Chapter 325: Manqing Courtyard

Manqing Courtyard.

Situated in a bustling section of the city's west, it is the most large-scale brothel in Luoyang, long controlled by the Luoyang Gang, one of the Eight Gangs and Ten Associations, and is a lucrative place that brings in gold by the day.

Several days ago, "Know-the-World Gentleman" Wang Bao sent out widespread invitations, inviting the prominent figures within Luoyang City, whether from the Central Plains or beyond, to hold a grand event in Manqing Courtyard.

Although the Liaodong Army under Wang Bao's command was crippled by Zhang Xutuo and is now on the decline, lacking the capital to contend for the world, he is, after all, the first person to have raised an army to attack the Sui, and is the top expert of the Changbai Sect, enjoying the reputation of "Whip King" in the martial arts world; thus, the vast majority of people or forces still have to give him face.

What's more, Wang Bao even invited the world's number one talented woman, Shang Xiufang, to take the stage and perform.

This talented woman is famous throughout the world; even if there are figures unwilling to give Wang Bao face, how many would not want to witness Shang Xiufang's peerless, city-toppling song and dance?

The place where Wang Bao is hosting the banquet is the "Tingliu Pavilion" behind the main hall, which has a unique design, formed by four three-story buildings facing the southeast, northwest, and north, enclosing a vast courtyard fifty zhang wide in the center.

Each floor of the towering buildings has more than ten guest rooms, with windows and balconies opening toward the courtyard. Whether someone is performing or dueling in the garden, people in the rooms on all four sides can watch simultaneously.

At this moment, Shang Xiufang has yet to appear, but several famous courtesans are already warming up the stage for her, and there are many bewitchingly beautiful dancing girls dancing gracefully.

Many of the local gang leaders and association heads of Luoyang City who came by invitation were stunned; heroes who usually dominate one side and are famous throughout the world appeared one after another in Manqing Courtyard.

The eldest young master of the Lingnan Song Clan, Song Shidao, Song Yuzhi, and others. The second son of the Li Clan, Li Shimin, Li Xiuning, as well as her confidants Red Flail and Li Jing. Dou Jiande's great general Liu Heita, Song Jingang under Liu Wuzhou, the pretty strategist of Wagang Village Shen Luoyan, Xu Shi...

These are all heroic figures who can influence one side, usually seeing the head but not the tail, yet today they are gathered in Manqing Courtyard.

In addition to the heroes of the Central Plains, there are the Turkic prince Tuli, the Tuyuhun prince Fu Qian, the "Martial Venerable" Bixun's disciples Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei, the "Tie Le Feiying" Qu Ao, as well as his three disciples Zhang Shumou, Gengge Hu'er, and Hualingzi...

And when Dugu Feng appeared, it also attracted everyone's attention.

The Dugu Clan is one of the Four Great Sects; although they lack the deep capital of the Li Clan to contend for the world, no matter which side the Dugu Clan leans toward, it will be like adding wings to a tiger.

Of course, the reason everyone is so concerned about Dugu Feng also has a lot to do with the "Imperial Tutor" Yu Liancheng.

It is rumored that the Imperial Tutor suppressed the Dugu Clan single-handedly and took the head of Yuwen Huaji from amidst ten thousand troops, which has already exceeded the scope of martial arts in everyone's eyes; the rumors cannot be verified, and lack credibility.

And since Dugu Feng came from Daxing, even if she did not personally participate in that palace coup, her understanding of the Imperial Tutor should always be a little more than theirs.

However, before everyone could ask Dugu Feng, figures broke into Manqing Courtyard from outside, their faces showing urgent expressions.

Looking closely, they were all the public representatives of various forces in Luoyang City.

Inside the room where Wagang is located, a woman stood upright by the window, casting her gaze toward the singing and dancing in the garden, but her moth-like eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her autumn-water-like eyes revealed a look of contemplation; clearly, she was not intending to watch the dance.

To have such beauty and appear in the room of Wagang Village, it could only be the "Pretty Strategist" Shen Luoyan.

"Luoyan, what is it?" Sitting next to Shen Luoyan was a man in green holding a sword, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's; it was Shen Luoyan's lover, Xu Shiji.

"I don't know why, but Luoyan has an ominous premonition in her heart." Shen Luoyan gently stroked her chest with her slender hand, her beautiful eyebrows tightly furrowed.

"An ominous premonition?" Xu Shiji pondered for a moment and comforted her: "Mi Gong has deployed troops in Xingyang, which is easy to defend and hard to attack, and Wang Shichong has been thrown into prison; for the time being, no one can be detrimental to Wagang Village, so you can rest assured."

Shen Luoyan smoothed her dark hair and smiled bitterly: "Actually, Luoyan is worried about ourselves. Luoyang City is the territory of the muddled ruler Yang Guang, and besides... Yu Liancheng has also entered Luoyang..."

