Flower Stealing Master

The soft whip was nearly five *zhang* in length, and its tail was covered with sharp spikes and barbs. Among all the weapons in the world, such an extraordinarily long object, sinuous as a dragon or serpent, could naturally only be wielded with such precision by Zhou Zhiruo’s White Python Whip Technique.

Zhou Zhiruo had been hiding in the shadows, originally planning to wait until the Mongols had been poisoned before revealing herself. But once Lan Fenghuang’s identity was exposed and she saw her life hanging by a thread, she immediately emerged to save her.

Lu Zhangke, who had been watching from the side, saw his junior brother struggling. He let out a great shout and leaped to Zhou Zhiruo’s side, thrusting wildly with his Deer-Antler Staff. Zhou Zhiruo twisted her body to evade, striking out with a palm. This interruption created a small gap in her whip’s defense. He Biweng seized the opportunity to escape the whip’s encirclement, circling around to her left and joining Lu Zhangke in a pincer attack.

Lan Fenghuang was furious. “Xuanming Elders! You two are established figures in the martial world, yet you gang up on a young girl. Have you no shame at all?”

He Biweng answered in a deep, rumbling voice, “We brothers have always advanced and retreated together. Whether we face one enemy or a hundred, it’s always the two of us.”

Lan Fenghuang hadn’t expected him to state such despicable behavior with such unapologetic boldness. She trembled with rage. “Where are there a hundred enemies here? You shameless old brutes!”

Lu Zhangke swept his greedy gaze over her voluptuous figure and chuckled lecherously. “If you can’t stand watching, you can always help her. Then it would be two against two.”

Lan Fenghuang’s expression darkened. She knew that in terms of martial arts, she was far beneath the two elders. Rushing in blindly wouldn’t help Zhou Zhiruo—it would only hold her back.

Just as she was agonizing over what to do, Zhou Zhiruo shouted, “Don’t worry, Sister Lan. I don’t even consider these two old ghosts worth my attention!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she abandoned the whip for her sword. Her long sword flashed like a silver serpent dancing wildly. The tea stall was cramped, and with the Xuanming Elders having already forced their way close to her, Zhou Zhiruo found the White Python Whip Technique too constraining. But the moment she switched to her sword, she immediately reversed her disadvantage.

Zhao Min had been watching the battle with gloating amusement. But when she saw Zhou Zhiruo’s sword techniques flashing with divine brilliance—attacking and defending simultaneously against the assault of two great masters, sometimes shifting between illusion and reality, producing ingenious moves on the fly—jealousy and admiration mingled in her heart. *In this lifetime, when it comes to martial arts, I’m afraid I’ll never catch up to her.*

After several dozen more exchanges, Zhou Zhiruo’s sword techniques grew increasingly strange. Seven out of every ten moves were ferocious, aggressive attacks. This style of fighting consumed internal energy rapidly. A single moment of inattention could spell immediate danger. The Zhou Zhiruo of the past wouldn’t have been able to maintain such an energy-draining style for long. But over the past two years, she had delved deeply into the *Nine Yin Scripture*, solidifying her foundation. Moreover, her intimacy with Song Qingshu had allowed her to derive considerable benefit from his Joyful Meditation Method. Her martial arts were now far superior to what they had been at the Lion-Slaying Assembly.

Zhao Min saw the Xuanming Elders being forced into a flustered, desperate defense. Worried they might be harmed, she immediately said to the Vajra Sect Master, “I have a long-standing feud with this Emei Sect Leader Zhou. I must trouble the Vajra Sect Master to capture her and hand her over to me for disposal.”

The Vajra Sect Master gave an awkward laugh. “Commander, you may not know this, but at my advanced age, how could I stoop to ganging up on a young junior along with them? If word of this spread, it would tarnish the reputation of the entire Vajra Sect.” Clearly, Lan Fenghuang’s earlier words had taken effect.

