Chapter 5: Assassination on a Snowy Night

The martial skills of this Master Huang have indeed reached a level where every gesture can kill. Seven corpses quickly fell to the ground. The tall, thin middle-aged man had been using his palms all along, but upon witnessing this scene, he suddenly drew a sword from behind him, let out a sharp whistle, and in an instant, leaped forward, making the distance of over ten feet seem utterly insignificant

The short and stout middle-aged man sneered coldly, his body resembling that of a great roc, closely following behind, and suddenly struck out with his palm. Huang Gonggong countered with a palm strike, sending the short and stout middle-aged man tumbling backward. Seizing the opportunity, Huang Gonggong swiftly advanced, leaping into the encirclement of seven people. He delivered a palm strike with his left hand and a punch with his right, both precise and fierce, landing on the enemies' necks, occasionally changing angles to directly shatter their chests

The old man Huang said in a sharp voice: "You audacious thieves dare to murder the prince, akin to treason. Are you not afraid of the extermination of your nine clans?"

Diving into the side cave, Xiao Ding let out a long sigh, shaking the fire stick. He took a piece of fuse from the bamboo tube standing in the corner and lit it, the fuse hissing as it ignited. Xiao Ding then loaded five arrows into the crossbow, extinguished the fire stick, reached out, and shot several arrows towards the cave entrance with a whoosh. A cry of "Ouch!" was heard, but it was unclear if anyone had been hit. Then, someone outside called out, "Fei Shidi," and there was no further sound.

At this moment, Master Huang had already engaged in a few exchanges with the tall, thin man in black like lightning. Seeing that Xiao Ding was in danger, he swiftly moved over and clashed palms with the short, stout man, delivering a blow to Xiao Ding's side, and shouted, "Protect the prince and ensure his safe departure"

Xiao Ding sighed; he had not anticipated that the reality was so far from his expectations. He had rushed into the room of King Zhou, and along the way, he only saw corpses—fallen guards. Those three individuals who had intruded earlier had actually continued their slaughter all the way to the king's bedroom

In a moment of urgency, the person jumped in hastily. Xiao Ding had previously dug a tunnel under the bed, and as soon as he fell into the hole, he immediately pushed the young prince into the tunnel and began to crawl forward. Xiao Ding had excavated this tunnel merely as a precaution for escape; the cave was narrow and small. The young prince, being of a smaller stature, could quickly navigate through the tunnel by crouching, while he and Jingyue could only crawl.

The Princess of Jingyue let out a soft exclamation, feeling both shy and embarrassed, and said: "You... you... bumped into me... my..."

That was simply at a speed beyond imagination, as if it had leapt straight out of a picture book. Feng Qiao and the other two guards let out a wail, and three streams of blood shot up into the air. This tall, thin middle-aged man struck out in anger; although his martial arts did not seem as profound as that of Master Huang, his killing speed was not in the least inferior.

The seven individuals who arrived later divided themselves, guarding the entrance without uttering a word, clearly taking the three inside as their leaders. However, Xiao Ding's gaze passed over the figures of the crowd to look towards the head of the bed. It seemed that Princess Jingyue had also hurried over, dressed only in her nightclothes, holding a sword in one hand and cradling Prince Xiao Zhou in her arms. When she met Xiao Ding's gaze, she managed a faint smile.

In contrast, Master Huang's martial arts were gradually losing ground under the siege of three opponents, leaving him only able to engage in a struggle without the ability to inflict harm. Little Ding, among the seven, moved like a butterfly among flowers, wielding the bone-cutting knife that had already injured three people. Seeing that the already one-armed Hengdingji had been stabbed again, he could only struggle feebly and urgently called out: "Master Huang, first take care of these small fish and shrimp"

The relationship between men and women can shift from being as cold as ice to as intimate as glue, separated only by a thin layer of paper; once that barrier is broken, there is no turning back. Although practicing martial arts is arduous, having such a beautiful companion by his side makes it all the more enjoyable for Xiao Ding. His martial arts skills have progressed rapidly, and although he lacks a foundation in martial arts, the advanced information available in later generations allows him to understand the principles of combat even more thoroughly than ancient practitioners. Not only has his cultivation of the Mixed Yuan Qi become increasingly profound, but his skills in both boxing and kicking have also improved significantly

