Chapter Forty-Four: The End of the Road

  A gentle breeze swept across the ground, causing the grass and trees to rustle. But in an instant, Hua Xiao Shuang seemed to have aged a thousand years, the fresh blood on her body congealing as if she had turned into a stone statue. After what felt like an eternity, there was still no movement, and she couldn't help but open her eyes, suddenly seeing Luo Ming's sharp gaze staring at her, his eyes wide with surprise. She lowered her eyebrows, looking down to see that the small knife was pressed against her wrist, but hadn't cut it off.

  Suddenly, Hong Minggui's expression turned sorrowful, and she sighed, putting away the small knife. "Forget it!" Xiaoxue's heart was filled with wonder, but she didn't dare ask more questions. Since she wouldn't cut her wrist to let out blood, she wouldn't have to leave Liang Xiao. For a moment, she happily said, "Thank you, Granny!" But unexpectedly, Hong Minggui glared at her with anger in her eyes and scolded, "What are you thanking me for? I was going to kill you by cutting my wrist! Why aren't you hating me or scolding me? Even if I spared your life, what's there to thank me for? You're such a useless thing! With your weak personality, how can you compete with others?" She spat out saliva as she pointed at Xiaoxue.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was scolded, feeling puzzled and timidly said: "What are you fighting about? I don't understand..." Luo Ming Qi angrily hummed and pointed at Liang Xiao: "I'm asking you, do you like this little bastard?" Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned bright red, remaining silent. Luo Ming Qi asked again: "Do you have any?" Hua Xiao Shuang glanced at Liu Yue Yue, wanting to speak but hesitating, after a while said: "Wh...where is it?"

  Luo Mingqi sneered, "Is that so? I won't kill him because of you! Hmph, if you don't like it, I'll take his life right now." Hua Xiaoxue was shocked and said, "Absolutely not!" Luo Mingqi asked, "So you do like him?"

  Liang Xiao's smile was not genuine, thinking that this ugly old ghost was extremely shameless, where in the world would someone ask such a question. Hua Xiao Xue, however, was naive and unsuspecting, as soon as she heard it, she believed it, and was taken aback, only fearing that it would be disadvantageous to Liang Xiao, her face turned red, she lowered her head and said "Yes" in a soft and gentle voice, almost no one could hear.

  Luo Ming Qi burst out laughing, turned around to face Liang Xiao, and said with a serious face: "Young one, I want you to do something." Liang Xiao snorted coldly. Luo Ming Qi pointed at Hua Xiao Shuang, forcing a smile on his ugly face: "Better to seize the day than to let it slip away, you and my junior apprentice sister will get married tonight!"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, while Liu Yanyan was already furious and scolded: "Old hag, you're spouting nonsense, you won't die a good death, even after death you'll be sent to the Tongue-Pulling Hell..." Before she finished scolding, her internal organs were in severe pain, and she involuntarily curled up.

  Liang Xiao shouted loudly: "Wicked old woman, are you poisoning again?" Luo Minggui sneered and said: "Dare to scold me? Shouldn't she be made to suffer a bit? Hmph! Good nephew, let grandma get rid of this fox spirit for you!" Hua Xiaoxue was startled and hastily said: "No way! Grandma, you promised me not to harm them!" Luo Minggui wrinkled her nose, snorted, and stared at Liang Xiao saying: "Fine, stinky boy, do you want my disciple's daughter as your wife?"

  She used her poisonous skills to bewitch and transform, leaving Liang Xiao helpless. With a shift in his gaze, he suddenly saw Liu Yingying looking at him with tears streaming down like pearls, her eyes filled with sorrow and pain. His heart ached: "Yingying's feelings for me are deep and sincere; if I betray her, I'd be worse than a beast!" In an instant, he made up his mind, shaking his head to say: "Please forgive me, senior, but I absolutely cannot comply with your request!"

  Liu Yingying heard this, and her tears flowed even more, but there was a hint of a smile in her eyes. Hua Xiaoxue felt her knees go weak, leaned against the wall, and turned pale. Luo Minggui didn't expect Liang Xiao to defy him again, so he furiously shouted: "You dare say that again!" Liang Xiao loudly said: "I'd rather die than obey you!"

  She gazed at him, her face gradually darkening. She glanced at Liang Xiao and then at Liu Yuying, suddenly nodding and saying: "All men in the world are the same, they only like beautiful fox spirits! Hmph, let's see if you'll like her after I turn her into an ugly freak!" With that, she pulled out a metal hairpin from her head and sneered at Liu Yuying.

  Liang Xiao's heart tightened, his impulsive nature acting up, and he smiled slightly: "Even if she becomes ugly, I'll still like her!" He stretched out his hand and tightly grasped the girl's slender hand. Liu Yanyan saw the cold glint of the iron hairpin, and was originally also very fearful, but after he grasped her hand, she felt a warm current flowing from his palm, making her body feel warm as spring, her heart racing with excitement, and she couldn't help but smile at him, all her suffering forgotten.

  Hong Mingxi was puzzled, furrowed her brow and thought for a moment, then suddenly became angry: "You little scoundrel! Don't you like her looks?" Liang Xiao sneered: "Your face is long, your face is short, could it be that because of your ugly appearance, no one likes you?" He casually mocked, unintentionally hitting Hong Mingxi's sore spot, she pouted, raised her sleeves and Liang Xiao only felt his internal organs being squeezed together, feeling an intense itchiness and pain, and involuntarily let out a mournful cry.

  Hua Xiao Shuang rushed up in shock, seeing him staring with his eyes wide open and gritting his teeth, with blood oozing out from between them. She knew that Liang Xiao's temperament was extremely fierce, if he wasn't in unbearable pain, he wouldn't make a sound. For a moment, her heart was racing and she was on the verge of fainting. Suddenly, she heard Luo Ming Hui coldly laugh and say: "I've added four times the amount of 'Wu Xing San', let's see how long this stinky little brat can hold on!" Hua Xiao Shuang couldn't help but be shocked, before she could even respond, Liang Xiao couldn't bear it anymore and let out a mournful cry. Hua Xiao Shuang looked at Luo Ming Hui and urgently said: "Aunt..." Luo Ming Hui angrily said: "Don't beg for mercy! Hmph, stinky little brat, I'll ask you again, will you marry my niece or not?"

  Liang Xiao was in so much pain that he couldn't speak, and still shook his head. Luo Minggui sneered: "Good, let's see how long you can hold on?" In the time it took to say these two sentences, Liang Xiao's miserable cries became even more heart-wrenching, Liu Xiangxiang listened with a broken heart, tears streaming down her face as she said: "Just agree to her... I won't blame you..." Liang Xiao still shook his head. Hua Xiaoxuan thought to herself: "He really does like Sister Liu after all... my previous thoughts were just foolish fancies..." Overwhelmed with emotions, she buried her face in Liang Xiao's chest and wept silently.

  The amount of "Wu Xing San" increased fourfold, which is the limit for using Wu Xing San. Its efficacy is not simply a matter of one times five, but rather it conforms to the number of Wu Wu Mei Hua, which is twenty-five times more severe than before. If this dose is exceeded, humans and animals will undoubtedly die. People who are poisoned will experience the pain of being bitten by ten thousand snakes and the itching of being stung by a hundred ants, with all sorts of suffering emerging endlessly. An ordinary person would lose their life in an instant. Liang Xiao had been practicing martial arts since childhood and had a unique physique, but even he found it hard to bear this toxic punishment. As time passed, he couldn't help but shed tears. The two women were shocked and frightened, and they both cried and begged Lu Ming Hui together. Unexpectedly, the old woman was stubborn and encountered strong opposition, and Liang Xiao's determination only made her heart harder. She ignored the two women's pleas and thought to herself: "Let's see who's more powerful, you or my poison!"

  Liang Xiao was on the verge of death, and in a short while, he didn't even have the strength to let out a miserable cry. All that remained were waves of strange pain surging over him, causing him to faint several times, only to wake up again in agony. The suffering he endured was several times more unbearable than when he had fought against the yin-yang dragon on Mount Hua. He couldn't bear it anymore and almost gave up, but every time his gaze fell upon Liu Xiangxiang, the words that were about to leave his lips were swallowed back down.

  In this desperate situation, not a moment could be spared. Hua Xiao Shuang felt Liang Xiao's pulse growing weaker by the second, and he was on the verge of death. She had medical skills, but no solution in sight. Her anxiety triggered the cold poison inside her to stir restlessly, causing her to collapse beside Liang Xiao. Thinking that if Liang Xiao died, she wouldn't need to live either, this cold poison came at just the right time. As she thought of this, she gazed at Liang Xiao with a faint look, seeing his distorted face, and involuntarily closed her eyes to ponder: "The 'Five Elements Dispersion' is named after the Five Elements, but it should not depart from the Five Elements. The harmony of yin and yang is the foundation of medicine. Alas, medical skills are only for saving lives, while this 'Five Elements Dispersion' can only harm people!" As she thought of this, she recalled the scene in which she and Liang Xiao relied on each other in the mountains, using the Five Elements to interpret the "Purple Mansion's Origin". At this moment of life and death separation, a warm feeling surged up her heart, and she couldn't help but whisper: "In the beginning of the universe, heaven and earth were originally non-existent. From nothingness came existence, and from chaos emerged the harmony of yin and yang; thus, heaven has day and night, earth has reality and emptiness, humans are divided into male and female, and animals into male and female. The operation of yin and yang is endless, resulting in the four seasons having cold and heat, and the sun and moon having eclipses..."

  These few sentences are the general outline of the opening of "Zi Fu Yuan Zong". Hua Xiao Shuang's words were spoken directly into Liang Xiao's ear. As it is said, "the light returns and shines back", Liang Xiao was on the verge of death, but suddenly his mind cleared up, and Hua Xiao Shuang's words, one by one, seemed like the morning bell and evening drum, striking his ears. Liang Xiao couldn't help but think: "The heaven and earth, all things are not separated from yin and yang. 'Wu Xing San' is also one of the things, how can it jump out of yin and yang..." As he thought to this point, suddenly he had an epiphany.