Xu Shiji was startled, then laughed dumbly: "Experts are gathered in Manqing Courtyard; does that Yu Liancheng dare to come here to arrest us? If he breaks the rules here, he will be attacked by everyone."

"That would be for the best."

A "knock-knock" sound of knocking on the door rang out. Xu Shiji opened the door, and a scout from Wagang Village in front of the door bowed. Without waiting to be asked, the scout spoke a shocking piece of news.

"Yu Liancheng has raised an army against Jingnian Chanyuan; a group of monks has been captured, and Liaokong Dashi and the Four Great Vajra Protectors are suspected to be seriously injured."

"What!?" Shen Luoyan stood up abruptly and asked in a deep voice: "What exactly is going on?"

This same scene was also happening in every room.

Jingnian Chanyuan is right in Luoyang City, and Yu Liancheng's mobilization of troops was not secret, so this news naturally spread very quickly.

Soon, the entire Manqing Courtyard was whispering about Yu Liancheng, Jingnian Chanyuan, and the fact that Liaokong Dashi and the Four Great Vajra Protectors had been seriously injured.

Yu Liancheng sat in a meditation room in Jingnian Chanyuan, with a copper box placed in front of him.

Opening the copper box, a strange fluctuation immediately diffused out, filling the entire room.

This fluctuation was full of instability, sometimes as cold as ten-thousand-year ice, capable of freezing everything. At other times, it turned into an active volcano, ready to erupt with magma that would scorch everything.

The fluctuation cycled back and forth, as if it would never stop.

Even more terrifying was that, whether cold or scorching, the fluctuation carried a power that twisted the spirit, making people extremely irritable and full of killing intent.

So strange and changeable, yet containing the profound mysteries of heaven, earth, and the universe, even with Yu Liancheng's cultivation, he felt a heart-pounding sensation.

Yu Liancheng circulated his True Qi, gathered his mind, and looked into the copper box.

The treasure-glowing He's Jade was lying quietly inside, engraved with a five-dragon-twist pattern; the craftsmanship was exquisite, but a corner was missing, patched with gold.

Yu Liancheng's face was as calm as an ancient well; he stretched out his palm, circulated his True Qi, and slowly pressed it onto the He's Jade.

The jade disc immediately shone brightly, flowing with radiance.

And the He's Jade suddenly radiated an incomparable spiritual power, wanting to clear out Yu Liancheng's mind and body.

Strange, unfamiliar, and bizarre scenes appeared one after another, making one so irritable that they almost wanted to scream in madness, as if trapped in a nightmare from which they could not extricate themselves.

Yu Liancheng's eyes seemed to overflow with divine light, and a monstrous wave rolled in his sea of consciousness, shattering all the violent evil thoughts.

After a long while, he withdrew his hand from the He's Jade and muttered to himself.

"This He's Jade contains profound mysteries; not only can it solidify one's foundation and expand the meridians, but it can also temper the spirit and Primordial Spirit. Of course, the premise is that one must be able to keep one's mind clear, otherwise one might become a madman."

After some investigation, he had already glimpsed the mysteries within the He's Jade. Of course, it could not directly increase a person's power, but it could strengthen the meridians, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort. It was as if a small puddle had been turned into a deep pool. Every acupoint and every meridian had been reborn into a boundless treasure.

At the same time, there was a spiritual power in the He's Jade that could also be used to temper the spirit.

"There is no need to rush to absorb the power in the He's Jade; just take it slow."

A moment later, Wanwan floated in like an elf in the dark night, her black hair hanging down, her jade feet white and crystalline, unstained by a speck of dust, as if she had come from another space.

The young girl smiled charmingly: "Young Master, the monks of Jingnian Chanyuan have all been arranged; what should we do next?"

Yu Liancheng closed the copper box and smiled: "Wanwan is truly an obedient maid, really very likable. And in Luoyang City, one happens to be able to find another one."

"Another one? Young Master, could it be that you are talking about..." Wanwan's eyes rolled.

Yu Liancheng did not answer, just gave a laugh, and strode out.

In Manqing Courtyard.

The atmosphere was extremely eerie.

In the Central Plains Martial Arts World, the Jingnian Chan Monastery and Cihang Jingzhai are regarded as the two great martial arts holy lands.

Yet now, the Jingnian Chanyuan, with its cloud of experts and long history, has been leveled by Yu Liancheng, which truly makes one feel disbelief.

Some experts wore strange expressions on their faces.

Because they knew that the highly sought-after He's Jade was also placed within the Jingnian Chanyuan.

If that were the case, had Yu Liancheng not obtained the He's Jade?

——The Yang Gong Treasury and the He's Jade, obtaining one is enough to pacify the world.

