Chapter 66

Chapter 65: Swordsmanship

One of them came from the modern era, completely clueless about poetry and literature, while the other was born in the martial world, naturally disliking such things. In the end, the initial romantic atmosphere turned into a relaxed and casual chat.

After a few cups of wine, Song Qingshu felt a sudden warmth all over his body, finding the lady opposite him increasingly alluring.

Xia Qingqing also felt an unbearable heat, inadvertently loosening her collar, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white skin.

"Sir, you have ill intentions. It's so hot, yet you keep urging me to drink." Xia Qingqing's eyes widened slightly, her voice a mix of complaint and coquettishness, completely embodying the role of the famous prostitute You You from Yangzhou.

Recently, the Lichun Courtyard had acquired a batch of medicinal wine from the Western Regions. Unlike previous drugs, this wine did not cause unconsciousness but amplified the hidden desires in one's heart several times over, making one unknowingly sink into it. Afterward, one would mistakenly believe everything was done out of their own will...

This wine was an extremely precious item. However, Wei Xiaobao, having grown up in the Lichun Courtyard, knew exactly where the best goods were stored. He quietly replaced the wine pot that was to be sent to the flower queen's room. Initially, he planned to sneak into the flower queen's room, but unexpectedly, it benefited Song Qingshu.

"Such fine wine, drinking it this way is rather dull." With the help of the wine, Song Qingshu gradually relaxed, his usual carefree demeanor returning.

"How should we drink it to make it interesting, Sir?" Xia Qingqing's expression was hazy, looking at him with a smile that was half-mocking, half-serious.

"Everyone knows that wine can be enjoyed through poetry or martial arts, but the most wonderful way is to have a beautiful woman in one's arms, gently passing the wine with her lips." Song Qingshu's eyes were filled with mischief, staring straight at her.

"Do you know that I sell my art, not my body~" Xia Qingqing didn't know why, but she felt no anger at his blatant flirtation. Looking at the refined Song Qingshu, she became entranced, her voice becoming increasingly soft and seductive.

"You haven't met the right person yet, my lady." Song Qingshu stood up and came to Xia Qingqing's side, gently lifting her chin with a smile. "I wish to find a true heart, to grow old together without parting."

Xia Qingqing allowed him to hold her chin, a blush spreading across her face, her heart racing like a fawn. In a daze, she felt she had forgotten something important, but her body felt weak and listless, leaving her with no energy to think further.

Biting her lip, Xia Qingqing turned, her swaying skirt mesmerizing Song Qingshu. She extended her delicate hand, gently pressing Song Qingshu onto the stool. With her right hand, she lifted the wine pot to her mouth, taking a sip, then leaned forward, her body soft and pliant, falling into Song Qingshu's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and, taking advantage of his surprise, pressed her soft lips to his.

Song Qingshu felt his teeth being gently pried open by a supple and agile tongue, followed by the wine from the pot, as sweet as nectar, dripping into his mouth.

After a long while, they parted, Xia Qingqing's hands still around Song Qingshu's neck, her cheeks flushed, looking at him with a charming expression. "Is this how you want to drink it?"

Feeling the vibrant and elastic body on his lap, Song Qingshu felt a surge of heat in his lower abdomen, unable to resist bending down to kiss her.

With a soft moan, Xia Qingqing slowly closed her eyes, allowing him to caress her at will...

"Assassin!"

"Protect Duke Wei!"

At this moment, a shrill cry came from outside. Xia Qingqing, as if waking from a dream, was shocked to find herself in a compromising position, eagerly awaiting his advances. She pushed Song Qingshu away in horror and slapped him hard.

"Miss You, you..." Song Qingshu rubbed his cheek, not expecting the woman who had been so affectionate a moment ago to suddenly turn on him.

The scenes from earlier replayed in Xia Qingqing's mind, and she let out a silent cry. What on earth was happening!

She was startled by the screams outside, breaking out in a cold sweat. By now, the effects of the wine had mostly worn off. Feeling her body still weak, she picked up the wine pot and smelled it, her face turning ashen.

Through the window, she saw Yuan Chengzhi and others attacking a young man with a braid. Realizing her mistake, she turned to Song Qingshu with a grim expression. "You're not Wei Xiaobao. Who are you?"

"Ah, I am Song Qingshu." Still dazed, Song Qingshu answered subconsciously.

Feeling a chill in her chest, Xia Qingqing looked down and saw her disheveled clothes. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of how she had volunteered to play the role of a famous prostitute, despite her husband's objections, just for fun, and now...

If Yuan Chengzhi saw her like this, Xia Qingqing shuddered. She didn't have the energy to confront Song Qingshu, so she tightly held her collar and jumped in the opposite direction, disappearing into the night sky.

