Chapter 22: The Reckless Scholar in a Fury

Why is there such a vast gap between people? Why do some live in such misery? Why do some act so arrogantly? (Gu Long)

…

After leaving the cave, the Wolf King said to Liu Yi, “The Jade Flower Finger Technique causes harm to your own meridians and acupoints because it operates from the meridians to the acupoints. The higher level you reach in practicing it, the more pain you’ll feel when it affects your meridians and acupoints. But if you reach the seventh level, it will still be a very powerful technique.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Hmm, there’s no need to worry about that. If I don’t use it, there obviously won’t be any pain. By the way, I’m going to Wind-Bearing Cave to rescue someone. Will you come with me?”

The Wolf King waved his folding fan and said, “I’m afraid not. The White Tiger has important matters for me. That’s why I’m here. We’ll have to part ways now. Wind-Bearing Cave is just one of the thirty-six caves under the Demon Clan’s three sects and seven schools. Its master, Wei Tiantao, seems not even among the top ten in martial arts skill. Since you can protect yourself now, you guys could even kill everyone in Wind-Bearing Cave.”

Liu Yi smiled and said, “It’s easier to say so with your words.”

The Wolf King added, “However… although Wind-Bearing Cave was established recently, it has already become the leader of the thirty-six caves. Do you know the reason behind that?”

Liu Yi waved his folding fan and said, “Joking. I’m not from the martial world. How could I know all these complicated secrets?”

The Wolf King replied, “Wind-Bearing Cave’s success today is closely tied to the Demon Clan’s foremost sect, the Demon Gate. Wei Tiantao’s martial skills are rather ordinary, and he’s also lustful. On his own, he has no way of becoming the leader of the thirty-six caves.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Go on.”

“It’s because one of the four elders of the Demon Gate, the Mad Flying Sword—Wei Feng, is his uncle. Thanks to this relationship, Wei Tiantao’s influence grew rapidly. In just three months, he went from being a minor cave master to the leader of the thirty-six caves.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “So you mean it’s not Wei Tiantao who’s terrifying, but the person behind him. If we offend Wei Tiantao, it will affect his uncle, and thus the Demon Gate. Once the Demon Gate takes action, all the three sects, seven schools, and thirty-six caves of the Demon Clan will follow?”

The Wolf King nodded and said, “You’re smart. The leader of the Demon Gate, Ao Tian, is an extremely powerful figure. It’s said that his ‘Nine Spirits Sword Art’ has surpassed that of his predecessor, Wei Lingfeng.”

Liu Yi pressed further, “So how do you compare to him?”

The Wolf King looked at Liu Yi and said, “What are you joking about? I can’t even handle just two of the Demon Gate’s four guardians, let alone Ao Tian.”

Liu Yi waved his folding fan and said, “If I don’t offend Wei Tiantao, my whole family’s lives will be in danger. But if I want to save my family, I have to offend the Demon Gate… Whatever. Let’s save the person first.”

The Wolf King nodded and said, “Good. Being decisive is what a true man should do. Well, I’m leaving now. I’ll try my best to return and look for you at Wei Tiantao’s place.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Okay.”

