Reborn Ouyang Ke: From The Condor Heroes to the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 40 The White Python Whip is Completed, One Month is Approaching!

Since meeting You Chuhong, Ouyang Ke has undoubtedly been treated as a VIP in the Dugu Clan and the Sha Mansion. He understands that the Dugu Clan is intentionally trying to win people's hearts, and he calmly accepts the series of courtesies that the Dugu Clan bestows upon him.

Ouyang Ke understood the reason for all this. It turned out that last year, in November and September of the Daye era, Yang Guang, who had suffered a great defeat in his three campaigns against Goguryeo, suddenly decided to tour the Great Wall in the north. The Turkic Shibi Khan led his troops to break through thirty-nine cities of the Sui Dynasty and besieged Yang Guang at Yanmen.

Forced to seek help, Yang Guang sent an envoy to Princess Yicheng of Sui, the wife of Shibi, who informed Shibi that "there is an emergency in the north." With the arrival of Sui reinforcements, Shibi finally lifted the siege.

After this ordeal, Yang Guang seemed to have lost his soul. He lost all his former vigor, neglected state affairs, and went on a southern tour to Jiangdu, indulging in wine and women all day long, living a life of debauchery.

Anyone with discerning eyes in the world can see that the Sui Dynasty's fate is likely to run out.

The Dugu clan could naturally see that the Sui dynasty was about to collapse, but because the Dugu clan was too deeply tied to the Sui dynasty, they lacked the courage to cut their losses and save themselves. Therefore, when faced with a young man as talented as Ouyang Ke, they naturally wanted to establish a good relationship in advance.

One afternoon, the osmanthus blossoms began to bloom in the Dugu Clan Garden, their subtle fragrance filling the air. Several old osmanthus trees stood tall and graceful, their golden petals drifting down in the breeze and carpeting the ground.

Dugu Feng stood before the stone table, her beautiful eyes fixed on the firebird on Ouyang Ke's shoulder. She had been holding back for several days, but today she finally couldn't resist reaching out her hand.

-

However, just as her fingertips touched the fiery red feathers, the firebird turned around with lightning speed and lightly pecked her fingertip. It was light, but incredibly fast.

Dugu Feng winced in pain and pulled her hand back. Looking down, she saw only a faint red mark on her fingertip. She looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment. With her martial arts skills, she could dodge swords and blades at close range, yet she couldn't avoid a bird's casual peck?

The firebird tilted its head to look at her, let out a cry, and there was a hint of smugness in its voice.

"Brother Ouyang, your firebird is truly remarkable." Dugu Feng's tone lacked its usual arrogance, replaced by genuine admiration.

Ouyang Ke glanced at the little creature on his shoulder and said indifferently, "It is born with intelligence. If you treat it as an ordinary bird, it will naturally not give you a friendly look."

"Feng'er, I told you long ago but you didn't believe me." Sha Zhijing peeked out from under the pavilion, holding a wine pot in her hand, and waved to the firebird, "Little bird, come to your sister." She deliberately filled the wine cup, and the aroma of the wine wafted in the wind.

The firebird's eyes lit up, and it swooped down, landing steadily on the rim of the cup, lowering its head to drink. Its exotic fragrance mingled with the aroma of the wine, spreading in the autumn breeze, refreshing and delightful. Taking advantage of its momentary lapse in attention, Sha Zhijing reached out and gently stroked its back.

This time, the firebird didn't dodge, letting her fingertips weave through the feathers, gradually narrowing her eyes, revealing a hint of lazy comfort.

Dugu Feng was stunned. She had never seen such a spiritually intelligent bird, much less any bird that could be so anthropomorphic. Unconvinced, she clapped her hands to summon a maid, ordered fine wine to be brought in, personally filled a cup, and softly called out, "Bird, I have wine here too."

The firebird glanced at her lazily, then continued pecking at its cup without even lifting its head.