  Hong Mingyu was savoring the thrill of victory, when suddenly Liang Xiao closed his eyes and sealed his mouth, no longer making a sound. She felt a slight chill on her forehead: "Not good, I only sought to humiliate him, but it seems I've gone too far and killed this little brat..." She had never been able to make Liang Xiao submit, which was very disappointing for her. She walked forward, wanting to kick him a few times to vent her frustration. But before she could lift her foot, Liang Xiao's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he leapt up, both palms striking out at the same time. Hong Mingyu didn't expect him to fake his own death and make a sudden comeback, and she was unable to react in time, so she retreated with all her might.

  In ordinary times, this palm was a rare and powerful move that no one could match. At this moment, Liang Xiao had suffered greatly from the poison, his meridians and internal organs severely damaged, making his movements slower than usual by about 80%. Lu Minggui barely dodged the attack with a desperate leap, but her chest was still grazed by the palm wind, leaving her feeling suffocated. Her heart racing with unexplained fear and anger, she took a deep breath, planning to launch a poisonous counterattack.

  Just as she was about to breathe, a faint scent of fragrance wafted in. To Lu Minggui, this smell was all too familiar, and she blurted out: "Wu Xing San... how did you... how did you..." Before she could finish her sentence, the poison took effect, causing her unbearable pain. However, having been with poison for so long, she had developed an immunity to it, and although poisoned, she didn't collapse. Hastily, she reached into her bosom to search for the antidote. This sudden change was peculiar, and Hua Xiaoxiao and Liu Yanyan were both left agape, bewildered.

  Liang Xiao was at the crossroads of life and death, and suddenly realized the way of yin and yang. He endured the pain and took "Wu Xing San" as his inner breath, operating silently to distinguish between yin and yang. This inference was both absurd and reasonable. "Wu Xing San" originally came from the sap of the Chiyou tree, which is like the blood in the human body, circulating without leaving the five elements of yin and yang. Lu Minggui deeply understood its subtlety, so he named it "Wu Xing". However, the blood in the human body is the positive five elements, while "Wu Xing San" is the reverse five elements, which suppresses the five organs and makes people suffer.

  At this juncture, Liang Xiao reversed the yin and yang, and a yang energy emerged from within the yin pulse, while a yin energy emerged from within the yang pulse. The entire body's qi and blood went against the normal order, reversing the cycle of the five elements. From head to toe, it was as if he had become one with the Chi You tree, merging with the "Five Elements Scatter" technique. The toxins and true energy combined in pairs, and the feeling of pain suddenly disappeared. As he operated his skill, he sensed Rou Ming Hui approaching, pretending to be dead. Waiting for her to come closer, he suddenly launched a surprise attack, transforming the "Five Elements Scatter" into true energy that burst out from his palm, killing the "Poisonous Raksha" before she could react. Seeing her reach out to take the medicine, he immediately let out a loud shout, and with a left palm stroke, he slapped forward with a whooshing sound.

  Luo Ming Qi was about to dodge, but Liang Xiao's right hand suddenly flashed out and struck her "Ji Quan" acupoint before she could react. As soon as his finger touched her clothes, he felt a sharp pain and numbness, and when he withdrew his hand, the tip of his finger had already turned purple-black. He realized that the old woman's body was poisonous and that he had fallen into her trap again. The poison took effect extremely quickly, and in the blink of an eye, one of his arms had turned a deep purple color. Without time to think, Liang Xiao used both feet to push off the ground and flipped backwards, using his inner energy to drive the severe poison out through his palm. A blast of air shot out from his palm, scorching the grass and trees on the ground below, turning everything within a radius of several meters into a charred and withered mess.

  Liang Xiao saw the intense toxicity and secretly cursed the old ghost's cruelty. He looked up to see Rong Minggui taking out an antidote, shaking it out and administering it orally. He hastily supported his palm and flipped over. Rong Minggui saw him retreat and advance again, moving as usual without any signs of poisoning, and her heart suddenly chilled as she released three kinds of strange toxins. Liang Xiao continued to paint the calabaza, operating his mysterious skills silently, and forced the incoming toxin out once more.

  Luo Ming Qi's martial arts skills were mediocre, and she relied solely on her highly toxic poison. The poison had failed to take effect time and again, and despite being a seasoned veteran, she was starting to feel flustered. In a moment of panic, she wildly waved her hands, scattering the deadly poison hidden on her body everywhere.

  Liang Xiao suffered a poisonous punishment, his vital energy greatly damaged. At this time, he had to attack the enemy and force out the poison, but after just a few moves, he felt his whole body lose strength, in vain possessing an unparalleled skill, unable to exert even half of it. Several times in a row, Lu Mingxue was within reach, but he happened to be off by a hair's breadth, unable to subdue her.

  Two people stumbled and staggered, knocking over the surrounding herbs in disarray. Their movements seemed clumsy, but the danger they posed was beyond ordinary people's imagination. In just half a stick of incense time, Liang Xiao encountered over thirty kinds of rare poisons. If it were an ordinary person, they would have died a hundred times over. But the "Wu Xing San" originated from the Chi You tree, which absorbed the essence of all poisons and transformed them into five toxins. All poisonous substances in the world are derived from these five toxins. Liang Xiao's true energy was vast like a river, and any poison that entered his body would be like a small boat, which he could easily expel from his body with a gentle flow of water.

  However, at this time, the poison that Ming Hui had been carrying with her was exhausted. Seeing that Liang Xiao still hadn't fallen down, her surprise and anger turned into fear. Both of them had already been poisoned, relying solely on their willpower to hold on. Ming Hui's fighting spirit wavered, and the "Five Elements Scatter" took effect even faster. This strange poison was something she had only just tasted for the first time after refining it, but she felt like her insides were burning, and the taste was really unbearable. She stumbled backwards, letting Liang Xiao strike her with a palm, and suddenly her legs went soft, causing her to fall to the ground. Liang Xiao was also at his last gasp of strength, and when his opponent suddenly fell down, he was greatly caught off guard.

  Luo Ming's heart knew that she had reached a critical moment, gritted her teeth and mustered all her strength, lifted the antidote to her mouth, but was caught off guard by Liang Xiao, who suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed her arm tightly. The two of them struggled with each other, neither willing to give in, one cursing "You damned brat..." and the other retorting "You ugly old ghost...". Despite their weak breathing, their resentment towards each other did not decrease in the slightest.

  The two of them were engaged in a fierce battle, while Hua Xiao Shuang watched with bated breath, almost forgetting to move. Liu Yingying was both angry and hateful, and shouted: "Stupid bird, what are you standing there for... hurry up and help Liang Xiao..."

  As soon as the words were spoken, the two people who were fighting suddenly came to their senses. At this time, among the four people on the scene, only Hua Xiao Xue was unscathed. Liang Xiao's heart was filled with wild joy, and he felt that victory was within his grasp. He shouted: "Xiao Xue... hold her down... take... take the antidote..." Luo Ming Qi was shocked and angry, and hastily said: "Girl... I'm doing this for your own good... quickly give me the antidote... let grandma be in charge... let him... let him marry you..." Liang Xiao cursed: "Nonsense!" Luo Ming Qi coldly smiled and said: "Girl... if he saves that woman, she's more beautiful than you... it's ridiculous to think that the stinky boy will marry you..."

  Two people, one word, I one language, Hua Xiao Shuang listened to the stunned, half a sigh: "Xiao Gege, Po Po, you do not fight, everyone even, harmony and harmony is better?" Walked up, towards Luo Ming Kui said a "offense", pointed at her several acupuncture points.

  Luo Mingqi was furious, just about to scold her, when she suddenly saw Hua Xiaoxue take out the antidote and feed it to her. Liang Xiao saw that she had been sealed with a pressure point, originally happy, but now turned joyful to angry, shouting: "Xiaoxue... you... how..." Her eyes widened in anger, unable to speak.

  Hua Xiao Shuang sighed, stood up, and stared at the porcelain bottle in her hand. She held the "Wu Xing San", undoubtedly grasping the power of life and death. The other three people held their breath, staring at her intently. Liu Yingying's heart was icy cold: "Retribution has come, falling into this little woman's hands, can she still live?" Rong Minggui's poison was alleviated, his pain greatly reduced, and he laughed loudly: "Girl, you still have a conscience. As the saying goes, 'one doesn't do it, two doesn't rest'. This fox-like woman is so charming, as long as she lives for one day, don't think that this stinky boy will let you go! Hmph, why not unseal the acupoints of the old lady, and let the old lady take care of her, letting this stinky boy give up..."

  Liang Xiao gathered a bit of strength and, with a sudden movement, one hand shot out to grab Minggui's neck. Minggui's eyes rolled back and her tongue lolled out of her mouth. Hua Xiaoxue hastily pulled Liang Xiao away and simultaneously pressed two acupressure points on him. Liang Xiao couldn't help but exclaim: "Hua Xiaoxue, I misjudged you!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang remained silent, thinking that Liang Xiao's nature was like a raging fire. Once she let him go, her mother-in-law would be doomed. After some thought, she said: "Xiao Gege, I can let you go, but you have to make an oath!" Liang Xiao asked coldly: "What kind of oath?" Hua Xiao Shuang sighed and said: "After you escape, you cannot bully my mother-in-law again!" Liang Xiao stared at her and slowly said: "Xiao Shuang, are you coercing me?" Seeing his gaze, Hua Xiao Shuang's heart trembled slightly, and she sighed: "If you agree to this, I'll let you go."

  Liang Xiao was so angry that he became dizzy, his brain burning with rage. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I swear!" Hua Xiao Xue was overjoyed, but only heard Liang Xiao say coldly, "Hua Xiao Xue, you're not letting me go today, from now on, we'll be like a knife cutting through two melons - completely severed and never to meet again!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang's body shook violently, a cold sweat spreading all over her body, tears welling up in her eyes, she almost burst into tears on the spot. As soon as Liang Xiao spoke, he regretted it a little, seeing her on the verge of crying, his heart softened again, and he sighed: "Xiao Shuang, let me go, I won't blame you for what happened before..." Luo Ming Qi interrupted him, saying: "Girl, don't listen to his sweet talk... Cough... Men are not trustworthy... Cough cough..." She repeatedly tormented Liang Xiao, knowing that if he escaped, she would surely die. Her heart racing, phlegm rising up, she started coughing loudly.

