Chapter Eighteen: Turbulent Waves

  The man in blue saw the four of them leaving and bowed his hands, saying: "Thanks for your help." Liu Yingying said coldly: "Little scoundrel, let's go." Liang Xiao said: "He is seriously injured. If we don't save him, he might not survive." Liu Yingying spat and said: "Mind your own business. This man used deceitful tricks during the fight, he's not a good person." Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Using deceitful tricks, aren't we similar?" Liu Yingying said: "But he hasn't killed as many people as you!" Liang Xiao said: "Didn't Long enter the sea and kill many people? He didn't kill people, but people would have killed him, there's no other way."

  Lan Pao Han Tzu had once spoken for him in the "Drunken Man's Tavern", and Liang Xiao deeply felt his kindness, having a good impression of him, intentionally or unintentionally always defending him. Liu Yingying couldn't reason with him, getting angry and stamping her foot said: "He is a Mongolian, Mongolians are cruel and evil, none of them are good things."

  Li Shuo's face changed, and he said in a low voice: "So to say, my mother is a Mongolian, then I'm not a good person either." He turned around and walked towards the man in blue. Liu Yanyan was taken aback, and hastily said: "Little rascal, what are you angry about? You didn't tell me, how would I know your mother is a Mongolian?" She caught up with him, and pulled out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, "Try this golden wound medicine."

  Liang Xiao wouldn't really be annoyed with her, and casually took it over to apply it to the man in blue. The medicine was very effective and soon stopped the bleeding. The man in blue smiled bitterly and said: "Thank you both." Liu Yanyan thought of their argument at the wine shop and coldly said: "You're a big man, but in the end, you still need me, a weak woman, to save you?" The man in blue didn't get angry either, and smiled saying: "Miss is right, I will never forget the kindness of saving my life from both of you."

  Liu Yingying asked in surprise, "You are obviously a Mongolian, why do you have a Han Chinese name?" Yan Renbai smiled lightly and said, "In the northern regions, Hu and Han are as one, no need to distinguish so clearly."

  Liang Xiao bandaged his wound and said, "You want to cross the river, we can travel together." Liu Yingying said, "Little scoundrel, I've thought about it, but the river is good." Liang Xiao asked, "Not crossing the river, where are you going?" Liu Yingying smiled and said, "Those people know my horse is fast, they think I'll cross the river and take the land route. Humph, I won't cross the river, I'll take a boat westward, rushing to Leigong Fortress's old nest."

  Yan Ren's eyes sparkled with excitement as he clapped his hands in praise, "Unexpected and catching them off guard, what a brilliant idea!" Liu Yueying hummed in response, not even bothering to look at him directly, saying "You little scamp, I'm asking you, are we going to bring him along when we go to Lei Gong Fortress too?" Liang Xiao said, "We can't just save half of them and abandon the rest, right?" Liu Yueying let out a soft hum, saying "Forget it, I don't feel like dealing with you!"

  Liang Xiao led a war horse over and helped Yan Renbai onto its back. Yan Renbai gazed at the corpses of his companions, his expression turning somber as he sighed: "Little brother, the thirteen iron guards followed me in battle across the land, earning countless merits, and today they died for me again - it's truly heartbreaking. As I'm not feeling well, would you please dig a hole and give them a proper burial?"

  Liang Xiao thought to himself, "These thirteen men sacrificed themselves to protect their master, their loyalty is deep and heavy, this matter cannot be left unattended." He drew out his Xuan Yuan sword, dug a large pit, and buried the thirteen big men. Yan Renbai glanced at Long Ru Hai once more, sighed and said, "This person has heroic spirit and exceptional spear skills, little brother, you help me bury him too." Liang Xiao nodded and said, "Right, he is also a good man." He dug another pit, buried Long Ru Hai properly, carved a stone tombstone, and engraved his name.

  Now that there is an extra person, Liu Xiangxiang doesn't dare to laugh and joke with Liang Xiao, nor does she dare to tell him her personal affairs. She feels very unhappy in her heart, coldly watching him being busy, and not even going forward to help him.

  Three people walked along the river, and after a while, they saw a dock with masts standing tall and white sails that looked like feathers. Before they got close, an old man who looked like a boatman came towards them, with a goatee beard and bulging blue veins on his arms. He smiled before he arrived: "Do the three of you want to take a boat? My boat is a big five-zhang boat, fast and stable, I guarantee you'll be comfortable." As he spoke, he pointed to a large boat on the river, where a young man sat at the bow, looking over at them with a slanted gaze.

  Liu Yingying smiled and said, "We're going to Jiangling, what's the price?" The old boatman unexpectedly got a big deal, beaming with joy, and held up two fingers saying, "Six taels of silver." Liu Yingying said, "I'll give you three taels as a deposit first, and pay the rest when we arrive." She took out a piece of broken silver and handed it to the old boatman.

  The old boatman was overjoyed and beckoned to the young man, "Quickly!" He led the way, taking two steps forward. Suddenly, he heard a shrill cry from behind him, "Ah! Watch out!" The old boatman felt a gust of wind at his back, but before he could turn around, he hastily dodged to the left and jumped aside just in time as the crimson horse galloped past him, sending shivers down the old man's spine.

