The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

The more complex the poison, the more difficult it is to use for cultivation. If you can steal a poison, you can most likely also concoct a medicine to help expel the poison.

"Are you sure that besides those three, only the young master of White Camel Mountain and Wu Kang are involved together? There are no other... strange people?" Chu Luren confirmed again and again.

"Absolutely not." Guo Jing shook his head repeatedly.

Chu Luren breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this—as expected, Dongfang Bubai, as Wu Sangui's collaborator, disdained to meddle in the affairs of "children."

Otherwise, Wang Chuyi would only be waiting to die, and Chu Luren would at most help him collect his body and pass on a message.

Chu Luren pondered for a moment and then said, "I'll make a trip to the Prince of Pingxi's residence..."

"I..." Guo Jing and Yang Tiexin spoke at the same time.

"Shut up, all of you! Aren't you enough of a nuisance?" Chu Luren scolded directly, then continued, "I'll find a chance to check out Yu Zhenzi's training room. You... write me a letter, and I'll deliver it to her room for you. We can arrange a time to meet. She doesn't seem to be under house arrest. If she really wants to see you or go with you, she'll meet you! If she doesn't want to, just consider yourself mistaken and don't do anything rash, lest you implicate me!"

Although Chu Luren's words were blunt, Yang Tiexin was deeply moved and quickly said, "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of Hero Chu!"

Chu Luren refused everyone's request to accompany him and, under the pretext of protecting Wang Chuyi, temporarily appeased Guo Jing.

In terms of movement and lightness of foot, Chu Luren is actually the safest to travel alone.

Besides the matter of Yu Zhenzi and the Queen, Chu Luren also had his own greed—Liang Ziweng's treasure snake in the original work was a good thing. Not only could it greatly enhance internal strength and further regulate the meridians, but Chu Luren also possessed the Kunpeng Mending the Heaven Technique, so its effects might be even better...

Chu Luren used his lightness skill to leap a short distance before shouting, "Come out!"

Huang Rong emerged from the street corner, chuckling, "Brother Chu, you're so fast! If you really ran all the way to the Prince's mansion, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up at all."

Chu Luren had long guessed that it was Huang Rong—even though he wasn't good at identifying people by their voices, he knew that besides him and the seriously injured Wang Chuyi, Huang Rong had the best lightness skill in the inn.

"Even smart people can be troublesome..." Chu Luren rolled his eyes.

“No, a smart person knows not to cause trouble. I’m here to help you.” Huang Rong said matter-of-factly.

"Oh? How are you going to help me?"

"Why did 'Hero Chu' make this trip?" Huang Rong asked rhetorically.

"Public-spirited, noble and proud, doing a good deed every day..." Chu Luren said with his head held high, pausing to think of more adjectives.

"Hypocritical?" Huang Rong added.

"I..." Chu Luren met Huang Rong's seemingly smiling eyes and said weakly, "I also want something."

Chapter 181 Small Gadgets

"Weren't you very afraid of Prince Pingxi before? Why did you go to visit his residence?" Huang Rong asked deliberately.

"Afraid? You're kidding. Ask Wu Sangui if he dares to fight me one-on-one. I'll take his hands and feet!" Chu Luren said confidently.

Why did the Chu Lu people come?

Wang Chuyi's life accounts for one point, after all, he and Chu Luren only had "some acquaintances", far from being at the point of life and death, and Chu Luren did not owe him any favors; Yang Tiexin's matter accounts for one point, which also has nothing to do with Chu Luren, just the level of doing a good deed every day; the treasure snake accounts for three points - this can greatly increase Chu Luren's power and aptitude!

The Dream God's internal energy cultivation went smoothly. Even though he spent his days eating salted fish and drinking drunken crabs to improve his aptitude, his cultivation was still slow and relied on sudden enlightenment. The "treasure snake blood" was not only equivalent to a large number of fragments of sudden enlightenment, but the treasure snake itself, if given the opportunity, Chu Luren also planned to make snake soup, which might be equivalent to a considerable amount of drunken crabs.

The remaining five points are because Chu Luren still has a one-time "trump card," which is mostly useless in major situations, but this time... if the situation is urgent, it is not impossible to use it, just to exchange for the treasure snake.

The other 90 points were because Guo Jing said he didn't see any "strange people," which made Chu Luren make up his mind!

"Why did you come along? Didn't you say before that Master Wang and Guo Jing were incredibly stupid for coming?" Chu Luren retorted.

"Hmph! I still have to repay him for the BMW and leather jacket!" Huang Rong's words were clearly tinged with resentment.

"You haven't told him yet that you're his 'beggar brother,' have you? I think that kid is a pretty good guy!" Chu Luren chimed in, after all, he always helped others achieve their goals. It would be shameless for Yue Buqun not to give him the nickname "Gentleman Sword" and instead take the title of "Mount Hua Tai Sui" himself.

"Not bad? He's obviously a bit simple-minded." Huang Rong continued to sulk.

