Shan, however, was unmoved. A glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "I came here not because I wanted to feast on your food and drink!" His voice was loud and clear, echoing across the surrounding area.

As Hong Shan spoke, he didn't look at the crowd blocking his way, nor did he pay any attention to the large sticks and sharp blades. He walked into the arena alone.

Jiao Da frowned deeply as he watched Hong Shan approach, his face so dark it seemed to drip with gloom. He had thought a piece of easy money was right in front of him, but who knew that a Cheng Yaojin would suddenly appear out of nowhere!

However, knowing Hong Shan's character, he was in no hurry to use his knife and decided to wait and see what Hong Shan planned to do.

Li Xingzhi looked at the burly man approaching and was slightly surprised, feeling it was quite a coincidence—this Hong Shan was one of the people Li Jing had invited to help him that day.

"I didn't expect to run into Uncle Hong here." Knowing that Hong Shan recognized him, Li Xingzhi stopped pretending and stepped forward to acknowledge him.

"Haha! I can't accept being called Uncle Hong like that!" Hong Shan stroked his beard and laughed out loud when he heard Li Xingzhi call him that.

In the martial arts world, Hong Shan was a generation younger than Li Jing, so he could be considered worthy of being called "uncle." However, after witnessing Li Xingzhi's superb swordsmanship, he dared not be so presumptuous again.

When Jiao Da saw that Hong Shan and Li Xingzhi knew each other, his already gloomy face turned even more ferocious, and his eyes were full of madness.

Hong Shan is indeed formidable, but as the saying goes, even the strongest fists can't fight four hands. With so many people surrounding him, he's not particularly afraid. When the time comes, as long as they cover up the good news, who will know that Hong Shan was the one who killed him?

Hong Shan, however, seemed oblivious to the dozens of burly men around him, armed with swords and ready to pounce. His face was filled with the joy of seeing an old friend again. He pulled Li Xingzhi along and introduced him to Jiao Da, saying, "This is Li Jing, the nephew of the Brazilian swordsman, Li Dalang." He then turned to Li Xingzhi and said, "We parted ways that day, but I never expected to meet you here."

Li Jing from Brazil? What a prestigious name! Jiao Da felt a chill run down his spine, filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Their village was nothing more than an ordinary mountain bandit group, mostly driven by poverty to make a living. The difference between them and swordsmen and heroes like Li Jing was immeasurable.

"Is this the Li Jing who, according to recent rumors, killed the lord of Brazil City?"

"Tch! You still have that Li Jing?!"

One Hong Shan could be dealt with swiftly; but if he were to become involved with people like Li Jing, the trouble would be immense. No matter how clean the operation, someone would still find their way back through the slightest clue. After all, these mountain bandits and powerful figures are well-known to those who are observant.

At this moment, Hu San'er, standing next to Li Xingzhi, had begun to believe it to some extent, and his face showed joy.

Jiao would not release the person based solely on Hong Shan's words.

Looking at Li Xingzhi's thin figure, he hesitated and said, "Are you Li Jing, the great swordsman? Wu Da, go and see how good his swordsmanship is."

Li Jing is formidable, but his seemingly frail nephew, who appeared out of nowhere, is nothing special. He can't be killed, but there's no need to treat him with respect either.

Seeing Jiao Da's hesitant expression, Hong Shan was furious. However, given the opponent's overwhelming strength, even with the Li family's young master's exquisite swordsmanship, he couldn't guarantee a safe retreat, especially with several burdens in tow. Therefore, he remained silent, waiting for the Li family's young master to demonstrate his power and intimidate the group.

Although Wu Da was unhappy that Jiao Dalang had pushed him to the forefront, he still stepped forward, holding his stick and standing there without making any move, clearly not taking Li Xingzhi seriously. He didn't believe that this man had any connection with the Brazilian swordsman.

"You're still a bit lacking when it comes to demonstrating for me."

When Hong Shan heard Li Xingzhi say this, he assumed that Li Xingzhi was going to step down, but unexpectedly, another delicate and frail young girl stepped forward. He opened his mouth, but ultimately did not speak, only saying that the young master of the Li family already had a plan.

