(The previous chapter had a typo in the knife's name; it should be Wu Ya, now corrected.)

………

Shouting "Assassin!" was an instinctive reaction;

Fortunately, Marquis Zheng's mind was still relatively clear, and he knew that the only guard by his side was already prepared, so he didn't shout, "Come and protect me!"

The one stabbed to death by Marquis Zheng was called Ma the Cripple. He was a water ghost from upstream of Wangjiang; these so-called water ghosts were actually engaged in the business of river bandits.

Someone had paid a high price to have him wait here with two subordinates to kill two enemies.

He took the job. He had been an excellent swimmer since childhood, and he was also a low-level expert who had entered the ranks. He wore clothes sewn from fish skin, so Marquis Zheng, standing above, saw only a dark figure coming up.

The water temperature was actually okay; it was cold, but bearable for a while. According to the usual procedure, he would make his move from below, while the other two subordinates would rush in from the shore.

It's just a pity,

He died just like that;

Perhaps, if he knew whose blade this small-time river bandit had died under, he would have felt very gratified, at least, he would have died without regret;

But,

Today, he and his two subordinates were merely foils, insignificant foils.

Like a pebble, thrown to ask for directions, that's all.

The two subordinates were already rushing towards here, but when they saw the ice beneath Zheng Fan's feet beginning to turn blood red, realizing what had happened, they decisively abandoned their boss, who usually liked to be harsh with them, and started running back.

They were just river bandits, bragging about being martial artists while drinking and eating meat, but after all, they had no real courage. Seeing a ruthless character arrive, they naturally ran away.

However,

The two who turned back didn't run far before a long spear flew diagonally, piercing through one and then stabbing into the other's chest, the spear tip barely a hair's breadth from the ice surface, held up by the corpses.

A man in a cyan robe with a plain face emerged, retrieving the long spear.

The man's hair was a bit disheveled, with a stubbly beard, but this melancholic temperament, combined with the long spear in his hand, seemed to exude a sense of天地一体 (heaven-and-earth-as-one) oppression.

This wasn't Marquis Zheng exaggerating or fantasizing;

Now, Marquis Zheng was at least a fifth-rank expert, and his perception of other people's qi was naturally on a higher level.

He was a master;

Marquis Zheng turned to look at the Sword Saint,

The Sword Saint said:

"Li Long Spear."

"Wei You of Li Tian City, greets the Sword Saint."

The chief of all weapons in the martial world is the sword, and since ancient times, there has been a saying that a swordsman's attack is worth a unit of armor;

But this doesn't mean that those who use other weapons and follow other paths are necessarily weaker.

Weapons are weapons, people are people, and ultimately, it is people who wield the weapons.

Wei You was once the chief steward of the Wenren family's guards, but later turned against the Wenren family for killing a direct descendant of the Wenren family and disappeared.

The Li Long Spear in his hand was once praised by Yao Zizhan as the champion of spears in Jin.

Everyone knows that Master Yao doesn't know martial arts, but it is even more well known that Master Yao never flatters useless people.

Zheng Fan silently took a few steps back, standing behind the Sword Saint.

Immediately, he felt much more at ease.

He hesitated for a moment whether he should run first, because he felt that the Sword Saint should have no major problem defeating the person in front of him, and stopping him was even less of a problem.

However, Marquis Zheng only glanced at the shore and sensed a subtle aura.

This was an instinct of alertness.

If they could cross the river early, the Sword Saint would have taken him across long ago. The reason he deliberately stood here earlier was either because there were people hiding on the other side;

Or...

Marquis Zheng looked at his feet,

As the saying goes, there is no way to heaven, and no door to earth,

But right now,

Going into the earth was feasible.

Yes, before even exchanging blows, Marquis Zheng had already chosen his escape route.

A great man is born into this world to lead thousands of troops, how can he indulge in the bravery of a common man?

"Why have you come?"

The Sword Saint asked.

In fact, according to the Sword Saint's original nature, if you come to fight, then fight.

The more words, the more you prove your concerns, and there is already a tendency in your mind that it would be best not to fight.

Because the Sword Saint had to be responsible for the person behind him;

"To kill the Yan's Marquis of Peaceful West."

The purpose was very clear.

