Starting with the divine power of the Great Vajra, he traversed the heavens.

Chapter 18: Knife-Clad Face and Ragged Cotton-padded Jacket (5k-word chapter, please read on, please vote!)
"Reaching out to touch the strands of hair on my sister's face, dark clouds drift across the sky. Reaching out to touch the front of her head, her forehead is full and alluring."

The autumn sunset spread out like gold, shining on the desert.

The Northwest Desert is a barren land with extreme climates of extreme cold and heat, stretching for thousands of miles and sparsely populated.

Amazingly, in this vast desert, within the border region, stands a small, square-shaped building constructed of loess, with two floors.

There were stables and a millstone in front of the small building, but they were rough and worn by the strong wind.

A wine flag was erected directly in front, fluttering in the wind, with four large characters written on it.

"Dragon Inn"!
At this moment, Jin Xiangyu was sitting on the roof singing "Eighteen Touches," her voice bold and loud, yet the ending notes carried a hint of seduction.

It's like there's a hook that can pull a man's soul down.

On the vast desert, the melodious sound of camel bells rang out, tinkling and clanging, seemingly in harmony with the landlady's singing, creating a scene where desolation and liveliness coexisted on this land.

But it made him seem even more lonely.

"Damn it, that slut!"

Inside the Dragon Gate Inn, the place was bustling with noise, and the stench of sweat, feet, and some inexplicable foul smell mixed together, making it feel like a steamer for the travelers.

The already restless hearts of these rough men were further aroused by the proprietress's singing.

A burly man cursed, "Singing so lewdly, she's probably in heat. Sooner or later she'll be naked on the roof pulling out candles!"

The room erupted in laughter.

Just then, a fierce, cursing voice rang out: "Pah! Go to hell! Even if I were gang-raped, it wouldn't be your turn!"

The laughter inside grew even louder, with everyone cheering and wishing they could lift the roof off.

"You bitch!" The burly man's face turned red and then pale from the insult, and he was about to explode in anger.

Then, a few "thump thump thump" sounds were heard, and a woman dressed in a coarse cloth dress walked down the stairs like a willow in the wind.

The voice arrived before the person.

"Hey! Old Kuai Li, why are you so easily angered?"

Jin Xiangyu walked up to the big man, lightly leaped, and sat on the table with her legs crossed, one leg dangling in front of Li Laokuai.

"You are the famous 'Punch Pushing Wind and Rain' of our Longmen. I was just joking with you."

Looking at the woman before him, Li Laokuai saw a face as beautiful as a flower, with a wheat-colored complexion that unexpectedly added a wild, leopard-like quality to her features. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down her delicate neck.

His shirt was open wide, and beads of sweat seemed about to fall into that snow-white, smooth, unfathomable line.
Jin Xiangyu smiled as she saw Li Laokuai's eyes practically pop out of their sockets, and beckoned with her finger: "Come on, let me apologize to you~" With that, she turned and walked upstairs without looking at him anymore.

As everyone watched her swaying waist and her full, round buttocks, they couldn't help but swallow hard.

Li Lao Kuai was even more smug, and said with a strange laugh, "Boss lady, I've long heard of your beauty. Old Kuai is here!" As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together, bent over, and followed with a strange laugh.

The people nearby watched anxiously, but had no way to vent their frustration. They could only gulp down tea, order several plates of mutton, and listen to some elderly merchants talking about recent events.

"Hey, have you heard?" an old man said in a low voice, but everyone in the room could hear him.

"It is said that something terrible has happened in the capital. Minister of War Yang Yuxuan has been murdered!"

"Huh? A high-ranking official, killed just like that?"

One person scoffed, "What's so special about that? The Eastern Depot is powerful, and Cao Shaoqin is arrogant. Who can compete?"

Before he could finish speaking, his companion covered his mouth: "Damn it, if you want to die, don't drag me down with you! What right do you have to discuss matters of the court?"

The man was furious: "But..."

"But what? Can't even a meal shut you up?"

After a moment of silence in the hall, a martial arts practitioner with a Hunan-Jiangxi accent said, "It is said that Wan Zhenshan, the 'Five Cloud Hands,' celebrated his fiftieth birthday a couple of days ago."

"Oh?" This question drew everyone's attention again. "Iron Bone Ink Birth's disciple?"

"Yes, it's him!" said the man with a Hunan-Jiangxi accent. "But a joyous occasion turned into a tragedy. His junior brother, Qi Changfa, was murdered, and his disciple was caught trying to rape Wan Zhenshan's concubine. It's truly a series of shocking events that have left us breathless!"

