Stumbling, Lin Chong swung his spear and smashed his body. The force coming at him was like a raging river, washing over him until he lost control of his body. Just like that, Lin Chong swayed from side to side as he went against the current. However, during this process, many things were finally traced back to the beginning of the river.
The warmth of childhood, the kind parents, the excellent teachers, the sweet love … these were things that he did not dare to recall and almost forgot in the years of torment. When he was young, he joined the Imperial Boxing School and became an official disciple of Zhou Dong. He got to know his fellow apprentices and sparred with them. Occasionally, he would spar with the heroes of Jianghu. He was the best martial artist he knew.
His wife, Lady Zhen, had known him since childhood. She was the daughter of a scholarly family, dignified, virtuous, beautiful, and generous. Lin Chong had a smooth journey. He was also taken care of in the Imperial Army, so he was not busy. When they were free, they would go out together, go to temples to worship Buddha or go for an outing. They loved each other very much. Although Lin Chong had been educated since he was a child, he was still a man of Jianghu. Occasionally, his martial brothers would come to visit, or they would be introduced to Lin Chong by Jianghu heroes. His wife would always treat these friends well and generously. Many reckless people of Jianghu respected her even more than they respected Lin Chong.
Those were good times. He had a good wife at home. Sometimes, Lin Chong would leave his wife and sleep with his friends, discussing martial arts all night long. When they went too far, his wife would remind them to rest. In the Imperial Army, his superb martial arts skills always won him the respect of the soldiers.
All of this came too naturally. Later, he realized that these smiles were all fake. Under the facade that people tried hard to maintain, there was another world with naked malice. Caught off guard, he was pulled into it.
At that time, Lin Chong had experienced too little wind and waves. When the adventurers of the Lulin Kingdom, who had traveled far and wide, would occasionally talk about the tragic events of the martial world, Lin Chong would only pretend that he knew everything. Most of the time, he would find more "stories" and sigh along with them. When there was no way out, it was nothing more than a simple man's anger. With the long tassel in hand, he could naturally move forward. However, when things happened, he realized how difficult it was for a simple man to be angry. His past life, that normal world, was like countless hands pulling him back. He just wanted to go back …
For more than ten years, he stood in the dark, wanting to go back.
That world was too blissful.
Maiden Zhen …
Hugh's wife looked at him at the end of his memory.
…
— There was no going back.
…
"Ah — —" The spear in his hand broke into pieces.
On one side, there was a figure like a war chariot. From time to time, it would knock away the heavy objects along the way. On the other side was an attack that was like the edge of a spear, colliding and spinning. Every single attack was either a silent sudden stab or a forest of spears that was like an ocean, causing everyone to not dare go head-on against it.
During the ten years that the Jurchen cultivators had been heading south, the Central Plains had suffered greatly. As the most powerful faction in recent years, the Great Radiant Sect had gathered many experts. However, everyone was a little confused by the sudden battle between Grandmasters.
Although the title of Grandmaster was just a title that people talked about, there were only a few great experts who stood at the top in the world. Lin Zongwu's reputation of being the best in the world was not undeserved. That was a title that he had truly earned through fighting. Over the years, he had used his identity as the Great Radiant Sect's Sect Leader to fight all over the world. He possessed abilities that far surpassed everyone else and had always treated everyone with respect. It was only through this that he was able to solidify his identity as the number one in the chaotic world.
Over the past few years, even the Iron Arm Zhou Dong, who had become a legend in the past, might not be able to compare to the current Lin Zongwu in everyone's opinion. However, Zhou Dong was already dead, and there was no place to verify these conjectures. Over the years, Lin Zongwu had been competing, but the battle between grandmasters whose martial arts skills were closest to his was the one in Zezhou last year. After the Eight-Armed Dragon King of Mount Crimson Peak was defeated, he returned to Jianghu. In the battle matrix, the Devil-vanquishing Staff Technique was magnificent and had the spirit to dominate the world, but in the end, he was still defeated by Lin Zongwu's attacks that could stir up rivers and seas and devour heaven and earth.
