The Grandmaster Strategist

Chapter 17 A glimmer of hope

Duan Lingxiao was already prepared, but given his status, it would be shameless for him to take action as soon as I said this, so he still stood still, trying to see where the attack was coming from. If it came from behind, then it would be very difficult. The distance of five feet was enough for him to kill Jiang Zhe first. At this moment, he had no idea of ​​capturing Jiang Zhe alive. It would be better for such a person to let him die early.

As soon as I finished speaking, the two guards were only half a step away from me. Suddenly, sand flew up, and two figures came out of the ground. In an instant, they were protecting me behind them. Duan Lingxiao felt a chill in his heart, and subconsciously He took half a step back. How could he not notice someone lurking at such a close distance? After the dust dispersed, Duan Lingxiao could already see the figures of the two men clearly. They were two monks about thirty-five or six years old. They had a restrained spirit and plain appearance, but there was a look of resolute determination between their brows. Duan Lingxiao snorted coldly and said: "So he is a Shaolin monk?"

At this time, Jiang Zhe Qingyue's voice sounded: "Master Fazheng and Master Faren are the Eighteen Arhats of the previous generation of Shaolin. After a battle with Fengyi Sect Master a few years ago, only a few people survived. After this battle, the two masters, I have advanced in Zen skills, and I am the best in Buddhist martial arts, so I can hide it from the eyes and ears of the eldest son. But don’t worry, eldest son, the two masters admit that they are no match for you, so Jiang also invited other masters to come and help."

Duan Lingxiao's heart sank. These two monks had fought life and death battles with Fengyi Sect Master. It was difficult to deal with them after surviving. He didn't expect Jiang Zhe to have masters hidden in them. At this time, a calm voice came from behind him and said: "Poverty Taoist Zhang Jinxiong has met Mr. Duan." Then another soft voice said: "Ling Zhenzi of Emei has met Mr. Duan."

Duan Lingxiao's body flashed and he had already stepped back more than ten feet. Then he turned sideways and looked at the two people behind him. He saw two people walking slowly from behind the horizontal line. One was a Taoist in green, with a square and powerful appearance. She was full of energy, her hands were empty, but the other one was a nun in Ziyi, with a beautiful appearance and a calm expression, holding a whisk in her hand. Duan Lingxiao couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect that Lord Jiang is bound to win this time."

I hid behind Fazheng and Faren. I couldn't help but raise the corners of my mouth when I heard the words, but I quickly restrained myself. I selected these people after much thought. In order to attack Qinzhou this time, in order to guard against the Demon Sect disciples, The King of Qi had already written to the court to ask for help from the upright masters of the martial arts. The most outstanding masters of each sect often practiced secretly in their own sect. It is no wonder that when the martial arts has reached a certain level, fighting on the battlefield will no longer help the cultivation of the state of mind. The masters in the army of the Great Yong Dynasty are often not the best masters. There are a few masters of martial arts who are all in the palace. So this time I specially asked the emperor to recruit some martial arts masters to serve in the army. Of course, this matter is very secret. The identity is very secret.

The Shaolin Temple sent the most masters, and there were six of the surviving Twelve Vajras, not counting other generations of disciples. The last time Kongtong attached to the prince, although he was not implicated because of Zhang Jinxiong's return, he did not get any benefits. This time, he spent a lot of money and asked the head disciple Zhang Jinxiong to bring twelve elite disciples from the sect to accompany the army. After Zhang Jinxiong returned to Kongtong, he experienced many storms and waves, saw through the world, became a Taoist priest, and his martial arts improved by leaps and bounds. He also practiced several secret secret skills of Kongtong. Now his martial arts has reached a super first-class level, although he has not yet entered the innate realm. , but it’s only a thin line. Emei is also unambiguous. Ling Zhenzi is the number one master in Emei. Although he is over forty years old, he is like twenty people. Emei is already proficient in the art of messing with the cloak, and his unique skill of whisking dust with one hand is famous all over the world.

I wrote a letter to King Qi, asking him to send a few experts a day in advance, rush here according to the map in the letter, and then lay a trap, waiting for Duan Lingxiao to ambush. Of course, I also thought that Duan Lingxiao might not come, but in my calculations , there is at least a 60% chance of meeting Duan Lingxiao. Now that he is in ambush, although these four masters have failed to enter the innate realm, they are basically just a hair away (this is the result of Xiao Shunzi's evaluation).

If there is another small straight, Duan Lingxiao will be unable to fly.

