Chapter 17: Charming Phoenix, Wandering Dragon (2)

At the same time, the group of white-clad swordsmen flew up at the sound, like eagles pouncing on rabbits, rushing toward the man in black. The merchants who were eating dishes shook their luggage, and they were all hidden weapons. They flanked from both sides. The four big men who were eating meat were unarmed, their energy shaking their clothes, attacking from behind. In an instant, they surrounded the man in black!

The green-robed and ocher-robed men were obviously the most skilled in martial arts. They revealed their weapons, a pair of golden hooks and a silver awl, and joined forces to attack Zi Rao.

Killing intent approached. The man in black showed disdain, laughed long, his eyes filled with divine light, and the long sword on his back came into his hand.

The opponents on all four sides were stunned by this laughter. He had already swayed his body, breaking into the enemy formation from the densest place of the opponent's weapons like lightning, swinging his body horizontally with his sword, the sword energy penetrating the scabbard, sweeping through the surrounding weapons like a wave of force. Several opponents couldn't hold on, and their sharp swords and long knives were actually smashed away by him.

The man shocked the enemy with one strike and retreated with a *whoosh*. When his back approached a big man, he shook his hand, and the long sword, carrying a fierce True Essence, pierced out from under his ribs with the scabbard, hitting the opponent's chest!

The big man roared, vomited blood, and fell back, unable to get up.

Several sharp blades were already in front of him. The man in black had a cold, cruel smile on his lips. He advanced as soon as he retreated, fast as a gale, flashing close to an enemy, raising his knee and hitting the opponent's lower abdomen hard. The man bent over and screamed, immediately fainting.

The man in black used his strength to bring the person he was holding and threw him behind him. Several knives and swords fell, and he became a ghost of resentment. He had already flashed between two merchants, his long sword suddenly popped into mid-air, his hands used exquisite techniques to capture the opponent's wrist, True Essence penetrating his arms, sending them left and right rapidly, and two long knives pierced through their abdomens, both of them dying.

The long sword fell back, suddenly turning midway. With a crisp sound, a wine pot that had been sneak-attacked shattered into pieces. The man used his sword like the wind, and under the fast strike, the sharp fragments flew horizontally. Every time it hit an enemy, someone would scream and splash blood.

He hadn't drawn his sword, but several enemies had already died. At this moment, his eyes swept away, and he saw Zi Rao entangled with the other two, neither winning nor losing for a while. Just at this moment, a loud *ka-la* sound was heard, and the cabin behind Zi Rao suddenly turned into a sky-filling spray of wood chips. Amidst the chips, a long spear broke through the wall like a poisonous snake coming out of a hole, shooting directly at Zi Rao's heart!

Behind the spear appeared the boatman's figure, and a group of killers disguised as boatmen broke into the cabin!

"Be careful!" The man in black shook off several people and flew to save her. But he saw Zi Rao bend her waist to let go, several cold winds shot out from her fingertips, forcing the two people in front of her to retreat in a hurry, and at the same time, she turned around with flying sleeves, letting go of the spear that shot over, and a mysterious light like a shadow and a charm suddenly entangled the boatman, with a clear laugh, "Sending it to you!"

Spinning and raising her sleeves, the boatman's martial arts were not weak, but who knew that he was rolled by a sleeve, and he had no resistance at all, being thrown out of thin air.

The man in black laughed loudly, and the long sword finally left the scabbard. But a dragon's chant was heard in mid-air, long lightning startled the soul, exotic light shot out dazzlingly, and a splash of blood flew into the sky under the sword light!

The two passed each other in the air, and the man in black landed on the ground, with his back to the crowd of enemies. Behind him, the boatman's head was thrown into the air, and his body flew down from the hole in the cabin with a *peng* sound, falling into the river along with the blood splashing in mid-air, instantly swallowed by the wind and waves without a trace.

The sword blade was stained with blood, and the killing intent overflowed. The man in black turned around slowly, his eyes suddenly filled with cold light. "Hmph! If you want to die, let's go together!"

Before the words fell, the sword light turned into a wicked dragon, roaring out, the sword energy like a wave, rolling up a bloodthirsty vortex, and even those who were fighting Zi Rao could not be spared, all being rolled into it.

