Chapter 299: Wanwan, Bian Bufu

In the ninth year of the Daye era, Du Fuwei, together with his good friend Fu Gongshi, led the masses in an uprising. Later, they fought across Huainan, styled themselves as generals, and incorporated small insurgent groups like that of Miao Haichao, causing their strength to surge as they pressed toward Jiangdu.

Subsequently, he soundly defeated the Sui general Chen Leng, captured Gaoyou in succession, occupied Liyang, and proclaimed himself Liyang Grand Administrator. He appointed his second-in-command, Fu Gongshi, as Chief Clerk, occupying a vast region between the Yangtze and Huai rivers; he was a formidable warlord of the chaotic times.

It was just that the Jianghuai Army had corrupt discipline and a notorious reputation, causing the common people to flee at the mere mention of them; otherwise, they might well have ended the chaotic times and unified the Central Plains.

Yet such an unparalleled warlord died just like that at the hands of Yu Liancheng, and the landscape of the world changed because of it, naturally causing a stir throughout the Imperial Court and the pugilistic world. Consequently, his reputation soared, even more so than before.

At the same time, it was rumored in the pugilistic world that Yu Liancheng had always harbored wild ambitions and had already obtained the secrets of the "Yang Gong Treasury" and the "Longevity Formula" from Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. Now, he was heading toward the national capital, Daxing, attempting to subvert the world and overturn the heavens and earth.

This was, of course, spread by troublemakers and lacked any real evidence, but since Yu Liancheng had indeed captured the two, Kou and Xu, at the time, there were not a few who believed the rumors.

And unlike Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who hid their tracks and fled through the pugilistic world, Yu Liancheng did not conceal his movements. Therefore, many interested parties set their sights on him, attempting to obtain the secret of the "Yang Gong Treasury" from him.

Of course, Yu Liancheng would never care; he even hoped someone would come up to him to relieve the boredom of the journey.

……

On the misty, foggy water, a black-awning boat drifted.

There were neither oars nor a helmsman to steer the boat, yet the black-awning boat parted layers of waves, moving at an extremely fast speed, as if an invisible giant hand were pushing it from behind.

Yu Liancheng stood upright at the bow, his gaze lowered, holding the "Longevity Formula" he had just obtained not long ago.

His fingertips touched the "Longevity Formula," and a strange texture was immediately transmitted. This "Longevity Formula" was cast from mysterious gold threads; it did not get wet in water and did not burn in fire.

The entire "Longevity Formula" book contained a total of 7,400 types of diagrams and seven human-shaped figures. To date, it had been passed down for thousands of years and had passed through the hands of countless experts, among whom there was no lack of those with heaven-defying intelligence, yet they had only deciphered over 3,000 types of glyphs, and the meanings of more than half of the glyphs remained unknown.

Yu Liancheng was learned and had browsed through the Imperial Palace collections of several worlds; he had also dabbled in oracle bone script. Counting it all up, he could recognize about 4,000 characters, but he was still far from being able to truly read the entire text.

However, reading through some of the oracle bone scripts that were connected sequentially and could form complete paragraphs did yield him a rich harvest.

The "Longevity Formula" even involved the classification of a martial artist's cultivation, but unfortunately, at the critical points, there were glyphs he did not recognize, which was quite a headache.

Yu Liancheng rubbed his temples in distress: "Professional matters should still be left to professional people. If I really want to decipher these texts, I'm afraid I'll have to mobilize all the scholars of the Central Plains."

Fortunately, in addition to the 7,000-plus characters, there were seven diagrams in the Longevity Formula.

Looking closely, the diagrams were all different, and with various symbols as guides, they seemed to be describing some kind of cultivation method. Every colored arrow and red dot seemed to point to a completely different cultivation technique; not only were the paths different, but the selected acupoints and meridians were also vastly different.

"Sure enough, the last two diagrams represent yin and yang, while the first five diagrams signify the five elements. The profoundness of this 'Longevity Formula' lies in strengthening the foundation and cultivating the primordial, seizing the essence of heaven and earth, and encroaching upon the creation of the sun and moon."

Yu Liancheng muttered to himself, carefully examining the seven diagrams.

The latter two diagrams could be entered quickly with the two strands of True Qi from Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling as a primer to generate Innate True Qi, but the first five diagrams were extremely difficult.

But one could imagine that if one could cultivate the "Longevity Formula" to perfection, one would reach a brand-new realm and could break through and leave this world without needing the Stone Gate.

The "Longevity Formula" was already so remarkable; I truly wonder how profound the "God of War Record" is.

Since Yu Liancheng had already come to this world, how could he not set his sights on the "God of War Record"?

There were four great strange books in the current martial arts world, all of which were highly remarkable and could all be used to practice peerless martial arts that could shock the heavens and make gods weep.

Each book contained secrets about life and the universe from time immemorial, and the "God of War Record" was the head of the four great strange books, as well as the most ethereal and elusive one among them; it could even be considered the source of all martial arts in this world.

