Chapter 425 Xiao Jiuzhu and Pei Ji make a dazzling appearance!

Time stood still for a moment.

It seemed that Sheng Sheng had never been able to observe so clearly what the people around her were doing at the same time.

Xie Yunyang and Ta Ying were surrounded and engaged in a fierce battle with four or five people, and they couldn't break free at all.

Chasing Wind weaves through the shadows of the trees, carrying several Imperial Guards in pursuit, diverting their attention.

Zhu Yue was also fighting fiercely against three opponents, and from time to time she had to deal with the swords and shadows of others who suddenly appeared.

Lan Yun did her best to protect her carriage, using it as a center point to continuously repel enemies rushing in from all directions.

There were too many people, so she couldn't even strike with killing intent in every move; she could only try her best to repel them, and she was overwhelmed with the task.

It seems that no one can rush to help Zijuan.

A voice cried out in alarm, "Zijuan, watch out!"

"Clang!"

The man who had slashed at Zijuan was pierced straight into the back by a long sword and slowly fell to the ground.

Zijuan opened her tightly closed eyes: "I...I'm not dead?"

Zijuan tentatively turned around and saw that the imperial guard who had been slashing at her was indeed lying on the ground, with a sword stuck in his body and blood flowing from his mouth.

As if sensing something, Zijuan hurriedly searched for the person in the chaotic scene and sure enough, she made eye contact with someone.

After a brief eye contact, the person looked away.

Zhui Feng's face was cold, and his sword was nowhere to be seen. Without his sword, it was even more difficult for him to deal with those who were relentlessly pursuing him. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and use all his internal energy on his lightness skill to force himself to create distance from the people behind him, and then find an opportunity to retrieve his sword.

Zijuan's heart pounded wildly, and tears welled up in her eyes.

But she knew this wasn't the time to think about these things. Zijuan wiped away her tears, turned around, and asked Niu Qingru, "How are you? Are you alright?"

It doesn't matter if she's alright, as long as Niu Qingru is alright!

Niu Qingru was so frightened that she couldn't even cry anymore, as if she had returned to the shadow of being chased by Empress Zheng.

Niu Qingru could only nod helplessly, trying to speak in response, when she suddenly saw another knife slashing down from behind Zijuan.

"Miss Zijuan!"

Niu Qingru's voice cracked, and she regretted that her hands and feet were too weak to stop her. She could only helplessly reach out to pull her back.

Zijuan heard a sudden gust of wind behind her, and her hair stood on end. The lingering fear of escaping death had not yet dissipated, and she instinctively lunged to the side and forward.

"Sizzle—"

The blade grazed her shoulder, tearing her clothes and leaving a bloody gash; a burning pain instantly spread.

She stumbled and bumped into the carriage wall. Before she could regain her balance, the imperial guard swung his sword again, the blade whistling past her ear with a chilling killing intent.

"ah!"

With a sob in her voice, Zijuan closed her eyes tightly, thinking that she was doomed this time, and Lord Zhuifeng no longer had a sword to save her!

At this critical moment, a white figure flashed by like lightning.

With a crisp "clang," a sword flew from one end to the other, miraculously knocking away the knives of a whole row of people!

The wind suddenly froze, and the withered yellow reeds remained motionless.

A figure in black slowly descended from the top of the dense forest at the end of the valley. His toes touched the tips of the reeds, yet he did not bend even a single withered stem.

Without a word, the man moved like a streak of light to the center of the battle. His longsword rang out as it parried the long sabers that were slashing at him. With a flick of his wrist, sword shadows scattered like stars across the sky.

It's just like a sword plucking stars, gathering fireflies from the sky.

The sword tip barely touched the wrist of the Imperial Guard holding the knife, and a series of weapons clattered to the ground.

No one shed blood, yet all were rendered unable to wield weapons.

The oppressive feeling that suddenly appeared was like a cold abyss crashing down.

The leader, seeing that this person had turned the tide all by himself in an instant, secretly thought that something was wrong.

