I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1127 Aoto's Meeting with Yamata no Orochi! Ōshio Heihachiro is still alive! [4800]

At the same moment Qingdeng charged into the enemy ranks, his other talent—"Lone Wolf +3"—was activated.

Since recapturing Wulingguo and capturing Ma'er, Qingdeng has not engaged in any further fighting.

His long period of "peaceful life" had made his body a little sluggish—but it was more than enough to deal with this group of small fry!
After drawing his sword, his long-accumulated fighting instincts and muscle memory gradually awakened!

From "disappearing on the spot" to standing amidst a mountain of corpses, less than ten seconds had passed.

Seeing Qing Deng suddenly appear beside them and have already killed several people, the remaining people adjusted their positions and formations while sharing terrified looks.

"Watch out! This person is definitely not an ordinary member of the Shinsengumi!"

"Damn it! Is he the captain of the Shinsengumi?"

"Boy! State your name!"

Qingdeng slowly turned his head, his calm gaze sweeping over the surroundings to assess the positions of the enemies, before quietly reporting his home address:
"Captain of the Shinsengumi"

"Natural Flow of Mind"

“Ju Qing Deng”.

As soon as he finished speaking, an atmosphere of fear swept over the room like a hurricane.

The expressions of the enemies were dominated by utter horror, and they instinctively retreated, moving away from Qingdeng.

Many people lost their will to fight, their hands trembling as they gripped their knives, their legs shaking.

In this world today, only Qingdeng can accomplish such a thing—to defeat all enemies with a single word!

For all enemies, "encountering 'Nioh'" is undoubtedly the most terrifying scenario!

They would rather face a thousand troops than see "King Niou" appear before them!

In that instant when the morale of the enemies was greatly shaken, Qingdeng's figure once again transformed into a phantom that was difficult to see with the naked eye! The rapid slashes of Vairocana made the air roar!
With a single blow, the first person's skull was split open.

With a diagonal slash, he decapitated the second man.

Immediately afterwards, he adjusted the direction of the knife tip and pierced the third person's chest.

The fourth person tried to launch a sneak attack, but was slashed to the ground.

The fifth person successfully closed in on him and unleashed a powerful horizontal slash.

However, Qing Deng simply raised his left hand, spreading his thumb and four fingers like a crab, and easily pinched the opponent's blade.

The other person instinctively tried to pull the knife back to their hand, but found that the blade seemed to be stuck in Mount Fuji, and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't pull it out!
The next moment, with a flash of black and purple light from Vairocana's blade, another corpse appeared on the ground.

Under the influence of the "Selfless Realm" and with the added boost of "Lone Courage +3", Qingdeng's strength has risen to a level that even gods and ghosts fear!
To be honest, Qingdeng is now quite dependent on the "state of selflessness".

After experiencing this invincible feeling, it's hard to tolerate the "sluggishness" and "weakness" in normal conditions.

Furthermore, because his physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people, the duration of his "selfless state" is far longer than that of ordinary people.

In this way, he could use the "state of selflessness" to clear out the miscellaneous soldiers at will!
When Qingdeng charged into the enemy lines, Sanako and Ama flanked the old man and Ziyang, protecting them from any stragglers who might try to ambush them.

Before long, fewer and fewer enemies were still able to stand safely.

In the blink of an eye, Qing Deng suddenly sensed a murderous aura coming from his left—

"Ya ya ya ya ya ya ah ...

With a piercing scream, the "bald samurai" who had caused Akutsu so much trouble charged forward with his sword raised.

"The manifestation stream..."

Qingdeng glanced at him, neither dodging nor flinching, and stood still in place—come on, let me see your slash—he gave the other party such a look.

He actually tried to take his strike head-on... This provocative act greatly provoked the "bald warrior".

He gritted his teeth and poured all his strength into his arms.

One side is giving it their all, while the other side is adopting a nonchalant attitude.

Qing Deng did not hold the knife with both hands, but only with his left hand, while his right hand hung down naturally.

He held the knife in one hand, raised it overhead, and met the "bald warrior's" slash—

clang! !

The two swords clashed, creating a deafening roar.

The shockwave-like reaction force transmitted from the blade caused the "bald samurai's" face to change color instantly.

