The world of martial arts, the immortal swordsman in the mortal realm.

Chapter 94, 109: Deterrent Power! Already a member of the Five Greats [Seeking monthly votes!]

Hou Tonghai's loyal words deeply moved Wanyan Honglie, who wished he could kick him out and give him to Lu Chen to test his sword.

Unfortunately, he didn't have that ability.

Therefore, he could only manage a forced smile:
"Young Master Lu, Miss Huang, it's been a long time, you two still look as charming as ever..."

As he spoke, he was secretly regretting it. He had originally gone to Lin'an on business, but somehow he decided to come to Niujia Village to take a look. He never expected to run into the evil star, "Little Sword Demon".

The Little Sword Demon had killed "Western Poison" Ouyang Feng and was already among the top martial arts masters of the world. With this sudden encounter, the life and death of his group were in his hands.

Wanyan Honglie was filled with trepidation and was about to say a few more conciliatory words when Wanyan Kang suddenly jumped off Sha Tongtian's back, threw down his two canes, knelt on the ground, and respectfully bowed:

"Your nephew Yang Kang greets his junior aunt and uncle!"

He was already quite frightened by Lu Chen's martial arts skills. After hearing that Lu Chen had even killed Ouyang Feng and Ouyang Ke, he was shocked but also secretly pleased: the little sword demon who killed Ouyang Feng was my senior!

My uncle made both my legs crippled by his own hands. How can an ordinary person be crippled?

He was killed by his uncle-in-law!
In short, Wanyan Kang mastered Mahayana Buddhism without a teacher and regarded his two limp legs as a sign of his elders' care for him—"I made a big mistake back then, and I still survived. Doesn't that prove my elders' care for me?"

Huang Rong really didn't expect that Wanyan Kang could be so shameless. He used the surname Wanyan in the Jin Kingdom, but when he came to the Song Kingdom, he called himself Yang Kang. Wanyan Honglie is right next to you. Don't you even consider his feelings?
Of course, she was quite happy that Wanyan Kang called Lu Chen "uncle".

Lu Chen knew that Wanyan Kang was adept at changing his stance according to the wind, so he didn't take it to heart. He didn't tell Wanyan Kang to get up from his kneeling position, but instead looked at Wanyan Honglie and said:

"Is Prince Zhao here to serve as an envoy to the Song Dynasty?"

"Uh……"

Wanyan Honglie looked embarrassed.

A major war has broken out between the Jin and Mongol empires. The Jin state has been repeatedly defeated by the Mongols, suffering heavy losses and losing territory. Seeing that the Mongol army is unstoppable, the geniuses in the court came up with a brilliant idea: to compensate for the losses in the north by going south.

It doesn't matter that our population and land have been occupied by the Mongols. We can go south and attack the weak Song Dynasty. We might even make a profit!
This brilliant idea caused the Song court, which was already worried about repeating the mistake of "allying with the Jin to destroy the Liao," to start discussing "allying with the Mongols to destroy the Jin" again...

Wanyan Honglie's trip to the Song Dynasty had two purposes. First, he wanted to contact old friends in the Song court and try to prevent the Song Dynasty from forming an alliance with the Mongols.

Although he couldn't dissuade the Jin geniuses from implementing the "Northern Loss, Southern Compensation" strategy, he still wanted to try his best to see if he could get something for nothing and persuade the Song to endure the pain and not retaliate, just by talking.

Although it may seem a bit far-fetched, the Song Dynasty's officials have always been war-weary, and the Song court's central government is just as full of incompetent officials as the Jin Dynasty. Perhaps this far-fetched idea will actually come true?

Of course, he didn't place all his hopes on getting something for nothing.

Therefore, he had a second plan: to find Yue Fei's handwritten "Wumu's Legacy" and try to turn the tide with this military treatise.

It sounds absurd to place the hopes for the rise and fall of a nation on a military treatise, but Wanyan Honglie was serious about it.

It's important to understand that the Jin Dynasty during Yue Fei's time is not the same as the Jin Dynasty of today.

The Jin dynasty of that era could probably crush modern-day Mongolia. Yet, even with such a powerful army, they were repeatedly defeated by Yue Fei.

Wanyan Honglie believed that as long as he could find Yue Fei's military treatise, there was a great chance that he could create a strong army, defeat the Mongol army, and make the Jin Dynasty strong again.

