Chapter 175: Chapter 105.3: Before You Came, Others Had Already Started Killing
With both hands brimming with energy, Qiao Feng was ready to counter any of Chu Yang's attacks.
"Those two baldies at Ju Xian Manor used it against me earlier. I found it interesting, so I learned a bit—it's quite handy."
Chu Yang jumped down from the carriage, stepping toward Qiao Feng. Since he'd encountered Chief Qiao, he was determined to "harvest" this opportunity.
During their brief exchange, Chu Yang had already analyzed the technique in his mind. He just needed the Rinnegan to record the flow of internal energy.
Qiao Feng didn't waste words, launching another round of attacks. One move after another, as if worried Chu Yang wouldn't learn fast enough.
From the carriage, Huang Rong peeked out, glaring at Qiao Feng angrily. "You big, bushy-browed man, how unreasonable! Those so-called heroes ganged up on us, yet you're accusing us of causing trouble at Ju Xian Manor?"
"And that Xue fellow—he was clearly killed by their own hidden weapons in the chaos. What does that have to do with us?"
"Don't falsely accuse us!"
Qiao Feng hesitated for a moment and nearly got hit in the face by Chu Yang's strike, forcing him to block quickly.
He wanted to question further, but Chu Yang's relentless and rapid attacks gave him no chance, leaving him to fight back with all his might.
Huang Rong wasn't idle either. While Chu Yang fought, she hurled insults from the carriage.
Her sarcastic remarks were devastating, almost causing Qiao Feng to lose control of his internal energy. With no skill in verbal sparring, he could only endure silently, his strikes growing heavier.
Chu Yang, however, remained composed and calm, like a deep, still pond that left Qiao Feng helpless.
The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, known for its balance of force and precision, was effortlessly neutralized by Chu Yang's basic deflection techniques.
Seeing this, Qiao Feng tried other Shaolin techniques like Dragon Claw Hand and Demon Subduing Palm, only for them to be countered by Chu Yang's Vajra Finger.
He then used his hidden aces—Taizu Long Fist, Dragon Capturing Skill, and Double Cloud Palms, all dismantled by Chu Yang through the foundational principles of the Nine Yin Manual.
The prolonged stalemate left Qiao Feng increasingly anxious.
To keep Ah Zhu out of harm's way, he had left her in a forest five miles away. If he didn't return soon, her life could be in danger.
Unbeknownst to Qiao Feng, before their duel began, Chu Yang had quietly instructed Mu Nianci to locate Ah Zhu and bring her over.
With Xue Mu Hua dead, Qiao Feng had no one else to treat Ah Zhu's injuries, and Chu Yang understood his urgency.
Strictly speaking, although the chaotic battle that led to Xue Mu Hua's death wasn't instigated by them, they bore some responsibility.
Just as Chu Yang was close to extracting everything from Qiao Feng, Mu Nianci returned with Ah Zhu and handed her to Huang Rong for examination.
Huang Yaoshi was a rare polymath, excelling in many disciplines, including medicine. As his daughter, Huang Rong had inherited his skills and was no slouch in medical knowledge.
After a brief inspection, Huang Rong determined that Ah Zhu's internal organs were severely damaged—beyond recovery under normal circumstances.
"Rong'er, how is she?"
"I can't heal her, but Little Chu definitely can. Stop the fight and let him treat her first."
Mu Nianci immediately called out to the battling pair, "Brother Chu, stop fighting and come save her!"
Qiao Feng turned to see Ah Zhu lying in Huang Rong's arms. His rage and worry surged, fearing they might harm her.
Chu Yang smiled faintly, leaping onto Qiao Feng's shoulder before somersaulting back to the carriage.
Qiao Feng was about to give chase when he suddenly toppled forward. Looking down, he found his feet tightly bound by tree roots.
Placing his hand on Ah Zhu's forehead, Chu Yang channeled pure life energy into her body, repairing her damaged organs.
Her pale face quickly regained color.
Moments later, Qiao Feng broke free and sprinted toward the carriage.
"You two, get off the carriage," Chu Yang instructed.
Huang Rong and Mu Nianci obediently jumped down.
With one hand on Ah Zhu's forehead, Chu Yang faced the approaching Qiao Feng side-on, kneeling on the carriage shaft and using a single hand to fend off his attacks.