Apart from the Central Plains, Zhou Dong had already disappeared, the Sage Duke had died early, the Devil Cult was no more, and the Tyrant Blade was on the decline. In the hearts of many people in the Green Forest, apart from the Inner Demon in the South, there was probably no one else who could go against Lin Zongwu. Of course, the Inner Demon Ning Yi had a complicated reputation in the Green Forest. His terror was completely different from Lin Zongwu's. As for Chen Fan, who was once the disciple of Fang Qifo and had the battle record of killing the Saintess of the Devil Sect, Sikong Nan, but after all, because he did not show much of his skills in the Green Forest, many people did not have any concept of him.
No one had expected that on this ordinary trip to the Canton of Vaud, they would suddenly encounter such a lunatic who would start a fight for no reason. Even Lin Zongwu himself could not suppress him.
After watching for a while, everyone could tell from the results of the battle that the person in front of them was also a Grandmaster. This person's martial arts skills were strange and chaotic. His appearance and eyes looked like a desperate person looking for someone to fight with his life, but when he attacked, it was extremely terrifying. Lin Zongwu's inner force was vigorous and his strength was boundless. If an ordinary person was hit by a punch, their bones and muscles would be broken and they would lose their life. However, this person faced the killing move head-on every time, like a fool facing the huge waves. Even Lin Zongwu had to retreat when facing the killing move in the waves. On one side, he didn't care about his life, and on the other side, he couldn't afford to lose. When the two sides collided madly, the surroundings of the courtyard became shrouded in killing intent.
This was different from the battle in Zezhou last year. Although there were hundreds of people watching on the dojo in Zezhou, the battle between Lin Zongwu and Shi Jin would not affect others. However, this crazy man did not have any scruples. When he fought with Lin Zongwu, he was always forced into a sorry state by his opponent's punches and kicks. However, that was only on the surface. He was like an unyielding person seeking death. Every time he smashed through the huge waves and sent himself flying, he would stand up in a new place and launch another attack. This abnormally fierce battle spread out in all directions, and anyone who could see it would be affected. The crazy man treated those who were closest to him as enemies. If he accidentally held a spear in his hand, everything within a radius of several zhang would be affected. If the people around him could not dodge in time, even Lin Zongwu would find it hard to divert his attention to save them. His spear arts were filled with despair. Earlier, even Wang Nantuo had almost been pierced through the heart by his spear. Even the experts in the vicinity had dodged in a fluster if they didn't want to suffer the same fate as Feng Qihe and the others.
Railings toppled over, stone locks flew everywhere, and the weapon racks in the courtyard paved with bluestone had fallen to the ground. A tree that was as thick as a bowl had long since been knocked down, its branches and leaves flying everywhere. Some experts had even gotten onto the roofs while dodging. The two grandmasters had knocked down the walls of the courtyard in their frenzied battle, and Lin Zongwu had been beaten to the ground by the crazy man. The two figures had even fought for a distance of five to six zhang before separating slightly. The moment they got up, Lin Zongwu took a step forward and threw a heavy punch, colliding with a stone table that the other party had raised. Stone fragments flew several zhang away, and there was a faint trace of astonishing power contained within.
On this hot summer night, the battle between the grandmasters had gone on for quite some time. While the amateurs watched for the excitement, the experts understood the technique. Some of the experts from the Great Radiant Cult could see some clues. This person had integrated his spear arts into his martial arts during the frenzied battle. Although he looked like he had gone mad with grief and indignation, there was a faint trace of Zhou Dong's spear arts. The Iron Arm Zhou Dong had presided over the Imperial Fist Dojo and had enjoyed a great reputation in the world for over thirty years. Although he had died ten years ago after assassinating Yan Han, the disciples of the Imperial Fist Dojo had spread out, and there were still many martial artists who could understand Zhou Dong's spear arts.
Even if they understood Zhou Dong's spear arts, they might not be able to understand how powerful Zhou Dong had been in the past. There were many untruths in the rumors of the Underworld. In the early years, Lin Zongwu had wanted to fight Zhou Dong, but he had not been able to. After Zhou Dong's death, the rumors that had been left behind in the pugilistic world mostly described Zhou Dong's martial virtues. In terms of battle achievements, when Zhou Dong had fought with others in his old age, he would either easily defeat his opponent with a few punches and kicks, or he would make his opponent kneel before he even made a move. His martial arts had reached perfection, and how powerful he was was not something that could be described by ordinary spear arts or a few ultimate moves.
At this moment, the sudden appearance of this grandmaster seemed to have brought Zhou Dong's spear arts to another form.