  Hua Xiao Shuang looked at her, gritted her teeth and said softly: "Xiao Gege, sorry, even if... even if you don't care about me anymore, you have to promise." Liang Xiao tried every means, but couldn't force her to comply, so he angrily said: "Little fool, what's the point of protecting this old scoundrel for you?"

  Luo Minggui was furious, shouting: "Bah! You little scoundrel deserves to be hacked to pieces a thousand times, ten thousand times..." Liang Xiao's eyes blazed with anger, and Luo Minggui didn't back down. Hua Xiaoxue stared blankly, forcing a bitter smile as she said: "Xiao Gege, you promised not to hurt PoPo, so I'll let you go." Liang Xiao grunted, glancing sideways, where Liu Yanyan was still suffering from the poison, her face twisted in agony. He gritted his teeth and said: "Fine, it's settled then!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang nodded, and then asked Liu Yueying: "Liu sister, what about you?" Liu Yueying replied coldly: "Whatever happens to Liang Xiao, I'll follow..." Her gaze was as gentle as water, fixed on Liang Xiao, not even glancing at anyone else.

  Hua Xiao Shuang's heart ached and she struggled to hold back her tears, afraid of bursting into sobs. She didn't dare look at the two again, so she turned around and said to Luo Ming Qi: "Mother-in-law, you must also agree with me, from now on, never use poison to harm people again!" Luo Ming Qi shouted: "How can that be?" Hua Xiao Shuang sighed: "If mother-in-law doesn't agree, I won't let you go either."

  Luo Minggui's temperament was fierce and she had wanted to say, "If you don't let me go, I won't go." But after exchanging a glance with Hua Xiaoxue, she swallowed back her defiant words and muttered, "Fine, I'll do as you say!" Hua Xiaoxue saw that the three of them had agreed, so she first removed the poison from Liu Xiangxiang's body, then freed Liang Xiao and Luo Minggui from their acupoints. Liang Xiao glanced at Hua Xiaoxue, then suddenly pushed off the ground with both hands and stood up. Hua Xiaoxue reached out to help him, but he roughly shook her off. Without saying a word, Liang Xiao helped Liu Xiangxiang up and walked towards the outside of the valley. Luo Minggui angrily shouted, "You little brat, how dare you leave like this?" But Liang Xiao ignored her and continued walking quickly forward.

  Luo Ming Qi was about to scold again, when suddenly Hua Xiao Shuang said in a low voice: "Mother-in-law, stop..." Turning her head, she saw that her eyebrows and eyes were all red, tears rolling down, and unconsciously felt a pang of heartache. She sighed: "Good girl, you're always protecting your mother-in-law, I appreciate your kindness. Unfortunately, you forced me to make that stupid oath, from now on, I won't be able to use poison, how can I help you kill the Fox Spirit?"

  Xiao Xue shook her head and said, "Brother Xiao and Sister Liu are a match made in heaven. I have an illness, my lifespan is not long, I'm simply...simply not worthy of Brother Xiao..."

  Luo Mingyi helped her wholeheartedly, but after hearing this, she felt uninterested and coldly said: "Then why are you crying with a sad face?" Hua Xiaoxue sighed: "I thought so... but somehow, my heart still hurts..." Before she finished speaking, tears fell from her cheeks, one by one, dropping to the ground.

  "Stupid girl!" Luo Ming exclaimed, pulling her into his arms. "Listen, I'm telling you, in this world, everything can be given up, but emotions are the one thing that cannot be let go of. If you give it up now, you'll regret it later." She looked up at the sky, lost in thought, and sighed after a long while, "Many years ago, I was just like you, liking a man. We grew up together, and were considered childhood sweethearts. He... treated me very well, just like a younger sister. And I couldn't bear to be apart from him for even a moment... Alas, at that time, I was really foolish, thinking we could spend our whole lives like this..."

  Luo Minggui's voice choked slightly as she spoke, her nose became wet and red, and tears sparkled in her old eyes. She murmured: "But one day, a woman came to our house, with big eyes, curved eyebrows, and a slender waist, just like a willow tree... Alas, I was far inferior to her. That scoundrel was immediately infatuated with this woman and soon married her. After the wedding, he spent fewer days with me. I don't know how many times I secretly cried, but there was no way out. At that time, I was young and didn't understand things, seeing them get along so well, happy and carefree, thinking that as long as he was happy, what did it matter if I suffered a little? So I quietly left, walking alone at night..."

  Hua Xiao Shuang listened to her talk about the grievances of her life, and felt a surge of sympathy, forgetting her own bitter circumstances. She couldn't help but ask: "What happened next?" Ruo Ming Gui smiled bitterly: "I left the one I loved and wandered around Jianghu. One day, I couldn't bear the longing anymore, so I secretly went back to visit, only to find out... that my senior brother had died several years ago."

  "What's going on?" Hua Xiao Shuang exclaimed. Luo Ming Qi's face was cold and frosty, and she said coldly, "This is called retribution! All men in the world love beautiful women, humph, don't those women know this principle? That's why they use every trick to seduce men!" Hua Xiao Shuang listened, stunned, and involuntarily said, "Could it be..." She was too shy to say anything more.

  Her eyebrows were etched with resentment and venom, her teeth clenched as she spoke: "That shameless woman... my master's brother was busy treating illnesses and saving lives, he had no time to accompany her, so she saw someone else and eloped with one of his patients. My master's brother... how could he bear it? He was in so much pain that he couldn't get out of bed. He had a divine medical skill that could save countless people, but he refused to use it on himself. Do you know the feeling? Knowing how to live, yet dying from illness on his bed. A person can be revived after death, but once their heart is dead, there's no way...". At this point, her eyebrows shot up, and she punched the ground with a fist, saying in a hateful tone: "After that, I found those adulterers and made them suffer for three months before they died. But what's the use? Even if they suffered for a hundred years, my master's brother would still not come back to life. Tell me, if I had ruthlessly poisoned that woman to death, would my master's brother have died?" Her eyebrows trembled, and two streams of tears rolled down her face.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and frightened, thinking that the senior brother she mentioned might be her own ancestor. Her master never mentioned her ancestor, and there was such a shameful past. Luo Ming Qi cried for a while, calmed down, and said: "Good girl, everything can be let go of, but one thing cannot be let go of - love."

  Hua Xiao Shuang was lost in thought, suddenly saying: "Sister Liu is not that kind of person!" Luo Ming Qi coldly smiled and said: "Beautiful women are all untrustworthy! Hmm, you wait." She entered the house, took out a square iron box, and smilingly said: "I swear I won't use poison again, but you can certainly use it once." She opened the box and took out a book that was one foot long and four inches thick. As she flipped through it, the pages were as thin as cicada wings, filled with tiny characters, accompanied by colorful diagrams, depicting birds and beasts, flowers and trees, all vividly lifelike.

  Luo Minggui said: "I and your master have our own strengths, his medical skills are profound, I prefer to study medicine, all my life I've traveled the eight wildernesses, searching for many rare flowers and herbs. This 'Shennong Classic' is my life's work, among which many properties of medicines and their effects were not mentioned by previous generations." Smiling with satisfaction, she handed the book to Hua Xiaoxue, "There are also methods for refining poison and using poison, study it well, find an opportunity, and secretly get rid of that fox spirit, I guarantee that little stinker won't notice a thing."

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and said, "No way, Granny, I don't want this book." Lu Minggui's eyes widened in anger, but she restrained herself and forced a smile, saying, "Good girl, Granny has another idea. As Wu Changqing's disciple, you must be skilled in medicine. If you can use the medical skills he taught you to treat the poison in your body with these medicines, maybe you can cure your Nine Yin Poison Pulse. Besides, poisonous medicine is like martial arts - if used for good, it's good; if used for evil, it's bad." These words resonated with Hua Xiao Shuang's true intentions, and she immediately accepted the iron box, bowing her head to say, "Thank you, Granny!"

  Luo Minggui smiled secretly, thinking that if you like that little boy, you will be jealous of the fire in your heart sooner or later. At that time, this "Shennong Classic" will have endless uses. She thought so in her heart, but was afraid that Hua Xiaoxue would be stubborn and regret it, so she waved her hand and said: "Okay, go!" Hua Xiaoxue asked strangely: "Where to?" Luo Minggui coldly smiled: "I've said it before, love is a thing that can't be forced!" Hua Xiaoxue hesitated in her heart: "If Sister Liu treats Brother Xiao badly in the future, won't I regret it for life like my mother-in-law?" She felt uneasy, bid farewell to Luo Minggui, and hurriedly headed south.

  She didn't dare to pass through the Chiyou Forest, so she took a detour of two miles, climbed up a mountain path, and walked along the precipice for a few steps. Suddenly, she heard the sound of Liu Yingying's voice. Hua Xiaoxue's heart skipped a beat, and she stopped in her tracks, only to hear Liu say loudly: "You said one knife would cut us off completely, what is this supposed to be?" Her tone was extremely indignant.

  After a moment of silence, Liang Xiao suddenly sighed and said: "I was just angry for a moment and said some nonsense." Liu Xiangxiang angrily said: "I don't care if you're true or false, a man should keep his word!" Liang Xiao said: "Then I won't be a man!" Liu Xiangxiang angrily said: "Pfft, you're being shameless again!"

  Liang Xiao sighed, "I shouldn't have left Xiaofeng there. That ugly old ghost has a heart of wolves and tigers. If anything goes wrong, I..." His voice trailed off, his throat slightly hoarse. Liu Yanyan sneered, "She's so sinister and cunning, what could possibly go wrong?" Liang Xiao suddenly raised his voice, "You can say other things about her, but saying she's sinister and cunning is nonsense!" Liu Yanyan said, "Why not? Not to mention the time she treated the snake venom, later when I was poisoned along with that ugly old ghost, she saved him first and delayed coming to save me, clearly intentionally prolonging my suffering."