The Wolf King turned around, casually throwing his folding fan. The fan instantly grew larger. The Wolf King leaped up, stepped on the fan, and soared into the sky… Liu Yi watched the Wolf King’s figure and sighed, “The world is like tides, people like water; I wonder how many can return from this martial world. Have I, Liu Yi, already stepped into this so-called martial world?”
With a sigh, Liu Yi quickened his pace, hurrying toward Shi Jie Yi and the Great Sword King. He felt his speed increasing, the trees on both sides rushing backward, and dust flying under his feet. For the first time in twenty years, Liu Yi felt such exhilaration—running easier and faster…
“Bang!” He saw Shi Jie Yi and the Great Sword King sleeping under a tree, clearly unaware of how to slow down and stop, having ended up “hugging” the tree. Then came another “bang”—Liu Yi falling to the ground.
Shi Jie Yi immediately ran over and asked, “Boss, are you okay? What happened?”
Liu Yi stood up, spat out the piece of tree he had in his mouth, shook his head, which was already dizzying, and said, “I’m fine. I just ran too fast and forgot how to stop.”
Shi Jie Yi shook his head, not understanding what Liu Yi was talking about.
The Great Sword King, however, ran up to Liu Yi and asked, “Boss Liu, you and the Wolf King have been away for almost ten days. What advanced martial arts have you learned?”
Liu Yi thought for a moment and said, “I haven’t learned anything. He taught me how to plant flowers.” With that, he continued walking ahead. The Great Sword King followed, pondering as he ran.
Liu Yi said, “Time is running out. We need to hurry and rescue the princess.”
Shi Jie Yi wiped his fists and said, “Boss, I must crush that Wind Cave and save A’Jiu. Let’s set off.”
Liu Yi nodded and sped up further…
With the power of internal energy, traveling became much easier. By near noon, the three of them had arrived at the entrance of the long-awaited Wind Cave…
Shi Jie Yi wiped his fists and said, “Damn it, we’re here at last. I haven’t fought in ages; my fists are itching.”
Liu Yi waved his folding fan and said, “Shi Yi, don’t be impulsive. Watch what those four guys at the entrance are saying.”
At the entrance of the Wind Cave, there were four henchmen, each wielding weapons similar to those of the Great Sword King. The four men were tall and strong, and their large swords looked very imposing—this was actually a characteristic of the demon race, who were naturally strong-bodied.
Moreover, the four henchmen were busy sticking up “happiness” characters at the cave entrance, seemingly preparing for a wedding.
Liu Yi stepped forward, bowed, and asked, “Excuse me, gentlemen, what are you doing here?”
One of the henchmen, dark-skinned with a scar on his face, replied, “Are you here to watch our cave master get married? Do you have an invitation?”
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “No. I’m just wondering if the girl getting married to the cave master is named A’Jiu?”
The scarred man turned around in surprise and said, “How do you know the name of our cave master’s wife?”

Liu Yi waved his folding fan and said, “It’s simple. Your cave master stole my brother’s wife.” Initially, Liu Yi wanted to sneak in to find out what was going on, but now it seemed unnecessary, as since it was a marriage matter, many people from the Wind-Bearing Cave would surely show up, and perhaps even the Madmen of the Demon Sect would come. It would then be difficult to rescue Ajiu. It was time to act quickly. That was Liu Yi’s cleverness…

The Scar-faced man snapped angrily, “What the hell are you talking about? Are you looking for trouble?” The three men behind him also stopped what they were doing, picked up their big knives, and all four stared at Liu Yi.

Liu Yi quickly retreated backward, preparing his “Jade Flower Fingers” at any moment to protect himself, saying, “Gentlemen, what I said is the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can ask your cave master.”

The Scar-faced man stepped forward while saying, “Damn it, I hate people who tell the truth the most. Haven’t you heard that those who tell the truth die early?”

Just then, the Great Sword King and Shi Jieyi rushed over and stood on either side of Liu Yi. Shi Jieyi cursed angrily, “Daring to call yourself ‘old man’ in front of real men? Let me see how strong you really are, daring to show off like this.” Before he could finish speaking, his right fist, mixed with purple wind and thunder, struck at the Scar-faced man.

Shi Jieyi used the most powerful technique among the Five Elements Fists—the “Thunder Rush Fist.” With a “bang,” the Scar-faced man was hit hard by Shi Jieyi’s punch. He stared at Shi Jieyi in disbelief, his eyes wide open… In an instant, the purple lightning on his fist spread like a serpent throughout his body. The Scar-faced man couldn’t say another word, as his heart had been completely shattered by Shi Jieyi. Lying on the ground, he still couldn’t believe what had happened and died without even having time to close his eyes.

Seeing Shi Jieyi take action and not knowing whether their leader was alive or dead, the other three also swung their big knives and charged one after another…

The one charging at Liu Yi was a short man wielding a big knife almost as big as himself. From a distance of thirty feet, Liu Yi, already prepared with his “Jade Flower Fingers,” noticed, as the short man muttered something, a blue finger energy carrying the scent of roses piercing through his heart. Through the hole in his chest, the short man could see the people fighting behind him. With a “thud,” death took his soul before he even had time to scream…

Liu Yi stared in disbelief at his own finger. Such powerful finger energy—no worse than any sword. It was the first time he had killed someone, yet he felt a hint of pleasure…

As for the big knife wielder opposite Shi Jieyi, he was as strong as Shi Jieyi. Unfortunately, he ran into Shi Jieyi, this calamity-bringer. He used the “Heavenly Gang Fighting Fist,” but after just a few moves, Shi Jieyi had already twisted the big knife in his hands into a crooked, twisted shape.

