Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Chapter 178 Li Fu: "You flatter me." (4k2)

Zheng Shaoqing was also stunned, overwhelmed with shock.

He had previously witnessed the infinite wonders of Li Fubaihong's palm strike and found it to be divine. However, the swordplay exchange before him, with its lofty and pure sword intent that seemed to merge with heaven and earth, represented a realm he had never imagined before.

"He actually held back just now?"

"No—impossible!"

Seeing that Li Fu's swordsmanship was so extraordinary that he could rival the Fairy of the Immortal Capital, who had been famous for decades, and even gain the upper hand, Xu Daofu simply could not accept it.

Madam Zhong gripped the remaining sword tightly. As a swordswoman herself, she was completely absorbed, her eyes glued to the blade, afraid of missing a single move.

Seeing that the sword she usually used could be used by Li Fu to perform such profound and far-reaching sword techniques that were almost like the Dao, she couldn't help but feel an indescribable excitement and a sense of pride.

"This—even just one of these moves, if mastered, would be enough to benefit any top-tier swordsman in the martial world for a lifetime!"

The two fighters moved swiftly, their swords flashing wildly, and had already exchanged more than eighty blows.

Zhu Su's swordsmanship became increasingly cold and swift, her sword energy pushed to its limit, and killing intent filled the area within several feet around her. The ground was cleaved by sharp sword energy, as she had used all her life's sword skills.

Li Fu remained calm.

The sword technique, "Wind Brushing Willows," unfolds, repeating its forty-nine moves in a continuous cycle, endlessly evolving.

The sword intent became increasingly refined, sometimes swaying like willow branches, suddenly bursting forth with a sharp and murderous aura within its gentleness; at other times, it was like a gentle breeze without a trace, the sword light fleeting and untraceable.

Having just acquired this supreme sword technique, he needed to spar with such a top swordsman for a thrilling battle. The more he fought, the more exhilarated he became, experiencing an indescribable sense of joy, and reaching a profound state of forgetting himself and the world, and becoming one with all things in nature!

In the blink of an eye, a hundred moves have passed!

Unable to break through Zhu Sujiu's defenses, Li Fushi proved to be the most formidable enemy she had ever faced. With a sharp cry, she channeled all her inner strength and sword intent into her next strike.

The sword light surged, and the killing intent was bone-chilling. A pale sword aura, condensed to the extreme, tore through the air, carrying a terrifying will to kill all things and return them to annihilation, and pierced straight into Li Fu's heart!

This sword strike represents the pinnacle of her spirit and energy!

Li Fu's gaze sharpened, and the long sword in his hand emitted a long, clear sound. He no longer used softness to overcome hardness, but instead brought out the hidden vitality and momentum of heaven and earth in the Returning Wind and Willow Sword to the extreme!

The sword light suddenly split apart, as if a spring breeze had swept through thousands of willows overnight, sweeping across the earth with unstoppable force, clearing away the severe cold, and countless supple and pure sword energies emerged at the same time.

Clang!

The two extremely powerful sword energies collided with a deafening roar!

Zhu Su's incomparably refined and chilling sword energy was actually worn down, entangled, and dissolved layer by layer by the seemingly weak yet infinitely vital and resilient natural sword intent!

It's like freezing ice being thrown into a warm spring river; though it stirs up waves for a moment, it can't stop the surging water and vibrant life!

Amidst the surging sword energy, Zhu Su's longsword was knocked out of her hand with a soft crack, landing diagonally on the ground and trembling incessantly.

She herself was struck as if by a heavy blow, staggering back more than ten steps before she regained her balance. Her face was as pale as paper, and she looked down at her chest, where a spot of vermilion on her clothes was rapidly burning.

She looked up at Li Fu, who stood there with his sword sheathed and his breathing calm as before. Her eyes were filled with a complex and unfathomable emptiness. The cold killing intent in her eyes gradually faded, and with it, the vitality in her eyes also faded.