In the blink of an eye, several exchanges had passed.
Qiao Feng's fists were as swift as lightning, emitting thunderous booms that were terrifyingly powerful. Yet they couldn't land on Chu Yang. His impatience led to mistakes, allowing Chu Yang to counter with a palm strike that knocked him off the carriage.
At that moment, Ah Zhu regained consciousness, feeling a warm current flowing through her body, bringing unprecedented comfort. Realizing what had happened, she urgently called out, "Brother Qiao, stop!"
Hearing Ah Zhu's voice, Qiao Feng halted his attack and anxiously asked, "Ah Zhu, how are you?"
Ah Zhu glanced gratefully at Chu Yang, exclaiming excitedly, "Brother Qiao, I'm fine. This gentleman healed my injuries."
"What?!" Qiao Feng was shocked and hurried forward to check.
He was more familiar with Ah Zhu's injuries than anyone else. Even Miracle Doctor Xue couldn't possibly heal Ah Zhu in an instant.
The moment he touched Ah Zhu's wrist, Qiao Feng's expression changed to one of astonishment.
Her pulse was steady and strong!
How could this resemble the pulse of someone on the verge of death?
It was clearly the pulse of a perfectly healthy person!
"Could such a miraculous thing truly exist in this world?"
Releasing Ah Zhu's wrist, Qiao Feng looked at Chu Yang with disbelief. To think that this man could save someone while simultaneously fighting against him.
"Your skills are truly divine. I am deeply impressed," Qiao Feng admitted, cupping his fists in sincere admiration. He understood that since Chu Yang had saved Ah Zhu, there was no way he would have killed Miracle Doctor Xue just to target him.
"And now you admire him? What happened to that murderous intent you showed just moments ago? I even spoke up for you in front of those cowards, getting myself into unnecessary trouble!"
Hearing Qiao Feng reveal his identity, Huang Rong's anger flared. She looked at him with disdain, her tone dripping with irritation.
Ah Zhu, being clever, sensed the tension and gently pulled Qiao Feng aside. She whispered softly into his ear, "Brother Qiao, we should apologize first."
Qiao Feng nodded, then clasped his hands respectfully and apologized sincerely to Chu Yang and the others.
Having already gained the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and other martial arts secrets from Qiao Feng, Chu Yang was especially magnanimous at this moment. He smiled and said, "It was all a misunderstanding, Chief Qiao. Don't take it to heart."
Ah Zhu began inquiring about the series of events that had unfolded.
Huang Rong, still holding a grudge, turned her head away with a cold snort, refusing to explain.
Under Chu Yang's indication, Mu Nianci took the initiative to recount the events outside Ju Xian Manor. On the other side, Ah Zhu also explained how You Ju had deceived the two of them.
Moments later, both parties understood the situation clearly.
Feeling immense guilt, Qiao Feng cupped his fists toward Huang Rong and said, "Miss Huang, it was my recklessness that caused this. I never imagined you were speaking up for me and incurred such trouble because of it. If you're still angry, feel free to scold or strike me. I won't object."
"Fine, fine, I'll let it go. Seeing how loyal and righteous you are, it makes sense why my father thinks highly of you. I'll forget about your earlier rudeness," Huang Rong replied, her tone softening.
Despite her youthful temperament, Huang Rong was moved upon hearing how Qiao Feng had stormed into Ju Xian Manor for Ah Zhu's sake.
It reminded her of how Chu Yang had fought against Wanyan Honglie alone to save her.
It all seemed like it had just happened yesterday.
Huang Rong's gaze softened, her deep eyes like the night sky filled with stars, every glimmer focused on Chu Yang alone.
"Mr. Chu, your act of saving Ah Zhu is a kindness I can never repay. If there is ever a time you need my assistance, please don't hesitate to ask," Qiao Feng said sincerely.
"It was just a small effort. Chief Qiao, you overpraise me. Since Miss Ah Zhu is now well, we shall take our leave," Chu Yang said with a slight bow and a smile. "Farewell, and until we meet again."
Ah Zhu smiled sweetly and said, "I wish Mr. Chu a safe journey."
Qiao Feng cupped his fists and said, "Take care."
