Martial Arts Crossover: My Master is Huang Rong

Lin Xuan's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, locked precisely on a chariot pulled by eight magnificent horses in the middle of the formation—a vehicle clearly more ornate than the others. Surrounding the chariot were dozens of imposing guards, undoubtedly including the vanguard commander of the Wolf Riders.

This is the moment!

Lin Xuan slowly raised his right hand, then suddenly swung it downwards! There was no deafening horn, nor a flurry of arrows flying through the air.

"Boom—!"

The moment the signal was given, hundreds of boulders, which had been prepared beforehand, were forcefully pushed down from the cliffs on both sides of Yan Hui Valley by the lurking heroes. The boulders, carrying immense force, were like moving mountains, accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air, as they crashed heavily onto the wolf riders at the bottom of the valley.

"what--!"

Screams erupted instantly. Before the Mongol soldiers could even react, they were crushed by the falling boulders, falling headlong and mangled beyond recognition. The warhorses, terrified, neighed shrilly and charged wildly through the narrow valley, throwing their formation into chaos.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Immediately afterwards, countless rockets that had been prepared beforehand roared out from the shadows on both sides of the mountain wall, like a rain of fire, and landed precisely in the grass and bushes at the bottom of the valley that had been doused with kerosene.

"call--!"

Flames shot skyward! Two roaring fire dragons suddenly rose up on both sides of the valley! The raging flames reached several meters high, turning the already narrow valley into a hellish inferno. The tongues of fire, billowing with thick smoke, completely blocked the wolf riders' retreat and advance, forming a veritable prison of flames.

"Ambush! Form ranks! Form ranks!" a Mongol centurion roared hoarsely, trying to stabilize the chaotic situation.

However, his voice was quickly drowned out by a new murderous intent.

"kill!"

With Yue Buqun's clear, long roar, it seemed to ignite a hidden killing intent. Disciples of the Huashan Sect and swordsmen from all walks of life, who had been lying in ambush for some time, descended from the sky like lightning. Sword light cascaded like a waterfall, gleaming with a chilling glint in the firelight. They specifically targeted the Mongol officers attempting to regroup, each strike precise and deadly.

Ning Zhongze's figure moved like a graceful streak of light, darting through the chaotic battlefield. Her longsword, seemingly weak and powerless, moved with exquisite precision, each strike striking the enemy's vitals from unexpected angles. Her usually gentle face now displayed only a resolute determination to kill!

Meanwhile, deep in the valley, Luo Bing's raiding squad also made its move!

Like cheetahs in the night, they silently pounced from behind the Mongol army. Luo Bing flicked her wrist, and several flashes of cold light appeared; several guards beside the general's chariot fell to the ground. Her throwing knives were faster than lightning, never missing their mark—she was practically a messenger of death!

In just a few breaths, the entire Goose Return Valley transformed from a silent graveyard into a hellish landscape.

Firelight, rolling stones, sword energy, screams, and carnage... all intertwined to create a symphony of death.

The once invincible Mongol "wolf cavalry" crumbled completely in the face of this sudden, multi-faceted, and devastating attack. Their cavalry advantage vanished in the narrow valley, and their superior equipment proved utterly vulnerable to the boulders raining down from the sky. Their pride in their ferocity seemed utterly laughable in the face of these elusive and highly skilled martial arts masters.

Lin Xuan remained atop the highest cliff, coldly observing everything below. His face showed no joy or excitement, only a calm and chilling composure like the deep sea.

He knew this was just the beginning. Although the vanguard of the wolf riders was in dire straits, the real battle was yet to come.

He slowly drew the long sword from his waist. The blade, illuminated by the firelight, reflected a chilling light, revealing his unfathomable eyes burning with burning ambition.

Chapter 41: Ning Zhongze Encounters Danger

The night sky over Yan Hui Valley was torn in two by the towering flames.

Half of it was a hellish crimson, and the other half was a deathly inky black.

The roar of rolling stones and the howling of flames intertwined, composing a violent and bloody war song. The Mongol wolf riders at the bottom of the valley, like wild beasts trapped in an iron cage, were mercilessly slaughtered in terror and chaos.

However, the reason why the Wolf Riders were able to dominate the northern desert was not only because of their excellent equipment and strict discipline, but also because of the ferocity and tenacity rooted in their blood, like that of a vicious wolf.

Amidst the wailing and howling of ghosts, a group of about fifty elite Mongolian soldiers, led by an exceptionally burly general, actually managed to fight their way through a hail of rocks and arrows.

They abandoned their warhorses, wielding scimitars and shields, and like a swarm of bloodthirsty leeches, clung tightly to the mountainside, launching a desperate counterattack towards the ambush point where the Huashan Sect was located.

The leading general was the deputy commander of the wolf cavalry, named Batu.

He was nine feet tall, with bulging muscles all over his body, like a moving iron tower. He wore three layers of heavy armor, and ordinary swords and blades could hardly hurt him.

The curved blade in his hand was heavy and ferocious. Each swing of it brought a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air, cleaving an oncoming martial arts hero in two, sword and all. It was so fierce that it was terrifying.