Xiao Ding cast a glance at the three individuals. In the middle stood a short and stout man in black, his gaze sharp as lightning. The person on the left was tall and thin, while the one on the right had an average build, also leaning towards being slender. The short and stout middle-aged man clapped his hands and laughed, "What impressive skills, Master! Are these a few of your disciples? I never expected that the small Zhou Wangfu would have such experts; no wonder my fourth junior brother had to return in defeat last time.

Upon seeing that she was unharmed, Xiao Ding let out a sigh of relief and leaned against Heng Ding Ji. Heng Ding Ji whispered, "I thought you were done for. Those people possess remarkable martial arts skills. Just now, I exchanged a palm strike with that short, stout fellow, and my right palm was broken. If it weren't for the old man intervening, I would have been finished by now"

Xiao Ding's heart raced with anxiety, uncertain whether Huang Gonggong was alive or dead, and unsure how many of them could escape alive. In the midst of this tension, he reached out and found the small hand of Princess Jinghe - Tu - Shuyue, which she immediately grasped in return.

The short and stout middle-aged man spoke, and the three formed a triangular formation, surrounding Huang Gonggong in the center, while the four engaged in a chaotic battle. Xiao Ding and his five companions were also fighting alongside seven men in black. Feng Qiao and Ding Ji's martial arts were on par with the seven men in black, and while they could manage a one-on-one fight, they were at a disadvantage in a four against seven scenario. Although Xiao Ding's martial arts were far superior to those of the seven men in black, he found it difficult to take care of the four.

Xiao Ding's knife is no longer than one foot, with a thickness of about one and a half inches at the spine. The blade is curved like a crescent moon, dark and glossy, with only a glimmer of cold light at the edge; this is a bone-cutting knife. If you have ever bought spare ribs at a fresh meat shop, you must be familiar with its appearance. The shopkeeper usually picks it up to chop the bones into pieces.

Xiao Ding immediately stopped in his tracks, wondering if he was seeing things. He quickly moved to the side under a tree, which was an ancient cypress, its crown piled high with snow. Dressed in a white robe, Xiao Ding stood motionless beneath the tree, making it nearly impossible to discern him at first glance

The short and stout middle-aged man chuckled and said, "These words are truly nonsensical to us people of the Jianghu. Although the public's martial arts are high, a hero cannot withstand four hands. Tonight, you are doomed to face your fate, attack!"

Three figures appeared, dressed in dark clothing. They moved swiftly through the night, but the white snow made their presence even more pronounced. With quick movements, the three shadows rapidly headed towards the residence of the prince

Xiao Ding felt that using this knife was powerful enough, and it also carried a hint of forgetting one's roots. Therefore, he obtained this knife from the chef. When this knife came into Xiao Ding's hands, it was its first time being used in the market, but it was no longer for chopping pigs, but for people instead

According to the Great Ming Code, if a vassal king is assassinated, local officials will be punished collectively, which is why they would not dare to make light of their own lives

Xiao Ding instructed King Zhou to crawl at the front, followed by Jingyue, while he himself entered last, moving on all fours, frantic like a dog that has lost its home, quickly crawling out over ten meters in a moment. The pursuers fell under the bed, reaching for the hole, only to see a dark mass inside, fearing an ambush, and dared not recklessly enter. They shook their wrist and threw the long sword inside. Fortunately, the pursuer was injured under the armpit, lacking strength, and the unevenness of the hole caused the sword to hit the earthen wall, making a clanging sound before falling to the ground.

At www.hetushu.com, there was no time for careful consideration; with a loud bang, the accumulated snow exploded. Xiao Ding was forced to retreat, and a gun barrel protruded from the ancient cypress tree behind him. A figure emerged, withdrawing the long spear that had pierced the tree. The spear advanced further, and with a whoosh, Xiao Ding felt a sudden explosion at his brow, as the tip of the spear unexpectedly pierced towards his forehead.

