Chapter 439: Killing Ten Men in One Step

At the foot of Huishan.

The river water surges, continuous and unending.

There are several large ships, breaking through a thousand layers of waves.

There is an elite army, clad in sturdy armor and wielding sharp weapons.

There are experts standing in rows, with murderous intent surging.

There is a monk in black, his brows and eyes lowered.

And there is a spirited young man, standing facing the river, with an indescribable air of ease and pleasure.

The youth's surname is Zhao, the national surname of the Son of Heaven's family. His given name, Kai, was chosen by his mother. It is the 'Kai' of regular script, and also the 'Kai' of the Chinese pistache tree. At first, he only thought his mother wanted him to be like regular script, to be upright in character and straight in his actions like the strokes of a brush. Later, after entering the Imperial Palace and performing ancestral rites alone with his grandmaster, he learned that there was a Chinese pistache tree in the Zhao family mausoleum planted by an ancestor; its trunk was straight and not crooked, and its branches and leaves were lush and flourishing, just like the Zhao royal family.

That man who held the power of the world had six sons and one daughter; counting him, who was born of an improper and illegitimate status, there were six imperial princes in total.

Except for the younger sister who always liked to contend with him, the others all harbored ill intentions toward him, or even carried murderous intent; after all, there was only one such position.

The imperial court was certainly not a harmonious whole; the status of an imperial prince was noble, but they could not avoid comparing themselves with one another—comparing knowledge, comparing martial arts, and most of all, comparing backgrounds. Everyone's father's background was the same, so what they compared was naturally the mother's background, or more accurately, the background of the mother's maiden family.

Zhao Kai was an illegitimate son, having lived in hardship with his mother since childhood, suffering all kinds of cold looks. When his mother died at the age of nine, after he personally dug a grave to bury her, he was brought into the Imperial Palace by his grandmaster, Han Renmao, who had led the hundred thousand eunuchs for over twenty years. His background was likely only this grandmaster, far inferior to the other imperial princes.

Others all said that his grandmaster was one of the three great demons of the Spring and Autumn period, who liked to skin people alive, but Zhao Kai never felt his master's aura was sinister; on the contrary, he found him amiable and respectable.

It was precisely because of his grandmaster's care that he was able to survive in the Imperial Palace.

After witnessing all sorts of things in the Imperial Palace, Zhao Kai once told himself: I will not let people trample me under their feet for the rest of my life; I must fight for a breath of air, and the things I have lost must be taken back with my own hands.

And now, not only had he taken back what was rightfully his, he also wanted to climb upward step by step, to climb to the highest position, and let everyone in the world look up to this small person who once fought with wild dogs for food.

"Huishan is one of the few major powers in the Edo; it is rumored that the number of books in the Wending Pavilion is only inferior to the Tingchao Pavilion in the Beiliang arsenal."

Zhao Kai stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the ship, admiring the spectacular scene of the river waves surging and rolling incessantly. His expression seemed somewhat cavalier, as if he did not take anything to heart, but he already possessed deep schemes and calculations.

"This open and above-board journey is just the right time to plant chess pieces in the Edo. If I enter Shu in the future, I will be able to have a clear grasp of the situation in the Central Plains..."

Just as Zhao Kai was lost in thought, the monk in black standing beside him pointed into the distance: "Your Highness, look, that is the Six-Fold Sister Waterfalls of Huishan; someone once did a very famous thing here."

Zhao Kai smiled slightly: "Please enlighten me, Second Master."

The monk in black smiled and said: "There is a saying that a Dragon King is imprisoned at the bottom of that pool, also known as Longmen or the Heavenly Gate. Back then, the Old Sword God Li Chungang used one sword to make the six waterfalls flow backward simultaneously, even washing away the gates of the Xuanyuan Mansion built on Guniu Dagang. The 'One Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate', praised by countless Edo heroes, originated precisely from this."

"Haha, so that's how it is; the style of the Old Sword God is truly fascinating."

Zhao Kai laughed, though in reality, he did not care much for such Edo rumors.

