Gu Long's World: Starting with the Legend of Chu Liuxiang

Chu Liuxiang exclaimed in surprise, "Are you talking about the invincible female demon, Shi Guanyin?"

Jiang Fengyue sighed, "In the past, the Huashan Sword Sect and the Huangshan Family fought a fierce battle. In the end, only one girl, Miss Li, escaped from the Huangshan Family. She fled to Japan and met Tianfeng Shisi Lang, and even gave birth to two sons for him."

"Later, she learned a mysterious martial art, returned to the Central Plains, and killed all seven swordsmen of Mount Hua in one night. After avenging her great grudge, she went to the desert and changed her name to Shi Guanyin."

"Presumably, Wuhua has already made contact with her mother. This escape must be to seek refuge with her, waiting for an opportunity to make a comeback and return to the Central Plains."

Chu Liuxiang murmured, "There are so many secrets involved."

Jiang Fengyue said firmly, "That's why I'm preparing to set off for the Great Desert. You know I won't let any evil person in the world get away with it."

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "Xiao Jiang's meddlesome nature is just like mine."

Jiang Fengyue asked, "Where is Brother Chu headed next?"

Jiang Fengyue didn't know if Chu Liuxiang would still be willing to go to the desert if Su Rongrong and the other two hadn't been abducted. If Chu Liuxiang was willing to go, Jiang Fengyue would feel more confident.

Chu Liuxiang smiled slightly and said, "I was going to go back to my ship, have a few glasses of chilled wine, eat some delicious dishes made by Tian'er, and lie down comfortably for a few months."

Chu Liuxiang then said, "But now I've changed my mind. Since you insist on going, I'll accompany you on your journey through the vast desert!"

Jiang Fengyue said, "Then it's settled. I'll go back and make some preparations, and we'll set off in three days."

……

Now, Jiang Fengyue and Chu Liuxiang are alone, riding two horses.

In a small town on the banks of the Malian River, adults who were barely clothed and children who were starving huddled behind a wooden door, watching passersby with fear.

The two had been traveling for days and hadn't had a decent meal or a good drink. Jiang Fengyue found that she even had less time to sleep.

The two dismounted and led the horses to a wine shop.

Jiang Fengyue stroked the expensive horse he had bought and said with a wry smile, "I haven't lost weight, but the horse has become terribly thin."

Chu Liuxiang said, "We are sitting on the horse, but the horse keeps running. Besides, horses have four legs, so they are always easier to lose weight than people."

Jiang Fengyue said, "Then today we should not only treat ourselves well, but also give the horses some good fodder."

Just as the two were about to enter the wine shop, a dilapidated carriage sped towards them from the other side of the street. The man driving the carriage seemed to be using almost as much force as the horse itself.

As the carriage sped by, a cat darted out of the tavern, trying to cross to the street, but the carriage came rushing towards it. It was too late to dodge and was about to be trampled to death by the horses' hooves.

Just as Jiang Fengyue was about to rush over, another figure darted out from the tavern, as fast as an arrow just released from a bow, and used his body to tightly protect the cat.

The horse's hooves trampled straight over him, and the wheels of the carriages crushed him, causing pedestrians on the street to turn pale.

Is someone in the world crazy to risk their life to save a cat?

The man was lying on the ground, not only not dead, but also gently stroking the cat's head.

The man stood up, carrying the cat, and slowly walked into the tavern. He had a full beard and a lazy smile on his face, but no one cared about that. Everyone who saw him for the first time was drawn to his big, dark, and bright eyes.

Jiang Fengyue knew that this must be Hu Tiehua.

"Check-in!"

"Signing in as Hu Tiehua successfully, you have obtained the martial art Butterfly Through Flowers 72 Styles."

Jiang Fengyue was overjoyed. This was a martial art comparable to the Yidianhong Sword Technique, and he now only hoped to acquire as many of these martial arts as possible.

Because of these martial arts, Jiang Fengyue mastered them very quickly. With each new martial art he learned, he gained new insights into the path of martial arts. Even if he were to lose all of these martial arts one day, he would still be a first-class master.

Upon seeing that it was Hu Tiehua, Chu Liuxiang shouted, "Hu the Madman, what are you doing here?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Hu Tiehua jumped up and exclaimed, "You old stinker, what are you doing here again?"

Hu Tiehua then noticed Jiang Fengyue next to Chu Liuxiang and laughed loudly, "It's been so many years! How come this old bug has a little bug following him around?"

Chu Liuxiang said, "This is Jiang Fengyue, also known as Xiao Jiang. If there is anyone in the world I admire, it must be him."

Hu Tiehua asked, "What abilities does this little bug have?"

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, "His lightness skill is no worse than mine, but my alcohol tolerance is a notch below his."

Hu Tiehua said, "Old bug, don't exaggerate this little bug's abilities. Today's Hu Tiehua's drinking capacity is not what it used to be. He can beat you, but he may not be able to beat me."

Jiang Fengyue was delighted to see the legendary Hu Tiehua and said with a smile, "Brother Hu is absolutely right. Since we are old friends meeting again, I am also very happy to see you. Why don't we sit down and have a drink?"

Hu Tiehua laughed heartily and said, "I didn't expect you, you little stinker, to be such a drunkard."

He walked into the wine shop, found a seat, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "Wine! Bring me wine quickly!"

After Jiang Fengyue and Chu Liuxiang entered, they also sat down at the dilapidated table.

A woman with very little flesh on her body came out carrying a wine pot, threw it forcefully onto the table, and turned to walk back.

