Chapter 328 Finally, the young man is seen; his appearance and demeanor far surpass his words. He single-handedly saves the women.
That night, the moon shone brightly, and a biting wind blew. Zhao Chunxia, Luo Feiyan, and Lin Aoshan all found it difficult to fall asleep. Zhao Chunxia paced back and forth, finally reaching the black iron fence and looking down.
The cave was flanked by two mountains, with a wide passageway and lush vegetation. Zhao Chunxia's cave was more than 20 zhang (approximately 63 meters) above the ground, which was quite high. The cold snow blew through the gaps in the fence into the cave. She was thinly dressed and felt the cold, but she was preoccupied with her own concerns and had no time to care about it.
This cave offered a good view of the ground. If a fight broke out tomorrow, she could easily see the details. She observed that the ground was wide open, covered with a blanket of snow.
Zhao Chunxia thought to herself, "That Zheng Dechun is He Wentian's vicious dog. He is loyal and valiant, and he is not weak at all. Since I was captured here, I have never seen him slack off or be negligent. This man is very cunning and treacherous, and he is definitely not a good person. Li Xian... Li Xian... Although I have not seen him, I have seen his handwriting. He must be a handsome young man. It would be very dangerous to fight him!"
Sleepless all night, the night felt endless, my heart tormented. A touch of curiosity lingered, eager to learn of "Immortal Li's" appearance and abilities the next day. But upon further reflection, I feared that our first meeting tomorrow would be our eternal separation.
Zhao Chunxia took out the note and began to appreciate the calligraphy and painting. A vague image flashed through her mind, and a mix of emotions welled up within her. That night, her feelings were complex; she both longed for speed and deliberate slowness. A little too much speed brought sorrow, a little too little deliberation brought torment. But time flows on, and dawn eventually broke.
The servant boy climbed over the rope and brought the food. Zhao Chunxia searched for the note, but found nothing. She knew Li Xian's mind was made up; the arrow was already on the bowstring, leaving no room for retreat. Sensing the chilling atmosphere, Zhao Chunxia calmed herself and quietly finished her meal. She then sat cross-legged before the fence to quiet her mind.
Her long hair flowed freely, the bamboo hairpin that bound it had long since fallen elsewhere. The cold wind was biting, and the pipa's clapper was covered in frost. She closed her eyes to rest, having completely cleared her mind of all distractions. Suddenly, she heard a commotion below: the cooks, the guards, the archers in the arrow towers, the wandering swordsmen aiding the tyrant... all obeyed a secret order to evacuate.
Zhao Chunxia knew the reason. Li Xian had sent a letter saying that Feilong City urgently needed support and that all manpower needed to be mobilized. For the next few days, no fires were lit in the Prisoner's Gorge, and the women were deprived of food. The "stone gate" that led through the gorge would also suddenly slam shut, blocking all exits and creating a dead end with no way in or out.
Zheng Dechun was left to guard the canyon passage alone. The stone gate was as heavy as a thousand pounds and could not be moved by manpower. It took dozens of people working together to activate the mechanism and half an hour to close the stone gate with various ingenious methods.
The servants left through a narrow crack in the stone gate, a crack only wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways. Nearly a hundred servants left in turn, followed by the wandering swordsmen, the guards, the archers…
The women, unaware of the situation, saw the guards retreating and began to question, curse, and vent their anger. They were filled with panic, wondering what scheme the thieves were plotting or what treacherous tricks they had used.
This unexpected turn of events led all the women to the iron fence, where they all looked down. Zheng Dechun, seeing that the crowd had been cleared out, shouted outside, "Close the gate!" His voice was high-pitched, but his inner energy was extraordinary, and the sound was extremely loud and piercing.
Outside the stone gate, the servants activated the mechanism. The ingenious parts of the mechanism were all embedded in the mountain wall. Dozens of servants pushed the "millstone," and every millimeter the millstone turned, it activated the mechanism inside, causing the stone gate to vibrate and shaking off the accumulated dust.
