Chapter Seven, the Yellow River surges into nine twists and turns

While they were speaking, Qi Ren reached out to release the acupoints of the Orion grandfather and grandson, advising them not to move recklessly. Outside, Wang Baobao shouted, "Sun Chaozong, you are a good man, do not play tricks. You have harmed Master Suo Du, and naturally, you have hidden the body. How could anyone else find it?"

The man from Qi was only afraid that the green sprout might have some mishap, and he did not dare to delay any longer. He took a turn and hurriedly ran to the mountain wall, grasping the grass rope that tied the pork in his mouth. With his ten fingers digging into the stone edge, he climbed the cliff like a gecko. Usually appearing honest and clumsy, at this moment he was anxious and revealed his true skills, moving as lightly as a swallow. In the blink of an eye, he had already climbed to the top of the thatched cottage

At this moment, a shocking revelation occurred, and everyone turned their gaze towards Li Zhongxun's back. There stood a gentleman in a blue robe, approximately in his forties, with arched eyebrows and a handsome beard, gently waving a folding fan, exuding elegance and charm. He surveyed the surroundings and slowly took a couple of steps forward.

Gong Bingfan had not yet had the chance to respond to Wo Erwen's question when suddenly a figure brandishing a broadsword burst out of the thatched cottage, charging directly at Wo Erwen, shouting: "Fourth Junior Brother, this barbarian has harmed your Third Senior Brother! Let us join forces to eliminate him!" It was none other than Sun Chaozong, known as "Jing Tian Wei Di."

The man from Qi was utterly perplexed: "What on earth is this matter?" After a moment of daze, he suddenly called out loudly, "Bao Bao, are you outside?"

The stone wall was overgrown with wild grass, and the Qi man was extremely cautious. The soldiers were solely focused on watching the doors and windows, and did not notice that an extra person had appeared on the roof. Relying on his memory, the Qi man found a gap, exerted force with his feet, broke through the thatch, and silently passed through the roof, jumping directly into the room.

Outside, it was silent once more. After a moment, a hoarse voice called out: "Master Chen, since you are a friend of Young Master Wang, let us do a favor and allow them to leave on foot. However, Sun Chaozong is the murderer of my master’s brother; you must keep him here!"

Lian Fengming was forced back by Qi Ren, and in shock, he exclaimed, "What a fine blade!" Fueled by his fighting spirit, he casually picked up a saber from the ground and, instead of retreating, advanced forward. With a move called "Force Splitting a Thousand Pounds," he struck towards Qi Ren's head.

Weng Chila, seeing this, was greatly enraged. He spurred his horse and twisted his gun, aiming directly at Gong Bingfan's face. Gong Bingfan, with his hands clasped behind his back and his toes barely touching the ground, danced like a falling autumn leaf in the wind. In an instant, he had evaded over ten lethal strikes from his opponent, and the tip of the gun had not even grazed the corner of his clothing.

At this moment in the room, there were at least eight or nine people, either standing or lying down. The old master, his little grandson, and Lǜ Ào were lying in the center of the room, right where he had almost stepped just moments ago. On the bed lay a man whose face was not clearly visible, along with a stout Taoist priest, an old man in a coarse robe, a rather familiar-looking man in a hemp robe, and Sūn Zhāozōng, covered in blood, standing by the door. Behind the bed, a groaning sound arose, and in the blink of an eye, a scar-faced man sat up; he was the one who had attempted to launch a sneak attack and had been knocked down by a single palm strike.

This time, the cutting of the wooden pole was done without a sound; even the phoenix's cry was forced to change from a long spear to a single whip. Seeing him repeatedly engage in battle without retreating, Qi Ren felt increasingly agitated. He stepped closer, his arm slightly trembling, and once again severed the half of the spear into two pieces.

Before he could fully assess the situation in the room, he suddenly heard the sound of wind, as if someone was attacking from behind. In a hurry, Qi Ren extended his hand to counterattack while leaping to the side. Although he only used ten percent of his strength, with a loud "bang," the person fell in response.

"Bao Bao, are you really not going to give me any face?" The phrase "face" felt increasingly awkward as it was spoken, and as I said it, I found myself lowering my head. "Not to mention that my adoptive father is a close friend of yours, I... I saved your sister..." Lu Ao chuckled softly and said, "Shishu, in order to save a life, I have no choice but to put you in a difficult position. I know you are not accustomed to saying such things..."