When the crowd saw that Li Xingzhi had brought out a frail young girl, they assumed he was cowardly and looked down on him even more. Jiao Dalang, who was standing at the front, also thought that Hong Shan had tricked him.

"Qiang!"

Just as everyone's thoughts were in turmoil, the girl turned to the side and drew a long sword from her waist, its blade gleaming with a cold, misty light!

"What a fine sword!" Hongshan exclaimed.

His eyes gleamed as he stared at the longsword in the girl's hand. The others all looked solemn; just from the way she drew her sword, they knew she was no ordinary person.

The girl stood sideways, sword in hand, and before Wu Da could even stand properly, she thrust her sword forward!

Wu Da blocked with his staff, but was stabbed in half by a sword. He hurriedly let go of the sword, grabbed a large knife from the side, and slashed at it.

"Ding!"

The swords clashed, and a large gash appeared in the thick blade, revealing the sword's owner beside him in obvious pain. Wu Da, however, dared not linger and charged forward to strike again.

"Ding Ding Ding!"

With several strikes in quick succession, countless nicks and chips appeared on the blade. To everyone else, the heavy and rapid blows failed to even touch the girl's clothes! Putting themselves in her shoes, they could have done it too, but it would have been far from easy, and they would have been left in a sorry state.

Beside him, Li Xingzhi frowned – Zhou Rou'er had countless opportunities, yet she hesitated to step forward, not because she was incapable, but because of her personality.

"Step into the Qian position, and carefully pour the Big Dipper!"

Just as everyone was engrossed in watching, a crisp, clear voice came from Li Xingzhi's mouth.

Zhou Rou'er felt as if the voice possessed endless magic, and her body involuntarily stepped towards the Qian position, unleashing a move called "Carefully Pouring the Big Dipper."

"laugh!"

Before anyone could react, they heard the sound of a long sword piercing flesh. Wu Da Tu Tu stared wide-eyed at the long sword that had passed right through his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Don't rest your eyes!

Everyone clutched their chests, feeling as if a cold sword was also thrusting down from the sky.

Wu Er stared wide-eyed at Wu Da, whose eyes were bloodshot and stared in disbelief at the corpse with the long sword stuck in its throat, his throat hoarse and trembling, "Big brother—big brother~"

He grabbed the broadsword beside him, rushed in front of Zhou Rou'er, and swung it down on her head!

With a single, gleaming slash, Wu Er used all his strength!

As everyone came to their senses from what had happened, they realized with shock that it was too late to undo the damage.

Zhou Rou'er was still looking at the long sword in her hand, completely unaware of the deadly broadsword coming down on her head.

"The Kan position, the Milky Way is about to turn!"

The crisp sound rang out again. Zhou Rou'er had not yet recovered from the killing she had just committed, and her right hand had already uncontrollably drawn her long sword.

"puff!"

Blood gushed from Wu Da's chest, dripping onto her face, where she felt a chill.

Her eyes were blank, but her foot involuntarily stepped forward and to the side. With a sword strike, a misty blue aura rose up, and like a green snake, it shot into Wu Er's back chest.

Wu Er tried to turn his head with all his remaining strength, but it was no use; his throat gurgled, his head drooped, and his eyes bulged out in disbelief.

His body slowly slid off the sword, leaving a trail of blood; the blood gathered into beads, which slid to the ground as the sword tip trembled slightly.

The longsword gleamed as if it had just been drawn.

Everyone was still in a daze as they watched the scene unfold before them. The girl with the sword in the middle gradually regained her clarity, and her originally rosy complexion turned deathly pale!

"vomit--"

"Haha!" Jiao Da chuckled dryly. If a woman was this skilled, judging by her appearance, the swordsmanship of that so-called nephew of Li Jing must be even more formidable. He thought to himself: If Li Jing's nephew is this powerful, then his own swordsmanship must be truly…

Li Xingzhi was unaware of the misunderstanding, and even if he had, he probably wouldn't have bothered to explain.

"What happened today was truly a great misunderstanding. I, Jiao Da, will host a banquet to apologize another day." With that, he cupped his hands in a respectful bow, stepped back, and beckoned to the crowd before preparing to leave.

Where was the ferocious and menacing aura that the surrounding burly men had displayed when they arrived? (To be continued.)