Chapter 3, The Inn Under Attack

Moreover, when those fragments fell onto the tiled roof, they unexpectedly exploded into large holes, and in the blink of an eye, the spacious tiled house had collapsed with a loud bang

On the other side of the battlefield, the situation suddenly changed. Nangong Yi and Wu Yunhe displayed a clear distinction in their martial arts skills. Nangong Yi fought against two men in black with ease, while Wu Yunhe, who was said to have received the true teachings of Liu Chunyang, the leader of Mount Hua, was in a flustered state. Although he had not been injured, his clothing was pierced in several places. Manager Sun also appeared quite relaxed, as Mei Lan was not at a disadvantage in her one-on-one battle with the man in black. The most perilous situation was faced by the two waiters; having previously fought four against nine, they were already exhausted. Now, facing one opponent with two, they were still on the defensive, attacking less. Fortunately, the men in black, despite their fierce offensive, still held back enough to avoid defeat.

Mei Yunqing felt a chill in her heart and exclaimed, "So it was you last night. You, sir, are a senior in the martial arts world, yet you ambushed a frail woman like me. If this were to spread, would you not fear being ridiculed by the people of the jianghu?"

Mei Yunqing still wore a smile on her face, showing no sign of fear. When Ke Tianxiong's formidable palm strike, capable of changing the color of heaven and earth, came crashing down towards her chest, her delicate body did not even flinch. She merely swung her hand lightly as if to strike with a sword, yet how could she wield a sword when there was none in her hand

Suddenly realizing that this moment is not one for blaming heaven or worrying about others, he looked again at his own people, each one downcast. If he were to suffer another defeat, he would have no place to stand upon returning to the borders. He had originally thought that leading the elite experts from the borders into the Central Plains would yield great results, but unexpectedly, they had met with disaster as soon as they entered the battlefield. A sense of unease and foreboding swept through his heart.

The men in black, in great fear, had long abandoned their enemies and fled far away. If they were to die in such a manner, it would be more satisfying to take their own lives publicly.

Mei Yunqing felt as if the world had fallen silent, with fifteen pairs of eyes from both sides fixed upon her, reflecting fear, astonishment, and admiration. Ke Tianxiong seemed to utter a word before charging towards her. She wanted to raise her sword to meet him, but she found herself utterly powerless, unable even to lift the sword.

Mei Yunqing had not expected her own abilities to become so formidable. She was utterly unaware of what had just transpired. Although the person before her was frozen, the look of terror on his face was vividly apparent, especially in his eyes, which still moved and were filled with a pleading expression. Mei Yunqing felt a pang of compassion in her heart. This person would either die from the cold or be scared to death by her; it would be better to grant him a swift end. With this thought in mind, she flicked her sword, piercing like lightning into the man's chest.

Although Mei Yunqing was greatly angered, she still smiled charmingly and said: "Even without a sword, I can still kill you."

The sound of metal clashing echoed incessantly, each clang causing the wielder to feel a lightness in their hand, as if the long spear forged from a hundred layers of fine steel had lost a segment. In the blink of an eye, only about a foot remained. Mei Yunqing had already swept past him, and he felt a sense of calm, knowing he had blocked her sword's momentum. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly felt an excruciating pain throughout his body. Looking down, he saw that his skin was covered in wounds, each one bleeding profusely, realizing too late that he had been injured by her sword energy. He let out a cry of despair and collapsed to the ground, reduced to a pile of flesh and mud, unable to distinguish between bone and blood.

"Withdraw," Ke Tianxiong said sternly. "Are you saying to withdraw?" His gaze was like lightning, fixed intently on the person speaking

Mei Lan was taken aback upon hearing this. She initially intended to leave in a huff, but recalling Mei Yunqing's words, she could only endure and stay. Just as she was about to retort, she heard Yang Fei say, "Miss Xiao Lan, I apologize."

When the three arrived, another disciple of Meihua Mountain Villa had succumbed and lost their life.

The master of the estate. The anxious Manager Sun, who had been waiting not far away, hurriedly approached, followed by four attendants, who were indeed disciples of Meihua Mountain Villa

The chill grew increasingly intense, gradually forming two streams of cold energy. The pain within her meridians slowly faded away, replaced by an indescribable warmth that made her feel so comfortable she almost wanted to moan. The two streams of cold energy flowed into her dantian, transforming into the internal energy she was familiar with, and then circulated throughout her body’s extraordinary meridians, allowing her internal injuries to heal in an instant.

With a loud bang, the two had clashed again, but this time it was neither unequal nor unreciprocated. Ke Tianxiong suddenly stepped back three paces, striking several vital points on his body, and with a "wow," he spat out a mouthful of blood.

However, the sword did not pierce as she had imagined; instead, it revealed a spiderweb-like crack in the chest of the ice man. Mei Yunqing was greatly astonished. As she withdrew the sword, the man shattered like a block of ice, transforming into countless fragments that fell onto the tiles. Among them were pieces of brain matter resembling tofu, a heart that was still steaming and faintly beating, and intestines frozen into colorful popsicles.

Although he felt reluctant in his heart, Yang Fei continued to move forward like a walking corpse. Just after turning a street corner, he noticed someone beside him; it was Mei Lan, whom he had just seen. Only then did Yang Fei come to his senses and exclaimed in astonishment, "Didn’t I say you didn’t need to see me off? Why are you still following me?" His mood was extremely poor at the moment, and his words inadvertently came out in anger, his tone lacking any politeness.

Mei Yunqing was just about to take the sword, but Ke Tianxiong, enduring the sword energy from her finger with his shoulder, struck out with a palm and sent the sword flying.

Although Mei Yunqing wielded her fingers as a sword, a faint sword aura still emanated from her. Ke Tianxiong, caught off guard, was unexpectedly pierced through his clothing by an invisible "sword." He was renowned as the foremost expert beyond the Great Wall, having rarely encountered an opponent in his life. To his surprise, he was met with defeat right after making his move. Furthermore, after last night's failed ambush on Mei Yunqing, which resulted in his own loss, he was filled with anger and humiliation, prompting him to draw Mei Yunqing's treasured sword and, channeling his strength, he swung the scabbard towards her at an angle.