  Liang Xiao was silent for a moment, then said: "I'm clear about Xiaofeng's character, she didn't intentionally harm you." Liu Yanyan angrily said: "You believe her, but don't believe me?" Liang Xiao said: "Your mind is too complicated, I also can't guess through it, Xiaofeng's heart is like a spring, one glance and the bottom is known!" Liu Yanyan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "Do you really believe her?" Liang Xiao loudly said: "Yes!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang held her breath and listened intently, suddenly feeling a surge of heat rushing to her face. She couldn't help but lean against the mountain wall, bursting into tears. In her daze, she saw a figure flashing before her eyes - Liang Xiao quickly walked over, his sharp voice asking, "Xiao Shuang?" His tone was filled with joy, and he reached out to grab her hand. "How did you end up here? Hey, why are you crying? Did that ugly old ghost bully you? Hmph, I'll go find her right now and settle old and new scores!" He stormed off in a rage, but Hua Xiao Shuang quickly pulled him back, wiping away tears to say, "It has nothing to do with Grandma, I...I'm just happy in my heart!"

  Liang Xiao saw that she was safe and sound, overjoyed to the point of being unable to contain himself, and pretended to scold her: "Silly girl, when you're happy, you should laugh heartily, why are you crying?" Hua Xiao Xue couldn't help but burst into tears and laughter, looked up, and saw Liu Yueyue standing in the distance with a displeased expression. She took a step forward and said in a low voice: "Liu sister, I've thought it over carefully. You were right, at that time, I didn't have any intention of harming you, but I wasn't willing to save you either... Brother Xiao suffered so much for you and refused to give in... So seeing you suffer, I... I felt a little happy..." Her face turned red as she spoke, almost unable to lift her head. Liu Yueyue did not expect her to admit it so frankly, paused for a moment, and gave Liang Xiao a faint cold smile.

  Hua Xiao Shuang sighed and said, "But there's no way around it. No matter how I try to comfort myself, I just can't put down Gege. Mother-in-law is right, everything else can be let go of, but emotions are the one thing that absolutely cannot be let go of." She lifted her head, a rare stubbornness flashing in her eyes. Liu Yueying's heart was filled with anger, her eyes narrowed, and she stared fiercely at Hua Xiao Shuang's face.

  They stared at each other for a while, then Liu Yanyan suddenly said: "Alright, since you've spoken clearly and openly, I'll give you some credit. Liang Xiao, the matter has been made clear, what do you have to say?" The two women's eyes turned together, both focusing on Liang Xiao.

  Liang Xiao felt a wave of disappointment and sighed, lowering his head in silence. Liu Xiangxiang saw him like this and became even more heartbroken and bitter, saying in a hoarse voice: "I'll give you three days to think about it, after three days, there must be a conclusion, either she leaves or... I leave!" With a flick of her hand, she turned around and left. Hua Xiaoxue followed closely behind.

  Liang Xiao's mind was in a daze, watching the two disappear at the end of the mountain path. He sighed and shook his head, following after them. After walking several steps, he suddenly saw the iron box on Hua Xiaoshuang's back swaying back and forth, and couldn't help but ask: "Xiaoshuang, what are you carrying?" Hua Xiaoshuang said: "It's a medical book given to me by my mother-in-law, which records many miraculous medicines. She said that if used well, it can cure my cold poison." Liang Xiao said: "The ugly old ghost's thing, we must be careful." Hua Xiaoshuang sighed and said: "My mother-in-law is not a bad person, but her fate has been unlucky, she has suffered many hardships, which is why she became like this."

  Liang Xiao saw her innocence and secretly sighed, walking silently for over ten steps. A thought flashed through his mind, and he suddenly said: "Xiao Shuang, I've thought of a method that might cure your illness." Hua Xiao Shuang smiled: "What method?" Liang Xiao said: "Do you know why the 'Five Elements Dispersal' in my body can heal without medicine?" Hua Xiao Shuang said: "I'm also puzzled, quickly tell me." Liu Yingying was also very curious and slowed down her pace, leaning in to listen.

  Liang Xiao said with a smile, "This method is quite mysterious, and it may be possible to force out the 'Nine Yin Poisonous Pulse'." Hua Xiaoxue shook her head and sighed, "The 'Nine Yin Poisonous Pulse' was brought from birth, and it's connected to my flesh and blood. If you want to force out the poisonous pulse, wouldn't that mean getting rid of the nine major yin pulses as well? Without the nine major yin pulses, how can a person survive?"

  Liang Xiaodao said, "When the 'Five Elements Powder' enters the human body, doesn't it blend with the five internal organs? Didn't Old Ghost say that the toxicity of the Nine Yin Poison is similar to that of the Five Elements Powder. This method of mine can force out the Five Elements Powder, and it's not necessarily unable to force out the Nine Yin Poison."

  After this ordeal, Liang Xiao's internal strength has advanced to another level. Not only has he obtained the essence of "Zi Fu Yuan Zong", but also has a transcendent momentum. He spoke with his hands, explaining the heart method he had realized. Hua Xiao Xue had also studied "Zi Fu Yuan Zong" and was well-versed in medical principles. Upon hearing his words, she had an epiphany and said thoughtfully: "Xiao Gege, listening to you, it seems like this really works!" Liang Xiao knew that she didn't speak lightly, so he happily asked: "Is this true?" Hua Xiao Xue said: "This method is like a winding road that leads to another world. If we integrate it into the medical path, from now on, who knows how many people we can save?" The more she spoke, the happier she became, her cheeks flushing with excitement, as if the calm surface of a lake had been disturbed by ripples.

  For over a month, Liang Xiao had only seen her looking unhappy and depressed, this was the first time he saw her in such high spirits. Looking at Liu Yingying again, his heart sank once more. The three of them didn't say a word, continuing along the mountain path for another stretch, when suddenly they heard the sound of clashing steel coming from below. Looking down, they saw over a hundred Yuan soldiers chasing after several Song people, both sides fighting and retreating as they entered the Antiyu Forest.

  Three people secretly called it bad, and indeed, a series of miserable cries came from the fog. The three narrowly escaped death, hearing the cries, feeling as if they were experiencing it themselves. Liang Xiao thought that he couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so Hua Xiaoxue took down the iron box, pulled out the "Shennong Bencao", flipped to a page, pointed at a small grass on it, saying: "This is the drought demon grass. This grass grows high towards the sun, and lives together with the Chiyou tree. Burning this grass can produce a strange fragrance, which can counteract the strange fog of the Chiyou tree."

  Liu Yingying glanced at her with a slanted eye, "Drought Spirit Grass" has a light yellow color and a weak shape. She couldn't help but mock: "Such a small grass, what can it do?" Hua Xiaoxue said: "All things have their abilities, and also have their limitations. For example, the eagle cannot wade in water, and the fish cannot fly. Although 'Drought Spirit Grass' is small, it can restrain this king of all poisons." Liu Yingying saw that she was speaking to her with ease and composure, without any signs of embarrassment from before, and felt extremely displeased in her heart, but hated that Hua Xiaoxue's words were reasonable and couldn't be refuted.

  Liang Xiao said, "This place is adjacent to the Chiyou Forest, and the terrain is very high. Let's split up and search, maybe we can find it." The three of them split up to search, and suddenly Hua Xiaoshuang called out, "It's here!" She reached into a crevice in the cliff and pulled out a small plant with goose-yellow leaves, about one foot long, with six leaves on its stem. Two leaf blades wrapped around a red fruit, identical to the illustration in the Shen Nong Jing.

  Liang Xiao also found three stalks of drought demon grass nearby, tied them to a withered tree and set it on fire. He then broke off a wooden stick, climbed down the rock, and ventured deep into the strange fog. The two women were worried and followed closely behind him. The torches emitted a fragrance that dispersed the thick fog, causing the poisonous creatures to flee in all directions. Liang Xiao walked for dozens of steps, seeing corpses along the way, thinking: "After all, I've delayed for too long, I'm afraid there's no one alive left." Suddenly, he heard a faint cry from afar, and followed the sound, walking over a dozen steps before two people rushed out in front of him. More than half of their bodies were covered with venomous snakes. Before Liang Xiao could get close, the snakes dispersed, revealing the two people's bodies, dressed in Song Dynasty attire.

  Liang Xiao reached out to touch them, but felt that the two had not yet stopped breathing, only their faces were swollen and bruised, making it impossible to discern their features. Hua Xiaoxue stretched out her hand to feel their pulse and said: "They were stung by poisonous bees, escaped here and fainted like dead people, escaping the snakes and scorpions' bites." Liang Xiao saw that the torch had burned more than half, and soon would burn out, so he said: "Let's talk after we leave the forest."

  He handed the torch to Liu Yingying, took the two of them under his arm and exited the forest. He also let Hua Xiaoxue stay behind to watch over them and gather more drought demon grass, making another torch with it, and went deep into the fog with Liu Yingying. After searching for a while, they didn't see anyone alive, turned around and left the forest, only to see that the two Song people had already woken up, and the swelling on their faces had also subsided a lot. Liang Xiao took a look at them, slightly surprised, one of them was actually He Xiangyang, and the other was a young man who hadn't even reached his weak crown.

  "They're much better now," said Hua Xiao Shuang as the two men emerged from the forest. Liang Xiao was about to speak when He Xunyang struggled to sit up, his voice hoarse with pain: "The kindness of you gentlemen in saving us is something that He will never forget." Liang Xiao found it strange that he spoke so politely and looked at him more closely, discovering that his eyelids had been stung by poisonous bees, causing his eyes to swell and rendering him unable to see. Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat as he asked in a low voice: "Why were you two being pursued by the Yuan soldiers?" He Xunyang was even more confused, but told the truth: "To be honest with you gentlemen, I am He Xunyang, who has some reputation on the rivers and lakes. This is Jing Wen, the young master of the Jing family. We were originally under Yun Shu's command, but this time we broke out of Cliff Mountain and gathered troops everywhere, only to find that nothing was gained and instead we were pursued by the Yuan soldiers all along the way."

  Liang Xiaoqi said, "The Song army is at Yaoshan?" He Xunyang smiled bitterly and said, "The great Song dynasty is about to meet its end! Originally, Yun Daxia had repeatedly defeated the Tartar water troops, but the Tartars were forced to send reinforcements from the north. The two armies clashed, and it was a critical moment, but those scoundrel officials came to harm him. Some people secretly colluded with the Tartars and surrendered the city, while others were jealous of Yun Daxia's success and deliberately hindered him, not even allowing him to enter the imperial court. Alas, Yun Daxia was isolated and unable to succeed, suffering several defeats in a row, and retreated to Yaoshan by the sea."