He Lijun of the Lake Mountain Sword Sect cursed, "Zheng Gou, what tricks are you playing! Do you dare to tell me?" Her collarbone had been pierced, and her blood and qi were weak, but seeing that many fellow disciples were present, she did not want to show weakness. She wanted to do her best to boost morale, so she forcefully clenched her chest and made her words loud and steady.
The stone gate shifted by the millimeter, the gap narrowing further. The sound was deafening. Zheng Dechun said, "What tricks? You pampered flowers, these days, those with ability can't use it, and those without are just wasting their time. What tricks do I need to deal with you? You overestimate yourselves and underestimate others." He then covered his mouth and laughed loudly.
The women were immediately enraged. Elder Tang Mengluo of the Lake Mountain Sword Sect, dressed in a white gown and standing out among the women with her exceptional beauty, coldly said, "He Wentian is a scoundrel, and you, this neither-male-nor-female hybrid, are even worse! If you hadn't deliberately plotted against us with poison, we wouldn't have been captured. After you succeeded, you were nothing but despicable villains, smug and proud, utterly shameless. It's disgusting!"
Mu Hongchou said, "Elder is right!" The women of the Lake Mountain Sword Sect echoed her, their clear voices and crisp words filled the air, but they were all filled with insults.
The female elder of the Lishan Sword Sect, Bao Hanhan, said, "Please rest assured, everyone. Our predicament here is only temporary. Our five major sword sects have joined forces here. Although He Wentian has captured us women, there are still male elders and disciples from the Jiushan Sword Sect, Yangshan Sword Sect, Lishan Sword Sect, and Yueshan Sword Sect outside. They certainly cannot leave and will definitely try to find us. I'm afraid it won't be long before we can drink the blood of the traitor and eat the flesh of the traitor to vent our hatred!"
The women of the sword sect, true heroes among women, spoke with resounding force, instantly uniting them in spirit. They all praised their sect's male disciples and elders, saying, "My junior brother and I are very close; he would never abandon us in this time of trouble." "My senior brother and I are secretly married; he must be anxiously searching for me." "Our sect's senior brother Yue Kai is skilled in swordsmanship and extremely capable; knowing we are trapped and captured, he will surely help us." "Their talents are dazzling, and there's also Young Master Zhou Shijie. Although he's not a disciple of our sect, his chivalrous heart is no less than ours. If we get his help, we'll be blessed with good fortune; how could we not find us?"
The women spoke in hushed tones, their eyes bright.
...
...
Zheng Dechun laughed and said, "I'm afraid it's unlikely."
He Lijun said, "Although this is a crisis for the sword sect, it is also an opportunity. Our five major sword sects are renowned in the martial arts world. Once we overcome this difficult situation, our bond will be stronger than gold and our alliance will be as solid as iron! Fellow sisters of the sword sect, or sisters from other sects in the martial arts world, do not panic. This is a good thing, not a bad thing!"
Zheng Dechun chuckled softly, "You women of the sword sect are indeed sharp-edged. The more you hone them, the sharper they become. You're quite ignorant, spouting only womanly opinions. It's a real pity. Your aspirations may be good, but they will ultimately fall through!"
He was tall and thin, with an odd gait, and said, “Since Lord He dared to capture you, he must have a foolproof plan. Do you know where this place is? This is the ‘Petal Heart Cliff’ of the Nine Aperture Dragon Heart Cave, which I now call ‘Imprisoned Woman Gorge.’ Even if you sword masters were to enter the Nine Aperture Dragon Heart Cave, how difficult would it be for you to find this place?”
"This place is poorly ventilated and lacks sunlight, only favored by the cold snow and north wind. It is winter now, and the weather is freezing cold, so you can't avoid getting cold. If it were summer, the canyon would be humid and hot, with moss growing on the walls, making it even more unbearable."
"Without the right opportunity or means, finding this place is extremely difficult!"
His voice, accompanied by the deep thud of the slowly moving "stone gate," greatly dampened the spirits of the women. The elders all knew the meaning of the "Nine Apertures Dragon Heart Point," while the younger disciples, though unaware, saw Zheng Dechun's calm and composed demeanor and guessed that it was definitely not a good thing.