It is a very cold day, and heavy snow is falling from the sky. Xiao Ding, wrapped in a cloak, steps onto the snow-covered ground, where the freshly fallen snow is extremely soft, and his boots make no sound as they tread upon it. Alas, everything else is fine, but here, using the restroom in winter is quite troublesome; staying inside for a while makes one’s backside feel numb from the cold. If only one had the fortune of a prince, for their latrines are separate rooms.

The short and stout middle-aged man, witnessing the tragic deaths of seven companions, was filled with rage. In an instant, he pivoted with lightning speed and leaped forward, delivering a kick that sent the weakened Hengding sprawling to the ground, bloodied and battered. He then raised his palm to strike down at Xiao Ding.

A scream pierced the air as the gunman was struck from below, the blade slicing through and splitting his lower body open, intestines spilling onto the ground. Seven or eight figures shouted angrily and rushed over. Xiao Ding gripped his knife tightly and charged towards the Wang residence, where thirty guards were on duty, each equipped with a repeating crossbow capable of firing five shots.

Xiao Ding was pushed and fell towards the edge of the bed. He saw that the medium-built man in black had taken the opportunity to pounce on the side of the large bed, engaging in a struggle with Princess Jingyue. The young prince was so frightened that his face turned pale, trembling as he sat on the bed, clutching the quilt.

As Xiao Ding rushed over, the man was caught off guard and received a slash under his ribs from Xiao Ding. With a cry of pain, he covered his side and staggered away, blood gushing out through the gaps in his fingers.

Xiao Ding was momentarily stunned, suddenly realizing where he had just encountered something. His heart stirred, but now was not the time for jesting. He anxiously said, "Hurry and crawl forward; there is a larger cave to the right ahead. If you reach there, you will be safe." Princess Jingyue, blushing, dared not say anything further and hurriedly crawled a few more steps. Indeed, there was a relatively spacious cave on the right.

With a bang, Xiao Ding fell backward to the ground at an even faster speed, propping himself up with one hand. The gunman charged forward, but his body slid closer to the gunman, pressed against the snow on the ground. The gun had missed, but what about the knife

Xiao Ding enjoys watching martial arts dramas, and the most distinctive feature is the lightness of skill. Therefore, he puts considerable effort into mastering this skill. While others practice leg strength merely by standing in horse stance, Xiao Ding ties iron tiles to his legs and runs around the Wang residence ten laps every morning. He also dug a pit in the courtyard, just deep enough for his legs to fit, and bounces up and down in it. His leg strength increases daily, and with the addition of profound internal energy, he is even able to scale walls and leap across rooftops, which delights Xiao Ding as he dreams of being a hero in the martial arts world.

Xiao Ding believed that even if someone were truly a master of the martial world, it would not be difficult for him to be shot down by a crossbow in the night. The figures behind him were pursuing quickly; in the blink of an eye, two swords had already darted towards Xiao Ding's back like two streaks of lightning. Suddenly, Xiao Ding crouched down, and with only about ten feet to the palace door, as long as he charged in, could these people in the darkness be more familiar with the terrain than he was? Without engaging or defending, he exerted force under his feet and dashed forward; at that moment, the lightness skills he had diligently practiced finally came into play. Xiao Ding crouched down again, with only about ten feet to the palace door, as long as he charged in, could these people in the darkness be more familiar with the terrain than he was? Without engaging or defending, he exerted force under his feet and dashed forward; at that moment, the lightness skills he had diligently practiced finally came into play

Xiao Ding pulled Jingyue and fell onto the bed. With a tug on the tiger-head hook at the head of the bed, there was a loud crack, and all three of them fell down together. The thin man, seeing this, disregarded his own injuries and leaped over in one step. He saw that the bed board had broken in the middle, and the three of them, along with the mattress, fell into a dark hole.