Zi Rao was happy to be idle and floated back. The wind and rain whistled, blood splashed, and the cabin was suddenly filled with only sword light and blood color, with screams rising one after another.

The man was amidst the crowd of enemies, killing and taking lives as if they were nothing. With a sharp whistle, the silver awl in the green-robed man's hand was hit head-on, the sword energy penetrated his body, a mouthful of blood sprayed out, and he saw his life lost under the sword. The ocher-robed man was terrified, a pair of golden hooks rushed to the front, every move was fierce and sharp, rushing to attack, not to be underestimated.

The man was blocked by him and did not kill him. Several people rushed from the side, blood light erupted, two big men became ghosts under the sword, and the man also added a wound on his arm.

The green-robed and ocher-robed men flew back, suddenly changing direction, hooks and awls fired together, shooting at Zi Rao. Zi Rao didn't move, the golden hook pressed against her throat, the silver awl stopped at her waist, and the ocher-robed man shouted sternly, "Ye Xuanshang! Stop!"

Zi Rao had repeatedly blocked them from using poison, which led to the bloody battle between the two sides, and she had been recognized as the man's accomplice. The sword light in the cabin flourished, forcing back the opponents, and Ye Xuanshang held his sword and turned around, looking at the other side coldly.

A gust of wind and rain rushed in from the broken cabin, washing the blood overflowing on the deck. The surviving killers retreated one after another, surrounding Zi Rao, but their weapons were still pointed at Ye Xuanshang. Ye Xuanshang narrowed his deep eyes and said slowly, "Golden Hook Xin Li, Silver Awl Xin Shi, you two can be considered famous figures in the Jianghu, actually being so shameless."

"Less nonsense!" Golden Hook Xin Li shouted, "Put down the sword!"

Ye Xuanshang rested his sword on his shoulder casually, his expression very arrogant. He was covered in blood, whether it was the enemy's or his own, staining his clothes, exuding a suffocating domineering aura. He looked at them from the corner of his eye and sneered coldly, "I, Ye Xuanshang, have never been threatened by anyone. If you want my life for the reward, feel free to take it yourself."

Silver Awl Xin Shi wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and said gloomily, "Young Master Three has high martial arts, we brothers don't want to lose our lives here, so we have no choice. Young Master, just surrender your sword, and we guarantee not to hurt this Miss."

Ye Xuanshang swept his tiger eyes around and smiled. "Golden Hook, Silver Awl, the Four Heroes of the West Gorge, the Yue Ma Gang, and the people from the Helian Martial Arts Hall have all come to wade in this muddy water. It seems the reward this time is not small."

Xin Shi sneered gloomily, "The brothers' wealth this time depends on the Young Master's head."

Ye Xuanshang suddenly took a step forward, scaring everyone into retreating in a hurry. Xin Li held the golden hook in his left hand horizontally and shouted urgently, "Stand still!" He really stood still, his sword brows lifted, looking at Zi Rao who was controlled by the golden hook and silver awl.

Sharp weapons pressed against her, but Zi Rao had a lazy look. Suddenly, she hooked her lips and smiled, asking Ye Xuanshang, "Hey, do you want a live one?"

Xin Shi was afraid of trouble, so before Ye Xuanshang could answer, he pressed the silver awl tighter. "Shut up!"

The river breeze blew on her face, and a piece of fine rain fell. Zi Rao's eyes were charming, looking at him with resentment and annoyance, and she said softly, "I didn't ask you, why are you interrupting?" A wave of her eyes, all kinds of style, the beauty was slightly angry, her voice soft, and the golden hook and silver awl were stunned at the same time, their souls out of their bodies, forgetting all words for a while.

"Do you want a live one or not?" Zi Rao turned her eyes and asked Ye Xuanshang again.

Ye Xuanshang saw that her brows and eyes were smiling, her demeanor was calm, and she didn't have a bit of embarrassment, so he said, "They can't kill me, life and death are no different, Miss, do as you please."

