Tumor Sword Immortal

Chapter 94 Street Fight
Many people in South Korea have a misconception.

The barbarians were skilled archers, and their cavalry units were extremely powerful.

But actually, only the first half of that statement is correct.

The barbarians are indeed skilled archers, because their place of origin is Hanzhou, the northernmost part of Kyushu.

Hanzhou is the largest province in terms of area among the nine provinces. Its central part is covered by snow-capped mountains, among which the highest and coldest is Xiaotianshan.

Because of the existence of Little Tianshan, the spiritual sea gathers here, and the extremely abundant spiritual energy has given birth to countless demonic beasts in the endless mountains.

Every year at a fixed time, these monsters would escape from the mountains in groups and engage in fierce conflicts with the Yi people living there.

To protect their homeland, almost every Yi person is proficient in swordsmanship, archery, and animal combat from a young age.

That's where the term "skilled archer" comes from.

But when it comes to horsemanship, the barbarians are not as good as the Da Ling.

Because Hanzhou does not produce horses, the precious land outside the mountains is used to grow grain and cannot be used to raise horses.

It was only after the fall of Youzhou that the Yi people had a stable and high-quality source of warhorses.

Since ancient times, the eight prefectures of Youzhou have been known as the "leading cavalry" in the world. Not only the imperial court, but also people in the martial arts world, when it comes to finding a good horse, the first place that comes to mind is Youzhou.

"It was only after the Northern Barbarians took control of Youzhou that they issued a proclamation to the eight prefectures, selected the best horse breeds, and began to systematically train cavalry."

Wang Su gazed at the approaching city gate tower, raised his sword sheath and pointed: "Back then, horse farms from all over the country brought their finest steeds here for selection, hence the name 'Horse City.' Even today, this remains the largest horse trading center in Younan."

After saying that, he leaned against the haystack, wiggled his hips, and changed to a more comfortable position: "Young Master Pei, if you need a means of transportation when you travel the world, you can choose one in Junma City."

The old farmer driving the cart ahead, upon hearing Wang Su's words, grinned with his missing teeth and chuckled, saying, "It's very expensive, young master. Take your time and just buy a donkey. Don't believe this Wang Liangzi."

In the local dialect of Youzhou, "millet" is often pronounced as "liangzi".

Upon hearing this name, Elder Wang's face darkened, while the others on the cart burst into laughter.

Pei Xia and his group of seven traveled for two more days after leaving Mengshan before finally reaching the main road.

They happened to run into the old farmer who was driving his cart to deliver hay to the city, so they kindly gave them a ride.

Jiao Liang and Xu Yue dared not tease their master, so they covered their mouths and huddled in the haystack, laughing so hard their shoulders twitched.

Pear, who was already drooling in her sleep, woke up immediately upon hearing the word "food," looking around blankly and asking, "Is dinner served?"

This made everyone laugh again.

Li Tan's smile was rather dignified. She covered her mouth, her willow-leaf eyebrows twitched slightly, and her eyes seemed to gleam.

Perhaps because she has been quite busy since escaping the Snow Swallow Sect, she has gradually stopped thinking about those sad things from the past, and her eyes and brows are often filled with smiles, making her gentle and charming.

Perhaps this is what she was meant to be.

Xu Shangxin looked up at the towering city wall.

Only now did the idea of ​​"leaving Da Ling" finally become concrete in her mind.

She no longer felt lost or alienated about it. On the contrary, as the world she had seen broadened and the scroll of spiritual practice she had never encountered before unfolded more and more wonderfully, she showed extremely high enthusiasm and anticipation for the road ahead.

His gaze shifted back to Pei Xia.

He looked much thinner, and his dark circles seemed to have gotten worse. Since leaving Xueyan Sect, he hadn't had a proper rest.

Xu Shangxin felt a little sorry for him, but also wanted to laugh.

Don't get me wrong, she just wanted to laugh because she was happy.

As she herself once said, she never felt resistant to marrying the son of a prime minister she had never met, because Pei Xi had been very kind to her, and she could calmly accept anything Pei Xi asked her to do.

But if it were Xu Shangxin now, she probably wouldn't be able to say such things anymore.

This is not because Pei Xi casually abandoned her when designing the plan.

She just... haha.

Pei Xia noticed her looking at him with amusement on her face. He rolled his eyes and nudged her butt with his knee: "What are you grinning about? How's the Qi forging going?"

"Oh, yes, there are twenty pieces."

As she spoke, she raised her right arm, her muscles and bones vibrated, and several snow-white qi appeared.

Jiao Liang and Xu Yue, who were standing to the side, heard Xu Shangxin's words and looked at the qi on her arm, their eyes showing a hint of envy.

They were also at the Zhen Gang Realm and were already working towards the Refining Cauldron Realm, but they only had about twenty pieces of Gang Qi on their bodies.

On the one hand, the forging process continued, but the efficiency decreased. On the other hand, their control over spiritual power was insufficient to support them in using more qi at the same time.

This is the difference between natural talent and physical constitution.