  Liang Xiao frowned and said, "Entering the court to see the emperor, does the Great Song still have an emperor?" He Xunyang said, "There is one, who is also trapped in Cliff Mountain." Liang Xiao blurted out, "Is it Prince Yi or Prince Guang?" He Xunyang's heart was filled with suspicion: "How did this person know the emperor's early title?" Suddenly he took a step back and pulled Yin Wencheng, saying, "As for Prince Yi or Prince Guang, I don't know!"

  Liang Xiao looked at his expression and knew that he couldn't get the truth out of him anymore, so he said: "Let's leave the mountain first!" He helped the two of them up and they left the mountain together. When they reached the foot of the mountain, he said: "From here, going east will take you to the official road. Now that the Yuan people are powerful, going this way means certain death. You might as well find a place to hide and avoid them for a few days." Jing Wen's eyes could see things, but he didn't recognize Liang Xiao. He thanked him profusely and supported He Shuangyang as they walked westward.

  Three people turned back to the official road, and before they got close, they suddenly saw several corpses placed in front of them, all of whom were Song Yuan's soldiers. Liang Xiao was shocked and ordered the light cavalry to rush to the official road. On the main road, there were also a few corpses lying around, with steel knives and broken spears scattered everywhere, but there was no sign of Huasheng. Liang Xiao's heart sank, and he shouted loudly: "Huasheng, Huasheng..." His voice became slightly hoarse after the second shout.

  Just as they were getting anxious, a rustling sound came from the trees beside the path, and out popped a round-headed figure with shining eyes. It was not Huasheng who else could it be? Liang Xiao let out a sigh of relief as the two women rushed up behind him, their faces filled with surprise and delight. Huasheng saw the three of them and exclaimed loudly: "You've been gone for so long! I thought you'd forgotten about me!" He took hold of Zhuizhi and Kuai Xue's hands, shouldered his luggage, and walked out of the trees.

  Liang Xiao asked, "What's going on?" Hua Sheng said with a bitter face, "I was sitting there just fine, when suddenly a lot of fierce-looking people came. I got scared and led the horse and donkey to hide in the woods, watching them chop and kill each other, many people died, and a lot of blood flowed. I lay in the woods, not even daring to breathe."

  Liang Xiao sighed and patted Hua Sheng's shoulder: "Good job, you dodged in time." Hua Xiao also praised Hua Sheng a few words. Hua Sheng was pleased with himself, scratching his bald head and laughing, but suddenly remembered something and turned to Liu Yueyue: "Your horse is really fierce, even fiercer than you!" Liu Yueyue raised an eyebrow, angrily saying: "You little bald thief, how dare you scold me?" Hua Sheng said: "I'm not scolding you, I'm telling the truth. Just now when I pulled it, it kicked me here." He pointed to his buttocks, "And there's a hoof print too, don't believe me? I'll take off my pants and show you." After speaking, he wanted to untie his belt. Liu Yueyue's face turned bright red with anger, saying: "Look at you, you...you dare to take off your pants, I...I'll kill you!"

  The peanut saw her anger and said, "So you believe me?" Liu Yanyan was stunned. If she said she didn't believe him, Xiao Zei would take off his pants; if she said she did, wouldn't that be admitting to being very cruel? For a moment, she had no words to respond, feeling suffocated in her heart.

  She sulked for a while, then suddenly saw Liang Xiao sitting by the side of the road, looking up at the sky with an absent-minded expression. She couldn't help but ask: "Little scoundrel, what are you thinking about?" Liang Xiao said: "I've been thinking about one thing since I came down from the mountain." Liu Xiangxiang asked: "Is it about three days later?" She thought to herself that Liang Xiao must be worried about making a choice.

  Liang Xiao shook his head and sighed, "Yingying, a child once called me uncle, now there's another life-threatening situation, if it were you, what would you do?" Liu Yingying replied without hesitation, "What's there to say? Of course, I'd rescue with all my might." Liang Xiao nodded slightly. Liu Yingying scolded, "You're being weird again, why bring this up?" Liang Xiao brushed off his clothes and stood up, saying, "Yingying, I'm entrusting Xiaoshuang to you, please take good care of her."

  Liu Yingying saw his severe expression, without any playful attitude, and was stunned for a moment. She couldn't help but say angrily: "Why should I take care of her? I'd rather kill her!" Liang Xiao was taken aback, thinking to himself: "I'm confused, why is she taking care of Xiaoxiao?" Looking at Hua Sheng's silly expression again, he felt even more annoyed. Suddenly, he heard Hua Xiaoxiao tremble and say: "Xiaogege, you...you really dislike me..." Liang Xiao saw her eyes redden and knew that his words were inappropriate, and she was about to cry again. He could only sigh and say: "Yingying, Xiaoxiao, the child who calls me uncle is in a desperate situation, he has begged for my help, and I have promised to protect him. As a man of honor, how can I go back on my word? Moreover..." His chest hurt, and he slowly said: "He's alive today all thanks to my sister Ah Xue sacrificing her life. If I don't save this child, when I die, what face will I have to see her with?" His voice trembled slightly as he spoke the last few sentences.

  Liu Yingying gave a faint cold smile and said loudly, "This is easy, I'll go with you to rescue people. If we live, we live together! If we die, we die together!" Liang Xiao was taken aback, while Hua Xiaoxue also said, "Sister Liu is right." Her voice was soft and gentle, but there was a resolute air between her eyebrows.

  The two girls' eyes sparkled brightly, and Liang Xiao couldn't bear to look at them. He said with a guilty conscience: "Forget it, but in any case, you have to listen to my orders." The two girls heard this and secretly let out a sigh of relief. Liang Xiao then asked Huasheng: "Are you going or not?"

  The peanut didn't understand, so he rubbed his bald head and said: "Where you go, I'll go too!" Liu Yanyan poked his bald head with her finger and laughed: "You're a little bald donkey who finally said something human! If you don't go, humph, I won't give you any face!" The peanut rubbed his head and smiled foolishly. But Liang Xiao knew that this trip was perilous, if they could get someone's help, their chances of winning would increase, so he felt a little relieved in his heart and also smiled slightly, nodding his head.

  The plan was set, and they were about to depart. Suddenly, Liang Xiao's heart moved, and he said to the three of them: "You all wait here for me." Without another word, he quickly entered the mountain. The three of them waited for half a day, but didn't see him return. Liu Xiangxiang was worried in her heart: "Did he go off alone into danger?" The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. Just as she was about to enter the mountain, she suddenly saw thick smoke billowing from the distant mountains, rushing towards the sky. At that moment of surprise, Liang Xiao came running back with big strides. She was overjoyed and rushed up to scold him: "You little rascal, where did you go?" She grabbed him and punched him hard once.

  Liang Xiao covered his aching shoulder and smiled, "I'm going to the Gui You forest." Hua Xiao Xue asked strangely, "What are you doing again?" Liang Xiao said, "I set fire to that bird's nest and burned it down. That ugly old ghost has wronged me deeply, I'm just seeking justice!" Liu Yueyue exclaimed happily, "Great! If we can't get our money back, getting some interest is not bad either." Hua Xiao Xue gazed at the thick smoke and sighed, "The Gui You tree is a rare treasure in the world. Even if it's extinct, it's still a pity!" Liang Xiao said coldly, "Luring countless lives to death for one's own benefit. What good is there in keeping such an evil thing?" Hua Xiao Xue lowered her head and remained silent, unable to shake off the regret in her heart.

  Four people galloped through the night, rushing to Ya Mountain. Liang Xiao picked up discarded bows, arrows, and spears along the way, repairing them properly and carrying them with him. The next morning, the group arrived at Ya Mountain. Liang Xiao rode his horse up a small hill, where he saw the vast ocean stretching out before him, endless and boundless. The Song and Yuan warships were arrayed on the sea, looking like countless tiny toys bobbing up and down on the waves.

  Liang Xiao gazed silently for a while, then suddenly said: "The Song army has been defeated!" Liu Yueying asked: "The Song people have more warships, how can they be defeated?" Liang Xiao replied: "The strength of the army is not in its numbers but in its precision. The Yuan army's formation is neat and tidy, with a strong defense, their large and small ships are well-coordinated, forming a pincer movement; the Song army is just the opposite, with big ships and small boats mixed together, military and civilian ships side by side, their formation is chaotic, barely holding together. If they lose one battle, the front line will be defeated, and the rear army will inevitably collapse. It's strange, Yun Shu seems to understand military strategy, how can he be so muddled?" He furrowed his brow, deeply puzzled.

  Liu Yanyan glared at him and said, "You talk big, but can you actually fight?" Liang Xiao bitterly smiled without a word. Then he heard Hua Xiaoxue sigh and say, "No matter what, fighting is never good. The Master said, 'Harmony is precious.' Brother Xiao, please think of a way to resolve the misunderstanding between these two families."

  Liang Xiao cried and laughed, shaking his head: "This misunderstanding is too great to be added, there is no room for reconciliation. The most urgent task is to rescue the two children, as for other things, it's not something that I alone can handle." He turned his head and called out: "Hua Sheng!" Hua Sheng smiled and said: "I heard you!"

  Liang Xiao saw his silly appearance and secretly muttered to himself: "These three people are stupid and don't know the danger of war. I was also too confident, I shouldn't have brought them here..." Now that things had come to this point, regret was useless. He pointed to the weapons they had brought and said: "You choose one that suits you, and protect Xiao Feng and Yingying!" Hua Sheng was taken aback, scratched his head and mumbled a few times, scanned around with his eyes, didn't take any of the guns or spears on the ground, but instead walked straight to a large locust tree as thick as a water bucket. He put down his luggage, wrapped his arms around the tree trunk, exerted his strength, and with a "crack" sound, uprooted the entire tree. Hua Sheng swung the tree in his hands several times, laughing: "This one... is quite suitable!" Liu Yingying couldn't help but spit out: "A wild cow is still a wild cow."

  Liang Xiao laughed and said, "Good monk, I admire you." He dismounted his horse, broke the eight long spears into five-foot lengths, and carried them on his back. He also picked up a medium-length spear and jumped onto his horse. Liu Yingying grabbed a single-edged sword and flipped herself onto her horse, sitting behind Hua Xiaoxue and laughing, "I'll sit here, and if anything happens, I can take care of her!" Hua Xiaoxue was deeply moved, and Liang Xiao was taken aback, his heart slightly burning: "Yingying's tongue is sharp, but she has a good heart after all!" He gazed out at the two armies' warships coming and going, clearly on the verge of battle. If the Song army lost, there would be no chance to rescue anyone in the chaos. Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow, his killing intent piercing through his brow, and charged forward with a sudden burst of speed.