Of course, he dared not reveal his true purpose, and could only vaguely state:

"This time, I, Your Majesty, am indeed on a mission to the Song Dynasty as an envoy..."

Lu Chen gave a noncommittal "hmm," then asked:

"How is the war between the Jin and the Mongols progressing?"

Wanyan Honglie was stunned, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed with a bitter expression:

"The Jin dynasty has suffered defeats in numerous battles, losing troops and territory, and now even Zhongdu is on the verge of falling..."

"So the Jin dynasty moved its capital to Bianliang?"

"Yes."

Lu Chen nodded, knowing that although the Jin Kingdom had been badly beaten and seemed to be on the verge of collapse, it was still a large country with a population of over 50 million and had once been the hegemon of East Asia, so it still had some foundation.

Furthermore, with Temujin about to launch a western expedition due to the conflict with Khwarazm, the Jin dynasty could regain its strength.

The Jin dynasty should be able to survive for another ten years or so, and may even produce a number of famous generals such as Wanyan Chenheshang, who will win a series of brilliant victories and recover a lot of lost territory.

But that was just a brief resurgence. When the Mongols turned their attention back to the Jin Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty, already terminally ill, was destined to perish.

However, since the Jin Kingdom could serve as a shield for another ten years or so, Lu Chen didn't bother to pay attention anymore. In ten years, he might be able to charge head-on against thousands of troops like Chuan Ying, and take down the enemy leader from among them, killing whomever he wanted.

At that time, what will the Mongol army have to fear?

As for Wanyan Honglie's plan to find the Wumu Legacy, he was naturally aware of it, but he was equally too lazy to pay attention.

Neither the Jin nor the Song could possibly hold off the Mongols with just one military treatise.

He didn't ask about Jin Meng any further, but simply asked:
"Is Prince Zhao coming to Niujia Village to revisit his old haunts?"

"This..." Wanyan Honglie stammered again.

Lu Chen smiled slightly:
"Coming to the Song Dynasty as an envoy is permissible. Entering Niujia Village is not."

He looked at Wanyan Honglie with gentle eyes:

"Did you understand, Prince Zhao?"

Despite his gentle gaze, Wanyan Honglie felt a chill run down his spine and his heart pounding wildly.

He swallowed, moistening his dry throat, and nodded, saying:
"I understand!"

His voice was a little hoarse when he said that.

Lu Chen smiled again:
"Then what is Prince Zhao waiting for?"

"Let's go right away, Xiao Wang is leaving now!"

Seeing that Lu Chen had no intention of killing anyone, Wanyan Honglie felt a surge of joy at surviving a disaster. He tried his best to calm himself down, bowed deeply to Lu Chen, and then took a few small steps back before slowly getting up, lowering his hands and brows, and turning to leave.

Peng Lianhu also let out a long breath, bowed to Lu Chen, and quickly followed Wanyan Honglie.

Master Lingzhi muttered something in Tibetan dialect, glanced at Lu Chen with a hint of resentment, and then followed him away.

Sha Tongtian also bowed to Lu Chen and was about to pull his junior brother Hou Tonghai away quickly.

Hou Tonghai, carrying Liang Ziweng on his back, did not leave immediately, but shouted:
"Brother Lu, you've done me a favor today, and I'm grateful! Next time you go north, I'll definitely treat you to the best wine and the most beautiful girls!"

"Hey!" Huang Rong glared at Hou Tonghai, clearly displeased.

Hou Tonghai seemed to only just realize what was happening, his eyes widening like a bull's:
"You are... Young Master Huang, the 'White Dragon'? Huh, how did you turn into a woman?"

Well, back in the Zhao Prince's mansion, Hou Tonghai was the only one who didn't realize Huang Rong was disguised as a man. He thought she was just an overly handsome young man, and even questioned whether Ouyang Ke was gay...

Huang Rong glared at him angrily:
"I am a woman!"

"Oh? This is really..."

But Sha Tongtian was afraid that he would say something outrageous again, so he quickly covered his mouth and dragged Hou Tonghai out of the village while smiling obsequiously at Lu Chen and Huang Rong:

"Please forgive me, my junior brother is a fool, he speaks without thinking... We'll be leaving now, we'll be leaving now!"