He could only hear the wind howling. Although the twin hammers had not yet struck Mei Yunqing, he saw a headless corpse below slowly collapsing, spraying blood the size of a bowl. He did not know which companion had been killed again. While he felt a twinge of sorrow for the fallen, he secretly felt relieved, for it was no easy feat to escape with his life from Mei Yunqing's fierce sword intent.

Master Sun was also drenched in sweat, and the golden light surrounding him grew increasingly intense, indicating that it was indeed a critical moment for the competition of internal strength

As soon as Mei Yunqing felt the contact of the two palms, she realized that something was amiss. In the blink of an eye, Ke Tianxiong's internal strength seemed to have surged more than threefold. Despite her best efforts to resist, the immense force of Ke Tianxiong's palm sent her soaring into the air.

Upon seeing Mei Yunqing approaching with great speed, the twelve men in black shouted in unison, each brandishing their weapons and launching an attack towards Mei Yunqing

Mei Lanjiao snorted and said: "Alright, just ahead is the Zhenwei Escort Agency. I have completed my task, and I only hope to never see you again. Your temperament is so petty; no wonder the young lady dislikes you so much. Farewell." After saying this, she did not even glance at him and turned to leave.

Other men in black also rushed forward to attack, as if a moment's delay could endanger their lives

After Mei Lan broke up with Yang Fei and returned to the inn, she witnessed a fierce battle between the two parties. Initially intending to assist, she realized that her individual efforts would not be of much help, so she sought out allies. Recalling that Mei Yunqing had mentioned Nangong Bo's arrival in Chang'an, and having had a favorable impression of him from their previous encounter, she decided to ask for his assistance. However, upon inquiring about Nangong Bo's whereabouts, she did not find him but instead encountered two men behind her. One introduced himself as Nangong Bo's younger brother, Nangong Yi, while the other was someone she had not seen before, Wu Yunhe, a close disciple of Liu Chunyang, the leader of the Huashan Sect. Although neither had much renown in the martial world, their backgrounds were significant. Upon hearing Mei Lan's request for their help, they readily agreed.

Ke Tianxiong remarked: "I never expected that the 'Golden Abacus' Sun Dingping, who roamed the rivers and lakes twenty years ago, would actually be hiding in Meihua Mountain Villa. However, it seems he no longer possesses the power he once had."

The first to receive Mei Yunqing's strike in mid-air was a black-clad man wielding a single saber. He swung his blade several times, the momentum of the knife extremely fierce, transforming into a whirlwind of blade light that enveloped his vital points. He was originally a renowned master of saber techniques from beyond the pass, and thought to himself that since Mei Yunqing had flown several dozen zhang away, her momentum had already been exhausted, and he was certain he would not be able to stop her.

Mei Yunqing, with a calm mind, was about to step forward to offer assistance when Ke Tianxiong had already blocked her path, shouting: "Let us settle this once and for all." As he spoke, the power of his Yin-Yang Palm transformed into countless shadowy palms, all striking towards Mei Yunqing.

That person was Ke Tianxiong, who laughed heartily and said, "Master Mei indeed has a broad knowledge, even having heard of my name." He felt quite pleased with himself, as he had never set foot in the Central Plains before, yet he did not expect that his reputation had already spread far and wide here

Mei Yunqing had never known about the past of Manager Sun until this moment; it was the first time she had heard of it. No wonder her mother had advised her to show him respect, yet she did not understand why he was willing to be a subordinate at Meihua Mountain Villa

The swordsman did not anticipate that Mei Yunqing's strike would possess such formidable power. Although he felt flustered, he still exerted all his lifelong skills, wielding the long sword with its tip broken to guard the entrance, waiting for the moment to recover from this move, so that his companion could turn back to provide assistance.

Ke Tianxiong felt a sudden chill in his heart; in Mei Yunqing's eyes, he surprisingly saw a hint of pity. It was a feeling akin to looking at a dead person. Clearly, he had the upper hand, so why did she have such an expression? Ke Tianxiong bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood mist, and in that instant, his power surged threefold. In order to save his life, he no longer cared about how many years he had left to live. He let out a loud shout, "Yin Yang Tiandi!" This was the ultimate move of the Yin Yang Palm, designed to inflict maximum damage on the enemy through rapid speed and high internal energy accumulation. In that moment, his power surged again threefold, and once more, he shouted, "Yin Yang Tiandi!" This was the ultimate move of the Yin Yang Palm, designed to inflict maximum damage on the enemy through rapid speed and high internal energy accumulation.

Mei Yunqing smiled faintly and swung her sword again. This time, she was not empty-handed but wielded the sword of inevitable destruction. Ke Tianxiong's face turned ashen; having killed countless people in his lifetime, he found himself unable to utter a single cry at this moment. Mei Yunqing's sword was extremely slow, yet despite his unparalleled martial arts and his belief that he could rank among the top ten in lightness of foot in the martial world, he found himself devoid of even the thought of escape under that sword. He was acutely aware of the power of his forty-nine palm strikes, yet he could not fathom how Mei Yunqing had transformed those forty-nine palm strikes into a sword. Mei Yunqing's sword was extremely slow, yet despite his unparalleled martial arts and his belief that he could rank among the top ten in lightness of foot in the martial world, he found himself devoid of even the thought of escape under that sword. He was acutely aware of the power of his forty-nine palm strikes, yet he could not fathom how Mei Yunqing had transformed those forty-nine palm strikes into a sword.

Mei Yunqing was unable to retrieve her sword, so she could only form a sword technique with her hands, using her fingers to confront the enemy. Concerned for the safety of those in the manor, her mind was distracted, and she was no longer a match for Ke Tianxiong. She was struck twice on her left shoulder, and although she already had an injury, the situation became even more burdensome. Fortunately, her internal strength had greatly increased at that moment, so she was not in immediate danger. However, as time passed, she began to feel her left arm growing sore and numb, rendering it weak and unable to exert any force.

