Chapter 463: Rain Umbrella

The burly Murong Longshui stared fixedly at this newcomer who had burst onto the scene. In Liyang, the court suppressed speech, so only a few rumors managed to slip through, leading to superficial discussions about the Beiliang heir. Most of these discussions simply focused on his arrogance in Tai'an City and his conflicts with the Imperial Academy's students. Beimang, however, was completely different; his journey there had caused a massive upheaval. Murong Longshui and her sworn enemy, the one named Yelü, both became interested in the Liyang jianghu because of him, which led them to personally travel south. Regardless of what underhanded or unethical methods this person used to kill Fifth Moh, Murong Longshui felt a surge of admiration. Putting herself in his shoes, she admitted that facing Tuoba Chunxun, who was protected by the two great demons Cai Mang and Lei Mao, alone would be a desperate struggle for survival. Murong Longshui hesitated for a moment, gazing at the parched-lipped man of similar age before her, who was clearly exhausted from travel. Before a battle destined for life or death, she smiled and tossed the orange from her palm, thinking that if the man generously accepted it and ate it before fighting, it would be a fine story for the survivor to recount over drinks later—a display of heroic magnanimity, unconcerned with life or death. Unexpectedly, as soon as the orange was thrown into the air, it exploded, splattering juice all over Murong Longshui. She frowned, her thick eyebrows furrowing. "This Beiliang heir is so petty."

The jianghu for men was largely limited to black, white, and grey; however, for women entering the jianghu, their thoughts were mostly colorful and beautiful. Murong Longshui was no exception.

Yi Jie Liu saw Murong Longshui being put in a difficult spot and was amused, her mind filled with the comical image of a handsome young man being beaten into a pig's head by a 200-pound female strongwoman.

Old E didn't have Yi Jie Liu's leisurely disposition; his steps were steady, unhurried, and calm. The current situation was a heaven-sent opportunity for the three of them. The heir was burdened by the severely injured young girl, making it even easier than fighting three against one.

Yi Jie Liu leapt onto the branch of a nearby orange tree, gazing into the distance to ensure no large cavalry units were involved in a siege. When frolicking on someone else's territory, caution was key.

Upon landing, Xu Fengnian took a deep breath and immediately charged towards the nearest Murong Longshui. He skirted around several sparse orange trees, their branches bearing only a faint, sad crimson in the bleak winter. Murong Longshui's figure seemed cumbersome, like a gender-swapped Chu Lushan, but when Xu Fengnian charged, she too collided. Unlike Xu Fengnian's evasion, her agile body directly broke through any orange trees in her path. The two instantly collided. Xu Fengnian pushed down Murong Longshui's fierce knee strike with one hand. His five fingers, like hooks, slashed across her face. Murong Longshui leaned back and kicked out. Xu Fengnian, whose internal energy was rapidly building up, his sleeves fluttering, slapped hard on Murong Longshui's thigh. She took the blow head-on, her body actually spinning with the momentum, and pushed a palm strike into Xu Fengnian's chest. Xu Fengnian was sent flying backward by the palm strike, sliding towards an orange tree. The moment his back hit the tree, his billowing sleeves suddenly stiffened, stopping him abruptly. He hooked with his calf, severing the orange tree, and flipped it into the air. Grabbing it with one hand, he wielded the orange tree like a great sword, bringing it down on the woman who was charging forward, shaking the ground with her heavy steps. Murong Longshui crossed her arms, protecting her face. The orange tree shattered inch by inch, scattering broken branches and leaves everywhere. Murong Longshui ignored the intense, bone-scraping pain, charged forward, and slammed two punches into his chest. Unexpectedly, Xu Fengnian neither dodged nor avoided, allowing the woman's fist energy to crash against his chest like successive waves hitting a shore. Just as Murong Longshui realized something was wrong and wanted to retreat, she found her fists stuck as if in mud. Within a zhang (approx. 3.3 meters), flying swords swarmed like locusts, collectively attempting to slaughter Murong Longshui, who had taken the bait. In the blink of an eye, she made a decision equivalent to a mutual defeat. Not only did she not withdraw her punches, but her feet rooted to the ground, and her knees sank into the mud. Her fists delivered dozens of powerful blows to Xu Fengnian in one continuous motion. Just as the flying swords were about to completely embed themselves in Murong Longshui's body, Yi Jie Liu, who had been leisurely collecting branches while crouching on a distant orange tree, finally attacked fiercely, continuously throwing branches at Xu Fengnian and Murong Longshui in their fierce battle, precisely intercepting the attacks of each flying sword. Despite the seemingly haphazard interception by Yi Jie Liu's branches, the flying swords, perfect in form and connected to their master's will, remained orderly amid the chaos, and still not a single one managed to successfully injure Murong Longshui.