Seeing her display of high-level lightness skills, Song Qingshu finally came to his senses. She was not a weak and frail prostitute from the Qinhuai River but a highly skilled female thief.

"Brother Song, save me!" At this moment, Wei Xiaobao's shrill cry came from outside.

It turned out that Yuan Chengzhi and the other experts had silently broken through Duolong's defenses and led their subordinates in, planning to catch Wei Xiaobao like a fish in a barrel.

Gumotong, being the most skilled martial artist present, sensed a hint of killing intent and immediately pushed Wei Xiaobao several meters away, allowing him to narrowly avoid Yuan Chengzhi's fatal strike from above.

Xuedao Laozu and Sangjie, as if they had been waiting, reached out to grab Wei Xiaobao from both sides.

Gumotong, who still needed Wei Xiaobao to revive Tubo, quickly unleashed two Flame Blade strikes from a distance.

Xuedao Laozu and Sangjie were startled. If they continued to reach for Wei Xiaobao, their arms would be cut off. They had no choice but to defend themselves.

Xuedao Laozu raised his blood sword and slashed at the incoming blade energy. After a clash of metal, he stared in shock at his blood sword, terrified. He had used a sword that could cut through iron like butter to block a strike from several feet away, and it was only a draw!

Sangjie had to summon several large hand seals to disperse the blade energy, leaving him with no strength to pursue. He felt a mix of emotions: although he was the top expert of the True Word Sect, Gumotong was the best in the entire Esoteric School. This exchange confirmed that Gumotong's skills were indeed far superior.

At this moment, Duolong reacted and drew his saber to guard Wei Xiaobao, just in time to block the approaching Hong Antong, the leader of the Divine Dragon Sect.

Duolong, as the head of the imperial guards, was naturally skilled, but his training was more suited to battlefield combat. In this kind of martial arts duel, he was at a disadvantage. After a few exchanges, he was struck by Hong Antong's palm, spitting blood and falling among the tables and chairs.

Fortunately, he managed to delay Hong Antong, giving Wei Xiaobao a chance to run away, screaming, "Brother Song, save me!"

Hong Antong sneered and, with a great leap, was about to grab Wei Xiaobao's head from above.

At that moment, a sharp whistling sound reached Hong Antong's ears. The thunderous force made him change his expression, and he quickly rolled to the side, but it was too late. His arm was still cut by a foot-long gash.

Feeling the pain, Hong Antong looked back with a dark expression, seeing a wooden sword embedded in a nearby pillar, still trembling.

"You, as a respected elder in the martial world, actually attack someone who can't defend themselves. I am truly impressed." Song Qingshu lightly landed from the second floor, blocking Wei Xiaobao.

"Brother Song, he is the leader of the Divine Dragon Sect, Hong Antong. He is very skilled, be careful." Wei Xiaobao, hiding behind Song Qingshu, finally felt safe.

"So you are the young man the Blood Knife Old Ancestor spoke of. You do have some skills." As soon as he finished speaking, Hong Antong disappeared and punched Song Qingshu in the face.

Just as he was about to reach Song Qingshu, Hong Antong's face changed, and he hastily withdrew his palm, leaping to the side. It was too late, and his shoulder was injured by a sword energy.

Looking at the empty pillar and the wooden sword back in Song Qingshu's hand, Hong Antong was shocked. "Dragon Seizing Skill!"

Song Qingshu remained silent, secretly pleased. This was just an improved version of the "Double Dragons Sucking Water" move from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, but it could achieve the same effect as the Dragon Seizing Skill. While it was impossible to kill someone from a distance like in the fantasy movies he had seen in his past life, within a hundred meters...

Hong Antong was furious. Being injured twice by Song Qingshu's wooden sword, the first strike was just a superficial wound, but the second one cut into his shoulder, the sword energy penetrating his bones. Now, he could only use about seventy percent of his skills.

This wasn't because Hong Antong's skills were low. The first strike was sudden, and Song Qingshu's timing was perfect, striking just as Hong Antong reached the highest point of his leap, when his strength was waning.

As for the second strike, in his decades of martial arts experience, Hong Antong had never seen a long sword fly several feet away and then return on its own. He was completely unprepared, leaving his back exposed, and was injured by Song Qingshu's returning wooden sword.

Gumotong, observing the situation, was greatly impressed. "Young Master Song, your sword skills are truly divine. In time, the title of the best sword in the world, the Six Pulse Sword, may not be secure."

Fighting against Yuan Chengzhi, however, was a different story. This mission had been fraught with complications. First, Qingqing had mistaken Song Qingshu for someone else, bringing him into the room, preventing them from quietly abducting Wei Xiaobao.

Later, he thought it wasn't too bad that she had lured away the most skilled among them, Song Qingshu. They took the opportunity to quickly capture Wei Xiaobao, thinking it was foolproof. But then another even more skilled monk appeared!