That person let out a cold laugh and said loudly: "What of it if I take advantage of others' misfortunes? Can the owner of Mei Manor do anything to me?"

Mei Yunqing, with her sword soaring through the air, launched an attack against the third person wielding a spear. Although that individual was filled with extreme fear upon witnessing the tragic deaths of his two companions, he managed to steady his mind. With a spear approximately ten feet long, he conjured a flurry of silver blossoms, directing them towards Mei Yunqing. He understood that if he could just delay her for a moment, his companions would close in, allowing him to preserve his own life.

Mei Yun stood gracefully, her garments fluttering, though the tiled house beneath her had collapsed, she remained suspended in the void, akin to a ghost from the underworld, devoid of any weight. Not a speck of the swirling dust settled upon her blood-stained attire. Suddenly, as she turned to face the crowd, she smiled charmingly, but her fair face abruptly turned pale, and just like that, she fell from midair.

"Yang Fei." Mei Yunqing involuntarily let out a soft exclamation, startled by her own reaction. As she exerted a subtle internal force through her right hand resting on the armrest of a wooden chair, the chair instantly crumbled like rotten leather, scattering into pieces all over the ground

Covered in blood, her unparalleled beauty remained unscathed. In the eyes of the nine black-clad men, each of whom considered themselves top-tier experts of the martial world, Mei Yunqing appeared as a deathly specter. This woman, who had entered the scene several decades later and seemed rather frail, merely cast a light glance, yet it compelled all nine to instinctively step back two paces.

Mei Yunqing referred to the sword, and the formless sword energy initially had the effect of a surprise attack. However, as time passed, Ke Tianxiong became familiar with the method and was no longer afraid. His palm technique was exquisite, and amidst the myriad shadows of his palms, Mei Yunqing could not discern any flaws. Just when she was at a loss, she suddenly recalled that marvelous state from before. At that time, she clearly remembered that there were countless flaws in Ke Tianxiong's palm technique, yet why could she not see any of them now? How could she re-enter that marvelous state?

With a sword already in the heart, why concern oneself with whether there is a sword in hand? When Mei Yunqing swung that sword, it struck the air; yet the wind had ceased, and the force had dissipated. Ke Tianxiong's earth-shattering forty-nine strikes vanished without a trace in an instant, as if Mei Yunqing's sword had absorbed his palm energy completely, like a sponge.

Mei Yunqing said: "Aren't you just shooting after the horse has bolted? I have already suffered a great loss before you clarified things." He leaped onto the rooftop and saw Ke Tianxiong about to strike those two young disciples. He coldly laughed and said: "Senior Ke, you are also a renowned figure in the martial arts world; why bully us younger generation?"

Mei Yunqing smiled slightly and said, "If our humble village has never heard of the reputation of Senior Lian Ke, how can we possibly establish ourselves in the martial world" As she mentioned the words 'reputation', her voice was quite loud, carrying a hint of deliberate sarcasm

I am such a person that I am not even worthy of her disdain

The disparity in strength between the two parties is so great that Ke Tianxiong, filled with delight, laughed heartily and said: "If Master Mei is willing to marry me, I will let everyone present go free"

In terms of martial arts, the four disciples of Meihua Villa could not withstand thirty moves from those men in black in a one-on-one fight. However, when the men in black witnessed Mei Yunqing eliminate three of their own with a single sword strike, their weapons were destroyed, their morale shattered, and they became increasingly wary of Mei Yunqing's potential outbursts. In contrast, the disciples of Meihua Villa were greatly encouraged, driven by their loyalty to their master and the fearless spirit of the young, facing nine opponents with just four of them. They managed to hold on for more than half an hour against the odds.

In the "Golden Abacus," Sun Dingping, the shopkeeper Sun, bowed to Mei Yunqing, holding the sword upside down and presenting the tip of the sword to Mei Yunqing, respectfully saying: "I hope the master of the manor will allow me to take over for a moment."

"To dominate the Central Plains." Mei Yunqing stood upright, her delicate figure poised. After retching for a long time, she could only expel some clear water. It then occurred to her that she had not eaten since yesterday afternoon. She cast a cold glance at Ke Tianxiong and, with a delicate snort, said, "Just based on you all." If she were to rely on her previous martial arts skills, it would take at least a hundred moves to kill these men in black. Yet, she had only used two moves earlier and had already killed four. At this moment, her martial arts had greatly improved, and her confidence surged. Upon hearing Ke Tianxiong's words, her killing intent intensified. With another delicate snort, she reiterated, "Just based on you all." If she were to rely on her previous martial arts skills, it would take at least a hundred moves to kill these men in black. Yet, she had only used two moves earlier and had already killed four. At this moment, her martial arts had greatly improved, and her confidence surged. Upon hearing Ke Tianxiong's words, her killing intent intensified.

The two exchanged smiles, and Yang Fei felt a slight alleviation of the gloom in his heart. He said, "Miss Xiao Lan, I do not know your esteemed surname. I only heard Master Mei refer to you in this manner, so I followed suit. Please do not take offense."

Manager Sun shouted, "Step aside!" Clang, clang, clang, it was unknown when a golden abacus, shining with brilliance, had appeared in his hand. As the beads of the abacus flew out, they struck the sword, causing its momentum to slow. Manager Sun reached out and seized the sword, but his body sank, unable to maintain his footing, and he forcefully created a hole in the roof as he fell through.

A cry of despair jolted Mei Yunqing from this wondrous realm. As her beautiful eyes gazed over, she saw a disciple of Meihua Mountain Manor already collapsed, unable to withstand any longer. The battle between Manager Sun and Ke Tianxiong was also in a perilous state. Realizing that she could not afford another moment of hesitation, this thought arose in her mind, and her delicate figure swiftly approached the nine men in black like a ghost.