The Demon Sect's "Heavenly Demon Strategy," the Cihang Jingzhai's "Cihang Sword Manual," and the Daoist "Longevity Formula" all had intricate connections with the "God of War Record."

And to obtain the "God of War Record," one must enter the Divine Palace. The Divine Palace formed a world of its own, was not in any place in the world, and would move according to the changes in celestial timing and earthly energy.

To enter the Divine Palace, Yu Liancheng could probably think of two methods.

First, to master the "Longevity Formula," and by relying on the wonderful resonance between the "Longevity Formula" and the "God of War Record," perhaps one could perceive the location of the Divine Palace.

Second, to find an expert proficient in celestial calculations and the Mystical Gates and Hidden Stems to calculate the time and place when the Divine Palace would appear in the world.

And in the current world, besides Lu Miaozi, there was no second choice.

It seems I must go to the Pegasus Ranch; whether it is to decipher the "Longevity Formula" or to calculate the location of the Divine Palace, I need the help of Lu Miaozi.

Just as Yu Liancheng was pondering, the black-awning boat jolted, and the hull had already turned into a turbulent gorge.

The rolling torrents and splashing waves beat against the two banks, emitting a surging and magnificent sound. And besides the sound of the rolling waves, it was actually mixed with shouts of killing, roars, and screams.

Looking out, the river was surging, and one could see twenty or thirty speedboats on the river surface surrounding a larger passenger ship.

Those on the speedboats were all fierce-looking water bandits holding knives and swords, their eyes flashing with bloodthirsty sharpness. Amidst their howling, they charged straight onto the large ship, killing everyone they saw and looting property and women, acting as if they were crazy.

On the large ship, there were more than ten guards with knives fighting the water bandits, fearless of death. For a time, blood splashed everywhere, and the ship was filled with corpses. But the guards were too few, and they soon showed signs of retreating.

After several people were killed or injured, the water bandits firmly surrounded a cabin.

Seeing that the water bandits were about to break through the cabin, a middle-aged man in green clothes walked out from within. His face was thin and refined, and a goat-like beard hung from his chin; he seemed to be a scholar. He held a pair of swords, and as the sword light unfolded, he actually forced the group of water bandits back temporarily, showing extraordinary martial arts.

But as more and more water bandits surrounded him, the middle-aged man in green became increasingly unable to hold on and could only barely support himself. Several wounds had already been slashed onto his body, making the water bandits even more rampant.

Yu Liancheng had always had a chivalrous heart, yet for some reason, he chose to stand by and watch.

"Uncle Yang, be careful!"

The situation of the middle-aged man holding the pair of swords became increasingly critical, and a delicate cry came from inside the cabin.

Immediately following, a yellow-clad silhouette appeared before everyone's eyes.

The moment this silhouette was revealed, the river surface, which had been full of fighting and shouting, suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of the surging river remaining.

Many water bandits were even stunned on the spot, their bodies trembling slightly; just by taking one look at the woman, they could no longer move their eyes away.

The woman appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, her appearance peerlessly charming, her beautiful hair draped over her fragrant shoulders like clouds, her figure as graceful as mountains and rivers, and her skin as crystalline as snow. She possessed a peerless beauty sufficient to make any man go crazy for her.

At this moment, her lacquer-like eyes carried a sense of panic and anxiety, like a little deer lost in the forest, enough to make any man feel a desire to protect and cherish her.

"So that's how it is. I never thought the Yin Gui Sect would actually want to make a move against this seat." Yu Liancheng stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the girl in yellow, a playful smile spilling from the corners of his mouth. Only now did he confirm the conjecture in his heart.

"That girl in yellow must undoubtedly be Wanwan. As for that middle-aged man in green, I don't know which Elder of the Yin Gui Sect he is; it couldn't be that scoundrel Bian Bufu, could it? If it really is him, then today is his lucky day."

His discernment was so brilliant that he had long since seen the trace of evil aura emanating from the middle-aged man in green, and his movements also seemed to be deliberately hiding his true skill. Once he saw the girl in yellow appear, he understood this trap.

"Since that's the case, I'll come and play with you all."

Suddenly, Yu Liancheng tapped his toes and, like a wisp of black cloud, swept toward that large ship.

……

Yu Liancheng's guess was not wrong.

The girl in yellow was Wanwan, the "Demoness" cultivated by the "Demon Queen" Zhu Yuyan with all her heart's blood. As for the middle-aged man in green, he was the "Demon Hidden" Bian Bufu in disguise.

Dan Meixian was the daughter of Zhu Yuyan, and the Dongming Sect also had intricate connections with the Yin Gui Sect.

Not long ago, the Dongming Sect completely severed its connection with the Yinkui Sect, which left Zhu Yuyan both slightly annoyed and puzzled. After some investigation, she discovered it was related to a young man in black named Yu Liancheng.

Before the Yinkui Sect could even ascertain Yu Liancheng's identity, he became famous for slaying Yuwen Huaji and Yuwen Chengdu. Later, by killing Du Fuwei, he became renowned throughout the world. Because of the secret of the "Yang Gong Treasury," he also became the focus of all major powers in the world.

