FVN Chapter 16: One Step Ahead, the Six Monsters Admit Defeat!
Chapter 16: One Step Ahead, the Six Monsters Admit Defeat!
"I say you're old-fashioned!"
Ouyang Ke took a sip of the yellow wine in his cup, his tone indifferent, but his gaze was fixed on Ke Zhen'e's blind eyes without flinching.
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e's ashen face grew even colder. He sneered, slammed his iron staff down, and said in a deep voice, "The command of parents and the words of matchmakers are the traditional customs of our Han people, passed down for thousands of years! Jing'er's father died early, and her mother is far away in the desert. Naturally, this important matter of marriage should be decided by us six siblings for the time being!"
He paused, his tone growing increasingly impassioned: "Moreover, Huang Yaoshi calls himself 'Eastern Heretic,' and his actions are wicked. His two wicked disciples, Copper Corpse and Iron Corpse, stirred up countless bloodshed and murders in the martial arts world of Jiangnan in their early years! Although my six siblings and I are of low martial arts skill, we believe ourselves to be on the righteous path of the martial arts world and would rather die than associate with such evil heretics!"
These words resonated deeply, and Han Baoju, Zhu Cong, and the others all nodded in agreement.
Only Han Xiaoying sighed softly in her heart.
Looking at her eldest brother's righteous and stern face, she wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent. She understood the source of his hatred—her fifth brother, Zhang Asheng, had died at the hands of the Black Wind Duo, a bloody scene that still haunted her nightmares. From that moment on, the six siblings harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Black Wind Duo, and by extension, for their master, Huang Yaoshi.
But that girl Rong'er...
Han Xiaoying recalled her first encounter with Huang Rong at Guiyun Manor. The girl was intelligent and lively, with clear, bright eyes that were full of tenderness and affection when she looked at Jing'er. That kind of gaze couldn't be faked.
It wasn't that she didn't hate the Black Wind Duo, but she was even more unwilling to ruin Jing'er's lifelong happiness because of the grudges of the previous generation.
After all, there was already the precedent set by Fifth Brother, and she really didn't want Jing'er to end up like her with lifelong regrets!
Ouyang Ke put down his wine glass and said calmly, "That's why I said you guys are old-fashioned."
Ke Zhen'e frowned, about to lash out, but Ouyang Ke stopped him with a raised hand.
"The Black Wind Duo have a grudge against you, but what does it have to do with Miss Huang?" Ouyang Ke's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "They are a perfect match, a match made in heaven, deeply in love, and willing to share life and death—such a destiny is something many people would kill for. When did it become your turn..."
He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Demons and monsters objecting?"
These words shocked everyone present.
Han Baoju, whose temper was the most fiery, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly: "You little lecher, what did you say?"
Ouyang Ke looked up at him, his expression still calm: "I said the 'Seven Heroes of Jiangnan' rose from humble beginnings, and today I've witnessed firsthand the meaning of that 'heroic' part. However..."
His gaze shifted to Han Xiaoying, and his tone softened slightly: "Heroine Han is not among them. It's a pity that she's been dragged down by you bunch of scoundrels and forced to be listed alongside you."
Upon hearing this, Han Xiaoying was momentarily at a loss for how to react.
Looking into Ouyang Ke's clear and open eyes, she suddenly felt a sense of absurdity—was this really the same Ouyang Ke who had been committing crimes outside the capital just a few months ago?
"How dare you!"
Han Baoju roared and drew his golden dragon whip from his waist.
The whip was over ten feet long, entirely golden, and was his signature weapon. With a move called "Wind Sweeps Away Clouds," the tip of the whip transformed into a golden light, sweeping straight towards Ouyang Ke's right arm!
This whip strike was swift and ruthless. Although Han Baoju was short in stature, his whip technique was quite remarkable, specializing in attacking the lower body with cunning and vicious methods.
However, Ouyang Ke remained seated, his right hand wielding chopsticks with lightning speed, making a steady, probing motion.
With a soft "ding," the ordinary bamboo chopsticks steadily blocked the incoming golden dragon whip!
Han Baoju felt a powerful force coming from the whip. He mustered all his strength and pulled back, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree; the whip didn't budge. His face turned red, and the veins on his forehead bulged, but no matter what he did, he couldn't pull the whip back.
Upon seeing this, Zhu Cong was suddenly startled.