Marquis Zheng shouted:

"I traveled too hastily today, and my body is covered in too much dust. How about I bathe and change clothes another day, and then fight you for three hundred rounds?"

He was talking nonsense,

But the problem was that the situation was unclear, and it was obvious that the other side couldn't just have one Li Long Spear, so he could only use nonsense to kill time.

Although Marquis Zheng had never truly struggled in the martial world, after gaining more experience in leading troops, he actually understood this principle even better.

Many times, when the two sides are facing each other, you don't have that many opportunities to charge and fight openly; many times, you have to rely on this kind of nonsense to kill time.

"The Marquis of Peaceful West is disappointed. Today is a good opportunity. Once you leave today, it will be too difficult to kill you; You, cannot do it."

He admitted defeat very directly.

And the more Wei You said this, the heavier the Sword Saint's guilt became.

If he hadn't repeatedly asked about the return date, Zheng Fan wouldn't have rushed back with him. At other times, no matter where he went, Zheng Fan wouldn't lack protective forces around him.

It was only today.

"Killing him will leave hundreds of thousands of newly settled people in Jin with no means of livelihood. At that time, the Wildmen will invade, and the Chu people will launch a northern expedition. Jin will once again become a battlefield, and the Jin people will once again suffer."

Wei You shook his head and said, "It has nothing to do with me."

Obviously, Wei You didn't buy it.

The Sword Saint sighed and drew Long Yuan.

Long Yuan's blade trembled. It was very excited because it could feel that its master was really serious about the duel this time.

Wei You raised his spear,

Said:

"Perhaps this is the reason why you are protecting him. I believe in your character, but I still want to kill him. I am a rough man, and I don't like to think about too many things.

Today, I want to kill him;

Not for the common people of Jin, nor for the survival of the country;

Five years ago,

I felt that I should do something;

I thought about it for a long time, and hesitated for a long time. Now, I plan to do it."

At most, five years ago was when the Wenren family was destroyed.

Marquis Zheng immediately shouted, "Then I think you should go and kill the Jingnan King; I'll help you arrange it for you to kill him?"

Wei You smiled,

Said:

"It is precisely because I know that I am probably not the Jingnan King's opponent that I waited until today to kill you, the Marquis of Peaceful West.

The Marquis of Peaceful West is laughing at me,

You,

Is just looking for a soft persimmon to pinch."

If the Jingnan King and the Sword Saint were placed on the same level, the Sword Saint's side, with the addition of Zheng Fan, even a child would be one more person, one more strength.

But it's not calculated that way,

Because if the Jingnan King is besieged, he can retreat;

Of course, the Sword Saint can also retreat, but the problem is that it's difficult for the Sword Saint to retreat with Zheng Fan.

"There's no room for negotiation?" the Sword Saint asked for the last time.

Wei You shook his head,

"I came to kill. Jin, the fate of the nation, the Wenren family, hatred, consequences, none of them matter. I just feel that I should come and kill him. Killing him will make me feel like I've done something.

Good things, bad things, the big picture, individuals, none of them matter.

You don't need to persuade me anymore,

Draw your sword.

Or,

You can try to leave with the Marquis of Peaceful West; I'll stop you."

"You are not my opponent," the Sword Saint said.

"I admit it, but I can stop you."

The Li Long Spear danced,

The spearhead,

Forward,

Wei You took a step sideways, adopting a stance that could advance or retreat.

The Sword Saint was hesitating. He had three choices in front of him;

One was to step forward now, kill the master of the Li Long Spear at the fastest speed, and then quickly return to Zheng Fan's side;

One was to cover Zheng Fan and fight his way out;

The last one was to stand still.

Wait,

The situation was already very bad. He had sensed the hidden master.

So, waiting wouldn't make things worse; it might even bring some hope.

However, the other side obviously wouldn't let him wait forever.

A figure walked out from the opposite bank of the river.

It was a woman, with her hair tied in a ponytail, wearing colorful clothes, and around forty years old.

Marquis Zheng even took a few more glances at her subconsciously; she was good-looking.

"Yo yo yo, are you fighting or not? Are you fighting or not?"

The woman laughed as she supported her willow waist and urged,

"People are still waiting to finish the fight early and go back to breastfeed."

This woman was also a third-rank expert, also a Jin person.

However, the Sword Saint didn't say who she was.