Ke Tianxiong chuckled and said, "Brother Sun, you flatter me. I shall not disturb the two of you any longer, so I take my leave." Having said this, he appeared as if he intended to leave without a care in the world.

Is that so? Perhaps in the next life. Ke Tianxiong said: "At this moment, you are like a toothless tigress; who would be afraid of you?"

Mei Yunqing exchanged ten moves with Ke Tianxiong, and after a few strikes, she felt her hands growing weak and soft. Although her martial arts skills were superior to those of a single Ke Tianxiong, they were still lacking compared to two Ke Tianxiongs, let alone three. At this moment, her situation had also become quite perilous.

Mei Yunqing suddenly thought of Ke Tianxiong, the leader of the Changbai Sect beyond the pass, who was nicknamed "The Yin-Yang Old Monster." He was renowned for his lightness skill and Yin-Yang Palm, dominating the area beyond the pass. This person acted in an eccentric manner, disregarding means, and had a very poor reputation, which bore a striking resemblance to the individual before him

Mei Yunqing's move "Flying Rainbow from the Sky" aims to wield the sword with qi, achieving a unity of body and sword, and striking from the air. She learned this technique from the martial arts classics in her clan, and had never used it before. This time, her aerial strike was surprisingly effective, allowing her to kill three of her opponent's skilled fighters in one blow. However, despite the great power of this move, it consumes an immense amount of internal energy. At her current level of cultivation, she could barely execute it, and had already exhausted all her internal true qi.

Mei Yunqing saw that the three were overjoyed and hurriedly said: "You all go help Master Sun." The three responded in unison, with Nangong Yi and Wu Yunhe each taking on two black-clad men, while Mei Lan chose one black-clad man. Together with two disciples from Meihua Mountain Villa dealing with one black-clad man, Master Sun only needed to handle two black-clad men. His martial arts were significantly superior to those of the black-clad men; had it not been for the overwhelming number of enemies, he would not have been struggling so hard. With the pressure now alleviated, he was naturally able to handle the situation with ease. Taking advantage of a moment, he kicked the sword left by Mei Yunqing at his side, sending it flying at an angle, and shouted: "Master, catch the sword."

A figure clad in black approached, their appearance aged, with eyes like lightning, clearly indicating an extraordinary mastery of internal martial arts. At first sight, they were still a hundred paces away, yet in the blink of an eye, they were less than ten paces from Mei Yunqing.

Ke Tianxiong had not anticipated that he was merely avoiding the battle, as three of his twelve subordinates had already perished under the sword in the blink of an eye, and their deaths were so tragic that he had never witnessed anything like it in his life. The remaining nine were stripped of their fighting spirit, utterly defeated. The power of Mei Yunqing's previous strike was indeed formidable; what kind of swordsmanship was it? His palms were drenched in cold sweat, realizing that if Mei Yunqing were to unleash that same strike again, he would not fare any better.

Ke Tianxiong retreated to the side, observing from the wall.

Ke Tianxiong's eyes were filled with a strong killing intent. In a flash, he moved like a ghost to the back of the man in black and coldly sneered, "Do you really want to go back?"

Yang Fei was lost in thought and did not hear what she said. Moreover, there were many pedestrians on the street. After walking quite a distance, he did not even notice that one person was missing beside him. It was only after he exited Tianjie that he realized Mei Lan had not followed him. He assumed she had returned to the inn and did not wait, continuing to walk ahead.

Mei Yunqing returned to her room, closed the doors and windows, and hurriedly changed into a set of yellow garments. She then sat cross-legged on the couch, practicing her breathing techniques to heal her internal injuries. Initially, her injuries were quite severe; fortunately, Yang Fei had managed the situation in time. After circulating her internal energy for a small cycle, she had already recovered about sixty percent, which was also due to the purity of her internal strength.

Ke Tianxiong felt a surge of joy in his heart as he swiftly launched several sword strikes. Although he was not skilled in sword techniques, he exuded a formidable presence, reminiscent of a renowned master.

Ke Tianxiong, in his earlier years, killed his master and eliminated all his fellow disciples before ascending to the position of the leader of Changbai. Therefore, the righteous sect has never acknowledged him as the leader of Changbai, which is a significant source of pain for him, and he is most averse to having it mentioned. Upon hearing Mei Yunqing's words, he was already filled with rage, let out a cold snort, and leaped forward to confront Mei Yunqing

The tip of the sword penetrated another half inch, and the air suddenly grew cold, forming a thin layer of ice on Ke Tianxiong. He also understood that this was the effect of the阴劲 in his掌劲.

Suddenly catching sight of Mei Yunqing's sword tip gently resting yet seemingly trembling, a realization struck him, and he shouted loudly: "Everyone, attack together; this woman has no strength left to fight back." After saying this, he swiftly struck out with two palms, causing the atmosphere around them to feel as if it had abruptly turned cold and hot.

Suddenly, a chill emerged between heaven and earth, causing the plum blossoms to retreat and transforming into the bright, shimmering sword of Mei Yunqing, resembling autumn water. Frost formed on the blade, and after slicing through a distance of about ten feet, small hailstones the size of yellow beans fell from the sword.

Ke Tianxiong shouted, "What are you all looking at? Did I bring you here to watch the excitement?"

The crowd stood in silence for a moment, and the two disciples could no longer endure the gruesome scene, bowing their heads to vomit.

Mei Yunqing couldn't help but smile, resembling the blooming of winter plum blossoms in the cold. It seemed as if the world had fallen silent once more, while Ke Tianxiong's self-proclaimed unparalleled palm technique appeared full of flaws in her eyes

To onlookers, it appeared that he had his head severed by Mei Yunqing with a single sword strike, and as his head flew into the air, it initially bore an expression of triumph, followed by a face full of terror. His mouth opened wide as if to scream, yet no sound emerged. Only then did the head fall from the sky, its eyes wide open in death.