“I think he saw sincerity in your eyes, which is why he gave you the BMW and the fur coat.” Chu Luren seemed to think this made perfect sense.

"Then what did you read in my eyes?" Huang Rong looked over with disdain.

"Admiration!" Chu Luren's discerning eyes shone brightly.

Huang Rong: ...

Before long, the two were close to the Prince's mansion. Without further ado, Huang Rong checked her plan with Chu Luren again.

At this moment, Huang Rong also knew that Chu Luren was eyeing Liang Ziweng's precious snake, but she still put the matter of the precious snake aside - after all, according to Chu Luren, the precious snake had been raised for nearly thirty years, and it was not only highly venomous, but also quite large, making it very difficult to move.

In comparison, the other two things are easier...

According to Huang Rong's plan, after entering the Pingxi Prince's mansion, they should first tie up a servant and force him to reveal the locations of Yu Zhenzi, Liang Ziweng, and the Princess's residences. Then, the first thing Chu Luren should do is set fire to the vicinity of the main residence, firstly to attract attention, and secondly to alert the enemy.

Wu Sangui's safety within the Prince's mansion is undoubtedly the most important thing!

At this time, Huang Rong went to the princess and used a hidden weapon to deliver a message. Huang Rong would observe the princess's reaction after reading the message and decide whether to show herself or retreat.

Judging from Yang Tiexin's reaction, the identity of the princess is most likely correct. If the princess is willing to cooperate, things will be much simpler afterward. If the princess burns the letter directly and does not want the matter to be exposed, she will definitely panic. Huang Rong can retreat calmly and leave, or... she can consider taking a hostage!

As for Chu Luren, he should take this opportunity to go to Yu Zhenzi's residence to find poison... and it would be even better if there was an antidote.

Whether it was with the help of the princess to divert the servants from the palace, or in a panic, Yu Zhenzi was in a hurry to silence them, it is highly likely that she would not be at her residence.

The only room for error is that if the situation becomes urgent, Huang Rong will kidnap the princess – although dangerous, it is always a way out.

Because they needed to split up, the Chu Lu people also agreed that Huang Rong's presence would not cause any trouble.

At this point, Huang Rong, at fifteen or sixteen, was no less skilled than Guo Jing, who was sixteen or seventeen. After all, she was Huang Yaoshi's own daughter. Even if Huang Rong didn't practice martial arts as hard as Guo Jing, the teaching resources made up for it. This was largely thanks to Ma Yu for teaching Guo Jing a set of internal energy cultivation techniques and a set of lightness skills. Otherwise, with the abilities of the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan, it would have been difficult for them to teach him anything worthwhile.

In terms of lightness skill, Guo Jing might fly higher and dart faster, but Huang Rong is definitely more agile in terms of concealment. Given that Chu Luren didn't want to involve Lin Pingzhi and Linghu Chong, Huang Rong was already the best assistant.

after that……

It was easy to interrogate a servant, especially with Huang Rong around, who could detect lies by observing their eyes. However, the servants couldn't quite distinguish where each of the four retainers lived, since they all lived in the same area. Chu Luren naturally asked around and was certain that the four most important retainers were the most important.

In other words, Dongfang Bubai was either in a more secluded place or did not live in the palace at all.

However, during the second step, the two encountered some unexpected events...

Wu Sangui was well aware that he was hated by many people. Moreover, he was a military general, and his mansion was heavily guarded, with his inner quarters almost completely surrounded by guards.

set fire?

There's not much of a chance...

"It seems there's no chance left. Shall we retreat?" Huang Rong analyzed calmly.

Wu Sangui's main residence was naturally located in the north of the inner courtyard. Although the princess's residence was strangely located in a corner, it was also a corner of the inner courtyard.

Although the retainers are not in the inner quarters, and they probably are not used to it either, being surrounded by too many armored soldiers, and are all living in the outer quarters, but... if things are not chaotic in the inner quarters, going directly to Yu Zhenzi and Liang Ziweng will only lead to being besieged!

“No, let’s switch to ‘Plan B.’ I’ll use my own method instead of arson,” Chu Luren said after taking a deep breath.

"Don't do anything rash! With so many guards, even your elder brother might not be able to break through!" Huang Rong already knew who Chu Luren's elder brother was.

"Do you know about my deeds that made me famous on the chivalry list last time?" Chu Luren asked in return.

"I know, I was just trying to get credit for your older brother at Tianning Temple," Huang Rong replied calmly.

Chu Luren: ...

Now is not the time to argue with her. Chu Luren skipped over his own credit and said, "I seized most of a bottle of 'Sad Breeze' from the Western Xia soldiers at Tianning Temple!"

Huang Rong had obviously heard of this rare poison as well, and her eyes lit up as she asked, "You know how to use it?"

Besides its medicinal effects, the "Sad Breeze" is also known for its complex casting method.

"No, but this thing can still be used even if it's smashed, it just won't protect you. I'll rush in and release it in a bit!" Chu Luren said.