Watching such fierce and powerful punches turn his own great sword into this state, the swordswoman turned to run. But Shi Jieyi wouldn’t let her go. In an instant, he used his Five Elements Fist—“Earth Fiend Fist”—first move: “Trapping the Dragon.” His right fist emitted black light as it struck the ground. Second move: “Slaughter.” His right fist struck the ground again, and a gust of true energy shot out rapidly along the ground. These two moves were delivered in quick succession.

The swordswoman, who was running, suddenly felt unable to move her feet. Looking down, she saw cracks in the ground that had trapped her feet. Turning around, she felt a severe pain in her chest. With a whoosh, Shi Jieyi’s second move, “Slaughter Fist,” split her in two… Organs and blood covered the ground—a gruesome sight.

Shi Jieyi’s “Earth Fiend Fist” consisted of three moves, specifically designed to deal with those who tried to escape. Unless the fugitive could use true energy to fly, no one could escape.

On the side of the Sword King, the battle was rather chaotic—two swordsmen fighting each other back and forth. It seemed the Sword King was stronger than these underlings. Of course, after so many years in the martial world, he wasn’t just good for show. The underling’s clothes were torn to shreds by the Sword King’s sword; apart from his vital areas, his body was completely exposed.

Seeing Shi Jieyi and Liu Yi approaching, and witnessing the tragic deaths of his three companions, the underling lost all desire to fight. He rolled on the ground to get away from the battle and ran toward the cave entrance…

Shi Jieyi clenched his fist, ready to strike, but Liu Yi blocked him with his fan and said, “Let him go back and report. It’s better if he causes less harm. We’re waiting for the big fish…”

Liu Yi was right. The underling rushed straight into the cave hall.

The hall was spacious, illuminated by torches that made it seem like daytime. Around the hall stood more swordsmen, looking very imposing. On a seat at the top of the hall sat a bearded man in his thirties, his small eyes lustfully staring at a girl lying beside him. Yes, this was Ajiu—the one who had asked Liu Yi for a painting and was captured by Wei Tian Tuo on her way back to the palace.

It was clear that this arrogant bearded man must be Wei Tian Tuo—the master of this cave. With a sinister smile, he said, “Little girl, marry me obediently, and you’ll benefit. But now you’re under my poison. Without my antidote, you’ll suffer attacks every seven days, and each time your body will rot a little more. Think carefully about it.”

Ajiu didn’t open her eyes, but she snorted in disdain through her nose.

Wei Tian Tuo snapped, “You reckless girl! Tonight we’ll get married. I’ll cook you… and see if you can still act so arrogantly.” Clearly, this guy wasn’t much better at language than Shi Jieyi—unable to form proper sentences, he just added “le” at the end.

Just as Wei Tian Tuo was planning how to conquer this girl in bed that night, the avant-garde dressed underling rushed in, shouting urgently, “Master, master! Something bad has happened!”