Wang Baobao brandished his spear, intending to drive back the enemy. Unexpectedly, Lian Fengming suddenly appeared before him and, for no apparent reason, performed a somersault and fell over. Although Wang Baobao found this strange, he did not hesitate to thrust his spear downwards. With a soft "crack," the sharp tip of the spear pierced the ground, while Lian Fengming had already rolled over and ended up at his feet.

The man from Qi asked softly, "Robbing a prisoner transport? Who are we robbing? Did we succeed?" Sun Chaozong gritted his teeth and replied, "We came to rescue my fourth junior brother, but they played a trick on us, putting a foreigner named Wo Erwen in the prisoner transport, and even left my third junior brother..." He pointed to the person lying on the bed, "injured like this..."

Gong Bingfan kept evading, while Weng Chila was sweating profusely, yet he could do nothing to him. Sun Chaozong and his brother fought against Walwen; although they had the upper hand, they could not secure victory in a short time. Only Wang Baobao faced peril repeatedly, having fought for over ten rounds, and was now devoid of both defensive skills and the strength to counterattack. Just as he saw Lian Fengming's dagger slicing in from the left, he hurriedly raised his sword to block it, only to see a flash of silver light. The enemy unexpectedly threw the dagger into the air, then reached out with his left hand to catch it, as if performing a circus act, and executed a move called "Li Guang Shoots the Stone," stabbing down from the right side. Just as he saw Lian Fengming's dagger slicing in from the left, he hurriedly raised his sword to block it, only to see a flash of silver light. The enemy unexpectedly threw the dagger into the air, then reached out with his left hand to catch it, as if performing a circus act, and executed a move called "Li Guang Shoots the Stone," stabbing down from the right side.

The knife was halfway through when suddenly the sound of the wind arose, and a long sword lunged toward the left rib. Qi Ren was unable to retract the knife in time, and instinctively swung his left hand, the cutting board, to meet the enemy's sword. This cutting board was made from a thousand-year-old shark wood from the South Sea, indestructible; however, the enemy's sword was exceptionally sharp, and the wielder possessed profound internal strength. The long sword silently pierced the cutting board more than an inch deep, nearly penetrating it.

"Uncle Chen, it's not that Bao Bao is disregarding you," Wang Bao Bao exclaimed, "These individuals are imperial criminals; my nephew cannot let personal matters interfere with public duty!" "Imperial criminals?" Qi Ren glanced up at Sun Chaozong and the others. "Do not listen to his nonsense," the old man in the Ge shirt, Lian Fengming, quickly whispered, "Has the court ever issued a portrait or description, ordering the various checkpoints to apprehend us?"

"Kill you, why would I kill you?" Despite these words, there was a faint aura of menace in Qi Ren's speech. Sun Chaozong replied, "Your skills far exceed mine; I would rather die at your hands than at the hands of the Tartars!" Qi Ren shook his head in confusion, "What Tartars? Are those people outside here to capture you?"

Wang Baobao felt a cold sweat trickling down his back, thinking to himself how perilous the situation was. In another moment, he couldn't help but reproach himself, saying: "Baobao, oh Baobao, if you wish to make something of your useful life, how can you afford to lose your life here? If you encounter danger again in the future, even if it means sacrificing a hand or a foot, you must strive to survive amidst death, and you must never again harbor thoughts of despair!"

Unfortunately, the arrangement was already too late at this point. As soon as Fengming saw Sun Chaozong make his move, he understood his intentions. Taking advantage of Chen Qiren's moment of confusion, he swiftly leaped past him and charged directly at Wang Baobao

So it turns out to be the "Hero of the Yellow River"! Upon hearing the name announced, Wang Baobao was the first to exclaim, "I have long admired your great reputation. Uncle Li often speaks of you, Hero Gong, and I never expected to witness your heroic demeanor in person today"

So he is the disciple of that Suo Du, " the plump man Wei Chi He muttered to himself, " no wonder he is so formidable. " Suddenly, Sun Chaozong shouted, " Has Suo Du died? I truly do not know; where did you hear that from? "

The man from Qi remained motionless, although he understood in his heart that the sword wielded by Gong Bingfan was intended to save rather than harm him. However, as his chopping board was pierced, this was still the first time since he had learned his craft and left the mountains. The memory of that swift and unparalleled exchange made cold sweat trickle down his forehead.

"Are you Han?" Sun Chaozong suddenly blurted out. Qi Ren was taken aback for a moment and replied, "So what if I am?" "Well then," Sun Chaozong seemed to see a glimmer of hope, "You wouldn't be willing to be a lackey for the Tartars, would you? If you help us escape, there will surely be a generous reward!"