Several months ago, outside the capital city, the six siblings had fought against Ouyang Ke. While Ouyang Ke's martial arts were not weak then, he certainly didn't possess such skill. Now, despite his crippled legs, his martial arts have not only not declined but have actually improved—it's utterly unbelievable!
"Third brother, I'm here to help you!"
Zhu Cong waved his folding fan, and the iron-ribbed fan aimed straight at Ouyang Ke's vital acupoint on his chest. He was skilled in acupoint striking, and the fan ribs were made of fine steel. In his daily sparring with masters, he never lost the fight.
Ouyang Ke kept his eyes straight ahead and gently tapped the table with his left hand.
The wine glass in front of him suddenly flew up and headed straight for Zhu Cong's face!
Zhu Cong remained calm and unhurried, flicking his folding fan to knock the wine cup down. But just as the cup reached three feet from his face, it suddenly exploded with a "bang!" Countless fragments transformed into a hail of projectiles, raining down on him.
Zhu Cong was shocked. He fluttered his folding fan up and down, creating a dense, impenetrable barrier, barely managing to protect his face. However, his legs, arms, and other parts were cut by the shards, leaving several bloody gashes that burned with pain.
"Second Brother!"
"Third Brother!"
Upon seeing this, Nancy and Quan Jinfa disregarded everything else and charged forward together, one wielding a steel carrying pole and the other brandishing a large iron scale!
That iron scale was a unique weapon of the all-golden-haired man. The scale rod was made using a lever-and-stick method, the hook could be thrown out to grab people and disarm them, and the scale hammer was a chain hammer. One weapon had three uses, making it extremely powerful. However, the restaurant was cramped at the moment, so he could only use the scale rod for close combat.
Ouyang Ke remained expressionless, and suddenly loosened his grip on the chopsticks in his right hand.
Han Baoju was pulling back desperately when he was caught off guard and fell backward along with the whip, crashing into a table with a loud bang, looking utterly disheveled.
The combined attack by Nancy and the blonde-haired man also missed its target.
They clearly saw Ouyang Ke sitting upright in the same spot, but the next moment, he lightly tapped the table with his right hand and floated away from his seat!
A flurry of palm strikes fell like snowflakes.
This is the unique palm technique of White Camel Mountain, "Divine Camel Snow Mountain Palm".
Quan Jinfa's martial arts skills were slightly weaker. Caught off guard, he was struck on the shoulder by Ouyang Ke with a palm strike. With a muffled thud, he was sent flying and fell to the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
Nan Xiren was a burly man whose cultivation was second only to Ke Zhen'e and Zhu Cong among the Seven Freaks. Despite being hit by several palms, he gritted his teeth and endured the blows. He wielded the steel carrying pole with great force, and for a time, his fearlessness made him evenly matched with Ouyang Ke.
Han Baoju, having caught his breath, saw that Nan Xiren was struggling alone. Gritting his teeth, he unleashed a move called "Black Dragon Taking Water" with his Golden Dragon Whip, aiming straight for Ouyang Ke's wrist!
This time, Ouyang Ke neither dodged nor avoided, but simply pulled and firmly grasped the tip of the whip.
With a sudden jerk of his arm, Han Baoju, whip and all, was flung away by a powerful force, crashing heavily against the wall with a bang. He was dizzy and unable to get up.
Just then, a fierce wind suddenly arose behind them.
Nan Xiren's black iron carrying pole, carrying immense force, slammed down towards Ouyang Ke's back.
Without turning his head, Ouyang Ke spun in mid-air, dodging the attack as lightly as a falling leaf. While still in mid-air, he formed a claw with his five fingers and lunged straight down at Nan Xiren's head!
Nan Xiren couldn't retract his carrying pole in time, and in desperation, he used a "bridge" maneuver, leaning his upper body backward. Just as he was about to avoid the grab, a soft "crack" was heard, and Ouyang Ke's arm joint had somehow grown several inches longer out of thin air!
That grab was already upon them in an instant!
Nan Xiren was terrified. In a moment of crisis, he quickly raised his left hand and used a grappling technique to hook Ouyang Ke's wrist, desperately flicking it outwards.
This quick-thinking move actually managed to narrowly avoid Ouyang Ke's "Snake Fist"!
"what?"
Ouyang Ke let out a soft exclamation, seemingly surprised that this woodcutter-looking man possessed such quick wit.
However, in the next instant, Nancy's body suddenly stiffened—
An invisible gust of wind struck his "Shanzhong" acupoint on his chest.