"Excellent swordsmanship! I have lost."

The scene was deathly silent.

Everyone, including Luo Jiugao, Zheng Shaoqing, and Madam Zhong, stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe their eyes!

Zhu Su, the Fairy of the Immortal Capital, who has been known for her unparalleled swordsmanship for decades, has actually been defeated!

He was defeated by Li Fu's sword!

Immortal Zhu Su's body went limp, like a jade statue stripped of all its support, and she slowly tilted backward, finally falling silently onto the cold rocks.

White robes lay scattered on the ground, stained with blood; the glory of a legendary swordsman had ultimately returned to dust.

Everyone has to die eventually.

Whether you are a stunningly beautiful fairy or a frail old woman from the countryside, in this unpredictable world, death treats everyone the same.

Especially in the martial arts world, grudges and bloodshed are commonplace, a battlefield where you kill me and I kill you.

If you can't kill me, then you'll likely die by my hand. The truth is stark and cruel, and there's nothing surprising about it.

"Thank you for your concession."

Li Fu looked at Zhu Su's corpse, but his heart was not greatly moved.

He wouldn't feel any regret or offer condolences for killing a once stunning and skilled female swordsman. In a life-or-death struggle, the outcome was already decided; it was all their own doing.

Similarly, he would not feel more resentment towards Zhu Su for seeking revenge for her nephew and for insisting on killing him; she had already chosen to take action and accepted the consequences.

After a sword duel, and after displaying the exhilarating and unrestrained "Willow Dance in the Wind" sword technique, Li Fu felt only a sense of calm, like the calm waters of a deep ravine after a period of turbulence.

However, the rest of the people present were far from calm.

Everyone was still deeply shocked by what they saw.

Zhu Su, the almost mythical fairy of the Immortal Capital for decades, a legendary figure with divine swordsmanship and an undefeated record, died on the spot!

This shock was almost stronger than seeing Zhang Hengbo killed. The legendary swordsman, rumored to be invincible, had fallen to Li Fu's sword, right before their eyes.

"Thank you for lending me your sword."

With a flick of his wrist, Li Fu gently tossed out the borrowed longsword.

The longsword traced a gentle arc and, with a clang, precisely returned to the scabbard at Madam Zhong's waist.

Madam Zhong instinctively gripped the sword hilt, feeling a slight burning sensation in her palm, her mind still pounding with excitement.

Looking at the sword that had been with her for many years, she felt an indescribable surge of emotion and a sense of disorientation.

Just now, in Li Fu's hands, he displayed an unparalleled swordsmanship that was as graceful as flowing clouds in the sky and as gentle as a breeze rustling willows, and—with it, he defeated and killed another legendary swordsman who also stood at the pinnacle of swordsmanship!

The significance of this sword has changed.

It is no longer just a sharp weapon, but a testament to a legend.

Madam Zhong made up her mind that after returning home, she would treasure the sword and never use it again. She would even set up a table to store it.

A sword that has participated in the world's most elite sword duels and drunk the blood of the fairy maiden of the Immortal Capital deserves such a privilege.

The crowd was deeply shaken.

What we witnessed today was Li Fu's swift and decisive execution of Iron Stream King Zhang Hengbo, showcasing his astonishing palm techniques.

Immediately afterwards, he revealed his equally unparalleled swordsmanship, which had reached the pinnacle of perfection, and engaged in a swordsmanship duel with the legendary invincible Fairy of the Immortal Capital, a duel that could be described as a once-in-a-lifetime event, and ultimately won the battle!

This series of shocks and the breathtaking scenes will likely remain etched in my memory for the rest of my life.

It is easy to imagine the enormous waves that would be stirred up in the martial arts world if news of today's battle at Yanshan Stream were to spread!

"Heh ————·————"

Not far away, the heavily wounded strategist Xu Daofu stared wide-eyed at Zhu Su's dead body, his face a mixture of extreme horror and resentment.