Seeing the thug’s outfit, Wei Tian Tu snapped, “Damn it! You didn’t wear the clothes I gave you and instead came out in something like this. Do you really think you look good?”
The thug quickly explained, “Boss, I’m wearing the clothes you gave me. I got like this after being slashed by that guy with the big sword outside. That kid is weird—he just cut my clothes and turned them into this…” His innocent expression made Wei Tian Tu believe him.
Wei Tian Tu asked, “What happened outside?”
The thug replied immediately, “There’s a scholar and two strong men. The scholar says you stole his brother’s wife and wants to fight you to the death. The three brothers at the entrance have already been torn to pieces by them.”
Hearing this, Wei Tian Tu roared, “Nonsense! When have I ever stolen a scholar’s brother’s wife?” He then turned to see A Jiu and said, “Oh, right. It’s this girl. It might be related to her.”
Wei Tian Tu continued, “Do you know where these three came from?”
The thug answered, “The three of them seem to be from the human world. I don’t know which sect they belong to. The scholar is skilled in finger strength. One of the strong men has fists harder than my big sword, and the other has a very fast sword. Look… these clothes of mine were cut by him.” As he spoke, he spun around to prove his innocence.
People from the human world are good at using swords and fans and usually wear coarse linen clothes, while demons are good at using swords and knives and wear animal skins and silver armor. Immortals, on the other hand, use long spears and swords and wear golden armor with purple crowns, often wearing chicken feathers on their heads. So, by looking at their attire and weapons, one can guess their race.
Wei Tian Tu thought to himself, “I should find out their origins before taking action. If they’re from the Cold Sword Sect or the Divine Sect, it’ll be troublesome…” Although Wei Tian Tu looked less intelligent than the Ten Great Heroes, it was because demons are naturally strong and robust. But Wei Tian Tu was quite smart, otherwise he wouldn’t have become the leader of the Thirty-Six Caves.
Wei Tian Tu ordered one of his front-line thugs, “Go with a few men and ask about their origins.”
The thug nodded, waved his hand, and two sword-wielding men rushed out. At the cave entrance, they saw the three men standing there. The thug asked, “The boss sent me to ask you—what sect do you belong to? How dare you come here and act so recklessly?”
Although Liu Yi was smart, he wasn’t familiar with the martial world and replied directly, “I’m Liu Yi, a scholar from the south.”
The Ten Great Heroes and the Sword King also introduced themselves.
The thug glanced at them and said, “Wait here. I’ll go back and tell the boss.” Then he rushed inside quickly, as if afraid that the Sword King would cut off the rest of his clothes.
As soon as he entered the cave, the thug reported, “Boss, they say they’re from the south. One of them is a scholar named Liu Yi, and the other two are called the Ten Great Heroes and the Sword King.”
Meanwhile, A Jiu, who was lying there unable to move, immediately opened her eyes upon hearing Liu Yi’s name and said to Wei Tian Tu, “You bastard! Someone’s come to save me! If you’re smart, let me go now. Otherwise, be prepared to have your cave leveled.”
Wei Tian Tu glanced at A Jiu and mumbled, “A scholar from the south? The Ten Great Heroes? The Sword King? I’ve never heard of them… They seem to be insignificant figures in the martial world.”
Wei Tian Tu stood up and said, “Guardians!”

Two obese, strong men taller than Wei Tian Tuo by a head stepped forward. They were bare-chested, wearing only leather arm guards and bracelets on their arms, along with thick cloth pants. One held a giant axe, the other a massive hammer, making one think… whose pigs are these? Did they escape without being tied up?

Wei Tian Tuo said, “Follow me outside to meet these brats and see what skills they have to dare invade my cave.” With that, he flung his cloak aside, took a large sword from beside the chair, and headed toward the cave entrance.

As soon as they stepped outside, they saw a scholar waving a folding fan, with the two strong men beside him crossing their arms and staring at them. Unconsciously startled, Wei Tian Tuo snapped, “Is there something wrong with my face that you’re staring at me like that? Damn it!”

Liu Yi bowed and said, “I’m Liu Yi. My friends gave me a nickname—Wastrel Scholar.” This was what Liu Yi had thought earlier; since he was part of the martial world, he needed a nickname too. Otherwise, Wei Tian Tuo would surely look down on him. So he used the nickname the Wolf King had given him.

Liu Yi continued, “These are my two friends: Number One of the Iron Fist Ten Heroes, and the Great Sword King.” He also used the nicknames for the Ten Heroes. As for the Great Sword King, his name was already as famous as his nickname, so no need for an extra one.

Wei Tian Tuo sized them up and shook his head. “I’ve never heard of them.”

Number One wiped his fist and said, “Today, we’re not just going to get you to hear about us—we’re going to show you too.”

Wei Tian Tuo shook his head again. “Tsk tsk… This Young Hero Number One is quite angry. How about you come inside my cave and drink a couple of bowls of mung bean soup to cool down?”

Number One snapped, “Stop acting innocent in front of us. If you can do it, do it. If not, get lost. We’ll wait for you here.”

Wei Tian Tuo was already bad-tempered and cunning, so he could endure a lot. But facing Number One, he had only one thought: enough was enough.

Angrily, Wei Tian Tuo swung his great sword and declared, “I am Wei Tian Tuo, the master of Wind Carrier Cave, belonging to the Demon Clan, Demon Sect, Three Gates, Seven Sects, and Thirty-Six Caves.” He then showed off his dark red sword, saying, “It was forged from celestial stones. It’s three feet three inches long, weighs 67 kilograms, with a three-foot-thick back and a sharp blade that can cut through steel.”

The two obese men beside him stepped forward as well. The one on the left, holding a hammer, said, “I am Iron Hammer, the left protector of Wind Carrier Cave, belonging to the Demon Clan, Demon Sect, Three Gates, Seven Sects, and Thirty-Six Caves.”

