Chapter 376: From the Eastern Wasteland

Chapter 376: From the Eastern Wastelands

Yang Xiaoyun could barely manage two bites of the fish bun before she couldn't swallow any more.

Sunset City was close to the South Sea and had plenty of seafood dishes. The mackerel dumplings were considered a local specialty.

Visitors from all over, upon arriving in Sunset City, would always want to try this legendary delicacy.

Though Yang Xiaoyun and Su Mo were from Sunset City, they never really developed a taste for it.

Now here they were on the South Sea, where they'd even come up with fish buns.

Seeing the three remaining buns in Little Situ Taoist's arms, she clearly had a healthy appetite.

As they chatted casually, they quickly pieced together what was happening.

Looking up again, the group that had arrived at the inn had evidently figured out what was going on.

The three figures they'd seen earlier in the Wang family's inner hall were now each doing their own thing.

The trio had split up—Ou Yangqing stood atop the roof, the woman hung upside-down outside the window, and the old man had entered the inn.

What scheme they were cooking up remained unclear.

Meanwhile, Yang Xiaoyun and Little Situ Taoist had moved to a different spot to watch the action unfold—close enough to see, but far enough to stay safe.

All around here are people from the Bo Hai Association.

No one knows about their presence here; if they were too conspicuous, it wouldn't serve as a precaution.

At that moment, there was a sudden crack, and the woman had already crashed into the room.

Almost simultaneously, the roof was shattered by Ouyang Qing's palm, and he leaped in.

The sound of a struggle immediately erupted inside the room.

In a few swift movements, a scream came from the window, followed by a figure falling onto the street outside.

Spewing blood from his mouth, the man was barely breathing.

Little Situ Taoist saw clearly and whispered:

"It's one of theirs."

Yang Xiaoyun nodded, her gaze still fixed on the room.

While Little Situ Taoist had been chatting casually with her, he had already explained the general situation.

Little Situ Taoist had followed their trail all the way to this inn.

Then he found some ink and paper to write a letter to Su Mo.

Not long after the letter was sent, the woman who had abducted Wang Xiaowan left the inn with a few others, heading straight out of the city.

Wang Xiaowan was not among them, indicating she was still being held within the inn.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Ou Yangqing and his group had received Su Mo's orders, coming here mainly to rescue someone.

They shouldn’t drag out the fight...

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a shadow darted past—the swordswoman, cradling a petite figure, sprung from the inn window.

Swift as a shadow, she was already far away in one swift motion.

At that moment, Ou Yangqing's enraged bellow erupted from inside:

"Attack together!!!"

The shout grew even more menacing in the night.

The black-garbed figures hiding nearby hesitated no longer and immediately closed in for the attack.

It was a coordinated assault.

Yang Xiaoyun, however, no longer stayed to watch. Instead, she and Little Situ Taoist gave chase to the woman.

Having rescued Wang Xiaowan, she should’ve logically gone toward the Wang residence.

Yet her path led elsewhere.

Following her trail, they soon arrived at a small courtyard in a Pingyang City alley.

Only then did the woman lay down her burden.

"Young Miss, are you alright?"

She pressed several pressure points on Wang Xiaowan’s body but failed to unblock the qi channels.

After a brief pause, she tapped two more points, then pressed her palm against the final acupoint, surging her qi through. Wang Xiaowan convulsed before mobility returned.

She hurriedly spoke:

"Sister Huanyan, I'm fine.

"But... where is this? Aren't we going home?

"By the way, that woman Father intends to marry is deeply suspicious. She possesses martial arts, marshals henchmen, and clearly has sinister designs.

"And here I was, thinking Father had wronged her, trying to comfort her by saying I'd protect her."

The woman nodded gently:

"We already know. You were abducted by her.

"Fear not, all is well now.

"But we can’t return yet.

"That woman is Yin Xiaoyu, the notorious 'Siren of the Four Seas.'

"Her martial skills are peerless, and her schemes are unpredictable—no common rogue.