Zheng Dechun continued, "Even if we told you the details of the five major sword sects and gave them a map, without some knowledge of feng shui and geomancy, it would be nothing but empty talk for them to actually find this place!"
An elder of the Jiushan Sword Sect said, "Hmph, if we're talking about feng shui and geomancy, Elder Wang Tiexin of my Jiushan Sword Sect has some knowledge of it!"
Zheng Dechun sneered, "What a pity, what a pity. That Elder Wang Tiexin has now become friends with City Lord He and trusts him completely."
The female elder of the Yue Shan Sword Sect, "Yang Piaoxue," sneered, "What a joke! Are we stupid? Do you think we'll believe everything you say, He Wentian? I doubt you, City Lord He, have that kind of ability."
Zheng Dechun sneered, "If you're all so clever, why did you believe it in the first place? Why did you become caged flowers?" The women were speechless, unable to refute him. Bao Hanhan from the Lishan Sword Sect said, "Our sect has many members, and there are certainly some astute ones who saw through our lies and came to our rescue. Even if we were deceived for a time, we will eventually realize our mistake. If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place."
Suddenly, the stone gate slammed shut.
Seeing that everything was in order, Zheng Dechun relaxed slightly. Zhao Chunxia was worried and had no intention of asking questions, but suddenly her eyes flashed with a strange light as she pondered, "This man is extremely loyal to He Wentian and is very confident in his plan. If we can get him to reveal his plan, he will naturally lower his guard. If Li Xian... really wants to kill him, we can take advantage of this opportunity."
Zhao Chunxia asked in a clear voice, "You are so confident that we cannot be saved. What is your basis for this? If you really have a plan, tell us so that we can give up. Wouldn't that be better?"
Several female elders of the Yue Shan Sword Sect frowned and said, "Senior Sister Chunxia, how can you... how can you boost someone's morale?" Zhao Chunxia shook her head and said, "No, no, there is no perfect plan in this world. If he doesn't dare to speak, it proves that he knows his plan has flaws and dares not say it. If he dares to speak, we can figure it out ourselves and counter his treacherous move. The senior and junior brothers of the Sword Sect are of one mind with us and will rescue us from this predicament."
The women all fell silent, unwilling to listen to this treacherous scheme. Zheng Dechun said, "Very well, very well. You can't escape either way. This place is boring, so I might as well talk to you."
He said, "Alas, it is truly a pity for you. Some time ago, the Jieyou Tower collapsed with a crash, and you were only one step away from being rescued."
Zhao Chunxia was unaware of the "Relief Pavilion," while Lin Aoshan, having personally experienced it, remained calm. Luo Feiyan and the other women captured by the "Phoenix Banquet," having been imprisoned in the Relief Pavilion and kept in the dark, only now learned of the collapse of the Relief Pavilion, and they exclaimed in surprise, with some shouting with relief.
Zheng Dechun said, “The collapse of the Jieyou Tower exposed one of the nine acupoints of the Dragon Heart Cave. This matter is extremely difficult to conceal. Even if you Sword Sect elders are foolish, you must have already become suspicious. My city lord tried his best to explain, saying that the underground cave is dangerous and should not be entered lightly, and he tried every means to persuade me.”
"The elders of the Sword Sect did not believe it and spoke very rudely. At this point, they suspected that your disappearance was the work of City Lord He."
Upon hearing this, the women all felt a sense of foreboding. Zheng Dechun continued, "The five major sword sects have joined forces to descend into the tomb, intending to investigate the reason. They declared that City Lord He must not follow, or they would turn against him in an instant. City Lord He was powerless to stop them, so he let them go. However, although the elders are highly capable, they underestimated the dangers of tomb exploration. This Nine-Aperture Dragon Heart Cave is an extremely inauspicious burial site, nurtured by countless years of feng shui!"
"The person buried here was a notorious villain from ancient times. Lord He discovered the tomb many years ago, but has never been able to fully explore it. The elders of various factions are indeed quite powerful, but they were quickly defeated. They lost several disciples and their morale was greatly dampened."
