Chapter 00140: There’s Another Master (Part 1)
# There’s Another Master? (Part 1)
Chapter 140
Novel: AFK Game: Portal to Another World
Chapter 140: There’s Another Master? (Part 1)
Although the script was Wuxia, there were still things beyond the capabilities of even great heroes.
Besides, the three young ladies were merely skilled fighters; their martial arts had not yet reached the Transformation Realm.
They could handle cannon fodder, but facing a bow and crossbow unit was a different story.
The moment they saw the archers and crossbowmen taking their positions at the street corner, the three, who had been so imposing just a moment ago, immediately scattered like frightened rats.
They scrambled into a side alley, using the wall to block the incoming feathered arrows.
Although Yang Yiyi had been to Mao Mountain Town before, she had come with her master back then and had never wandered around the area, staying by her master's side at all times.
She had no idea of the town's layout, especially in this pitch-black environment where she could barely see the road.
Fortunately, Zheng Yinping was a thoughtful person.
When she heard that Li Yingluo had been abducted, she rushed out to search for her alone without even telling her family.
Although it sounded reckless, Zheng Yinping had actually considered the possibility of being hunted by the Plum Blossom Guard upon entering an enemy kingdom.
Therefore, wherever she went, while inquiring about Li Yingluo's whereabouts, she would also secretly memorize the terrain, so she would have a way to escape if something happened.
Leading troops in battle required this kind of character—seemingly bold and unrestrained, but meticulous in detail.
Zheng Yinping came from a military family, and she had been deliberately raised with a soldier's temperament since childhood.
After all, the art of war is deception; one cannot afford to be careless or unobservant.
With her leading the way, the three fought off a few waves of black-clothed men who rushed them, then immediately used their lightness skills to swiftly weave through the small alleys like mice.
Zheng Yinping's lightness skill could hardly be called a lightness skill.
It was just the simplest lifting and leaping method, emphasizing brute force to achieve flight.
Carrying her red-tasseled spear, she charged ahead like a light tank.
In contrast, Li Yingluo looked like she was truly walking on walls and flying over eaves.
A light leap could send her flying a great distance, giving her the graceful air of a fairy maiden dancing.
As for Yang Yiyi, she displayed a lightness skill that was the complete opposite of her previous style.
She moved like a phantom, exceptionally agile, and several times nearly overtook Zheng Yinping.
That was thanks to the Misty River Technique that Yang Yiyi possessed.
Although it was only an incomplete scroll, it was likely a very advanced lightness skill method.
Even without internal energy, Yang Yiyi could run exceptionally fast using this technique.
Now that she had a bit of internal energy, her speed and agility seemed even more exaggerated.
However, perhaps because the technique was incomplete, Yang Yiyi was basically flying close to the ground and couldn't scale walls and fly over eaves like Li Yingluo.
"Switch to the Four Steps of the Swift-Footed. The Misty River Technique isn't suitable."
Li Chengxi's reminder made Yang Yiyi change her footwork.
She was still able to keep up without accidentally crowding Zheng Yinping and Li Yingluo who were running ahead.
The Misty River Technique was good, but it was a footwork technique suited for combat.
Unless Yang Yiyi wanted to abandon the other two and escape on her own, the Four Steps of the Swift-Footed was more appropriate.
This lightness skill footwork came from the horse demon.
It wasn't the fastest, but it excelled at long-distance running.
Yang Yiyi could run for two or three hours straight using this technique without needing to stop and rest.
Its endurance was much better than the Misty River Technique's.
As Li Yingluo ran, she asked curiously, "Elder Sister Yang, were all your martial arts taught by Immortal Li?"
Just now, she had heard Li Chengxi constantly giving orders, telling Yang Yiyi which moves to use.
"I guess so. She only recently started learning martial arts and doesn't have much experience, so I just give her some pointers."
Yang Yiyi said with some embarrassment, "I've only been practicing for a little over twenty days. It's all thanks to Brother Li's help."
Her words stunned the two in front, nearly causing them to trip and fall.
What the heck? Only been practicing for a little over twenty days?
Even a once-in-a-century martial arts genius couldn't go from a normal person to such a capable fighter in just twenty days.
At first, Li Yingluo thought that all of Yang Yiyi's martial arts were learned from a master, and that Li Chengxi might have just taught her a few other things.