Helpless, Dugu Feng had no choice but to hold her wine cup and approach. Only then did the firebird deign to fly to her hand and peck at her twice. Dugu Feng seized the opportunity to reach out and finally stroked the smooth, satin-like feathers as she had wished. The firebird paid no attention, focusing only on drinking its wine, occasionally nuzzling her fingertips with its beak as a return gesture.

Ouyang Ke watched this scene with a smirk. Whether it was Huang Rong or Dugu Feng, Sha Zhijing or any other woman, it seemed none could escape the charm of this little one.

It is small in size, fiery red all over, has a unique fragrance, and is intelligent; who wouldn't like it?

He suddenly remembered someone.

That girl at the foot of Mount Taibai, pushing her wheelchair in the rain, bickering with a firebird—did she ever discover the secret of the "Nine Yin Manual" in the ancient tomb?

Hopefully, she can stay in the ancient tomb for a while longer, and not come down the mountain too soon, so she won't run into that heartless man, Lu Zhanyuan.

As her thoughts drifted away, Sha Zhijing suddenly said, "Brother Ouyang, Third Brother asked me to tell you that the weapon you asked him to forge is finished."

Ouyang Ke's heart skipped a beat: "So fast?"

He had extremely high standards for this whip. It was about three zhang long, made of silver wire mixed with refined steel, tough yet unbreakable, flexible yet not soft, with barbs at the tip and gold wire wrapped around the handle. He had thought such a meticulous piece of work would take at least a month, but it was completed in just half a month.

But then I thought again, the craftsmanship of the artisans in the Tang Dynasty was truly admirable. For example, the city wall of Luoyang, the eastern capital, was over thirty feet high. How could an ordinary dynasty have built such a wall?

With the help of such skilled craftsmen, it is not surprising that the whip could be forged in half a month.

"Forging weapons?" Dugu Feng's eyes lit up.

She had sparred with Ouyang Ke many times, witnessing his fists, palms, claws, and crutches, but she had never seen him use a weapon.

When the two fought earlier, Ouyang Ke's use of a crutch instead of a sword was already so skillful. If he were to use a more suitable weapon, what would that be like?

Sha Zhijing laughed and said, "Feng'er, you don't know, Brother Ouyang asked Third Brother to whip a long whip."

Dugu Feng's gaze shifted, first looking at Ouyang Ke, then landing on his knees, and she instantly understood. Her face flushed slightly, and she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Ouyang Ke shook his head, his expression calm: "Miss Feng, there's no need to apologize."

He was not the original owner of this body, so naturally his mind was not as narrow as before.

The firebird finished its drink and, seeing that Dugu Feng hadn't moved, gently pecked at her fingertips, indicating that it wanted more wine. Dugu Feng was taken aback, then chuckled, the awkwardness from before dissipating.

Ouyang Ke did not deny it, and frankly said, "My legs are afflicted and have not yet healed. If I encounter a strong enemy, I will inevitably be at a disadvantage. This whip was prepared for this purpose."

Sha Zhijing said, "Brother Ouyang, I heard from Third Brother that you used this whip to deal with a formidable enemy?"

"A formidable rival?" Dugu Feng's heart skipped a beat. She knew Ouyang Ke's martial arts skills all too well. Who could be the person he considered a formidable rival?

"Ba Feng Han," Ouyang Ke said calmly.

Dugu Fengjiao's body trembled slightly.

Sha Zhijing, who knew nothing of martial arts, couldn't help but ask curiously upon seeing Feng'er's strong reaction: "Feng'er, is this person very powerful?"

Dugu Feng remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "This man grew up on the Turkic grasslands, orphaned, and spent his childhood among bandits, yet he honed his extraordinary martial arts skills through astonishing talent. If that were all, it wouldn't be surprising. A year ago, for some unknown reason, he offended the Martial Venerable Bi Xuan, and was relentlessly pursued by Bi Xuan's eldest disciple, Yan Huifeng, nearly dying in battle. After a sandstorm, he emerged alive, but Yan Huifeng was dead."

Sha Zhijing listened intently. Although she was not a member of the martial arts world, she had heard of the names of the three great masters of martial arts, and she knew a little about the significance of the title "Martial Venerable".

