Chapter 160

「Clang! 」

Seeing the situation with swords drawn and bows bent, Chen Jin'er's expression turned stern; suddenly a sword light flashed through the dim rain curtain, and her Purple Violet Soft Sword was already drawn.

The blade was thin as a cicada's wing, supple as water, pointing straight through the misty rain at the old eunuch gathering his strength ahead.

"Prepare the sword formation to meet the enemy!" Chen Jin'er's beautiful eyes were icy clear as she gave a spirited shout.

Even if the old eunuch's aura suddenly erupted, outrageously strong, making everyone feel terrified, her fair face showed not a trace of fear or retreat.

The coordinated sword formation specializes in using weakness against strength, growing stronger when facing the strong; whether they are opponents and whether they can prevail can only be known by fighting!

Most importantly, the commotion here is so great that the person in the woods should surely notice, and she has absolute confidence in the martial arts he passed down to her!

「Clang! 」「Clang! 」

Seeing this, Miss Huang and Han Xiao Ying also swiftly drew their precious swords and stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Chen Jin'er in the heavy rain.

At this moment, the rain poured torrentially, lightning flashed intermittently, and the sword light loomed dimly.

After the three's auras slowly rose, three barely perceptible sharp sword intents began to faintly seep from their bodies.

Seeing this scene, the eunuch facing him wore a blank expression; upon sensing the hostility from the distant man in green, the coldness in his eyes deepened.

This eunuch's martial arts are truly unprecedented; I have only felt such an aura before my master.

Ma Yu's expression turned solemn; he signaled with his gaze for his junior fellow disciples Qiu Chuji and the others to retreat—regardless, the Quanzhen Sect cannot be dragged into the court's feud.

"What a pity," Qiu Chuji said, slowly stepping back behind his senior brother; looking at the distant Han Xiao Ying, his eyes showed a hint of complexity.

This time he came to Xiangyang intending to openly stand on the martial stage and settle his grudge with the remaining four siblings of the Seven Oddities, never expecting the other side to be opposed to the court.

With such an aura, such a master, none present could match him; even if the man she relied upon came rushing, it would likely not alter the fatal outcome.

In Qiu Chuji's view, he is indeed no match for Niu Dingtian, but no matter how strong the opponent's martial arts, he could not possibly reach his master's level while the master was alive.

As for those bows and crossbows around, they were a threat to the earlier rabble, a nuisance to him, but surely insignificant to that eunuch.

Just as Qiu Chuji thought, no one present believed those three dainty young ladies could be a match for that eunuch.

Seeing the three confront each other, those around were filled with astonishment, and they could not help but chatter amid the heavy rain.

What do these three girls want? Do they really intend to fight that eunuch?

That eunuch's martial arts strength is truly unheard of; from his words it sounds as if the Xiangyang garrison plans to rebel.

Whether they rebel or not, I don't know, but these three girls are really attractive! Especially the one on the right—it would be a shame if she died.

After a while, once they've both lost, we might as well charge in to avenge the brothers just shot dead, and by the way give those three ladies a proper burial.

At that moment, a lecherous knife-wielding man's eyes suddenly lit up; after wiping rain from his face, he shouted loudly, "Hot?"

Hot?

Upon hearing those words,

The crowd fell silent in an instant.

The next moment—

Whoosh~

Bang!

Before anyone could react, only a sharp 'whoosh' was heard as a blade-like sound tore through the air, its force instantly overwhelming the rain; then came a deafening 'bang,' and that lecherous man's smiling face shattered before their eyes.

Upon looking again—

it turned out his entire head had blown apart.

The heavy rain continued unabated, swiftly washing away the blood and flesh.

Immediately after, the headless corpse toppled backward slowly; those nearby reacted and hurried to dodge, yet the scarlet rain still splashed across their faces.

Is-is-is… who is it?

Who… who… who did it?

The pungent smell of blood clung to the nostrils, straight into the lungs, making one want to vomit; the few who had been discussing earlier turned pale with fright, their bodies trembling as they looked around, seeking the perpetrator.

Finally,

Through the dim rain curtain, a pair of icy, indifferent eyes met theirs.

Rumble—

Crackle—

Coincidentally, another clap of thunder and flash of lightning struck at that moment, making the grim scene in the puddles vividly clear to all nearby.

It… is the man in green!

What a ruthless method!

Exactly! Killing a person needs only a blow to the head; why must one sever head from body?

How is this cruelty any different from that of a demon?

Just like that, the tense standoff moments ago seemed to shift abruptly.

The black-clad staff-wielder, the Beggar Sect's grimy-faced beggar, and the monk lightly turning his prayer beads all fixed their gazes.

Even the eunuch who was about to erupt could not help but restrain his aura, narrowing his eyes to scrutinize the man in green not far away.

The man in green's gaze was icy cold; he slowly withdrew it from the headless corpse, and when it fell upon Miss Huang, a hint of softness flickered.

