Chapter 1099: Chapter 180: On Keeping One’s Composure (Double-Length)

“Everyone, please lend a hand.”

“Hahaha, well said, well said. Miss Hu speaks, how could we not comply? If it weren’t for that expert’s overwhelming presence earlier, we would have captured these people long ago and presented them to you. How could it have waited until now?”

“However, since the elixir you provided is indeed effective, once this matter is settled, could you spare some for old Liu? Hahaha… it would also make it easier to find you.”

As soon as the word fell, a burst of laughter erupted, and skilled hands leaped out around them. Among them were hearty men holding heavy swords or elderly women with crane hair and wrinkled faces. Yet all possessed profound and long-lasting qi, leaving one to wonder why they served this woman and appeared here.

Lv Guanhong gritted his teeth, suddenly speaking:

“Enchantress, you’re only trying to capture me back. These people are just chance acquaintances. I’ll go with you; let them go. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise? Otherwise what? Will you commit suicide here?”

The woman in purple chuckled, slightly mocking, and said:

“If that’s the case, it would save me a lot of trouble.”

“Please go ahead.”

Lv Guanhong’s expression became rather unpleasant. He glanced at Xu Chuanjun, and with a bitter smile, said: “I was reckless, and now I have implicated you and your wife.”

Xu Chuanjun sighed and said:

“I’m here out of curiosity, not because of you, old sir.”

“However, if we both fight with all our might, there’s still a chance.”

The woman in purple crossed her arms, lazily looking at Lv Guanhong and the others surrounded by many skilled people. She felt everything was finally under her control again. However, at this moment, she suddenly heard a familiar voice, saying slowly:

“Xuan’er, let it go…”

The woman in purple was slightly stunned, hardly believing her ears.

It wasn’t just the woman in purple; the skilled individuals from various factions serving her were also slightly shocked, feeling puzzled.

They recognized this voice, knowing it belonged to a rare grandmaster-like figure from the Parthian Empire, one who came and went like the wind and wielded a short sword of significant repute.

This action was under her command; otherwise, given their status, they wouldn’t have easily obeyed orders. So why abandon it before even acting?

This seemed unlike her style.

The woman in purple hurriedly said: “But, Master…”

Another gentle and elegant voice smiled and said:

“Young lady, remember, a master’s order cannot be defied…”

Hu Xuan’er’s heart pounded violently, then she suddenly turned her head, her expression changing abruptly.

She saw her master, who used to strut around invincibly, standing rigid with an still aura, but on her master’s shoulder lay a white slender hand, seemingly affectionate, yet her master dared not move a muscle, not even considering drawing the Divine Weapon prototype or using grandmaster techniques.

As if at the slightest move, that light touch would unleash thunderous power and take her life on the spot.

Everyone’s gaze instinctively followed the hand upward.

They saw the cloud-patterned wide sleeves and a Taoist robe.

This was a handsome Taoist.

Despite being a man, his appearance was even more charming than Hu Xuan’er.

Just as everyone was slightly mesmerized, the Taoist suddenly smiled and said: “Oh right, almost forgot something. If I really forgot, I’d certainly be blamed when I return. That was close, that was close.” As he spoke, he casually reached into his robes and took out an object, gently covering his face.

All the martial artists’ hearts jumped fiercely, their previously captivated gazes overtaken by fear. They wanted to step back but couldn’t control their bodies, not daring to move a single inch.

It was a black iron mask with a ferocious beast face.

They had just seen this mask.

On the face of the assassin who had shattered a thousand-strong army and killed the king.

And now, the mask appeared again. Seeing that familiar ferocious beast face, several words surfaced in their minds, colliding repeatedly and thundering like a storm, causing their faces to turn pale.

Them? Blame?

Could there be more than one who could shatter a thousand strong?!

At this moment, it felt as if a heavy cloud covered the sky, pressing down on them so they could barely breathe.

Beneath the Bi’an mask, the Taoist smiled warmly and politely.

“Miss, what do you think?”

……

“When will this kid ever reach the level of a grandmaster?!”

Hong Luoyu sat cross-legged in Shaolin Temple, with a few leaves on his hair, having been tossed out by Ci using the Shakya Tossing Elephant Skill based on the Twelve Layers of Vajra Invulnerable Divine Skill. Despite his Qinggong, it took him some time to return.

The scholarly man in the blue shirt looked indifferent, casually flipping through a book, and said faintly:

“Grandmaster?”

