I became a prince in a martial arts world.

Chapter 70 The Mysterious Young Man

Fang Shaobai was the fastest. He thrust out his long sword, and a sword lotus bloomed. The twelve lotus leaves shimmered with silver light, just like a lotus flower blooming on the water, stirring up clear ripples. But wherever the lotus leaves touched, countless drops of blood shot out.

Wang Yu was right beside him. With a move called "Nine Bends of the Long River," his longsword drew nine arcs. Each arc passed by the enemy's side, and the enemy screamed in agony and retreated frantically.

Meng Wei's swordsmanship is vast and majestic, with sweeping and powerful strokes, like waves of the sea, one man forming a wall.

Shen Zhijun moved with composure, but each thrust of her longsword was like a plum blossom blooming in the snow, bright red and beautiful.

After only a few rounds of fighting, the small group of Qishan bandits and Western Region bandits who had been suppressing the Loulan soldiers scattered in all directions, either fleeing far away or hiding back in the ancient city, never daring to show themselves again.

Upon seeing the four experts who suddenly appeared, the Loulan cavalry, unaware of their strength, hastily gathered their loot and rode away.

In a short while, only a mess remained at the scene, along with gold and silver jewelry scattered on the sand.

Wang Yu used his sword to pick out a few clean items and put them away. "Great, it seems I won't have to spend any of my own money on this trip."

Fang Shaobai laughed heartily and picked up a few items as well. "I was just worried that I didn't have enough money to buy Western Region wines, but now I don't have to worry anymore."

Even the mighty King of Zhenxi was picking up money on the battlefield, so Fang Shaobai took the lead. Meng Wei and Shen Zhijun didn't stand on ceremony either, each picking out a few pieces of jewelry and easily exchangeable gold and silver coins to put away.

The next moment, Li Yunxiu and Qianqian arrived with their horses. "Hurry up and get on the horses. If we delay any longer, we won't make it to Luoheji by nightfall."

The group mounted their horses and rode off towards the northwest.

After passing Luoheji, there were two small kingdoms, Quli and Weili. Their capitals were much smaller than Loulan's, but there were more Hu people. Meng Wei and Shen Zhijun mostly operated in the Central Plains. This was their first time leaving the pass, and they looked around with great curiosity.

Fang Shaobai is closer to the Northwest, not to mention Wang Yu, who has lived in Longshan Prefecture for more than half a year.

The group traveled westward, then crossed the eastern border of Kucha, and arrived at Bailongji, a border town of the Kucha Kingdom.

After leaving Bailongji, they could leave Kucha and enter their meeting place, Cheshi Kingdom.

"I wonder if the other four have arrived yet."

Upon entering Bailongji, Meng Wei shook the dust off his headscarf and looked around. He found the market quite lively. "They came from the south, they should have passed through Bailongji too, why didn't they choose to stop here?"

"Of course, it's because it's more comfortable to live in Cheshi Royal City." Shen Zhijun licked her slightly chapped lips.

In fact, Loulan, Kucha, and even Cheshi were all small countries that were relatively closer to the Central Plains. Han Chinese made up more than half of them, and the kings also had Han Chinese ancestry. They all migrated from the Western Regions Protectorate period.

The Tianshan Sect is only a thousand miles away from Yumen Pass, and all its disciples are Han Chinese. Therefore, the Tianshan Sect has always considered itself a martial arts sect of the Central Plains, not a martial arts sect of the Western Regions, nor does it associate with the martial arts sects of the grasslands.

"If the Protectorate General of the Western Regions from the previous dynasty were still in power, the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions would actually be part of the imperial territory," Shen Zhijun said.

Meng Wei said nonchalantly, "We'll get it back eventually."

"I hope so." Shen Zhijun remained noncommittal, pointing to the inn in the center of the market. "After resting for one night, we can reach Cheshi tomorrow."

Wang Yu glanced at it and saw it was the Dragon Gate Inn!

Goodness, it's a pity it's built in a market town. It would be more interesting if it were a lonely inn in the middle of nowhere.

As soon as the group entered the inn, they noticed that something was off about the atmosphere.