Thinking of what I would be proud of, I said loudly: "If Mr. Duan is willing to surrender without mercy, Jiang is willing to swear that he will not harm each other. I wonder if Mr. Duan is willing?"

A glimmer of realization flashed through Duan Lingxiao's eyes as deep as the abyss, and he said: "There is a time for life, and there is a place for death. This place is as quiet and quiet as a paradise. Duan died here without any complaints. I admire Jiang Houye for his magical skills." .”

When I heard this, my heart moved. Something that I had ignored before came to my mind. I wanted to kill Duan Lingxiao because his martial arts was too high. I thought that if Su Qing hadn't discovered the enemy's water attack strategy, I would have just killed Duan Lingxiao. I am afraid that I will not be able to escape the disaster of flooding, so I am more and more worried about Duan Lingxiao. He has great martial arts. If he discovers my arrangement in the future, it will be a failure. Therefore, I do not hesitate to put myself in danger, lure him into an ambush, and prepare to kill him. He kills. But when my goal was about to be achieved, I thought of another thing. These days, I only thought about the threat of this person, but I forgot that this person was the leader of the Demon Sect. If this person died here, then Jing Wuji could actually If I take action openly and personally, I am asking for trouble. As long as Duan Lingxiao does not die, Jing Wuji will not take action easily unless we attack Jinyang. Therefore, Duan Lingxiao cannot die or even be captured alive. He can only be allowed to leave with serious injuries. , This is in the interest of our army.

While I was meditating, Duan Lingxiao had already taken action and rushed towards where I was standing, as if he wanted to snipe me in one fell swoop. Of course, Fazheng and Faren had already been prepared. Before coming, King Qi had issued a strict order. , if something happened to the Marquis of Chuxiang, no one would be able to get over it. Just now they heard Jiang Zhe and Duan Lingxiao talking in the pit. The two of them were already uneasy, fearing that Jiang Zhe was up to no good. Although they knew that Jiang Zhe was wearing soft armor, Moreover, the two of them were ready to block Duan Lingxiao's attack, but they still couldn't help but worry about where Duan Lingxiao could succeed at this moment. Just when the two of them were trying to stop each other, the three strands of true energy touched each other, and Duan Lingxiao had already retreated faster than the incoming force, turning around in mid-air with the intention of escaping. But at this time, Xiao Shunzi, who was the only one who might have better physical skills than Duan Lingxiao, ignored me and rushed to my side to protect me. When Duan Lingxiao was about to escape from the four people, three red lights flashed and stopped him. On Duan Lingxiao's way, Duan Lingxiao waved his hand, and the red light penetrated his strong wind, and slowly fell in front of him. Even so, Duan Lingxiao was also stagnant, and had been beaten by Fa Zheng, Fa Nin, Zhang Jinxiong and Ling Zhenzi surrounded them. Those three red lights were actually three blood caltrops shot by Zhang Jinxiong using Kongtong's secret technique. They were poisonous hidden weapons that could penetrate the innate energy. .

Duan Lingxiao saw that his only chance had been lost, his expression condensed, he stood firm and concentrated on facing the enemy. The five of them fought together. Duan Lingxiao was certainly a strong martial artist, and the four of them had already practiced the art of joint attack. Fa Zheng Fa Nin had great internal strength. Opening and closing almost all the attacks, while Zhang Jinxiong's martial arts is eccentric, vicious and the most lethal. Ling Zhenzi's chaotic cloak technique is the best at using softness to overcome force. She is not impatient and relies on her lightness of skills. The law blocker is on the periphery, and as long as Duan Lingxiao wants to break through, he will face her all-pervasive offensive. The four of them join forces, and they are really powerful. Although Duan Lingxiao is worthy of being the leader of the Demon Sect, and he can handle it well without showing signs of failure, it is not easy to escape, not to mention that there is a little Shunzi outside who is watching Dandan.

Xiao Shunzi was guarding me, watching the fight between dragons and tigers, but did not take action. Firstly, he was worried about my safety, and secondly, he was studying Duan Lingxiao's flaws, hoping to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop, but his thoughts could not be hidden from me. , I frowned slightly, thinking about how to deal with the current situation. At this time, Hu Yanshou and Su Qing brought back more than 20 people and presented six heads. Hu Yanshou said loudly: "Your Majesty, all the six people who came with Duan Lingxiao have been killed. Please check. These people are all highly skilled in martial arts and should be disciples of the Demon Sect, but three of our brothers were also injured."