He felt his palms go numb, almost losing all feeling. The knife in his hand, unable to withstand the impact, bounced several times like a live fish, and the originally smooth blade broke open with a conspicuous large nick.

In contrast, Qing Deng showed no abnormalities whatsoever. Neither he nor the Vairocana in his hand moved an inch.

If Qing Deng had caught his strike, the "bald samurai" could understand, after all, his opponent was the invincible "Nioh".

However... however... he never expected that Qing Deng could break through his full-force attack with just one hand!
He had practiced the "Manifestation Style" for so many years and had never encountered such a situation where he couldn't even cut through it! What's more, the opponent was only using one hand!

Unwilling to accept the reality before him, the "bald warrior" was thrown into a state of intense turmoil.

This momentary lapse in concentration foreshadowed his death.

With a slight flick of his left wrist, Qing Deng easily deflected the "bald samurai's" sword. He then swiftly adjusted the direction of the blade and slashed horizontally, the blade sweeping across the "bald samurai's" chest, cleanly severing his two rows of ribs and lungs.

The bald warrior, coughing up blood and looking utterly defeated, collapsed to the ground.

After killing the "bald warrior," Qing Deng turned to look at the "dark-skinned warrior" not far away.

With his extensive combat experience, Qing Deng immediately recognized that his opponent was the strongest among all the enemies.

From the moment it started, the "black-skinned warrior" stood still in place, not moving an inch.

They weren't waiting for anything, they were simply too afraid to move!

The "black-skinned warrior" stared blankly at Qing Deng, a few drops of cold sweat running down his face to his chin and then onto the ground.

The blade of Vairocana reflected his flattened, pale face.

Because he was quite capable, he was able to directly perceive just how terrifying Qing Deng was!
Although Qing Deng did not adopt a fighting stance and simply stood naturally, the aura emanating from him still made him tremble with fear!
This is no longer a lion eyeing a rabbit; it is an indescribable creature looking down at tiny ants from a high place!
The gap between people can be so vast... The "Black-skinned Warrior" felt that the martial arts he had upheld for so many years had collapsed and crumbled at this moment.

Faced with Qing Deng, he completely lost the will to resist, not even daring to raise his knife, and could only stand there like a clay or wooden sculpture.

At that moment... Qingdeng made a move.

Qingdeng placed the Vairocana in his palm diagonally at his left waist, slightly lowered his center of gravity, and assumed a preparatory stance for a forward lunge.

The next instant, a dark purple blade of light filled the "dark-skinned warrior's" eyes—

Phew!

Qing Deng, who was just standing in front of the "Black-skinned Warrior," now appeared behind him, assuming a sword-wielding stance. Because the sword was wielded so quickly, there was no blood on the blade.

The "Black-skinned Warrior" stared blankly as blood lines appeared on his chest, extending from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, before bursting open and gushing out a waterfall of blood.

Now that the battle has reached this point, all the enemies are in a state of complete collapse.

The successive deaths of the "bald warrior" and the "dark-skinned warrior" were the final straw that broke the camel's back.

At the same time that the "Black-skinned Warrior" was killed, the remaining enemies scattered like birds and beasts, rushing to flee in all directions, heading towards the dark forest and away from Qingdeng.

Qingdeng did not pursue them, letting the survivors escape.

Firstly, if we rashly pursue them, we might encounter a trap.

Secondly, his immediate priority is to protect the elderly and Ziyang; everything else is a "side quest" that can be done or not.

Once the scene returned to silence and all the enemies had left, Qingdeng sheathed his sword and deactivated his "Selfless State" before turning and walking back to Ziyang.

"Miss Ziyang, are you alright?"

After a while, Ziyang had calmed down, and a look of relief and gratitude appeared on his face.

For her, the near-death experience and Qingdeng's timely arrival seemed like a fleeting dream. The rapid and dramatic change in the situation gave her a sense of unreality.

"I'm alright. Mr. Ju, thank you for saving me."

Seeing that Ziyang was unharmed, Qingdeng turned to look at the old man beside him.

"You must be the leader of the Great Salt Party, right?"

The old man nodded gently:

"Indeed, it is I."

Upon receiving a definite answer, Qingdeng immediately scanned the other party, looking them up and down.

At the same time, the old man was also looking at Qingdeng.