Outside the house, the crowd had retreated to about five or six zhang away. Wang Baobao was mounted on his horse, with a Mongolian officer to his left and a red-haired foreigner to his right, who was presumably the Walwen that had just spoken and drawn the map. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Sun Chaozong calling from behind: "Walwen, where on earth have you taken my fourth junior brother?"

"Uncle Chen, why do you bother to protect them?" Wang Baobao said, "It's stuffy in the room; how about coming out to talk?" Qi Ren stood up and was about to walk outside when Lian Fengming grabbed his sleeve: "Be careful; there may be a trick." Qi Ren smiled slightly: "I doubt he can do anything to me." He pushed open the door and strode out.

The other party's right foot touched the ground, gliding effortlessly as if on ice, extending over ten feet away, in an extremely graceful posture. Qi Ren did not wish to pursue, but instead focused intently, only to see the blue robe billowing; it turned out to be the "Hero of the Yellow River," Gong Bingfan

***

The man from Qi could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Bao Bao, you keep mentioning who harmed Suo Du, but... are you going to let them go or not?!" "Alright, Master Chen," Wo Erwen shouted, "if you have the ability to surpass my fists, then we will follow your lead!"

Once again, Wang Baobao shouted: "Master Suo Du said he would go to Luoshan to investigate that day, and he never returned. If it wasn't you, who else could have harmed him? Well then, if you say it wasn't you who did it, then tell us the name of the real murderer, and we will let you go!"

Sun Chaozong asked softly, "What... what are you here for?" The Qi person did not respond, only bent down to support Lu Ao, saying, "Are you alright?" A sudden murderous intent appeared on Sun Chaozong's face as he swung his long knife downwards, aiming at the top of the Qi person's head. The Qi person did not raise his head, casually waved his hand, and with a loud "clang," the long knife broke into two pieces. Sun Chaozong looked at the dark, heavy kitchen knife in the Qi person's hand, his face turning ashen, and sighed, "Enough, enough." Half of the long knife fell to the ground.

"Is it not Zhe Mo, but Uncle Chen?" A familiar voice came from outside. "Bao Bao, please do me a favor," Qi Ren called out while supporting Lu Ao, "just let this person go for now." Outside, there was complete silence, and after a long while, there was no sound.

In February by the Huai River, the climate has already become quite warm. Many trees, having endured a harsh winter, have begun to sprout fresh green leaves on their branches. In the fields, there are even numerous small wildflowers that are on the verge of blooming.

Li Zhongxun remained calm and unhurried, turning slightly to the side. Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind him, just in time to meet the incoming attack. As their palms collided, a strange cry escaped Walwen, who was sent tumbling backward for about seven or eight zhang. Just as he attempted to stabilize himself, he felt an unusual tightness in his chest and abdomen, causing him to involuntarily retreat another three or four steps, which finally dissipated the force of the incoming strike

Gong Bingfan shook his head and smiled, saying: "Li Shixian is very clever, but he is somewhat overly driven by personal gain. The sword is a weapon of the reclusive; even if he chooses this path, it will ultimately be difficult for him to achieve great success. That is why I advised him to change his approach, as the single-blade technique is more suitable for him—so, has his swordsmanship improved?"

This place has always been desolate, rarely frequented by passersby. However, just as Qi Ren turned onto the mountain path, only a few dozen zhang away from the thatched cottage where he was staying, he suddenly heard a cacophony of voices. Startled, he quieted his footsteps and crept behind an old tree to peek. He saw more than ten people blocking the door of the thatched cottage, loudly cursing and shouting.

Sun Chaozong's martial skills were originally slightly inferior to those of Wo Erwen. Moreover, having lost his adept finger technique, he found himself at a disadvantage after just thirteen or fourteen exchanges. At this moment, Li Zhongxun arrived, and the two joined forces, gradually turning the situation around.

The owner of this hunting lodge is an elderly man in his sixties, along with his seven or eight-year-old grandson. The child's father was conscripted two years ago and has since been out of contact, while his wife passed away from illness a year ago. The old man, whose strength has waned, can no longer venture into the mountains to hunt; he relies solely on cultivating half an acre of vegetable land and occasionally gathering firewood to make ends meet. After Qi Ren arrived, he temporarily served as the male laborer in the household.

At this moment, the two burly brothers of the Guo family had already rushed out of the thatched cottage, engaging in a struggle with a group of cavalry. Only Qi Ren stood there in confusion, unsure whether to advance or retreat, and whether to assist Sun Chaozong or Wang Baobao.