  The Yuan army was stationed on land, facing off against the Song army, with the gate facing north and two towers rising up on either side. The soldiers on the tower saw Liang Xiao and were shocked and suspicious in their hearts. One soldier blew a horn to sound the alarm, while the others drew their bows and fired arrows from behind the arrow walls, shooting at Liang Xiao in a concentrated barrage.

  Liang Xiao swung his spear with his right hand, stirring up a large flower of spears, and used it to deflect the incoming arrows one by one. With his left hand, he grasped the reins and made the Lipstick Horse perform the "Ten Directions Step", dodging left and right to avoid the arrows. When they were still a hundred paces away from the gate, he turned around, pulled out the Broken Halberd, let out a loud shout, and flung it out with a flick of his wrist. The Broken Halberd flew over a hundred paces, accurately striking the arrow shield. The arrow shield suddenly split open, and the remaining force of the Broken Halberd did not stop, piercing through the heart of one of the Ten Men Captains. That person let out a long, mournful cry, falling heavily from the tower and smashing his internal organs to pieces on the ground.

  Hua Xiao Shuang's eyes widened in shock, and she hastily said: "Xiao Gege, don't kill..." At this time, the back of her neck felt numb, and her voice suddenly became hoarse. She only heard Liu Yueying whispering in her ear: "I knew you were fake and hypocritical. Humph, did you think I really wanted to protect you? Stinky girl, shut up and don't make trouble." Hua Xiao Shuang's vocal cords were sealed, and she could only watch as Liang Xiao used the broken spear as a throwing spear, accurately killing each of the Yuan soldiers on the tower. Her heart felt a pang, and she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

  Liang Xiao's spear was exhausted, and the horses were approaching the gate. Seeing that the big gate was tightly closed, he turned around and shouted: "Hua Sheng! Break the door!" Hua Sheng responded with a loud voice and rushed forward, and the big tree pushed out in front. With a loud crash, the gate was like paper paste, and it fell to the ground. Liang Xiao rode his horse into the courtyard, shouting loudly like thunder, and the Yuan army soldiers swarmed in. He shook out his long spear, and the red tassels fluttered wildly, as the spear flowers and blood flowers danced together. The Yuan army cavalry fell off their horses one after another. "Hua Sheng" was violent and fierce by nature, and whenever he encountered a battle array, he would become excited for no reason. Amidst his long and loud neighs, the horse hooves flew wildly, trampling the Yuan army infantry into a bloody mess.

  Peanut followed Liang Xiao, rushing into the big camp in a daze. Seeing people coming with bared teeth and grinning mouths, he was greatly frightened in his heart. Suddenly seeing the other side open their bows and arrows, as if they were about to shoot, he had no choice but to forget the teachings of his school and shake the big tree, charging forward fiercely. The treetop was like a huge shield, with wind and rain not penetrating, wherever it passed, people and horses fell over, and within six feet, no one could stand.

  Liu Yingying closely followed Hua Sheng, her courage was great, but she had never seen such a battle array. Looking at the figures around her, she couldn't help but feel frightened. Hua Xiaoxue was held in her arms, still closing her eyes, the mournful cries piercing her ears, making her heart ache with sorrow.

  The four men each had their own thoughts, and they charged forward together, their momentum like a mighty flood that could not be stopped. The Yuan army came from all sides, but Liang Xiao fought with great ferocity, wielding his spear on horseback, taking down bow and arrow, galloping left and right, his arrows flying like lightning. Just as the battle was reaching its climax, suddenly someone on the left cried out: "Liang Xiao!"

  Liang Xiao glanced sideways, a hundred soldiers staring at him with shock on their faces. Liang Xiao felt that this person was familiar, and just as he was thinking where he had seen him before, he heard another shout of "Liang Xiao" from his right side. In an instant, the shouts changed from one to two, two to three, more and more, louder and louder, sweeping through the crowd like a whirlwind. The soldiers were extremely frightened, shouting: "Liang Xiao has arrived! Liang Xiao has arrived!" While calling out, they retreated in all directions, chaotic and disorderly, with the officers trying to stop them but it was too late.

  Liang Xiao fought a battle on the Qiantang River, riding alone with his spear, back and forth for over 100 miles, killing so many Yuan soldiers that their corpses covered the fields. Baiyan had also strictly ordered them to keep quiet, but it was impossible to prevent the news from spreading quickly. In the army, Liang Xiao was known as a brave warrior, and the soldiers talked about him in hushed tones, exaggerating his abilities with each retelling. Later on, they even described him as an invincible monster with superhuman strength who could drive away ghosts and summon spirits to aid him in battle. Many of the Han soldiers from the north had never seen Liang Xiao before, but they had heard stories about him; when they saw how fearless he was, their hearts were already racing with fear. When someone shouted, they all thought the same thing: "Is it him? No wonder..." Suddenly, many of them began to think about retreating.

  Liáng Xiāo was unaware of the situation, and suddenly saw the Yuan army fleeing without a fight. He exerted his strength to break through a gap and burst out of the camp in a whirlwind. All he could see were ships lined up side by side on the sea, layer upon layer, with white sails fluttering, connecting heaven and earth.

  Four people ran wildly along the coast, with the Yuan army closely pursuing behind them. Liang Xiao turned around and shot arrows, fighting while retreating, when suddenly he heard a loud shout from the front, looked up to see a group of Yuan soldiers rushing forward, each holding a full bow, arrows pouring down like rain.

  The willow was startled and frightened, hastily urging the donkey to turn back. The flower-born one wielded a large tree to block the feathered arrows, retreating all the way to Liang Xiao's horse. Liang Xiao shot down several riders, stretched out his hand to touch, but found the quiver empty. At this time, there were blocking troops in front and pursuing soldiers behind, with steep cliffs to the north and a vast sea to the south. His heart was burning with anxiety, just as he was about to raise his spear to meet the enemy, suddenly a small boat flew out of the Song camp, its paddles spinning rapidly, approaching the riverbank in an instant. A Song soldier stood at the bow of the boat, waving his hand and shouting loudly: "Brave warrior, come quickly!"

  Liang Xiao was overjoyed and leapt onto the small boat with three others. The sailor pushed off with a bamboo pole, and the boat was several zhang away from the shore. The remaining Song soldiers rowed hastily, moving further and further away from the shore. The Yuan army arrived at the water's edge, drew their bows, and shot arrows that fell into the sea one after another. The Song soldiers laughed loudly with joy, and the small boat darted about like a flying fish on the surface of the water.

  A Song soldier laughed and said, "Great General, you're so brave, are you also coming to support the emperor?" Liang Xiao said, "I have an urgent matter, I need to see the Emperor!" The Song soldier furrowed his brow and didn't respond. After a short while, the small boat slipped into the water camp, weaving between large and small boats. Liang Xiao's gaze swept across, the sailors on each boat were dressed in mixed attire, with both men and women, as well as more than ten confused teenagers, each face looked worried and their skin was dark, not like ordinary soldiers. Only after asking the Song person beside him did he learn that they were all coastal fishermen who came to support the emperor.

  Liang Xiao thought: "What fault do the common people have, coming one more person is just sending another life." But then he thought again, "If it were me, rather than being a fish on the chopping block, I'd rather risk my life and make a desperate move."

  Hua Xiao Shuang opened her eyes, thinking of the cruel slaughter, her heart still racing with fear. She looked around at the Song people and felt even more bewildered: "When the battle starts, will they all die?" As she thought about it, tears began to fall. Liu Yingying saw this and sneered in her heart: "This little woman really has no backbone!" Suddenly, she saw Hua Sheng hugging the ship's railing, his face as pale as earth, his eyes wide with fear, and couldn't help but mock him: "Little bald donkey, you're not afraid of water, are you?"

  "Y-you're not afraid?" Huasheng stuttered, his face turning even paler. Liu Yuying didn't know the situation either, but she was naturally strong-willed and coldly said: "Of course I'm not afraid. You little bald donkey, believe it or not, I'll push you down to be a turtle right now!" She made a pushing motion with her hands, and Huasheng was so scared that he frantically waved his hands and said: "N-no, no, I like eating turtles, but if turtles eat me, it would be terrible!"

  "Alright, you think I won't push you, but you have to agree. From now on, you'll listen to me. If I tell you to go east, you can't go west. If I tell you to sit down, you can't stand up." Hua Sheng was desperate to protect himself and agreed to everything, repeatedly saying "Okay, okay!" Liu Yingying's eyes sparkled as she suddenly said, "Alright, jump three feet to the east!" Hua Sheng was shocked: "How is that possible? The east side is all water." Liu Yingying angrily asked, "You're not listening to me?" Hua Sheng was in a difficult position and repeatedly pleaded with a bitter face. Liu Yingying didn't even dare push him or move closer, but felt the atmosphere was too dull, so she teased Hua Sheng to liven things up.

  In the midst of the commotion, the small boat stopped beside a large ship. The bow lowered a plank, and Liang Xiao jumped up first, where a lieutenant greeted him with a smile: "Your bravery in battle is admirable! May I ask if you are under General Yun's command?" Liang Xiao responded hastily: "That's right! I have urgent business to attend to, I must see the Emperor!" The lieutenant's smile suddenly disappeared, and he coldly said: "Forget it! Chen and Lu have already spoken, people from Yun's side, the Emperor will not see any of them!"

  Liang Xiao sized up the other party and said, "I don't see any Chen or Lu, I just want to meet the Emperor..." The officer was impatient and interrupted him, saying, "Chen's meaning is the same as the Emperor's." He glanced at Liang Xiao with a slanted eye and sneered, "What are you standing there for? Do you want me to kick you off the boat?" Unexpectedly, Liang Xiao's eyes flashed with anger, and he reached out to grab the officer's chest, lifting him three feet off the ground. The officer was furious and shouted, "You dare to rebel?! Guards, take him down!" He was a trusted aide of Chancellor Chen Yizhong, and normally acted arrogant and domineering, but the soldiers had had enough of his haughty attitude and stood silently by, watching with cold eyes.