It can only be said that there are such people in this world who cultivate silently, improve silently, seeking neither fame nor fortune, so they are not known in the martial world.

Marquis Zheng shouted:

"Sister, do you know who I am?"

The woman covered her mouth and smiled:

"Of course, of course."

"Then sister must also know what I like best?"

The woman smiled even more happily: "Naturally, naturally."

"Sister is so beautiful."

"Yo, I really didn't expect that the dignified Marquis of Peaceful West of Great Yan would actually say such straightforward words. Sister loves to hear it, loves to hear it to death."

"Sister can bring her children and return to my mansion with me. I'll let the princess be the concubine and let sister be the wife. The children can be ennobled as marquises in the future."

"Yo hehehe."

The woman laughed even harder.

"Sister doesn't believe me?"

"I naturally believe you. I know that Your Excellency values promises; otherwise, you wouldn't have adopted the Jingnan King's son, would you? It's just..."

The woman looked at Wei You, who was standing on the river.

Wei You said:

"She is my wife."

"………" Zheng Fan.

"Hehehe, hahahaha………" The woman was still laughing, "Wei You, did you hear that? Why don't we stop? Go earn a future for our children?"

Wei You also laughed.

The woman's face immediately changed,

She scolded loudly:

"Wei You, are you still a man? Your wife is being flirted with in front of your face, and you can just stand there and not move? Father was really blind back then to pass the Li Long Spear to you.

I was also blind to give you three children!"

Upon hearing this, Wei You finally moved, holding his spear and rushing over.

The Sword Saint also moved.

He could sense that the woman's realm was very unstable. She was indeed third-rank, but in reality, she hadn't reached the true third-rank. Her realm wasn't solid, and she probably had a deficiency of qi and blood due to giving birth to children.

In an instant, the Sword Saint made a decision.

He had to kill, or severely injure, the master of the Li Long Spear at the fastest speed, and then return.

During this time, he could only rely on Marquis Zheng to deal with this woman first, as long as he wasn't beaten to death.

In principle, Marquis Zheng should be able to do it.

Because the Sword Saint knew that Zheng Fan had a red stone that he always carried with him.

Long Yuan flew out,

The Sword Saint soared into the air,

Without hesitation,

He was directly preparing to enter the second-rank and strike a killing blow!

However, at this moment, a third person appeared.

He walked out of the withered reeds, dressed in white, holding his hands up to the sky, and began to chant.

Previously,

When the Sword Saint stopped on the river, he sensed two auras.

One was Wei You;

One was his wife;

But the Sword Saint felt that he had to leave at least one margin for error, such as a third person, but this third person was better at hiding his aura.

Now it seemed,

There were indeed three people.

This third person was a Qi Refiner.

And the rank of a Qi Refiner didn't really count in a fight; it was very normal for a third-rank Qi Refiner to be killed by a fifth or sixth-rank martial artist.

The Qi Refiner's surname was Kong, and his name was Kong Shanyang.

He was also a Jin person, but later went to the back mountain of the Qian Kingdom and cultivated there for more than fifteen years.

However, the addition of a Qi Refiner didn't worry the Sword Saint.

Long Yuan moved forward, and the qi in the air began to tear apart. He was connecting to the second-rank and drawing his sword!

However,

The Qi Refiner's chanting took effect at this time. In an instant, a layer of invisible and intangible curtain seemed to be draped over this side of the river.

Kong Shanyang, with the ability of a Qi Refiner, forcibly changed the feng shui pattern of this area, that is, isolated the heavenly secrets.

Long Yuan, who was waiting in the air, failed to receive the power of the second-rank. After stabbing towards Wei You, it was picked up by the tip of the Li Long Spear and flew back.

"Before Xuehai Pass, the Sword Saint single-handedly broke a thousand riders, what a majestic sight. Presumably, he should have comprehended the realm of the second-rank, worthy of being the Sword Saint, worthy of being the pride of our Jin people back then."

Kong Shanyang's white clothes fluttered,

"But the second-rank is to borrow the power of heavenly phenomena into one's own urn. Today, I isolate this heavenly phenomenon, and let's see how Your Excellency can connect to the power of the second-rank again!"

Long Yuan flew back to the Sword Saint's side, and the Li Long Spear followed, arriving in front of him.