When Mei Yunqing turned around, the sword had already flown away to an unknown destination. Ke Tianxiong, seeing that his scheme had succeeded, laughed heartily and said: "I see you have no sword left, how will you fight me now?"

Mei Yunqing found it quite strange and did not rush forward to attack. Was Ke Tianxiong contemplating suicide? That didn't seem likely! Just as she was feeling astonished, she heard Nangong Yi say: "Mei Zhuangzhu, be careful, he is preparing to unleash the Blood Demon Great Technique."

Mei Yunqing was extremely angered by the insult to her purity. With a twist of her delicate body, she intended to advance and attack him. However, as her jade hand brushed against her waist, she suddenly remembered that her precious sword had already been lost. With a soft huff, she struck out with her palm. The man in black let out a cold laugh, and with a sweep of his right palm, a loud bang echoed as the two exchanged a blow in mid-air.

Ke Tianxiong let out a cold laugh. In order to defeat Mei Yunqing, he did not hesitate to shorten his lifespan by three years to unleash the Blood Demon Great Technique. The power of the Yin-Yang Palm indeed increased significantly, forcing Mei Yunqing to defend more and attack less. In less than fifty moves, he would be able to defeat her. He was determined to capture her and make her experience his strength.

"Damn woman." Ke Tianxiong struck down Manager Sun with a single blow and swiftly approached Mei Yunqing. As soon as Mei Yunqing drew her sword, she destroyed another top expert he had brought along. His anger surged, and he glared at her as if he intended to swallow her whole. He glared fiercely at the men in black and shouted, "Leave this damn woman to me; the rest are yours. If you can't handle this, what is there to discuss about dominating the Central Plains?" When he mentioned the words "dominating the Central Plains," he fixed his gaze firmly on Mei Yunqing. Indeed, if they could not even defeat a mere Meihua Villa, what was there to discuss about dominating the Central Plains?

Ke Tianxiong's complexion was a mix of red and white, while Manager Sun was surrounded by a faint yellow glow. Although Ke Tianxiong's internal strength was higher than that of Manager Sun, he had already engaged in a fierce battle with Mei Yunqing, depleting a considerable amount of his internal energy. Therefore, the two were evenly matched, neither having the upper hand.

"I understand, I understand, Mother." Mei Yunqing recalled her prematurely deceased mother, unable to hold back her tears. Since there is already a sword in her heart, why must she be so fixated on whether there is a sword in her hand?

She is well aware of her current situation. If it were not for her unwavering determination to hold on, she would have likely collapsed and fallen from the rooftop by now. Her physical strength and internal energy have long been depleted. Especially the person wielding the spear, whose skill is unparalleled in her lifetime. The final nine blocks were particularly devastating, leaving her in a worse state than someone without any martial arts skills.

The world seemed to be in a state of utmost stillness, as Manager Sun had already led the four disciples from Meihua Mountain Villa and Ke Tianxiong into a fierce battle. At this moment, the myriad of sword lights and palm shadows appeared to her as full of flaws. She suddenly felt that with just a gentle stroke of her sword, she could break through them. Yet, at this moment, she could not even lift her sword, let alone talk about breaking through.

With a loud "crack," the eaves and beams of the house could no longer withstand the immense strength of the two and broke apart. From the midst of the dust, the two separated, and Ke Tianxiong laughed heartily, saying, "Brother Sun, your treasured blade is still sharp, and your charisma remains undiminished from your prime."

Fortunately, Mei Lan's lightness skill was not weak; she caught up with Yang Fei at a street corner, already sweating on her forehead, and said angrily, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Ke Tianxiong glanced back at the eight men in black, noticing their expressions filled with shock. He understood their thoughts; competing in internal strength was extremely perilous, allowing for not the slightest bit of carelessness. He had just seen Mei Yunqing act so arrogantly, even choosing to forgo her sword, using her own weaknesses to attack his strengths, and competing with him in internal strength. He felt a secret joy, gathering all his internal energy, intending to defeat her in one blow. To his surprise, he was the one who lost. Could it be that after nearly half a century of martial arts training since he began at the age of eight, his internal strength was still inferior to that of a young girl who had yet to leave her boudoir?

As Mei Yunqing grasped the sword sheath, he was taken aback. The sheath had come at him with great speed, yet once in his hand, it exerted no force at all. The sensation was akin to pushing a massive stone with a thousand pounds of strength, only to find it was an empty effort. He felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart. Suddenly, the sword sheath became extremely hot to the touch, and what was even more distressing was the dual forces of cold and heat emanating from it. These forces invaded his right hand's meridians, coursing up his arm and directly pressing toward his dantian.

The call of "Miss" made Mei Lan feel quite comfortable. The woman was surrounded by items that young ladies particularly liked. She rarely went out and was quite tempted, so she said to Yang Fei, "Wait a moment," and then paused to start browsing slowly.

Mei Yunqing's heart was sweet, and fresh blood gushed out wildly into the air. By the time it landed on the tiles, it had created a large hole, rolling down to the ground

At this moment, Nan Gongyi's calm and unhurried voice said: "This skill is a type of evil sect martial art that can rapidly increase internal energy in a very short time, primarily aimed at stimulating one's potential. Although it has remarkable effects, it greatly shortens one's lifespan; therefore, ordinary people would not resort to using such a sinister technique unless absolutely necessary."

The sound of "buzz" echoed as two swords clashed, yet there was no ringing of metal against metal; it resembled the sound of a sword striking a staff. The swordsman felt a chilling sensation emanating from his longsword. Just as he intended to swing his sword to parry, he realized that his right hand was unresponsive. Looking down, he saw that his right arm had transformed into a pillar of ice, and that coldness continued to seep through the meridians of his right arm into his body. Alarmed, he was about to sever his right arm with a palm strike, but found himself unable to move, with only his eyes able to turn slightly.

Master Sun exclaimed: "Brother Ke comes and goes as he pleases, treating Meihua Mountain Villa as if it were nothing?" Suddenly, several glimmers of gold rushed towards Ke Tianxiong, and he found that he had unknowingly acquired a golden abacus in his hand.