  Liu Yingying hastily stepped forward two steps, grasped the horse's reins and said: "Sorry, naughty horse." The old boatman smiled dryly and said: "No harm done, miss. Next time hold the horse tighter." He turned around and continued walking ahead.

  Liang Xiao and Liu Yanyan exchanged a glance, slowed down their pace, and fell behind. Liang Xiao said in a low voice, "The old man has skills." Liu Yanyan said, "Yes, I saw the glint in his eyes, so I asked Yanzi to go up and test him, and it was revealed at once." Liang Xiao hummed in agreement, furrowed her brow, and said, "Besides, he saw that Yan Renbai was covered in blood, but didn't ask a single question, and just let us board the ship. Isn't that very unreasonable?"

  Liu Yingying smiled and said, "He has the wisdom of Zhang Liang, I have the ladder to climb over the wall. Let's make a plan within a plan and see what tricks he has up his sleeve." Liang Xiao also had this idea and smiled, saying "Good!" The two were bold and reckless, immediately coming to an agreement. Yan Renbai vaguely heard the two discussing their plan, and couldn't help but frown slightly, quietly wrapping his injured arm tighter.

  The young man at the bow came forward, his dark skin, dead eyebrows and eyes, looked at Liu Yanyan for a moment, lowered his head, and untied the rope.

  They set sail and headed west soon after. The journey was uneventful, and Liu Yingying had a nightmare for half the night. She felt tired now and leaned against Liang Xiao's shoulder to take a nap. Yan Renbai didn't say a word, just meditated. Liang Xiao was extremely bored, picked up a piece of wood shavings, wrote math problems on the ground, solved them himself, and enjoyed it.

  Just before noon, Old Man Lu brought in a steaming bowl of fish soup and placed it on the table with a smile. "A family by the river doesn't have much to offer guests, but this fresh fish stew is decent." Liu Yingying woke up at the sound, sniffed, and smiled: "No wine?" Liang Xiao frowned: "You're still drinking? Haven't you had enough?" Liu Yingying punched him on the back and angrily said: "Mind your own business!" Old Man Lu chuckled: "I have wine too, I'll go get it right away!" Liu Yingying irritably said: "Forget it, now that he's spoken up, my interest in drinking is gone."

  "Take your time, everyone," said the old helmsman with a smile. However, he stood to one side and didn't leave. Yinger smiled and said, "You're busy, don't mind us." The old helmsman was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Alright, I'll go steer first." With that, he turned around and left the cabin.

  Liu Yingying saw him turn his back, took out a handkerchief, tore it into three pieces, and quietly stuffed them into the other two people. The three of them had an understanding in their hearts, got up and surrounded the table, each taking a spoonful to drink. Liu Yingying's hand trembled, spilling the soup from the spoon onto Liang Xiao's sleeve, "Ah" she exclaimed, reaching out to wipe it off. Liang Xiao also lowered his head to wipe it clean, and the two of them took advantage of the opportunity to spit the fish soup into their handkerchiefs, not leaving a single drop in their mouths. Yan Renbai pretended that his lung injury had not healed, coughing as he drank, soaking all the fish soup into his palm.

  Liu Yingying smiled and said, "This fish soup is quite fresh." As she spoke, her body suddenly swayed, and she covered her forehead with her hand, trembling as she said, "Little demon, I...I'm dizzy..." Liang Xiao also stumbled, a look of confusion between his eyebrows: "Me too...so dizzy, so dizzy!" Before he could finish speaking, Yan Renbai fainted onto the table, and the two of them followed suit.

  A loud laugh came from outside the cabin, followed by the sound of footsteps, and several people entered the cabin shoulder to shoulder. The old helmsman laughed and said: "Just last night, I received a flying letter from Jiang Da Xia, asking us to intercept the Tartar official on the river. I didn't expect to run into him today. As soon as I saw this guy covered in blood, I guessed it was 99% certain. Ha! Fu Er, heaven is fair, and it's only right that Bai San Yuan achieves great merit and gains fame in the Jianghu."

  The young man's tone was very light, and he chuckled as he said, "Dad, didn't you make a mistake?" White San-yuan smiled and said, "Fu-er, let me teach you something. The Hu barbarians' bows are called composite bows, which are different from ordinary bows and arrows. They can shoot over 800 steps." Just then, the bowstring vibrated, as if Yan Renbai was examining his strong bow. Then White Fu chuckled and said, "Not bad, it's really a good bow." White San-yuan smiled and loudly said, "What are you two standing there for? First tie up this blood-stained thing."

  Two boatmen lifted up Yan Renbai with all their might and tied him up. Bai Fu suddenly said, "Dad, how are we going to deal with this young man and the girl?" Bai San Yuan said, "Tie them up completely and go ask for rewards from Jiang Da Xia." But then Bai Fu swallowed his saliva and lightly laughed saying, "Dad, this girl is really pretty, give her to me as a wife!"

