Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 293: News of Zhang Sanfeng

Chapter 325: Chapter 293: News of Zhang Sanfeng

“`

“Xu Shiji?”

Because of the association with the novel “Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties,” Tao Yu was quite familiar with the name Xu Shiji. He was a future general who would surrender to the Li Tang dynasty and even be granted the Li surname.

In “Tale of the Twin Dragons of Great Tang,” he’s Shen Luoyan’s fiancé!

For now, his reputation was still overshadowed by that handsome military strategist, and since Shen Luoyan was wholeheartedly devoted to helping Li Mi conquer the world, she hadn’t yet married him.

She only gave up after Li Mi surrendered.

…

“Brilliant~”

Tao Yu clapped his hands, his face beaming with joy.

When Xu Shiji saw Tao Yu’s expression, he knew his title had been recognized. Since Tao Yu’s earlier words matched his interests, he approached Tao Yu and said,

“I see that you carry yourself with an air of grandeur. May I ask if you’re interested in joining Lord Mi’s command? We…”

“Haha, I was just wondering how to get involved, and here you are, offering the perfect opportunity. Don’t take offense, Brother Xu, but now you are my captive. Come with me.”

Tao Yu’s words left Xu Shiji completely baffled. What?

But before he could respond, Tao Yu spurred his horse forward and glided toward him.

This immediately sent a chilling sensation rising from the depths of Xu Shiji’s heart.

A master!

And an incredibly strong one at that!

“My lord, be careful!”

The several elite riders beside Xu Shiji immediately drew their swords.

However, before they could take any action, the pull from Tao Yu’s Great Shift of Qiankun through the air disarmed them as they were drawing their swords, sending the blades flying straight towards Tao Yu.

While still midair, Tao Yu used this traction to increase his speed even further!

As the swords arrived simultaneously, a flick of his hand shifted them around him, and he turned 180 degrees, flinging them back at their owners.

CHUFF, CHUFF~

All except for Xu Shiji, who exclaimed and managed to block the longsword aimed at him but was still shaken off his horse. The others were injured and knocked off their mounts by the impact.

It was only because Tao Yu didn’t want to kill indiscriminately that they were just injured and not dead.

After landing, Xu Shiji slid back a few steps and felt a tingling in his palms, profoundly shocked at the encounter.

Where did this master come from?

Before he could react further, Tao Yu had already sealed Xu Shiji’s acupoints with the Flicking Flower Finger technique.

Xu Shiji was strong in leading troops, but his personal combat skills were certainly no match for Tuli.

Tao Yu didn’t want to appear too extraordinary, so it was just a casual dispatch.

Now, after taking Xu Shiji prisoner, he shooed the wounded guards to the side and led several horses over.

Now he had horses!

On the other hand, Li Yong and the others were utterly dumbfounded at this point.

They knew who Xu Shiji was—a confidant of Li Mi, and in their eyes, a high and mighty figure.

Yet, to see him and his guards captured so easily was like something out of a dream!

They then remembered the gold ingots Tao Yu had initially taken out. You really just wanted to deceive us into acting so you could steal our horses!

Thinking of their own actions, Li Yong and the others felt a wave of relief wash over them.

Glad we’ve been around the block enough to stay steady and not get greedy.

So far, this Brother Tao seems to have principles in how he operates. They just don’t know why he captured Xu Shiji. Just for eavesdropping earlier?

“Haha, consider it a greeting gift, don’t mind it,”

Tao Yu paid no mind to the injured soldiers, leaving them alive to spread the news as he took Xu Shiji to Luoyang City.

Xu Shiji was well-known, but there weren’t many in Luoyang who had actually seen him.

However, it happened that Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong had met him, and to some extent, Xu Ziling had even been his rival in love.

So as long as he wandered around with Xu Shiji, he was bound to naturally encounter the Twin Dragons.

Otherwise, Tao Yu would not even recognize the two…

Xu Shiji was merely a tool; whether Xu Ziling released him out of consideration for Shen Luoyan or Kou Zhong wanted to hand him over to Wang Shichong as a token for promotion, that would be their own business.

“With martial arts as superior as yours, you might even surpass some of the famed young masters of today. It was my oversight. May I have the honor of knowing your esteemed name?”

“`

Xu Shiji, whose acupoints had been sealed, lay horizontally across a horse like a piece of cargo, speaking weakly.

After all, he was a general capable of leading troops, and even in such a situation, he still managed to maintain his composure and steadiness.

At this point, he knew the only thing that could save him was his mouth.

His previous rash attempt to strike up a conversation, hoping to invite the other party to join Wagang, might have touched on some taboo, and now he wasn’t sure if he could make amends.

“Commoner Tao Yu, General Xu, you hold a high position and have significant power, so you must also be privy to a lot of information. Have you recently heard anything about people from beyond the heavens?”