Although this madman had started a massacre the moment he arrived, everyone still raised their spirits when they realized this. How could those who had mingled in the Underworld not understand the significance of such a great battle?
The chaotic aura of the night was extremely restless. This crazy battle was so intense that it seemed like it would last forever. The madman's body was dripping with blood, and Lin Zongwu's monastic robe was in tatters. His head and body were also covered in countless wounds from the opponent's attacks. Suddenly, the battle below paused for a moment. It was the madman who had abruptly stopped his attacks. The two people's energies intertwined, and Lin Zongwu also abruptly stopped. In the courtyard, the madman suddenly let out a long howl of grief and indignation. His figure once again exerted strength and madly sprinted. Lin Zongwu also rushed a few steps forward, only to see his figure sweep over the outer wall of the martial arts dojo, rushing into the distant street outside.
Everyone was slightly stunned.
At this time, the martial arts dojo was a mess. Half of the corridors had collapsed, corpses were strewn everywhere, and the smell of blood was thick. Some of the experts who had not fled had chosen nearby high places to avoid the battle. The madman's killing intent was too resolute. Other than Lin Zongwu, no one else dared to clash head-on with him. Even Lin Zongwu was now half covered in blood. His internal energy was strong, and his external arts were tyrannical. For a long time, even an expert like Shi Jin had not been able to beat him up to such a sorry state. Seeing his opponent suddenly dash to one side, he had thought that the madman was going to start a massacre in the surroundings. Now, he stood there, his arms dripping with blood. The skin at the edge of his fists was lacerated, and he was trembling slightly. Seeing his opponent suddenly disappear, it was unknown whether he was furious or astonished. His expression was extremely complicated.
If the Great Radiant Sect had really wanted to deal with a grandmaster expert, they would have been able to mobilize more than just the people in front of them. Even if they had strong archers and crossbowmen, they would be able to mobilize a large number of them. It was just that Lin Zongwu was renowned for his martial arts, and he had participated in countless one-on-one battles over the years. How could anyone arrange for archers to appear at this time? Regardless of the outcome, they would only lose the title of 'number one in the world'. It was just that no one had expected this battle to happen so suddenly, nor had they expected it to end so abruptly. From the moment the madman had entered, he had been filled with endless grief and indignation. His final howl had also been filled with resentment and depression, as if he had been bullied by the world from the beginning to the end. However, at this moment, a group of people stood in the ruins and on top of the walls, feeling astonished and stifled. They were the ones who had truly been wronged.
"This... What's going on..." After a long time, Lin Zongwu clenched his fists tightly and looked at his surroundings. In the distance, Wang Nantuo was being protected in a safe place, and Lin Zongwu had saved his life. However, the right fist of the world-famous' Mad Tiger 'had been crippled, and several of his subordinates had been killed or injured. Despite being the number one in the world, he had still not been able to stop his opponent. "Investigate."
Lin Zongwu pointed at Tian Weishan's corpse on the ground. "Who was that? What's going on with that Tan guy... Investigate!"
That night, the chaos in the canton of Vaud had yet to subside. A whistling figure swept through the streets. In the distance, the chief constable of the canton of the canton of Vaud was rushing over after learning of the chaos. He rode on horseback with several patrolmen from the canton in tow. They drew their swords in an attempt to stop the bloodied figure. "Mu Yi, you killed Zheng Laosan..." Everyone drew their weapons. The figure suddenly rushed forward, and the spearhead at the very front turned and swept through the long street.
As soon as the spearhead passed, blood splattered all over the ground.
The familiar scenery of the streets had added to the chaos of the past. Lin Chong rushed through the long street of the canton of Vaud, all the way out of the city, and headed north.
...
In that desperate fight, all kinds of memories of the past emerged in his heart, bringing with it a pain that was more difficult than the physical situation. From the moment he entered White Tiger Hall, his life had been thrown into chaos amidst his helplessness. When he learned of his wife's death, his heart had sunk and risen again. To him, killing in anger and going up the mountain to become a weed was already a meaningless choice. When he was sent flying by Zhou Dong with a kick … after that, he could only pick up similar fragments of his past from the beach known as despair. He relied on similar light to deceive himself and struggle at death's door.
There was no going back.
After that, more than ten years of despair, tossing and turning, between the cracks of the fragments of light, was there anything he wanted to find? The widow who became his wife, the son they gave birth to, the days that followed... The moment he saw the corpse, it was like flowers in a mirror and the moon reflected in the water, confusing him. Through this confusing light, what he saw was, after all, still many years ago...