  Bai San Yuan spat and laughed, saying: "You little rascal has a good eye for this, this little girl is born to be a beauty, haha, I didn't expect that the Tartar woman would have such goods. But Han and Hu are not on the same level, playing with the Tartar woman is okay, but don't make her your wife." Bai Fu Xi happily said: "Thank you, Father." Bai San Yuan coughed and whispered: "Afterwards, kill her with one knife, don't leave any evidence, it would ruin the heroic reputation of the White family."

  Bai Fu smiled and said, "Don't worry." He walked up to Liu Yuanyuan's front, stretched out his hand to hug her. Liu Yuanyuan had already hated the father-son pair to the extreme after hearing their conversation, and was just waiting for Bai Fu to bend down. With a full 10% of her "Ice River Mysterious Skill", she struck Bai Fu's chest with a palm. Bai Fu didn't even grunt, his five internal organs were all torn apart, and he immediately died.

  Suddenly, White San Yuan's eyes widened in shock. Liu Yingying took action without hesitation and struck out with her palm. Liang Xiao also jumped up and knocked down two boat workers. Yan Renbai, considering the bigger picture, didn't struggle at all, only opening his eyes when he heard the commotion. Liang Xiao drew his sword and cut off the cowhide rope binding him, glancing sideways to see that White San Yuan had already been beaten by Liu Yingying's flurry of punches and kicks, sending him tumbling out of the cabin door in a frantic escape. Yan Renbai's face changed slightly as he shouted: "Don't let him get into the water!"

  Liu Yingying was about to make her move when suddenly a loud splash was heard, and Bai Sanyuan jumped into the river. Liu Yingying secretly cursed, "Damn it!" She saw Bai Sanyuan emerge from the water with a pair of butterfly-shaped daggers in hand, his face twisted in anger as he shouted, "You little wench, I'll make you sink to the bottom of the iron king's boat!" He dove back into the water. Yan Renbai cried out, "No good, he's going to scuttle the ship!" Liu Yingying was taken aback and felt the ship lurch violently; she couldn't swim and frantically stamped her feet. Just then, Liang Xiao rushed forward, not even taking the time to remove his clothes, and dove into the river with a loud splash.

  Bai Sanyuan was digging a boat, when he suddenly felt the water waves shaking. He turned around and saw Liang Xiao approaching him stealthily. Not daring to be careless, he turned back to face his enemy. The two of them clashed, with waves splashing everywhere, their battle intense and evenly matched.

  Underwater is not comparable to onshore, even the most profound martial arts cannot be displayed. Liang Xiao's swimming skills are not weak, but he has only swum in small streams and rivers. Bai Sanyuan is a big shot on the river, and his eyebrow-piercing technique is suitable for water attacks, which is also very advantageous. However, after several combinations, Bai Sanyuan's stab swept past Liang Xiao's waist, causing him to choke on a mouthful of water and struggle out of the water surface. Bai Sanyuan pursued closely, chasing up to Liang Xiao's back, letting out a sharp cry, his eyebrow-piercing technique raised, stabbing down towards his neck.

  Liu Yingying was shocked and cried out, at this time a sharp arrow shot out with a "whooshing" sound, flying straight towards Bai Sanyuan's face. Bai Sanyuan quickly used the "Lion's Head Shake" move to dodge, but his shoulder was pierced by an arrow. He gritted his teeth in pain and looked over to see Yan Renbai standing at the edge of the boat, already nocking another arrow on his bowstring.

  Bai San's soul flew away, his spirit scattered, and he hastily dove to the bottom of the water. The arrow pierced through the air and followed him into the depths, striking him right in the back. Fresh blood gushed out, dyeing a patch of water red.

  Heavenly luck, Yan Renbai was heavily injured, compared to his usual self, the strength of the arrow was only one percent. Although he hit the target, it wasn't fatal. Bai Sanyuan felt a surge of fresh blood, his whole body weak, abandoned the big ship, and desperately swam out of the range of the arrow, heading towards the riverbank.

  Yan Renbai shot two arrows, the wound burst open, and fresh blood gushed out. He suddenly dropped his bow and arrow, and sat down on the ground with a thud. Liu Yingying put down the rope and pulled up Liang Xiao, seeing that there was a blood stain on his waist, she knew that if it had been two inches to the side, it would have pierced his liver. Liu Yingying felt a lingering fear, and was extremely grateful to Yan Renbai. Seeing that his old wound had reopened, she quickly got some golden healing medicine to apply to it.

  Yan Ren's face turned pale, and he smiled bitterly: "Thanks." He had saved Liang Xiao's life, and Liu Yueyue looked at him differently than before. Upon hearing this, she smiled slightly.

  Returning to the cabin, Liu Yingying's anger had not dissipated, and she kicked White Fu's corpse into the river with one foot. She then glared at the two boatmen, her eyes shooting out cold light. The two men were pale-faced, and one of them hastily said, "Spare our lives, we were all coerced by Bai San!" The other man was also scared to tears.

