Jianghu Qimen Lu

Chapter 54 Mysterious and Evil Arts

Before Red Moon could speak, a loud creaking sound came from inside the pavilion. The stone table in the center suddenly slid several feet to the left, revealing a large, dark hole! With Jie Jie's eerie laughter, Kong Dun and the Four Fiends of the Underworld rushed out of the hole! Kong Dun laughed loudly, "White Lightning, you want to report good news to Emperor Qianlong? Too bad you can't!" White Lightning spat and said, "You audacious madman, you still spout nonsense even on the verge of death! Aren't you afraid of the law?" Kong Dun smiled coldly and said, "In my dictionary, there is no word 'fear'!" White Lightning waved his hand, and the soldiers rushed forward, engaging Kong Dun and his men in battle!

Clearly, Kong Dun was after the "Complete Guide to the Martial World," unleashing a frenzied display of slapping skills that sent the soldiers scattering in all directions. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he somersaulted through the air to Bai Shandian's side, feinting a spear with his left fist while his right hand transformed into a claw, suddenly lunging towards Bai Shandian's robes with lightning speed! Bai Shandian swiftly drew his imperial sword, slashing directly at Kong Dun's right wrist without a word! Given Kong Dun's high level of martial arts and profound inner strength, he shouldn't have been so impatient and eager for quick success; instead, his mind was solely focused on the "Complete Guide to the Martial World"! His right hand reached into Bai Shandian's robes and actually touched the book! Overjoyed, he recklessly reached further in, trying to grab the book and claim it for himself… However, in a duel between masters, everything is about split-second decisions! His series of movements—touching, reaching, and grabbing—was already half a beat too late for Bai Shandian! In that fleeting, half-beat moment, White Lightning's sword slashed across like lightning! A chilling scream rang out as Kong Dun's right hand was severed, blood gushing forth!

He hurriedly leaped aside, tore off a long sleeve, and was about to bandage his wound when Bai Shandian pulled his severed limb from his robes and hurled it at his face, cursing, "You ruined a perfectly good robe with your filthy hands! Damn it, here you go!" He then unleashed a flurry of swordplay, unleashing three swift strikes that instantly enveloped him from all sides, giving him no chance to breathe! It turned out that Bai Shandian had been holding a grudge ever since the incident at the pavilion where he had been manipulated by Kong Xuan. Now, seeing him fall into the water like a dog, how could he forgive him? So he attacked relentlessly, hoping to bleed to death and vent his hatred!

Seeing Kong Dun's tragic state, Fujibayashi, the ninja, felt a pang of sympathy. He cherished talent and didn't want the renowned Beggars' Sect to sever all ties with his own Sun Gate, so he stepped forward to help, attempting to save Kong Dun's life. However, a streak of red light appeared, only to be blocked by someone. He looked closely and saw it was Red Moon! He cursed, "You traitor! I never imagined you were a lackey of the court! No wonder my sect leader, Black Sun, with his extraordinary martial arts, also met such a tragic end! You must be involved!" He charged forward, brandishing his katana, and began hacking away. But Red Moon used the Plum Blossom Fist style of lightness skill, soaring and gliding like a butterfly freely flying among plum blossoms, carefree and relaxed!

Fujibayashi, feeling increasingly agitated, suddenly brought his feet together, struck a strange pose with his hands, and muttered a few incantations. Instantly, five ninjas identical to him materialized behind him! Each wielded a Japanese sword and used unique fighting techniques, swarming around Red Moon and engaging in a fierce battle! Meanwhile, the Three Fiends of the Underworld, surrounded by a large number of government troops, struggled to break free no matter how they tried! They too began shouting battle cries and fighting desperately.

White Lightning had forced Kong Dun to the brink of collapse, his face ashen. Blood gushed from his severed wrist, staining the entire courtyard a bloody mess. Finally, dizzy and disoriented, Kong Dun could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground. White Lightning was overjoyed. Under the blazing sun, the Imperial Sword gleamed, conjuring a dazzling rainbow, and slashed down at Kong Dun! But then, a strange thing happened. White Lightning suddenly saw a black light flash before his eyes, felt a sharp pain in his right wrist, and with a clatter, the sword fell to the ground! Looking down, he saw a long, bloody gash on his right wrist, bleeding profusely! Turning his head, he saw that Kong Dun was gone! Vanished in broad daylight!

White Lightning tore off a piece of his clothing and bandaged his wound. Seeing Red Moon fighting several Japanese ninjas and finding himself in dire straits, gradually losing ground, he quickly drew his sword and plunged into the circle. Taking advantage of Red Moon's unpreparedness, he stabbed the leading ninja in the shoulder from behind. A scream of pain rang out, and the phantoms vanished instantly, replaced by the lone Fujibayashi Jonin—it turned out this kid was using the Bewitching Leaf Technique, using objects to strike, manipulating the opponent, creating illusions and deceptions, all to distract the opponent's mind, and then strike silently and stealthily!