As Dugu Feng recounted the story, she realized that Ba Feng Han, who was able to turn the tide and kill Bi Xuan's personal disciple in a desperate situation, was no ordinary person.

Dugu Feng continued, "After that, he was relentlessly pursued by Bi Xuan's disciples, fleeing from the desert to the Western Regions, and then from the Western Regions back to the Central Plains. The reason he has survived to this day is not only due to his martial arts skills and intelligence, but also his tenacity in the face of dire circumstances."

She turned to look at Ouyang Ke, a slight smile playing on her lips, "However, I believe Brother Ouyang can win."

She spoke sincerely.

She had fought with Ouyang Ke and knew that his martial arts skills were far beyond her comprehension.

Even his grandmother said that with Ouyang Ke's current cultivation level, he was already capable of directly confronting established and powerful figures like Zhai Rang and Du Fuwei. Although Ba Feng Han was strong, he might not be a match for Ouyang Ke.

Ouyang Ke smiled slightly but did not respond.

The silver whip arrived a day later.

Sha Chengde personally led the craftsman to the courtyard where Ouyang Ke lived. The old craftsman had gray hair and calloused hands, yet he was as steady as a mountain. He respectfully placed a long wooden box on the table and took two steps back.

Ouyang Ke opened the wooden box, revealing a three-zhang-long whip, entirely silver-white, forged from silver wire mixed with refined steel. It was exceptionally flexible yet surprisingly light in the hand. The whip's body was finely sculpted, with interlocking sections that gleamed with a cold, silvery light in the sunlight. A barb at the tip was as sharp as a needle, and the handle was wrapped with gold wire for a non-slip grip.

Sha Zhijing exclaimed, "What a long whip! Brother Ouyang, won't it be cumbersome to wield such a long whip?"

-

Ouyang Ke did not answer, but the next moment his wrist flicked.

The silver whip emerged like a serpent from its hole, exploding in the air with a crisp sound. Its power surged, and with the infusion of true energy, the whip taut and straightened, becoming like a silver spear.

With another flick of his wrist and a light tap of the whip, a budding plum blossom on an old plum tree two zhang away was rolled down, its petals intact and not even a drop of dew shaken off.

Sha Zhijing was dumbfounded.

The silver whip, curling around a flower bud, floated back and landed steadily in her palm.

When she looked down, the petals still had morning dew on them, glistening in the sunlight.

At the same time, the silver whip retracted as if it were alive, wrapping around Ouyang Ke's waist in circles, turning into a silver belt. Without careful observation, one could not tell that it was a deadly weapon.

A glint of surprise flashed in Dugu Feng's eyes. With just this one move, she knew that Ouyang Ke's skill in whip techniques far exceeded her expectations.

To wield the whip with one's inner energy, to whip objects without causing the slightest harm—such control is beyond the reach of anyone but someone whose inner strength and skill have reached a state of perfection. She clasped her hands in a fist salute and said, "Feng'er congratulates Brother Ouyang on his resounding victory in advance."

Ouyang Ke smiled and said, "I will take advantage of Miss Feng's auspicious words."

Dugu Feng, her gaze intense, continued, "Brother Ouyang, may I go and observe the battle?"

Ouyang Ke nodded and said, "If Miss Feng is willing to go, she is naturally welcome."

Ouyang Ke made no attempt to conceal his battle with Ba Feng Han.

Sha Zhijing quickly said, "Brother Ouyang, I want to go too!"

Ouyang Ke glanced at her and said calmly, "If Master Sha permits it, I have no objection."

Sha Zhijing pouted, turned around and hugged Dugu Feng's arm, saying coquettishly, "Good Feng'er, please talk to Father for me." Although she was about the same age as Dugu Feng, she was like a child who had not yet grown up, clinging to Dugu Feng and acting coquettishly.

Dugu Feng, unable to resist her persistent pestering, had no choice but to nod in agreement.

