Longevity Martial Arts: I have a Mysterious Water Snake Avatar-Chapter 188 - 181 Restless Mind and Heart! The Seductress!
Upon arriving in Nanyang County, Hong Yuan, a practitioner of the Sword Tao, detected the pervasive smell of gunpowder in the air as he disembarked from the flying boat.
Glancing over, he noticed the travelers at the Flying Boat Dock were all alert and vigilant, not engaging in conversation, each appearing to be in a hurry.
Furthermore, soldiers clad in black armor patrolled the area, occasionally stopping fierce-looking pedestrians to interrogate them.
Wartime readiness... it seems traveling to Pengcheng will be a problem. Hong Yuan’s expression remained composed, his heart calm.
In a mundane world where no Martial Saints made their presence known, it could be said that currently he alone, with a sword in hand, could traverse both Nanyang and Qingyang prefectures.
However, thanks to the Black Dragon Demon Saint, Hong Yuan understood the true great power that Martial Saints possessed. Therefore, he did not intend to brazenly rush straight to Pengcheng or Luo City to slay Zhang Baicun and Li Zixing amidst the chaos of battle.
There were norms within the righteous path, and as a beneficiary of those interests, Hong Yuan would naturally uphold them.
"Coachman," Hong Yuan beckoned to one nearby.
The coachman’s eyes lit up, and he quickly trotted over to Hong Yuan. "Sir, where to?"
"Do you know the way to West City Pear Blossom Lane?"
"Certainly, of course, I do," the coachman eagerly nodded, leading Hong Yuan onto the carriage. With a flick of his hand, Hong Yuan released four Sword Sparrow Worms to scout the area.
Amidst sounds of GIDDYUP and HUP, the coachman cracked his whip, cheerfully urging the horses forward.
Inside the carriage, Hong Yuan contemplated how to venture to Pengcheng and Luo City.
His strategy was simple. First, he would go to Pengcheng to kill Zhang Chenye. This would draw out Zhang Baicun, whom he would also kill. Then, he would let Li Zixing and the others from Luo City come looking for him.
Killing was not the difficult part; the challenge was in creating the opportunity.
The righteous path could not indulge in wanton killing as blatantly as the Demon Tao. One needed a justified cause.
ACHOO! Zhang Chenye sneezed loudly, drawing peals of laughter from the surrounding courtesans.
"Oh my, Master Zhang, you are Pengcheng’s renowned ’Seven-Times-A-Night Hero.’ How can you be so frail?"
"Could it be that you caught a chill last night, and little sister Le’er didn’t take good care of you?"
"HEHE, I bet that’s exactly what happened."
"Don’t wrong me, all of you know full well Master Zhang’s vigor..."
A group of courtesans, with flirtatious eyes and covered mouths, giggled and teased each other, waving their handkerchiefs.
They were all revealingly dressed, their breaths tantalizing, their words laden with seductive charm.
Hearing the playful voices of these beauties from Lichun House, Zhang Chenye’s abdomen once again warmed up, as he lecherously eyed them.
He stretched out his hand menacingly towards the woman who had called him weak and pulled her into his embrace.
"Rebellious girl, daring to say I am weak? Now you shall see if your master is indeed frail or not."
"Master, please spare me, ah, ah, Master, please..."
As Zhang Chenye’s hands roamed freely and the courtesan cooed, the other women looked on enviously.
Because they knew the sister in their midst was about to strike it rich.
Although Zhang Chenye was also a disciple of Qinglu Taoist Temple, he had cultivation but lacked self-control.
He surrendered completely to the whim of his desires, indulging in wine, women, power, and wealth.
Viewed as a disgrace by many fellow Qinglu Taoist Temple disciples, they disdained to associate with him.
Zhang Chenye, however, did not care and lived by the philosophy of reveling in the moment while the wine lasts.
He even went to great lengths to practice the Fish Intestine Skill, specifically to dull his senses, all so he could enjoy the company of mortal women.
This only deepened the loathing of the other Qinglu Taoist Temple disciples toward him, finding him to be an abomination despised by both gods and demons.
Upon reaching Nanyang County, Hong Yuan then realized just how intense the situation was at the front lines.