"Kill all the southern barbarians! Avenge our warriors!"

Batu's roar was like a thunderclap, clearly audible amidst the chaos of the battlefield. His eyes burned with a frenzied rage and a thirst for revenge.

He keenly realized that the pass where the Huashan Sect was located was one of the most crucial nodes in the entire ambush network. If they could break through this gap, they might be able to escape this land of death.

"Junior brothers and sisters, form the sword formation! Defend the pass!"

Yue Buqun stood atop a giant rock, his robes fluttering, his face solemn, exuding the air of a grandmaster. The longsword in his hand emitted a sharp sword aura, continuously striking down Mongol soldiers who attempted to climb the cliff.

Under his command, the disciples of the Huashan Sect quickly formed an exquisite sword formation.

The sword light intertwined into a net, like an indestructible silver barrier, firmly blocking the passage up the mountain.

However, Batu and his personal guard were all battle-hardened veterans whose martial arts skills far surpassed those of ordinary soldiers.

Undeterred by death, they used the corpses of their comrades as shields, stubbornly pushing forward against the sword net, step by step.

Yue Buqun's brows furrowed tightly.

He could tell that Batu was a tough opponent; his martial arts skills and inner strength were probably no less than his own. To take him down, he would have to exert all his strength, and might even have to pay a price.

Thinking of this, a barely perceptible thought quietly flashed through Yue Buqun's mind.

The Huashan Sect suffered a severe blow after the conflict between the Sword and Qi factions, and has only recently begun to recover. The disciples he brought are the future foundation of the Huashan Sect, and it would be a great loss to lose them here.

Moreover, the main characters in this Battle of Xiangyang are Guo Jing and Huang Rong, and Lin Xuan, this rising star. Yue Buqun is merely here to "assist".

To risk one's own sect's resources for someone else's credit is a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

Once this thought arose, it grew wildly like vines, subtly influencing every move he made.

"Clang!"

Yue Buqun's longsword clashed heavily with Batu's scimitar, sparks flying. A tremendous force surged from the swords, causing his arm to go slightly numb.

He used the momentum to float back several feet, his posture still elegant, and said loudly, "Well done, you Mongol Tartar, you do have some brute strength!"

On the surface, he was fighting Batu with great skill and exquisite swordsmanship, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd. Under the activation of the Purple Cloud Divine Art, his sword energy surged and seemed incomparably fierce.

However, only he himself knew that he held back three-tenths of his strength in every move. In his swordplay, he was more defensive than offensive, and more focused on restraint than on fighting for his life.

His plan was that as long as he could hold off this fierce general, other forces would come to surround him once the battle at the bottom of the valley was over, and he wouldn't have to risk injury to fight head-on.

This subtle change was difficult for ordinary people to notice, but Ning Zhongze, who was in the midst of the battle, sensed something was amiss.

She had been married to Yue Buqun for many years and knew his every move like the back of her hand.

She could sense that her husband's swordsmanship today lacked some of its usual decisiveness and sharpness, and instead showed more caution and tact.

Her heart sank slightly; she knew her husband's old habit had flared up again. She understood his concerns, but on this battlefield of life and death, any hesitation or reservation could have fatal consequences.

"Senior brother, we must finish this quickly! Don't let these Tartars break through our defenses!"

Ning Zhongze let out a sharp cry, and with a flick of her longsword, she stabbed at Batu's side from a tricky angle, like a serpent emerging from its hole, trying to create an opportunity for her husband.

Ning Zhongze's swordsmanship was light and swift, complementing Yue Buqun's composure and magnanimity. Although she was a woman, her martial arts skills were those of a true master, and her movements revealed the grace of a virtuous woman.

However, the situation on the battlefield can change in an instant.

While Batu appeared to be suppressed in his fight with Yue Buqun, he was actually secretly observing the entire battle.

His beast-like eyes had already noticed Ning Zhongze, whose swift movements posed a great threat to him. He also sensed that beneath Yue Buqun's seemingly fierce attacks lay a trace of "hypocrisy," a preserving of his strength.

Opportunity often strikes in a fleeting moment!

"what!"

Batu suddenly let out a deafening roar, the sound wave like a tangible shockwave, making the eardrums of the surrounding Huashan disciples buzz and their minds freeze.

Instead of parrying Yue Buqun's longsword, he used his curved blade to slash directly at Yue Buqun's chest, aiming for mutual destruction!

This move is a desperate, all-or-nothing tactic!

Yue Buqun's pupils suddenly contracted. His "gentlemanly" instincts made him subconsciously choose to avoid the enemy's sharp edge rather than exchange injury for injury.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his body floated backward like a falling leaf, perfectly dodging the fatal blow.

However, this is exactly what Batu wanted!

Just as Yue Buqun retreated, Batu's massive body twisted suddenly with a bizarre gait completely disproportionate to its size!

He endured a sword thrust from a Huashan disciple on his flank, letting the sword pierce his shoulder blade and blood splatter, yet he didn't even flinch.

He gained a precious opening by getting injured!