"No—impossible—"

He was already on the verge of death, clinging to life by sheer willpower. Now, seeing that even the Fairy of Xiandu, whom he had only hoped to kill Li Fu, had perished, his last shred of hope and support crumbled instantly.

Xu Daofu's breathing became rapid, his head suddenly tilted to the side, and he stopped breathing, as if he had died from anger.

The crowd couldn't help but feel contempt. With such a mindset and ambition, how could he possibly dare to stage a rebellion and overthrow the imperial court? Fortunately, he died here. If he had risen to a high position in the future, countless people would have suffered.

Once the dust settled, everyone cleaned up the mess and beheaded Zhang Hengbo and other leaders of the Iron Stream Army.

After collecting Zhu Su's body, since she was, after all, a peerless swordswoman in the martial arts world, they simply found a place to bury her, and Li Fu had no objection to this.

The person is dead, and the grudges have been resolved.

"These iron shackles were originally prepared for King Ironflow, but he no longer needs them. You, as his follower, should wear them in his place."

Next came the counting of prisoners. Luo Jiugao put heavy, specially made iron shackles on Zheng Shaoqing, who was seriously injured, subdued, and in a daze, and prepared to escort him back.

Li Fu casually patted Zheng Shaoqing on the shoulder, his tone as calm as ever.

"The Iron Stream King is dead. Your delusional dream of finding a wise ruler and overthrowing the court should be shattered. Don't even think about running away halfway. Just wait to be beheaded by the Emperor when you return to the capital."

These words sound like a responsible constable warning a captured criminal to behave himself and not cause any more trouble.

The gesture of patting someone on the shoulder also seems more like a way of reinforcing a warning.

However, Zheng Shaoqing felt a slight tremor throughout his body. He clearly felt a large amount of pure, gentle, and abundant internal energy quietly flowing into his body.

This internal force was balanced and peaceful, seemingly possessing excellent healing effects. It quickly soothed the disordered qi and blood in his body caused by the fierce battle and injuries, and nourished the damaged meridians.

His originally severe injuries improved noticeably with this gentle tap, and the device continued to heal him!

Zheng Shaoqing looked up in surprise and gazed at Li Fu.

But Li Fu's expression remained unchanged, calm and undisturbed, as if the act of transferring energy to heal him had never happened. He stopped looking at him and walked away.

Zheng Shaoqing was quick-witted and quickly went over Li Fu's words, telling him not to run away, in his mind.

Considering this act of secretly transferring internal energy to heal his injuries, and recalling Li Fu's previous attitude—though he hadn't explicitly agreed with his beliefs, he seemed to understand them to some extent—

This is a warning not to let him run away, but rather a reminder that he should definitely run away.

So, the first part of the sentence suggests that he should wake up from his dream.

An uncontrollable thought surged into Zheng Shaoqing's mind: Could it be that Li Fu, the head constable, was implying that his dream of finding a wise ruler, overthrowing the court, and restoring a peaceful and prosperous world should not be extinguished?

This speculation stirred up a storm in his heart. Could it be that this martial arts master, who had a great reputation in the north, was also dissatisfied with the court?

He stared blankly at Li Fu's departing figure, a surge of gratitude and excitement welling up in his heart.

That night, the group set up a temporary camp on a sheltered, gentle slope in the Yanshan Mountains to rest.

The campfire flickered, illuminating the tired and wary faces of the group after a great battle; everyone had gone to rest early.

At midnight, Lu Bo, who was on guard duty, suddenly cried out in alarm.

"Oh no, Zheng Shaoqing has escaped!"

Everyone awoke with a start, only to find that the incredibly heavy iron shackles, which would make a sound with the slightest movement, had been broken by internal force at the place of confinement, and Zheng Shaoqing's figure was already disappearing into the vast night and forest.

Luo Jiugao, Ma Shixiong, and the others were both shocked and furious. They quickly got up to give chase, but after a few steps, they realized that the opponent's lightness skill was far beyond their reach and they couldn't catch up at all.