"Master Zuo, it's a pleasure to meet you. You are even more handsome than I imagined."

Qingdeng smiled slightly:
"You're even more robust than I imagined."

Although they both had a lot to say to each other, now was clearly not a good time to talk.

At that moment, Akutsu staggered over.

"Mr. Ju, thank you for your help..."

Aoto glanced at Akutsu and smiled:
"I remember you. You must be Akutsu. It's been a long time." He had met Akutsu once when he was investigating the Phantom Lake, and they had even fought side by side briefly.

"It's been a long time... I didn't expect you to still remember me..."

After saying that, Akutsu looked at Aoto with a complicated expression.

Qing Deng had clearly seen how the "bald warrior" and the "dark-skinned warrior" were killed.

An opponent whom he might not be able to defeat even in his prime couldn't even last a single round against Qing Deng...

Although Qingdeng was already very strong a few years ago, it still falls into the category of "understandable".

Now, facing Qing Deng is like a blind man touching an elephant! He has no way of figuring out the truth!

Once upon a time, he was extremely ambitious and made a grand vow to "surpass 'Nioh'".

Looking back now... while the fighting spirit was commendable, it was truly laughable.

Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, Akutsu couldn't help but show a bitter expression... Suddenly, he felt his knees buckle and he couldn't help but kneel down on the ground.

Seeing this, the old man rushed forward and helped Akutsu up.
"Akuzu, can you still stand up?"

"I, I'm fine..."

Akutsu clutched his stabbed abdomen tightly, the gushing blood staining his entire palm red. With the slightest pressure, his fingers dug into the flesh... He didn't look like he was alright at all.

"Lie down quickly, let me bandage your wound."

As the old man spoke, he forcefully pressed Akutsu to the ground.

At the opportune moment, Qing Deng tore a clean strip of cloth from his haori and handed it over.

Please use this.

"Grateful."

The old man reached out and took it, then skillfully bandaged Akutsu, just like a professional doctor.

Qingdeng, who had been silently observing the bandaging technique, couldn't help but ask:
"Teacher, were you a doctor before?"

The old man said calmly:
"Although I am very interested in medicine, unfortunately, I am not a doctor. I used to be a private tutor."

"It's just a matter of practice makes perfect. When you and your comrades are frequently in dangerous situations, you'll always learn a little bit of medical skills."

During the conversation, the old man had already tied a tight knot in Akutsu's wound with a strip of cloth.

"Fortunately, the wound is not deep. Although there was a lot of bleeding, it did not damage any internal organs."

The old man let out a long sigh of relief, a look of satisfaction on his face.

Just then, a series of strange noises, growing louder as they approached, suddenly came from the bushes to the west.

The members of the Great Salt Party all changed their expressions, instinctively tensing their entire bodies and gripping their weapons tightly.

However, Qingdeng waved his hand:
"Don't be nervous, they're our people."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shinsengumi members dressed in light blue haori emerged from the thick bushes.

The person in the lead was none other than Shintaro Tojo.

Looking at the still-safe old man and Ziyang, he could not contain his excitement.

"Your Highness! Miss Ziyang! Thank goodness! You are both safe and sound!"

Just now, Qingdeng, with his keen senses, was the first to hear the sounds of battle.

So he took Sanako and Mai, who could keep up with his speed, and rushed to this place first—Toujou Shintaro's figure was too bulky; he had plenty of strength but lacked agility.

The old man patted Shintaro Toujou on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Shintaro, I made you worry."

"It's good that Your Highness is alright. My condition is completely irrelevant."

The arrival of Shintaro Toujou and the Zero Squad filled the surrounding area with jubilation.

The sheer color of these light blue haori alone is enough to give one a great sense of security.

Shintaro Toujou wanted to say something more to the old man, but the old man interrupted him first:
"We can talk about this later. Let's leave here first."

Qingdeng nodded and echoed:
"Let's go. I have prepared excellent accommodations for you all in Otsu."

……

……

The injured and those who were exhausted were helped along, and with the escort of Qing Deng and others, the members of the Great Salt Party were finally able to catch their breath for a while.

On the way down the mountain, pursuers kept attacking.

However, Qing Deng didn't even need to take action; the members of the "Zero Squad" alone were enough to repel the pursuers with their overwhelming combat power.