He suddenly reached his left hand from his waist, and a jet-black, grotesque metal grappling hook was already in his grasp. The tips of the hook's five fingers gleamed with an eerie, ghostly blue light, clearly indicating that it was coated with a potent poison.

"You bitch, die!"

Batu's target was not Yue Buqun at all, but Ning Zhongze, who had just helped him and whose old forces had just been exhausted and whose new forces had not yet emerged!

Everything happened in the blink of an eye!

The poisoned claw, like a ghostly hand reaching out from hell, cut through the air with a sharp whistling sound, tracing a deadly arc, aiming straight for Ning Zhongze's fair neck!

"Junior sister, be careful!"

Yue Buqun was terrified and cried out in alarm. He wanted to turn back to help, but it was too late. Between him and Ning Zhongze lay the vast Batu, an immeasurable distance!

Ning Zhongze was also horrified. She had never seen such a fearless enemy, and she never imagined that her target was her.

A strong sense of crisis made the hairs on her body stand on end. With all her might, she held the longsword horizontally in front of her chest, trying to block.

"clang!"

The grappling hook gripped the longsword's blade with a sharp, metallic scraping sound. The immense force sent a jolt through Ning Zhongze's hand; she felt a numbness in her thumb and forefinger, and the sword nearly slipped from her grasp.

However, this grappling hook is not a one-hit wonder.

Batu flicked his wrist, and the chain on his claws coiled around like a venomous snake, cleverly bypassing the sword's parry. The sharp claw tips slashed viciously at Ning Zhongze's arm.

"His-"

A tearing sound rang out. A long rip appeared in Ning Zhongze's left sleeve.

Despite her desperate attempt to dodge at the last moment, the sharp claws still left a deep, bone-revealing wound on her smooth, white arm.

Five dark bloodstains appeared instantly around the wound.

"what!"

An indescribable, excruciating pain and chill surged into her meridians from the wound on her arm like a tidal wave.

It wasn't just pain, but a chilling aura that seemed to freeze the soul; wherever it passed, the blood seemed to congeal and the meridians became stiff.

"Snow Mountain Chill!"

The name of this legendary poison from the Western Regions, which Ning Zhongze had only heard of in legends, flashed through her mind, and a chill ran through her heart.

The toxin spread at an alarming rate.

She felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, as if all her strength had been drained away in an instant, and she could no longer gather her inner energy.

Her sword-wielding hand fell limply to her sides, her delicate body went limp, and she could no longer stand firmly on the steep cliff.

Amidst the gasps of the surrounding disciples and Yue Buqun's horrified gaze, Ning Zhongze's graceful figure, like a leaf falling in the wind, plummeted from the cliff face into the valley below, dozens of feet deep, where firelight and darkness intertwined...

Chapter 42: Personalized Treatment

Night fell, like a black cloth soaked in blood, pressing heavily over the Goose Return Valley.

Ning Zhongze's consciousness was rapidly plummeting into an endless darkness that could freeze the soul.

Just as her soul was about to be completely swallowed by darkness, a streak of azure light ruthlessly tore through the darkness before her eyes!

The figure moved incredibly fast.

He walked on the 90-degree vertical cliff face as if it were flat ground. Each light touch of his toes on a tiny protrusion allowed his body to make incredible turns and rises in the air.

On the battlefield below, countless people looked up, but could only catch a blurry blue afterimage, like a ghost or a banished immortal.

It's him! Lin Xuan!

At the moment Ning Zhongze was in danger, Lin Xuan, who had been calmly observing and controlling the entire battle, finally made his move. For the first time, a terrifying glint, enough to pierce the night, flashed in his deep, dark eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he moved like an arrow released from a bow. Driven by the Yin-Yang Supplementing Technique, he brought the supreme lightness skill from the Nine Yin Manual to an extremely high level, piercing through the deadly net of arrows and rolling stones, and appearing with unparalleled precision at the most crucial moment.

A pair of strong, powerful arms, carrying a reassuring, warm aura that seemed to melt away all ice and snow, gently yet undeniably encircled her.

One hand embraced her soft, slender waist, neutralizing the terrifying momentum of her fall; the other hand steadily supported her back, a surge of pure internal energy penetrating her palm and protecting her failing heart meridian.

Ning Zhongze's soft, delicate body fell into a warm and firm embrace. The feeling was not one of impact, but rather like a drop of water merging into the ocean; all the shock and unease were instantly embraced and dissolved.

With her last ounce of strength, she lifted her heavy eyelids, and what came into view was Lin Xuan's sharply defined face in the firelight. There was no panic or pity in his eyes, only an absolute confidence and ruthlessness that seemed to know and control everything.

"Heroine Ning, hold fast to Qingming, I will heal your wounds!"

Lin Xuan's deep and magnetic voice, seemingly possessing a magical power that made words come true, pierced through the layers of cold poison's blockade and exploded in her frozen sea of ​​consciousness, forcibly injecting a wisp of fuel called "hope" into her dying soul fire.

He held Ning Zhong-ze, and with a twist in the air, like a hawk soaring through the sky, he escaped the hustle and bustle of the main battlefield in a few leaps and landed steadily on a rocky platform far from the fighting.