  Liang Xiao's eyes looked at the two pitiful people, and his heart softened. He said: "At present, the big ship has no one in control, let them wear their crimes and make amends, send us on our way." Liu Yanyan gave him a white eye and said: "You let them send you on your way, hum, sending you to the underworld is more like it." Yan Renbai frowned and said: "That's right, when cutting grass, one must remove the roots." Without waiting for the two to respond, he drew his single-edged sword and with a few swift strokes, the two sailors were beheaded.

  He drew his sword incredibly fast, and Liang Xiao was unable to block it. He cried out in surprise: "You, what are you doing?" Yan Renbai glanced at him and smiled: "These two are useless, keeping them won't do any good, and releasing them will reveal our whereabouts." Liang Xiao angrily said: "Bai San has already left, what other secrets can be revealed? They don't know martial arts, what evil can they do?" Yan Renbai shook his head and said: "Young brother, you are unaware. In this world, many people who don't know martial arts are ten times more vicious when doing evil than those who do."

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, he had been taught by his mother since childhood that the higher one's martial arts skills, the more formidable they were. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and said, "Don't try to justify yourself, killing someone who doesn't know martial arts is not right." Yan Renbai furrowed his brow, then suddenly smiled and said, "Alright, I, Yan, have been thoughtless. Little brother, I apologize to you." He actually bowed in apology. Liang Xiao looked at him with an uneasy feeling, turned around and left the cabin, sitting at the bow of the boat, seething with anger.

  Liu Yingying quietly approached him and sat down beside him, softly saying: "Little scoundrel, don't be angry! The people on this boat are not good sorts. Think about it, if we hadn't been careful, how miserable would we have been?" Thinking of the words of the White father and son, her body involuntarily trembled slightly, furrowed her brow, and softly said: "Even if Yan Renbai is no good, he still saved your life."

  Liang Xiao sighed, nodded and said: "I saved his life, he saved mine, we're even." Liu Yueyue clapped her hands and laughed: "That's right, if he gets a bit better, we'll send him off and then go steal the iron box again." She looked slightly worried and muttered, "This little scoundrel, what are we going to do now that the boat can't be sailed?" Liang Xiao gave her a glance and said: "Whose fault is it that this idiot surnamed Yan killed the sailor?" He thought for a moment, stood up and said: "Yueyue, you come and raise the sail, I'll try to fix it."

  Liu Yingying asked strangely: "Can you row a boat?" Liang Xiao smiled and said: "If I don't know, I'll learn. Who is born knowing how to do it."

  The willow was swaying in the wind, and the sail was raised. Liang Xiao also pulled up the anchor, grasped the rudder and rowed with the oar. He had never held a rudder before, but he had a natural talent for mechanics, and after a glance and a try, he knew the trick, and the boat sailed smoothly upstream.

  Liu Yingying looked down from a high place and burst out laughing, saying: "Ghostly spirit, you're good at steering the boat, so let's make you a ferryman and earn some money by carrying passengers!" Liang Xiao wasn't willing to show weakness, also laughing: "I'll be the ferryman, and you can be the boatwoman, mending nets and fishing every day." Liu Yingying sat on the cabin top, swinging her legs back and forth, laughing and scolding: "You're dreaming if you think I'd be your boatwoman!"

  Two people, one tall and one short, joked and laughed together. By dusk, Liang Xiao finally dropped anchor. He stood at the side of the boat, thinking for a moment, then cut off a section of mast, swung his sword to cut off the iron anchor, tied it with wooden boards, and pulled it up with ropes, suspending it in mid-air. Liu Xiang'er looked puzzled and asked: "Little scamp, what are you doing?"

  Liang Xiao didn't answer, and only after he finished tying her up did he smile and say, "You let me kiss you, and I'll tell you." He was just joking, but Liu Yueyue nodded and said, "Okay, a deal is a deal." Liang Xiao was taken aback, furrowing his brow as he said, "You agreed to it yourself, don't blame me for not keeping my promise." Liu Yueyue's small mouth curved upwards, her face seeming to smile yet not quite smiling, and she lightly nodded before closing her eyes. Liang Xiao was both startled and delighted, feeling his body go weak as he leaned in to kiss Liu Yueyue's cheek, only to find that her skin was warm, soft, and delicate, like a flower with dew or white jade with fragrance. Liang Xiao's soul was intoxicated, and for a moment, he forgot to pull back.

  Liu Yingying suddenly opened her eyes, pushed him away and said: "This mouth of yours, when will you stop? Quickly say, what is this thing?" Liang Xiao scratched his head, awkwardly saying: "This is a mechanism, called 'Ghost Cry Divine Number Two Linked Ring'."

  Liu Yingying asked in confusion, "What's the point of this?" Liang Xiao said, "Now that Bai San Yuan has escaped, it won't be long before our enemies come knocking on our door." Liu Yingying smiled and said, "You're thinking ahead, but why did you choose this name?"