This is the Northern School's Di Tang Shen Fa, a style popular in Huaibei, which is particularly effective against enemies wielding long weapons. Although Wang Baobao had never seen such a peculiar technique, he understood that since the enemy had rushed into the circle, it was too late to draw his gun and continue the fight. In the midst of the chaos, a misstep allowed him to evade to the side. Almost simultaneously, Lian Fengming executed a leap like a carp, rising into the air, with a short dagger already slicing towards the enemy's temple.

Wang Baobao drew his saber, and with a sharp sound, he parried the enemy's attack, feeling a slight numbness in his right arm. In this close-quarters combat, although his knife was shorter than the opponent's sword, Feng Ming showed no fear at all, relentlessly employing thrusts, slashes, jabs, and cuts, pressing forward with every move. In just seven or eight exchanges, he had already forced Wang Baobao into a flustered state.

Thanks to careful nursing and the warming weather, the condition of Green Bud has finally shown improvement day by day. In recent days, she has been able to get out of bed and no longer needs to subsist on thin gruel at every meal. Seeing that the weather is nice today, Qi Ren hurriedly took a few fox skins he had collected during winter to sell at the market on the outskirts of the city, and bought half a pound of pork, preparing to cook a nourishing meal for Green Bud.

"Brother Sun, this person is..." the Taoist asked in a low voice. Sun Chaozong shook his head and said to the Qi man, "You may kill me now."

Then you, "Wolwen strode forward, "What do you want? If you want us to release them, then come over and take action!" "In chaotic times, everyone serves their own master," Gong Bingfan smiled slightly, "On the battlefield, blades and spears are blind, blood flows like a river, who would dare to stick their neck out and meddle? Even if one wishes to rescue someone, they lack the ability to do so. But since today..."

Although the journey to Haozhou is merely a distance of one or two hundred li, the condition of Lvyue is severe, and Qi Ren dares not let her travel any further. They have no choice but to stay at the home of a hunter on the outskirts of the city—because Qi Ren would rather die than enter a certain county again

The thatched cottage is built against the mountainside, and right in front of it lies a half-acre vegetable garden. At this moment, people are trampling over it, turning the hard-worked soil of the old hunter into a complete mess.

Wang Baobao sensed the unfavorable situation and realized that Sun Chaozong's actions this time were due to the sudden increase in their own strength, intending to create chaos and force the palace to take action. However, the Ong Chila Hu people, by nature, did not retreat but advanced instead. As the situation increasingly turned against them, he hurriedly waved his spear, calling his subordinates to gather around.

The swift exchange of blows left everyone present in a state of astonishment. Even Weng Chila was momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend when Gong Bingfan had sacrificed himself, and he was uncertain whether to pursue him or not

With another sound of "cha," it was unclear how Qi Ren had made his move, and even the weapon in Feng Ming's hand was left with only half. He let out a sound of surprise, quickly drew the long spear that Wang Baobao had previously thrust into the ground, and leaped forward again.

"Which senior brother?" Sun Chaozong asked. "Is it Wo Erwen? Which senior brother do you mean?" "It's someone with the surname Sun. If you have the guts to do it, don't play dumb," Wo Erwen shouted. "My senior brother Suo Du, wasn't he killed by you?!"

"Esteemed hero," the old man in the gray robe said with a bow, "May I ask your esteemed name? Are you not aligned with those Tartars?" Qi Ren replied, "I dare not claim such a thing. I am Chen Qi Ren, and I do not recognize those from outside..." Sun Chaozong harshly interrupted him, retorting, "Do you not recognize Wang Baobao?"

Wang Baobao had not yet had the chance to respond when the nearby Weng Chila, already growing impatient, sneered: "'The Great Hero of the Yellow River,' what a grand title. Today, it is a fortunate encounter; would you be willing to impart some wisdom?" Gong Bingfan inquired: "This gentleman is..." Wang Baobao quickly introduced: "This is Qiexue Weng Chila, the captain of the hundred households. He has long admired the reputation of heroes and means no harm."

Qi Ren was taken aback, thinking to himself that Suo Du had died at the hands of Li Siqi. As he hesitated whether to reveal the truth, he only listened to Tu Shu as Sun Chaozong called out: "Since that day when we fought in the hotel, I have not met Master Suo Du again. Who has seen his corpse to curse him dead? How can you firmly assert that I know the cause of his death?"