Qinglu Taoist Temple was facing three equal Sects alone, launching a total offensive while under enormous pressure.
Phoenix Creek Sect and other Sects also acted in tacit understanding. Each fought their own battles without joining forces. At times, when Qinglu Taoist Temple was stretched thin, they would even intentionally retreat, allowing their disciples to be bathed in blood on the battlefield.
Hong Yuan understood the implications of such a scene at a glance.
The high-ranking members of each Sect are using this war to train their troops, and even to purge those disciples with insufficient luck and strength.
TSK TSK, sometimes the righteous path is more demonic than the Demon Tao, not even treating disciples as human beings.
This war is simply an arena for fame and fortune. One can rise to stardom in a moment or fall from grace just as quickly. The rate at which new faces replace the old is astonishing!
Hong Yuan sighed internally.
Following that, he settled down in a small tiled house in West City Pear Blossom Lane, gathering intelligence on Qinglu Taoist Temple’s military forces north of Nanyang Government.
For instance, which areas were sealed off, which were open, and which allowed passing merchants...
Waiting quietly for a week, Hong Yuan withdrew two hundred thousand Energy Stones from the one million he had remaining and purchased a batch of first and second-rank Instruments.
Posing as a merchant, he then paid another three hundred thousand Energy Stones to join the Mu Hui Caravan for their journey towards Pengcheng and Luo City.
The Mu Hui Caravan was a trading unit under the top-tier noble Zhu Family.
Ever since the founding of the Daxuan Dynasty, the Zhu Family had been officials for generations, accumulating a significant foundation.
Within Qinglu Taoist Temple and Phoenix Creek Sect, family members had become Disciples and even Elders.
Thus, for becoming itinerant merchants, the Zhu Family was more than qualified!
A vast caravan departed Nanyang County in an imposing procession, drawing the gazes of onlookers at the city gates, their eyes filled with yearning.
"It’s a caravan from the Zhu Family. They say one journey can yield ten times the profit!"
"What does it mean to be a top-tier noble family? Although they can’t compare to the Overlord Sects, obtaining itinerant trading qualifications is surely a simple matter for them, isn’t it?"
"I heard this trip is by the Mu Hui Caravan."
"What? It’s Zhu Yexin’s team!"
Upon learning that this was Zhu Yexin’s Mu Hui Caravan, the well-informed townsfolk cast pitying looks towards the merchants in the carriages.
Zhu Yexin was a venomous beauty!
She possessed a beauty capable of toppling cities, yet her methods were ruthlessly horrifying.
In her youth, when she was kind and innocent, she fell victim to an enemy’s scheme and plummeted into a pit of ten thousand snakes.
To survive, she stripped off her clothes and mimicked the serpents, blending in among them.
When the Zhu Family found her, they discovered she had, without any guidance, comprehended the ’Spirit Snake Transformation’ and ’Jungle Python Transformation,’ becoming a true Transformation Tao Martial Artist.
After this ordeal, Zhu Yexin’s nature dramatically changed, akin to a poisonous snake.
One dark night, that adversary died of poisoning. Although there was no evidence pinning Zhu Yexin as the murderer, everyone knew she was behind it.
Yet, she possessed an empire-toppling beauty, intoxicating and utterly bewitching.
Now, this group of reckless merchants dared to travel with such a venomous beauty—the outcome seemed obvious.
The merchants were not ignorant of this fact, yet the allure of profit was too tempting.
Moreover, Zhu Yexin always managed to bring back seventy percent of the merchants—only slightly worse than other caravans, after all.
Why couldn’t I be among those who survived?
Inside the carriage, Hong Yuan received information gathered by his Sword Sparrow Worms and stroked his chin.
A venomous snake? It’s precisely her venomous nature that interests me. These poverty-stricken days are tough.
Besides, I’m quite intrigued by her ’Spirit Snake Transformation’ and ’Jungle Python Transformation.’
The lost ’Sword Flood Dragon Transformation’ Divine Power, and even the ’Ancient Sword Flood Dragon Transformation’ Divine Power... they might just be revived in my hands!
Hong Yuan muttered to himself.
The Heavenly River Sword within his Aperture’s Sea of True Essence also vibrated slightly, eager to devour Instruments and Spirit Grass.