Meilan smiled gently and said, "I have served the young lady since childhood, growing up alongside her, so naturally I share the surname Mei and am called Meilan." She understood that Yang Fei's status was humble and that he was not as unpleasant as she had previously thought, which led her to develop some fondness for him

Ke Tianxiong summoned his last ounce of strength to strike a palm, but it was not directed at Mei Yunqing; instead, it was aimed at his own head. He could no longer endure this pain and chose to end his life prematurely

Manager Sun also shouted loudly: "If you wish to challenge our master, you must first pass my test." As the golden abacus shimmered with light, a fierce wind surged. Ke Tianxiong's two palms entered the golden light, and the two quickly engaged and then separated. At the moment they stabilized, Manager Sun's golden abacus had already vanished, and the two palms met, immediately comparing their internal strength.

Meilan's anger dissipated completely, and with a chuckle, she said: "In what way have you wronged me?"

From a distance, one could see Ke Tianxiong coming and going, followed by twelve individuals in black attire who were identical to him.

The surrounding energy emanated from the two individuals, causing the four disciples to be unable to withstand it and to leap away at a distance. Although Mei Yunqing could emit energy to protect them, doing so would be detrimental to her healing, so she had no choice but to give up.

However, the black-clad individuals brought by Ke Tianxiong, upon seeing that their leader was dead and sensing the unfavorable situation, had already taken advantage of the chaos to flee.

Yang Fei had lived in Chang'an for eight years. He knew how to return to the Zhenwei Escort Agency, but the thought of being far from this place made him uncertain of when he would see Mei Yunqing again. This thought weighed heavily on his legs, making each step feel as if it were burdened with a thousand pounds.

Yang Fei also felt increasingly irritated in his heart and coldly said: "Didn’t your young lady ask you to escort me back to the escort agency? Why did you run off to buy things?" The implication, of course, was that Mei Lan was not fulfilling her duties.

With a flash of cold light, Mei Yunqing's sword, devoid of any embellishment, effortlessly broke through the man's blade. With a light clang, the wielder of the knife found himself unable to withstand even a single move from Mei Yunqing; his single knife had already been severed by her precious sword. Alarmed, he intended to retreat, only to feel a chill at his brow, a sensation that coursed down from the center of his body. In a state of panic, he desperately hurled the broken knife towards Mei Yunqing with his right hand, while his left hand swung a punch at her. This was the last thought that crossed his mind.

The black-clad man behind the one wielding the knife saw the flash of Mei Yunqing's sword light, and his companion was continuously struck down, his body split in half from the center. Even more terrifying was that he was not yet dead; with his right knife and left fist, he attacked Mei Yunqing. The immense force of the recoil tore his body apart, and they both staggered back three or four steps before crashing down, rolling out of the room, their internal organs spilling everywhere. Witnessing the tragic death of his companion, he was already mentally shattered. Instinctively, he crossed his two massive hammers, hoping only to hinder her for a moment before fleeing for his life. The immense force of the recoil tore his body apart, and they both staggered back three or four steps before crashing down, rolling out of the room, their internal organs spilling everywhere. Witnessing the tragic death of his companion, he was already mentally shattered. Instinctively, he crossed his two massive hammers, hoping only to hinder her for a moment before fleeing for his life.

Mei Yunqing did not expect Ke Tianxiong to utter such disrespectful words, and her heart was filled with anger. She scolded, "You are disrespectful to your elders." After adjusting her breathing for a while, her internal injuries had mostly healed. With the sword in hand, her confidence surged. With a fierce shout, she used the sword as a guide, merging her body and sword as one, and unexpectedly leaped over several dozen zhang, directly attacking Ke Tianxiong.

Ke Tianxiong unleashed forty-nine strikes in an instant, each strike solid and powerful. Those forty-nine strikes appeared as if they were merely one, seeming extremely slow yet incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, they pierced through Mei Yunqing's sword aura, targeting her vital point in the chest. Before the force even reached her body, the world had already changed color, and the overwhelming energy compelled the fourteen fighters around to hastily evade. The combined force of nine of Ke Tianxiong's forty-nine strikes would be enough to turn even a Vajra Arhat into pulp. Could Mei Yunqing evade them? If she could not evade, could she withstand them? The force had not yet reached her body, and the world had already changed color, with the overwhelming energy forcing the fourteen fighters around to hastily evade. The combined force of nine of Ke Tianxiong's forty-nine strikes would be enough to turn even a Vajra Arhat into pulp. Could Mei Yunqing evade them? If she could not evade, could she withstand them?

Even though Mei Yunqing's martial arts skills are exceptional, she cannot withstand the combined assault of twelve men in black. However, this time, Mei Yunqing's sudden aerial strike caught everyone off guard, preventing them from encircling her in advance. Although they all attacked simultaneously, they were unable to strike at Mei Yunqing all at once

Although everything just mentioned was lengthy, it occurred within a matter of moments. Mei Yunqing adjusted her internal breath, ultimately forcing out the two opposing forces of cold and heat. However, she could not help but feel a sweetness in her heart and mouth, resulting in a spurt of blood mist.

The two exchanged a smile, just as they were about to rush out of the house, they heard Ke Tianxiong's voice say: "Indeed, you cannot escape this calamity today."

After a short while, Ke Tianxiong's half of his face became increasingly rosy, even exhibiting a faint glow, while the other half appeared alarmingly pale, as if it had formed a thin layer of frost on this Mid-Autumn Day

Mei Yunqing's sword has sealed off all his escape routes; Ke Tianxiong need only make a single move, and under the locked energy flow, he too would be left with nothing but a corpse.

Yang Fei exclaimed, "I thought you had already left. Did you ask me to wait for you?"

