Chapter 129: Miss you, Prison Gu

Eagle Nest.

Wudang's Shi Yan, Shaolin's Tie Jian, the Beggar Sect's Wang Shidai, Yangtze's Shui Shangfei, Yandang's Gao Xingkong, Bashan's Little Gu, the Twelve-Linked Docks' Eagle Eye Lao Qi, as well as Sikong Zhaixing, Hua Manlou, and Lu Xiaofeng, all sat together in one hall, discussing a plan targeting the Ghost Shanzhuang.

"Lu Xiaofeng?"

Bashan's Little Gu looked at Lu Xiaofeng and asked in surprise, "Why are your eyes so red?"

Lu Xiaofeng looked very strange today, strange in every possible way.

Lu Xiaofeng's voice was hoarse as he said, "Because I haven't touched a woman in nearly half a year!"

Once these words were spoken, everyone in the room looked at Lu Xiaofeng, exceptionally shocked. Since when did this prodigal son start practicing abstinence?

"I have a bet with Gu Qing."

Lu Xiaofeng said with red eyes, "If, when we meet next, I touch a friend's woman again, I have to directly charge at the friend himself. To ensure I win, these days, I haven't even touched a single woman."

Lu Xiaofeng wanted to win!

Speaking of this, Lu Xiaofeng added with a hint of annoyance, "But recently, Gu Qing has vanished from the Jianghu. I've checked over seventy Green-Clad Towers and haven't found a single trace of him... *cough, cough*..."

It had been months; if Lu Xiaofeng could just find Gu Qing once, he would win the bet immediately!

Then Lu Xiaofeng could touch women again!

But Lu Xiaofeng couldn't find Gu Qing.

"I suspect Gu Qing is in jail lately."

Lu Xiaofeng said with a straight stare.

Miss you, Prison Gu!

Once these words were spoken, everyone in the Eagle Nest looked at each other, their expressions growing stranger by the second.

They were sitting here to discuss a plan regarding the Ghost Shanzhuang.

The first step of the plan was to persuade Ximen Chuixue to participate and have Ximen Chuixue hunt down Lu Xiaofeng.

This was the most crucial part. Everyone in the Jianghu knew Ximen Chuixue's temper, and they knew that anyone Ximen Chuixue hunted down had absolutely no path to survival. Only Ximen Chuixue's pursuit could convince others... and the reason they thought of to make Ximen Chuixue hunt him was to have Lu Xiaofeng touch a brother's woman, violating Ximen Chuixue's taboo, and then have Ximen Chuixue hunt him down.

If this first step were taken, Lu Xiaofeng and Gu Qing's bet would be lost without a fight, and Gu Qing would definitely seize this opportunity to mock Lu Xiaofeng.

"Could Gu Qing be in the Ghost Shanzhuang?"

Eagle Eye Lao Qi made a bold speculation.

It was said that the Ghost Shanzhuang was hidden with Jianghu veterans, unfathomable and mysterious.

"Absolutely not!"

Hua Manlou said with certainty.

Everyone looked at Hua Manlou. Watching Hua Manlou point to his own eyes, he said, "Although Gu Qing's background is mysterious and his actions are wicked, his heart is bright, and his actions have never deviated from the righteous path. My eyes were also healed because he entrusted someone to treat them..."

Lu Xiaofeng nodded along, saying, "Gu Qing never craves power."

With no desire for power, he naturally wouldn't go about plotting any schemes.

"Actually, I do know where Gu Qing is."

Wudang Sect Leader Shi Yan suddenly said.

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes immediately shifted over, staring fixedly at Shi Yan.

"Gu Qing is in Dongying!"

Shi Yan said.

Dongying?

Lu Xiaofeng was naturally aware of Dongying. He had originally planned to go to Dongying to drink some sake after the Ghost Shanzhuang affair ended, and then go hug a few Dongying ladies to experience it...

Lu Xiaofeng was full of complaints, staring gloomily at Shi Yan.

"I also heard the news recently, and this involves Wudang's voyages."

Shi Yan saw Lu Xiaofeng's complaint and explained.

Ever since the battle at the Forbidden City, the current Emperor had the intention of opening the seas, successively ordering the construction of giant ships to explore overseas, and even more so to spread Daoism and conduct trade overseas. Most of the matters involving Daoism were handled by Master Mu, and Master Mu had also gone to Mount Wudang, selecting a batch of disciples to go back and forth with the giant ships, so the Wudang Sect Leader also learned much overseas news.

"The land of Dongying, under the governance of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, has been quite effective. Furthermore, in the Great Ming court, there are officials colluding with Japanese pirates to invade the coast. Wudang disciple Chang Jing and others followed the crowd across the ocean, intending to record the situation in Dongying in detail. Who would have thought that after they disembarked, the land of Dongying was heavily guarded? Some people on the same ship who could speak Dongying language communicated with the other side, only to learn that it was a Central Plains man named Gu Qing who had issued a challenge there."

Shi Yan spoke of the events over in Dongying.

Lu Xiaofeng asked in surprise, "A challenge?"

"That's right."

Shi Yan said, "Gu Qing killed Toyotomi Hideyoshi's biological son, adopted son, ministers, and so on, and placed their heads in front of Osaka Castle, saying he wanted to have a duel with Toyotomi Hideyoshi."