Collapse, press, cover, pick, stab,

Simple and unadorned spear techniques, but containing the essence of the great way.

Although the Sword Saint failed to open the second-rank, he still forcibly fought with the strength of the third-rank.

At first, the Li Long Spear had the upper hand;

But soon, the situation was reversed by Long Yuan, and it became the Sword Saint attacking and Wei You defending.

This was not surprising. The power of a swordsman was inherently outstanding among his peers. The Sword Saint's understanding of swordsmanship had long surpassed the level of the third-rank, and his application of power was even more meticulous and extreme;

Even without opening the second-rank, Wei You couldn't beat the Sword Saint.

But the problem was,

Without opening the second-rank, he could suppress Wei You, he could suppress the Li Long Spear, but it was difficult to inflict real damage in a short period of time, and if the opponent insisted on choosing a defensive posture and entanglement without attacking, the time to determine the outcome would be prolonged even further.

Exchanging injuries for injuries, people were unwilling. If you advanced, he retreated; if you retreated, he would immediately entangle you again. This was entanglement, not fighting.

And on the other side,

The woman walked to the ice with a smile.

Her opponent was Zheng Fan.

At this time, it was meaningless to complain about the inaction of the Secret Intelligence Division.

The most important thing was,

Facing this couple of experts who had been enduring for the past few years, and even having children while enduring, the wife didn't even have much reputation in the martial world. Maybe they were just living ordinary lives in some village in Jin;

No matter how powerful the Secret Intelligence Division was, it couldn't find out such signs.

It wasn't really that they were useless, but that this couple was hiding too deeply.

The only variable was probably that Qi Refiner. His appearance might reveal some clues, but it was precisely because he was good at hiding his aura that if he was determined to hide and conceal himself, it would be difficult to predict.

Most, most, most importantly,

On both sides of the Wangjiang River, in the land of Jin, the Secret Intelligence Division, fearing the Marquis of Peaceful West's mansion, didn't dare to infiltrate too much. It could be said that this was where the Secret Intelligence Division's power was the weakest.

Xue San once said to Zheng Fan,

Where do assassins like to strike the most?

At the target's doorstep.

Because there, the target is most likely to relax his vigilance.

Wasn't the Zheng Fan in front of him like that?

This Wangjiang River was his doorstep.

He really couldn't blame the Sword Saint for this; he himself had been too careless.

If it really didn't work, he should have let the Sword Saint go home first, and he himself could have continued to stay in Shangchuan County; wouldn't that have been very safe?

Thinking about the whole situation, he had really been too paralyzed. Because of Fan's matter, he had revealed his identity in Shangchuan County, and then he even dared to go on a long journey without guards.

But now, thinking about these things, regretting anything, was meaningless.

Zheng Fan didn't have the energy to worry about how the Sword Saint was fighting;

The only thing he could do was probably to hold on, to continue to hold on.

The woman walked slowly, not deliberately delaying time, because Zheng Fan saw that the woman had two whips in her hands.

The upper end of the whips was in the woman's hands, and the lower end, a very long section, was under the ice.

She,

Was blocking his possibility of breaking the ice and escaping into the water.

"Sister, please reconsider. Today, just treat it as a joke. I, Zheng Fan, am a man of my word. If you don't consider it for yourself, you have to consider it for your children, right?"

"Yo, Your Excellency, are you threatening this woman?"

"Yes."

"Alas, when you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; when you marry a dog, follow the dog. If my own man wants to kill you, how can I not help? As for the children, they were born because life was boring and dull. I just gave birth to a few cubs to play with. Life and death, let them go."

The whip in the woman's hand gradually completed the blockade of the area under the ice.

And Marquis Zheng,

Also took out the Magic Pill at this time.

"Son, usually at this time, shouldn't someone explode?

I'm counting on you, can you create a miracle and level up twice in one go? That way, we can still be saved."

He exhaled,

Marquis Zheng planned to let the Magic Pill possess him and borrow the Magic Pill's power. The key was to borrow the Magic Pill's fighting experience to defend against the enemy.

Let's go,

Son!

The red stone was gently tossed up by Zheng Fan;

Then,

It fell,

Then,

It hit the ice,

Then,

It smashed a small hole in the ice,

Finally,

It sank,

Just like that,

Sank,

Sank down!

"………" Zheng Fan.