"Wait!" Huang Rong gestured towards Wanyan Kang, who was still kneeling on the ground, "Take your little prince with you too." Sha Tongtian quickly lifted Wanyan Kang onto his back and also picked up Wanyan Kang's two canes.

Wanyan Kang, however, was still somewhat unwilling and shouted:

"Junior Aunt, Uncle, when can you take your nephew to Peach Blossom Island to pay respects to Grandmaster?"

Huang Rong said with a smile:
"When the Jin Dynasty defeats the Mongols, you will be allowed to visit Peach Blossom Island to pay respects to your master."

Wanyan Kang immediately looked distressed.

After Wanyan Honglie and his entourage left, Mu Nianci said gratefully:
"Fortunately, Young Master Lu and Miss Huang are here. Otherwise, if Wanyan Honglie were to meet his adoptive parents, it would probably be another disaster."

Her adoptive mother was once the Princess Consort of Zhao. She was rescued from the Zhao Prince's mansion by Lu Chen and Huang Rong, who were holding Wanyan Kang hostage. Now that Wanyan Honglie has run into them with a group of experts, they might have to take her adoptive mother back.

Lu Chen laughed and said:

“Even if we weren’t there, Wanyan Honglie might not dare to make a move. Even if he were to act rashly in a moment of madness, Wanyan Kang would definitely warn him.”

Now that his feat of killing the Western Poisoner had spread, Wanyan Kang, being intelligent, naturally knew that his adoptive father absolutely could not provoke his biological parents.

Otherwise, wouldn't we be in trouble with Lu Chen, who rescued Bao Xiruo, reunited Yang Tiexin and his wife, and even led them all the way back to the Song Kingdom?

Mu Nianci was unaware of Lu Chen's killing of the Western Poison, but she had witnessed Wanyan Honglie and his group's utter fear of Lu Chen, their faces turning deathly pale at the mere sight of him. She smiled and said:

"Even if Brother Kang reminds Wanyan Honglie to stop him from causing trouble, it will be because of Young Hero Lu's reputation. We should thank you anyway."

After exchanging a few more words, Lu Chen and Huang Rong bid farewell to Mu Nianci, left Niujia Village, and headed towards Lin'an City.

Upon arriving in the capital of the Song Dynasty, the two toured the city for a while. Using the Beggars' Sect's secret code taught by Qi Gong, they found two genuine Beggars' Sect disciples and asked them to deliver a message to Qi Gong.

The two Beggars' Sect disciples were in a difficult position.

Master Qi is known for being elusive and rarely seen. How could they, as mere disciples with only three or four bags of knowledge, possibly find him?

But the young man and woman not only knew the Beggars' Sect's slang, but also claimed that they had received the grace of being taught martial arts by Master Qi. They dared not neglect them and immediately reported the news up the chain of command, eventually reaching "Jiangdong Snake King" Li Sheng.

Li Sheng was an eight-bag disciple of the Beggars' Sect, holding a high position. He was chivalrous and upright, and always ready to do his best for the Beggars' Sect. As a result, he was appreciated by Master Qi and was taught a move called "Divine Dragon Tail Swing".

Upon hearing the news reported by his disciples, Li Sheng personally went to the restaurant where Lu Chen and Huang Rong were to meet them. After chatting for a while, he saw that the two not only knew the image of Qi Gong very well, but also knew the tone of Qi Gong's voice clearly. Lu Chen even knew how to "swish the dragon's tail" just like him. He immediately realized that the young man and woman had a close relationship with Qi Gong. He patted his chest and promised to help them find Qi Gong.

Then, in the evening, Shichiko really came.

"Young Lu has done a great job!"

Upon entering the guest courtyard of the hotel where Lu Chen and Huang Rong were staying, Hong Qigong said with a sigh:

"I never expected that even the old poison master would die at your hands."

"It just so happens that my kung fu style is effective against Toad Style, and I was lucky to win. I was actually quite injured at the time. If I hadn't been wearing the soft armor, I probably wouldn't have been able to get out of bed for half a year." Lu Chen said with a smile, "I was able to win this victory thanks to Master Qi's guidance and instruction."

Hong Qigong shook his head:

"Even the old beggar himself couldn't do anything to the old poisoner, so he dared not take credit for it."