Nancy was immediately paralyzed, frozen in place like a clay or wooden sculpture.
Seeing her four brothers suffer defeat after defeat, Han Xiaoying no longer cared about anything else.
She drew her longsword, its light flashing like a rainbow, and aimed straight at Ouyang Ke!
Ouyang Ke's figure darted across the table like a dragonfly skimming the water, deftly dodging the sword strike.
However, Han Xiaoying's sword strikes were continuous, each one faster than the last, and the sword light enveloped him within three feet, making it difficult for him to get close for a while.
Ouyang Ke laughed loudly, "Excellent swordsmanship!"
His palm techniques became even faster.
Han Xiaoying's sword was fast, but his attack was even faster. The palm shadows were as fleeting as snowflakes, sometimes fierce, sometimes gentle, sometimes real, sometimes illusory, unpredictable. Han Xiaoying felt that all she could see were palm shadows, unable to distinguish which were real and which were fake, and her forehead and temples were already covered in sweat.
After a few moves, she was already struggling to keep up and looked utterly disheveled.
"Bang!"
Ouyang Ke struck her sword with his palm!
Han Xiaoying felt a violent tremor in her hand as a powerful force struck her, causing her longsword to fly out of her grasp and embed itself in the beam with a "thud".
Zhu Cong was shocked and shot out his iron-bone fan, swiftly striking Ouyang Ke's "Xuanji acupoint"! This move was a combination of offense and defense, fearing that Seventh Sister would be pursued after losing her weapon.
Ouyang Ke flipped in mid-air, lightly dodging the attack, and then struck the fan ribs with his palm.
Zhu Cong felt a strange surge of true energy travel along the fan ribs, rushing upwards along the meridians of his arm. His entire right arm felt as if it had been struck by lightning, or burned and pricked by needles, causing excruciating pain! He groaned and nearly dropped the folding fan.
"Brother, within seven steps!"
Despite the excruciating pain, Zhu Cong shouted a warning!
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Ke Zhen'e had already noticed that the five siblings were at a disadvantage, and now that Zhu Cong had reminded him, he no longer held back.
With a flick of his left hand, several poisoned darts flew through the air, aiming at Ouyang Ke's vital points.
The poisonous shards came with incredible speed, and their ability to pinpoint location by sound was truly exceptional!
Ouyang Ke was prepared and retreated swiftly, several poisoned darts grazing past him and embedding themselves into the pillar behind him.
But there was one more, heading straight for my face!
Ouyang Ke remained calm and composed. With a flick of his right sleeve, a powerful gust of wind swept out and firmly caught the poisoned dart!
"You try one of my moves too!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the poison dart shot back and headed straight for Ke Zhen'e!
"Watch out, brother!"
Zhu Cong's expression changed drastically!
Ke Zhen'e remained calm and composed. He twitched his ears slightly and raised his left hand, sending out three more poison darts!
"Ding ding ding!"
With three sharp sounds, the poisoned dart that had been shot back was knocked to the ground a dozen feet away!
Ouyang Ke gracefully landed back in his original position, clapping his hands in praise: "What a magnificent flying bat! This skill of using the wind to pinpoint location with hidden weapons truly lives up to its reputation!"
After Han Baoju stood up, he shouted and cursed, "You little lecher, don't be so arrogant!"
Ke Zhen'e snorted coldly, about to speak.
A red figure suddenly darted out!
Firebird!
It turned out that the little guy had been watching the fight from Ouyang Ke's shoulder for a long time, and seeing the short, fat man get up and point at Ouyang Ke while cursing, he couldn't hold back any longer. At this moment, he pounced like an arrow, aiming straight for Han Baoju's face!
"Third brother, be careful!"
Zhu Cong hurriedly reminded him, wanting to throw out his folding fan to help, but his right arm was in unbearable pain, his internal energy was stagnant, and he could not muster any strength.
Han Baoju turned his head hastily upon hearing the sound, but how could he be faster than the firebird?
With a "hiss," three bloody gashes appeared on his forehead!
Han Baoju flew into a rage, flicked his golden dragon whip, and lashed out at the firebird!
But how fast is the Firebird?
All the onlookers saw was a flash of red light, which had nimbly passed through the whip shadow and pecked a bloody gash on Han Baoju's forehead.
"You rascal!"
Han Baoju closed his eyes, waving his left hand wildly, looking utterly pathetic. His appearance was both funny and infuriating; even Zhu Cong and the others couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and exasperation upon seeing him.