No matter how powerful a Edo martial artist is, it is merely the sword of a commoner, but he was going to forge a Son of Heaven Sword of his own; when the Son of Heaven is enraged, a million corpses will fall, and blood will flow for a thousand miles.

The old monk in black, Yang Taisui, also noticed that this disciple was not very interested in Edo rumors, so he changed the subject: "I wonder how the situation on the mountain is."

"Second Master, rest assured. Dealing with a tiny Huishan, Grandmaster has more than enough ability, not to mention there are two Land Immortals assisting. We should also hurry; otherwise, if we let Grandmaster do everything by himself, wouldn't this trip be in vain?" Zhao Kai smiled slightly.

This Second Master of his was an Imperial Tutor for two dynasties, whose influence and seniority were sufficient to serve as the leader of the Buddhist sect. He had taught the complex knowledge to the imperial princes and grandsons in the palace; he was cold-faced and strict, and had broken several chicken feather dusters on them. Let alone ordinary imperial princes and grandsons, even the most overbearing Princess Suizhu in the palace was respectful in front of him.

Zhao Kai knew this Second Master very well; not only was he proficient in Buddhist studies, but in reality, his talent for the Martial Dao was extremely extraordinary, and he had once ascended to the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, with hopes of attaining the Dao and ascending.

Later, the Capital White Clothes Case became a knot in the Second Master's heart, and he called himself the most shameful person in the world; his realm also declined day by day, no longer possessing the grandeur of that day. Of course, even so, this Second Master's methods were extremely extraordinary, and he would not necessarily lose much to the Grandmaster.

"Hmm."

The old monk in black nodded, agreeing with Zhao Kai's view on Han Renmao.

Before long, they arrived under the Six-Fold Sister Waterfalls.

Just as they were preparing to disembark, they suddenly heard a strange sound.

It was not just Zhao Kai and the monk in black, but everyone present—nearly a thousand soldiers heard this sound. This sound carried a sense of ethereal agility, as if it had come from the nine heavens.

A streak of sword light flashed across the horizon, and a man in black suddenly appeared in the sky.

The man in black robes descended before the Huishan waterfalls, standing with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering in the river wind, possessing an indescribable ease and composure, and coupled with that handsome face that could not be described, he looked as if an immortal from heaven had descended to the human world.

The sound of the waterfall was booming, yet that person chanted: "Welcoming the wind of the sun and moon for ten thousand miles, laughing and bowing to the clear breeze to wash away my madness..." That immortal aura was simply about to overflow.

Seeing this scene, the minds of everyone on the ship were roaring.

Especially the ordinary soldiers, who secretly guessed that Huishan and Longhu Mountain were old neighbors; could it be that this person was an immortal who had walked out of the Daoist holy land, Longhu Mountain?

If an immortal was guarding Huishan, could they, a group of mortals, be the immortal's match?

"So it is the Master of Huishan welcoming guests; we have come presumptuously, and hope for your forbearance."

The monk in black, Yang Taisui, was the first to react, using the Buddhist Lion's Roar for the last four words. The sound surged across the river surface, stirring up the surging and rolling river water, and at the same time, it woke up countless people who had been captivated by Yu Liancheng's bearing.

"So he is Murong Tonghuang!?"

Zhao Kai came back to his senses, sighing in his heart; the rumors were indeed true, this Murong Tonghuang truly had the bearing of a Heavenly Human. It was a pity he was a man; it was said he also had a younger sister, and he wondered what kind of peerless beauty she was.

"No, if Murong Tonghuang appears here, then Grandmaster and the two Land Immortals of Longhu Mountain..." Zhao Kai's heart sank, and he suddenly had an ominous premonition.

Yu Liancheng smiled slightly, looking down at the large ship not far ahead, and said loudly: "Having friends come from afar, is it not a joy? Everyone has traveled ten thousand miles to Huishan, and I, as the host, should have treated you well. It is a pity, a pity..."

"A pity for what?" Zhao Kai asked aloud.