He then showed off his white hammer, saying, “Forged from a hundred years-old steel. It’s four feet nine inches long and weighs 102 kilograms. It can shatter rocks and split mountains.”

The obese man on the right added, “I am Iron Axe, the right protector of Wind Carrier Cave, belonging to the Demon Clan, Demon Sect, Three Gates, Seven Sects, and Thirty-Six Caves.” He planted the giant axe on the ground and said, “Forged from steel. It’s five feet two inches long and weighs 89 kilograms. It has blades on both sides.”

In just a moment, the three of them introduced themselves. Liu Yi thought to himself, “These guys all use heavy weapons. If they were used to build the Sichuan Road, it would be much easier.”

Number One impatiently shouted, “Stop talking nonsense! With my two iron fists, I’ll flatten your Wind Carrier Cave. Come on, let’s fight!” Number One was truly a warlord, inciting conflict with just a few words.

Wei Tian Tuo snapped angrily, “Fine, let me take your iron fist! Damn it, it’s been ages since anyone dared speak to me like this.” He rushed forward immediately.
Tie Fu picked up his axe and, without a word, charged at the Great Sword King. The two of them got up in a tangle…
Seeing this, Tie Chui also started fighting against the other two. Carrying her hammer and using her curvaceous figure, she rushed at the short-limbed Liu Yi.
Liu Yi clearly understood that his opponent was a strength-based fighter and couldn’t be fought head-on. So, he ran as fast as he could to avoid Tie Chui’s pursuit. Yet Tie Chui’s speed was fast too—her huge frame and heavy weapon seemed to have no effect on her speed at all.
Tie Chui closely followed Liu Yi, which caused him trouble. What should he do? If he turned around, he’d be flattened before he could even use his finger techniques. He couldn’t stop; he had to hold on until the battle between the Top Ten ended. It would be good to have some help. With these thoughts, Liu Yi kept running in circles at high speed…
But after running for a while, Liu Yi encountered a new problem. Although he couldn’t turn around, he could attack the man with the iron axe ahead. That guy was fighting fiercely with the Great Sword King, who was clearly on the verge of being overwhelmed, with no chance to defend himself…
Liu Yi gathered his finger energy and quickly pointed with his right hand. A blue light mixed with the scent of roses shot straight at the iron axe.
Coincidentally, the iron axe was bending over, using his large axe to strike the Great Sword King, and at that moment, his curvaceous body and large buttocks were raised… With a “pfft” sound, something happened.
The iron axe stood up and sniffed, “Why does it smell like roasted pig?” Following the scent, he finally found a hole left by “Jade Flower Finger” on his own buttocks. After pondering for a while, he suddenly jumped up, holding his buttocks, and screamed like a pig being slaughtered, “It hurts, it hurts…”
Liu Yi kept running faster while laughing happily. Clearly, he was safe now. Although Tie Chui was fast, he wasn’t slow either. As he ran, Liu Yi said, “I like this shameless scholar. It seems the Wolf King really understands me, hehe.”
As for the Great Sword King, seeing the iron axe dancing around holding his buttocks, he ignored it and seized the opportunity to unleash his ultimate technique, “Sweeping Thousands of Soldiers.” His great sword spun rapidly like the wind, sustained by his physical strength. After a flurry of slashes, the iron axe was torn to pieces…
The Great Sword King stuck his sword into the ground and barely managed to stand. Although “Sweeping Thousands of Soldiers” wasn’t a high-level technique, it was extremely fierce and exhausting. Only the Great Sword King could use it; if it were Liu Yi, he’d fall first with just one punch.
The Great Sword King couldn’t stand not because he was exhausted, but because he had spun too many times and was dizzy. Don’t underestimate spinning—each turn, as the weight of the sword increased and its speed accelerated, made the technique more powerful. That’s why the iron axe was torn to shreds, leaving it in a pitiful state.
The Great Sword King looked at the battlefield. Neither of them had been defeated yet, but he had already taken down one. He raised his hands high and shouted, “Even I, the Great Sword King, have a day like this! Haha, haha!”

