Chapter 284: Penglai, Yingzhou

"Ah!"

The weapon fell to the ground, and another person fell softly.

The corpse was dragged down by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

The winner was supporting his body with his weapon, looking at An Ziyang putting his sect's wooden plaque next to the two characters "Ascending" with ecstasy, and then watching his sect leader rush up, smiling, and slowly falling down.

This was the first fight where both the winner and the loser died together.

But everyone knew that this would not be the last.

No one dared to hold back anymore, because no one knew whether the other party would hold back.

The martial arts of Great Shu were originally different from most of the storybooks in Li Miao's previous life. The higher the level, the bloodier the fight. In a life-and-death struggle, the winner would be decided in a dozen moves.

By this time, the number of people going on stage had gradually decreased.

An Ziyang exchanged the plaques again and looked down.

"Ordinary bickering, that's it."

He secretly thought in his heart.

"The exchange between 'Moon-Viewing' and 'Ascending' has ended."

"The plaques of 'Ascending' should not change anymore."

He smiled and

"Next, someone should start coveting the 'Peak'."

Suddenly, a voice came from below.

"Commandant An, I have a few questions."

Everyone looked over one after another. A man slowly walked out from the crowd of people without seats. He had a well-proportioned figure, an ordinary appearance, and wore plain clothing; if thrown into a crowd, one would likely never find him again.

He walked slowly out of the crowd and stood on the stage.

"Please speak, sir."

An Ziyang said with a smile.

"Can sects that haven't been invited by the Regional Commander hang their names up there?"

He said in a loud, clear voice.

"Naturally, you may."

"What about the 'Peak'—can I take that too?"

"You can."

An Ziyang answered without a moment's hesitation.

The scene suddenly fell silent.

Who were the names hanging on the "Peak"? Shaolin! Mount Wudang! Sword King Pavilion!

Excluding that inexplicable Huanhua Sword Sect, even the weakest, the Cao Gang, was not someone one could just casually provoke.

Could this person be—a Peak Expert!

"Who do you wish to challenge, sir?"

An Ziyang asked.

The man, however, shook his head.

"No, I don't wish to challenge those on the stage."

"There are ten chairs on the stage, but only six people are sitting in them, leaving four empty. What I want to ask is, if I want to sit in one of the vacant chairs, what must I do?"

He said.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that."

An Ziyang gave a mischievous smile.

"It's very simple—beat everyone until they submit to you."

An Ziyang walked forward a few steps, stood at the edge of the high platform, spread his arms, and said in a loud voice.

"Listen well, everyone—there are ten chairs at the Peak."

"My Regional Commander has left four empty for you all. If you don't want to challenge the sects already seated, you may walk directly onto the stage. There are no restrictions on the fighting for the Peak; anyone can come up to challenge! The loser goes down, the winner stays!"

"Only the one who remains, with no one else daring to challenge them, is worthy of being called the 'Peak'!"

"Everyone! —"

He gestured with his hand.

"Please, go ahead."

Boom! —

The sound of human voices suddenly exploded.

"The Peak, is it really that simple?"

"If I wait until everyone else is too exhausted to fight before going up, wouldn't I be able to pick up a bargain?"

"This person is unknown; he might just be a soft persimmon!"

Almost the instant An Ziyang's voice fell, someone rushed onto the stage.

"I'll come and test you!"

"Ah!"

The moment that person reached the stage, before he could even stand steady, his figure suddenly flew up. He spat out a mouthful of blood in mid-air, rolled a few times after landing, tilted his head, and lost all signs of life. A palm print on his chest was several inches deep; his sternum was shattered, and the heart beneath his skin must have already been smashed into a pulp of meat.

"That's Tong Haoxiang! 'Earth Rakshasa' Tong Haoxiang! A first-class expert of the evil path!"

Someone exclaimed.

"He died in just one move! Even if his opponent is a Peak Expert, he shouldn't have died so easily!"

"Who is on the stage!? What is his background, and what is his realm!"

Everyone looked up one after another.

The middle-aged man with the ordinary appearance said slowly.

"My sect has not walked the Ordinary Jianghu for over a hundred years, so we are a bit lacking in Ordinary Jianghu etiquette. I forgot to announce myself to everyone before engaging, which was my oversight."

"I am Gao Ming of the Qingluan Sect."

He gestured with his hand.

"As for my realm, it is a bit stronger than the peak experts in the Ordinary Jianghu."

"Before you all come up on stage, please think carefully so you don't throw your lives away in vain."

He said politely, with an expressionless face.

An Ziyang looked at him and thought to himself.

"Finally."

"After the Sword King Pavilion, the second hidden sect has appeared."

————————

Zheng Lingchuan reached out to parry the incoming blade, but was slashed on the side of his waist by a short sword thrust from behind. The moment the blood flowed out, it began to turn black, clearly indicating he had been poisoned.

He flashed away several yards, intending to regulate his breathing and dispel the toxin.

Suddenly, the sound of a flute rang out.

The true energy in Zheng Lingchuan's body stagnated for an instant, his legs went weak, and his form suddenly became disordered. The two people seized the opportunity to attack, and the continuous light of blades and shadows instantly filled his vision.

"Tsk!"

He had no choice but to force himself to stay alert and engage the two in a struggle.

Zheng Lingchuan understood that he had gradually fallen into a desperate situation.

Having been dormant for over twenty years, his condition was not good. But if it were only the two Heaven-Man experts before him, he would not be unable to win.

The real danger was Zheng Ming, who had not yet made a move.

Being able to hold a single-character name, his realm was definitely not lower than his own. With him on the sidelines restraining him with the flute sound, plus the siege of the two people in front, he would likely be ground to death bit by bit.

If Zheng Ming were to make a move himself, he probably wouldn't last ten moves.

"But why is he just watching, and even the flute sound is intermittent."

"It's as if—he doesn't want to kill me directly."

"My life has no value; the events of that year are clear, and I don't have the information he wants here, so taking me alive is meaningless."

"That means he wants to use me to lure someone over!"

Zheng Lingchuan's expression changed abruptly.

The moment he realized this, Zheng Ming also laughed.

"Finally here. I thought you wouldn't dare to come."

Clang—

Zheng Ming held his flute horizontally in front of him, blocking a long sword thrust toward his face, the blade rubbing against the flute and sparking.

He looked at the young woman in front of him, whose appearance was similar to his own.

"What is your name?"

"Zheng Yi."

The woman said coldly.

"Oh—then you are also a person similar to me, over on your side."

Zheng Ming smiled, turned his long flute, deflected the opponent's long sword, and struck out with a palm!

The woman did not dodge or evade, and returned the gesture with a palm of her own.

Boom!!!

The vigorous true energy erupted, and dust flew!

Amidst the dust and smoke, the woman flipped and leaped out, landing lightly and steadying her form.

Whoosh—

Zheng Ming waved his palm to disperse the dust and smoke, walked out slowly, and looked at the woman.

"After hiding for so long, you finally decided to come out."

"Penglai."

He said with a smile.

The woman said expressionlessly.

"You sent out invitations all over the Central Plains just to lure us out, didn't you?"

"Yingzhou."

(End of chapter)