A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

Chapter 90 A Rainy Night with a Knife but No Umbrella

A melodious song fills the wine cup; where in life do we not meet again?

But Chen Yu's unexpected encounter with Xiao Zhao at the dumpling shop in Hanyang was also beyond his expectations.

Perhaps it was the handsome men and beautiful women, including Chen Yu, Bei Jinyi, and Su Mengqing, who left a deep impression on people that day. Or perhaps it was the unusual sight of Chen Yu treating a beggar to a meal.

The waiter recognized Chen Yu and said from afar, "Ever since we left, this beggar has been coming to the shop every few days to eat dumplings."

"Yes." Chen Yu smiled slightly.

Xiao Zhao had already sat down on the wooden bench opposite Chen Yu, a smile blooming like a spring bud, leaping from the corner of her mouth to her dark cheeks, and then shimmering in her lively eyes.

"have not seen you for a long time."

"have not seen you for a long time."

The way the two greeted each other was also special, like old friends meeting again.

"How about I treat you to this meal?" Xiao Zhao patted her belt. "I still have some silver left."

"it is good."

The waiter, intending to tease him, said, "Young master, the mutton in our shop is all from Ningxia. The dumpling filling is made with neck meat, which is neither fishy nor gamey. How about I give you a plate to enjoy its freshness?"

As the saying goes, good wine needs no bush. Even though it was late in the evening and not yet time for dinner, there were already elegant carriages parked outside, and the several private seats inside were full of diners, who were probably all gourmets who came because of the reputation.

"Okay," Chen Yu agreed, then said to Xiao Zhao, "You treat me to dumplings, and I'll treat you to mutton."

"No problem." Xiao Zhao readily agreed.

The waiter worked quickly and served Xiao Zhao two servings of dumplings, while Chen Yu prepared a dipping sauce for her.

"Thank you, young hero."

"Chen Yu, I'm older, just call me Brother Chen."

"Then call him Young Master."

"inappropriate."

"Xiao Zhao got used to being called that when she was a beggar."

Chen Yu smiled but remained silent.

"Alright, Brother Chen."

"Enjoy your meal, sir." The waiter then brought over a steaming plate of lamb neck and a pot of wine. "Enjoy your meal, sir."

Thank you for your trouble.

The two of them each picked up a piece of lamb neck and ate it. It was indeed firm, smooth, and delicious.

Chen Yu ate several bites, finishing a plate of dumplings, then picked up the wine jug and asked, "Your mother's back?"

"No," Xiao Zhao said with a smile.

Chen Yu knew that Xiao Zhao's mother was the Purple-Robed Dragon King who had gone to sea and had not returned, so he did not need to ask further. He changed the subject and said, "After we leave, will the dock be peaceful?"

Xiao Zhao whispered, "Things aren't peaceful right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Recently, many girls have gone missing in Hanyang. The day before yesterday, a large ship came along the river. Xiao Zhao happened to be sleeping at the dock and saw people loading some sacks onto the large ship."

Xiao Zhao leaned forward slightly. "There's someone in the sack."

"7

"Do you know the identities of those who delivered the sacks onto the ship?"

"Clad in black and masked."

"Is the big ship still there?"

"Yes, Xiao Zhao originally intended to deliver this message to Jingyun Nunnery at the address Brother Chen gave her last time," but unexpectedly, she ran into you here.

Could it be the Iron Palm Gang? With this thought in mind, Chen Yu decided to act alone, dressed in black and masked.

"Xiao Zhao, take me there."

"Um."

"After a good meal, we'll get moving in the evening."

"Okay." Xiao Zhao smiled.

Xiao Zhao is a woman, but when she transforms into a beggar, she acts just like one. She eats heartily, and after a hearty meal, she lets out a hearty burp and then covers her mouth and laughs.

"Thank you for the invitation, Xiao Zhao." Chen Yu burped.

Xiao Zhao's eyes were soft and gentle, like a breeze passing through willow branches. She thought to herself that Brother Chen was worried that she would embarrass herself by hiccuping, so he accompanied her. If he wanted to eat, he would treat her to banquets every day. She was overjoyed.

"I'm gone."

"Um.

""

The two paid their share and left the dumpling shop. Xiao Zhao led Chen Yu through the streets and alleys, until they reached a shack not far from the dock. She pointed and said, "That's the big ship."

Chen Yu looked at it and saw that the mast was tall, the large ship had its sails lowered, and it was not moving at all on the water, just like an ordinary cargo ship.

"Okay, I'll come over later."

"Brother Chen, be careful."

97

"No need to worry."

As dusk fell, the weather suddenly changed, with torrential rain and flashes of lightning streaking across the sky amidst the downpour. In such weather, only a few lights flickered faintly at the dock, scattered sparsely.

At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), the rain subsided, and the river wind howled across the night sky. Chen Yu, dressed in black, with a mask on his head and a bamboo hat, moved erratically from the riverside shacks toward the large ship.

In the alleyway filled with sewage and the fishy smell, Xiao Zhao, who had been warned by Chen Yu not to act rashly, disobeyed and followed stealthily with a dagger in her hand.

Occasionally, lightning flashes through the sky, and the dock cycles between daylight and complete darkness for a fleeting moment, illuminating a misty rain, a secluded alley, a black robe, and a whisk.

With a gentle wave of her whisk, the rain and mist were lifted like a curtain, and the nun gazed at the large ship moored on the riverbank in the distance.

Several black figures rose and fell, floating on the rooftops and white walls of the dock. The masked giants appeared and disappeared in the dark river wind, their trails stretching towards the large ship.

Chen Yu heard a gust of wind whistling behind him. He swayed and disappeared into the shadows cast by the shanty. With a few whooshing sounds, the rain and mist above were broken open by the figures.