"Rong'er! Come home with your father." the man in green said in a low voice, as if no one else were around.

He had searched for this precious daughter for over a year, during which his own martial arts even broke through, yet he found not a trace of her.

A year ago, he had finally managed to locate his daughter in Xiangyang City, but saw no sign of Niu Dingtian; after careful consideration, he decided to first follow her secretly from the shadows.

He planned to wait for Niu Dingtian to appear, settle the score with him, and then bring his daughter back to Peach Blossom Island.

A few days ago, upon hearing the news that a divine weapon was about to emerge, he intended to come and investigate.

But no matter how he thought, he never expected such a master to appear tonight, and this little girl, oblivious to life or death, was preparing to fight him.

At this moment,

Huang Lao Xie finally couldn't sit still; in his anger, he even publicly smashed the head of the person who had insulted his daughter.

"Father... Father?" Miss Huang stared wide-eyed, and even the sword in her hand involuntarily lowered.

Over the past two years, she has lived outside in utter freedom and ease, with lovers whenever she wanted and sisters whenever she wanted, already somewhat forgetting Shu in her happiness.

At this moment, upon hearing the familiar voice, she suddenly realized that since she had angrily left Peach Blossom Island in the beginning, it seemed three years had already passed.

After carefully observing the slender figure of the person in green robes in the distance, and noticing the small bun of gray hair bound with coarse rope on their head, Miss Huang could no longer fail to recognize who had come.

"Father!" Miss Huang hurriedly sheathed her sword and called out in a sweet voice, her face breaking into a smile as she prepared to dash out like a swallow returning to the forest.

But the next moment,

She immediately halted her steps.

Thereafter her lovely smiling face changed in an instant; after drawing her sword again, she clenched her pretty face, heedless of the splashing rain on her face, stuck out her chin toward the distant Huang Lao Xie, and shouted loudly: "I won't!"

"It was you who scolded me and drove me out of Peach Blossom Island! You don't want me anymore—I want to be with Brother Niu! Humph—if you want me to forgive you, you must help me block these people! Otherwise I will never return to Peach Blossom Island!"

As soon as these words fell, they immediately provoked an uproar among the crowd:

"What? Peach Blossom Island?"

"That person is actually Huang Lao Xie!"

"He is the Eastern Heretic, Huang Yaoshi!"

"No wonder his aura is so strong!"

Upon hearing these words, although Huang Lao Xie's skin mask on his face was bloated and stiff, showing no expression at all, the fury in his eyes could not be concealed even by the torrential rain.

Indeed, it is the good daughter I have raised in vain! She actually dares to use her own father as a shield!

Thinking of this, Huang Lao Xie grew angrier the more he pondered, and the complexion beneath his mask turned deathly pale.

At this moment, seeing the old eunuch opposite gradually becoming wary, Miss Huang's eyes darted, and she suddenly called out in a sweet voice to the black-clad staff-wielder not far away: "Uncle Ouyang, stop pretending! Rong'er has already recognized you!"

"Last time you hosted my Brother Niu for a month at your White Camel Manor, even giving him your beloved little snake and the secret of the Five Poisons; Brother Niu will finish his training and come out soon, so please help us hold them off for a while!"

Upon these words, the crowd erupted in clamor; even the dirty-faced beggar and the monk Juexing, who had been silent for half a day, couldn't help but fix their gazes on them, seemingly wanting to see what was really happening.

"Could he really be the Western Poison?"

"Ouyang Ke has come too; it's no surprise his father would show up, after all he is both uncle and father—how could he not worry about this lone sapling wandering about outside?"

"Shhh, keep your voice down—the title Western Poison is not earned in vain; they are notorious for their viciousness, and if they really moved against you, even the Eastern Heretic would feel ashamed by comparison."

The crowd murmured in discussion; the black-clad figure's gaze in the distance was calm, but when it swept over, it turned icy cold enough to make one feel as if plunged into an ice cellar.

"I, old man, do not understand what you mean; your conflict has nothing to do with me!" Ouyang Feng replied in a calm gaze and a deep voice.

Indeed, this person is Ouyang Feng.

But right now this is an excellent opportunity to reap the benefits of the snipe and clam struggle; as long as he hides his true face and refuses to admit it, even if people recognize his Spirit Snake Iron Staff, he couldn't care less.

Thereafter Ouyang Feng's figure flashed, and he darted straight to the far side, standing more than ten zhang away from the old eunuch, silently observing the movements in the field.

This move,

is truly the epitome of cowardice.

The old eunuch, seeing this, withdrew his aura, his gaze slowly sweeping over as his eyes slightly narrowed: "If it truly is Master Ouyang before us, then we ought to join forces to capture and kill the court rebels."

"Three years ago, Niu Dingtian impersonated your nephew Ouyang Ke, stormed the imperial palace, and provoked the emperor's dignity; had we not later investigated this thoroughly, we would have already led troops to Mount Kunlun."