"At this moment, the five major sword sects were about to turn back. However, they had inadvertently entered an extremely dangerous area in the Nine Apertures Dragon Heart Cave: 'Thunderclouds in the Palace'. Thunderclouds floated above this place, and if they moved, they would be struck by lightning. In order to save their lives, the elders abandoned their swords and tried to escape, but every time they made the slightest movement, the thunderclouds would sweep them away."
"All the elders were trapped here. Only a few young disciples took a few steps later and were lucky enough not to be trapped. The elders tried their best, but they could not escape and were stuck for several days. At this time, their morale was low. Hehe... these fine young men, when they were really in danger, some cried, some complained, and some were angry. They had no ambition at all. It was really ridiculous."
The women's faces turned pale, all feeling humiliated. Zheng Dechun said contemptuously, "Only a handful of people managed to remain calm. They were certain they would die here, and some even complained about not listening to City Lord He. Among them was a young hero named Zhou Shijie, who said, 'City Lord He is unparalleled in benevolence; his character was praised by my teacher, Fu Haoran. Such a person earnestly advised you, yet you didn't believe him. Now look what happened; it's caused us all to die here.'"
"Hahaha, this kid looks respectable, but he's actually the most soft-hearted. But to be honest, we really have to thank him. If he hadn't mentioned the name 'Fu Haoran,' those old foxes like Xiao Wanjian, Wang Zongheng, Hou Yuande, and Duan Yixin might not have believed it."
"At that time, Xiao Wanjian asked: 'Is what you said true? Is Fu Haoran your master? Is he the Fu Haoran Fu Tianguan who cut off his own flesh to feed the sparrows?' Fu Haoran's reputation is indeed remarkable. In the past, City Lord He was very patient and visited him every day, which was indeed effective."
Zhou Shijie said, “Of course, he taught me literature and is an upright man. Even he said that Lord He is humble, studious, and of excellent character. How could he be wrong? Alas, I was so eager to save people that I neglected this detail. What a tragedy!”
Upon hearing this, the women's faces darkened. Mu Hongchou, Luo Feiyan, and the other women, who were quite familiar with Zhou Shijie, felt a surge of disgust and utter contempt. Mu Hongchou cursed, "This man is utterly hypocritical, all talk and no action; he's not worth getting close to!"
Zheng Dechun glanced around and saw that the female elder's face was pale and she was already frustrated. He felt even more smug and continued, "Wang Zongheng then said, 'Alas, we...we think we really misunderstood Lord He.' Hou Yuande said, 'This tomb is extremely dangerous and connects to the bustling city. It is only natural to build pavilions and seal the openings here. We lost our composure because of the disappearance of our female relatives, and without careful investigation, we became suspicious. This has not only damaged our friendship but also cost us our lives. It is absolutely wrong of us.'...How ridiculous, how ridiculous! Afterwards, from the elders to the disciples...everyone spoke well of Lord He."
"When Lord He heard the commotion, he was truly furious and laughed uproariously. You disciples of the sword sect, how amusing! I suppose all the so-called heroes in the world are nothing more than outwardly glamorous. If faced with a deadly situation, who can remain calm and composed? Won't they all reveal their true nature?"
"So-called elegance is nothing more than bullying the weak with strength."
The women were speechless. Zhao Chunxia and Lin Aoshan felt slightly indignant; upon hearing the words "the strong bullying the weak," they thought of something and their hearts stirred slightly. Zheng Dechun continued, "That trapped disciple escaped back to the city and sought an audience with City Lord He. City Lord He treated him with courtesy and showed no anger whatsoever; this magnanimity impressed everyone. In fact, City Lord He considered not providing assistance and letting all the elders perish here. However, in order to forge the Five Swords Alliance and for future grand ambitions, he not only had to rescue them, but he also had to rescue them in a grand and spectacular way, even if it meant suffering heavy losses."
"He immediately rushed to the 'Thundercloud in the Palace.' He used a self-inflicted injury to save all the elders one by one. He himself was covered in wounds and almost lost his life. After all this, how could they not believe him? Several elders even wanted to become sworn brothers with Lord He."