"Hi~!"

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped and pressed for details.

After the man finished recounting the details, someone shook his head and said, "What a pity, we're far away in the desert. They say there's some kind of treasure trove in the south, but we can't go there."

After he said that, everyone sighed again.

Just then, a rough voice laughed and said, "The treasure of Liancheng is far away, but our desert also has its own small treasure, which is not far away!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was drawn to the man again. He had a dark complexion, a thick beard, and a ferocious smile.

"Hey man, what little treasure are you talking about?"

The bearded man said, "The head of 'Butcher' Ren Shaoyang is said to be worth a thousand taels of gold." He looked at the crowd and laughed, "Wouldn't you call that a treasure?"

The moment the bearded man spoke, everyone's expressions immediately became indescribably interesting.

"Men, don't you know how dangerous that thug is?"

“A week ago, he single-handedly killed forty-five skilled fighters with just a bow, thus erasing Shuofeng Village from the limelight!”

"Five days ago, he was still all alone, without even using a fire poker, and with just a few punches and kicks, he beat 'Panshan Knife' Liu Gui into a pulp!"

"And more and more!"

“Three days ago, this kid encountered the Eastern Depot’s Black Riders. He fought and ran, single-handedly taking on dozens of riders in the desert without being at a disadvantage. In the end, he wore down the Eastern Depot’s agents. Instead, he became ferocious and gave chase!”

"Damn it, one man chasing after dozens of cavalrymen, cutting them down in every village and town he passed through, everyone was silent. Who wouldn't be confused by that?"

“A day ago, Tie Wanchao, a powerful figure in the northern desert, boasted that he would kill Ren Shaoyang with one punch. He happened to run into him and, without saying much, delivered three punches, crippling both of Ren’s arms. Tie Wanchao, who had dominated the desert for decades, lost his reputation in a single day.”

"That's not all. He then encountered the Black Riders, Embroidered Uniform Guards, and agents of the Eastern Depot who were pursuing him. This time, facing a large-scale encirclement, he was injured."

Everyone chimed in, recounting Ren Shaoyang's achievements over the past few days as if they had witnessed them firsthand.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the last sentence was spoken.

so far so good!
He is still human; he can still get hurt.

But someone sneered, "So what? He still managed to escape in the end, didn't he? Even the Eastern Depot couldn't catch him. This kid is really something!" As he spoke, he kept drinking to suppress his panic.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent for a moment, and then began to drink.

After a long while, the bearded man exclaimed in amazement, "Judging from this, Ren Shaoyang is probably the real number one expert beyond the Great Wall!"

"fart!"

Some people scoffed, but then quickly changed their tune, "With his skills, none of the 'Four Eccentrics of the North,' 'Four Wonders of the South,' or even the likes of the Blood Saber Ancestor are a match for him! Calling him the best in the world wouldn't be an exaggeration!"

"You're overthinking it!" someone shouted. "That Eastern Depot's Chief Supervisor Cao Shaoqin's swordsmanship is unparalleled. Ren Shaoyang is far from being his match!"

"You underestimate the Blood Blade Ancestor. This old monster has unparalleled swordsmanship and the ability to locate enemies by listening to the wind, killing them invisibly. I don't think he's inferior to Cao Shaoqin!"

In an instant, they started arguing about who was the best in the world, and everyone took sides, making the scene chaotic again.

Just then, a "thump thump thump" sound came downstairs, and Jin Xiangyu walked down with a flushed face and wet hair.

Walking along, hands on hips, he sang: "After drinking, I take a piss. The men of the desert love their little sisters, my little Jinlian, my beloved little sister..."

When Jin Xiangyu came down, the men stopped arguing and stared intently at her, making jokes among themselves.

"Boss lady, where is Old Kuai Li?"

"No way, this guy looks really strong, how come he's so weak, he finished in no time?"

"Who says it's not?"

"The proprietress is really good at removing candles!"

"The landlady is really good in bed!"

Jin Xiangyu didn't take it to heart, or rather, she was already used to such vulgar language, just as she was used to the desert winds and sand.

She laughed and joked, mingling with the crowd, playfully touching one man's chin here and patting the bearded man's chest there.

The crowd was captivated by her beauty and completely bewitched.

While the scene was noisy and chaotic, a group of people in the corner were quietly drinking tea and eating steamed buns, seemingly living in a different world.