Seeing that his belongings had been discovered by White Lightning, Fujibayashi Jin let out a long howl and suddenly disappeared behind a large tree. Red Moon hurriedly flew after him, only to find the tree empty; he had vanished! Even though she was known as the world's number one thief, and considered herself to have lightning-fast lightness skills, she was utterly astonished! White Lightning leaped over and said, "Go check inside the cave. Is your father inside?" Red Moon nodded, then, without another word, swiftly disappeared into the cave like a wisp of red smoke. A short while later, she returned carrying Red Dust on her back. Bai Shandian took a closer look and saw that although Hong Chen's complexion was rather poor, he was otherwise in good health. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Lord Hong, it feels like ten years have passed since we last met last night. I've missed you terribly! Are you alright?" Hong Chen sighed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Lord Bai! I'm fine, just a little frightened." Bai Shandian said, "In that case, I'm relieved! You rest for a moment, and let me and your daughter charge up and take care of these Japanese pirates!" With a loud roar, he charged into the circle, brandishing his sword and aiming straight for the Living Yama, Kameda Ryūi.

Unexpectedly, this notorious murderer, once infamous throughout Japan, possessed truly astonishing martial arts skills. His swift, precise, and powerful knife work, coupled with his inexhaustible internal energy, allowed him to execute his slashing, cutting, and thrusting techniques flawlessly. In his most intense moments, the scene was a blur of blades, obscuring his figure entirely. Screams of agony filled the air as several Green Standard Army soldiers fell one after another, and even Bai Shandian narrowly escaped being struck by his blade! Bai Shandian, focusing his mind and carefully unleashing the Shaolin Bodhidharma Swordplay, cautiously prepared for his attack. This Bodhidharma Swordplay differed from the Great Compassion Swordplay, emphasizing composure and experience, unhurried and deliberate, with upward and downward thrusts, all executed with a calm and collected demeanor. Its key element was the "sticking" technique; once someone was attached to it, they became like superglue, impossible to shake off or discard, clinging to the body like a shadow, eventually wearing them down until they were exhausted and died. Gradually, even though Kameda Ryuu was burly and strong, he was exhausted and unable to use his strength effectively. His agility was no match for White Lightning, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up. Exhausted and sweating profusely, he finally collapsed to the ground, unwilling to rise again. White Lightning, overjoyed, stealthily closed in, a flash of cold light, ready to decapitate him! Unexpectedly, a figure flashed behind him; a ghostly figure in black suddenly slashed a razor-sharp blade from behind!

Fortunately, Hongchen, who was resting nearby, witnessed this scene and hurriedly shouted, "Lord Bai, be careful, someone might attack from behind!" Upon hearing the warning, Bai Shandian used his sense of direction to quickly dodge and withdrew the sword that had killed Kameda Ryuu! Turning his head, he saw that the sneak attacker was none other than the Fujibayashi Jonin who had just disappeared behind the tree! It turns out that ninjas always emphasize the battle strategy of feinting and attacking from the side, taking advantage of weaknesses to kill the enemy instantly! Seeing that Bai Shandian had dodged to the side, he took the opportunity to carry Kameda Ryuu on his back, flew away, and disappeared from the rooftop in the blink of an eye.

Seeing his companion leave, Yagyu Densei said to Musashi Ichiro, "Brother, we're outnumbered, we have to go!" Chuanqing smiled, causing Red Moon to freeze, thinking, "This Japanese pirate is quite handsome, what a pity!" She lunged forward, aiming her Plum Blossom Acupuncture Technique at his vital point on the back! If this strike landed, it would instantly turn Chuanqing's Bewitching Sword into a Soul-Losing Sword! However, the Yagyu Sword School was a renowned swordsmanship school throughout Japanese history, and the Yagyu swordsmanship was truly not to be underestimated! Yagyu Densei simply twirled his longsword behind his back, instantly unleashing a powerful internal force sword aura. Red Moon felt as if she were being cut by a cold wind, her fingers slicing. She deflected the attack, but the sword aura continued to strike, causing her clothes to rustle. She quickly somersaulted backward to dispel the chilling, soul-cold energy! Looking up again, Yagyu Densei was nowhere to be seen!

Musashi Ichiro was even more cunning. He grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground, threw it at White Lightning's face, and in the instant White Lightning dodged, he leaped onto the roof and vanished in the blink of an eye.