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

Chapter 65 Forgive me for loving freedom more (Fourth update)

The courtyard was deep and secluded, bathed in gentle breeze and sunshine.

Ren Shaoyang stood on one side of the arched bridge, with the pavilion opposite him nestled in a sea of ​​Bauhinia and Vitex negundo flowers, and lotus flowers in full bloom in the pond below the bridge.

Suddenly, a pair of swallows appeared, hovering low, their tails like scissors, their feathers shimmering like thin gold flakes in the sunlight.

After circling around once, they both disappeared into the flower grove.

Suddenly, a cold snort rang out.

"Ren Shaoyang, a renowned master whose name resounds throughout the world, is hesitating. Could it be that he is afraid?"

Ren Shaoyang looked up and saw Zhang Zhen holding the hilt of the "Seven Absolute Whirlwind Sword" with a majestic expression.

He smiled and said, "It's not fear, but the beautiful scenery is so captivating that I couldn't help but stop and linger."

Ren Shaoyang walked slowly towards the pavilion, sat down opposite Zhao Zheng.

Zhao Zheng looked at the young man opposite him, his eyes gleaming, and said loudly, "Want a drink?"

Ren Shaoyang looked at him and raised his eyebrows: "I can't get used to drinking something that's not strong."

Zhao Zheng laughed heartily, poured him a full glass of wine, and said in a loud voice, "I guarantee it's strong enough!"

Ren Shaoyang held the wine glass, took a small sip, and immediately raised his eyebrows: "You have good taste." He then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhao Zheng also drank a cup with him: "Of course."

The two of them drank back and forth like this, having drunk six or seven cups in a row.

Ren Shaoyang took a breath and looked around: "A beautiful day, with fine wine to accompany us. But I wonder what Commander Zhao wants to say to me?"

Zhao Zheng smiled slightly, put down his wine cup, and spoke eloquently: "Brother Ren, I, Zhao Zheng, started learning swordsmanship at the age of four, became a disciple of Master Wuyuan Jizi of the Taishan Sect at the age of eight, and by the age of fourteen, I had already mastered the Taishan sword technique to perfection. Afterwards, I integrated the strengths of the Five Sacred Mountains sword techniques, and by the age of eighteen, I was invincible throughout the capital."

He gently stroked the Zhanlu sword on the table, his face full of tenderness.

"Later, thanks to His Majesty's appreciation, I was bestowed with the Zhanlu Sword. I took it out of the Guandong region, traveled beyond the Great Wall, went up the Tianshan Mountains, and went down to the East Sea. I fought alone all over the world. At the age of twenty-five, hehe, hehe, at the age of twenty-five, after I created the 'Tragic Sword Technique', I was already a recognized master in the world."

"Three years ago, I secretly competed with the Four Eccentrics of the North."

At this point, Zhao Zheng shook his head repeatedly, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Their combined strength brought them to a draw with me."

When he said this, his voice was unusually gentle, as if a young man were recounting a story from the past of the martial arts world.

Zhang Zhen and Zhu Dadian were both holding their breath, immersed in the many legends created by Zhao Zheng.

"Oh, Brother Zhao, your martial arts are superb," ​​Ren Shaoyang said casually. "But what does that have to do with me?"

Zhao Zheng raised his voice and said generously, "It may seem like nothing, but I see a reflection of my younger self in Brother Ren's every move!"

Ren Shaoyang remained silent for a moment.

Ren the Rascal looked at the handsome man with thick eyebrows and big eyes opposite him, pointed to himself, and chuckled: "How can we look so alike?"

Zhao Zheng paused for a moment, then said, "Willing to go through fire and water for the sake of love, to protect the love and justice in one's heart." Pointing at Ren Shaoyang, his face was serious, "You can be a hero!"

Ren Shaoyang, looking greasy from being fed a mouthful of chicken soup, waved his hands repeatedly: "Brother Zhao, let's get down to business, don't flatter us."

Zhao Zheng visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then said righteously, "Brother Ren, you committed a serious crime by killing Ling Tuisi in public, do you understand?"

Ren Shaoyang took a sip of his drink and said, "I understand."

Zhao Zheng laughed and said, "But right now, the government, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even the Eastern Depot haven't taken the opportunity to arrest you. Do you understand why?"

Ren Shaoyang glanced at him: "Brother Zhao, are you stopping me?"

"That's right!" Zhao Zheng slammed his hand on the table. "Brother, I'm stopping you!"

Ren Shaoyang chuckled and said, "Brother Zhao is so generous!"

"Hey~!" Zhao Zheng waved his hand, staring at the young man opposite him, his true intentions revealed, "I do indeed need Brother Ren's help."

Ren Shaoyang raised an eyebrow and asked, "Brother Zhao is a top-notch figure in both the imperial court and the martial arts world. Why would he need the help of a country bumpkin like me from beyond the Great Wall?"

Zhao Zheng glanced northwards and said heavily, "Brother Ren, you only see my success and prosperity, but you don't know that I've reached a point where my stubbornness has backfired!"

Ren Shaoyang frowned and said, "Why did it come to this? Who could have cornered you?"

Zhao Zhengdao: "The current head of the Eastern Depot is Wei Jinzhong!"