The group chatted and laughed as the cart quickly entered the city.

Contrary to Pei Xia's expectations, although Junma City was located in Younan, the city gate guards were very lenient in their checks, and they only asked Wang Su about his sect before letting him pass.

The old man's carriage headed towards the stables in the west of the city. Pei Xia and the others got off at the intersection. Wang Su wanted to give the old man some money for travel expenses, but the old man smiled and refused while driving the carriage.

"There are still more good people than bad."

Wang Su turned to Pei Xia and said, "Let's find an inn to stay in for a few days before returning to the sect. Young Master Pei can go to the horse market in the city to buy a few fine horses. It's still quite a journey from Junma City to Lingxiao Sword Sect."

Pei Xia nodded.

The Liancheng Fire Vein is located in the east of Yuezhou. The journey would require traversing the entire Youzhou region and crossing the strait, making it impossible to rely solely on foot.

"There are still a few days left, no rush. Let's go to the inn first, everyone is exhausted."

Indeed, Wang Su and his apprentice are one thing, but the other is another.

Pei Xia and the other two hadn't been able to sleep soundly since leaving Beishi City, even at Quechao Mountain. After encountering the Insect and Bird Bureau and the demonic beasts, they definitely needed a thorough rest.

Without wasting words, Wang Su led the group to his usual inn, where they all had superior rooms.

Xu Shangxin and Li Tan shared a room, while Li Zi and Pei Xia shared a room.

Everyone had different needs. The two girls first asked the shopkeeper to boil water, while Pei Xia ordered good wine and Li Zi ordered good dishes. The master and apprentice gave each other a high five for their tacit understanding.

After everyone had returned to their rooms.

Pei Xia closed the door before finally letting out a long-suppressed, muffled groan.

Lu Li climbed onto the stool behind him, reached for the teapot with her little hand, and turned to look at him: "Don't wait any longer, there's water here."

Pei Xia shook her head: "Water won't do, let's wait for the shop to send the wine."

Pei Xia has an excellent alcohol tolerance and will never get drunk. Drinking can temporarily stimulate his nerves, although the effect is weak, but there are no side effects, and it is inexpensive and easy to carry.

The same goes for cigarettes.

Yes, the curse of the pig had already had a severe impact on him.

His original plan was to rest as much as possible on Nestlé Mountain to prepare for the mental challenges of crossing Mengshan Mountain later.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the Ice Lotus Breaking Through the Earth and the Insect Bird Division exacerbated his exhaustion.

If he hadn't unexpectedly obtained the "Ru Tao" heart fire, which slightly offset the influence of the Calamity Pig, he might not have been able to make it through this journey.

Without saying a word, Pear walked over with the teapot in her hand and splashed it on his forehead.

Pei Xia wiped her face and smacked her lips with a tea leaf: "So watery." Actually, since entering Junma City, Pei Xia's situation has improved. Her popularity has been offset, and the influence of the calamity is slowly weakening.

But the energy he had previously expended would not be replenished; he still needed to find a place with plenty of people where he could sleep.

Lu Li put down the teapot, walked to the window, gripped the windowsill with both hands, and looked out at Junma City: "This place feels even more lively than Beishi City, so it shouldn't be hard to find a place to sleep."

Pear spent most of her time in the Prime Minister's residence in the inner city of Beishi City. The inner city was full of high-ranking officials and nobles, so the streets and urban areas were naturally quieter.

Although Junma City is not as powerful as the capital of Ling Kingdom, according to Wang Su, it is still the largest city in Younan.

Pei Xia walked behind her and saw layers of houses, markets and residences, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys and pavilions and towers. Especially on the main avenue of the city, pedestrians were shoulder to shoulder and carriages flowed endlessly.

Lu Li rested her hands on the windowsill, propped her cheeks up, and kicked her little feet in the air: "When I was in Beishi City, I heard them say that Youzhou had fallen and such, and I thought this place was a living hell."

Pei Xia was rubbing his temples to distract himself. He continued, "The Northern Barbarian royal court is not as centralized as the Great Ling, and its desire for control is also lower. Most importantly, they don't have a strong sense of class, so the common people seem more vibrant."

Pear didn't understand this at all. She looked up at Pei Xia and said, "Then I think it would be good if Da Ling died."

Pei Xia, with her dark circles under her eyes, weakly patted her head: "Everything has two sides. If the Northern Barbarians really follow this path to rule the four or even five states, this country will collapse very quickly."

Lu Li blinked and thought for a moment: "Then why do they keep fighting south?"

"That's a bit complicated, you don't need to think about it."

The Northern Barbarians attacked Tiequan Pass continuously for fifteen years, yet they managed to neither breach the pass nor damage their own foundations. This cannot be explained in just a few words.

Pear is a very perceptive girl. Pei Xia told her she didn't need to think about it, and she really stopped thinking about it.

Before long, the restaurant brought out the wine and dishes.

Pei Xia picked up the pot, tilted her head back and poured most of it down, then let out a long sigh, her eyes becoming clearer again.