"Today, the President’s concubine ceremony has drawn all sorts of unsavory types to the residence. Taking you back now would be playing into their hands. "So, after deliberating, we decided to wait elsewhere first."

"Once matters on Qiuping Mountain are resolved, we can return without worry."

"Hmm, this is a small courtyard I purchased myself in Pingyang City."

"Few people come here ordinarily, so it's fairly secure."

Wang Xiaowan let out a relieved breath: "That's good. But what's happening at Qiuping Mountain?"

"After the Four Seas Enchantress captured you, she sent a letter to the President demanding the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture in return."

"But don't worry, the President has brought in a martial arts master to handle the situation. There shouldn't be any problems."

As she spoke, she felt uneasy.

Though she claimed there wouldn't be issues, who could guarantee it?

The Four Seas Enchantress was no pushover. If Chief Escort Su was all talk and no skill, or if the Young Master was deceived, they could find themselves in a matter of life and death.

Yet Yang Xiaoyun's earlier intervention had shown exceptional martial arts. Presumably, her husband wouldn't be some mediocre fighter either.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a mocking laugh cut through the air:

"A martial arts master? No matter what kind of master comes to Qiuping Mountain today, they'll meet only one fate..."

"Death!"

"You have no idea how terrifying our Chief's skills truly are."

The two girls in the courtyard jumped at these words. Whirling around, they saw a figure standing atop the courtyard wall - someone who had appeared out of nowhere.

The man stood with arms crossed, clad in black fighting garb that fluttered in the wind.

His disheveled hair whipped about like demonic tendrils in the breeze.

With a slight headshake, he stepped forward and landed in the courtyard.

"The Chief had it all figured out. She said Pingyang City is the Bo Hai Association's home turf."

"An inn might be both the most dangerous and safest place."

"But even then, nothing's certain."

"I thought she was exaggerating at the time. Now I see I underestimated her..."

"From what you just said, things are heating up on Qiuping Mountain. In that case, we can't let Miss Wang stay comfortable here."

"You'll have to come with me to Qiuping Mountain."

He made to grab her.

The woman immediately placed herself between them:

"Keep your hands off my young miss!"

"Hmm?"

The man glanced at her and shook his head:

"Move aside."

Here’s the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

As he spoke, he casually threw a palm strike.

What greeted him was a flurry of punches.

This woman, who had not acted before, now revealed her impressive martial arts the moment she made her move.

The man couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows slightly, giving a slight nod. Midway through his palm strike, he changed course, shifting from a slap to a slicing motion, slicing through her punches.

Upon reaching her chest, he changed his slicing motion into a grab.

His fingertips aimed precisely at the pressure points at her chest.

However, this method was downright dirty.

Though martial artists didn’t sweat the small stuff, there were still distinctions between men and women in combat, and moves were usually held back somewhat.

For instance, low blows were generally avoided when facing a female opponent.

Some even hesitated to use such moves even when their life was on the line.

Techniques like "Black Tiger Steals the Heart," "Groin Kick," or "Serpent Probes the Cave"—all targeting the lower body—were avoided whenever possible.

This man’s martial arts were extraordinary, and while the woman’s fist techniques were indeed impressive, his instantaneous adaptation—switching from a slicing motion to a grab at her chest—revealed a clearly perverted intent.

As expected, the woman’s face turned crimson with rage.

Her footwork shifted abruptly as she arched her upper body backward in an "Iron Bridge" stance, then spun swiftly, lashing out with a silent kick aimed straight at the man’s lower body.

Since he had fought dishonorably, she clearly wasn’t pulling any punches.

The man’s expression darkened. Having missed his grab, he should have followed through downward, but if he struck now, his own vulnerable spots would be shattered by her kick.

Immediately, he pushed off with his foot and cleared her in one leap.

Before he could land, however, the woman—still with her upper body lowered—pivoted on one foot and let loose a powerful punch toward his lower back.

With a sharp *snap*, the punch landed squarely in the man’s palm.