She hadn't expected that all of Yang Yiyi's martial arts were taught by Li Chengxi, and in such a short amount of time.
Then, the two reconsidered.
He was an immortal, so he must have some divine immortal methods to impart skills instantly.
Suddenly, it all seemed to make sense.
Originally, the two had some doubts about Li Chengxi's identity as an immortal.
Now, most of those doubts were dispelled.
As they spoke, they ran through the small alley.
Not far ahead was the exit of Mao Mountain Town.
Once there, all they had to do was dive into the vast field of white cogon grass outside the town.
If nothing unexpected happened, they could find a way to get on a boat when it arrived during the day and completely escape the pursuit of the Plum Blossom Guard.
But for nothing unexpected to happen, that was impossible.
As soon as the three of them left the town, they saw the flickering lights of torches in the distance.
A group of people holding torches was rushing towards them, their weapons reflecting a blinding cold glint in the firelight.
These people were not wearing night-crawling clothes, but rather outfits similar to the Flying Fish Robe.
One look and it was clear that they were different from the cannon fodder that could be dealt with in a few punches and kicks.
These people were just the final line of defense to prevent Zheng Yinping from escaping, and it turned out they were actually needed.
The distance was already short, and there was no time for a quick escape.
The men threw down their torches and swarmed forward, engaging the three in a tangled fight.
Zheng Yinping wielded her red-tasseled spear with the force of a roaring tiger, sharp and unstoppable.
But the two men entangling her were no pushovers.
One wielded dual bronze maces, and the other held an iron pestle—the same "iron pestle" from the idiom "grinding an iron pestle into a needle."
Both sides used heavy weapons, and getting hit by one was no joke.
On a battlefield, even someone in full armor could be bludgeoned to death by an iron pestle or bronze mace, let alone someone in unprotected cloth garments.
It was already remarkable that Zheng Yinping could barely hold her ground with her great iron spear.
To think of easily breaking through and creating an escape route like before was just wishful thinking.
Li Yingluo was under no less pressure.
A skilled swordsman and another using Emei piercers had her surrounded.
For a time, the sound of clashing metal was endless.
From a distance, cold light flashed as blades danced like deadly butterflies.
It looked flashy, but the danger was no less than Zheng Yinping's situation.
A single misstep would result in blood splattering on the spot.
The Plum Blossom Guard's main targets were these two.
One was the daughter of an enemy kingdom's great general, and the other was the daughter of an enemy kingdom's first-rank great official.
They were perfect to be captured and used as bargaining chips.
Initially, the Plum Blossom Guard had tried to resolve the situation more peacefully, for example, using knockout powder, a favorite of proper gentlemen.
But Zheng Yinping was exceptionally vigilant and didn't fall for it.
Seeing that they were about to escape, they had no choice but to come and capture them directly.
Injuries were not a big issue, as long as the person was alive and could be used as a hostage.
Crippling their limbs would even save the trouble of guarding them.
Therefore, all the attacks aimed at the two were killing moves, the kind that would sever limbs with the slightest carelessness.
And precisely because of this, no one was willing to bother with Yang Yiyi, an unplanned factor.
After all, there was no reward for taking her down.
No one was willing to do such a thankless job.
So, only one person tried to tie up Yang Yiyi.
Since it took two people to deal with Zheng Yinping and Li Yingluo, Li Chengxi initially thought that the one holding up Yang Yiyi must be some kind of master and that she needed to be careful.
But after just a few moves, the bastard's long-handled saber was knocked from his hand by Yang Yiyi's Compliant Golden-Hooped Staff.
Only then did Li Chengxi realize this was just a small squad leader, slightly more formidable than the average fodder.
In that case, there was no need to be polite.
Li Chengxi spoke into the microphone, "Crane Beak Hand."
Yang Yiyi immediately switched from staff techniques to fist techniques.
The moment her opponent looked up, the Crane Beak Hand struck his chest.
"Fierce Tiger Descends the Mountain."
The Crane Beak Hand pushed forward, exerting a second burst of force, and transformed into a Tiger Claw Hand that solidly sent him flying.
Just as Yang Yiyi was about to turn and help the others, she heard someone let out a soft sound of surprise and say, "Oh? I didn't expect to find a master here?"
(End of this chapter)