I sighed slightly, alas, when Duan Lingxiao entered the village, the sentry I secretly ambushed had already noticed the people who followed him, so when Duan Lingxiao killed my guards and took the armor, I already knew that he was coming, but I feel sorry for those guards. They died at the hands of the enemy at such a young age, but there was nothing I could do. I said calmly: "Hu Yan will take their heads to pay homage to the heroic souls of the warriors."

Hu Yanshou knew my intention and did not get up. He said: "We have all known about the ambush set up by your Excellency. Everyone is aware of the dangers involved. Even if we lose our lives, we have no regrets. Please don't blame yourself."

My heart warmed, and I took a deep look at Hu Yanshou and said, "If I have no choice but to let this person go, won't you hate me?"

Hu Yanshou was shocked, but he quickly said: "My lord must have made such a decision after careful consideration. The general and others will not complain."

I felt relieved and looked at Su Qing. She looked at Hu Yanshou with bright eyes, a little surprised. When she saw me looking at her, she said: "Your Excellency has a clever plan. Such a decision must have deep meaning. Su Qing supports your decision in any way." .”

Only then did I feel relieved and said: "The people Duan Lingxiao brought must be good soldiers. Killing these six people is enough to compensate for the lives of our warriors. You should retreat first."

Hu Yanshou and Su Qing retreated. They commanded the tiger guards to surround the surrounding area and set up a sword formation that they had practiced hard. If Duan Lingxiao escaped from the encirclement, he would never be able to easily break through their sword formation. The net has been set up, and Duan Lingxiao is already an eagle in the net, and it is difficult to escape. But I can't decide whether to kill or not.

After fighting for more than a hundred moves, Duan Lingxiao's heart was as clear as water. Although the four people who besieged him were all masters at that time, they were still far behind him. Although there was only a slight difference between nature and nurture, it was a world of difference. If it were only this The four of them struggled to get some injuries, and Duan Lingxiao was confident that he could wipe them all out. But now there were more than a hundred tigers gathering outside, and the sword formation was complete. It was already difficult for him to escape, and the young man in green standing next to Jiang Zhe , although he didn't take action, his cold gaze seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts. Duan Lingxiao spent almost five minutes to guard against him. The net of heaven and earth was in place. Even if the master was here, he might not be able to escape unscathed. Now that the situation was dangerous, Duan Lingxiao could only feel a slight sense of pleasure in his heart. It was already difficult for him to appreciate the thrill of life and death. This embarrassing situation only made him even more excited.

Xiao Shunzi's eyes suddenly flashed coldly, because he had noticed that the situation on the field had changed slightly. Although Duan Lingxiao was still one against four, the four of his own team were still staggered in attack and defense. Both offense and defense were integrated. , as if a person had grown four pairs of arms, but Duan Lingxiao seemed to be confident and able to move freely. Although he could not break through the siege of the four people, no matter how the four people used their strange tricks, he was able to neutralize them. Although this person is a formidable enemy, Xiao Shunzi still secretly admires him. He is very sensitive to Jiang Zhe's emotional changes. Just now, he could faintly feel that Jiang Zhe was worried, so he asked in a low voice: "Master, I need to take action." .”

I suddenly woke up and looked at Duan Lingxiao, who was fighting fiercely in the field. His expression was calm and graceful, and I thought to myself, if I let Xiao Shunzi be captured alive, I'm afraid it would hinder his attack. Whether Duan Lingxiao lives or dies depends on his own luck. At most, I faced the Demon Sect, and my expression returned to normal, and I said coldly: "Go ahead, be careful, no matter life or death."

Xiao Shunzi nodded lightly and stepped forward slowly. Hu Yanshou and Su Qing stood beside me and protected me. After all, my safety is the most important thing. The martial arts of the Demon Sect are unpredictable. Who knows? Does Duan Lingxiao have any special skills that can harm both sides? If I find an opportunity for him to hurt me, even cutting Duan Lingxiao into pieces will not be able to undo such losses.

Duan Lingxiao's heart was awe-inspiring. He naturally saw the changes outside the field. If Xiao Shunzi participated in the siege, there would be no chance of him being born. But he also knew that this was the only chance to escape. If Xiao Shunzi wanted to join the battle, , then the four masters who are besieging you will inevitably make a gap, and the enemy's number one master takes action personally. No matter what, the others will feel a little relaxed. If they can seize the moment when the siege opens and closes, they can break out. , miss this opportunity, and there is no hope anymore. But how to seize this opportunity? The will to die was born in Duan Lingxiao's heart, the spiritual platform was completely empty, and his six senses reached the most sensitive state in his life. Although his changes were subtle and there was no change in his actions, the four people who besieged him were only one step away from the innate state. The master suddenly felt ripples in his heart. He also knew that he had reached a critical moment of life and death. He concentrated and prepared to let go of the defense line at the most appropriate time so that Xiao Shunzi could enter the battle. Even ordinary tiger guards who could not see the mystery of this silent tension were holding their breath and did not dare to relax at all.