Having anticipated this counterattack while leaping over her, he caught the blow and twisted sharply, immediately applying a bone-breaking technique.

Yet the woman tapped her foot again, closing in like a wildcat, her fingers jabbing and striking—aimed at his heart, throat, and eyes.

Frowning, the man traded a few blows with her before finally delivering a palm strike, meeting hers head-on.

The force of his internal energy sent her reeling back three paces.

When she looked up again, the man was already nearing Wang Xiaowan.

"Quite the show of flowery fists and embroidered kicks, Gu Huanyan," the man remarked as he approached Wang Xiaowan.

"Your close-quarters combat skills are truly refined.

"Too bad you didn’t have the right upbringing—no proper internal energy cultivation to support you,

"nor a master to guide you. Otherwise, your potential would have been far greater. A shame..."

As he spoke, he reached out to seize Wang Xiaowan.

At that very moment, a dragon's roar surged forth.

The man whirled around to find a glint of cold steel already at his throat.

This was no minor shock—who had attacked? When had they gotten here?

He hadn’t noticed a thing!

Without delay, he dropped into a horse stance, hands parting and closing as internal energy swirled between his palms. Just barely raising them to his chest, the spear’s momentum was upon him.

Hummm!!!

A sharp hum rang out as the spear tip halted between his palms. Straining, he managed to shift the tip down three inches, but no further.

The two were locked in a standoff.

The man’s face turned grim as he poured his inner strength to resist the spear.

He looked up and saw the attacker was a young woman with her hair tied up. Startled, he watched as she gave a faint smile:

"Impressive skill. To train your skills to this level is truly masterful."

"But it’s a shame—your background holds you back. Without proper inner energy training,"

"or a great master’s guidance, your future could have been far greater. What a shame…"

She spoke casually, clearly not using her full strength.

This made the man both shocked and furious.

Shocked, because this young woman possessed such profound internal energy at her age.

Furious, because her words—

They were the exact words he’d just said to Gu Huanyan, now thrown back in his face!

Gritting his teeth, he raised his foot and stomped down, sending a sharp hiss rippling through the ground.

In that instant, he had covertly channeled a thread of internal energy underground.

Yang Xiaoyun just laughed. "Cheap tricks."

She raised her own foot and stomped down hard.

A thunderous explosion erupted as their energies collided beneath the earth, blasting a hole in the ground.

But it didn’t end there—the hissing continued as Yang Xiaoyun’s energy, after clashing with his, pressed onward relentlessly.

By the time the man realized it, the force was already upon him.

A silver spear threatened his life above, while deadly energy pursued below.

Trapped with nowhere to dodge, his heart hardened.

Without further thought, he twisted sharply and shifted his stance suddenly.

In doing so, he lost his grip on the spear before him.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

The silver spear roared like a freed divine dragon, its shaft humming through the air.

Fortunately, he’d pivoted aside just in time, so the spear merely grazed his arm—painful but not lethal.

Not wasting a heartbeat, he spun to flee.

His opponent had struck but once, yet their disparity became instantly apparent. To linger now would be to court death.

Yet as he turned, the weapon’s hum reached his ears in a flash—

Dragon Lashes Its Tail!!

When Yang Xiaoyun had unleashed this technique before with only half the spear, its power proved lacking—Zong Ming had snapped the spearhead in his jaws.

Even now, Yang Xiaoyun burned with humiliation at the memory.

But this time, she unleashed it with unrestrained might.

Building on the prior strike’s momentum, the spear arced mercilessly through the air toward the man.

Stunned, he barely managed to cross his arms defensively.

A thunderous crack resounded, bones splintering beneath the impact as he was hurled bodily backward.

He slammed into the courtyard wall.

When he tried to rise, his arms hung limp and shattered—utterly crushed by Yang Xiaoyun’s blow.

Spitting blood, he snarled up at her:

"You… who are you?!"

"How dare you meddle in our affairs?"

Yang Xiaoyun offered no quarter. She stepped forward, whipped her spear around, and struck him senseless.

