The Emperor Reigns Them All

Seeing the injured Liu Zhiyan, Ugly Man screamed and gave him a punch with his left fist. However, before his fist could even reach Li Ye, Li Ye had already had a hand knife in his right hand and slit his neck. The ugly man fell feebly on the ground with a bang. He blacked out and could not stand up for a while.

Meanwhile, Shangguan Qingcheng, Wang Li and the rest, had hijacked the other small boats and started a fight with the members of Changhe Gang.

They were all practitioners of Qi techniques, especially Wang Li and the rest, who had entered the Qi-refining Stage for a long time. Apart from Liu Zhiyan and Ugly Man, the members from Changhe Gang only had cultivation from the Mortal Realm. They might be the elites in Wei River gang, but in front of Wang Li and the rest, they seemed vulnerable. They did not have the ability to retaliate and were pushed into the river one after the other.

"I will fight you!" she said. Liu Zhiyan wiped the blood off her mouth while fixating her gaze on Li Ye. Disregarding her injury, she leaped from the boat and pounced onto Li Ye like a leopard. The rune on her double-edged knife shone brightly. It was obviously a magic treasure.

Li Ye stared indifferently as he reached out his hand and slapped her.

This slap seemed unremarkable, but it dissipated her Spiritual Qi and Liu Zhiyan was blasted out once again before the slap had yet reached her. She fell into the center of the boat, vomited blood and could not get up.

The other members of Changhe Gang on the boat tried to rush towards Li Ye, but under Li Ye's slap, they were either fallen directly onto the boat or were blasted out from the boat and fell into the river. The splashing sound, which was caused by them was endless.

When Li Ye stopped, no one was standing on the boat, and no one could even stand up, including Liu Zhiyan.

Clasping his hands behind his back, Li Ye looked at Liu Zhiyan and said faintly, "With your capability, it is impossible to break through the defence of the Huangli County's dock warehouse. Who are you? Who is the mastermind that gives you the order to hijack the ships?"

Liu Zhiyan looked bleak and struggled to sit up. She looked at Li Ye speechless. There was no hatred and resentment in her gaze. There was only despair as though she had resigned to her fate. This despair was calm, as though she had accepted her death.

Seeing the speechless Liu Zhiyan, Li Ye looked around his surroundings. After the Chang'an Office cultivators got on the boat, the other members of the Changhe Gang, who were on the boat, were quickly subdued. Although Li Ye was not a good-natured person, he did not like to kill so he had given the order not to kill beforehand.

In addition, he needed to interrogate these people or get them to be witnesses.

When the members of the Changhe Gang lost their fighting power, not many were fatally wounded, but most were in the waters. The Practitioners of Qi techniques had an absolute advantage when fighting with the cultivators of the Mortal Realm. At this moment, the officials of Chang'an Office had already tied up the injured people.

Upon seeing this scene, Liu Zhiyan seemed puzzled. These members of the Changhe Gang, who had spent a long time with her, mostly survived. This changed the way she looked at Li Ye.

After all, within the Wei River gang, many would have died if the two groups fought face to face. Those officers, who represented the imperial court seemed arrogant. The officers would not even look at them in the eyes, let alone sparing their lives.

"The official has arrived. Why wouldn't you guys show up instead of hiding around?" Li Ye looked at the shimmering river under the moonlight and said faintly. His voice was gentle but it could be heard from afar.

"You corrupt officer. You killed my people from Changhe Gang. I will fight you!"

There was a loud scream. Numerous waterfalls emerged on the river surface, which had already calmed down gradually. Numerous water columns rose into the air. Within the waterfalls, many Practitioners of Qi techniques, who were holding various magic treasures, stepped onto the small boats and started to fight Wang Li and the rest.

Behind the crowd, a small boat appeared suddenly. There was a black-haired old man standing on the boat. He was the one who just spoke.

This old man was Chen Jianghe.

Hearing that Chen Jianghe was also a kind of concealed identity, Li Wei smirked. He turned his wrist and the Luke Sword was already in his hand.

At this time, the fire of the furnace on the top of the hill was still shining bright. Liu Dazheng was still sitting on the threshold in front of the shack and did not get up.

Not only did he not get up, but he also began to tear the tobacco leaves. His movements were meticulous, his expression was focused, and he was extremely serious, just as how he cast those kitchen knives which the Taoist disdained. It was as though everything in his life deserved his full attention.

Liu Dazheng's indifferent attitude made the Taoist frown slightly. He originally thought when he called out the names of Li Ye and Song Jiao, Liu Dazheng would put away his indifferent attitude, but it now seemed that he was wrong.

Seeing Liu Dazheng started to restore his Qi, the Taoist whispered, "Master said that the matter concerning green lotus is of great importance. Whoever has it, had to bring him back to Zhongnan Mountain, even if he is the Grand Prince! I collected some information in Chang'an. After Li Ye came back from Niushou Mountain, he had another Jianghu practitioner. Although he looks very different from Song Jiao, you also know that Song Jiao is very good at Face Shift Method."

The Taoist paused. Then, he said, "After the Battle of Bagong Mountain, Song Jiao had also learnt from you, and retired back to the forest. She arrived at Zhongnan Mountain before proceeding to Sanqingguan. However, after that fight in the night, she vanished at Niushou Mountain. If she did follow Li Ye and green lotus was captured by Li Ye, I would need your help to deal with her."