Although I don't know martial arts, I often watched Mr. Sang, Xiao Shunzi, Dong Que and others compete when I was in the East China Sea. With my extraordinary six senses, I could see everyone's expressions clearly, not to mention Jianghu. Fighting is also a secret strategy of war. A flash of light flashed in my heart, and I suddenly understood the key to victory or defeat. When Xiao Shunzi joined the battle, it was when the trap I carefully designed was at its strongest, but the moment before this change was the weakest moment. As long as this moment passed, Duan Lingxiao had fallen into my control. My heart was spinning. I looked at Xiao Shunzi who was slowly approaching the five people who were fighting. I was thinking about how to help everyone and break Duan Lingxiao's chance of survival. With a glance, I had already made a decision in my heart. I lowered my voice to Su Qing beside me. The voice said: "What is your most powerful sword technique?"

Su Qing whispered: "Master once taught Su Qing a sword technique called 'Jade and Stone Burn', but Su Qing has not practiced it well enough and cannot use it at will."

Her voice was fast and low, without any hesitation. I felt a burst of admiration in my heart. She was indeed a well-trained soldier and had no intention of disobeying the superior's orders. I was not polite to her and said: "Use your most powerful words." Swordsmanship, wait until Xiao Shunzi joins the encirclement, and stop Duan Lingxiao who takes the opportunity to break out."

At this time, Xiao Shunzi had already reached the outskirts of the battle circle. Fortunately, he slowed down in order to let the four masters prepare themselves to join. Otherwise, I would not have had time to arrange for Su Qing to block the attack. And Su Qing is worthy of being a disciple of Wen Ziyan. Although I didn't quite understand what I said, she understood it clearly. While everyone was watching the battle, she gently moved to the side, put her right hand on the hilt of the sword, and stared at Duan Lingxiao's every move with a pair of cold beautiful eyes, while shouting Yanshou moved one step to make up for the shortcomings of Su Qing's move.

At this moment, the four masters who besieged Duan Lingxiao all changed their positions at the same time. Their bodies were as fast as lightning. Everyone felt that their eyes were blurred. These four people had changed their positions, and the originally tight defense line also left an empty space. , and Xiao Shunzi appeared in the empty space like a ghostly phantom. The five people moved like wind and fire. The timing chosen was almost perfect. However, as expected, like the laws of heaven and earth, the formation became the strongest. He was at his weakest before, and at the moment when the battle formation opened and closed, Duan Lingxiao's figure seemed to turn into an illusion, breaking through the encirclement like thunder and lightning, and swept towards the lake like a rainbow and lightning. At this moment, everyone who saw Xiao Shunzi joining the battle was instinctively relieved. This almost imperceptible flaw was firmly grasped by Duan Lingxiao. The direction he chose was also carefully chosen. Although this direction seemed to be a dead end, Jiang Zhe was in this direction, so Hu Yanshou and Su Qing, who were protecting Jiang Zhe, would definitely do their best to protect Jiang Zhe first. With these two people With his martial arts, it was absolutely impossible for him to kill Jiang Zhe with one blow, and Duan Lingxiao had never thought of doing so. He just hoped to pass by and hide in the dense forest on the opposite side.

His plan was foolproof, but when he passed by Xiao Shunzi, the five of them were shocked and tried their best to stop him. The two Shaolin monks shouted loudly and attacked, volleying directly with a hundred steps. The magic fist hit his vest, and Zhang Jinxiong's face suddenly turned red. He exhaled loudly and punched his right rib. This was Kongtong's most profound secret skill - the Seven Injury Fist. This punch concealed seven different powers. Said, if it hits a human body, all the bones and meridians will be shattered, but there will be no scars on the outside. Ling Zhenzi yelled, and the thousands of silver threads on the whisk trembled straight, and he brushed it towards the back of Duan Lingxiao's head, and The most threatening person is Xiao Shunzi. His martial arts are almost the same as those of Duan Lingxiao. The black iron hairpin has long been no longer needed. With one finger pointed in the air, a cold and cold Qi stabbed Duan Lingxiao's key point like a sharp blade. . In this small space, various forces surged together. The soft tiger guard armor worn by Duan Lingxiao turned into pieces of butterflies. In the sharp wind, Duan Lingxiao successfully broke through the siege of five people. Turning into an arc, he was preparing to avoid facing Jiang Zhe directly. After all, he didn't want to fall into tight siege again because he angered everyone. And if Jiang Zhe's life was in danger, that would be the thing that would anger everyone the most.