Yang Piaoxue, He Lijun, Zhao Chunxia, Luo Feiyan, and other elders of the sword sect tried to cover their faces in shame. The five swordsmen had formed an alliance, the women were captured, and the men were defeated. Their spirits were low, and they knew that Zheng Dechun was right. It was no use in placing any more hope on them.
He recalled the senior and junior brothers he had just praised, all of whom had become, in Zheng Dechun's words, cowardly, foolish, and immature. Their so-called "glamour" was nothing but swagger. He couldn't help but feel deeply saddened and lost, yet secretly agreed with them. Among the young women of the sword sect, many secretly admired Zhou Shijie, and they felt even more resentful, unable to express their grievances.
Seeing Zheng Dechun becoming increasingly smug, Zhao Chunxia said, "You thieving dog, you've made my sword sect sound worthless. Do you think He Wentian is so great? He's nothing but a despicable villain."
Zheng Dechun said, "That's a woman's view. If we're talking about talent and strategy, who among you can compare to Lord He? Who can surpass him?" Zhao Chunxia sneered, "So... leaving you here alone is also a scheme of yours, Lord He?"
Zheng Dechun stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Of course. I am more than capable of guarding you all by myself. Do you think you can cause any trouble?"
Zhao Chunxia sensed that the time was ripe and continued, "It seems that even you, Lord He, are not without flaws. As the saying goes, there are always people more capable than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding. Even he will have his oversights."
Zheng Dechun gazed at Zhao Chunxia, noticing her serene face, devoid of her former dejected air. Intrigued, he scrutinized her closely. Just then, Zhao Chunxia coldly called out, "Zheng Dechun!"
In that instant, a figure hung from the iron chain high on the opposite mountain wall, about thirty-seven zhang above the ground, and shouted the three words "Zheng Dechun." But the voice was louder and more menacing, carrying a sharp, pointed edge. The moment the word "Chun" left his lips, a sharp arrow shot from the bow, carrying an indescribable force as it hurtled towards him!
Zhao Chunxia's heart pounded inexplicably. She thought, "As expected...it's here! You, Zheng Dechun, underestimate the heroes of the world, but this young Li Xian is different. You say the heroes of the world are all weak and bullying, not worth mentioning. Then this young Li Xian, with only a second-realm cultivation, is defying you, a third-realm martial artist—isn't that the weak bullying the strong?!" Her shout just now was actually to attract Zheng Dechun's attention. This plan worked; Zheng Dechun hesitated for a moment, and an arrow had already been fired!
Zheng Dechun couldn't dodge in time. He protected his heart and reached out to grab the arrow. But the arrow deviated slightly and shot towards his legs. With a "thud," the arrow pierced through his legs and embedded itself in the snow, kicking up a large cloud of snowflakes.
Zhao Chunxia exclaimed, "What a fine arrow!" She immediately looked in the direction of the arrow and saw a young man hanging upside down from iron chains on the cliff face, his long hair cascading down, his expression calm and murderous. He was fearless towards the strong, determined to kill his powerful enemy. His sharp brilliance shone through.
Zhao Chunxia was too far away to see his face, but in this situation, her heart was filled with excitement and she felt extremely happy. She thought to herself, "What a young man! He actually dares to come! A young man of the second realm dares to shoot an arrow at a third realm! The heroes of the sword sect are already a step behind him."
The women all looked in that direction and exclaimed in surprise, saying, "There are people on the opposite cliff." "Who...who? Are they our senior brothers?" "We don't know, we don't recognize them...but they must be the ones who saved us."...The Prisoner's Gorge was filled with noise.
Li Xian, after much deliberation, fired an arrow and immediately swung away with his iron chain. Zheng Dechun, whose right foot was already injured, roared, "Who? How dare you hurt me, you brat!" His voice was sharp and angry, piercing straight to the eardrums.
Snow was shaken off the mountainside and from the tree branches, causing the iron chains on the mountainside to clang loudly. Its imposing presence enveloped the surrounding area.