  The village chief shouted twice, but no one responded. He suddenly became flustered and said in a hoarse voice: "We're all family, everything can be discussed, everything can be discussed." As he spoke, his fawning attitude naturally came to the surface.

  Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Are you leading the way?" The school lieutenant's face showed difficulty, and suddenly seeing Liang Xiao's expression was not good, he hurriedly said, "Leading, leading..." Liang Xiao let go and said, "You walk in front." The school lieutenant did not dare to disobey, turned to the front cabin, and at the door of the cabin stood four soldiers. The school lieutenant pointed inside the cabin and muttered, "It's just inside..." The guards saw that things were not going well, held up their guns to block, Liang Xiao waved his hand, and the guards felt a severe pain in their wrists, and the four long guns flew into the air.

  Liang Xiao stepped into the cabin, but saw that it was spacious and had four walls with uneven surfaces. The damp air was mixed with a faint medicinal smell. Several officials were sitting sparsely inside, looking worried and talking in hushed tones. When they heard footsteps, they turned their heads to look. A dark-bearded official shouted, "How did you get in without reporting?" The captain hastily replied, "Chen Chengxiang, this is a subordinate of Yun Shu's, he wants to see the Emperor!" Chen Yizhong angrily said, "Didn't I instruct you? All those sent by Yun Shu are to be turned away." The captain looked embarrassed and said, "I had no choice, he forced me to come." Chen Yizhong was taken aback, and sternly said, "Is this a rebellion? How dare you...!"

  A slender official beside him waved his hand and said, "Prime Minister, stop! He risked his life to come here, showing his loyalty is unwavering. If you drive him away like this, won't it make people's teeth cold?" Chen Yizhong slapped his thigh and said in a huff, "Lu Taifu, don't you understand? Yun Shu has the heart of a wolf, relying on his control of the military to seize power from His Majesty..." The official sighed and turned to Liang Xiao, saying, "His Majesty's dragon body is unwell and cannot receive guests. Whatever you have to say, just tell me, Lu Xiufu!"

  Liang Xiao turned his eyes and bowed to Lu Xiufu, saying: "General Yun heard that the Emperor is slightly ill, so he ordered me to bring a female divine doctor to diagnose and treat the Emperor." The people in the hall were stunned, Chen Yizhong sneered: "We have our own doctors, no need to trouble that divine doctor." Liang Xiao didn't expect this person to be so ungrateful, just as he was about to get angry, he heard Hua Xiaoxuan say: "Is...the Emperor suffering from a wind stroke?"

  Chen Yizhong and Lu Xiufu exchanged a glance, their eyebrows furrowed in surprise. The latter asked in astonishment, "How did you know?" Hua Xiaoxue said, "You gave him the Longevity Star Pill, didn't you?" Lu Xiufu was even more shocked, nodding his head, "That's right." Hua Xiaoxue said, "The prescription is not bad, but unfortunately, it lacks several crucial medicinal ingredients." The officials' faces changed slightly, and Lu Xiufu stood up solemnly, saying, "I dare to ask for details!" Hua Xiaoxue said, "From the flavor of the medicine, I can tell that it's missing Ren Shen and Shi Huai. Hmm, the amount of Zhu Sha is also insufficient!"

  Lu Xiufu's face lit up with joy, and he bowed his hands, saying: "Miss, you are absolutely right. It's just that the Yuan people have besieged us, and we lack medicinal herbs." He thought for a moment and asked, "Dare I ask if there is a way to make up for it?" Hua Xiaoxue said: "I need to see the patient before making a decision." Chen Yizhong angrily said: "How can this be...!" Lu Xiufu waved his hand, saying: "Prime Minister, we must act quickly in an emergency. At present, His Majesty's life is hanging by a thread, and this young lady has already shown extraordinary insight, diagnosing the illness and its treatment with one sentence. Let her try, it's better than nothing!"

  Chen Yizhong looked at Xiao Shuang with a puzzled expression. Lu Xiufu continued, "She's just a weak woman, what is the prime minister worried about? Yun Shu has his own troops and only fears the emperor. If something happens to the emperor, it will be disastrous." Chen Yizhong listened to his reasonable words and reluctantly said, "Fine, let her in." Lu Xiufu happily said, "Miss, please!" He led the way, and Hua Xiao Shuang followed closely behind him, with Liang Xiao and the others following behind. Chen Yizhong hastily shouted, "Stop right there!" Liang Xiao ignored him completely, and Chen Yizhong angrily rushed out of the cabin to summon his soldiers.

  Lu Xiufu was single-mindedly saving people and didn't care about anything else, lifting the bamboo curtain and hastily entering the rear cabin. The cabin was filled with a thick fog, and the smell of medicine was even stronger. Two palace maids were sitting on one side, fanning the fire and boiling medicine. On the bed lay a small child, thin and weak, unable to withstand even a slight grasp, his small face as white as paper, his two eyes tightly closed. Liang Xiao recognized Guang Wang Zhao Heng at a glance, recalling the encounter in the desolate mountain that day, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her chest, then suddenly felt suspicious: "Why can I only see my younger brother, not my older brother?"

  Hua Xiao Shuang sat down beside Zhao Bing, felt his pulse, and furrowed her brow. Lu Xiu Fu observed his complexion and was secretly shocked. Before he could speak, Liang Xiao had already asked, "How is it?" Hua Xiao Shuang sighed, "He seems to have suffered a fright, with phlegm blocking his orifices. Besides that, his liver and kidneys are out of balance, and he has a tendency towards excessive hunger due to depletion of the middle burner. Alas, two illnesses occurring together - how pitiful!" Lu Xiu Fu rubbed his hands anxiously and asked, "Can he still be saved?"

  Hua Xiao Shuang glanced at Liang Xiao, seeing the worry on his face, and her heart skipped a beat: "Is the child Brother Xiao mentioned him?" After thinking for a moment, she smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I have my own way. By tomorrow, I'll make sure this child is jumping around!" She looked at Zhao Huan with pity in her eyes. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when suddenly someone spoke up in a cold voice: "How dare you! He's the current Emperor, and you call him a child?"

  Everyone turned around to look, Chen Yizhong had his hands on his hips, his face gloomy, several soldiers stood behind him, afraid of startling Zhao Bing, they didn't dare to approach rashly. Lu Xiufu nodded and said: "The prime minister is right. Young lady, this is the emperor of our Great Song Dynasty, you must be careful when addressing him in the future, don't mess up the rules. If you commit the crime of deceiving the emperor, I won't be able to protect you!" Hua Xiaoxiao heard these words and was very confused, suddenly she heard Liang Xiao say coldly: "Children are just children, what can they not do?" Chen Yizhong angrily said: "How dare you..." Just as he was about to order someone to take him away, suddenly someone outside said: "Please report to the emperor, Commander Yun Shu seeks an audience." The voice was hoarse and tired, but each word was steady.

  Everyone's heart was shaken, and suddenly they heard a loud noise mixed with several muffled hums. Chen Lu didn't care about Liang Xiao, lifted the bamboo curtain, and rushed out of the cabin. Only to hear Chen Yizhong angrily say: "Yun Shu, you are so bold, breaking into the imperial court, what crime should you be punished for?" Yun Shu sighed: "Prime Minister, please forgive me, if I didn't come up with this plan, Yun Shu wouldn't have been able to come in." Lu Xiufu angrily said: "What do you mean by this? Are you saying we are holding onto the imperial court?" Yun Shu said: "This is what the Grand Tutor himself said, Yun certain has never said it before." After a moment of silence, Chen Yizhong coldly said: "Alright, then what is your purpose for coming here this time?" Yun Shu said: "Now that the military situation is critical, I want to take the Emperor and break through the siege." Chen Yizhong sneered: "So you're saying we've already lost?" Yun Shu said: "Defeat or victory, but the bloodline of the Great Song cannot be cut off like this!" Chen Yizhong coldly said: "Even if we lose, it has nothing to do with you. Surname Cloud, don't forget that the Emperor has already issued an imperial edict, stripping away your military power. You are now a mere civilian, yet you occupy the army's symbol of authority and act as if you're the commander-in-chief everywhere. Hmph, since ancient times, there have been no traitors like you!"

  Yun sighed and said, "The Prime Minister's words are too serious. Yun Mou was born as a Song person and will die as a Song ghost. Looking at the decline of the Han dynasty and the collapse of national affairs, how can I just stand by and watch? Moreover, Yun Mou is indeed a mediocre person. How could the great Song army end up in this state?" His words were calm and even, but his sorrow and indignation inadvertently seeped out.

  Lu Xiufu angrily said: "What do you mean by this? Do you want to shirk the responsibility for our defeat?" Yun Shu said: "Today's situation, I also cannot escape responsibility. However, when I previously suggested abandoning the boats and heading north, launching an attack from Jiangxi and joining forces with Wen Tianxiang, but Wen refused, using the emperor's safety as an excuse, insisting on imitating Emperor Gaozong's naval expedition. Mr. Wen is a scholar who doesn't understand military strategy, he forced himself to be a general, resulting in our defeat and wasting a great opportunity. This is one reason."