  Liang Xiao pointed to the seven or eight broken ropes on the ground, saying and gesturing: "If someone gets tangled in the rope, they will be bound by the rope around their feet. The wooden blocks and iron bars will come crashing down, knocking them into the water." Liu Yanyan said: "This pile of broken wood and rope is so formidable?" She turned her eyes, let out a loud shout, "Ghostly wails and divine roars!" and pushed Liang Xiao with one hand. Liang Xiao retreated several steps, his foot getting tangled in a rope. "Whoosh", the rope circled around, binding his ankle firmly. At the same time, the wooden and iron clubs sprang out, bringing with them a fierce gust of wind, sweeping towards his face. Liang Xiao didn't have time to react, his body leaning back, jumping straight into the river. The club swept past his nose tip, the rope around his ankle lengthening as he fell, only to hear a "splash" sound, Liang Xiao plunged into the water.

  Liu Yingying didn't expect the mechanism to be so deadly, and she was stunned, only putting down the rope and pulling him up when Liang Xiao shouted. Liang Xiao climbed onto the deck, dripping wet, and angrily said: "Do you want me to die?" Liu Yingying regretted it in her heart, but she didn't back down on her words: "Who let you take advantage of the situation and force me to be intimate with you? Besides, who knew this mechanism was so deadly?" Liang Xiao was speechless for a moment, then shook his head and said: "This mechanism is not deadly enough."

  Liu Yingying saw him diverting the topic and let out a cold hum. Liang Xiao turned around and entered the cabin, seeing that Yan Renbai was not there, he took out ten of his large feathered arrows, re-tied the rope and giant wood with a slight change in the direction of the rope, wrapped the large feathered arrows in the middle of the rope, one by one specifying outside the boat, then covered it with canvas. Liu Yingying did not dare to move randomly, but only watched from the side.

  Liang Xiao said: "Yingying, this 'Ghost Cry Divine Ring Three Linked Rings' is extremely vicious, don't touch it carelessly." Liu Yingying coldly smiled and said: "Who cares?" Then she went into the cabin by herself.

  Liang Xiao thought Yan Renbai didn't know about the mechanism, so he went around the boat to look for him. Just as he arrived at the bow of the boat, he heard someone reciting: "...The moon rises above the Eastern Mountain, wandering between the Dipper and the Ox. White dew spreads across the river, water light meets the sky. Following a single reed's inclination, it overlooks the vast expanse of the void, majestic and boundless, like riding on the wind without knowing where to stop; drifting and fluttering, like leaving the world behind, transforming into an immortal...". Although Liang Xiao wasn't well-versed in literature, listening to these few lines made him feel deeply moved. He walked forward a couple of steps and saw Yan Renbai standing at the bow with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing steadily at the river.

  Yan Renbai heard the footsteps and turned his head to smile: "Little brother, it's you? A rough man like me can't write such a good article, I'm ashamed." Liang Xiao asked: "Did you write this article?" Yan Renbai sighed with a bitter smile: "Little brother has killed me, how could someone as rough as me write such a wonderful article. This is Dongpo's 'Preface to the Orchid Pavilion'. Su Shi is a great talent, admired by all." He paused for a moment and then sighed longingly, "What a pity that this extraordinary talent of the ages was born in the Song Dynasty, which really wasted his abilities."

  Li Xiang had heard of Su Dongpo's greatness, but didn't know his life story. He asked about it then and there. Yan Renbai briefly told him the story and said: "A man of such great talent, unable to be used by the world, instead died in exile in the southern wilderness, isn't that a tragedy of heaven?" Li Xiang also felt the same way, nodding his head and saying: "The Song dynasty emperors were really bad." Yan Renbai smiled and said: "Heaven will punish them, not long after Su Dongpo's death, the Jurchen people broke into the Eastern Capital, and two Song dynasty emperors became captives." Li Xiang said: "That's what they deserved, who told them not to use a talented person like Su Dongpo?" Yan Renbai smiled and said: "Su Dongpo was famous for his literature, but his military strategy was not impressive. However, the Song dynasty had many talents, as long as the emperor was slightly decent, there would never be a lack of heroes to use. After the Jingkang disaster, Yue Fei and Han Shizhong were both extraordinary generals, especially Yue Fei, whose military strategy was rarely seen in ancient times. The Jurchen people at that time were at the height of their prosperity, with famous generals like clouds, but none of them could be his match. Alas, unfortunately, the great general Yue Fei was wrongly killed by Emperor Gaozong of Song." After finishing speaking, he clapped his hands and sighed longingly, filled with regret.

  Yue Fei's story, Liang Xiao had also heard when he was young, at that time it seemed to understand but not understand, only after growing up did he understand a little. At this moment, he couldn't help but say: "Why not capture Song Gaozong and let Yue Fei be the emperor? Wouldn't that be better?" Yan Renbai was taken aback, sizing him up for a while, shaking his head and laughing: "Capturing Gaozong would make the Jurchen people think day and night, but the fate of the Song Dynasty has not been exhausted. After Yue Fei, there were many talented generals, before there were Yu Yunwen and Meng Gong, after there were Huai'an Wang and Lü De, each one was more powerful than the last. Even if the emperors were one by one incompetent, relying on these famous generals' prestige, they managed to hold on until today. But now, Jia Sidao is manipulating power, the court's politics are critically ill, in my opinion, within ten years, the Song Dynasty will certainly perish."