Xu Shiji’s situation was more or less stable for now, and Tao Yu wanted to probe him sidelong, hoping to learn more about the extent of the impact from the Abyss’s fall.

After all, Tuli and the others only offered the Tujue perspective and mostly heard about the Central Plains second-hand.

“People from beyond the heavens? Oh, do you mean the ‘Slovenly Taoist’ Zhang Sanfeng, the esteemed Zhang himself?”

My goodness, Tao Yu had only meant to inquire whether they knew of any intel from the Tujue side, and now he had inadvertently summoned Zhang Sanfeng.

So now it’s the ‘esteemed Zhang,’ is it?

“Oh, I am interested in these matters, so please do tell—hm, if you serve me well during this time, I won’t kill you of my own accord.”

Tao Yu’s words suddenly caused Xu Shiji’s expression to stiffen.

Serve, serve me well?

Xu Shiji himself was quite a handsome man, and he had heard about plenty of strange predilections—there were even some in Wagang.

But he was in no position to object at the moment, the difference between them was too vast, and without external forces, he had no chance of escaping on his own.

In the end, he could only follow Tao Yu’s lead and say,

“Esteemed Zhang has been a remarkable figure in the Martial World over the past year. He initially became famous for evading pursuit by the Demon Sect’s formidable assassin, Bian Bufu. But as the chase went on, it turned into him hunting down Bian Bufu instead, defeating many of the Demon Sect’s experts along the way, before finally being forced to retreat by Empress Yin.”

Xu Shiji wore a peculiar expression as if he couldn’t quite comprehend this old Taoist.

“The individuals who have grown the most rapidly recently are widely acknowledged to be Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong, who practiced the Longevity Secret; they went from having no knowledge of martial arts to achieving notable reputation in a very short time. Since they practiced the Longevity Secret and are also young, their progress can be understood to some extent…”

It seemed that Xu Shiji was also puzzled by this matter.

“Although Zhang is indeed like an immortal with an air of unfathomable depth, he must also be over the age of sixty. Such a rate of growth is unheard of. The most recent incident involved an unknown reason for his clash with the ‘Hermit’ Ning Daoqi, ending in a draw…”

This was an event that caused a sensation throughout the Martial World, even in this Chaotic Era.

Even Tao Yu didn’t expect this old man to be progressing so rapidly.

But considering the special nature of this world, it was effortless for Zhang Sanfeng to attain a Grandmaster’s understanding upon arrival, and even reach higher planes of understanding.

With such a fast track, everything else simply followed naturally.

How he managed to provoke Bian Bufu was unknown. After his hundredth birthday, his temper had significantly mellowed, but the nickname “Three Crazies” was not given for nothing.

Facing the Demon Sect would have allowed him to experience the world’s pure True Qi firsthand.

Having resolved this issue, it would not come as a surprise that he could fight Ning Daoqi to a standstill.

The Pure Yang Wuji Gong and the Tai Chi Fist are all his own creations, and after arriving in the Great Tang, he only needed to adapt his vast Inner Strength into Congenital True Qi that fits him personally, which could be readily understood.

Well, it would be incomprehensible to Tao Yu, but in the Abyss, anything is possible!

“However, to be nicknamed ‘Slovenly Taoist,’ it’s quite a name to be able to utter. I’m afraid it’s the Buddhist Sect stirring the waters to some extent.”

After experiencing their selection of a sovereign for the world and their strong backing of Shi Feixuan, Tao Yu didn’t need evidence to be convinced that they were involved in this.

A newly emerged powerful figure is labeled with a cap first. With a nickname like ‘Slovenly Taoist,’ one’s subsequent reputation is naturally affected!

“Heh, but all these are secondary; the most important thing is still strength…”

Last time, he was already able to fight Ning Daoqi to a standstill, so winning the next battle seems only natural.

Then, when he becomes the undisputed number one in the Central Plains, the nickname ‘Slovenly Taoist’ will just be an embellishment to his casual demeanor!

This is the culmination of a great martial artist’s century’s worth of accumulation. Tao Yu had no reason to be envious.

Besides, whether it’s the Nine Yin and Nine Yang he now possesses, or the Longevity Secret he aims for, he feels it would be good to have the assistance of that man…

Seeing Tao Yu’s interest, Xu Shiji continued to speak,

“Also, there’s a rumor that his challenge to ‘Hermit’ Ning Daoqi this time was due to the bewitchment of the Demon Sect, and that being from overseas, he may also have Goryeo blood…”

Upon hearing this, Tao Yu felt even more certain about his speculation.

Good heavens, if even Wagang has caught wind of this, it’s hardly a ‘small rumor’ anymore—it has already spread.

And such tarnishing rumors are indeed difficult to wash away.

Even if he becomes the first in the world, he might be akin to the Goryeo ‘Fencing Master’ Fu Cailin, unlikely to be accepted as orthodox in the Central Plains.

The representative of the Central Plains is still the ‘Hermit’ Ning Daoqi…

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