Chapter 8, The Culprit

Ke Yan's punch was powerful and lingering, causing Tu Yu Rong to retreat five or six steps without being able to stabilize herself

The traces of the裂口 were far beyond his expectations, as it was evident that they had been forcefully smashed open with a blunt instrument, rather than being cut with a sharp tool. It was even less likely that the quality of the main beam's spindle in any of the ship's floors was to blame.

Tu Yuyong had not yet had the chance to ask a question when Tu Yuyong raised her twin blades again, pointing them at Yan Kaitiang, and exclaimed indignantly: "You, Yan, dare to commit violence in front of so many witnesses, do you think my Tu family is easy to bully? If so, you are mistaken; one divine weapon is not enough to make you feel powerful!"

At this moment, the guests and servants of the Tu family displayed the composed demeanor characteristic of a prestigious family. After the initial chaos subsided, two captains of the guard immediately worked together to cut the sails, in order to slow the rate of the ship's tilt

Tu Yuyong exclaimed, "Yurong, what are you saying!" His gaze swept over the broken hull, and he couldn't help but furrow his brow

However, the four of them originally came to this city in secrecy, and would they not attract unnecessary attention from others because of the Tai Chu Hammer before them? Delving deeper, why did the "Flower God Temple" choose to set the meeting place at "Yilan Boat" and arrange for Linxi to receive Shen Boyan? Is this trap merely aimed at that unconventional dandy?

When no one had reacted, the massive "Xiao Jin Fang" suddenly broke apart with a loud crash

This method of Taoism is merely for short-distance teleportation, almost instantaneous, as Shen Boyan's figure appeared from the room on the right side of the top floor of the "Yilan Boat"

The surroundings have erupted into an uproar, "We are all from the same city, is there really no one who can act so arrogantly?"

On the cross-section of the lower deck, there were still some very faint charred marks, elongated, irregular, gathered in clusters of three to five. Upon seeing this, Tu Yuyong's heart skipped a beat; these are traces of lightning burns

The flowing light and the blade's radiance clashed together, and this punch produced two afterimages, accurately striking the blades of two swords. Although it was a collision between flesh and sharp weapons, it emitted the sound of metal clashing.

None present is foolish; it is evident that this is a case of framing and entrapment. However, due to the carelessness and negligence of the master of the celestial weapon, or for other reasons, the most important tool was not brought along. Consequently, in the eyes of these few informed individuals who stumbled upon the situation, it has already turned into a joke

Tu Yurong staggered backward, clearly at a disadvantage in terms of strength. Her skills were not lacking either; her slender figure wrapped in a snow-white warrior outfit remained agile, constantly changing angles and taking small steps back, attempting to dissipate the force.

Shen Boyan stood up and said lightly: "Do not touch that Taichu; outsiders cannot see it unless they approach the table."

Over there, Tu Yuyong was silenced, and on her radiant face was a look of defiance. She raised her head, turning the back of her head towards Tu Yuyong, and waved her twin daggers at Yan, saying, "If you have the courage to act, do you lack the courage to admit it?"

If it were not for Tu Yu Yong personally battling Yan in court just now, he would clearly know that aside from incorporating his divine abilities into his light body technique, he did not employ any other Daoist methods. Otherwise, just based on the traces before him, he might also think that the boat was struck by the Tai Chu hammer

The crack extends from the approximate midline position of the top deck all the way down to the three lower decks, as if an invisible giant hand has split the entire ship in two.

This corner of "Yilan Boat" may be the only quiet place, as the guests in the hall, whether locals or outsiders, are all discussing the same topic

The nearby "Yilan Boat," equally startled, could not remain indifferent despite the previous friction, as sailors had already rushed to the side of the ship to lower the lifeline.

It compels one to gaze, yet one wishes to look away immediately

Xu Yishan, who had been mostly silent, was the first to grasp the crux of the matter. With a worried expression, he said: "Senior Brother..."

She hesitated and said: "If I am not mistaken, they are all saying that the young man with the surname Yan, in order to stand up for that woman named Linxi on this ship, could not defeat that person from the Tu family, and actually relied on the advantage of the celestial weapon to sink their ship?"