  Liang Xiao clapped his hands and said, "It's best to catch those stupid emperors, Jia Si Dao, and give them a good beating." Yan Renbai listened with interest, clapping his hands and laughing loudly, then asked, "Young brother, what brings you to me?" Liang Xiao told him about setting up the mechanism, and Yan Renbai nodded in approval, saying, "Preparing for a rainy day, well done." The two chatted idly for a few more sentences before entering the cabin together. Inside, the candlelight cast a warm glow on the walls as the gentle lapping of the water against the boat created a soothing melody. Liang Xiao saw that she was sleeping peacefully and felt a surge of tender emotions in his heart. Just then, Yan Renbai said, "Young brother, this girl is wise and beautiful, you must treasure her well." Liang Xiao's face turned red as he stuttered a response, feeling a ticklish sensation in his heart, and all his previous resentment towards Yan Renbai melted away. Yan Renbai glanced at him with a smile, saying, "I'll go to the next cabin," before patting Liang Xiao on the shoulder and leaving.

  Liang Xiao sat on the edge of the bed opposite, propping his cheek with his hand and gazing at Liu Xiangxiang. He looked for a long time before blowing out the candle flame and lying down wrapped in blankets. The soft breathing of the lovely woman beside him was gentle and light, filling the entire cabin with a faint scent of perfume. Liang Xiao's heart was stirred, making it even harder to fall asleep, and he didn't drift off into a hazy sleep until the fourth watch of the night.

  After sleeping for a while, he suddenly felt someone shaking him. He opened his eyes to see that the candlelight in the cabin was very bright. It was Liu Yingying who had pushed him. Liang Xiao sat up and rubbed his eyes, asking, "Is it dawn?" But Liu Yingying waved her hand, as if listening to something.

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, and he leaned in to listen carefully. He heard the faint sound of a flute coming from afar and couldn't help but ask, "Who's playing the flute?" Liu Yanyan's expression turned serious, and she whispered, "The person playing the flute is very far away, and the sound is being forced out with internal energy." Liang Xiao listened carefully again, and indeed it was so. A sense of vigilance arose in his heart.

  The flute sound wailed for a while, and suddenly Yan Renbai laughed and said: "The moon is falling, the wind is clear, the night is desolate, and the flute sound contains the sound of killing and fighting. Isn't it too cruel to the scenery?" The flute sound stopped, and someone coldly laughed: "You're not afraid of death, but you still have the interest in appreciating music?" Liang Xiao and Liu Yanyan exchanged a glance, rushed out of the cabin, and saw that the moon had fallen behind the western mountain, and the eastern sky was slightly bright. A small boat floated gently from upstream, about two miles away from the big ship. The voice of the person on the ship was close to their ears, calm and peaceful, seemingly effortless.

  Yan Renbai smiled and said, "Life and death are destined, shrinking back is useless. Your internal strength is profound, your name will surely be loud." The man said lightly, "Want to know my name? Ha, you're not worthy yet." Yan Renbai smiled and said, "Strange, aren't the Song people like the Huizong and Qinzong emperors, all of them are crazy men who gaze at the sky from a well?" During the Northern Song dynasty, the Huizong and Qinzong emperors were captured by the Jin State and imprisoned in a dry well in Wuyang City, where they were forced to gaze at the sky. This was a great shame for the Song State, and all Song people were ashamed to mention it. The man fell silent for a moment, then shouted, "Good, I've remembered. Gazing at the sky from a well, one word, one slap, stinky Tartar, don't forget, you owe me four slaps." His words seemed to treat everyone on the boat as if they were nothing. Liang Xiao listened to this and secretly seethed with anger.

  A small boat drifted down the river, approaching a large ship. The eastern morning light had just begun to reveal itself, and the figures on the boat could be vaguely made out. At the bow of the boat sat a young scholar, with a handsome face, wearing a green silk hat and a cloud-patterned Confucian robe. Behind him stood a beautiful boy, embracing an ancient sword with a spotted scabbard, his lips red, teeth white, and eyes sparkling. If it weren't for the air of murder surrounding them, this scene would be like a delicate and elegant painting.

  Liang Xiao was startled: "How is it him?" But then Yan Renbai laughed from inside the cabin: "Young brother, please come in and chat." Liu Yingying secretly pulled Liang Xiao once, and the two retreated into the cabin. Yan Renbai sat at the edge of the table, holding a Qinghua porcelain bowl, sipping tea, and smiled when he saw the two: "The two of you have saved my life, Yan Mou remembers it in his heart. As the saying goes: There is no banquet in the world that does not disperse. Yan Mou's body is worthless, but the two of you have a bright future ahead, hurry up and leave before the enemy arrives." He was talking about life and death, but he spoke casually, as if chatting idly.

  Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out: "What are you talking about? We haven't even fought yet, and you want to run away?" Liu Yanyan also chimed in: "Yeah, what's so great about that bookworm?" Yan Renbai furrowed his brow, thinking: "These two kids are like newborn calves who aren't afraid of tigers - they really don't know the danger."