Xu Fengnian tilted his head down and tapped Murong Longshui's forehead, who was still tangled with him. The latter's remarkably imposing body swayed backward, but her arms were held by Xu Fengnian, giving her no chance to escape. Murong Longshui roared in anger, shaking her arms, causing a great ripple, and shaking off the restraints. Xu Fengnian's ten fingers carved ten deep, bone-visible scarlet grooves on her arms. She lowered her head, and her arms, thick as an ordinary woman's thighs, quickly wrapped around Xu Fengnian's shoulders. To an outsider, it would look like lovers affectionately embracing, making it difficult to discern the hidden murderous intent. Murong Longshui's body fell backward, pulling Xu Fengnian entirely into the air, attempting a headfirst plunge to drive Xu Fengnian's head into the mud. Xu Fengnian lightly clapped his hands on the damp, muddy ground, and in an instant, mist seemed to billow upwards. Murong Longshui's attempt to both create distance and allow Yi Jie Liu to set up a 'Willow Shade' formation failed. Lying heavily in the frosty, muddy ground, she released her hands, intending to spring up like a carp leaping, gaining the initiative before that person.

Xu Fengnian, whose head was initially down, instantly inverted his body to normal after the clap, placing his hands on Murong Longshui's cheeks. Their eyes met, another scene of bloody intent brewing beneath an illusion of tender affection. Earlier, Murong Longshui had caught the orange thrown by Yi Jie Liu, rolling it in her palm. Now, it was eerily similar: Xu Fengnian seemed as if he wanted to treat her head like an orange. Murong Longshui's expression changed dramatically, her punches and knee strikes raining down like a storm, like drumbeats. This extraordinary woman from Beimang, renowned for her close-quarters combat since her debut, now only wanted to quickly create distance. But no matter how ferocious her attacks, Xu Fengnian simply held her head, his palms closing the distance inch by inch. His body remained perfectly still, completely absorbing Murong Longshui's thunderous attacks, his sleeves trembling and vibrating at speeds imperceptible to the naked eye.

Yi Jie Liu, crouching on a distant branch, had an unpredictable expression. She still held a handful of orange branches, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, and did not immediately come to the aid of the woman in peril.

Earlier, Old E had taken advantage of the gap to move through the orange grove, extending his arms, as if drawing something arcane. Spiderweb Old Man was clearly much more principled than Yi Jie Liu, who was merely watching from the sidelines. He kicked down an orange tree, sending it piercing towards Xu Fengnian's back. Murong Longshui, no longer daring to hold back, unleashed a full-strength punch at Xu Fengnian's heart. The orange tree happened to pierce his back, at the heart. The punch and the tree pulled at each other. By normal reasoning, no matter if you had a Vajra body, your heart would be crushed, and you would die instantly. After kicking, Old E turned and glared at Yi Jie Liu, who rolled her eyes and swept to the side of Xu Fengnian and Murong Longshui.

Yet Xu Fengnian was unexpectedly unharmed. However, he finally yielded a step, willing to release Murong Longshui's head. His hands slid down, lifting her cheeks upwards. Murong Longshui, whose internal energy was surging like a tempest, was lifted off her feet. Xu Fengnian "leisurely" walked to her side and swept a leg across the Beimang Princess's abdomen. Her burly frame arced grotesquely through the air, then was violently launched towards Yi Jie Liu, who was coming to her rescue. Yi Jie Liu ignored the noble princess, rapidly descending. At the same time, the assassin Old E pressed his thumb and index finger together on both hands, drawing a mysterious straight line in front of him. No less than a hundred orange trees were uprooted and thrown together at the solitary Xu Fengnian, then exploded in mid-air. Yi Jie Liu's mouth curved upwards, and her ten fingers flicked like plucking strings.

The entire ridge hummed with sword qi.

Chaotic sword qi overflowed between heaven and earth, like a galaxy pouring down, forming an inescapable cage.

Xu Fengnian stepped forward, his knees slightly bent and lowered, as if shouldering an enormous cauldron, and lifted his hands into the empty air.

With him at the center, tens of yards of ground erupted upwards, a rising wall of mud contending against the torrential sword qi pouring down.

Like an umbrella shielding from rain.

Yi Jie Liu tightly gripped a branch in both hands and precisely plunged it into the hollow center of the "umbrella" above Xu Fengnian's head.

Seizing the opening, Yi Jie Liu delivered a 'Willow Shade' strike.

Xu Fengnian tilted his head back, unmoved, looking directly at this assassin renowned throughout Beimang.

Yi Jie Liu instinctively sensed the unusual turn of events, and her attack immediately paused. She preferred to abandon a golden, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity rather than risk her own safety.

But just as Yi Jie Liu withdrew her sword momentum, she clearly saw a cunning smile creep onto that fellow's lips. The situation changed in an instant, and Yi Jie Liu, relying on her intuition, stabbed again.

When the branch in her hand truly touched Xu Fengnian's glabella, Yi Jie Liu felt a surge of confidence.

The branch had already pierced the man's glabella by a good half a fingernail's depth. Yi Jie Liu's eyes were dark and gleeful.

The two were only a few feet apart, but the branch suddenly could not penetrate any further. Yi Jie Liu, without a moment's hesitation, was about to pull back the branch and retreat.

But a crimson robe stomped heavily on his back from behind.

Xu Fengnian brought his hands together, his fingers piercing Yi Jie Liu's chest, then 'gently' tore outwards.

Yi Jie Liu was torn apart in mid-air.

A large splattering of blood landed on Xu Fengnian's face.

Xu Fengnian remained expressionless and silent, merely flicking his wrist, silently shaking the blood from his hands, and looked towards the two remaining Beimang experts in the orange grove.