About half an hour later, they arrived at a riverbank.

Once they cross this river, they will reach the place at the foot of the mountain where Qingdeng and the others have settled their horses.

Once you're on a horse (or ox), you can completely shake off the enemies behind you.

The river wasn't very deep, only about chest-deep, and fortunately the current wasn't too rapid.

Shintaro Tojo led the group across the river.

Qingdeng took the initiative to shoulder the heavy responsibility of covering the rear, guarding the riverbank for everyone and preventing the enemy from getting close.

Overall, the river crossing went relatively smoothly.

Although there were occasional slips and missteps, everyone made it to the other side without incident.

Just as Qingdeng, the last to cross the river, reunited with the others... suddenly, a deep voice came from the other side of the river:

"Oh dear, I've finally made it... no, it seems I'm a little short."

Qing Deng subconsciously thought that pursuers had arrived. As he gripped the sword at his waist, he turned his head to look, and the scene that came into view made him pause for a moment—there were only 3 people standing on the other side of the river.

Two young warriors and a fat man of unremarkable appearance.

Strangely enough, this fat man seemed to have a special aura about him, and Qing Deng couldn't help but fix his gaze on him the moment he saw him.

Looking at the Shinsengumi members led by Aoto, the fat man raised an eyebrow. Although he showed surprise, he did not appear to lose his composure.

He stood with his hands behind his back, shifted his gaze, scanned the crowd on the opposite bank, and then took a deep breath:

"I am the Yamata no Orochi, the one who punishes all evil!"

He shouted as he raised his head high.

"Ooshio Heihachiro! I came all this way just to see you!"

"We have been rivals for many years, attacking each other for more than a decade, but we have never met. It is truly a pity!"

"Please show your face! Let me see what you look like!"

In an instant, an eerie silence enveloped the opposite bank of the river...

It wasn't just because the other party called himself "Yamata no Orochi," but also because of the name he had just called out.

Oshio Heihachiro...

The leader of the "Ōshio Heihachirō Uprising" 29 years ago should have died in Osaka 29 years ago; the spiritual leader of the Ōshio Party...

Qing Deng stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief, as did Sanako, Ama, and the others.

As if by conditioned reflex, Qingdeng suddenly turned his head and cast a meaningful glance at the old man.

The old man... or rather, Ōshio Heihachirō, hesitated for a moment, then took half a step forward and stood on the riverbank, staring intently at the Yamata no Orochi opposite him.

"I am Ōshio Heihachirō! And you are the Yamata no Orochi of the Hōshūdō?"

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It's almost the end of the month again! Readers with monthly passes, please vote for this book! (Crying leopard head.jpg) Requesting monthly passes! Requesting recommendation votes! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

Yesterday, I was really upset by "The Feathers of the Late Ming Dynasty," which affected my mood today, hence the late update. I apologize very much...

P.S.: Ōshio Heihachiro is still alive, didn't expect that, did you? (Laughing.jpg) This was actually foreshadowed long ago.

Yesterday, I played "The End of the Ming Dynasty: The Feather of the Abyss" for 50 minutes, but I couldn't take it anymore and immediately requested a refund.

Putting everything else aside and ignoring any external factors, the quality of this game alone is hardly impressive.

As a Soulslike action game, the optimization is ridiculously bad.

My 3070 graphics card can't even run high-quality graphics. It can't maintain a stable 60 frames per second. The action is choppy and the screen is severely torn. How can I play like this? I can't enjoy the thrill of combat at all!

How could I possibly serve up such an unfinished, half-finished product?
If we wait for your subsequent patches, what's the difference between that and a disguised delay?
I was so looking forward to it, and it wasted my whole day off. I'm getting angrier and angrier, which made my writing performance so bad today. I didn't get into a good mood until this afternoon, which is why today's update is so late.

I'm not asking you to have the same level of optimization as Sekiro or Sword Star; I'm not a demon.

But what exactly does this optimization mean? What's wrong with the development team's game design philosophy?
My graphics card is a 3070, you know? If this continues, the 2060 will only be able to run at 30 frames per second, and the 1060 will only be able to run at 15 frames per second. In the end, it will become a piece of garbage that only hardcore gamers can tolerate.

As an average player, I probably have to beat you. Seriously.