"What? Leaving just like that?" Huang Rong asked through gritted teeth. "I still wanted to teach that guy surnamed You a lesson!"
Chu Yang patted her on the head and said, "I've observed those brothers. They don't have long to live; there's no need to waste time going back to deal with them."
Huang Rong was puzzled. She thought to herself that they hadn't even entered Ju Xian Manor, so how did Chu Yang know what the You brothers looked like?
But since he said they wouldn't live long, she accepted it. A smile crept across her face, and her mood lifted.
"Miss Huang, rest assured. I will return to Ju Xian Manor again," Qiao Feng said, lifting Ah Zhu down from the carriage. Ah Zhu blushed slightly, lowering her head without a word.
In truth, her body had fully recovered. It was just that Qiao Feng was used to taking care of her and hadn't realized it yet.
Seeing the happiness radiating from Ah Zhu, Chu Yang hesitated for a moment before asking Huang Rong to write something on a sheet of paper. After sealing it in a wooden box, he handed it to Qiao Feng.
"Chief Qiao, if you ever encounter a situation where you're unsure or find yourself in a difficult dilemma due to something you've learned, open this box."
Curious, Qiao Feng asked, "What exactly is inside this box?"
"You'll know when the time comes," Chu Yang replied.
By the time he finished speaking, Chu Yang and his companions had boarded the carriage. The little red horse snorted and pulled the vehicle away.
As Qiao Feng and Ah Zhu watched them leave, the former couldn't resist the urge to open the box. However, Ah Zhu stopped him.
"Brother Qiao, since Mr. Chu told you to open it later, don't act rashly," Ah Zhu said sternly, pressing her hand on the box. "I don't think Mr. Chu is an ordinary person. When he healed me, he neither used medicine nor needles. I don't even know how I was cured."
"If it was internal energy, it doesn't seem quite right either. To heal someone on the brink of death in the blink of an eye with internal energy—this is unheard of."
The more Qiao Feng thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. After hesitating for a moment, he put the box away in his robe.
---
Under the faint moonlight, the carriage stopped beside a small stream. Chu Yang got off to loosen the little red horse's reins. The horse affectionately nuzzled his hand before lowering its head to drink from the stream.
Inside the carriage, Huang Rong and Mu Nianci were resting. Chu Yang guessed they would sleep until dawn.
Not intending to stay long, he let the horse rest for a moment before sitting by the river, listening to the sound of the flowing water and contemplating his next move.
The combination of the Nine Yin Manual and the Rinnegan was incredibly powerful. Even advanced martial arts like the Seventy-Two Shaolin Techniques and the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms were easily learned.
This far exceeded Chu Yang's expectations.
It seemed plausible to learn Taiji Fist in the same manner. Should he visit Wudang Mountain on his way to Mongolia?
"Wait… did I overlook something?"
"When exactly was Taiji Fist created?"
"The timeline of this world is so chaotic that it's impossible to use as a reference. What if Zhang Sanfeng hasn't invented Taiji Fist yet? Wouldn't it be a wasted trip?"
After some thought, Chu Yang decided to stick to his original plan: first go to Mongolian Esoteric Buddhism to acquire the Great Vajra Palm, then visit Wudang Mountain on the way back. That way, even if he didn't find Taiji Fist, the trip wouldn't be wasted.
Having made his decision, Chu Yang spent the next half-month traversing Northern Song territory before heading non-stop toward the border between Mongolia and Ming.
Meanwhile, a few days after parting ways with Chu Yang, Qiao Feng returned to Ju Xian Manor to confront the You brothers.
He had intended only to teach them a lesson, but the You brothers, with more temper than skill, chose to commit suicide after Qiao Feng destroyed their weapons, dying instantly and leaving him no chance to save them.
After their deaths, the Tibetan monk Jiumozhi arrived at Ju Xian Manor, holding Duan Yu and Wang Yuyan hostage, only to run into Qiao Feng. A fierce battle ensued.
Inspired by his fight with Chu Yang, Qiao Feng's martial arts had become more refined and instinctive.
Jiumozhi, who had mastered part of the Six Meridians Swordplay, thought himself invincible, only to be thoroughly defeated by the newly empowered Qiao Feng. Spitting blood, Jiumozhi fled in a panic.