"That little villain has so framed you uncle and nephew that even we cannot stand it; if tonight Master Ouyang can lend us a hand, then when we report to the court, the emperor will surely not begrudge rewards."

At this moment, if Niu Dingtian were present, he would surely recognize at a glance that the old eunuch is Li Gonggong, the palace expert who once chased him over a thousand li.

Speaking, Li Gonggong's eyes flickered slightly; without waiting for Ouyang Feng's reply, he turned to the other side, Huang Lao Xie, and said slowly: "The grandfather of Island Master Huang, Huang Gui'nian, once served as a court official, holding the post of censor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's Shaoxing era."

"His great-grandfather Huang Yingbi attained the rank of Grandee of the Court and Left Vice Censor-in-Chief; his great-great-grandfather Huang Deyang was a jinshi of the early reign of Emperor Renzong's Jingyou era and served as Minister of Personnel."

"His great-great-great-grandfather Huang Jun even produced eight jinshi from one family, two of them zhuangyuan; counting sons-in-law, a total of nine have served as Ministers."

Upon hearing this, everyone present erupted in an uproar; having thought they were merely a bunch of martial-world mud-legged ruffians, no one expected that besides the Southern Emperor's true dragon, there actually hid a person of illustrious lineage.

Thus, when the crowd once again looked upon the green silhouette in the rain, their eyes all revealed a hint of awe.

This is an emotion etched into the blood since ancient times, hard to erase.

Although people of the martial world constantly shout "corrupt officials!", very few truly do not wish to become officials. When one attains a high office, no matter how high one's martial prowess, it is inevitable to feel a sense of disparity stemming from one's status.

This is also why, throughout the dynasties, there has never been a lack of top-tier masters who serve the imperial clan, sects, and high-ranking nobles.

Moreover, upon hearing this, Miss Huang over there couldn't help but stare blankly: it turns out her ancestors were all officials, so why is it unacceptable coming from her father?

At this moment, Li Gonggong glanced at Miss Huang, then looked toward the bamboo grove, and said with a sinister tone: "The Huang clan is so pure and noble; we hope Island Master Huang will not collude with the rebels, thus disgracing the ancestral legacy."

"According to our reliable intelligence, Niu Dingtian is currently forging weapons in the forest; if Island Master Huang can today join forces with us to capture the villains, upon success we shall restore the ancestors' boundless glory!"

"Master Ouyang, Island Master Huang, and this hero of the Beggars' Gang—great merit lies within easy reach right before us; why not join us to seize it?"

Having said that, Li Gonggong no longer paid attention to the three girls behind him; as his aura burst forth, his gloomy gaze swept straight ahead toward the bamboo forest.

If it weren't for these two variables, the Eastern Heretic and the Western Poison, he would not so easily let the few behind him go; however, even after capturing and killing Niu Dingtian, settling the score later would not be too late!

"Father, you dare!" Miss Huang glared at Huang Lao Xie with both eyes blazing: "If you dare to collude with that dead eunuch, I'll die right before your eyes!"

Saying this, Miss Huang hesitated not, thrusting her chin forward and laying her sword horizontally across her snow‑white, spotless neck.

"Rong'er!"

"Rong'er!"

Beside her, Chen Jin'er and Han Xiao Ying, seeing this, slightly changed expression and hurried to intervene.

But Miss Huang swiftly dodged, sending a mental whisper: "Don't come over! I'm just bluffing him!"

Far away, Huang Lao Xie, furious to the extreme, didn't even glance at the old eunuch and roared at his daughter: "Put down the sword! Come home with me!"

"I won't!" Miss Huang tightened her grip on the sword, stuck out her chin without yielding: "You must first help me block them!"

Just then,

while everyone was enjoying this splendid father‑daughter showdown,

the torrential rain that had filled the sky suddenly weakened and dissipated; the rolling thunder above quickly turned into a low rumble, as if about to withdraw, leaving only streaks of lightning like fire dragons continuing to flash across the dark night sky.

Afterward——

Suddenly, a mournful sound came from deep within the bamboo grove:

"Mr. Zhang!!"

"Hahaha~Only by sacrificing oneself can one gather spirits! If this old man doesn't try, this pair of swords will be completely ruined!"

"If you succeed, Niu Xiaozi, you must not let the prestige of these swords be lost!"

Then,

That sound then came to an abrupt halt.

"Mr. Zhang!!!"

The next moment——

The aura around the bamboo grove seemed to be instantly evacuated, causing everyone present to gasp and feel extremely oppressed.

Immediately thereafter, a vast and desolate mighty pressure descended from the heavens.

"Crackle—"

"Rumble—"

Electric light flashed, thunder burst forth, and rapidly gathered above the green bamboo grove.

Finally,

Amid the astonished gazes of the crowd, the sky‑wide lightning condensed into a single, blindingly bright bolt; the lightning seemed eager to destroy something, shooting downward at great speed.

"Boom!"

With a deafening blast, the earth shook and the mountains trembled!

(End of chapter)