Liu Dazheng lifted his head and said faintly, "You are wrong.".

The Taoist was stunned and asked, "Why am I wrong?"

Liu Dazheng said, "Reaching Zhongnan Mountain does not mean that you have retired into your hometown."

The Taoist smirked, "Does this mean reaching Huangli County would truly be retirement?"

Liu Dazheng said, "Zhongnan Mountain is in Jianghu, but not Huangli County.".

The Taoist said coldly, "I know what you are trying to say. Although Huangli County does not have Taoist sect, with you around, is there a need for a Taoist sect. You could set up a sect by yourself!".

After he finished speaking, the Taoist looked back at the furnace. He glanced at the hanging kitchen knives and then looked at the boy. He said coldly, "You have also accepted an apprentice."

Liu Dazheng sighed. "You should go."

The Taoist said angrily, "Liu Dazheng! You really don't want to help me?!"

Liu Dazheng said, "My intention is very clear."

The Taoist's facial muscles twitched. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He took out a token suddenly and threw it into Liu Dazheng's hand. He said, "This is the token that Master carries all the time. When I look at this token, it is as though I am looking at Master. I finished talking. You decide for yourself. If you really disregard Master's upbringing, I don't treat you as my Senior Brother!"

When Liu Dazheng saw the token, his hands trembled.

The Taoist left angrily.

Liu Dazheng closed his eyes and looked as though he was in pain. In his eyes, it was as though there were countless earthworms crawling on his face. He said in a low voice, "Master, why are you forcing me?"

The Taoist had already reached the courtyard gate.

"Wait."

When the Taoist heard Liu Dazheng's speech, his eyes lit up and seemed happy.

Liu Dazheng kept his tobacco pipe and approached the Taoist instantly.

The Taoist looked at Liu Dazheng and said with a smile, "Senior Brother is indeed Senior Brother..." He saw the empty-handed Liu Dazheng and said surprisingly, "Where is your knife?"

"Knife?" Liu Dazheng repeated, as though he was asking himself. He reached for his back and grabbed something without turning his head. There was a momentary breeze. A knife flew straight out from the house and immediately landed in his hands. He said, "Here is the knife."

The boy saw the knife appeared in Liu Dazheng's hand out from nowhere and was shocked. He turned his head violently towards the knife rack in the house. The boy had a superb memory. He observed that the outermost knife had disappeared!

He swallowed his saliva and stared as though he could not accept the facts in front of him. He said, "Liu, Liu Dazheng... You, you are a cultivator?!"

Li Ye stood at the bow of the boat with his sword.

Two practitioners of Qi techniques in black jumped out from the waterfall in front of Li Ye. When they emerged, they had risen their swords, preparing to strike Li Ye.

Two rays of bright Knife Qi, which were more dazzling than moonlight, were reflected onto Li Ye.

Li Ye moved instantly. He grabbed Ugly Man with one hand and grabbed Liu Zhiyan with the other. He stepped on the side of the ship with the right foot heavily, then lifted it up. The boat swayed as though it was going to flip.

With two loud noises, the knife Qi smashed onto the small boat. It broke into three pieces, then into countless pieces. Water, along with the sawdust, splashed everywhere. The splashing sound of the water was pleasant.

Ugly Man and Liu Zhiyan were thrown toward the willow tree on the river bank into the watch of Black Office, who was hidden in the dark. Li Ye landed gently, with his toes on a piece of broken wood. He quickly rushed toward a practitioner of Qi techniques who landed on the small boat. Slanting the Luke Sword forward, the Sword Qi arrived before him.

That practitioner of Qi techniques quickly retracted his long knife to guard against the impending attack. At the same time, he started the Incantation Gestures. A Spiritual Qi Shield was raised in front of him so to block the Sword Qi.

However, the Sword Qi penetrated the Spiritual Qi Shield easily, as though it was cutting tofu. Its power was not diminished. To the horror of the practitioner of Qi techniques, the Sword Qi hit the knife in front of him. With a loud screech, his hand could no longer control the long knife and it slit his chest. This practitioner, whose Qi-refining skill was of Level 3, was dispirited. He immediately spurted out a mouthful of blood and fell into the river from midair.

Li Ye left the boat momentarily after he landed on it. Then, a fireball, with a diameter of nine decimeters long smashed onto the boat. In the violent explosion, the bow of the boat was destroyed by the fireball. Water entered the cabin and the boat started to sink.

Li Ye immediately turned towards another swordsman. He thrust the Luke Sword straight toward his throat.

The fearful swordsman stared hard. As Li Ye was approaching too quickly and was far beyond his expectations, this practitioner, whose Qi-refining skill was of Level 4, had no chance to dodge the attack. Hence, he guarded his throat by blocking the attack with his knife.

The Luke Sword hit the sword and sparks flew. With a screech, the Luke Sword penetrated the knife and lunged forward. Sparks flew from the incision. The metal screeching sound was extremely unpleasant to the ears.

The practitioner saw that the tip of the sword had penetrated the knife and was scared stiff. He quickly turned his neck so to dodge, but it was too late. The Luke Sword pierced his throat nonetheless. The tip of the sword had penetrated through his neck.

Li Ye appeared calm and unsurprised, apart from his ghastly gaze. He slapped the practitioner's shoulder and blasted it. He pulled out the Luke sword and blood spewed out. The sword made an arc in midair and it was especially enchanting under the moonlight.