Taking advantage of her clear mind, Pei Xia got up and walked towards the door, saying to Lu Li, who was still enjoying her meal behind her, "I'm going out to find a place to sleep. You need to keep an eye on things at the inn."

Lu Li stuffed a mouthful of food into her mouth and made two gurgling sounds as if to acknowledge it.

It's just a routine reminder.

After leaving Mengshan, Pei Xia had come to quite approve of Wang Su's character. Even if things didn't go well, there was still Li Tan, a Tongxuan Realm cultivator, so inviting Lu Li was just a precaution.

As Pei Xia pushed open the door and was about to go downstairs, coincidentally, someone also came out of the guest room opposite.

A faint fragrance wafted towards me, and then I saw a woman in a green dress and flowing black hair.

After they looked at each other and saw each other's faces clearly, they were both stunned for a moment.

The woman was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful appearance, but there was a hint of sharpness in her eyes, making her seem a bit aloof.

Pei Xia was stunned, not simply because he saw a beautiful woman.

Instead, I sensed a faint sword aura emanating from her.

Since leaving Weishan, Pei Xia has only sensed a fully formed sword aura on Ye Lu, besides himself.

The term "sword energy" is widely circulated and frequently mentioned in the martial arts world, but most of the time it refers to the qi or spiritual power on a sword.

True "sword energy" is actually very rare.

If we follow the ancient method that Pei Xia used to cultivate, "qi" is essential for "martial arts". However, in the current twelve realms of martial arts, sword qi has lost its cultivation method and has become proof of a very small number of geniuses.

Unexpectedly, opening the door to the inn led to encountering a prodigy from a prestigious family or sect.

Xia Xuan was also stunned.

If you looked up, you'd think you'd seen a panda; who wouldn't be stunned?

Fortunately, the two quickly came to their senses. Pei Xia clasped her hands in a gesture of apology, while Xia Xuan nodded slightly and stepped aside to let Pei Xia go first.

Xia Xuan didn't take a step until the thin man walked down the stairs and disappeared from sight.

Suddenly, his hand tightened.

She looked down at the sword in her hand.

The sword's scabbard was plain and unadorned, while the hilt was wrapped with several layers of cloth, showing no signs of anything extraordinary.

However, it was a genuine "treasure" magic weapon passed down by her master. She had been nurturing it since she was twelve years old, and only recently had her sword energy finally become connected. It was with this as her support that her master dared to let her venture out into the world.

Xia Xuan looked closely at the sword in her hand, and only when her gaze became very close did she finally notice... it was trembling.

It was subtle and brief, but for a fleeting moment, it did indeed tremble in my hand.

This has never happened before since Master taught me the sword. Could it be because of that person just now?

But there are no traces of sword energy on him, which is really strange.

……

Pei Xia didn't want to cause trouble. If she really had to, she would at least wait until she had a good night's sleep before doing so.

After leaving the inn, he walked along the main road of the horse-riding city.

He had just looked at it from the second floor of the inn. There should be an intersection a few miles ahead. That kind of place is the most popular. If there were a gambling den or brothel next to it, Pei Xia could have a good night's sleep.

As he walked, he realized that something seemed amiss.

More and more people jogged past him, shouting "They're fighting! They're fighting!" and waving as if they wanted to see what was going on.

Pei Xia couldn't help but grin.

He needs popularity, but he also dislikes crowds.

Perhaps because of the mysterious nature of the Calamity Pig and the cultivators, many people have overlooked the fact that Pei Xia's process of suppressing the Calamity Pig was divided into two parts.

One aspect is popularity; the more popular he is, the less impact the curse will have on him.

The fact that the impact is small does not mean that Pei Xia can gradually regain his energy. He needs to take advantage of the low activity of the Calamity Pig to rest and sleep like an ordinary person in order to restore his energy.

So on the other hand, while being popular, he also needs to be able to sleep.

That's why he always chose brothels over gambling dens—there aren't many places in the world that can excite you, keep you quiet, and even provide accommodation.

Pei Xia quickened her pace, wanting to see what was going on.

As he approached the intersection, he saw that the crowd was three layers deep, surrounding something.

At the center of the crowd, muffled sounds of spiritual energy colliding could be heard from time to time.

If people actually start fighting, they're not ordinary people.

Pei Xia carefully sensed that the spiritual energy in the center of the crowd was either as swift as the wind or as heavy as the earth.

The manifestation of spiritual power indicates a cultivator at the Profound Realm.

Tongxuan, who could serve as an elder in a major sect like the Lingxiao Sword Sect, would definitely be considered a master in a corner of the martial arts world.

There were two of them right there on the side of the road in Junma City, and they were even fighting?

Pei Xia was a little curious, but reason still led him to walk aside—since it wouldn't be until night, he might as well go find his brothel.

Then a loud bang came from the center, and a figure shot into the sky, did ten and a half spins in the air, and crashed down at Pei Xia's feet with a "thud".

(End of this chapter)