And just when Duan Lingxiao broke through the siege, a sword roar broke through the sky, and a black figure flew towards Duan Lingxiao's escape route. The sword light was like a spring cloud, and the sword power was full of invincibility. With the courage to return, when the light of the sword approached, Duan Lingxiao sighed in his heart, punched out, and the fists and swords met. The long sword made of hundreds of steel was broken inch by inch. Su Qing flew back, and Duan Lingxiao also took half a step back. At this moment, he left The lake is only three steps away, but it is so close to the world, and life and death are separated. Xiao Shunzi, with a stern face, has already stood in front of Duan Lingxiao, blocking Duan Lingxiao. Four masters have also surrounded him, and the five of them have Duan Lingxiao trapped in it. , the battle formation has been completed, and there is no gap left. Duan Lingxiao let out a long sigh, knowing that his only chance of life had been cut off. His eyes passed through the crowd and fell on Jiang Zhe. He only saw a faint smile on his face, as if everything was under control, while Su Qing stood beside him with a pale face. It can be seen that the sword just now was also It cost her a lot. Although it was Su Qing who drew the sword, Duan Lingxiao knew that Su Qing did not have the scheming to detect his opportunity to break out, and the most suspicious person was naturally Jiang Zhe, who could command Su Qing. Unexpectedly, Duan Lingxiao showed a wry smile as he would also die at the hands of this young man.

Looking at Duan Lingxiao who was forced back to his original place by Xiao Shunzi and the other four masters, I finally felt relieved. Duan Lingxiao was destined to be left here now. Even if he wanted to capture him alive, he might not have no chance. He had just broken out. On this occasion, he must have been seriously injured. The interception of Xiao Shunzi and the four masters was not something that could be easily avoided. Now Xiao Shunzi and the others couldn't help but feel ashamed, and they must be more cautious in their attacks. If Duan Lingxiao could escape from such a situation, then he I am afraid that I can already be listed as a Grandmaster, but in my opinion, it seems that this is not possible. But I really admire this person. Xiao Shunzi's martial arts may be similar to him, but his experience is much worse. After all, he is too young. But after today's battle, he should be able to improve even further.

After a while, even a person like me, who doesn't understand martial arts, could see that Duan Lingxiao seemed to have no power to fight back and was just relying on his will to hold on. However, Xiao Shunzi and others cooperated tacitly and became more and more comfortable. Just when I was thinking about whether to let Xiao Shunzi capture Duan Lingxiao alive, Xiao Shunzi suddenly launched a series of killing moves. I felt a blur in front of my eyes. The situation in the field had changed drastically. Xiao Shunzi and Duan Lingxiao started fighting head-on. , while the other four people surrounded the two, waiting for an opportunity to attack Duan Lingxiao's weak spot. Before I could react, Xiao Shunzi hit Duan Lingxiao on the shoulder with a palm. When Duan Lingxiao staggered back, Fa Nin and Fazheng, both Shaolin masters who are proficient in grappling, took the opportunity to trip Duan Lingxiao. With a sharp shout, a stream of green blood shot out from his mouth. Fa Nin and Fa Zheng were both Shaolin masters and knew a lot about the secrets of the Demon Sect. They tried their best to dodge and avoid the "green blood arrow" that contained Duan Lingxiao's essence and blood. , Duan Lingxiao got a gap, but Zhang Jinxiong and Ling Zhenzi had already filled the gap. Duan Lingxiao lowered his body to avoid Ling Zhenzi's whisk, but felt a pain in his right knee, but it was Xiao Shunzi who pointed at the empty point and was hit by the wind. The acupuncture point between his knees, the icy cold Qi invaded the important acupoint, Duan Lingxiao could hardly stand, he simply knelt down on his right knee and rolled, avoiding the wind of Zhang Jinxiong's palm at the last moment. Duan Lingxiao knew that there was no hope of survival. He also saw that the enemy wanted to capture him alive, otherwise the two monks would not have used their grappling hands. The thought of decisive determination suddenly arose in his heart. As the first disciple of the Demon Sect and the future master of the Demon Sect, How could he be captured and humiliated? Duan Lingxiao sighed in his heart and decided to cut off his heart. At the critical moment, a sharp shout suddenly came from everyone's ears: "Everyone stop, or I will kill this person."