A young man dressed in hemp clothing sat alone in the center of the inn, a bundle beside him, his expression indifferent, eating noodles by himself.

At each of the three tables around him sat several people dressed in different ways. Although they seemed to be eating, they were exchanging glances and occasionally glancing at the young man in hemp clothing.

Ordinary people might not notice anything, but Wang Yu and the others were all experts, and they immediately saw that something was wrong.

Meng Wei raised an eyebrow and looked at everyone.

Wang Yu didn't care at all. He asked the innkeeper for a few superior rooms, and then led everyone to sit by the window, far away from the young man in hemp clothing.

It has nothing to do with them, and they might even get to watch the show, so why not?

The guests at those tables also noticed Wang Yu and his group. When they saw that they were dressed in Central Plains attire and carrying long swords, their eyes flashed. But when they saw that Wang Yu had sat down at a distance, they suppressed their surprise and doubt.

Only the young man in hemp clothing remained unmoved, completely ignoring Wang Yu and the others who had entered.

"That kid is from the Central Plains," Meng Wei said in a low voice.

Shen Zhijun nodded. "I can see that."

Meng Wei chuckled and said, "I wonder if he committed a crime in the Central Plains and fled, only to be chased all the way to the Western Regions by his enemies."

Just then, a man at the table to the left said, "Hey, Mr. Sun, you didn't expect we'd chase you all the way from Xingxiu Sea to the Western Regions, did you?"

A man at the table to the right said coldly, "Hand over the Seven Star Yellow, or we'll make sure you never leave us alive!"

Suddenly, the people at the last table a little further away said, "Gentlemen, this is the territory of Kucha. There is a proper order to things. This person stole my king's Three-Leaf Dragon Beard Ginseng. We must chase after him and take it back."

The person at the table on the left chuckled coldly, showing no respect whatsoever. "Couldn't make it in the Central Plains, so you've come to the Western Regions to pretend to be a king?"

The people at the last table from the Kingdom of Kucha slammed their fists on the table and roared, "What are you people?"

A man at the table to the left chuckled coldly, his eyes filled with interest. "Have you heard of Starry Sea Ulanburg?"

Before the people from the Kingdom of Kucha could answer, the person at the table on the right said, "I advise you to say less. The aconite powder in Ulanburg doesn't discriminate."

The last table of people immediately fell silent.

Aconite powder is a highly poisonous substance on par with arsenic and ginseng. While it is not incurable, there is at least no antidote for it.

Those who can use poison are no ordinary people.

The people of the Kingdom of Kucha dared not provoke Ulanburg any further, and instead asked the table to their right, "And who are you people?"

This time, it was the people of Wulanbao who returned the favor. "In Xingxiuhai Feilongxia Linfengzhai, the Feilong Sword Technique is renowned throughout the western part of the sea."

The people from the Kingdom of Kucha exchanged glances, cupped their hands, and said, "We've heard so much about you!"

In fact, they had never heard of Wulanbao and Linfengzhai. They were originally martial artists from the Central Plains who came to the Western Regions to work in the Kingdom of Kucha for various reasons. They were not very knowledgeable people before.

Although Xingxiu Sea is adjacent to Hexi Road, it is located on a plateau and has little connection with the Central Plains. If it weren't for the fact that the Xingxiu Elder was famous throughout the world back then, I'm afraid not many people would pay attention to the martial arts world of Xingxiu Sea.

Even so, decades later, the impression of Xingxiu Sea in the Central Plains martial arts world is still that of the Xingxiu Elder traveling the world and the battle between the Zhenxi King Zhao Zheng and the Xingxiu Twin Stars ten years ago.

After that battle, there has been no news of Xingxiuhai for ten years.

Of course, the fact that the martial arts world of Xingxiu Sea is not connected with the Central Plains does not mean that Xingxiu Sea is not powerful. After all, it is a place comparable to the Dao. Back then, it produced a Grandmaster of the Innate Realm, such as the Old Man of Xingxiu, and the Twin Stars of Xingxiu Sea also seriously injured Zhao Zheng.

Besides them, there are naturally other experts. The Xingxiu Sea and the Southwest Snow Region have always been synonymous with mystery for the Central Plains martial arts world.