Amidst this cacophony, Yan Kaitiang's purple attire, under the bright yet lukewarm afternoon sun, resembled a dark and intense stroke on a canvas, its colors dazzlingly vibrant yet imbued with a sense of coldness

The person beside, Tu Yuyong, could not just stand by and watch. He rushed into the middle of the two, raised his hand to block Yan Kaiti's arm, absorbing all the residual force. Even so, he had to sway his upper body slightly to fully dissipate this immense power

Clang

Behind the screen, there is a beauty couch with a left armrest, on which a figure is faintly discernible, as if someone is resting

Perhaps having witnessed too many sudden twists and turns today, Xiao Minghua's bright eyes appeared somewhat dazed, feeling as if his mind had become a tangled mess

The change came very suddenly

Yan Kaiting's gaze, which had not yet been withdrawn from Tu Yuyong's face, suddenly turned extremely cold and sharp, piercing Tu Yuyong's heart with a jolt. He reacted a moment too late, watching helplessly as his third sister, Tu Yurong, was about to strike down with her twin blades, nearly hitting Yan Kaiting's right shoulder.

Meanwhile, the hull of the "Xiao Jin Fang" broke into two sections, slowly tilting to the sides while also gradually sinking. The part where the sail is located has an even poorer balance; judging by the angle of its tilt, it is very likely to capsize upon hitting the water surface.

Either repeatedly extolling the past "achievements" of that overly young and unworthy master of the artisan's house, or passionately denouncing today's brazen act of violence committed under the light of day with the use of weapons

This is indeed identifying Yan as the culprit behind the interruption of the "Xiaojinfang"

In ancient times, there were monsters in the mountains; now, there is a great calamity in Yujing. Next time, it is unknown who will suffer.

Immediately, a white figure swept out from the lower cabin, soaring and spinning in mid-air, charging directly towards Yan Kaitiang's head. Two willow leaf-shaped daggers slashed down like lightning, their tips emitting a green blade light that measured one and a half feet in length

Uh, that's right. Hao Minghua's expression was also very stiff

"Then what is this? Could it be fake?" Xiao Minghua stared at the motionless Taichu Hammer on the table, his gaze somewhat vacant. "Or is it that the kid can split a three-story ship with his bare hands?"

The swallow turned around like a whirlwind, raising its right arm simultaneously, and struck out with a fierce punch

The Tu family's boat can be smashed at will

This is certainly impossible. The standard unit of strength for an ordinary monk is a hundred jun, while a bare-handed thousand jun is considered a high-level combat monk, positioned between the first and second tiers. To split a three-story building, at least three thousand jun of force is required. If the control techniques are equally powerful, they could even sever a river.

Before the two had a chance to speak, a clear voice rang out, "Yan Kaiting, you are being excessively overbearing!"

Just like those gathered on the wreckage of the "Xiaojinfang" and even on the "Yilan Boat", every pair of eyes is filled with fear, and every pair of eyes is filled with hostility

The three immediately realized that Shen Boyan must have set up a barrier formation to obstruct their line of sight

The room is quite large, occupying half of the entire third floor area. It is divided into reception, changing, and resting areas by a display shelf and screens. The furnishings are not the most expensive, but each piece is exceptionally exquisite

If even the lord of Lian Tu City is not taken seriously, how can we, the common people, be anything but insignificant

Without waiting for them to ask more, Shen Boyan threw down two words, "Wait for me," and his figure suddenly disappeared from the spot, leaving only a wisp of gray smoke that swayed twice before completely dissipating, having used the technique of body shifting.

Amidst the clamor of voices, interspersed with the sound of splashing water and the cacophony of the large ship's disintegration, it eventually became difficult to discern what exactly was being said.

Yan and Tu exchanged a glance, seeing the same expression of surprise and confusion on each other's faces

... ... tyrannical ... ... famous generals and bright pearls cast into darkness ... ...

Fortunately, Tu Yuyong has managed to book the "Xiao Jin Fang" today. The boat is filled with their siblings' friends and hangers-on, significantly fewer in number compared to the usual business dealings. Moreover, most of them possess decent skills and cultivation; although they were startled, their lives are not in danger. At most, they have had some bad luck and sustained minor injuries.

The remaining three people formed a group, moving layer by layer from the bottom of the ship upwards, searching and rescuing, gathering all the passengers and sailors onto the deck. The "Xiaojinfang" has a massive hull, and it will take some time for it to completely sink, which should be enough for them to lower the lifeboats and transfer the people out.