A day later, Ouyang Ke, Dugu Feng, and Sha Zhijing boarded the fast boat that Dajianglian had prepared in advance. Perhaps because Dugu Feng was present, the Sha family did not object to Sha Zhijing accompanying them.

After two days of sailing, the boat traveled downstream along the river, with verdant mountains on both banks and a strong river breeze. Sha Zhijing leaned against the gunwale to admire the scenery, Dugu Feng closed her eyes to meditate, while Ouyang Ke sat cross-legged at the bow, a firebird perched on his shoulder, occasionally pecking at its feathers and occasionally letting out a cry, its calls mingling with the sounds of the wind and water on the river.

On the morning of the third day, the fast ship arrived at Xiangyang Wharf.

It was late autumn, the river was clear and blue, and the distant mountains were like dark eyebrows.

-

Disciples of the Great River Alliance were already waiting at the dock. Seeing the boat dock, they quickly stepped forward to guide it. The group crossed the dock and walked along the riverside path for about a mile when the view suddenly opened up before them.

A wide river beach with soft sand and pebbles, the river water lapping against the shore, and a small pavilion not far away, with tables and chairs already prepared inside.

Jiang Ba and Zheng Shuming had been waiting there for some time, and experts from various factions under the Great River Alliance had also arrived one after another. The leader of the Qingjiang Faction, Xiang Qingliu,

Chen, the leader of the Badong faction, along with several other gang leaders who had met Ouyang Ke once before, sat in the pavilion, awaiting the arrival of the battle.

When Ouyang Ke, Dugu Feng, and Sha Zhijing arrived, Jiang Ba personally greeted them outside the pavilion.

"Young Master Ouyang has arrived!"

His voice was loud and clear, but his gaze fell on the two women beside Ouyang Ke. Sha Zhijing was lively and charming, clearly a woman from a noble family; Dugu Feng was petite and exquisite, yet she exuded an aura of unapproachability, her eyes calm as water, yet subtly revealing a sharp glint.

Jiang Ba met her gaze and knew that the girl's martial arts were far superior to his own.

"This is Sha Zhijing, the fifth young lady of the Sha family, and this is Dugu Feng, the young lady of the Dugu clan," Ouyang Ke introduced. "They have come here to watch the battle at my invitation."

Jiang Ba's heart skipped a beat. He had long heard that the Sha family was the richest family in Luoyang and had a marriage alliance with the Dugu clan. But for the young lady from the Dugu clan to personally come to watch the battle was an immense honor. He quickly bowed and said, "I have long admired the names of both young ladies. It is an honor to meet you today."

In recent days, he had learned from Ouyang Ke's coachman about Ouyang Ke's series of great achievements in Luoyang, including befriending the richest family in Luoyang, the Sha family, and being regarded as an honored guest by the Dugu clan.

Now that the Dugu clan and Miss Sha have personally arrived, we naturally dare not be negligent!

It should be noted that although Dajianglian is a dominant force on the river, it is still significantly weaker than a behemoth like the Dugu Clan.

Dugu Feng returned the greeting with a smile, and Sha Zhijing followed suit, also curtsying back.

There was still an hour until the appointed time. Ouyang Ke, Dugu Feng, and Sha Zhijing took their seats in the pavilion, facing Jiang Ba and his wife across the table.

A river breeze caressed my face, carrying the unique fishy smell of the river. In the distance, sails dotted the horizon, and occasionally a fisherman's song drifted by, distant and desolate.

This was Sha Zhijing's first time participating in such a grand gathering of the martial arts world. She was both nervous and excited, pulling Dugu Feng aside to ask her all sorts of questions in a low voice. Dugu Feng answered patiently, but her gaze kept drifting towards Ouyang Ke.

Ouyang Ke sat upright in the pavilion, dressed in white, leaning on a cane under his arm, with a small, fiery red bird perched on his shoulder. When he was silent, he was like a jade sculpture, elegant and otherworldly, incongruous with the rugged riverside, yet strangely harmonious.

The river breeze grew stronger, causing the "Dajiang Lian" banner outside the pavilion to flutter loudly.