With practiced ease, she withdrew her weapon and approached Wang Xiaowan with a smile.

"Young Miss Wang, this place isn’t secure. Might you take refuge aboard our vessel?"

"Lady Su!"

Wang Xiaowan gaped in disbelief.

"How… how are you here?"

"The Wang family’s eldest daughter vanished. As their guests, we could hardly turn a blind eye."

"The Captain is on Qiuping Mountain. You would do well to return to the ship with me to await news."

She turned to the other woman.

"Miss Gu, could you see to this fellow as well?"

"Ah—yes!"

Gu Huanyan bowed her head hastily. "Our deepest gratitude for Lady Su’s timely intervention."

As she spoke, she recalled Yang Xiaoyun’s earlier remark that if she had her spear in hand, she wouldn’t have let Fu Hanyuan lift a finger.

At the time, she thought Yang Xiaoyun’s skills were already impressive, but she’d been half-doubtful of the claim. Now, it seemed every word of it was true.

Yang Xiaoyun wielding a full spear and Yang Xiaoyun holding just a broken shaft were like night and day.

Without another word, the three of them, along with the unconscious pirate, left the courtyard and hurried back to the docks.

……

……

On Qiuping Mountain, the haggling dragged on.

In the end, this was just buying time.

When Little Situ Taoist delivered the message, it was still early, and there was no telling if trouble would break out at the inn.

Now, if they wanted to act, they had to wait until matters at the inn were resolved before they could act without worry.

Otherwise, if this woman refused to reveal Wang Xiaowan’s whereabouts, they’d be held back, afraid of hurting her.

Thus, they kept talking in circles.

Not to mention Yin Xiaoyu, who had little patience to begin with—even the Wang father and son, skilled in business, were fighting back yawns.

Wei Ziyi’s head kept nodding, almost dozing off standing up.

Yin Xiaoyu had finally reached her limit:

"The gold, jewels, jade, and antiques from my ship—even the treasure maps I’ve gathered from my voyages in the South Seas—I’ll give it all up.

And you still think it’s not enough?

What… are you expecting me to throw myself at you for a night with you?"

"Not at all, not at all."

Fu Hanyuan immediately shook his head. "Word is, Boss Yin’s got deadly tricks—I wouldn’t dare offend you. Dying in bed? What a way to go."

"You bastard… You think I’m scared of your Dragon King Hall?"

Yin Xiaoyu could no longer hold back. "Today, let’s see whether your Dragon King Hall’s kung fu’s better, or mine’s the real deal!"

With that, she moved—just like that, she was in his face.

Her inner energy surged, and the aura around her was heavy with a killing aura.

Fu Hanyuan wasn’t taking chances. He channelled Frostflame True Qi into his hands, stepped forward, and let loose with everything he had.

CRACK!!!

When their palms clashed, Fu Hanyuan’s face twisted—he felt her inner energy was razor-sharp with killing intent, and his Frostflame True Qi couldn’t break through.

But Yin Xiaoyu’s expression changed even worse.

Her gaze burned with shock and fury:

"You bastard! This isn’t the Dragon King Hall’s Seven Profound Ice Arts!!

"Who exactly are you?

"Pretending to be from the Dragon King Hall and toying with me—you deserve death ten thousandfold!!!"

With a single step, her surrounding inner force erupted violently, intent on striking Fu Hanyuan dead with her palm.

But at that very moment, Yin Xiaoyu’s face contorted in sudden alarm.

With a *swoosh*, her entire body was flung backward, helplessly tumbling midair several times before barely managing to land.

Even so, she staggered unsteadily.

For a moment, she stumbled backward—seven or eight steps in rapid succession.

Each step sank deep into the ground.

When she finally looked up again, her eyes held nothing but solemn intensity:

"Who are you?"

Fu Hanyuan lowered his palms, turned, and bowed in deference to Su Mo before retreating behind him.

Su Mo merely smiled faintly:

"I am Su Mo, from the Eastern Wastes. My respects, Boss Yin."