"How could his injuries heal so quickly!"

The group was shocked and bewildered.

Considering Zheng Shaoqing's truly astonishing martial arts skills, especially his unbelievably profound internal strength, the only one among them who could catch up to him now is probably Li Fu.

Li Fu stood at the edge of the camp, his hands behind his back, gazing in the direction of the dark forest where Zheng Shaoqing had disappeared. The night wind blew his clothes, but he showed no intention of giving chase.

"I was exhausted after a fierce battle with Zhu Su."

This person is highly skilled in martial arts and possesses remarkable intelligence. Now that he has escaped, he is determined to flee. In this deep mountain forest, it will likely be difficult to catch him in a short time.

However, everyone was puzzled by his appearance after several hours of rest, when he seemed to be full of energy. If someone who didn't know the situation saw this, they would probably suspect that Li Fuzhen had actually fought a big battle during the day.

Luo Jiugao and the others wanted to say something, but they didn't dare to.

Li Fu's astonishing martial arts skills and unpredictable lightness of movement meant that if they truly wanted to pursue him, Zheng Shaoqing, who was just recovering from serious injuries, would likely have no chance of escaping.

But seeing Li Fu's calm expression, he dared not ask any more questions.

By threatening and setting up a life-or-death test, Li Fu revealed the inherently despicable Tie Liuwang, but also Zheng Shaoqing, who possessed a strong sense of righteousness.

This ambitious chieftain Zheng, who was determined to find a wise ruler to pacify the world and was even willing to join the bandits for this purpose, can be seen from his words and deeds to be of good nature and has a genuine concern for the country and its people, which is completely different from the likes of Zhang Hengbo.

It would be a great pity if such a person died on the execution ground of the imperial court because he followed the wrong person.

The world is in a turbulent time, with undercurrents surging. Keeping this person out there may lead to a different fate in the future.

Li Fu had not forgotten the task of mastering the Longevity Technique issued by the Heavenly Book.

One option is to overthrow the court from the outside in!

Zheng Shaoqing was determined to overthrow the imperial court and restore peace. In a sense, his goal overlapped with the mission of the Heavenly Book.

By secretly helping him escape his predicament today, we are essentially planting a pawn and sowing the seeds of a variable outside the imperial court and within the martial arts world.

As for where this piece will go in the future, and whether it can truly achieve something, it is uncertain.

"Anyway, it's just going with the flow, casually laying out a move."

Gazing into the deep night, Li Fu's eyes were thoughtful as he turned and went back to sleep.

Several days later, Li Fu and his group escorted Yang Jiu and other prisoners, and carried the heads of Zhang Hengbo, Xu Daofu and others back to Yanzhou City in a dusty journey.

The news was quickly relayed back by fast horses.

Upon hearing the news, Feng Shaoting personally led a group of people out of the city to welcome him.

Seeing that the team was tired but everyone was in high spirits, especially when he saw the wooden box containing the severed heads, Feng Shaoting breathed a sigh of relief. His brows, which had been furrowed for days, finally relaxed, and he said repeatedly.

"Very well, esteemed officials, you have all worked hard. This time, you have eliminated a great threat to the court, and the people of the north have been able to live in peace. This is all thanks to you!"

After a brief rest at the Yanzhou government office, recording the heads, prisoners, and related evidence, and exchanging documents, Luo Jiugao formally bid farewell to Feng Shaoting and others, preparing to escort the important criminals and their heads back to the capital to report.

As they parted, Luo Jiugao clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to Li Fu and said with emotion.

"Brother Li, this pursuit of the murderer across a thousand miles is extremely dangerous."

If it weren't for your unparalleled martial arts skills and wise decisions, not only would we have been unable to capture or kill Zhang Hengbo, but all of us might have perished in Yanshan.

"When I return to the capital, I will certainly report to the Six Doors and the imperial court to request this great merit for you, Brother Li!"