  Before he could finish speaking, a loud laugh was heard and the figure at the door moved. A young scholar with large sleeves fluttering behind him walked in, coldly saying: "I thought there would be several shrimp soldiers and crab generals, but it turns out to be just two immature children?" Yan Renbai did not expect the newcomer to be so quick, and was startled. He had always been a great general, his heart was urgent with surprise, but his face remained calm as still water.

  Liu Yingying was so lightly disregarded by the newcomer that she felt annoyed in her heart. As soon as Wen Shi's voice fell, she retorted: "I thought I was a hero, but it turns out to be just a woman with a long beard." Wen Shi was taken aback and frowned, saying: "Who are you talking about?" Liu Yingying smiled and said: "You! Pretending to be elegant, without any masculine spirit at all." Liang Xiao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  Wen Shi's eyebrows and eyes were handsome, but he was somewhat effeminate. He was teased by Liu Yingying and couldn't help but feel annoyed, staring at her and saying: "You are a noble person, why do you behave like a thief?" Liu Yingying laughed and said: "Everyone calls me the female thief, being called that again doesn't matter." After scolding her, Wen Shi slightly regretted it. Unexpectedly, this beautiful woman didn't take it as shame, but rather took pride in it. He was confused and saw Liu Yingying's gaze sweep over him, his cheeks flushing with heat, his heart racing and tongue dry. To cover up his embarrassment, he turned away and stared at Yan Renbai, saying: "You are the leader?"

  Yan Renbai thought to himself, "This person's martial arts skills are high, but his words and actions are like a child's." He flashed a glance, smiled slightly, and said, "Everything is directed at me, it has nothing to do with those two." Wen Shi coldly snorted, saying, "You're about to die, yet you still talk about loyalty?"

  Yan Renbai picked up the teacup, smiled and said: "Alright, let's not talk about righteousness, but rather courtesy. Yan Mou uses tea instead of wine to toast you." With his left hand forming a knife-like shape, he scraped off a piece of porcelain from the cup and shot it at the scholar like an arrow. As soon as the first piece flew out, Yan Renbai casually waved his hand again, scraping off another piece, making a series of swift sounds. The surface of the teacup was pinched into mud, which he lightly scraped into over ten pieces, one after another, forming a straight line.

  Liang and Liu were shocked and delighted to see that despite his injuries, he still had such strength. The young scholar, however, didn't flinch, a cold smile playing on the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, with a circular motion of his hands, the ceramic pieces were drawn into a vortex, changing direction. The scholar's palms came together as if embracing the ultimate truth, and amidst the crisp sounds, over ten shards of ceramic reformed into a tea bowl. The scholar flipped his palm again, and with a "plop", the tea bowl was embedded into the door panel beside him, fitting seamlessly, without a single crack visible.

  This move, whether internal energy or hand technique, is wonderfully subtle. Yan Renbai's smile froze, staring at the ceramic bowl in a daze, furrowing his brow and saying, "Two Instruments Hun Tian Gong?" Wen Shi sneered, "You have some insight." Yan Renbai raised an eyebrow, laughing, "Are you a poor Confucian scholar?" Wen Shi didn't respond, taking a light step forward, crossing over a few feet. Liang Xiao knew that Yan Renbai was seriously injured and not a match for him, so he took a swift arrow step forward, his left fist slanting out, his right palm shooting straight out. This move "Carrying the Mountain and Chasing the Sea" comes from the Stone Array martial arts, with the power hidden in the waist and abdomen when punching, and transmitted to the fist and palm upon impact. The young Wen Shi saw his move and had a hint of surprise on his face, sweeping his sleeve to brush aside Liang Xiao's left fist, his left palm shooting out urgently. With a "whooshing" sound, the two palms clashed, Liang Xiao letting out a stifled groan, doing a backflip and flying out, crashing through the cabin wall, the momentum not stopping, heading straight for the middle of the river.

  Liu Yingying was shocked and pale, rushing out of the door, kneeling on the ship's side and shouting loudly: "Liang Xiao, Liang Xiao..." Seeing the turbulent waves, where is Liang Xiao's shadow? Liu Yingying's heart ached to crack, tears blurred her eyes. Turning back, she saw that the young scholar had already started fighting with Yan Renbai, both using palm techniques, their moves ingenious and unpredictable.

  Yan Renbai was heavily injured and unable to exert himself, but he managed to exchange six moves with Wen Shi. Suddenly, Wen Shi let out a loud cry: "Got you!" Yan Renbai stumbled back three steps, his right arm hanging limply, fresh blood gushing from his chest and staining the hem of his red robe.