“Ha, just a brute showing all his tricks at once.”

“No matter how stupid someone may be, can they do any worse? A grandmaster? Ha, since when has a grandmaster of the world become so trivial?”

Hong Luoyu’s smile stiffened slightly, and since the Taoist was absent, he looked at Wu Changqing and awkwardly laughed:

“Old medicine pot, aren’t you going to prepare some tonic? Like the Zhengyi Condensed Jade Elixir or something?”

The old man was flipping through a medical book, stroking his beard and sighed:

“Better to first heal your injuries… Besides, Luoyu, isn’t it normal to have such a performance at the Fifth Rank?”

Hong Luoyu was dumbfounded again.

He couldn’t help but curse; who on earth can easily achieve that at the Fifth Rank?

The old man glanced at him, stroked his beard, and with a tone suggesting you’re still not mature enough, helplessly sighed:

“Have you forgotten? Back in the day, the solitary Sword Saint, the Blade Sovereign, and the Shaolin Abbot were all like that, weren’t they? It’s just normal, normal, Luoyu, don’t make a fuss, you don’t need to specifically prepare elixirs for that, do you?”

“Your third master may be unreliable, but he certainly dotes on Anfeng.”

Hong Luoyu’s mouth twitched, and he looked at Ci, saying:

“Great monk, say something?”

The monk sat cross-legged, with a calm expression, saying:

“Amitabha.”

“You are too attached, remember that a tranquil mind is paramount, indulging in stray thoughts will give rise to inner demons, preventing peace and freedom.”

Hong Luoyu’s temple throbbed, almost rendered speechless for a moment.

Wu Changqing lightly patted his forehead and laughed:

“I still need to go and heal Anfeng’s injuries, so I’ll leave first.”

Having heard that, Ci stood up as well:

“This humble monk has lessons to do, I must return to the main hall briefly.”

Hong Luoyu watched them leave, completely bewildered, and the scholar in the blue robe waved a sleeve and coolly said:

“Don’t wander around in front of my seat.”

“An eyesore, step down.”

Hong Luoyu: “…”

Wu Changqing, with a calm expression, after examining Wang Anfeng’s injuries, strolled into the pharmacy, then casually closed the door, taking a deep breath.

Turning around, he waved his right hand, retrieving a pile of prescriptions.

Stroking his beard, the old man shook his head and smiled:

“Zhengyi Condensed Jade Elixir? Luoyu, you’re still young after all.”

“How could that be enough?!”

The old man’s eyes glimmered with keen light.

“Hmm, let’s see, for consolidating and nourishing the essence, the Upper Celestial Elixir? No, no, no, that doesn’t taste good, the Six Yang Three Elements True Elixir… This one’s good, have it in the morning, for lunch, the Nine Cauldrons Nirvana Pill will do, and in the afternoon, use the Tianji Rising Dragon Pill…”

In the Shaolin Scripture Pavilion, Ci was searching through scriptures.

A pile of scattered texts was on the floor.

The monk sat cross-legged among the piles of texts, with his brows tightly furrowed.

“I remember there are a few boxing manuals I haven’t practiced yet here.”

“Hmm, learn them first, then find an opportunity to teach Anfeng. By the way, the Bodhi tree in the back mountain, after this section, I’ll carve a string of Buddha beads for my disciple, hmm, where are the sword manuals for the Damo Swordsmanship and Vajra Devil-Subduing Sword?”

“Forget it, I might as well reorganize the Scripture Pavilion.”

“That would be a good thing too, Abbot, First Seat, please don’t blame this disciple, Amitabha.”

On the main peak of Shaolin Temple.

The scholar had a cold expression, casually flipping through a book with one hand, his right hand supporting his cheek, with his fingers covering his lips, the corners of his lips slightly curled, fingers lightly tapping the table, making a crisp and soothing sound, harmonizing subtly with ancient music.

Just at this moment, accompanied by ripples, the Ancient Taoist who went out appeared, causing the scholar’s smile to instantly disappear, reverting back to his cold demeanor, seemingly reading scriptures.

……

Hong Luoyu stepped into the air, sighing and muttering:

“Find something nice to make up for the little lunatic, tsk, these heartless folks. The disciple has made progress, and they don’t know how to be happy about it?”

“Could it be that these guys are really better at keeping their cool than me?”

PS: Today’s update is up… It seems like the backlash from the relentless 10,000-word updates in the last few days is a bit severe, difficult to get motivated…