"Who goes there!"

Zhui Feng had already recognized the newcomer from his first few moves.

"The Star-Picking Sword Technique... it belongs to Master Xiao!"

Sheng Sheng exclaimed with delight, "Wow, it's Uncle Xiao Jiuzhu!"

Xiao Jiuzhu, holding the sword in his hand, nodded slightly to Shengsheng.

"Xiao Jiuzhu of the Star-Picking Sword Technique?!"

Upon hearing Xiao Jiuzhu's name, the Imperial Guards' aura noticeably weakened.

The Star-Picking Sword Technique is renowned throughout the martial arts world; anyone who has spent even a short time in the martial arts world knows Xiao Jiuzhu's name.

Although they had never seen Xiao Jiuzhu's true face, it didn't mean they didn't know the legends about Xiao Jiuzhu circulating in the martial arts world!

Legend has it that back then, Xiao Jiuzhu, alone with his sword, defeated most of the martial arts world with his seemingly gentle yet unstoppable Star-Picking Sword Technique.

But Xiao Jiuzhu disappeared from the martial arts world several years ago, supposedly going into seclusion in the mountains and never showing up again. How could he suddenly appear here?

Sheng Sheng had the same question: Shouldn't Uncle Xiao be in the palace with Brother Pei Ji? Why is he here?

Could it be...!

The thought had just formed in Sheng Sheng's mind, as if to confirm her conjecture, when a clear voice rang in her ears the next second.

Who are you looking for?

A clean and gentle voice entered Sheng Sheng's ears, and what entered Sheng Sheng's five senses even before the familiar figure was the familiar, faint fragrance of bamboo emanating from the newcomer.

"Brother Pei Ji!"

Sheng Sheng's eyes lit up, and she turned her head to look. She saw Pei Ji calmly lift the curtain and enter the carriage. Then, under Sheng Sheng's surprised, delighted, and puzzled gaze, he sat down next to her, with only two fists' distance between them.

Little Fox didn't recognize him, but seeing Sheng Sheng's familiar attitude towards him, she just curiously huddled in a corner watching the two of them.

Yan Hu was quite enthusiastic towards him, wagging its tail incessantly.

Pei Ji chuckled, ruffled Yan Hu's hair, then looked at the bright-eyed little girl and paused.

Perhaps because it had been almost a year since I last saw her, at first glance, the little girl not only seemed to have grown taller, but also appeared to have become more and more delicate.

Pei Ji stared at her for a while, then smiled and called out to her, "Sheng Sheng."

"Mmm!" Sheng Sheng's eyes crinkled with joy as she said, "Brother Pei Ji."

The two simply called out to each other, without saying anything more, but it spoke volumes and completed this long-awaited and unexpected reunion.

With Xiao Jiuzhu's appearance, the situation changed almost dramatically.

As expected of the founder of the Star-Picking Sword Technique, the enemy that required several secret guards to exert all their strength to deal with was no different from cutting vegetables in Xiao Jiuzhu's eyes.

Sheng Sheng couldn't help but sigh, thankfully most of the martial arts masters didn't like to get involved in the struggles between the royal court. Otherwise, if all these masters had intervened, not only would the situation within a country have changed, but the situation between countries might have changed as well.

This fighting power is so great that the whole earth trembles. No wonder those families and forces treasured a martial arts master like a precious gem.

While praising Xiao Jiuzhu's fighting prowess, he said this.

The little girl shook her head and spoke in the same manner as before. Pei Ji lowered his eyes and watched her speak quietly and attentively, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The little fox asked Yan Hu curiously, "Brother Yan Hu, is this young boy a friend of Master?"

Yan Hu glanced at Pei Ji, smelled the faint, sweet scent in the air, and silently changed his position while lying down: "Oh, right."

The little fox was completely baffled.

What do you mean by "right?"

What does it mean to say that if someone is a friend, they are a friend, and if they aren't, they aren't?