Gumotong was also secretly alarmed. His opponent wielded a snake-like sword, with a fierce and bizarre sword style and immense internal strength. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows, and neither had gained the upper hand.

How many young martial arts geniuses were there in the Central Plains? Gumotong was secretly alarmed. Nan Murong was one thing, but his skills, while good, were far from the legendary reputation. Meeting Song Qingshu had made him respect the heroes of the world, and now he had encountered another young man with skills on par with his own.

"Are you the Golden Snake King, Yuan Chengzhi?" Recognizing the distinctive weapon, Gumotong suddenly remembered who he was.

"Who are you, sir?" Yuan Chengzhi's face was stern. In recent years, his skills had greatly improved, and he thought he was one of the few unmatched in the martial world. He never expected a simple foreign monk to be his equal.

"I am the Dharma King of Tubo, the Great Wheel Vajra King, Gumotong. I greet the Golden Snake King." Gumotong clasped his hands together, secretly channeling the Nyingma Sect's supreme skill, the Flame Blade.

Yuan Chengzhi channeled his energy into his sword, and the Golden Snake Sword emitted a faint dragon's cry, ready to find an opening in his opponent's defense.

"This foreign monk is too powerful. I will hold him off. You must work together and act quickly. If the Qing army reacts, it will be too late." Yuan Chengzhi spoke in a low voice, not daring to look at the others, his full attention on Gumotong.

Seeing his mouth open, Gumotong knew his true energy had diminished somewhat. His eyes lit up, and he took the opportunity to attack.

Yuan Chengzhi was wary of Gumotong's intangible Flame Blade energy, and Gumotong was intimidated by his bizarre and unpredictable sword style. Despite losing the initiative, Yuan Chengzhi managed to hold his ground.

Gumotong was anxious. Being held back, it would take hundreds of moves to determine a winner. The other three were all highly skilled, and if they worked together, Song Qingshu would be overwhelmed.

Seeing the situation, Duolong quietly slipped out the door to summon the cavalry of the Brave Cavalry Camp.

Xuedao Laozu and Sangjie slowly approached Song Qingshu, joining Hong Antong to surround him.

"You three are all famous in the martial world, and your combined age is ten times that of our young master. Are you not ashamed to gang up on him?" Shuisheng, preparing to escape in the chaos, saw Song Qingshu surrounded and couldn't help but mock them.

"This young lady is so beautiful, she's just to my taste." Xuedao Laozu, who had ruined the chastity of countless noblewomen, immediately recognized that she was a man in disguise, eyeing Shuisheng with greed.

Sangjie, still angry from his earlier defeat by Gumotong, wanted to save face in front of the others. With his palms forming a sphere, he unleashed the most powerful of the Great Hand Seals, the Great Brightness Seal.

Even from a distance, Song Qingshu felt the air around him begin to solidify, and he couldn't help but... Chapter 66: In Times of Crisis, Each for Themselves

Gumotong was also secretly alarmed. His opponent wielded a snake-like sword, with a fierce and bizarre sword style and immense internal strength. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows, and neither had gained the upper hand.

How many young martial arts geniuses were there in the Central Plains? Gumotong was secretly alarmed. Nan Murong was one thing, but his skills, while good, were far from the legendary reputation. Meeting Song Qingshu had made him respect the heroes of the world, and now he had encountered another young man with skills on par with his own.

"Are you the Golden Snake King, Yuan Chengzhi?" Recognizing the distinctive weapon, Gumotong suddenly remembered who he was.

"Who are you, sir?" Yuan Chengzhi's face was stern. In recent years, his skills had greatly improved, and he thought he was one of the few unmatched in the martial world. He never expected a simple foreign monk to be his equal.

"I am the Dharma King of Tubo, the Great Wheel Vajra King, Gumotong. I greet the Golden Snake King." Gumotong clasped his hands together, secretly channeling the Nyingma Sect's supreme skill, the Flame Blade.

Yuan Chengzhi channeled his energy into his sword, and the Golden Snake Sword emitted a faint dragon's cry, ready to find an opening in his opponent's defense.

"This foreign monk is too powerful. I will hold him off. You must work together and act quickly. If the Qing army reacts, it will be too late." Yuan Chengzhi spoke in a low voice, not daring to look at the others, his full attention on Gumotong.

Seeing his mouth open, Gumotong knew his true energy had diminished somewhat. His eyes lit up, and he took the opportunity to attack.

Yuan Chengzhi was wary of Gumotong's intangible Flame Blade energy, and Gumotong was intimidated by his bizarre and unpredictable sword style. Despite losing the initiative, Yuan Chengzhi managed to hold his ground.

Gumotong was anxious. Being held back, it would take hundreds of moves to determine a winner. The other three were all highly skilled, and if they worked together, Song Qingshu would be