A girl with a ponytail, round eyes, and a round face glanced at Jin Xiangyu and muttered under her breath, "She just killed someone."

Upon hearing this, the one-armed youth's expression changed, and he looked at the man in the straw hat on the other side.

The man in the straw hat shook his head, signaling him not to speak carelessly.

The people at this table were Hongxiu, Ding'an, Qiu Moyan, Tiezhu, He Hu, and others.

Upon entering the inn, this chaotic scene immediately greeted us.

Watching Jin Xiangyu flaunt his wealth, and hearing Ren Shaoyang unleash his power—such is the wonder of the world.

Hongxiu suddenly turned her head, poked Ding'an with her finger, and said, "Duan Shou, you're always secretly watching her, have you taken a liking to her?"

Ding An hurriedly grabbed Hong Xiu's shoulder and looked around: "How could this be? I've always liked Xiang Ling!"

Hongxiu said "Oh," and continued, "But when they went to Jiangnan, I didn't see you sad, did I?"

Ding'an let out his signature silly "hehe" laugh, but didn't say anything.

"It's alright if you don't say anything," Hongxiu said with a smile. "You don't like her. You stopped liking her after you lost your hand."

Ding An was silent for a moment, then angrily said, "I don't like you anymore!"

"Hehe!" Hongxiu grinned shamelessly.

The little beggar, or rather, the little girl, stopped talking and instead lowered her head, took out a piece of cloth, and began to sew it up.

Although Longmen Inn is located in the desert, it still has needles, thread and cloth. After Hongxiu arrived, she bought some and started cutting and sewing.

As she sewed, she hummed a song: "The world is so laughable, infatuation is the most pointless, it's good to be arrogant."

Qiu Moyan found the sound strangely pleasant and even somewhat familiar, so she couldn't help but lift her veil and ask Ding An.

"What song is Hongxiu humming? It's really nice."

Ding An asked, "What did the cripple teach her?" He rubbed his head, but couldn't remember.

“Laughing at the world.” Hongxiu smiled sweetly at Qiu Moyan, “The cripple said that a top-notch master once sang this song!”

"Oh?" Qiu Moyan asked with interest. "Which top expert?"

At this point, Ding'an remembered clearly and replied, "Dongfang Bubai!"

"Dongfang Bubai?" Qiu Moyan frowned, racking his brains but couldn't recall it. Finally, he shook his head and sneered, "What an arrogant name."

Red hair turned white, the world of martial arts was in turmoil. The once overwhelming red figure, now, under the deliberate suppression of the imperial court, is as unknown as the "leader".
The three chatted and laughed, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Tie Zhu and the other two drank and talked, enjoying themselves immensely.

During this time, Hongxiu seemed to get numb from sitting, so she got up and walked around. In fact, she secretly stuffed two steamed buns into the bamboo basket that Tiezhu and the other person had been carrying.

Two small hands quickly reached out, grabbed the cornbread, and pulled it back, accompanied by a soft voice: "Thank you, sister!"

Hongxiu smiled, then strolled back to her seat and continued sewing.

Qiu Moyan took in everything she did and said with a smile, "Alright, now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's go back to our rooms and discuss our strategy for leaving the pass tonight."

Everyone nodded and dispersed, each going upstairs to their rooms.
-
"Wow~!"

A ladle of hot water was poured onto her snow-white shoulder, her dark hair hanging down to the other shoulder.

Qiu Moyan took off his men's clothing and washed away the dust and grime from his journey.

But at this moment, she stared blankly down at her reflection in the water. Although she looked beautiful and charming, she could not hide the signs of aging, and wrinkles had quietly crept up the corners of her eyes.

She sighed, gently stroking her face, feeling sorry for herself.

At this moment, she is no longer the young, chivalrous heroine who was no less courageous than any man.

"Huai'an, where are you now?" Qiu Moyan frowned and murmured to herself, "Why have I been feeling palpitations these past few days?"

Suddenly, a soft sound came from the roof, and the skylight was opened.

Qiu Moyan's gentle eyes suddenly turned cold, and then a graceful figure slid down.

"Splash!" A ladle of boiling water shot into the air and splashed directly at the person.

"Oh dear, this little slut is quite fiery," Jin Xiangyu's brash voice rang out. "She actually made me drink her bathwater?"

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand, and there were a few "splashing" sounds.

"Love-Sickness Willow Leaf Dart? A Tang Clan technique?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Qiu Moyan spun rapidly around her waist, leaping out and instantly dodging the hidden weapon.