Upon learning the secret of the "Yang Gong Treasury," Zhu Yuyan intended to capture him personally and interrogate him strictly. Later, she changed her mind and left this matter to Wanwan.

Wanwan is the most outstanding successor in the history of the Yinkui Sect, and Zhu Yuyan has high hopes for her; this was considered a test for her.

Of course, Zhu Yuyan also considered the danger of this trip; Wanwan is her successor and the future sect leader of the Yin Gui Sect, so she absolutely could not allow any mistakes.

However, Wanwan's Heavenly Demon Great Art has already approached that of Zhu Yuyan, making her one of the top experts of the current age; even if she were truly no match for Yu Liancheng, she could still retreat calmly.

Of course, for the sake of Wanwan's safety, Zhu Yuyan still sent Bian Bufu out.

As a long-time Demon, Bian Bufu could provide help to Wanwan regardless of martial arts or Edo experience. With these two joining forces, she figured there would be no mistakes.

This operation was led by Wanwan. According to Wanwan's plan, it was to use this group of water bandits to lure Yu Liancheng into making a move, while they waited for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack and capture him in one fell swoop.

Yet, they did not expect that Yu Liancheng would have no intention of making a move at all, merely watching this slaughter with composure.

Having no other choice, Wanwan could only reveal herself, displaying the peerless charm of a demoness. She believed that there was absolutely no man in the world who could resist her temptation.

Sure enough, Yu Liancheng had already deployed his lightness skill and swept over.

At the very moment he was about to board the ship, both Bian Bufu and Wanwan had secretly activated their Demon arts, waiting only for Yu Liancheng to finish off this group of water bandits and relax his mind before suddenly launching a sneak attack.

"Little girl, don't be afraid, this seat has come to save you!"

In mid-air, Yu Liancheng laughed aloud, his person descending from the sky like a dark cloud.

Gale winds swept through, and the intense force pressed downward; the group of water bandits on the ship were blown askew by the gale, unable to even open their eyes.

While he was still in mid-air, one hand reached toward the water bandit leader like a cloud dragon extending its claws; the move was profound and mysterious, yet the force was in a state of being ready to launch but not yet released. However, one could imagine that once this move struck the opponent, it could immediately erupt with a thunderous blow.

Bian Bufu and Wanwan both felt a chill in their hearts.

Just this single grab, ready to launch but not yet released, displayed the opponent's superb and peerless martial arts.

If they were to fight the opponent openly with blades and spears, they feared that even if they could defeat him, they would definitely not fare well.

The water bandit leader was even more terrified to the point of losing all color; he was merely a third-rate martial artist and had never seen such brilliant martial arts, to the point where he could not even dodge or block.

Just as the water bandit leader closed his eyes to await death, Yu Liancheng's body, floating in mid-air, suddenly spun, and his arm reached toward Bian Bufu; this grab, driven by the momentum of the spin, was even more powerful.

How could Bian Bufu have anticipated this change? His brow twitched violently. Fortunately, this old Demon had rich combat experience; at this life-or-death moment, the twin swords in his palms thrust out simultaneously, the sword light breaking through the air to meet Yu Liancheng's grab, piercing into the claw's momentum.

He was not famous for his sword technique, but at this moment, the twin swords in his palms were as ethereal as flying clouds and as swift as a thunderbolt, further incorporating a mysterious energy into them; their power could not be underestimated.

Wanwan was very close to Bian Bufu, and with her martial arts, she could naturally provide assistance at any time.

But if she did so, her identity might be exposed, which would be disadvantageous to the subsequent operation.

Furthermore, although this Bian Bufu was her martial uncle, his covetous intentions toward her were undisguised, and Wanwan had long since felt disgust toward Bian Bufu.

Just at the moment Wanwan hesitated, Yu Liancheng's grab and Bian Bufu's twin swords collided.

Clang! Clang!

Hearing only two crisp sounds and seeing sparks fly, Bian Bufu felt a True Qi that was both cold and hot strike him; he immediately vomited blood and stumbled backward, and the twin swords in his palms shattered, being shredded into dozens of fragments in an instant.

As Yu Liancheng flicked his wrist, the fragments shot out in all directions; the water bandits on the ship immediately fell backward, screaming repeatedly.

"Girl, don't be afraid, this seat will rescue you from the demon's clutches right now. Demon, take this!" Yu Liancheng laughed aloud and strode toward Bian Bufu, carrying an imposing aura.

How could Bian Bufu care about exposing his identity now? He let out a sharp shout, and two silver steel rings flew out, dancing into a sky full of silver shadows.

The steel rings collided in the air, emitting a sound that was annoying and made one's Qi and Blood boil, striking toward Yu Liancheng along an incredibly bizarre path.

This move was truly bizarre and terrifying; just by the "clanging" sound of the steel rings colliding, the remaining water bandits on the side were made to vomit blood.

This was precisely Bian Bufu's unique skill—Magic Heart Chain.

PS: The New Year is over; starting tomorrow, I will resume updates.