"I once met a strange person called Wuchen Gongzi; he knew medicine, divination, astrology, the Eight Trigrams, and even astronomy and geography... Coincidentally, I learned quite a bit from him, and after subsequent accumulation, I think I have surpassed him in these miscellaneous arts."

Yu Liancheng's expression was calm, and he smiled freely: "Among them, I am particularly familiar with the art of physiognomy. Your foreheads are black and covered with dark clouds; it is an ominous sign, and I fear you will have a disaster of blood."

Zhao Kai sneered: "Oh, is there a way to resolve this omen?"

Yu Liancheng pretended to calculate with his fingers: "You only need to retreat from Huishan."

Zhao Kai's expression turned stern: "What if we insist on being uninvited guests and force our way into Huishan?"

Yu Liancheng put his hands behind his back and coldly spat out one word: "Die!"

This word echoed endlessly on the water, and even the booming sound of the waterfall could not cover it up in the slightest.

When this word was spoken, a chill could not help but creep into the hearts of everyone on the ship, cooling them from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads.

Zhao Kai also felt a shiver, but after he turned to look at the rows of large ships behind him, the elite soldiers on the ships, and those Second-Rank and even First-Rank experts, that chill melted away like ice and snow.

He had intended to use Huishan as his base camp in the Central Plains, so he had brought most of the assets he had accumulated over the years.

He waved his hand, and immediately a large ship broke through the waves; on the ship, dozens or nearly a hundred crossbowmen aimed at Yu Liancheng.

Zhao Kai then slowly said five words: "Is that so? I don't believe it."

"Believe it or not, I was actually just playing with you all just now. Since you've provoked me, there's no way out even if you want to leave." Yu Liancheng smiled indifferently: "The so-called 'no path to heaven, no door to enter the earth' is exactly your current situation."

Zhao Kai was unwilling to say another word; a cold smile hung at the corners of his mouth, and suddenly he waved his hand, his murderous intent chilling.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!

Sharp, wind-piercing sounds exploded, and arrows shrouded Yu Liancheng like a patch of black clouds. These specially crafted arrows were meant specifically to deal with Martial Dao experts, breaking through internal True Qi and external hard-body training.

Yet Yu Liancheng seemed as if he had been frightened silly, frozen in mid-air, not moving an inch.

Zhao Kai widened his eyes, wanting to see with his own eyes the sight of the other party being shot into a sieve by countless arrows.

Meanwhile, the black-clad Yang Taisui frowned, vaguely sensing something amiss.

In the blink of an eye, the arrows were but a foot away from Yu Liancheng. No matter how swift his speed, he could never escape this round of arrow rain.

The smile on Zhao Kai's lips had just begun to rise, but it immediately froze.

The arrows actually passed directly through Yu Liancheng's figure.

That's right, passed directly through.

Without the slightest obstruction.

It was as if they were shot into thin air.

Or perhaps that was just a mass of air to begin with.

And after the round of arrow rain passed, everyone finally discovered that it was merely an afterimage, which had gradually dissipated.

"Wait, since this is his afterimage, where is he?"

Panic arose in Zhao Kai's heart; he looked around, feeling a strong sense of insecurity, terrified that the other party would suddenly appear at his side.

"Over there." The black-clad Yang Taisui pointed his hand; Yu Liancheng had actually appeared on the large ship that had just fired the arrows.

Without waiting for the soldiers to attack, this extremely handsome young man smiled slightly and tapped his toe on the deck.

An invisible "Broken" force spread out from his toe, accompanied by shocking cracks. "Crack, crack" sounds were incessant, and in the blink of an eye, cracks covered the entire hull, looking exactly like Zhao Xuansu, who had exploded not long ago.

Boom!!

Boom, boom!!

Yu Liancheng tapped his toe lightly once more on the broken ship; amidst an earth-shattering roar, the ship, which stood several fathoms high, began to disintegrate and fall apart, with large swaths of wooden planks flowing away in all directions like a flood.