Liu Yi ran fast while shouting loudly, “King of the Big Sword, come help! Finish this pig, and I’ll give you an extra five thousand taels!”
King of the Big Sword, who was still dazed, heard about the extra five thousand taels. Good heavens! That amount was enough for him to rob many people! Without hesitation, he picked up his big sword and continued to attack the second pig. He thought to himself, “Why do I feel like I have some connection to a butcher?”
As for Iron Hammer, when he saw someone attacking him, he turned to look at his brother Iron Axe. Immediately, anger flared up in him—this kid had killed his own brother! How could he still have the heart to chase after Liu Yi? He swung his huge hammer at King of the Big Sword…
Originally, King of the Big Sword couldn’t even defeat Iron Axe. Without Liu Yi’s help, he would have died. It was pure luck. Now that his brother was dead, Iron Hammer became even more fierce. King of the Big Sword was thrown aside by Iron Hammer’s blows and lay on the ground, unable to get up.
Iron Hammer stepped toward King of the Big Sword. When he reached him, he raised his hammer to crush him. Just then, he suddenly felt a strong wind coming from behind—possibly finger energy, sword energy, or a hidden weapon, likely targeting his left temple.
Iron Hammer quickly moved aside. Sure enough, a blue finger energy with the scent of peonies brushed past his face as he moved.
Iron Hammer wore a pig-like grin. He wanted to see who was so incompetent as to attack him from behind. Just as he turned around… with a “pfft,” the blue energy mixed with the scent of roses created a hole in his forehead. With his bright pig-like smile, Iron Hammer collapsed silently, without making a sound. Just like I came quietly and left quietly—such was the atmosphere.
Liu Yi waved his fan and strode over casually. He pulled King of the Big Sword up and laughed sneerily, “Damn it, your brother is stupid, and you’re even stupider. Do I only know how to send out finger energy? Is your brain in your ass? It’s sad. I really feel sorry for you.”
King of the Big Sword brushed the dirt off his body and wiped the blood caused by Iron Hammer’s blows. He laughed and said, “Liu Boss is amazing! Amazing! Those… five thousand taels? Look.”
Liu Yi glanced at King of the Big Sword and said, “You still want money? I told you to kill this pig—you almost ended up in hell. Now that I’ve saved your life, you want to pay me five thousand taels?”
Hearing this, King of the Big Sword complained, “No way, Liu Boss. It’s not easy for poor people to make money. Please stop teasing me.”
Liu Yi waved his fan and said, “Do I look like I’m joking?”
Then he turned and walked toward the fighting arena of the Top Ten Heroes…
As for Top Ten Heroes and Wei Tian Tuo, they didn’t get along at all. Wei Tian Tuo wanted to take care of this “amazing” Top Ten Heroes first.
But Top Ten Heroes’ skills far exceeded his expectations. The more Wei Tian Tuo fought, the more terrified he became. Although Top Ten Heroes was younger than him, he wasn’t just talkative—he also had incredible fists…
Meanwhile, Top Ten Heroes grew more and more courageous. He controlled the flow of his internal energy, dividing it into two parts: “Thunder Fist” in his left hand and “Heavenly Battle Fist” in his right.