The firebird, however, refused to give up. It circled in the air, waiting for an opening before diving down again.
"Come back, Firebird."
Ouyang Ke spoke calmly.
Upon hearing this, the firebird let out a low cry, glanced at Han Baoju with its small, ruby-like eyes, and then reluctantly flew back, landing steadily on Ouyang Ke's shoulder. It even tilted its head and rubbed against Ouyang Ke's cheek, as if seeking praise and reward.
Han Xiaoying watched this scene with a mixture of surprise and amusement.
The firebird was entirely crimson, had a strange fragrance, and was quite adorable. At this moment, it was obediently perched on Ouyang Ke's shoulder, showing no trace of its fierce appearance just now.
She suddenly remembered Ouyang Ke's words earlier, "Heroine Han is not included in this category," and she also recalled that when he fought her just now, although his palm strikes were fast, he clearly held back. A complex feeling arose in her heart.
"Do you all still want to fight?"
Ouyang Ke's gaze swept over the six disheveled men, his tone calm.
Ke Zhen'e paused with his iron staff, about to speak, but Zhu Cong raised his hand to stop him.
Looking into Ouyang Ke's clear and open eyes, and then at his act of giving up despite having the upper hand, Zhu Cong's doubts gradually dissipated.
He shook his head and sighed, "It's been several months since we last met, and your martial arts have improved so much that we are truly impressed. In today's match, my brother and I have lost."
Ouyang Ke smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
At this moment, Han Baoju and Han Xiaoying had already surrounded Nan Xiren.
"Fourth Brother!"
"Fourth Brother, how are you?"
Nancy stood motionless, silent, like a clay sculpture.
Han Baoju reached out and massaged him, but there was no reaction. Han Xiaoying also tried to help him circulate his qi and blood, but no matter what she did, Nan Xiren just wouldn't budge.
"Second Brother, Fourth Brother's pressure points can't be released!"
Han Baoju was sweating profusely with anxiety.
Zhu Cong strode forward and examined Nan Xiren's acupoints, his expression gradually becoming serious. He tried several techniques, including pushing the blood vessels and pressing and patting, but Nan Xiren remained motionless.
"this……"
The group exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with anxiety.
Ouyang Ke picked up his wine cup, took a small sip, and said calmly, "Gentlemen, there's no need to waste your energy. This is the 'Bone-Penetrating Acupoint Strike' technique, unique to my White Camel Mountain lineage. Its power penetrates through the bones and reaches the bone marrow. In the world, besides my uncle and Island Master Huang, only I can undo this technique."
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e's face darkened, and he said coldly, "'Western Poison' and 'Eastern Heretic,' what great reputations! I, the old blind man, refuse to believe in such nonsense!"
He paused, then said in a deep voice, "Second brother, you come here!"
Zhu Cong gave a wry smile and said, "Brother, I've already tried..."
Ke Zhen'e frowned and remained silent.
Han Baoju was pacing anxiously, and Han Xiaoying also looked worried. Although Nan Xiren was usually not talkative, he was the most composed among the siblings. Seeing him standing there motionless, everyone felt a heavy weight on their hearts.
It should be understood that acupressure may not seem to harm a person's life, but if it is left untreated for a long time and the acupressure points are not released, the blood and qi in the body will stagnate for a long time, and the person will either die or become seriously ill.
Although Ke Zhen'e was blind, he could sense the emotions of the crowd. He slammed his iron staff on the ground, his tone harsh: "I, the old blind man..."
He was about to bow to Ouyang Ke when Zhu Cong stopped him.
Zhu Cong took a deep breath, walked up to Ouyang Ke, bowed respectfully, and said sincerely, "Young Master, we were the ones who offended you earlier. Please, Young Master, show mercy and release my fourth brother's pressure points. I thank you in advance."
Ouyang Ke glanced at him, smiled slightly, and didn't put on airs. He moved in a flash, and everyone only saw a blur before their eyes.
The next moment, Ouyang Ke had already sat back down in his original position, the wine glass in his hand still steaming.
Nan Xiren suddenly gasped for breath, his body went limp, and he almost fell. Han Xiaoying quickly caught him.
"Fourth Brother! Are you alright?"
Nan Xiren shook his head, looking at Ouyang Ke with a complicated expression.
Zhu Cong cupped his hands again and said solemnly, "Thank you, young master."
Ouyang Ke waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for such formalities.