If it were truly as the rumors said, that Yu Liancheng had learned the secret of the Yang Gong Treasury and also obtained the He's Jade, then wouldn't this world be within his grasp?

"Heh, although I am not a person of the Central Plains, I have heard of the reputation of the Jingnian Chanyuan; it is a Wulin Holy Land of the Central Plains."

A young man, dressed in white as snow, with turquoise eyes and the features of a foreigner, stood leaning against the window. He seemed to be watching the singing and dancing on the stage, yet also appeared not to be paying the slightest attention, a trace of disdain curling the corners of his mouth: "Looking at it now, it is nothing more than this. But this is not unexpected; the people of the Central Plains are always prone to exaggeration. It looks like a terrifying reputation, but in reality, it is nothing more than this."

This person was none other than the eldest disciple under the "Tie Le Feiying" Qu Ao, known as the "White-Clad Golden Shield," Zhang Shumou.

Qu Ao was a top-tier martial arts Grandmaster of the Tiele, his martial arts profound; at his peak, some even ranked him alongside the "Martial Venerable" Bi Xuan as the two great experts beyond the borders.

Unfortunately, because he was too arrogant and conceited, he challenged Bi Xuan, leading to a crushing defeat. Although he survived, his confidence was shattered; he drank alcohol all day, gradually became decadent, and his martial arts declined. He simply poured all his energy into teaching his son and three disciples.

Fortunately, neither his son nor his three disciples disappointed him.

Inside the room, besides Zhang Shumou, there was also a handsome and wild-looking foreign youth and a coquettish foreign woman dressed in revealing clothes; they were Qu Ao's second disciple, Gengge Hu'er, and third disciple, Hualingzi.

"Since Senior Brother stepped into the Central Plains, he has defeated twenty or thirty so-called 'experts.' These experts all have terrifying reputations, yet their skills are not worth a single blow."

A cold sneer also appeared on the corner of Gengge Hu'er's mouth: "Since I stepped into the Central Plains, I have heard the name of this 'Imperial Tutor' Yu Liancheng from time to time, and some have already boasted of him as a transcendent saint. In my opinion, he may have some ability, but if he meets us, hehe..."

The tone of these two brothers seemed low and ordinary, but in reality, they had sent their voices far away, making everyone in the Manqing Courtyard hear them clearly.

A group of Central Plains experts glared at them, but the two brothers did not care, especially Zhang Shumou, who unleashed his aura, his clothes fluttering, revealing powerful momentum and confidence. His gaze met those of the experts, as he intended to choose one to serve as a stepping stone to intimidate the Central Plains.

"I have long heard of the great name of the 'White-Clad Golden Shield,' and I, Song, would like to ask for some pointers." From the room of the Song Clan, the voice of Song Shidao was calmly sent out.

The crowd did not think much of it; the Song Clan had always insisted on Han orthodoxy, and it was perfectly normal for them to take the lead in the face of this provocation from an expert beyond the borders.

Although Song Shidao was not well-known in the Edo and rarely made a move, as the son of the "Heavenly Blade" Song Que, one would assume his martial arts were not too bad.

"Haha, so it is the young master of the Song family. I wonder how much of the 'Heavenly Blade' Sect Master Song's skill you have attained."

"I am dull and have not received my father's true teachings, but it is more than enough for self-defense; there is no need for you to hold back."

The two used their light-body techniques and swept onto the stage; where their gazes met, sparks seemed to explode, like needle points against wheat awns.

"Haha, before Miss Shang takes the stage to perform, the two of you may spar on the stage, but please stop at the appropriate point and do not harm the harmony."

Amidst the loud laughter, a slender figure walked out; this person was around fifty years old, his back straight, with a brush-like short mustache on his lip.

His eyes were gleaming with brilliance, deep and serious enough to be frightening, which seemed incompatible with the smile he wore, forming an extremely strange and unique style.

"How about I, Wang Bao, act as the referee? I wonder if you have any objections?"

This person was the host of this event, the "Know-the-World-Man" Wang Bao; he waved away the panicked singers and dancers and stroked his mustache with his hand.

Naturally, the two had no objections.

Just as they were about to engage in combat, a clear and resonant voice rang out: "It seems someone looks down on me, Yu; I wonder how much weight you think you have?"

Amidst the surprised and clamorous shouts of the crowd, a man in black strode in, a playful smile on his lips, his deep and bright eyes scanning the scene before finally pinning onto Gengge Hu'er.

And upon seeing this person, everyone present could not help but have their breathing quicken.

Not only because the young man in black was the "Imperial Tutor" Yu Liancheng who had just leveled the Jingnian Chanyuan, but also because he was holding a bronze box in his hand.

Those with a keen mind could instantly guess what was stored in the bronze box.