But after all, they had a child...
In the midst of the fierce fight, his grief had not yet subsided, and his chaotic state of mind finally had a small gap. The image of that child flashed through his mind, and with a long whistle, he ran in the direction of the Qi Clan. As for those malicious people, Lin Chong did not know their identity, and naturally did not care at this time.
He ran as fast as a galloping horse, crossing the winding road outside the city in the darkness. In the hot summer night, frogs croaked in the fields by the roadside, and in the distance, he could see the light of the village. As a bailiff, Lin Chong was already familiar with the roads. After an unknown amount of time, he neared the nearby town. He passed through the outskirts of the town and arrived at the Qi Clan. Outside the Qi Clan, there were people beating gongs and drums, calling for troops.
Covered in blood, Lin Chong threw himself over the wall of the courtyard. The patrolling Qi Clan servants on the wall only saw his figure pass by, and in the blink of an eye, the courtyard was in chaos.
If they were fighting in an open area, it would be hard for a great grandmaster like Lin Chong to deal with the sea of people. However, in the winding courtyard, how many people in the Qi Clan could keep up with his movement technique? Some servants only saw a black shadow flash before their eyes, and they were lifted up with one hand. That figure shouted, "Where is Qi Ao? Where is Tan Lu? " In the blink of an eye, he passed through a few courtyards. There were people screaming and giving warnings. The guards who had rushed in had no idea where the enemy was, and the surroundings were in chaos.
Lin Chong ran around in despair. After a while, he caught hold of Qi Ao's parents and interrogated them with a knife. It was only then that he found out that Tan Lu had rushed over earlier and told Qi Ao to head out of the city to hide from the limelight. Qi Ao then quickly drove his car and left. His parents knew that Qi Ao might have offended an extremely powerful person, so they quickly gathered the guards to guard the house just in case.
Lin Chong then interrogated them about the whereabouts of the child who had been captured. However, no one knew about this. Later on, Lin Chong held Qi Ao's parents hostage and got them to summon a few of Tan Lu's subordinates. He interrogated them and found out that the child had been taken away by Tan Lu in order to save his life.
Lin Chong endured the seething agony in his heart. As he interrogated them, he felt like his head was about to split open. After all, he had been in Liangshan before. After asking some more questions, he killed Qi Ao's parents in passing and then dashed out of the courtyard.
With the death of Qi Ao's parents, most of the other manor servants scattered like birds and beasts when faced with such a killing god. The town's regiment commander had also arrived, so they were naturally unable to stop Lin Chong's mad dash.
Right now, it was already the morning of the fourth day of the seventh month. There was no moon in the sky and only a few stars followed Lin Chong as he headed west. Amidst his grief, he ran for an unknown distance. The chaotic inner breath in his body gradually calmed down and got used to his body's movements, gushing endlessly like a great river. On this night, Lin Chong had first been struck by despair, causing his vital energy and blood to go into a frenzy. Later on, he had suffered many injuries in the fight with Lin Zongwu. However, he had almost given up on everything for over ten years to temper himself. The more he felt tormented and the more he wanted to give up, the more his subconsciousness focused on tempering his body. Now that he had finally lost everything, he no longer suppressed himself. Now that he had achieved great success in his martial arts, his body gradually recovered as he ran through the night.
It was impossible for his intense emotions to persist for too long. The chaos in Lin Chong's mind gradually calmed down as he ran. As he gradually sobered up, there was only great sadness and emptiness left in his heart. The unbearable sadness from over ten years ago was now flashing in his mind like a revolving lantern. The memories that he didn't dare to remember back then kept on surging. Even though it had been over ten years, they were still vivid and lifelike. Back then in Bianliang, the martial arts dojo, discussing martial arts through the night with his fellow practitioners, his wife …
In this night's pursuit, Lin Chong wasn't able to catch up to Qi Ao or Tan Lu. It was only when the sky gradually turned bright that Lin Chong's footsteps gradually slowed down. He walked to a small hill and the warm morning sun gradually appeared behind him. Lin Chong chased after the wheel tracks on the ground, tears trickled down his face as he walked.