Zhu Cong looked at him, his doubts gradually dissipating, only to be replaced by new ones. After a moment of contemplation, he couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, you clearly had the upper hand just now, yet you were willing to back down and release my fourth brother's pressure points... May I be so bold as to ask, when did you and Jing'er become acquainted?"
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e couldn't help but prick up his ears.
Ouyang Ke shook his head: "Second Master Zhu, you've misunderstood. I have no connection with your disciple."
"That……"
Zhu Cong was taken aback.
Ouyang Ke naturally understood his doubts—since they had no relationship, why did he speak up for Guo Jing and Huang Rong? Why did he want to cause a conflict with the six siblings over this?
He put down his wine glass and said calmly, "I'm just stating the facts. I don't want someone to be so old-fashioned as to tear a couple apart."
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e snorted coldly and finally couldn't help but speak up: "Ouyang Ke, you say I'm old-fashioned? Just where exactly am I old-fashioned?"
Ouyang Ke looked up at him, his gaze calm as still water: "Hero Ke, everyone has prejudices. Just as you were all so certain that my sudden realization was a deliberate trick, so too are your prejudices against Huang Yaoshi."
Ke Zhen'e sneered, "The Iron Corpse and the Copper Corpse can pierce through a person's brain with their five fingers. If this kind of evil skill wasn't taught by Huang Yaoshi, where did they learn it from? Isn't this proof?"
Ouyang Ke paused upon hearing this, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said indifferently, "Evidence? But in my opinion, the martial arts you all have learned are truly unworthy of being considered refined—of course, the martial arts learned by Lady Han are not included."
He glanced at Han Xiaoying and said, "In other words, what you all practice is nothing but wild and unorthodox Zen, it's not even worth mentioning."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Cong frowned: "You think what we've learned is inferior?"
Ouyang Ke countered, "Isn't that so?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
Zhu Cong opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself speechless.
The siblings all acquired their martial arts skills through self-study and hard work, learning a few moves here and there. Although they put in a lot of effort, they never formally studied under a renowned master, so they naturally couldn't compare to the direct descendants of those prestigious schools. It is an indisputable fact that the seventh sister, Han Xiaoying, was fortunate enough to receive guidance from a famous master in her childhood.
Ke Zhen'e snorted coldly, his tone sour: "Our brothers' skills are shallow, naturally they cannot compare to the unique skills of the 'Eastern Heretic' and 'Western Poison'."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Ke looked up at him, his gaze carrying a faint hint of strangeness.
"Master Ke, although you Seven Heroes of Jiangnan call yourselves 'eccentrics,' all your actions are chivalrous. I admire that."
He paused, his tone turning slightly somber: "Does Master Ke lack even the slightest tolerance? Can't you allow me to finish speaking first?"
Ke Zhen'e, caught off guard, grew increasingly grim. But he wasn't an unreasonable man after all; he snorted coldly and said, "Speak! This time, the old blind man will not interrupt."
Ouyang Ke nodded slightly, his gaze slowly sweeping across everyone's faces, and slowly began to speak:
"When I say that your skills are mediocre, I am not trying to belittle you. On the contrary, it is precisely because your martial arts foundation is shallow that you dare to act chivalrously despite your humble status, which makes you all the more remarkable."
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e and the others' expressions improved slightly.
But then Ouyang Ke paused and continued, "But it is precisely because of this shallow foundation that you know nothing about the famous martial arts in the martial arts world."
"The martial arts of Peach Blossom Island are profound and extensive. Huang Yaoshi's knowledge encompasses everything, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and esoteric arts. The martial arts he created are all characterized by graceful movements and a balance of offense and defense."
However, the Copper Corpse and Iron Corpse couple did not master the essence of Peach Blossom Island's martial arts lineage. Furthermore, the martial arts they used to kill Zhang Wuxia were not learned from Peach Blossom Island either!
Upon hearing this, Ke Zhen'e suddenly shouted, "If my fifth brother didn't die from the martial arts of Peach Blossom Island, then whose martial arts did he die from?"
Ouyang Ke's gaze slowly swept over the six heroes of Jiangnan before him, and he said calmly, "That's right! Zhang Wuxia died because of the martial arts recorded in the 'Nine Yin Manual'!"
PS: Why do people keep complaining that Huang Rong wanted to kill the protagonist at the beginning and didn't feel any remorse? That remorse is there in the original work. Secondly, why would she take the opportunity to kill the protagonist? Would she just wait to be wiped out by Ouyang Feng after killing the protagonist?