Hey, it seems that quite a few people have arrived. Xiao Ding's light flows in the small street, his hand reaches into his bosom, gripping the handle of a knife. He takes a long breath; the air is cold yet sweet. Just how many people have come? With Xiao Ding's skills, he can discern that within a radius of five zhang, at least seven or eight more people have appeared in this brief moment.

Finally arriving, Xiao Ding felt very strange. Why, for the first time in his life, did he not feel the slightest fear in such a dangerous situation? Instead... was he somewhat excited? Was it because his previous life had been too mundane? Was it due to the fact that he had already experienced death once, overcoming life and death? Or was it because his life in this world was inherently meant to be lived in the martial world?

During these days, Xiao Ding spent several more months. The Wangfu remained peaceful and uneventful, but Xiao Ding did not dare to be careless. In addition to the patrolling guards, he arranged for thirty guards to stay overnight in the inner chamber of the Zhou Wang. He also planted bamboo tubes in the underground passages of the Wangfu, equipped with fuses, and set up seven firework cannons on the eaves of the roof facing the northern garrison. He had previously instructed Huang Zhongguan to notify the stationed troops at the garrison in the name of the Wangfu, stating that if they saw the fireworks and cannons of the Wangfu ignited, they should quickly send someone for assistance. He also planted bamboo tubes in the underground passages of the Wangfu, equipped with fuses, and set up seven firework cannons on the eaves of the roof facing the northern garrison. He had previously instructed Huang Zhongguan to notify the stationed troops at the garrison in the name of the Wangfu, stating that if they saw the fireworks and cannons of the Wangfu ignited, they should quickly send someone for assistance.

The official, surprisingly accommodating, leaped up from the encirclement of the three with an almost unbelievable change in his movement, soaring through the air towards Xiao Ding, delivering a palm strike. This palm strike, coming from mid-air, even made Xiao Ding feel a sharp pain on his skin, such a fierce killing intent.

Xiao Ding was greatly alarmed, as the bone-cutting knife in his hand spun rapidly and advanced towards the giant-like palm. The saying goes, "an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous"; if the weapon in Xiao Ding's hand were even slightly longer, he would surely be unable to counter in time. The short and stout middle-aged man, upon seeing such an unusual weapon, also let out a sound of surprise. He retracted his right palm, while his left palm slanted upward, aiming to strike at Xiao Ding's wrist.

Although they could not see each other in the darkness, they seemed to sense each other's racing heartbeat. Holding hands like this, Xiao Ding suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of responsibility, realizing his position in Jingyue's heart, feeling her trust and reliance on him. His heart gradually calmed down, and a sense of manly pride surged within him. He tightened his grip and gently said: "Do not be afraid, in such a narrow tunnel, with a crossbow in hand, no matter how formidable his skills are, he cannot break in. As long as I am here, I will never allow you to be harmed in any way!"

As Xiao Ding stood there, panting and dazed with a knife in hand, seven more individuals rushed in from behind. These newcomers, like the first three, were dressed entirely in black, their faces concealed by black scarves. Hengdingji, Feng Qiao, and two others formed a semi-circle in front of the King Zhou's bed, while Eunuch Huang stood at the front, perhaps due to a lifetime of servitude, his face still devoid of any authority in such a moment

Little Ding mumbled to himself as he hurried back, and in this short time, all the warmth from his body had dissipated. Squinting his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a shadow flickering on the distant wall amidst the wind and snow, moving with remarkable speed and agility

Xiao Ding heard a noise and was greatly alarmed. Now trapped in the hole, he could not escape. If he were struck by the long sword, he would undoubtedly suffer severe consequences. In a hurry, he leaped forward a couple of steps and bumped his head against something soft and highly elastic.

Jingyue Meiren originally intended to teach five of the princes' personal guards the first volume of the Hunyuan martial arts, but now it has naturally been reduced to four. As for Xiao Ding, she could only wish that this increasingly intimate lover's martial skills surpassed her own by tenfold, and thus she was willing to impart all her knowledge. Now, the four guards, even if they tried their best, could not match Xiao Ding's level.