Chapter 4, Fierce Battle
Originally, the water skills of the fifth master were not weak, yet at this moment, he was filled with fear of the water, as if a ferocious beast from ancient times was lurking in the lake
Moments later, two streams of blood began to surge from beneath the water. Just as the fifth master sensed something was amiss, two corpses floated to the surface, namely those of Meng Qi and Zhao Jiu
Gao Bufan shrugged; after all, the white knight of Chang Wusun Meimei is Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, and he himself is afraid that he cannot even aspire to that. However, he can still embrace the thigh of the future empress!
Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty was capricious in his emotions, narrow-minded, and suspicious. If Zhang Jincheng publicly uttered such treasonous words, and Changsun Sheng still agreed to redeem his daughter for three thousand taels of silver, then his death would be imminent, and it could even implicate the entire Changsun family
On the other side, Gao Shilian was also unable to extricate himself, while Changsun Sheng and Zhang Jincheng were locked in a fierce struggle, making it difficult to separate. Seeing that his daughter was about to fall into the hands of the bandits once more, he could not help but cough violently, and at that moment, danger loomed large.
As a close minister to the Son of Heaven, Changsun Sheng understood the temperament of Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty very well. Therefore, he now had only one choice, which was to eliminate Zhang Jincheng
At this time, Gao Shilian also engaged in a fierce battle with Sun Yan, the second-in-command, along with another group of troops. Although Changsun Wuji's archery skills were far inferior to those of his father, he still caused significant trouble for the bandits and successfully covered the retreat of that troop member, rescuing Changsun Wugou onto the ship
Changsun Wugou's small mouth was agape in surprise, forming an 'O' shape, as she looked helplessly at the gradually calming surface of the lake. Meanwhile, the four bandits on the opposite boat exchanged glances, each leaning forward to peer into the water.
As the splashes of water flew, the robber unexpectedly sank like a weight after falling into the water, disappearing without a trace, leaving only a series of bubbles and ripples
"Killing you is more than enough!" Changsun Sheng said coldly
If the arrow that the chubby boy, Changsun Wuji, shot at himself had been shot by his father, Changsun Sheng...! ... Hiss, Gao Bufan couldn't help but take a cold breath, and a chill ran down his back
Although Gao Shou and Gao Ren are a bit nervous, they are not too worried, because once they are in the water, the young master is the absolute master
The fifth master, gripping a steel knife, vigilantly observed the movements on the surface of the lake as if facing a formidable enemy. Suddenly, he noticed a dark shadow darting up from beneath the water, and without hesitation, he struck down with his knife, instantly cleaving the shadow in half.
The sound of the strings resonated continuously as Changsun Sheng released a flurry of arrows, shooting six arrows in one breath, each one claiming a life. Originally, there were eight bandits on the pirate ship, but now only one remained, all alone.
"Wudangjia, something is not right, it seems that Fei Si has been dragged down by something... Gulu!" Before the other bandit beside him could finish his words, a hand silently emerged from the water, grabbing his collar and yanking him down, causing him to plunge into the water and quickly disappear.
Zhang Jincheng was both surprised and delighted upon seeing this: "It turns out that General Changsun has sustained internal injuries, no wonder his breath is weak and his strength is failing!"
"The dream came a bit too early!" Changsun Sheng executed a strange upward slash with his knife, nearly disemboweling Zhang Jincheng, who was instantly drenched in cold sweat. At that moment, he dared not be arrogant any longer and focused intently to face the battle.
Too fast
Zhang Jincheng laughed maniacally: "To die at the hands of the renowned Changsun Sheng is indeed an honor. Of course, if I could kill the illustrious Changsun Sheng, my name would surely resonate throughout the world. In that case, the heroes of the green forest seeking to ally with me would undoubtedly flock to my side."
The fifth master, with a sullen expression, said: "We have encountered experts, Meng Qi and Zhao Jiu, you are skilled in water, go down and meet him, I will support you from the sidelines"
A loud crash echoed, and sparks flew in all directions. Suddenly, Changsun Sheng felt a sharp sinking beneath his feet, the stern of the ship lifted high, and several members of the Changsun family lost their balance and fell directly into the lake
Gao Dagaogao, you all stay here, be sharp, and don't mess things up!" After Gao Bufan finished speaking, he plunged into the water and disappeared.