Once these words were spoken, there was a sound of gasping in the Eagle Nest.

"Could this Toyotomi Hideyoshi be even more formidable than Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng?"

Bashan's Little Gu asked.

After all, the last time Gu Qing invited someone to a duel was at the Forbidden City, directly fighting Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng.

"Of course not."

Shi Yan said, "Toyotomi Hideyoshi is called the ruler of the world and unified Dongying. His greatest strength is his wrist, not personal martial prowess. Gu Qing's duel with Toyotomi Hideyoshi is purely bullying."

Everyone then understood.

"However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's ruling methods are superb. He once issued a Sword Hunt Decree, confiscating all weapons in Dongying. Also confiscated were the high-end martial forces of Dongying—the Koga, Iga, Akutagawa, Negoro, Takeda, Akiha, Shinkage, and other schools—all of whom were by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's side. Following Toyotomi Hideyoshi's order, they all had to guard Osaka Prefecture."

Shi Yan spoke of the initial situation.

Lu Xiaofeng frowned and said, "The ninja schools within this are mostly the lower five sects of the Jianghu, and they also use disguises and poisons, making them impossible to guard against. Moreover, these people are extremely good at enduring and can lurk in all sorts of incredible places. Provoking these people leads to endless trouble."

Lu Xiaofeng was also aware of many things about Dongying.

"Unfortunately, the one who provoked them was Gu Qing."

Shi Yan said, "At that time, Chang Jing and the others were immediately controlled by the Dongying people as soon as they disembarked and were imprisoned in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mansion for interrogation. But when night fell, they suddenly heard Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mansion start to descend into chaos. Gu Qing held a sword in each hand and came from the main entrance. Along the way, they only heard 'clang,' 'clang-clang,' and various warning sounds and screams, from far to near. By the time they reached the place where Chang Jing and the others were imprisoned, they saw a figure flash by. Gu Qing flashed past them with a sword in each hand, and the people who had been guarding them had already fallen dead, and the ropes were also sliced open in that one sword strike..."

Lu Xiaofeng and the others sighed naturally; they knew how powerful Gu Qing was with a sword in each hand.

Ximen Chuixue once said that if he and Ye Gucheng joined forces, they could directly kill their way out of the Forbidden City, and Gu Qing's dual-wielding was even more fierce than the joint forces of Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng.

It was just that the Gu Qing of the past rarely took lives, but once overseas, he let go completely.

"Gu Qing killed his way to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's side."

Shi Yan said, "At that time, by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's side were nine master-level figures, all leaders of various schools. Seeing Gu Qing's sword light was fierce, they had already instinctively protected Toyotomi Hideyoshi, stepping forward to guard him."

"Toyotomi Hideyoshi sternly questioned him, saying they had no grudges, so why draw blades against each other? Gu Qing only said, 'You deserve to be slaughtered,' and drew his sword to kill."

"The nine masters of Dongying immediately joined forces, and nearby there were ninjas, death squads..."

Lu Xiaofeng nodded in deep agreement. In the land of Dongying, martial arts sought different paths and were vastly different from the Central Plains. Their sinister and vicious nature made them impossible to guard against.

In the Central Plains, there were also some wealthy merchants' children who would go to Dongying to practice ninjutsu and swordsmanship, and even cultivate death squads there. Just listening to Shi Yan say these things, Lu Xiaofeng knew Gu Qing was facing an extremely complex battlefield.

"The Sword Saint of the Shinkage school drew his sword, and Gu Qing shouted, 'At this moment, the time of extinction,' and with a flash of sword light, the Sword Saint fell dead on the spot."

"After killing the Shinkage Sword Saint with the sword, Gu Qing discarded the sword and charged into the group of masters with his bare hands. At that time, figures flickered, and Chang Jing couldn't even see clearly. He only knew that in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Gu Qing stopped. These figures who could be called masters in the way of ninjutsu, these death squads without any emotions, were all rolling on the ground in pain, begging Gu Qing to give them a quick death."

Shi Yan stated the result of the battle.

Lu Xiaofeng took a breath and said, "Ruyi Orchid Hand!"

Back then, Ruyi Xianzi's Ruyi Orchid Hand was the most torturous martial art in the Jianghu. Being hit by this move could make people suffer unbearably, and these ninja figures with super-strong endurance couldn't withstand the torture of the Ruyi Orchid Hand.

"Ruyi Orchid Hand?"

"That's right..."

Lu Xiaofeng spoke of the time he encountered the Ruyi Orchid Hand at the Silver Hook Gambling House. Gu Qing had already mastered this complex martial art.

Shi Yan nodded and said, "The most amazing thing was Gu Qing killing Toyotomi Hideyoshi... At that time, Gu Qing carried Toyotomi Hideyoshi, leaped a few times, and arrived at the highest floor. In front of many Dongying people, he threw Toyotomi Hideyoshi up, and then struck a palm to his chest. After this palm, the originally heavy Toyotomi Hideyoshi floated down like paper from the building, turning a few times before landing on the ground."

This was simply a miracle!

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes moved and he said, "This is likely the legendary Bone-Melting Palm."

This set of martial arts could directly melt a person's meridians and bones. One palm strike could turn a person into a sheet of skin.

Thinking of these two legendary martial arts, Lu Xiaofeng pouted.

Gu Qing was drifting overseas, and his strength had improved again!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 130 =====