vstars Chapter 21: Very Smooth
Chapter 21: Very Smooth
The carriage slowly drove away from the vast grassland where Wanmatang was located, and returned to the border town.
However, instead of driving into the most bustling part of the city, they headed along an ancient road eroded by wind and sand towards a vast expanse of poplar forest to the west of the city.
It was early spring, and the poplar forest was still in the bud stage.
The pale green leaves dotted with pink poplar flowers are dazzling and unrestrained, making them a beautiful sight in the border town.
The wind blew from the depths of the Gobi Desert, whipping up the yellow sand and sending it soaring into the sky.
The scene was so beautiful that it seemed as if the yellow sand stretched to the sky, or as if the sky stretched to the yellow sand.
Deep within this vibrant forest where yellow sand and poplar trees intertwine, a majestic building stands quietly.
That is the Divine Blade Hall.
Unlike the magnificent fortress in the heart of the Wanmatang Grassland.
Shen Dao Tang is more like a solitary city embedded in this poplar forest.
Unlike Wanmatang, which deliberately displays military might with its high walls and watchtowers, its walls are made of massive stones, thick and solid.
The main entrance is a pair of heavy iron and wooden doors.
There was no plaque on the door, only a huge "knife" character carved on a naturally formed boulder next to it, with strokes like slashing, revealing its sharp edge.
The carriage stopped in front of the Divine Blade Hall.
Disciples of the Divine Blade Hall, dressed in white, stood solemnly before the gate. Upon seeing the carriage, they silently opened the gate.
The carriage drove straight in.
Inside is a spacious courtyard with a flat ground paved with stone slabs and rammed earth, and almost no superfluous decorations.
In a corner of the courtyard, several exceptionally tall poplar trees spread their canopies, and two people and a car had been waiting for a long time under the trees.
It was already dusk.
As the sun sets, Li Xunhuan stands beneath it.
He stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the poplar leaves, his expression showing a hint of weariness.
A slightly worn black carriage was parked beside him, and a burly man with a thick beard sat in front of it.
The burly man was dressed in a faded coarse cloth outfit. He had an unusually large frame and bulging muscles. When he sat there, he looked like a small mountain. His hands were rough and thick, and his knuckles were like cast iron.
His face was resolute, his eyes were firm, and he seemed indifferent to everything around him. Only when his gaze occasionally swept over Li Xunhuan's back did a trace of loyalty and concern appear.
It was Li Xunhuan's most loyal servant, "Ironclad Vajra" Tie Chuanjia.
Hearing the approaching wheels, Li Xunhuan lowered his gaze and saw Xue Bufeng being escorted down from the carriage by three beautiful women of different appearances. Now he finally had time to laugh at him.
"You really never forget your womanizing ways, no matter where you go."
Xue Bufeng smiled and waved his hand. Yuanyuan and Bingbing immediately took a half step back obediently, standing on the left and right with their heads bowed, not daring to overstep their bounds.
As soon as Thousand-Handed Rakshasa got out of the car, her charming yet sharp eyes fixed on Li Xunhuan like hooks, scrutinizing him from head to toe as if trying to see through him inside and out. Her gaze lingered especially on Li Xunhuan's seemingly thin clothes, as if searching for something.
Li Xunhuan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, coughed lightly, and asked gently:
"Young lady, what brings you to me, Mr. Li?"
The Thousand-Armed Rakshasa then withdrew his gaze, letting out a soft "humph" through his nose. The sound was not loud, but it carried a stubbornness:
"The golden silk armor is now on your body."
It's not a question, it's a conclusion.
Li Xunhuan was slightly surprised, but then nodded calmly:
"good."
Xue Bufeng said, "She came looking for the Golden Silk Armor, and I promised to help her get it. That's what we talked about before. I'm always a person who keeps my promises."
Upon hearing this, Li Xunhuan's eyes deepened with understanding, and he smiled:
"I thought it was something important, but it's just a piece of gold-threaded armor."
He turned to Tie Chuanjia on the carriage shaft and instructed him:
"Bring the things here."
Tie Chuanjia remained silent, deftly slipped into the carriage, and emerged a moment later carrying a flat yellow cloth bundle.
He walked up to the Thousand-Armed Rakshasa, presented it with both hands, his movements steady and powerful.
The Thousand-Handed Rakshasa immediately took the bundle and quickly untied it, revealing a soft armor that was extremely finely woven and shimmered with a soft golden luster.
It feels quite heavy in the hand, cool and tough to the touch, as if it were indestructible.
She carefully stroked the nail plate, examining it from all angles, her eyes sparkling with interest.
All the sacrifices and grievances endured over the past few days seem to have found their purpose and become worthwhile at this moment.
Li Xunhuan took in her expression and then looked at Xue Bufeng, who had a faint smile on his lips. How could he not know what had happened?
"It seems this young lady must be quite capable, otherwise why would someone as esteemed as Brother Xue come all this way in person?"
These words were unintentional, but the listener took them to heart, and they struck right at the most hidden and humiliating corner of the Thousand-Handed Rakshasa's heart.
Her delicate body trembled slightly, and her hand that was caressing the golden silk armor stopped. Two blushes, whether from shame or anger, instantly appeared on her beautiful face. She bit her lower lip tightly and glared at Li Xunhuan, but ultimately did not dare to lash out because Xue Bufeng was present.
Li Xunhuan is actually quite innocent.
He knew that Xue Bufeng was the young master of the Demonic Sect and was also very good at charming women. There were so many women who were willing to curry favor with Xue Bufeng that no one would feel humiliated.
But how could he have imagined that Thousand-Handed Rakshasa only liked women before meeting Xue Bufu?
Therefore, the men that other women like might not be the same in front of the Thousand-Armed Rascal, at least not in the past.
To this, Xue Bufeng merely smiled slightly, meeting Li Xunhuan's knowing gaze and softly uttering two words:
"Very moisturizing."
Li Xunhuan was taken aback at first, then their eyes met, and everything was understood without words, showing a tacit understanding between them.
After all, everyone in the martial arts world knows that Li Xunhuan was once a famous playboy who even took a courtesan home for the night. What else is there to misunderstand?
Let's not make Uncle Li laugh.
But now, things are different, and Li Xunhuan no longer needs to appear as dashing as before.
His gaze then turned toward the main hall of the Divine Blade Hall.
There were many people there, and disciples were busy arranging the banquet under Bai Tianyu's instructions. The aroma of wine and meat wafted over.
He recalled the lightning-fast exchange at Wanmatang during the day, pondered for a moment, and then turned to Xue Bufeng to ask:
"Brother Xue, did you not exert your full strength today?"
There's no need to ask that.
Simply because it's obvious to everyone.
But Li Xunhuan insisted on asking, because there was more to come.
Xue Bufeng glanced at him and asked in return:
Why should I give it my all?
When the topic turned to martial arts, Li Xunhuan said solemnly:
"As I said during the day, the invincible Divine Blade Bai Tianyu is not just a name. He was already ranked sixth on the Weapon Ranking when he was young, and he has been training hard for more than ten years. With his talent and temperament, his strength is already far beyond sixth place."
"His blade is heavy, steady, accurate, and ruthless. It has reached the realm of striking first after the opponent has moved and using simplicity to control complexity. Forgive my bluntness, but it is the nemesis of the Ruyi Heavenly Demon's Eight-Style Combo. He has been waiting for your weakness all day."
Xue Bufeng's eyes flickered slightly, but he still smiled and said:
"Oh? My swordsmanship is countered by him? I'm curious, Brother Li, if you had used your unerring Little Li Flying Dagger against him today, could he have blocked it?"