Hearing the conversation, Wang Yu's reactions varied.

Leaving aside the others, Wang Yu looked at the young man in hemp clothing as if he were looking at a treasure.

Seven-star yellow?

Three-leaf dragon whisker ginseng?

It sounds like an energizing elixir!

I just received "Star Picker" and "Star Chaser" – is this a case of being given a pillow just when you're sleepy?

On the other side, seeing that the people of the Kingdom of Kucha had finally stopped shouting, the leader of Linfeng Village was a middle-aged man, thin in build, with a sinister look in his eyes. He hadn't said a word until now, but now he looked at the young man leading Wulanbao and said, "Nephew Wu, please go first."

Wu Changluo looked up and said calmly, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Everyone looked at Wu Changluo, and their hearts skipped a beat. He was pale, and his eyes were much larger than normal, with black almost filling his eye sockets. He didn't look like a living person.

Wu Changluo turned to the young man in hemp clothing. Before he could speak, a series of rapid hoofbeats sounded outside the inn, then came to an abrupt halt at the inn's entrance, demonstrating the rider's exceptional skill.

The next moment, everyone in the inn felt a sudden darkness before their eyes as a figure abruptly appeared. With a wolf-like gaze and an eagle-like stare, the sharp eyes of the figure stung everyone's eyes.

Then his gaze fixed on the young man in hemp clothing. "So, you're the one who stole the King's Three-Leaf Dragon Beard Ginseng?"

The people from the Kingdom of Kucha immediately stood up and went to the man's side. "Captain of the Guard!"

The guard captain's entrance was impressive, and Wu Changluo, who was just about to get up, sat back down, ready to sit back and watch the show.

Faced with the questioning, the young man in hemp clothing finally looked up and said, "I saved your king's queen. He promised to reward me with a three-leaf dragon whisker ginseng, but then he went back on his word, so I took it myself."

The man sneered, "The King has already promised you five hundred taels of silver, are you still not satisfied?"

The young man in hemp clothing stopped talking, because there was no point in saying anything more.

The man's face darkened, and he drew his sword with a backhand motion. "Considering you saved the princess, hand over the Three-Leaf Dragon Beard Ginseng, and I'll spare your life." Seeing that the man's sword guard was shaped like a strange eagle wing, Fang Shaobai raised an eyebrow, looked at the man's appearance again, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Flying Eagle Pang Qingyun, he actually became the chief guard of the Kingdom of Kucha?"

Shen Zhijun immediately chimed in, "I heard that he was once a formidable figure in Hexi, defeating many renowned swordsmen, but he suddenly disappeared seven years ago. Some say he died, others say he went to Qishan, but I never expected him to have gone to the Western Regions."

Meng Wei also knew this person. "He was already a top-notch expert seven years ago. That kid in hemp clothes is in trouble."

"Judging from what they just said, it was the King of Kucha who broke his promise, and Pang Qingyun did not refute it." Now that he knew the whole story, Fang Shaobai was not going to stand idly by.

Wang Yu looked at the young man in hemp clothing and analyzed, "This person is no ordinary character; he attracted the pursuit of three parties and remained calm at this moment."

Meng Wei nodded. "Let's see. Maybe he can solve it himself."

The next moment, Pang Qingyun saw that the young man in hemp clothing had withdrawn his gaze and no longer looked at him. He was furious and brandished his long sword, striking like a hawk, swift and fierce.

But the young man in hemp clothing remained unmoved, simply splashing the teacup in his hand at Pang Qingyun. Pang Qingyun ignored it, thrusting his sword through the tea, the long sword pointing straight at the young man's chest, having already decided to kill him.

The young man in hemp clothing grabbed the package and moved two feet to the side, just in time to avoid Pang Qingyun's sword strike.

"What excellent lightness skill!" Pang Qingyun exclaimed softly, lightly touching the ground with his toes as he turned to return his sword. But he had only turned halfway when he felt his legs give way and he fell to the ground in a strange posture.

The entire audience was stunned!

Pang Qingyun, who had collapsed to the ground, felt his internal energy completely depleted and his whole body weak. His pupils constricted sharply, "The tea is poisoned!"

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