Chapter 58

(There's an event for the bold heroes who jump into the pit to find the most satisfying chapter, see the pinned post in the work-related section and book review area, the duration is two weeks~)

Amidst the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Old Daoist Wei Shuyang exclaimed in shock, "The Red-Armored Talisman General of the Southern Kingdom has long been extinct. It is said that he attempted to assassinate the former emperor and was skinned alive by the eunuch known as the Cat-Man, with both his armor and skin hung on a royal banner. Many martial artists who went to see it witnessed the gruesome scene of the bloodied corpse. That red armor is unique in the world and has been confirmed by Cao Guanzi to be genuine. How can this Red-Armored Talisman General be here?!"

The cavalry had stopped, and Shu Xiu and Yang Qingfeng rode up to Lu Qiantang's side, one on each side, their expressions tense. The three secret manuals were not easily obtained, and the assassins who dared to provoke the Young Prince were likely formidable. Moreover, this Red-Armored Talisman General appeared openly on the road, and just his courage alone made the three of them feel inferior. In the political arena, one must be adept at reading people's expressions, and in the martial world, one must be skilled in reading a person's aura. The worst thing is to misjudge, for even the most powerful can have a bad day. The Sword God Li Chungen, an invincible master, was defeated by Wang Xianzhi, who was then just a novice. More recently, the young swordsman Wu Liuding from the Wu Family Sword Tomb, who never revealed his name, traveled south and killed many with his single-handed withered sword, all of whom were experienced martial artists who had met their match.

Xu Fengnian, unperturbed, just stared at the red-armored talisman general with wide eyes and said with interest, "Grandpa Wei, what exactly is this Red-Armored Talisman General? Does wearing red armor make one extra fierce? I should get a set to wear."

The old Daoist smiled bitterly, "Your Highness, this is not something to be worn casually. The red armor from back then had an obscure origin, with only rumors suggesting it was an ancient suit of armor from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion. Over generations, several Celestial Masters inscribed talismans on it. Imagine how many Daoist scriptures and ink talismans were engraved on it? It was likely a divine weapon used to suppress evil spirits. Later, for some reason, it ended up in the martial world. First, it was obtained by the Heavenly Mechanism Tower of the Shangyang Academy, which made various mysterious modifications, leading to a near conflict with Dragon Tiger Mountain. When it reappeared, it was worn by the Red-Armored Talisman General, who was invulnerable to blades and fire. However, the person wearing the armor was like a walking corpse, and his death at the hands of the eunuch Han Shengxuan might have been a form of liberation. This Red-Armored Talisman General seems slightly different from the rumors."

Xu Fengnian waved away Qingniao's offer to hold an umbrella and called the six-year-old Feng to his arm. Despite being drenched by the rain, Xu Fengnian still had the mood to play with the Qingbai Luan, joking, "Maybe it's the child of that Red-Armored Talisman General. Since the big one is a Talisman General, this little one can be called a Talisman Soldier, right, Grandpa Wei?"

Wei Shuyang's three wisps of white beard, now wet and braided, were no longer the mark of a sage. He awkwardly withdrew his hand and slowly said, "Your Highness, your theory is truly out of the ordinary."

Xu Fengnian smiled mischievously, "Grandpa Wei, your flattery is like a hanging antelope horn."

The old and young laughed heartily,无形中消弭了小道尽头那边的滔天杀机。

Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Lu Qiantang's Red Cloud Sword, Shu Xiu's Embracing Simplicity Technique, Yang Qingfeng's Ghost Control Art. I want to see if these three have the qualifications to live until they reach the City of Martial Deity."

The old Daoist seemed not to have heard this ruthless and heart-piercing remark, riding forward past the carriage by several steps. He shook his sleeves, and the raindrops above his head seemed to hit an iron plate, bouncing off with a thud.

Lu Qiantang drew his sword and stopped his horse, waiting for Shu Xiu and Yang Qingfeng to catch up before charging forward. Since the moment he picked up the "Wolonggang Sword Control Technique" on the fifth floor of the Tiding Pavilion, he had been preparing for this moment when he would have to risk his life. It came sooner than expected, but so what? To become a sword immortal, one must use powerful opponents as whetstones to hone one's sword heart to its purest form, hoping to grasp the essence of the sword path and achieve the realm where "a single breath is a mighty sword, cutting through the vast expanse of the universe"!

How many young swordsmen are there in the world, more than a hundred thousand?

Who doesn't want to wield a sword that can cut through even ghosts and gods?

Lu Qiantang, already a towering figure, rode a rare and powerful steed. For a moment, the narrow path was splattered with mud from the hooves, and the man and horse were unstoppable.

Perhaps the swordsmanship of Lu Qiantang had stirred the killer's intent, even the usually bedridden and coquettish Shu Xiu let out a heavy cold snort, which was particularly piercing amidst the dull sound of rain on the path.