Zheng Dechun's furious roar shook the surrounding women and children, causing them to feel a profound sense of dejection and despair. Those with weaker cultivation felt their blood stagnate instantly. The elders were even more astonished, no longer daring to underestimate Zheng Dechun. They all said, "This Zheng Dechun is a formidable enemy! The archer is a young man, not a member of our sword sect. Does he have any help?"
Looking around, they saw no one hanging upside down by chains. The young man, dressed in thin cloth, with long flowing hair, held an ordinary bow and ordinary arrows, yet dared to shoot at a powerful enemy. Seeing no help, the elders all grew somber: "How can this young man alone possibly be a match for them?"
Tang Menglu shouted, "Run!" Before the words were even finished, Li Xian, hanging upside down on the mountainside, not only didn't flee, but fired three more arrows. Each arrow was imbued with spirit and inner energy, arriving in an instant with tremendous force!
The whistling wind whistling through the air as the arrows flew drowned out the howling of the cold wind. The three arrows were exquisite, perfectly executed. Enraged, Zheng Dechun used his martial arts skills to try and catch the arrows.
He suddenly grabbed with both hands, unleashing a martial arts technique. It was the "Flying Dragon Probing the Clouds Hand" from Flying Dragon City, its sound seemingly accompanied by a dragon's roar. The moment his palms touched the arrow, blood seeped from them, and the arrow's ferocious force sent him staggering back several steps.
Before he could react, the second and third arrows came in quick succession. With each arrow he blocked, Zheng Dechun was forced back four or five steps, looking utterly disheveled. His face was contorted with rage. By the time of the third arrow, he was backed against the mountainside, with nowhere left to retreat.
He had no time to look at the reflection of the mountain wall. He saw the fourth arrow coming, its force intense and deadly. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "Damn it!" He dared not take it head-on any longer and used his lightness skill to dodge it.
The arrow struck the mountain wall with a thunderous boom, and cracks spread several meters across the cliff face. Zhao Chunxia exclaimed, "A four-shot burst of skill... What... what incredible archery!" The women cheered, and the elders, recognizing the skill, exclaimed, "Such divine archery... can such a person truly exist in this world?"
Zheng Dechun broke out in a cold sweat, panting heavily. Although he was disheveled, he wasn't actually exhausted. But that impulsive act... that's where the trouble lay. If you take the arrow head-on and survive, you're considered strong. If you're forced to dodge for survival, you might avoid the arrow, but you'll be hampered by your impulsiveness. From now on, whenever you face that flying arrow, your legs will go weak, your body will go numb, and your heart will be filled with fear.
Suddenly, Zheng Dechun saw a flash of cold light and glimpsed the figure above reaching for an arrow and nocking it again. Filled with fear, he immediately used the "Red Wedding Dress Step," his movements twisting and turning with each step, quite strange, like a bride on her wedding night. This footwork suited Zheng Dechun perfectly, and when used now, it was incredibly swift. In an instant, he was already at the iron chain hanging upside down from Li Xian.
Li Xian used his lightness skill to grab another iron chain, swing it to a distance, and then shot off in mid-air. Although his lightness skill was unparalleled, his "Seven Star Step" was limited in quality and had been simplified. When he used it here, those with sharp eyes immediately realized that his martial arts realm had only entered the second stage.
The women felt a slight unease, but their admiration only grew stronger. It's easy to bully the weak, but difficult to defeat the strong. Zhao Chunxia's eyes shone brightly as she observed his agile figure, and she said, "An arrow from the second realm, shooting back towards the third realm."
"His character far surpasses his calligraphy!"
(Apologies in advance...)
Today's post was originally intended to be longer, over 9,000 words, maybe even 10,000 words. I planned to finish it all in one go. Consider it a small bonus update.
But I had to spend time with a friend's birthday in the middle of the day, and then I continued writing after I got back. It was already 2 AM when I reached 6000 words, and I didn't want to rush through it. I was also too tired, so I had to stop here for now. The rest will be in the next chapter!
(End of this chapter)
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