There was nothing left …
After shedding this round of tears, Lin Chong finally stopped crying. At this moment, there were gradually more people on the road. Lin Chong stole some clothes from a village and changed into them. This afternoon, he arrived at another manor of the Qi Clan. Lin Chong charged in and interrogated them. Only then did he find out that they had fled for their lives last night. Tan Lu and Qi Ao had gone their separate ways, but Qi Ao changed his path halfway and got his servants to come here. Lin Chong's child was now in Tan Lu's hands.
Lin Chong's state of mind had already calmed down. He thought back to the battle last night. Tan Lu had fled midway and hadn't seen the outcome of the battle. Even if he had been frightened back then and fled to preserve his life, he would definitely have to return to Vaud Province to find out more about the situation. He had to find and kill both Tan Lu and Qi Ao, but the most important thing was to find Tan Lu first. After making up his mind, he started to rush back.
After that, he continued to run. On this night, his body still felt hungry. Lin Chong caught two snakes in the nearby mountains, skinned them, and ate them raw. The road before him was endless. His body hadn't rested for two days and two nights. However, even when he sat down and closed his eyes, he didn't feel relaxed at all. His wife's gaze, smile, and voice played before his eyes. She was dressed in a white dress and appeared very lifelike.
He continued to walk. When the sky brightened, the first rays of the morning sun gushed out again. Lin Chong sat down in the bushes in the wilderness, staring at the sunlight in a daze. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the sounds of hooves in the surroundings. Many people were running toward the other end of the mountain path from the side. When they got close, they stopped and got off their horses.
"Quick, quick, quick. Hold onto good weapons …"
"I heard from the messenger pigeons that that guy has been heading south. He'll definitely pass by this mountain pass today …"
"This guy is troublesome. It's said that he injured over 20 people in the great battle at the West Mountain Pass of Lu Liang. This time around, there's no need to talk about the rules of the pugilistic world with him …"
"We've already injured that person's limbs in the Goldenrim Market yesterday. We mustn't let him escape today."
"Hold onto a strong bow …"
"Leave this person alive. Everyone will be rewarded with a hundred strings of coins! Kill him with your own hands … "
The crowd was running, and some people were shouting. From the sound of the running footsteps, it sounded like there were about 70 to 80 people, and everyone was skilled in martial arts. Lin Chong sat against a pile of rocks and a clump of long grass. For a moment, no one noticed him. He ignored these people and just stared at the morning glow. Many years ago, he and his wife often went out for walks, and they used to stare at the morning sun like this.
The 70 to 80 people went to the forest not far away and laid in ambush. There were also a few leaders nearby, watching the changes in the distance. Lin Chong wanted to leave, but he also knew that it would be troublesome to show himself now. He waited quietly for a while, and from the mountains in the distance, there was a figure galloping over.
It seemed like these 70 to 80 people were all ambushing one person. As long as they started fighting, he would be able to leave. Lin Chong thought to himself. As the galloping horse neared, Lin Chong heard someone say in a low voice, "This person is very powerful. He's one of the best fighters in the forest. When the fight starts, don't go up."
"… Father, how can we do this …"
"What do you know? This person is the Eight Arm Dragon King of the Red Peak Mountain. He's fought with the world's number one. Today, his head is precious, and we're here to take it. But as he struggles on his deathbed, we'll lose many people. Don't go and join in the fun. The reward from above is more than a hundred coins … Father will take care of it. If you live, you'll have a life to spend it … "
Not long after the father and son finished speaking, a shadow suddenly shrouded them. The two turned around and saw a tall man standing next to them. He had a knife scar on his face, and the old and new injuries were a mix. He wore short and tattered farmer's clothes. He tilted his head and looked at them silently. His eyes were sorrowful, and no one knew when he had arrived.
The father and son were originally crouching on the ground. The young man suddenly pulled out his knife and swung it. As the long knife swung down, the young man also waved his hand. The long knife changed direction and swung back. The young man's head flew into the air. The middle-aged man next to him cried out in pain. He suddenly stood up, and his head was punched. He staggered back a few steps and fell to the ground. His skull was shattered, and he died.
Everyone was immediately alarmed by this movement. The galloping horse was already close by. The man on the horse jumped off the ground, and at almost the same speed as the galloping horse, he sprinted with all four limbs on the ground. Like a giant spider, he split the grass and climbed up the mountain. The rain of arrows fell like locusts, but none of them hit him.
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