Jiang Fengyue picked up the wine pot on the table and poured it directly into her mouth, quickly emptying the pot.

Hu Tiehua couldn't help but exclaim, "I've never seen anyone drink so fast and not afraid of getting drunk before!"

Hu Tiehua slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Who can drink one pot of wine? Bring out a few more pots!"

As soon as the wine was served, Hu Tiehua, not to be outdone, picked up the wine pot and drank.

Twenty-odd jugs of wine were quickly consumed by the three men. Hu Tiehua recounted the past years, Chu Liuxiang recalled his memories, and Jiang Fengyue teased them from time to time.

The wine in the tavern was almost gone, and Hu Tiehua asked the two why they had come. Jiang Fengyue then recounted the whole story of Wuhua.

Hu Tiehua angrily said, "How can there be such a vicious and treacherous person in the world? Let's go to the desert right now and see if I don't kill him."

Chu Liuxiang asked, "You want to come with me?"

Hu Tiehua said, "I can't interfere in other people's business, but I definitely have to interfere in your business, you old stinker."

Chu Liuxiang laughed loudly, "Good! With the three of us, let's see if the desert won't be turned upside down."

Jiang Fengyue looked at the woman behind the door. Hu Tiehua had been here for almost four years for her.

Chu Liuxiang also looked over and sighed, "What about her? Aren't you just going to leave her alone?"

Hu Tiehua laughed loudly, "I'd give my life for just one word from you, why would I hesitate to part with her?"

The three of them strode out the door.

Unexpectedly, the young woman chased after him like a whirlwind, grabbed Hu Tiehua's sleeve, tears already in her eyes, and said, "Please, don't go. If you don't leave, I'll marry you right now."

As soon as she uttered the word "marry," Hu Tiehua jumped up, ripped off her sleeve, and hopped away like a startled rabbit.

Jiang Fengyue and Chu Liuxiang chased after him on horseback, but even with their fine horses, it took them a lot of effort to catch up with Hu Tiehua.

Hu Tiehua, panting, said, "We're heading to Lanzhou now."

Jiang Fengyue asked, "Why go to Lanzhou?"

Hu Tiehua said, "Find someone, find someone who can keep us from dying in the desert."

So they went to Lanzhou and found Ji Bingyan. According to Hu Tiehua, Ji Bingyan made a fortune in the desert two years ago and was very familiar with the desert.

Upon seeing Ji Bingyan, Chu Liuxiang and Hu Tiehua greeted her with hearty laughter. Hu Tiehua chuckled, "You're quite the big shot; even with an old friend here, you won't stand up."

Ji Bingyan said calmly, "If you can help me stand up, I will give you everything I have gained."

When Hu Tiehua saw his legs covered with soft felt, she exclaimed, "Your legs?"

Ji Bingyan shouted, "My leg is already crippled!"

Jiang Fengyue barely suppressed a laugh when she saw Ji Bingyan pretending to be lame.

"Check-in!"

"Sign-in successful for Ji Bingyan, gained the ability to find water sources."

Jiang Fengyue guessed that this was an ability that Ji Bingyan had honed in the desert, and it was also the ability that allowed him to survive.

Hu Tiehua shouted, "Who is it! I will definitely avenge you!"

Ji Bingyan shook her head and said, "No one can avenge me. What crippled my legs was the desert, the sun, and the sandstorm."

Ji Bingyan then asked, "Have you come here to go to the desert as well?"

Chu Liuxiang said in a deep voice, "That's right."

Chu Liuxiang introduced Jiang Fengyue to Ji Bingyan and recounted the whole story from beginning to end, which made Ji Bingyan shake her head repeatedly.

After Ji Bingyan warmly entertained the three, the following evening, she also selected a fine horse for Hu Tiehua, and the three set off again for the Great Desert.

Hu Tiehua was very upset. He went to Chu Liuxiang's side and said, "Both legs of this dead rooster are broken, but you don't seem to feel any pain. I know you weren't this kind of person before."

Jiang Fengyue laughed and said, "If you've already seen through someone's pretense of being lame, not only will you not show any discomfort, but you'll also have the ability to hold back your laughter."

Hu Tiehua said, "Was that dead rooster really faking his lameness? Why didn't you say so at the time?"

Chu Liuxiang shook his head helplessly and said, "If he doesn't want to go, why should we force him?"

Hu Tiehua muttered, "That damned rooster, it really fooled me."

Hu Tiehua was complaining about Ji Bingyan when he suddenly seemed to have made up his mind and quietly slipped back from the back.

After Jiang Fengyue and Chu Liuxiang discovered that Hu Tiehua was missing, they could only wait where they were.

Before dusk, Hu Tiehua returned, with an extra horse behind him in addition to the one he was riding.

On another horse were two people tied up: Ji Bingyan's maids, Yingyan and Banbing.

Hu Tiehua said weakly, "I'm back."

Jiang Fengyue laughed and said, "I never expected that Brother Hu would resort to such unscrupulous methods."

Jiang Fengyue had known that Hu Tiehua would do this, but she found it extremely amusing to actually see him slink away when he did it.

Hu Tiehua sneered, "That damned rooster deceived me so thoroughly, and I even shed tears for his legs. A person like him can't be dealt with without some unscrupulous methods."

But Ji Bingyan did not come. They waited until midnight, but he still did not come. His two maids were so anxious that they were about to cry.

Hu Tiehua sighed, "Why don't we... send them back?"

Jiang Fengyue remained calm and said, "Brother Ji will definitely come."

As they were talking, a long procession appeared in the distance, consisting of carriages, horses, and seven or eight camels.