Chapter 16
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Chapter 16: Storm Approaching
As they walked to the escort agency team, the young man in green clothes greeted them with a bow and said, "I apologize for coming here in wet clothes, Du Yuhan has already met all of you." His young servant stood behind him, holding a sword.
Upon hearing this, He Dahai quickly returned the gesture and said solemnly, "Are you the renowned hero known as Iron Sword Young Master in the martial world?"
Du Yuhan modestly replied, "Indeed, that is me."
"You are too kind, Young Master Du. We have long heard of your reputation. I am He Dahai from Yangwei Escort Agency." He Dahai responded respectfully.
"Oh, please, how come Master He hasn’t introduced these few?" Du Yuhan gestured towards the others beside him.
He Dahai introduced with a smile, "These two are bodyguards from our escort agency, He Xiangshan and Xu Ying. And this is the young lady He Yuqing, who has been immersed in listening to stories of the martial world since she was young, and now she follows me wherever I go."
"Master He, the bodyguards, Miss He, meeting in the martial world is fate. Master He, I wonder if I may have a chat with you." Du Yuhan said with a smile, He Xiangshan and Xu Ying raised their hands in greeting, and He Yuqing blushed slightly and awkwardly returned the gesture.
He Dahai quickly said, "Please, Young Master Du, have a seat."
"Wait, wait, let me go fetch my belongings and then I’ll come over." Du Yuhan smiled, gestured with his hand, and walked towards his campfire with the bookboy.
"Boss, is this the Iron Sword Prince, one of the Four Gentlemen of the martial arts world?" Xu Ying asked in a hushed voice.
He Dahai sighed with a hint of envy, "Look at his age, his martial arts skills, his appearance. It’s likely that he has opened five minor meridians. The influence of prestigious sects is truly different. If only I had a Grandmaster as my mentor, then I wouldn’t still be searching for ways to measure minor meridians."
"It’s said that among the Four Gentlemen of the martial arts world, Young Master Du has the lowest martial arts skill. He’s only recognized because of his master, Sword Master Gu Juexian. Today, upon meeting him, I realize rumors can’t be trusted. His skill is only inferior to the White Robed Gentleman, and he is on par with the other two. He’s just a step away from the top martial artists." He Xiangshan nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes, Young Master Du’s martial arts skills and temperament are excellent," He Yuqing agreed with a nod.
Returning to the campfire, the bookboy carried the luggage on his back, while the sword remained in Du Yuhan’s arms. With a swish, Du Yuhan extinguished the campfire with one hand, then instructed the bookboy, "Chengying, let’s go over there."
Although Shi Xuan was resting with his eyes closed, his keen senses were constantly aware of the surroundings of the dilapidated temple. Suddenly, Shi Xuan opened his eyes and noticed someone approaching the temple at a superior lightness skill level, shifting his attention to the gate.
Due to the heavy rain and howling wind, by the time Shi Xuan spotted the newcomer, the person was already approaching the temple. Within a few breaths, the slightly ajar door was pushed open, revealing an elderly man with white hair. He was dripping wet from head to toe, his black boots covered in mud, his black clothes tainted with a large bloodstain, with rain washing away little drops of blood red onto the ground.
Du Yuhan was about to sit down, but when the old man climbed the steps, he suddenly stood up, drew his sword with his right hand, startling the people from the escort agency to also stand up. They watched as the old man walked in.
The old man had an ancient appearance, with a calm yet imposing demeanor. As he entered, he looked around and saw everyone watching him cautiously. He smiled mischievously, said nothing, and walked over to the fire pit that Du Yuhan had put out. It was only then that everyone noticed the numerous wounds on the old man’s back – some from knives, some from swords. Through the tears in his clothes, the wounds were clearly visible, tightly closed and washed white by the rain, no longer bleeding.
The old man in black lit the fire pit, casually toasted some dry rations, and started eating voraciously, paying no attention to the stares around him.
Seeing that the old man made no other movements, Du Yuhan sheathed his sword, gestured for the others to sit down, and whispered, "This is ‘Thundering Three Rivers’ Liang Shenglou. I’ve seen him with my master before."
"Young Master Du, since he knows your master, why not go and greet him?" He Yuqing interjected.
"Haha, Miss He, I know him, but he doesn’t know me. Senior Liang has been a renowned master for over thirty years. The last time I visited my master, I wasn’t even ten years old," Du Yuhan smiled.
He Yuqing sneakily glanced over and whispered, "I wonder how Senior Liang’s martial arts are now, he seems to be in a bit of trouble."
"Miss He, since you’re new to the martial world, it’s normal not to have heard of Senior Liang. Over a decade ago, he was a top master with all his meridians open. Even if he hasn’t entered the Microcosm Realm, he’s probably not far off. Apart from the Five Grandmasters, nothing can trouble him. I was planning to greet him earlier, but they say Senior Liang can be unpredictable. Approaching him rashly might anger him," Du Yuhan seemed unconcerned about any trouble Liang Shenglou might bring.