A night traveler carrying a sack on his shoulder floated to the ground, his body swaying as he drifted several feet away, the water splashing beneath his feet creating astonishing ripples.

Chen Yu assessed that, in terms of the martial arts skills displayed through his movements, he surpassed the likes of the flying gorilla Luo Kui.

He took a step forward, his figure soaring through the rain and mist, silently disappearing into the air, landing on the burly man in black at the very back.

In a flash, the nun appeared behind Chen Yu. She was startled, thinking to herself that the thief was cunning and had even laid an ambush. The other party's cultivation was not bad.

But so what?

-

In the rain and mist, the distance between the nun and Chen Yu suddenly closed as if it had disappeared. The whisk suddenly opened, and the silver threads were like a fan, forcing the rain to scatter in all directions. A fan-shaped stream of light fell towards Chen Yu.

"Brother Chen, be careful. There's someone behind you."

"Take this!"

As Xiao Zhao's urgent shout rang out in the night, the nun's attack also extended. However, the nun did not launch a silent, sneak attack; she made her move with a shout the instant she struck.

The terrifying killing intent made the hairs on the back of Chen Yu's head stand on end. He stomped his right foot on the ground, and the puddles bloomed into a magnificent water lily. He leaped into the air and somersaulted, his head and feet moving together. His sword, which cleaved through the rain, fell like a rain of pear blossoms towards the nun.

"How can this scoundrel's swordsmanship be so exquisite?"

The nun muttered to herself, then flicked her wrist, causing her whisk to wrap around the longsword.

Chen Yu and the nun stood one above the other, their two murderous gazes clashing like cold blades.

"Master." Chen Yu's gaze fell on the nun lying on her back, and she was taken aback, but she reacted quickly, "Master, lend me a hand."

The familiar voice came, and before Miejue could even think about how she could have met Chen Yu in Hanyang, she quickly put away her whisk with her right hand and swung out her left palm. In the blink of an eye, Chen Yu also sheathed his sword and pressed down in the air with his left palm.

Bang!

An arc of rain burst open between their palms, raindrops scattering in all directions. Chen Yu used the force to his advantage, his body swaying as he soared like a kite for over five or six zhang (approximately 10-15 meters). While in the air, he splashed a handful of iron lotus seeds at several burly men.

"I've been followed by a tail."

"Send a message."

"ah"

The sounds of voices, wind, rain, and hidden weapons piercing the air intertwined. A man fell to the ground. The instant Chen Yu landed, his sword light flowed like waves, unpredictable. Several soft thuds were heard as blood gushed from the man who had been struck by a hidden weapon and collapsed. The man who was about to retaliate spurted blood from his throat.

Tap tap, tap tap —

Blood dripped from between the man's fingers as he clutched his throat, falling onto the bluestone ground, and several figures slowly collapsed to the ground.

Chen Yu stepped forward and used his long sword to pry open a burlap sack, inside which was a girl around ten years old whose pressure points had been acupunctured.

At this moment, Miejue also untied several other bags, which contained girls.

"A bunch of beasts."

"Why is Master here?" Chen Yu asked as he quickly stepped forward.

"After I left the seclusion, I heard from Jingxuan about the events that happened in Qiantang, so I rushed here. I passed through Hanyang and visited Master Ji. I learned that many girls had recently gone missing in Hanyang, so I secretly investigated and finally caught up with this group of thieves tonight."

"7

"When I returned to my sect, I learned of this news in Hanyang. My first priority was to kill the bandits and rescue the people."

"it is good."

Miejue was overjoyed. Not only was her disciple now capable of handling things on her own, but her skills had also improved considerably. Judging from her condition, she must have completed the three stages of the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" for tempering the tendons and fascia. Such talent was truly astonishing, surpassing even her own.

As Miejue thought about this, she suddenly felt something and looked to her side. She saw a little beggar standing in the wind and rain. His face was as white as cream, and although he was still childish, he was extremely beautiful with bright and lively eyes.

Chen Yu also looked over, paused for a moment, and then chuckled inwardly after realizing what had happened. Xiao Zhao had followed him over and, seeing her master take action due to a misunderstanding, had completely forgotten about the weather in her haste. The rain poured down on her face, washing away the grime and revealing her true appearance.

When Xiao Zhao saw the gazes of Miejue and Chen Yu, she came to her senses and realized that her disguise had gone wrong. She was both amused and exasperated. She quickly stepped forward and said, "Brother Chen, Xiao Zhao didn't mean to deceive you. It's just that being a woman makes it easy to attract trouble."

"I understand." Chen Yu said to Miejue, "Xiao Zhao was a beggar. When she and her senior sister and others were heading south, they happened to encounter some Tartars bullying women at the dock. Xiao Zhao came to their rescue, and that's how they met. It's a long story, so I'll tell you about it to Master slowly."

"Good child," Miejue praised.

"Thank you, Master." Xiao Zhao was clever and quick-witted. "These younger sisters will be in Xiao Zhao's care. Master and Brother Chen, thank you for saving them."

"it is good."

Chen Yu released the pressure points for several girls. The girls could clearly hear the conversation between Chen Yu, Miejue, and Xiao Zhao, but they did not shout or scream. Some of the girls, who looked like they came from noble families and had good upbringing, even thanked Chen Yu and Miejue in voices that were still shaken.

"Master, Brother Chen, Xiao Zhao will take them to the shantytown."

"it is good."

"Follow me." Xiao Zhao led her people away quickly.

Chen Yu took out an iron ring from his bosom and put it on his left hand.

Extinction came first, followed by him; the two flew swiftly like ducks, their astonishing trajectories stretching towards the large ship.

>