After a long while of deliberation, I bought a piece of fragrant cloth and a pouch. Looking ahead, there was no trace of Yang Fei. Frustrated, I stamped my foot and hurriedly chased after him

Yang Fei suddenly thought: even Mei Lan considers her status to be higher than his own, so he is even less worthy of Mei Yunqing. Reflecting on this, he felt even more inferior.

Mei Yunqing saw the sword sheath coming at a rapid pace. This sword was her cherished possession, and she could not bear to lose even the sheath that accompanied it. At this moment, if she did not catch it, she would not know where the sheath would fly to, so she had no choice but to muster all her internal strength and reach out to grab it.

The Ru Gui Inn, in addition to its double-story pavilion facing the street, also has several quiet rooms at the back, specifically designed for those affluent guests who prefer tranquility. Mei Yunqing's room at the Ru Gui Inn is the most luxurious one, as she has visited Chang'an numerous times, which is why Manager Sun specially prepared this room for her

Yang Fei said: "What I just said was unintentional, Miss Xiao Lan, please do not take it to heart"

"Is this what I have done?" Mei Yunqing gazed at the slaughterhouse, which resembled hell, and could not help but bend over and vomit

Mei Yunqing, upon hearing this person's almost rogue-like words, found it hard to believe he was a renowned figure in the martial arts world. Instead of being angry, he smiled and said: "Our manor has no ties or grievances with Elder Ke. Why not seek blessings outside the pass, instead of coming to our manor in the Central Plains to cause trouble?"

Mei Yunqing retorted sarcastically, "Your Excellency, taking advantage of others' misfortunes, what brings you here this time?"

The tip of the sword penetrated another half inch, and a powerful heat emanated from the left side of his body, resembling a piece of well-cooked pork. Conversely, an even colder aura radiated from the right side of his body, resembling a chunk of ice. His body was red on the left and white on the right, trembling incessantly; this was the result of his Yin-Yang mixed energy.

"Miss, would you like to buy a purse?" A woman, seeing Mei Lan dressed elegantly, knew she must be from a wealthy family, and thus called out to her loudly

The man in black trembled and took a step back

Meilan noticed that Yang Fei was silent and found it inappropriate to say anything further. At this moment, the two had arrived at the most bustling Tianjie in Chang'an, where shops lined both sides, vendors were calling out their wares along the way, and the crowd was bustling. Yang Fei, lost in thought, unconsciously pushed his way through the throng.

"With no sword in hand, yet a sword in the heart, this is the highest realm of the sword path." Mei Yunqing suddenly recalled her mother's words from when she first began learning swordsmanship at the age of ten. Unfortunately, even now, she still only partially understands this saying. How can one achieve having no sword in hand while possessing a sword in the heart? Given her current situation, can it be considered as having no sword in hand, and how can it be interpreted as having a sword in the heart?

***

"Miss." The voice of Mei Lan came from afar, followed by two young men. Although Mei Yunqing did not recognize them, just by their figures, she could tell that their skills were not to be underestimated

Mei Yunqing coldly said: "Although this master possesses low martial skills, I do not fear those who would kill their teachers or brothers." As she formed her fingers into a sword, she launched her attack the moment she spoke, and by the time she finished her sentence, she had already executed a total of eighteen "swords".

Suddenly, a cool sensation surged from the Ling Tai point at the top of her head and the Yong Quan point at the soles of her feet, entering her meridians and causing an uncomfortable sensation akin to being pricked by needles, slowly flowing towards her Dantian. Mei Yunqing, enduring such pain, could not help but tremble slightly. In the midst of the fierce battle, no one noticed her condition at that moment

Ke Tianxiong's words were not yet finished when a figure leaped out from the hole, and it was none other than Manager Sun. The four attendants, dressed as disciples of Meihua Mountain Villa, all shouted in unison.

Mei Yunqing did not expect that Ke Tianxiong would force his subordinates to fight for him in such a manner. With a bitter smile, she watched as eight men in black attacked fiercely like wolves. Manager Sun and his three disciples could not hold out for long, and in the blink of an eye, one of the disciples was already injured.

Mei Yunqing's innermost feelings were exposed by someone, causing her heart to be both shy and angry. She shouted, "Who is it?" In the midst of her words, she had already pushed the window open and leapt out, arriving on the eaves.

The force of his palm was so tremendous that his head resembled a shattered watermelon, bursting into pieces, making it impossible to distinguish between his eyes, nose, and ears. Moreover, the remaining forty-six strands of energy from Mei Yunqing's sword erupted within his body, completely obliterating him into a fine powder, leaving no trace of his remains.

Ke Tianxiong was well aware of his poor reputation, and with a chuckle, he said, "Is the owner of Mei Manor saying all this in hopes of finding some assistance?"

"Disgusting." Yang Fei pondered carefully; indeed, it was very disgusting. To desire to possess her in such a situation of taking advantage of her vulnerability naturally made her feel extremely repulsed.

That person laughed heartily and said: "If the owner of Mei Manor is merely a weak woman, then all women in the world would have to return home to hold their children."

Mei Yunqing was overjoyed. Previously, her internal strength was significantly inferior to that of Ke Tianxiong. At this moment, although she was unsure whether Ke Tianxiong had held back, she was certain that she would no longer be defeated by him.

Opening her beautiful eyes, half an hour had already passed. She stared blankly at the pile of clothes she had changed out of at the head of the bed, recalling the events of last night. Her heart was in turmoil, and she could no longer calm herself to practice her breathing exercises.

This sword is truly too slow. The two were merely about ten feet apart, yet it took the sword a considerable amount of time to pierce into Ke Tianxiong's heart. The tip of the sword gently penetrated the heart, and Ke Tianxiong surprisingly felt no pain. When he lowered his head to look, his chest was already a charred black, accompanied by a hissing sound of steam, and there even wafted a scent of cooked meat. He naturally understood that this was the effect of the yang energy in his palm technique.

Ke Tianxiong's figure swayed, and several streaks of golden light vanished into the void, while his silhouette had already reached a hundred feet away. Sun Mei and the other person exchanged glances, as their lightness skills were far inferior to his, making it impossible for them to catch up.