Exclamations and cries of grief on the ship were incessant; finally, they all fell into the water, clutching wooden planks and gasping for air, their faces filled with fear, like a nightmare. Of course, some unlucky souls were struck by planks, losing their lives instantly or falling unconscious, their survival unknown.

"I was soft-hearted after all."

Yu Liancheng sighed softly.

If he had wished, there would have been no survivors on that ship just now.

With a flicker of his figure, he appeared directly on the largest ship. The most important members of this group, the dwarf Zhao Kai and the black-clad Yang Taisui, were both on this ship...

And the moment Yu Liancheng appeared, four shadows killed their way over. All were covered in red armor, their murderous aura chilling, like divine generals descended from the Heavenly Court by a Daoist master.

They were precisely the four Talisman General Red Armors: Gold, Wood, Fire, and Earth.

Among them, the Gold Armor was the most conspicuous.

And the most powerful.

The Gold Armor stood nearly a zhang tall; among the five armors, it was the most indestructible and possessed the most formidable combat power, especially the Juque Sword in its hand, which overflowed with Sword Qi. Back then, in order to forge this sword, the great eunuch Han Renmao killed the family of an elderly sword master and even forced the sword master himself to leap into the Jianlu to his death.

The other four armors needed to utilize the advantage of terrain to maximize their effectiveness, but the Gold Armor only needed to crush everything in a straightforward manner.

The four Talisman General Red Armors attacked Yu Liancheng simultaneously from four corners, their energy responding to one another from afar, vaguely forming a formation that cycled and repeated, in Endless Life. It was only a pity that the Water Armor was missing; otherwise, the power unleashed at this moment would have been even more astonishing.

Yu Liancheng showed not a hint of panic, his footsteps remaining unhurried, like a young master out for a stroll to admire the flowers.

He merely raised one finger and called out: "Li Jing!"

A flash of sword light, sharp enough to be blinding, streaked past.

The world darkened, as if all light had been stolen by this sword light at that moment.

The sword light circled the four Talisman General Red Armors once.

Then, all four Talisman General Red Armors were severed at the waist, their upper bodies separated from their lower bodies, the cuts smooth and clean, remaining motionless like corpses.

"How is this possible?"

Zhao Kai exclaimed, his expression changing drastically.

The other Talisman General Red Armors were one thing, but the Gold Armor had been a First-Rank Vajra Realm expert in its lifetime. It was peerlessly tough; even if it couldn't defeat an opponent, it shouldn't have been severed at the waist in an instant.

The Red Armor was indeed very hard.

It was just a pity that "Li Jing" was the sharpest of the three small swords, and it carried the Broken Force, and it was the last one to strike. Yu Liancheng had realized a flaw while cutting the previous three Talisman General Red Armors, and by striking like a master butcher carving an ox, he was able to succeed so smoothly.

Yu Liancheng walked leisurely toward Zhao Kai.

There was no lack of experts on the ship who wanted to stop him.

These were all carefully recruited by Zhao Kai, and each had the strength to establish their own sect in the Edo.

But as Yu Liancheng remained calm and composed, even with his hands behind his back, he softly chanted: "Red Flail."

Then another subtle sword light flew out.

Red Flail was the smallest and most agile, and the speed at which it was deployed was the fastest.

As the sword light swirled, the experts who came to kill Yu Liancheng, regardless of their Martial Dao grade, all ended up with a red dot between their brows and fell to the ground, unable to rise.

Finally, Yu Liancheng arrived at a distance of only three zhang from Zhao Kai.

The black-clad monk stood in front of Zhao Kai, his expression solemn.

Zhao Kai's mouth tasted bitter.

Only at this moment did he finally understand what it meant to be "an enemy of the state within a foot's distance."

What it meant to have the bearing of an expert,

What it meant to "kill a person every ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles."

To be inaccurate, this could already be considered killing ten people in one step.

---Author's Note---

Recently it has been 4,000 words per chapter; usually, it is two chapters of 2,000 words each, so there is no reduction in updates.

Haha, but I am indeed preparing for an explosive update tomorrow.