Zi Rao sighed gloomily and said to Golden Hook and Silver Awl, "No way, since people don't want a live one, then I'm sorry." Before the words were still there, her graceful waist suddenly swayed, her clothes were like a charm, her figure was like light smoke, and she floated out of the golden hook and silver awl. Everyone's eyes blurred, and before they could react, they suddenly saw a piece of black smoke in the cabin spinning with the wind, and amidst the faint fragrance, ice-colored flying scattered, threads of cold light quenched the water light, suddenly piercing through their throats.

*Ding-ding-dang-dang*, weapons fell to the ground, and several people who hadn't died under Ye Xuanshang's sword fell to the ground at the same time, as if they had been taken by the wind and rain that flew over. Golden Hook and Silver Awl only came to their senses at this time, shouting angrily in unison, pouncing on Zi Rao, but heard a giggle in their ears. Zi Rao flipped her jade wrists, and two threads of white light shot out from the bottom of her sleeves.

Golden Hook and Silver Awl clearly saw the exotic object attacking their faces, but they couldn't dodge it no matter what. A silkworm-thread-like thing suddenly pierced into their mouths head-on.

Zi Rao's eyes were cold. "I hate people who talk too much the most. If you two are reincarnated as humans in the next life, remember to be a mute!" Her slender fingers flicked, and the two people opposite screamed in unison. Several crystal-clear white threads grew out from their eyes, mouths, noses, and ears on all sides, flying and entangling between their heads and necks, instantly sealing their seven orifices tightly. The two rolled painfully on the ground, and soon they were wrapped in a layer of fine threads, struggling a few times, slowly turning into withered cocoons, with no flesh and blood left.

Ye Xuanshang clapped his hands and praised, "Cold Ice Soul-Taking, Thousand-Thread Soul-Snaring, I didn't expect to see it here today. Not only is the Miss beautiful, but this skill is even more stunning!"

Zi Rao put away the silk Gu and glanced at him. His eyes were bright and met hers, his gaze open and bright, and his flying smile did not have half a gloom because of the bloody battle just now. Zi Rao took the bamboo hat with a charming smile, "You are not bad either, good sword technique, good skill." The gauze covered it, and the wind and rain flew.

The two checked the cabin together and found that the lower cabin was full of tung oil and fire materials. If it were ignited, even such heavy rain would not be able to extinguish it, and the boat would be destroyed and people would die. There were several corpses in the bottom cabin, looking like ordinary merchants, who must have been killed because they accidentally boarded this boat. This group of people acted so ruthlessly, obviously targeting Ye Xuanshang, but he appeared as if nothing had happened, stood up, and asked Zi Rao casually, "Are you going to the Chu capital, Miss?"

Zi Rao was sizing him up, and seeing him ask, she said, "Just passing by, I'm going to Wangliang Valley."

This answer was light and airy, but Ye Xuanshang was a bit surprised. "Wangliang Valley is located in deep gorges, dense forests and miasma, muddy marshes everywhere, and there are many exotic beasts and fierce things. It is a great fierce place in the Jianghu. I wonder what you are going there for, Miss?"

Zi Rao said indifferently, "It's good because there are exotic beasts."

Ye Xuanshang frowned. "Miss, are you not listening to the Jianghu legend and going for the giant snake Zhu Jiuyin?"

Zi Rao smiled and did not refute. The gall of the Zhu Jiuyin was a miraculous medicine in the world, which could cure chronic illnesses and solve deadly poisons. Since she had arrived in Chu State, she would naturally not miss it.

At this time, the two had moored the boat to the near shore, displayed light skills, and flew onto the shore. Before leaving, they ignited the tung oil, and the huge ferry boat was instantly swallowed by the raging fire, quickly sinking into the river. The rain was gradually closing, and Ye Xuanshang stood on a rock looking at the great river, pondering for a moment, then turned around and smiled. "You blocked me from drinking that poisonous wine just now, Miss, I owe you a favor. If there is nothing inconvenient, I am willing to accompany you to Wangliang Valley, to do my best."

Beneath the light gauze, dark brows were shrouded in smoke, as if seeing clear light rippling. Zi Rao raised her eyes to look at him, and then paused. The clear lake-like brow color rippled, and ripples bloomed beautifully. "In that case, I thank you first, Young Master."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 18 =====