"Yeah, I remember when I was just a nobody, I had already heard of Senior Liang’s great reputation. I never thought I’d have the chance to meet him today," He Dahai sighed.
Du Yuhan suggested, "In that case, Master He, let’s go together to greet Senior Liang later. If he needs any help, we might be able to assist in some small way."
"Young Master Du, you said it well. It’s rare to meet seniors, right, daddy?" He Yuqing said before He Dahai could respond.
He Dahai could only smile and nod. Senior Liang has a big reputation, but not a good one, as his family has been killed by others. He is ruthless and cruel, but his enemies have become even stronger. He is now one of the ‘Five Grandmasters’. Seeking revenge without success makes him unpredictable in his emotions.
Seeing the old man coming in with injuries, Shi Xuan worried that there might be trouble later. He discreetly turned away from both sides and began to activate his magical items – for agility, strength, and vision. He prepared for a fight with his Thundercalling Breath Control Talisman ready.
As expected, before even going to meet Senior Liang, Shi Xuan heard noisy footsteps in the distance. Because of the heavy rain, no one in the temple except for Shi Xuan noticed.
Nine people’s footsteps stopped about twenty feet from the temple’s entrance. They split into four groups, with one group staying still, and the other three quietly moving to the left, right, and behind the temple.
After waiting for a while, one person in front used light techniques to jump onto the roof. Liang Shenglou, noticing the situation, stood up and shouted outside, "Peng Tianxiao, if you’re here to chase us, come in. Hiding won’t make you brave."
One person outside walked towards the entrance, laughing loudly, "Big brother, don’t think you can escape us in this heavy rain. Hand over the secret book, and you’ll be spared."
The two men who entered were middle-aged. The taller one with bright copper-like eyes, a clean-shaven face but bald head. The other had a medium build, pale complexion, and half-opened eyes.
Liang Shenglou spat and said, "Come at me. I’ve killed five of you already. Let’s see how many more I need to kill. Don’t think two top fighters scare me. We’ve known each other for over twenty years, but now you turn against me just for a book."
Du Yuhan and the people from the escort agency all stood up and listened to Liang Shenglou’s words. Du Yuhan didn’t react much, but the people from the escort agency turned pale. They couldn’t afford to get involved in the feud between top experts. Shi Xuan stood up slowly and leaned against a pillar.
Du Yuhan took a few steps forward and said to Liang Shenglou, "Senior Liang, I am Du Yuhan, and I am willing to help you fight the thieves."
Liang Shenglou glanced at him and said, "So, you are the apprentice of the old man Tianjian. You better think carefully. On the opposite side, there’s ‘Mountain King’ Peng Tianxiao and ‘Wax God Lord’ Cao Chuyu, both well-known top experts in the martial world for many years. They are also the two main protectors of the Great River Alliance. Think it over."
"Even if we are not a match for them, Senior Liang and I can still hold our ground," Du Yuhan said confidently.
"Haha, alright." Before finishing his words, the two men on the opposite side had already rushed over. Peng Tianxiao used a powerful mountain-cutting sword to block Liang Shenglou, his moves swift and fierce like a military general. Liang Shenglou, on the other hand, showcased his skills in every punch, dodging and striking at Peng Tianxiao’s vital points.
Cao Chuyu and Du Yuhan were both skilled swordsmen. Cao Chuyu wielded his sword with his left hand, exhibiting tricky and clever moves that caught Du Yuhan off guard. However, Du Yuhan’s heavy iron sword emitted a wall-like aura with each strike, although his martial arts were superior, their styles countered each other, making it difficult for Cao Chuyu to quickly end the fight.
At this moment, besides those on the rooftop, six black-clad figures from the left, right, and back of the temple rushed in. Two of them faced off against the escort agency, one confronted Shi Xuan, while the remaining three prepared to join the fight on Liang Shenglou’s side.
These six black-clad figures seemed to be top-notch experts but not at the level of the very best. Two of them were keeping the escort agency busy, with about twenty people in a chaotic situation, and soon several bodyguards were lying on the ground.
The black-clad person charging at Shi Xuan saw his opponent was a young Taoist priest, feeling disdainful, planning to take down his opponent with a few strikes before moving on to kill others.
Shi Xuan saw him coming, smiled slightly, exerted force under his feet, a small stone previously prepared flew out in a miraculous speed towards the heart of the man in black robes with the combined inner strength of the Great Body Circle and the powerful technique of Dragon Elephant.
The man in black robes, seeing Shi Xuan unafraid, sneered back, felt a pang in his heart, just as he was about to be on guard, a black shadow came breaking through the air, even hearing the sound of the breaking air by his ears, but it was too late to dodge, watching wide-eyed as the small stone pierced through his chest, falling far away. After two gasps, he fell down, dead.