  The young scholar did not pursue, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he said lightly: "You are seriously injured, I shouldn't have made a move. But the struggle between our two countries is different from the grudges of the Jianghu." Yan Renbai's face turned pale, and he smiled bitterly: "That's right, we each do what we must, no complaints if we die." The young scholar sized him up with one glance, sneered and said: "You have quite a bit of guts. One palm has gone, you still owe me three palms. Watch closely, this second palm will cut off your left arm." His body flashed like lightning, Yan Renbai swung his palm to block, the two palms collided, "Ka Cha", Yan Renbai retreated another three steps, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, his left arm hanging limply. He swayed once, then suddenly stood up straight, swallowed a mouthful of blood, and laughed loudly: "Good palm technique."

  The scholar's face revealed a hint of surprise, and he stared at him for a moment before nodding and saying: "Good fellow, I won't humiliate you. The remaining two palms will be counted as one." Yan Renbai smiled calmly and said: "No need to thank me."

  The scholar saw him speaking fluently, taking the upper hand, but in his heart he was suffocating with rage, unable to bear it, and shouted: "Look! This palm will cut off your neck!" His palms were condensed, not yet released, when suddenly a sharp cry was heard, and a cold air came from behind.

  Wen Shi brushed aside the attack, opening up a gap in Liu Yingying's palm force. He frowned and said, "I don't fight with women!" Liu Yingying gritted her teeth, not making a sound, and launched another three strikes with her "Snowflake Divine Palm".

  Wen Shi's hands moved swiftly, parrying over a dozen moves before he felt a hint of impatience and loudly said: "You're repeatedly yielding, Miss, but if you continue to press me, I won't be polite anymore." Liu Yingying saw him deflect her attack with one hand, and her heart turned icy. She gritted her teeth and said: "You killed Liang Xiao; I must kill you now!" Her palm technique accelerated, like a mad demon.

  Wen Shi saw her eyes brimming with tears, as if she was about to collapse, and his heart suddenly became disordered. Before he could react, Liu Yingying seized the opportunity to strike first, her palm sweeping across his face, sending a chill down his spine. Wen Shi shivered and thought to himself, "I'm confused, I should be killing that Tartar instead." His expression turned stern, and he shouted, "You're in trouble!" He feigned a left punch, then quickly withdrew his hand, while his right hand shot out like lightning, pointing at her chest's "Shen Feng" acupoint. Just then, someone loudly called out, "Yun Wancheng!" Wen Shi's heart skipped a beat, and his finger hesitated for a moment. Liu Yingying took advantage of the delay to retreat backward, turned around, and saw Liang Xiao standing at the door, holding a long sword. She was overjoyed and exclaimed, "You little scoundrel, you're not dead?" Liang Xiao smiled and said, "I really did die, do you miss me?" Liu Yingying's face flushed red as she cursed, "The devil misses you!" Though her words were venomous, her eyes sparkled with amusement.

  Wen Shi saw the two of them flirting and bickering, his heart felt sour and uncomfortable. He couldn't help but interrupt them: "Little rascal, what did you just call?" Liang Xiao smiled and said: "I called Yun Wancheng." Wen Shi was taken aback, suddenly realizing: "Ah, this little rascal is taking advantage of me!"

  This scholar was Yun Shu. He, along with Long Ru Hai and Jing Fei, split into three paths to chase after Yan Ren Bai, chasing him all the way to the riverbank, where they encountered the injured Bai San Yuan. Upon learning that the three were heading upstream westward, they immediately set off in pursuit by boat. However, due to their haste, night began to fall, and in their rush, they overshot their mark. By dawn, there was still no sign of the large ship. Refusing to give up, he turned back to search the river surface. Bai San Yuan's sail was uniquely shaped, and before daybreak, Yun Shu finally found the large vessel.

  Liang Xiao had met Yun Shu at Bai Zhang Ping, but didn't know his name, only that he was the son of Yun Wan Cheng. Seeing Liu Yueying in a precarious situation, he blurted out Yun's father's name, unexpectedly achieving an astonishing effect. During their conversation, he again took advantage of Yun Shu's momentary lapse and seized the opportunity to gain the upper hand. Infuriated, Yun Shu's face turned purple with rage, his fists clenched so tightly they crackled with energy as he bellowed: "You little beast, how dare you insult my late father?"

  Liu Yingying listened to this and suddenly understood, unable to help but cover her mouth and laugh lightly. Yun Shu was even more annoyed by her smile. Liang Xiao remained calm and smiled: "You ask how, I answer how. My child, is it wrong?" He clarified his words, Yun Shu angrily shouted and pounced on him. Liu Yingying was shocked and loudly cried out: "Liang Xiao, run quickly!" Yun Shu heard this sentence and for no reason felt a blockage in his chest, gritting his teeth and saying: "Can you escape?"

  Liang Xiao turned around and walked away, Yun Shu closely followed behind him. The two of them fell together, approaching the back of the boat. Yun Shu was afraid that he would jump into the water to escape, so she jumped up, grabbing at his head as she fell. Liang Xiao only felt a strong gust of wind on top of his head, and quickly lowered it, rushing forward and accidentally tripping over the ropes on the ground. Seven or eight ropes instantly wrapped around him, tightly binding him. Liang Xiao had originally planned to lure Yun Shu into a trap, but unexpectedly made an error in the chaos, and ended up binding himself instead. The frustration in his heart was unbearable.