He then smiled and looked at Huang Rong:

"It's been almost a year since I last saw you. Rong'er, that little girl, has grown into a beautiful young lady."

Huang Rong smiled sweetly, called out "Seventh Master," pulled his sleeve to invite him to sit down, and then brought out the snacks she had prepared beforehand.

"Huh, you guys knew I could come today?"

"Seventh Master is known for being elusive, but Uncle Li patted his chest and guaranteed that he could be found. Rong'er thought that Seventh Master was probably in Lin'an City right now, so she prepared some snacks to go with his drinks in advance, just in time for Seventh Master to come and eat."

"You're smarter than your father."

Qi Gong praised her, picked up his chopsticks, and began to enjoy the appetizers Huang Rong had prepared.

Huang Rong picked up a small wine jar and poured a bowl of wine for Qi Gong.

As soon as he smelled the wine, Qi Gong frowned:

"Why is it all floral fragrance, with not a trace of alcohol?"

Huang Rong smiled and said:

"This is called Five Treasures Honey Wine. It is a rare and precious brew, and there is only one jar of it in the world. There are only two bowls in one jar. Seventh Master, you can only drink this bowl. The other bowl must be taken back to my father."

Hearing that there were only two bowls of wine, and that he could have one, while the other belonged to Huang Rong's father, Qi Gong couldn't help but smile broadly. He picked up the bowl and looked at the amber-colored liquid:

"So precious? What's the story behind it?"

Huang Rong smiled and said:

"Drinking this wine will prevent all diseases and poisons, and greatly increase one's internal strength. Hmm, even with Master Qi's martial arts skills, it should be no problem for him to increase his internal strength for more than a year."

"It really has such miraculous effects?"

Seventh Master, holding the bowl, was about to take a bite, but upon hearing Huang Rong's words, he immediately stopped, hesitated for a moment, and said:

“Rong’er, Lu boy, this old beggar knows your good intentions, but this wine is so precious, it would be a waste to give it to this old beggar. May I ask if you would consider giving this bowl of wine to someone else?”

Huang Rong asked in surprise, "There are only two bowls of this precious wine in the world. Who are you going to give it to, Seventh Master?"

Qi Gong said, "This old beggar has taken in a disciple. He's honest and chivalrous, though a bit slow-witted, far less so than the two of you. But his diligence in practicing martial arts is no less than that of young Lu. This old beggar wanted to use this medicinal wine to give him a boost..."

Rong'er pouted unhappily:
"Such fine wine, Seventh Master, you're going to give it to someone else? Humph, Seventh Master, you weren't even this kind to us back then..."

Qi Gong sneered:

"Back then, didn't I, the old beggar, have nothing good to give you? Besides, Rong'er, what kung fu did I not teach you? Even the Dog-Beating Stick Technique, if you're willing to become my disciple and eventually the leader of the Beggars' Sect, I'm willing to teach you..."

Rong'er made a funny face:
"I don't want to be the leader of the beggars! Brother Lu Chen, what do you say?"

Lu Chen slowly said:

"Since this wine is offered to Uncle Qi, you may give it to whomever you wish."

He had already guessed who Qi Gong's disciple was, and couldn't help but marvel at the world's powerful corrective force. In this timeline, even without meeting Huang Rong, Guo Jing was still able to gain Qi Gong's favor, which meant he was destined to embark on the path of the "Northern Hero".

I wonder what kind of fate will lead to this encounter with Master Qi.

Huang Rong was just being a little temperamental with Qi Gong. If she really didn't want Qi Gong to give the wine to others, she wouldn't have asked Lu Chen what he said. If she made a decision on such a trivial matter, Lu Chen would never have stopped her.

She then put on a reluctant expression:

"Since Brother Lu Chen says so, then this wine is allowed to be given to your disciples by Master Qi! However... Master Qi, you must teach us a few more skills."

Qi Gong looked helpless:
"Your brother Lu Chen has already killed the Western Poison, so he's already one of us. My old beggar's skills are hardly enough to teach you any more!"

Huang Rong chuckled:
"Then let's change the terms. Next time at the Mount Hua Sword Tournament, how about you nominate my brother Lu Chen as the number one in the world?"

"..."

Hong Qigong was speechless:
Is the title of the best in the world something that can be passed down privately?
[This chapter is 4K words long, please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)