Yang Qingfeng, who did not need to hold the reins, still controlled his horse's speed perfectly, slowly bending down and placing his pale, snow-white hands on the horse's neck.

The Red-Armored Talisman General from the Southern Kingdom stood motionless, allowing the three men and their horses to charge and build momentum.

Through the dense rain, Lu Qiantang could almost make out the cloud-like Sanskrit and Daoist characters on the red armor, which were intricately carved. Just a glance made him feel his qi stagnate. Suppressing his杂念, he roared, expelling the turbid qi from his chest, and with the momentum of the galloping horse, delivered a majestic and unparalleled sword strike.

The rain curtain seemed to be torn apart.

The raindrops that unfortunately came into contact with the giant sword sizzled like they had hit a hot iron, turning into a mist.

The giant puppet, similar to the Red-Armored Talisman General, moved stiffly but quickly raised a hand, its fingers, like the face, encased in red armor, attempting to grasp Lu Qiantang's sword, which was at the peak of his swordsmanship.

As they passed, the Red Cloud Sword, now red-hot, scraped against the red armored fingers, producing a series of sparks.

The Red-Armored Talisman General failed to grasp the sword, and Lu Qiantang, who had already made a name for himself in the Southern Tang Kingdom by the age of thirty, also failed to achieve his goal with one strike.

Lu Qiantang had taken advantage of the favorable conditions to deliver that strike, but the Red-Armored Talisman General merely stood still and raised a hand, neutralizing everything.

Shu Xiu unexpectedly found that Yang Qingfeng had accelerated and was using a brutal method to charge the Red-Armored Talisman General with his horse.

After Lu Qiantang's brief confrontation with the Red-Armored Talisman General.

Yang Qingfeng, bent over with his hands on the horse's neck, leaped up.

The horse, with eyes oozing thick blood, charged madly at the Red-Armored Talisman General.

First, there was a loud boom.

Then, even Xu Fengnian, far away, heard the bone-crushing sound of the horse colliding with the Red-Armored Talisman General.

The Red-Armored Talisman General remained unmoved, while the horse, with its head and neck shattered, died in front of him.

Shu Xiu, regardless of the Red-Armored Talisman General's prowess and her own fear, dismounted and leaped forward like a rabbit, her white hands pressing against the monster's chest armor. She suddenly exerted her strength, and raindrops exploded in all directions, centered around her and the puppet.

Shu Xiu, known for her profound internal strength, finally made the Red-Armored Talisman General wobble slightly.

Whether it moved an inch or a foot, any movement, even if it didn't fall, was a million times better than no movement.

Shu Xiu, having landed her blow, used the force to rebound and skidded a straight line in the mud, her skirt splattered with mud.

Behind the Red-Armored Talisman General, Lu Qiantang and his horse continued to charge forward for ten paces, then sharply pulled the reins, causing the hooves to rise and then heavily stamp the muddy road, creating two pits.

Lu Qiantang turned his horse, took a deep breath, and his expression was extremely serious.

Yang Qingfeng, who had floated between Lu Qiantang and the Red-Armored Talisman General, remained expressionless, but his hands were even whiter, with veins bulging and a network of veins far more intricate than a normal person's.

The three of them, working together, had only managed to make the strange armored figure wobble slightly?

Wei Shuyang muttered to himself, "Fortunately, it's not the Red-Armored Talisman General from the four great masters of the past. Could it be, as the Young Prince said, just a later imitation?"

Xu Fengnian shouted, "Grandpa Wei, go stop Ning Emei and the Fengzi Camp, leave this to the three of them."

The old Daoist, who was about to lend a hand, was taken aback but responded and left.

Xu Fengnian lightly squeezed his horse's flank, came to the side of the carriage, and Qingniao held a delicate oiled paper umbrella.

This was the only delicate scene amidst the muddy path filled with danger.

Xu Fengnian, stung by the sudden wind and rain, clicked his tongue and said, "Indeed, only a life-or-death battle reveals the true nature of a master. Lu Qiantang's sword strike was truly at the peak of sword techniques. Yang Qingfeng's trick was just for show, not very effective. I underestimated Shu Xiu, that woman."

Qingniao nodded and asked a crucial question, "Your Highness, is there only one armored figure? If the Fengzi Camp doesn't come, would it be inappropriate?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, "How could there be only one Red-Armored Talisman Puppet? There might be a second or third one hidden in the dense forest on both sides of the path. There could be four or five in total. I calculated that two Red-Armored Talisman Puppets can easily take out Lu Qiantang and the others, and one can handle a hundred Fengzi Camp soldiers, even with the great spear Ning Emei leading them, it would likely end in a mutual destruction. If another one comes, we'll have to fight personally. The