"Splash splash splash~" The bucket was pierced by the willow leaf dart, and hot water gushed out.

The two women stood facing each other.

Jin Xiangyu looked at Qiu Moyan, who was completely naked but had a beautiful figure that was in no way inferior to her own. She raised an eyebrow and curled the corner of her mouth.

"She's got a great figure, with a nice bust and butt!"

Qiu Moyan's phoenix eyes were filled with malice. With a sway of her body, her jade foot went straight for her throat.

This strike, delivered with the foot as a sword, was incredibly fast and silent. The attacker seemed to become a blurry white shadow, appearing before her in the blink of an eye.

Jin Xiangyu instinctively shifted her body, and with a "ripping" sound, her upper garment was torn open by Qiu Moyan's toe and then pulled back.

The proprietress looked down and saw her cleavage exposed. When she looked at Qiu Moyan, she saw that Qiu Moyan had already covered her graceful figure with her coat.

Qiu Moyan raised an eyebrow and smiled, "You're quite attractive too."

"Really?" Jin Xiangyu swayed her waist, glanced down, and covered her mouth with a smile. "It's quite thick."

Qiu Moyan's face turned cold: "You have a foul mouth!"

His body suddenly rose higher, and his two long, jade-like legs slashed down.

Seeing the fierce approach, Jin Xiangyu quickly dodged to avoid it.

But taking advantage of Jin Xiangyu's dodge, Qiu Moyan kicked her waist with his right foot.

The proprietress dodged using only the strength of her waist and abdomen; how could she be kicked by her?
She immediately let out a sharp cry and clashed head-on with Qiu Moyan's jade-like foot with her palm.

With a muffled "snap," Qiu Mo, with something between his feet, leaped high into the air.

But instead of falling, she spun in the air like a top, her clothes billowing. Under the moonlight shining from the rooftop, she looked like a snow-capped mountain lily, dazzlingly beautiful.

"Haha, you slut, do you dare go out naked?!"

Jin Xiangyu burst into laughter upon seeing this, but as she laughed, she was surprised to find that Qiu Moyan's body, which was spinning in the air, had somehow ended up wearing a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

Suddenly she felt a chill all over her body, and when she looked down, she found that she was completely naked!

"You~!"

Jin Xiangyu pointed at Qiu Moyan in shock and anger.

But then Qiu, the heroine, calmly fastened her belt. At that moment, the wind blew and the clouds swirled, and the moon peeked out, illuminating the world with a clear light.

She stood barefoot on the roof beam, smiling as she surveyed the landlady's figure, and remarked, "So sleek, a rare sight indeed."

"Damn it, you vixen!"

Jin Xiangyu was furious and suddenly raised her hand to shoot out a willow-leaf dart, which made a loud "whoosh" sound.

Qiu's expression changed, and she rolled over and fell off the roof beam.

Just then, a white shadow flashed, and Jin Xiangyu, completely naked and smooth, darted out of the skylight.

Seeing this, Qiu Moyan laughed heartily: "You slut, go light your candles on the roof, I'm not keeping you company!"

Jin Xiangyu sat naked on the rooftop, with a vast starry sky above her and endless yellow sand beneath her feet. Hearing Qiu Moyan's mockery, she not only didn't get angry, but instead became even more agitated and started singing at the top of her lungs.

"On the fifteenth of August, the temple gates open, and all kinds of candles are placed on the platform. Red candles are red, white candles are white, and you can't hold all of your brother's candles in one hand."

The lyrics, carried far by the wind, are rough and unruly, just like the coarseness of this yellow sand.

"Hahahaha~!"

Suddenly, a hearty laugh rang out.

Jin Xiangyu was startled, put her hands on her hips, and looked up.

"Ding ding ding, ding ding ding"

Amidst the vast, yellow sands of the desert, a sleek, green horse galloped towards her from afar. Startled, she took a moment to focus before recognizing the rider.

He was a young man with short hair, tall and slender, with a dignified bearing, sword-like eyebrows, and a sharp face. He wore a tattered blue jacket and had an iron rod stuck in his waistband.

Jin Xiangyu looked at the young man and felt that he looked very familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before.

As he approached, his features became clearer, and Jin Xiangyu couldn't help but gasp.

"A face with razor-sharp features, a tattered cotton-padded jacket, and a fire poker at his waist?"

she muttered.

"Damn it, when did my shabby little black shop attract such a big dragon from out of town?"

The visitor was none other than Ren Shaoyang!
(End of this chapter)