Zhao Min was secretly furious. *The Vajra Sect has long had a terrible reputation in the martial world. What reputation is there left to tarnish? When we Mongols face an enemy, no matter how weak, we attack with the full force of a lion hunting a rabbit. It’s these martial artists with their endless rules who are the real nuisance.*

But the Vajra Sect Master was, after all, a revered guest of Prince Ruyang’s residence. Zhao Min couldn’t force him if he was unwilling. Her eyes darted about, and then she smiled. “Since the Sect Master is unwilling to gang up on her, then please capture this Sect Leader Lan instead. This Blue Phoenix of the Five Poisons Sect is quite famous in the *jianghu*. Many heroes and gallants have trembled at the mere mention of her name. Engaging her would hardly be bullying the weak.”

Zhao Min had just heard Zhou Zhiruo address her as “Sister Lan.” There were few people with the surname Lan in the *jianghu*, and even fewer who were experts in using poison. Her identity had not been difficult to deduce.

“As the Commander commands.” Zhao Min had given him ample face. The Vajra Sect Master was not one to miss an opportunity. He knew that she was already displeased with him for tricking her into returning to the northern desert. If he refused again, he would have thoroughly alienated her.

The Vajra Sect Master’s specialty lay in external martial arts, but decades of accumulated skill were nothing to scoff at. His form flickered, and in an instant he stood before Lan Fenghuang.

Alarmed, Lan Fenghuang raised her hand. Two small snakes shot out from her sleeve, lunging at the Vajra Sect Master. The snakes were as green as bamboo, clearly highly venomous.

Having witnessed Lu Zhangke’s earlier mishap, the Vajra Sect Master was already prepared. With two sharp *swish* sounds, he pointed his fingers. The formidable force of his Great Vajra Finger killed the two small snakes from a distance. At the same time, he seized the opportunity to close in and seized Lan Fenghuang’s *Jianjing* acupoint.

His Great Vajra Finger was extraordinarily powerful. Though not as miraculous as the One Yang Finger, once he had her *Jianjing* acupoint in his grip, most of Lan Fenghuang’s strength evaporated.

Having subdued a sect leader within a few moves and shown off before everyone, the Vajra Sect Master couldn’t help but look pleased with himself. “This way, please, Sect Leader Lan…”

But before he could finish speaking, his expression drastically changed. He hurriedly released Lan Fenghuang. Several of his fingers had already begun to turn black, and a scorching, stinging pain shot through them.

He suddenly understood. The Five Poisons Sect was famous for using poison. As its sect leader, how could Lan Fenghuang not have poison protecting every inch of her body?

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Lan Fenghuang pushed off with her toes and fluttered back like a butterfly, widening the distance between them. As she retreated, she flicked her sleeve again. Several dark shapes tumbled out and landed on the Vajra Sect Master’s body.

Everyone looked closely. On the Vajra Sect Master’s body were a large, furry spider; a spotted venomous scorpion; and a thick, dark, shiny centipede as thick as a small child’s arm.

The Mongolian warriors watching felt their scalps crawl. They rushed to shield Zhao Min, whose eyebrows also twitched. She had always feared nothing, having once toyed with the entire martial world in the palm of her hand. But after all, she was a woman, and she had an innate aversion to such creatures.

Song Qingshu’s face also twitched. *How on earth does this woman manage to hide so many things on her body? What man in this world would dare touch her?*

He recognized the spotted venomous scorpion—it was the same one that had injured Wan Gui earlier, and it was viciously poisonous. The furry spider and the black centipede, being among the Five Poisons alongside the spotted scorpion, were clearly also no ordinary venomous creatures. If someone were to be poisoned by all three at once, even a top-tier master would have a rough time.

Lan Fenghuang pursed her lips. A small, sharp whistling sound arose. The three poisonous creatures seemed to receive a command. As if of one mind, they bit down on the Vajra Sect Master.

But before she could celebrate, a golden light flashed on the Vajra Sect Master’s body. The three creatures recoiled as if struck by lightning, one by one falling from his body to the ground. They lay motionless—clearly dead.

The Vajra Sect Master let out a ferocious laugh and reached out to grab Lan Fenghuang by the neck. Having learned from his earlier mistake and fearing that further entanglement might leave him vulnerable to poisoning, this time he struck without mercy.

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