What? Is Baobao outside? The anxious man took a few steps and leaned toward the window to peek. He saw several people hiding behind the horse, seemingly having heard something, cautiously advancing forward. The old man in the gray shirt picked up a bow and arrows, and with a few "whoosh" sounds, he drove the enemy back again

He remembered that the bed was on the left, the table on the right, and there was nothing in the middle to trip over. However, unexpectedly, while suspended in mid-air, he suddenly discovered that there were actually several people lying on the ground below. In a moment of urgency, he raised his right hand and made a sweeping motion downward, stepped on his left foot with his right, and ascended another half a foot. Then, he darted out at an angle, landing precisely on the edge of the bed.

"This young brother has overpraised me," Gong Bingfan said with a slight smile, and asked, "Are you referring to Li Shixian from Luoshan?" "Indeed," Wang Baobao dismounted and paid his respects, "Uncle Li often speaks of you to me. Ten years ago, he went to Shandong, wishing to learn swordsmanship under the great hero Gong. Although the great hero Gong could not take him in, he gifted him a manual on sword techniques and urged him to practice. He has always been immensely grateful in his heart."

The man from Qi, seeing the endless conflict, felt thoroughly vexed. With a swift motion, he severed the enemy's blade and, with a flick of his wrist, aimed a strike at the top of Lian Fengming's head. He had been unwittingly drawn into yet another skirmish, filled with both anger and resentment, especially since Lian Fengming, oblivious to the situation, continued to provoke him. The man from Qi had no intention of causing harm; he merely wished to cut off the opponent's topknot to frighten him away

The man from Qi was hesitating when he suddenly heard the green bud speak: "Master Uncle, please save them out."

Wang Baobao laughed heartily and said, "The adoptive father has long sent someone to escort him directly north, bypassing Yingzhou and heading straight for the capital. By now, he must have already entered the territory of the Central Secretariat..." Sun Chaozong asked in shock, "You, you actually dared to take the route through Yingzhou?!" "What is there to fear? The closer we are to the heart of the enemy's forces, the safer we are," Wang Baobao replied with a smile, "We even passed right under Liu Futong's nose in such a swaggering manner..."

Wang Baobao let out a long sigh, realizing that his skills had grown stale and he could not withdraw his knife to protect himself. It seemed that today he was destined to lose his life on the spot. He stopped wielding his knife and awaited his fate. Suddenly, he heard a soft "crack" sound; he did not know when Qi Ren had already blocked his path. Even Feng Ming had tumbled backward, and the only thing left in his hand was the wooden handle of a dagger.

Gong Bingfan was also taken aback. He raised the broken sword in his hand and looked at it for a moment. Suddenly, he burst into a hearty laugh, threw the broken sword to the ground, and exclaimed loudly: "A worthy opponent! I know who you are now!"

The man from Qi, with half a pound of pork in his left hand, hummed a little tune, walking joyfully along the mountain path

Li Zhongxun was taken aback upon hearing this and asked, "What?" Sun Chaozong, wielding a single knife, had already struck seven lethal blows, each aimed at the vital points of Wo Erwen, while responding, "He caused the death of your third senior brother. Are you going to stand by or not?" Li Zhongxun's eyes widened in fury as he let out a roar and drew out two swords from his waist, charging forward.

I do not come here to fight; I only hope to be like Lu Zhonglian. Gong Bingfan said respectfully, "The Iron Crown Real Man once had great kindness towards me. This time, as it involves his disciples, I must travel a hundred miles to offer assistance—this is not to be in opposition to you all."

After Peng Yingyu left that day, he escorted Miss Wang to the outskirts of Luoshan City, avoiding any encounter with Chahan and Wang Baobao, and fled from this county town that he might never forget—despite the continuous wars over the years, he had never before witnessed such a scene of corpses strewn across the ground and flames filling the sky. He hoped this was merely a nightmare and that such a nightmare would never repeat itself again

Wolvin interrupted him, saying: "Do you wish to plead for this group of people?" Wang Baobao furrowed his brows, thinking that the other party had added Chen Qiren and then Gong Bingfan. Now that the balance of power had shifted, it was hard to say for whom Gong Bingfan was pleading. If he did not take the opportunity to collect the benefits, he feared that things would turn dire.

Your Excellency," Wo Erwen took a deep breath to dispel the heaviness in his chest and abdomen, and asked in a low voice: "Who might you be, Your Excellency?" "I dare not," the scholar replied with a deep bow, "I am merely Gong Bingfan from Shandong.