The man named Zhao Fu, upon hearing the news, did not hesitate and grabbed a paddle to row towards the waterway's exit. However, after just a few meters, two bandits swam up like crocodiles, climbing onto the boat from both the left and right. Zhao Fu hurriedly drew his knife to strike one of them, but was instead struck in the neck by the other bandit, his head flying off and falling into the water
Gao Ren chuckled and said: "Young master certainly resembles one, but young master... is a bit too dark, I fear he cannot become a white horse prince, however... a dark horse prince is also quite good"
At this moment, a group of fierce bandits charged towards the entrance of the waterway, clearly intending to capture Changsun Wugou. The young girl was desperately rowing the boat, completely unaware that the bandits' vessel was rapidly approaching her at an angle.
There are ghosts underwater! The fifth master suddenly thrust his knife into the water, and immediately a surge of bright red gushed up from beneath the surface
Bastard, if you have the guts, come out and fight me one-on-one. What kind of hero hides underwater and sneaks attacks? The fifth leader felt a bit uneasy, cold sweat pouring down his back
Changsun Sheng was able to draw a three-stone bow, indicating that his arm strength was certainly not weak. A certain soldier was thrown by him a distance of six or seven meters, landing precisely on the surface of the lake beside Changsun Wugou. This individual was an excellent swimmer; upon hitting the water, he immediately supported Changsun Wugou, attempting to climb onto the empty boat.
Seeing Zhang Jincheng leap into the air, Changsun Sheng couldn't help but frown. At that moment, he could certainly evade the attack, but given the momentum of Zhang Jincheng's strike, if he were to dodge, the small boat beneath his feet would surely be split apart. Thus, he had no choice but to brace himself with his sword.
Gao Bufan was a professional soldier in his previous life, possessing remarkable skills, and even three to five ordinary individuals were no match for him. After crossing over to the Sui Dynasty, he gained extraordinary abilities, with his strength being several times greater than that of his peers. Thus, he believed that even if he could not be invincible in the world, he would still be a formidable opponent. However, he has now suddenly realized that he is still a "younger brother".
"What the hell, this is terrible, let's get out of here!" Gao Ren grabbed the oar and was about to row away, but was struck on the back of his hand by Gao Bufan, causing him to drop the oar as if he had been electrocuted. He complained, "Does the young master want to be a hero saving a damsel in distress?"
Gao Bufan was also shocked beyond measure; this was the first time he had witnessed the martial prowess of a master after crossing over to the Great Sui. It was extraordinarily abnormal; the shooting speed was comparable to that of a handgun, and the force was even more terrifying, capable of piercing through the human body. If it were him, he would definitely be unable to evade it.
At this moment, another robber swam towards the boat where Changsun Wugou was located. The little girl, not knowing where she found the courage, actually took the oar from Zhao Fu's headless corpse and began to row with all her might. However, it was evident that she did not know how to row, and the boat spun in place several times, unexpectedly drifting diagonally towards Gao Bufan and his two companions.
"Guanyin maid, be careful!" Changsun Wuji saw the pirate ship heading towards Changsun Wugou and immediately shouted a warning, attempting to rush over to provide assistance. Unfortunately, at that moment, three bandits had already boarded his ship, and two of his servants fought desperately to fend them off, leaving them no time to attend to him.
"Did it hit?" The Fifth Master displayed a look of joy
Thud
At this moment, the bandits finally reacted, roaring as they launched a counterattack. The bandit leader, Zhang Jincheng, leaped into the air, astonishingly crossing the three to four meters wide water surface like a flying bird. With a single move, he executed the "Splitting Mount Hua" technique, his ghostly blade slicing through the air with the force of wind and thunder, aimed at Long Sun Sheng.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and even Zhang Jincheng had no time to react as seven of his brothers were shot dead right before his eyes
"What the hell are you doing, Fat Four? Is this the time for jokes?" cursed the robber with a dark red birthmark on his face.