That's right. This complicated method is actually half about creating a safe zone. Otherwise, if your own people fall down first, you won't even have the strength to get the antidote. The other half is about spreading the poison. It can spread the poison several miles away with the wind and cover a huge area, which is what makes it so terrifying.

However, Chu Luren had already smelled the Sorrowful Breeze a few times before and was basically accustomed to it, so he was immune to its effects. He could just rush in, crush it, and spread it by running around, which would also have some effect...

If Dongfang Bubai were here, Chu Luren wouldn't dare to be so careless, thinking he could turn the tables with just half a bottle of Beisu Qingfeng.

Not to mention those miraculous skills and secret techniques to avoid poison, as well as divine medicines and spirit insects, Qiao Feng still retained some fighting power simply by relying on his solidified internal energy. If one's internal energy is truly extremely profound, no poison is omnipotent!

Chapter 182 Will This Martial World Still Be Alright?

In the dead of night, a sudden commotion broke out in the inner quarters of the Prince of Pingxi's residence!

A figure in black, using his lightness skill, darted into the guards outside the inner courtyard, and then... wherever he went, the guards fell down like wheat being harvested!

Just by looking at it, it has a rather eerie feel to it; it's more than just ghostly.

However, upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the fallen guard is not dead; he is simply too exhausted to get up and can still speak...

However, this "assassin" was now blindly rushing towards crowded places, and no one else dared to shoot arrows. In an instant, chaos broke out in the inner courtyard. The guards in the outer courtyard and some Jianghu retainers could not sit still and hurriedly rushed to the inner courtyard.

After all, Wu Sangui's safety is the most important thing. If Wu Sangui were to be killed, the Pingxi Prince's forces would have no choice but to scatter like birds and beasts.

This "assassin" was none other than Chu Luren!

This method of artificially spreading the "Sad Breeze" has significant problems. Not only does it fail to distinguish between friend and foe, but it also dissipates very quickly. After the Chu Lu people "forcefully pass by," the poison quickly dissipates, leaving only their immediate vicinity as the effective zone. Guards arriving later will not be poisoned.

As he ran among the guards, Chu Luren shouted the slogans of the Heaven and Earth Society: "Overthrow the Qing and restore the Han, kill the traitors and eliminate the invaders, overthrow the Qing and restore the Han, kill the traitors and eliminate the invaders..."

The guards had never seen such an arrogant assassin before!

Chu Luren initially charged headlong toward the main house, seemingly intent on killing Wu Sangui. However, when the resistance increased, mainly due to the sight of groups of crossbow-wielding soldiers at higher elevations, he quietly changed direction and headed toward a corner of the inner house—his target being none other than the princess.

One of the inner courtyards here certainly looks out of place. Although it's the inner residence of a prince's mansion, this courtyard is very old and its style is completely out of place with the surroundings, like a simulated building on display in an exhibition hall...

Chu Luren knew that this was Bao Xiruo's way of remembering her past love, so she asked Wu Sangui to arrange it.

Instead of going inside, Chu Luren threw a short iron spearhead wrapped with writing on cloth through the window, and then continued to wander around the inner courtyard causing trouble.

Judging that the time was about right, he didn't linger and found a blind spot to re-enter the inner courtyard.

The last group to see Chu Luren's movements were killed by Chu Luren with a single sword strike—Wu Sangui's soldiers were ultimately just "soldiers," and unless they were truly enemies, there was no need to take their lives. However, if you really wanted to kill "Wu Sangui's" soldiers, you wouldn't feel any guilt...

Huang Rong changed her plan to act with Chu Luren. After all, there is a difference between mass poisoning and arson. There is no need to save them. Although the inner courtyard is in chaos, it is enough to attract the other worshippers away, and the security will be even tighter!

Similarly, the Chu Lu people dared not take the pretense seriously and launch a direct attack on the enemy's stronghold. If Wu Sangui had been present, he might have ignored the fact that the Chu Lu people were among friendly forces and directly ordered the arrows to be fired.

Moreover, since Dongfang Bubai and Wu Sangui are cooperating, even though Dongfang Bubai seems to be away from the palace now, if Wu Sangui's safety is threatened, it might alert Dongfang Bubai.

Huang Rong sneaked into the inner courtyard and went with Chu Luren to the residence of the four chief priests, intending to "keep watch" for Chu Luren.

Of the houses arranged in a "田" shape, Chu Luren first ruled out the one from which the sounds of women were coming from. This should be Ouyang Ke's residence. Although Yu Zhenzi was lustful, he was inclined to philandering and sexual exploitation. He usually pretended to be a virtuous sage and did not keep female servants or concubines.

The other three courtyards... Chu Luren randomly chose one. After entering, he found it empty at first glance. However, to his relief, he smelled the Taoist calming incense in the room, which was most likely the residence of Yu Zhenzi.

"Who's there!" Chu Luren suddenly noticed the sound of a vase being knocked over inside the room.