Mei Yunqing felt a deep sense of gratitude in her heart. Manager Sun had already noticed that she was seriously injured, yet he maintained her dignity by suggesting that she withdraw to recuperate. As she took the treasured sword and was about to leave, she suddenly heard Ke Tianxiong shout fiercely, "Want to leave? It won't be that easy!" He then unleashed two powerful palm strikes, targeting the two individuals.

Mei Yunqing's internal injuries had not yet healed, and her internal strength was insufficient, reaching only seventy percent of its capacity. In this encounter, when she exchanged a palm strike with that person, she felt a soreness and numbness in her right arm, her internal energy fluctuated, and a sweetness rose in her chest, as if fresh blood were about to spurt from her mouth

Ke Tianxiong felt an overwhelming aura emanating from Mei Yunqing, compelling him to take a half step back. After stabilizing his stance, he realized he had already lost a round. Although he was unaware of what Mei Yunqing had just experienced, judging by her current demeanor, it was likely that her martial skills were no less than his own. At that moment, he set aside his underestimation and shouted, "Let us see the true skills beneath our hands." With that, he unleashed two powerful palm strikes towards Mei Yunqing, the technique being so exquisite that it seemed as if two individuals were attacking from different directions simultaneously.

"What kind of martial arts is this?" As Mei Yunqing just asked, Ke Tianxiong's myriad palm shadows attacked, and for a moment, he did not think much, raising both palms to meet the attack with all his strength

Meilan noticed Yang Fei's sullen expression and refrained from making any further provocative remarks. Unbeknownst to them, the two arrived at a crossroads. Both were aware of the direction they should take and, without any prior agreement, turned left together.

Mei Yunqing wore a bitter smile, observing that although the twelve men in black were not as skilled as Ke Tianxiong, they were by no means ordinary. They were comparable to the individuals he had killed the previous night. Aside from himself and Sun Dingping, who could be considered worthy opponents, the outcome of a two-on-one match involving the four disciples was also uncertain.

The sword lay precisely beside Mei Yunqing, allowing her to grasp it with just a slight extension of her hand, a remarkable display of strength that astonished onlookers

Mei Yunqing saw that on the left side, Ke Tianxiong's palm radiated an intense heat, while on the right side, it exuded a chilling aura. Such extreme contrasts were even more difficult for her to handle than her own icy power. A competitive spirit surged within her, and she reversed her treasured sword, sending it flying backward, landing precisely in front of the quiet shopkeeper. She let out a delicate shout, and the two of them struck their palms together, momentarily connecting before separating. It was then that Ke Tianxiong's figure swayed slightly, indicating that he had lost this round.

Mei Yunqing hurriedly flung away the scabbard that had caused her so much suffering, desperately suppressing the force within. However, she saw Ke Tianxiong charging at her with his own treasured sword, and she couldn't help but smile bitterly. With her uninjured left hand, she pointed her sword, and although the sword energy was sharp, it was ultimately an intangible force that could not truly contend with a real blade. Fortunately, this obscured the sword's intent from Ke Tianxiong, who was not skilled in swordplay and became flustered. In the end, Mei Yunqing managed to fight him to a standstill.

The person appeared to be over sixty years old, and his internal strength was undoubtedly significantly greater than that of Mei Yunqing. With a flick of his right hand, a sword appeared in his grasp, which was precisely the one that Mei Yunqing had lost earlier.

"Do you want to bully the weak with numbers?" Ke Tianxiong sneered coldly, and with a flash of sword light, the treasured sword in his hand drew an arc and directly attacked Manager Sun and the others

Manager Sun hurriedly returned the courtesy, saying: "Such a grand gesture from the master truly overwhelms this subordinate."

Meilan replied, "Have you done something to upset Miss Ling? She seems to really dislike you."

No, no, boss. The man in black sensed that the situation was dire and, like a frightened cicada, leaped forward. Although his weapon had been destroyed, he was still a master of his craft and struck a palm toward a disciple of the Plum Blossom Mountain Manor.

Meilan felt a surge of anger in her heart and exclaimed loudly, "I am going to buy some things, wait for a moment, didn't you hear me?"

"Ke, Boss Ke, it would be wise for us to withdraw for the time being; our current situation is unfavorable," said a man in black, forcing himself to speak.

Mei Yunqing expressed her gratitude to Manager Sun with a bow, saying: "Old Sun, I am fortunate to have your assistance today; otherwise, I fear I would have been unable to escape this calamity."

The sound of "ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding" echoed nine times; although there were nine sounds, if one did not listen closely, it would seem like a single sound. Under the combined effort of the remaining nine individuals, they managed to block Mei Yunqing's astonishing sword strike, though their weapons were all shortened by a segment.

Manager Sun also chuckled and said: "Brother Ke is even better than he was in those years." Back then, he had fought to a draw with Ke Tianxiong, but in this match, he was indeed at a disadvantage.

Looking at the remaining ten companions, all of whom wore expressions of sheer terror, as if they had witnessed the most horrifying event in the world, a sense of triumph unexpectedly appeared on his face. No, wait, how could it be ten? The one who just died was... Suddenly, he recalled, his face filled with dread, his mouth agape as if to scream, yet no sound emerged. It was only then that he realized in his mind that the headless corpse was, in fact, his own.

When they looked again, Mei Yunqing had already acquired a sword of energy filled with murderous intent in her hand. This energy sword was formed from the accumulation of forty-nine palm strikes by Ke Tianxiong. Although it was not a physical sword, in terms of power, no sword in the world, no matter how sharp, could withstand a single strike from it

Mei Yunqing felt a surge of true energy within her, even more profound than when she had not yet been injured. With a delicate shout, she executed the first move of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, "Early Winter Cold Plum," as her treasured sword transformed into a flurry of plum blossoms, drifting towards the nearest swordsman.

"Master Mei, what a refined interest, are you thinking of a man?" This voice seemed both distant and near, both high and low, drifting unpredictably