Indeed, the Qi man exclaimed, "Has the court ever issued a decree or drawn up a plan to apprehend this criminal at the various passes?" Wang Baobao seemed momentarily taken aback, but then raised his voice and declared, "We are escorting a state prisoner to the capital; this audacious individual dares to rob the prisoner transport. Shouldn't he be held equally accountable?"

He and Han Lü'e together found the body of his disciple, Shi Wenhui. To avoid the chaos of war, it was inconvenient to carry a coffin, so they had to cremate him and put the ashes in an urn. They then prepared to escort Lü'e to Haozhou to visit relatives. Unexpectedly, when they reached the vicinity of Huaiyuan, Lü'e, overwhelmed by grief and having caught a cold, suddenly fell ill.

What? The Qi person hurried over to help her sit against the wall, "You called me..." "Please," Lǜ Ào grasped his collar, "save them out."

Before the words had left his mouth, a cold snort was suddenly heard: "Not necessarily!" A gray figure abruptly appeared on the side of the cliff, leaping with unparalleled speed into the center of the scene. Several people on both sides gasped in surprise, for this person was none other than Li Zhongxun, whom Sun Chaozong and the others were so eager to rescue. Sun Chaozong was both shocked and delighted, exclaiming: "Fourth Junior Brother, how... how are you?" Just then, a loud roar was heard as Wo Erwen took a swift step forward and threw a punch directly at Li Zhongxun's chest.

The Qi person was startled by the sword energy and involuntarily took half a step back. Just as the words were spoken, in a swift motion, his right hand wielded the kitchen knife in a semicircle, returning with force. Before the opponent could draw back their sword, there was a light "crack" sound, and the long sword was severed in two.

The condition of Lvyue is extremely severe, having fainted and regained consciousness several times. It is only due to her martial arts training since childhood and her relatively good constitution that she has managed to survive the entire winter. During this time, Qiren has invited several doctors, but first, the medical resources are scarce, and second, in the countryside, there are not many good medicines available, so her condition has not shown any improvement. The quack doctors offer diagnoses that are nothing but random guesses, with each doctor providing a different explanation. Some say it is due to wind and cold, while others claim it is caused by internal heat imbalance. There are even those who tell Qiren that Lvyue's soul has been taken by a demon, and that it is essential to invite a master to set up an altar and perform rituals. Most of the so-called medicines prescribed by these doctors are ones that Qiren dares not let Lvyue take.

The Qi person unfastened the acupoints of the green-crowned one, helped her sit up, did not look back, and with a reverse motion of the arm, reached out to grab the person lying on the bed. Sun Chaozong closed his eyes and sighed: "It is my junior brother, he is about to die, please show some compassion and let him lie down a little longer." The Qi person had already pinched the collar of that person's chest, and upon hearing this, he was taken aback, gently turning that person's face around, only to see his complexion pale, his cheeks sunken, and he was already exhaling without inhaling. Sun Chaozong closed his eyes and sighed: "It is my junior brother, he is about to die, please show some compassion and let him lie down a little longer." The Qi person had already pinched the collar of that person's chest, and upon hearing this, he was taken aback, gently turning that person's face around, only to see his complexion pale, his cheeks sunken, and he was already exhaling without inhaling.

The kitchen knife of Qi Ren was extraordinarily sharp, and even Feng Ming knew that no weapon could withstand its single strike. However, no matter how he attacked—whether thrusting, chopping, or sweeping—Qi Ren merely stood firm and struck down with his knife, as if a chef slicing vegetables, assured that one move would suffice. Unwilling to accept this, he saw that his spear was already useless, took a few steps back, and with a swift motion, pulled a bewildered cavalryman off his horse, drew his waist knife, and mounted again, determined to force Qi Ren to change his defense.

Since the criminal has not been abducted, it cannot be considered a shared crime, can it? The Qi person does not quite understand the Great Yuan laws, so there is somewhat of a lack of confidence. "Letting them go on their way is not a big deal, nor is it a matter of prioritizing personal interests over public duty..."

The man from Qi crept closer, taking a few more steps to observe carefully. He noticed that half of the people were mounted on horses, positioned farther from the thatched cottage, and their attire resembled that of soldiers. Among them, there were even three Mongolians clad in helmets and armor. The other half held weapons, crouching behind several dead horses in front of the cottage, occasionally peeking towards it.

The man steadied himself and took a closer look at the situation in the room, only to be greatly astonished. Suddenly, he heard a low exclamation from someone: "You!" It turned out to be Sun Chaozong, whom he had encountered outside Luoshan City, known for his extraordinary talents.