  Chen Yizhong said coldly, "Alright, is there a second one?" Yun Shu said, "The second one is the Quanzhou campaign. You gentlemen did not distinguish between good and evil, and lightly believed Pu Shougen. Unbeknownst to you, he was not of our kind, his heart must be different. That guy was originally from the Western Regions, I had already made it clear that all barbarians are untrustworthy. Unfortunately, you gentlemen took my words as mere rumors, resulting in the treacherous barbarian turning against us on the battlefield, causing our army to suffer a crushing defeat." Chen Yizhong sneered coldly, "So, according to what you say, today's situation is all our fault?" Yun Shu let out a long sigh and said, "I dare not, I was unable to adhere to my own views, which is also a great mistake. Although our army has many people, they are all untrained civilians. A motley crew, how can we resist the Mongols' fierce warriors? Once we engage in battle, not only will it be of no help, but it will also become a burden. In the past, I strongly requested that we should not accept civilians into the army, but you gentlemen did not listen, resulting in today's precarious situation. This is the third one." Liang Xiao thought to himself, "The pros and cons of this matter, he actually knew them all along." He also couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

  Lu Xiufu suddenly sneered, "What a joke! The people are flocking to our army because the great Song Dynasty upholds benevolence and righteousness, and has won the hearts of the people. Mencius said, 'The benevolent have no enemies.' Our army is strong and united, with thousands of soldiers as one, we will surely defeat the Tartars and restore China. Hmph, you're just a martial artist, what do you know? I ask you, how many books have you read, and how much do you understand about the principles of the sages?" Yun Shu said, "As for the principles of the sages, Yun is far inferior to Taifu's profundity. But Yun understands one principle: a son dies for his father, a minister dies for his lord. Yun will not stand by and watch the Emperor be killed. If the Emperor is alive, there is still hope for the restoration of the Song Dynasty; if the Emperor were to die, then the Song Dynasty would truly be lost." Lu Xiufu angrily said, "You dare to barge into the imperial court today, with your rebellious behavior and disrespect towards authority, and you still have the face to talk about loyalty and filial piety? If heaven does not bless our great Song Dynasty, and we were to lose this battle, Lu would rather die at sea than betray the Emperor. Since Taizu's abdication of military power, the Song Dynasty has ruled with virtue for three hundred years; even if it is destined to perish, it should be destroyed by scholars, not by a martial artist like you who repeatedly defies imperial orders and holds military power!"

  Yun Shu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "It seems that I have already said everything, and now I can only bear the name of being unfaithful and unrighteous." As soon as his voice fell, several muffled sounds were heard, and Chen Yi Zhong's angry shout was heard: "Good thief, are you rebelling...?" He shouted halfway through, but suddenly stopped. The wind suddenly cleared up, and Yun Shu rolled up the bamboo curtain and stepped into the inner cabin, where he met Liang Xiao head-on. This time, it was as if Mount Tai had collapsed, and a thousand horses had arrived suddenly. Yun Shu was not usually so shocked, but this time, he stared blankly with his mouth agape, his feet nailed to the door, like a wooden puppet or clay sculpture. Liang Xiao looked at his old enemy, secretly sighing in his heart. It had been many years since they last met, and Yun Shu's face was now dry and withered, his cheeks sunken, and there were even white hairs on both sides of his temples.

  Yun Shu's expression changed slightly, and he gazed off to the side, his entire body trembling. In a hoarse voice, he said: "Liu Niangniang..." Liu Yingying also sighed and said: "Yun Gongzi, it's been many years since we last met, you look much more haggard now." Yun Shu felt an inexplicable pang in his heart upon hearing these words, and his eyes welled up with tears. He forced himself to hold back, turned to face Liang Xiao, and asked: "What brings you here?" Liang Xiao replied: "Whatever you do, I'll do the same." Yun Shu assumed he had come to capture Zhao Huan under military orders and secretly seethed with anger. Upon seeing Zhao Huan lying in bed like a dead man, his eyes turned cold, and he exclaimed: "Good!" Liang Xiao casually responded: "Of course it's good..."

  The conversation was cut short as Yun Shu's palms suddenly shot out, wrapped in his sleeves. Liang Xiao saw him raise his shoulders and knew he was about to make a move, so he retreated slightly and swung his palm to meet him. The two palms intersected, and their bodies each shook once. Liang Xiao's heart secretly trembled - originally, with the wonderful enlightenment of the divine skill, he should have been able to control the situation and win, but unexpectedly, after parting ways for over a year, Yun Shu's progress was not trivial at all. Yun Shu was even more shocked, feeling that Liang Xiao's palm strength was extraordinary and had already surpassed his own; without waiting for their palms to touch again, he suddenly turned his feet and launched the move "Wandering Two Ask the Scenery", flashing out two palms from left to right like lightning.

  Liang Xiao stood still, his palms following the movement of his body, sealing off Cloud Xi's palm techniques everywhere. Cloud Xi retreated as soon as he made contact, not using enough force in his style, his hands moving so fast they dazzled the eyes, and before the second palm was even halfway through its motion, he suddenly ducked down and changed to "Wind Shakes Shadow Moves", his right leg sweeping out like a whirlwind. Liang Xiao's palms were held back but not released, protecting his chest and abdomen, his toes slanted upwards, aiming at Cloud Xi's right foot's outer ankle, the "Yang" cavity.

  Yun Shu's feet suddenly curved, avoiding Liang Xiao's palm force. His palms swung down, and a strong gust of wind blew to the ground, sending him flying upwards. He revolved around Liang Xiao in mid-air for half a circle, brushing past with four consecutive chops. This series of moves was executed in one breath, too fast to be described, and it was his newly comprehended "Surprising Shadow Interlocking Fist".

  The "poor Confucian" school, the essence of martial arts is to "observe the enemy's emptiness and reality, and counterattack afterwards", but Yun Shu has practiced to this point, his eyesight has improved, just by looking at his opponent's eye movement and footwork, he can guess his intentions, take the initiative to attack, and force his opponent to not even be able to make a move. Therefore, "Surprise Shadow Interlocking Fist" only seeks speed, competing for the first move everywhere, once it is launched, one sees shadows but not people, a string of illusory shadows suddenly appearing east and west, flashing by.

  Liang Xiao didn't dare to be careless, turned around and pushed out with his palm, defending tightly like water splashing on a lotus leaf. Suddenly, the sound of palms hitting each other echoed continuously, and the two exchanged several blows, sweeping across the bamboo curtain of the cabin door. The thin bamboo curtain stood upright like steel wire. Both men used their full strength in these few exchanges, Yun Shu flipped over and fell to the ground, his blood boiling, while Liang Xiao also lost control of his body, retreating three steps, his foot stomping out a loud noise, creating a hole on the deck.

  Yun Shu was about to climb up again when he suddenly heard a "drip, drip, drop" sound behind him. He turned his head to see that the bamboo curtain had been broken by two people with dark energy, and dozens of bamboo tubes were scattered all over the ground. Yun Shu's heart skipped a beat as he secretly thought that if his palm strength was misdirected again and landed on Zhao Bing's body, it would be disastrous. For a moment, he hesitated and stopped in his tracks.

  The two of them exchanged blows in this round, changing rapidly, and the people in the cabin couldn't keep up with their eyes, let alone shout to stop them. At this moment, one stopped, Liu Xiangxiang shouted: "There's no need to fight, just talk!" Although she was speaking to both of them, her gaze involuntarily fell on Liang Xiao, and her concern was evident in her words.

  Yun Shu's eyes widened in understanding as a surge of unnamed evil energy shot into his brain, suddenly propelling him over a dozen feet. His left palm slapped towards Liang Xiao's abdomen, while his right claw swiped at Zhao Bing on the bed. This one grab and slap seemed ordinary, but was actually a fierce counterattack. Liang Xiao didn't dare to be slow, his left palm slanting in a diagonal motion, his right palm chopping horizontally. The two of them shook violently as their four palms clashed. A glint flashed in Liang Xiao's eyes as he took a step forward, while Yun Shu retreated with a pained expression.

  Liu Yingying saw the two men's situation, clearly in a contest of palm strength. She was shocked and frightened, but couldn't separate them. Liang Xiao used his "Turning Yin into Yang" technique, his palm force changing suddenly from yin to yang, sometimes hard, sometimes soft, changing instantly. Yun Shu had never encountered this kind of skill before, and in an instant he retreated six steps, his back against the cabin board, with large drops of sweat rolling down his forehead. After a brief stalemate, Liang Xiao's eyes suddenly widened, and his palms pushed forward. In that instant, everyone felt the ship's cabin shake violently, "Crash", the cabin board collapsed backwards. Yun Shu did a backward flip, jumping three feet back.

  Liang Xiao smiled slightly and withdrew his hand, saying: "Cloud surname, you win." Yun Shu suppressed the blood in his chest, but his hands were still trembling. It turned out that just now he had taken a great risk, withdrawing his internal energy and allowing Liang Xiao's internal force to invade his body, then transmitting it to his back, shaking the cabin boards. After Liang Xiao's internal force was released, his subsequent energy could not catch up, and Yun Shu took advantage of the opportunity to escape from his palm.

  Chen Yizhong was struck by the acupoint and lay beside Liang Xiao's feet. Seeing that he had gained the upper hand, he exclaimed with joy: "I've captured the rebel Cloud Shu! I'll be rewarded heavily!" Liang Xiao smiled and said: "What I want is something you may not be able to give me." Chen Yizhong was taken aback, thinking that Liang Xiao wanted high office or wealth. He immediately smiled and said: "As long as we capture Cloud Shu, it's within my power to grant your wish! I'll personally present it to you!" Liang Xiao said: "Really? Would you also give me the black hat on your head?" Chen Yizhong was taken aback again, furious: "How dare you! Are you worthy of being a prime minister?" Liang Xiao burst out laughing and said: "You're right, a turtle-like prime minister like you is truly incapable." As he spoke, his eyes never left Cloud Shu.

  Liu Yingying saw the two men standing opposite each other, with an air of life and death, and her heart suddenly tightened. She couldn't help but rush forward two steps, blocking them, and shouted: "Stop!" Liang Xiao shook his head and said: "Yingying, don't interfere, this is a man's matter." Liu Yingying raised an eyebrow in anger and said: "You're saying that you look down on women! I'll intervene, if you want to stab, then stab me here." She pointed to her heart, her chest heaving slightly.

  Liang Xiao's face turned red with rage, while Liu Yingying carefully observed his expression. Suddenly, she softened her tone: "Liang Xiao, let's each take a step back and give each other some space. Why must it be a matter of life and death between us?" Liang Xiao shook his head: "You don't understand, my grudge with him can't be resolved even in a hundred years." Liu Yingying's expression changed slightly as she thought to herself: "Such a deep-seated grudge, could it be... for me?" She turned her head to look at Yun Shu and saw the sorrowful gaze in his eyes, which made his heart soften. He almost wanted to let go, but thinking of the national hatred and family feud, his heart hardened again. Suddenly, he dodged to the side, bypassed Liu Yingying, and slapped Liang Xiao's shoulder with his palm. Liang Xiao ducked to avoid it and retorted with a scowl. Liu Yingying saw that neither of them was paying attention to her and couldn't help but feel angry and humiliated. She decided not to intervene anymore, crossed her arms, and watched coldly, thinking: "Let's see how you two end up fighting!"