Thunder Fist – without any fixed moves or forms, relying entirely on compressed vital energy to create a fierce punching wind. Tian Gang Dou Fist – Style 1: Sky Spear; Style 2: Thunder Break; Style 3: Shattered Jade. Two types of boxing styles.
“Tian Gang Dou Fist” protected against Wei Tian Tuo’s blood-red great sword, preventing him from sustaining even the slightest injury. Meanwhile, “Thunder Fist” allowed for rapid counterattacks; whenever an opening appeared, it was used to strike Wei Tian Tuo without hesitation.
After a few exchanges, it was clear Wei Tian Tuo was at a disadvantage. The knuckles of his right hand were numb from “Tian Gang Dou Fist,” making it hard for him to hold the sword. What surprised him even more was how such advanced martial skills could belong to someone so young. As he pondered, he heard a crackling sound – his left shoulder had been hit by Tian Jie Yi’s punch, and his scapula was clearly broken.
Wei Tian Tuo cursed under his breath, “Damn it, where did this kid come from? I’ve never heard of him before.” At that moment, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Liu Yi and the Great Sword King approaching. His two bodyguards were clearly dead.
In that instant, Wei Tian Tuo made the wisest decision possible in the shortest time: as long as there were still green mountains, there would always be firewood. With his situation already hopeless and this foolish kid being extremely brave, his life might be in danger. So, he swiftly threw his blood-red great sword with his right hand, aiming straight at Tian Jie Yi’s neck…
Tian Jie Yi was stunned. What kind of tactic was this? Throwing the sword as a weapon? Abandoning the sword altogether? But despite his thoughts, he quickly raised his left hand, channeling “Tian Gang Dou Fist” to defend against the “flying sword.”
At the same time, Wei Tian Tuo threw something else with his right hand at the fastest speed, not at anyone, but onto the ground. With a “bang,” white smoke erupted the moment it touched the ground, instantly filling the ten-zhang area around them.
In the smoke, Tian Jie Yi couldn’t see anything and quickly stepped back. He knew it was best to stay away from the smoke – if Wei Tian Tuo launched a surprise attack, it would be troublesome.
Gradually, the smoke dissipated. Liu Yi and the Great Sword King also rushed over. Tian Jie Yi looked back at where Wei Tian Tuo had been, but there was no trace of him anymore – he must have run off somewhere.
The Great Sword King, as if finding a treasure, quickly picked up the blood-red great sword from the ground. Admiring it, he exclaimed, “Amazing! This sword is truly beautiful, a hundred times better than my crappy sword. Haha, since no one wants it, I’ll take it.” He tried to save face while playing with the sword.
Tian Jie Yi ignored this and asked Liu Yi, “Boss, did that guy go into the cave? Let’s go in and deal with him.”
Liu Yi shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. If he went into the cave, he’d have no way to escape. Since he chose to flee wisely now, I think… he’s already gone.”
Tian Jie Yi asked anxiously, “What about A Jiu? Where is A Jiu?”
Liu Yi said, “Let’s go into the cave and check.”
The three of them walked into the cave. After passing through a passage, they were amazed by the luxurious hall. It seemed Wei Tian Tuo was quite extravagant, spending thousands of taels of gold to transform this cave into such a magnificent place.

As soon as he entered the hall, he saw the Great Sword King holding up the loot he had just acquired and shouting, “Listen up, you bastards! The robbery is now officially underway. Your cave master is nowhere to be found, and your two bodyguards have already been dealt with by us. Now, men, stand on the left, women on the right, and those who aren’t male or female, stand in the middle. Quick, right now!” The Great Sword King gestured around before smiling at Liu Yi and saying, “Boss Liu, how do you think I’m doing? I’ve heard that besides collecting beauties, Wei Tian Tuo also likes to collect treasures and secret manuals. How about we raid his lair today?” Truly, a dog can’t change its nature—after years in banditry, he’s still using those same tactics. Liu Yi nodded and said, “Not bad, not bad. Who said you weren’t talented? You’re quite good enough to be a bandit leader.” The Great Sword King’s face twisted. “Just a bandit leader?” Liu Yi didn’t answer and strode toward the center of the hall. At that moment, a lowly thug stepped forward and said, “Sir, I know where the treasure is. If you find it, can you give me some?” The Great Sword King recognized this kid—it was the same thug he had previously beaten severely. He raised his sword and said, “Sure, sure. Lead the way.” The thug ignored the men on the left and the women on the right, turned around, and headed down a small path on the right. Liu Yi said, “You go ahead. I’ll check the hall.” Soon, the Great Sword King and the Ten Heroes disappeared down the path. Liu Yi waved his fan and said, “I have a question for you. Answer truthfully.” The group of men on the left and the group of women on the right rushed to speak, “Sir, please ask!” Liu Yi asked, “Your cave master captured a girl and plans to marry her today. Where is she now?” One of the men rushed forward and said, “Sir, she’s right at the front of the hall, next to a seat, on a small bed. Here.” He even pointed it out to Liu Yi. Liu Yi nodded and said, “Alright, you can go now.” The crowd scattered quickly—who wouldn’t want to run fast? If this hero changed his mind and killed a few people, it would be their misfortune. Liu Yi walked forward and finally saw the familiar A Jiu next to the seats in the hall. He shook his head. “You hid your true face… Princess A Jiu, you deceived me badly. Because of you, my entire family almost got executed.” A Jiu giggled and said, “Young Master Liu, I had my reasons. Please forgive a humble person’s mistakes…” Liu Yi looked at her and asked, “What’s wrong with you? Were you pinned down? Why aren’t you moving?” A Jiu shook her head. “I have no idea what poison that dead man gave me. I have no strength at all and can only lie here. He said if I don’t take the antidote in seven days, part of my body will rot.” Liu Yi closed his fan and said, “Damn it. This is troublesome…”