The robber, who narrowly escaped a disaster, was so frightened that he stood frozen in shock; it took him two seconds to react before he plunged into the water in terror
The situation with the Fifth Leader is indeed alarming. Meng Qi and Zhao Jiu are both skilled individuals within the stronghold. Their martial arts may be slightly inferior, but their swimming abilities are exceptional. If the confrontation were to take place in the water, he would not stand a chance against either of them. In just a brief moment, they have been eliminated. One must ask, how can the Fifth Leader not feel a sense of dread?
The tremendous force of the arrow caused the crooked-mouthed bandit, along with Changsun Wugou, to fall into the lake
And it is said that Changsun Sheng displayed great prowess, shooting and killing seven men in one breath. However, his quiver was now empty. He then picked up a lean subordinate beside him, exerted his strength, and threw him out while simultaneously shouting: "Save him!"
With a single stroke, the fifth head of the household was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when the two severed corpses completely surfaced. It was then that he recognized the first victim who had fallen into the water, Fat Four, now cut in half, with his entrails spilling out, a sight too gruesome to behold. The little girl, Long Sun Wugou, covered her small face, unable to look.
If it were only a matter of spending 3,000 taels of silver to save his daughter's life, Changsun Sheng would not mind suffering this loss, and he could only accept a bit of humiliation. However, Zhang Jincheng, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation, absurdly advised him to rebel against the Sui dynasty. This is simply a joke, and a joke that could very well endanger the Changsun family!
The robber was thinking this when suddenly his expression changed, for the small boat below unexpectedly retreated half a foot in a strange manner. Having originally calculated his position, he immediately stepped into thin air and fell into the water
Bang bang bang
Changsun Wuji's eyes were filled with fury as he shot an arrow that pierced the heart of the bandit, leaving him utterly chilled. However, when he attempted to nock another arrow, he realized that his quiver was completely empty
Meng Qi and Zhao Jiu are both skilled underwater. They immediately took off their shirts, held daggers in their mouths, and leaped into the water, while the fifth master jumped over the boat and restrained the little girl, Changsun Wugou.
Changsun Sheng's archery skills are truly terrifying. At this moment, Zhang Jincheng still felt lingering fear and naturally did not dare to allow Changsun Sheng to free his hands to draw his bow. Therefore, he immediately launched an all-out attack towards Changsun Sheng, attempting to engage in close combat.
"Zhao Fu, quickly take Guanyin's maid away, I will cover for you!" Changsun Wuji shouted loudly while shooting arrows.
Zhang Jincheng stood firmly at the bow of the ship, as steady as Mount Tai, and laughed triumphantly, saying: "General Changsun's archery skills are unparalleled, but his strength is quite ordinary!"
"Isn't this young master like a hero?" Gao Bufan retorted
Thud
Changsun Wugou was so frightened that she let out a piercing scream, instinctively raising the paddle to strike at the robber. The robber, suspended in mid-air, revealed a sinister grin, knowing that the young girl was as weak as a chick, and even if she managed to hit him with the paddle, it would be no more than a tickle.
However, just a few seconds later, a corpse floated up from the bottom of the water, and it was none other than the robber who had just been dragged underwater. The bloody wound on his back was still oozing blood, and he was dead beyond any doubt
"... Do you think you are worthy of this?" As soon as Changsun Sheng finished speaking, the horn bow in his hand shot an arrow like lightning, striking the crooked-mouthed bandit holding the little girl Changsun Wugou, causing blood to spurt from his neck as the feathered arrow pierced through his throat.
Changsun Sheng remained silent, swiftly delivering a fierce slash. Zhang Jincheng met the attack with his own blade, and the two engaged in a fierce exchange, each matching the other blow for blow. For a time, it appeared they were evenly matched, indicating that Zhang Jincheng indeed possessed considerable skill to rise as the leader among the bandits
Then there was a pirate ship heading straight for the little girl Changsun Wugou. There were a total of five bandits on board, and these fellows clearly did not take a little girl seriously. The two ships were still two meters apart when one of the bandits boldly leaped up, attempting to jump onto Changsun Wugou's ship