Ren Shaoyang poured himself a cup of wine, slowly drank it all, and then said, "You want me to deal with him?" "That's right!" Zhao Zheng revealed a sense of justice, "I hope you will join our Embroidered Uniform Guard to deal with Wei Jinzhong! Your martial arts skills are unparalleled. With Brother Ren joining us, this will greatly enhance our strength in dealing with Wei Jinzhong!"

Ren Shaoyang sighed, "Brother Zhao, it's not that I don't want to help you, but we've already made plans to go home." He said, looking troubled, "I'm just drifting around outside, and I miss home."

"Homesick?" Zhang Zhen suddenly sneered. "Is that little house on Dripping Cliff your home?"

Zhu Dadian sneered, "Do you believe that the first day you return home, an endless stream of Eastern Depot agents will come after you?"

Zhang Zhen continued, "If it weren't for your elder brother protecting you, based on what you did in the northern frontier and Jingzhou, you would have been in jail long ago, keeping Ding Dian company!"

“Brother Zhao,” Ren Shaoyang shook his head, “you’re using both flattery and coercion, without offering any inducement. That’s really not fair.”

"Brother Ren, you think too badly of me." Zhao Zheng gulped down a glass of wine and said, "It's easy to find a thousand soldiers, but hard to find a good general. I really want you to help me."

"Then you'll be disappointed." Ren Shaoyang's expression turned cold. "Forgive me, Ren, for loving freedom more."

"Hey Ren, don't push your luck!" Zhang Zhen shouted sarcastically.

"You're just being too aggressive?"

Ren Shaoyang finally turned to look at him directly, and sneered: "So what if you're getting too big for your britches? Zhang, do you know how I got the nickname 'Butcher'?"

"You—!" Zhang Zhen was furious and immediately drew his sword.

"Stop!" Zhao Zheng reached out to stop him, then turned to look at the composed Ren Shaoyang.

"Brother Ren, since we can't reason with him, how about we make a bet?"

Ren Shaoyang narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Let's make a bet, I like it."

Zhao Zhengdao said, "Neither of us considers ourselves to have ever lost. Yesterday, Brother Ren even obtained the Divine Sword Dragon Capture and displayed great power. How about we have a duel right here at the lotus pond?"

Ren Shaoyang looked around: "The fragrance of lotus flowers in summer makes it a good day for fighting."

Zhao Zheng laughed and said, "You won. I, Zhao Zheng, will continue to help you so you can go home in peace. But what if I had won even a single move?"

Ren Shaoyang replied, "I'll do as you command!"

"it is good!"

The two high-fived each other, then drank their last cup of wine together before each using their light-footed skills to land on lotus leaves in the pond.

A gentle breeze was blowing, the lotus flowers were swaying, and two young people stood on the left and right.

On the left, dressed in a white robe, standing with his hands at his sides, the sleeves of his robe covering his fingertips, is none other than "Butcher" Ren Shaoyang.

On the right, dressed in plain robes, tall and handsome, holding an ancient sword, is Zhao Zheng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

With a sigh, Ren Shaoyang picked up a butterfly that had strayed into the air, let it flutter away with his fingertips, and said casually, "Brother Zhao, you helped me stop these demons and monsters, so it's only right and proper that you get to go first."

With a gesture of invitation: "Please!"

Zhao Zheng's expression was solemn. He couldn't find any flaw in Ren Shaoyang's defenses after a long time. So he held his sword horizontally to his chest and shouted, "My famous sword Zhanlu is incomparably sharp. Brother Ren, be careful!"

With a sharp "whoosh," the sword rang out!
Zhao Zhengren lightly touched the ground with his feet, and before the water could even ripple, a figure flashed. A dozen or so sword strikes, accompanied by the sunlight, rose up in quick succession, dazzlingly white.

Ren Shaoyang laughed and said, "Well done." As the longsword reached his chest, he suddenly flicked his finger, striking the sword three times with a series of sharp, ringing sounds.

One wave of "sword chill" energy surged into Zhao Zheng's pulse points. After flicking three fingers, he felt as if he were lying naked in ice and snow, his hands and feet stiffening.

But he was, after all, one of the strongest swordsmen in the world, and remained calm in the face of danger.

Suddenly, he leaped into the air and shouted, "What terrifying sword energy!" His body floated lightly in the air, and with a downward bend, his longsword rippled out like starlight.

Ren Shaoyang felt as if his nine major acupoints were being pricked by needles. He immediately stepped back on the water and retreated again.

At this moment, the Zhanlu sword was only three-tenths of an inch away from his chest.

Zhao Zheng flicked his wrist, creating a shower of petals that became misty, obscuring the sword tip. The area within a foot of Ren Shaoyang's chest was filled with the white light of the sword thrusting towards him.

Zhao Zheng smiled smugly and said, "Brother Ren, lend me a hand!"

Ren Shaoyang moved gracefully across the water, his white robe fluttering as he spread his arms, like a lone crane soaring through the air. He smiled and said, "You still need to practice more."

Before he finished speaking, there were several whooshing sounds, the water surface split open, and a blade emerged from the water, slicing through the lotus flowers and carrying a delicate fragrance straight to Zhao Zheng's throat!

(End of this chapter)