With a sword drawn, he laughs proudly, his martial prowess dominating the heavens!

Chapter 26 Jinzhuang

The previous chapter has been significantly revised...

Li Che had only been paying attention to Ma Jian, but upon hearing a delicate shout, he slightly turned his gaze and saw a young woman dismount before the horse had even stopped.

The woman was dressed in a bright red outfit, with a slender waist and a tall figure. She raised her right horsewhip high, pointing it directly at Li Che, but there was also a long whip hanging around her waist.

The whip has interlocking, ring-like teeth that gleam bright silver in the sunlight, suggesting it is made of steel.

Li Che's gaze shifted upwards, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.

This spirited young woman was no more than twenty years old. She had an oval face that still seemed to have a bit of baby fat, a slightly twisted nose, high-arched eyebrows, and eyes as clear as autumn water, sparkling brightly.

A slight hint of anger or resentment only amplified his heroic spirit.

"Kid, you dare look?!"

Seeing that she was about to reach for the steel whip at her waist, Li Che smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Miss, you misunderstand. I am here to observe the horse, not the person."

The woman was taken aback by his words, but seeing that he remained calm and composed, and occasionally glancing at his mount, she didn't seem to be faking it.

Unexpectedly, she suddenly stepped forward, blocking Li Che's view, and said angrily, "Kid, you're saying I'm not as good-looking as a horse?!"

Li Che: "???"

What kind of brain circuit is this?

The woman glanced at the longsword beside him, then her eyes lit up. "You know martial arts? Come, let's exchange a few blows. If you defeat me, I'll let you go today! Draw your sword!"

Li Che remained unmoved and instead laughed, "My martial arts skills are naturally inferior to yours, but with your temperament, it would be extremely dangerous for you to roam the martial world."

The woman's face stiffened upon hearing this. She seemed reckless, but in reality, she had her own backing. Who in Chang'an City would dare to cross her? Moreover, she had the support of the neighboring Huashan Sect.

Speaking of which, it was Li Che's bad luck. This morning, her father had just rejected her idea of ​​joining the escort mission, and she was in a bad mood when she came back from her walk and ran into this shifty-eyed kid.

"Miss—Miss—!"

The entourage finally caught up, each with wild delicacies hanging from their saddles. The horses were exhausted, and the men were panting heavily.

These men were skilled horsemen and had strong, muscular builds. Their arms, in particular, were twice the size of those of an ordinary man, suggesting they possessed considerable martial arts skills.

"Miss, we've been out for quite some time now. If we don't go back soon, the master of the manor will probably scold us again."

"Who asked you to come along? You've been nagging the whole way, it's so annoying!"

The attendant, not daring to take offense, still smiled apologetically and offered a few words of persuasion.

"Kid, you're lucky!"

After saying that, he glared at Li Che, then strode onto the saddle and headed straight for Chang'an.

The old man at the tea stall didn't seem flustered. He placed the teapot in front of Li Che and casually said, "Miss Huo is a bit fiery, but she never bullies the weak. Young hero, don't take it too seriously. If you happen to meet her next time, just say a few kind words and she won't make things difficult for you."

"Huo? Is that the Huo from Qianjin Village?"

"Who else could it be? Speaking of which, there are very few bandits around our Chang'an City, and we really have to thank Master Huo. By the way, I heard that Master Huo and Master Yue of the Huashan Sect have a close relationship. These two are both very important figures in our Shaanxi region."

"You know about the ways of the martial arts world, sir?"

"You're underestimating me, aren't you? Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've still seen pigs run, right? This old man's tea stall is frequented by real and fake heroes carrying swords and knives. After hearing about it so many times, you'll naturally know what I'm talking about."

Hey, it's just for fun, a way to pass the time.

Li Che couldn't help but smile upon hearing this; what a coincidence.

He vaguely remembered the second young lady of the Huo family.

In the original novel, Tian Boguang invited Linghu Chong to go down the mountain to see Yilin in order to separate Yue Buqun and his wife.

This lecherous thief committed many crimes in Guanzhong, including the brutal treatment of the second young lady of Qianjin Village. Unable to bear the humiliation, she eventually hanged herself.

She really is a strong-willed woman!

"I've left the money here, I'm leaving!"

"Oh dear, what's the use of two coins!" Seeing the young man turn his back, wave, and walk away, the old man chuckled to himself, thinking, "These江湖人 (jianghu people) love to pretend to be big spenders. This old man's shabby teahouse makes just as much as the taverns in the city."

Qianjin Village is located in the east of Chang'an City. After entering the city, you will see a magnificent mansion not far away.

Stone lions, each about ten feet tall, sat upright beneath the gate. On either side of the stone altar, flagpoles, each about twenty feet tall, stood erected, with indigo flags fluttering atop them.

The right flag is embroidered with a steel whip and iron plaque, while the left flag is embroidered with the two large characters "千斤" (a unit of weight), written in bold and vigorous strokes.

The gates of the manor were wide open, and the bluestone road extended to the main hall. Two men stood guard on either side of the gate and on either side of the hall, displaying their authority.

Li Che thought to himself, "Could it be that a distinguished guest has arrived at the manor?"

"Huh? You've got some nerve, following me all this way!"

Without even looking, it was clear that Miss Huo had caught them red-handed.

Li Che turned his head, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Unprepared, I am Li Che, a disciple of the Huashan Sect. I have come to pay my respects to Master Huo on the orders of my master!"

Miss Huo let out another soft exclamation, then looked her up and down a few times with her hands behind her back, saying, "You're Li Che? I've heard Uncle Yue mention you. Wait, do you know who I am?"

"I have heard of Miss Huo's name since I first entered the city. I hope Miss Huo will not take offense at the slight misunderstanding earlier."

"Hmph, your manner of speaking is exactly the same as Uncle Yue's, so there must be no mistake. The terms 'Second Miss' and 'Eldest Miss' sound awful. I'm nineteen this year, older than you. Call me 'Senior Sister' and I'll take you into the manor."

"Otherwise, let's have a fight. Uncle Yue said you have great talent and high martial arts skills, but I don't believe it. Come, come, let your senior sister teach you a few moves."

Li Che: "This unruly girl...!"

"Shiyu, what nonsense are you spouting now!"

Looking in the direction of the sound, a group of people walked out of the main hall. The one in the lead was dressed in silk brocade robes, tall and muscular, with a powerful stride.

He had a square face, thick eyebrows, a wide nose, and especially bright, piercing eyes.

Judging from his age, he was already in his fifties, with silver hair, and had the air of someone in a high position.

Li Che guessed that this must be the manor lord, Huo Quan.

He was followed by three people, the one in front of him being no more than forty years old. He was clearly intentionally half a step behind and his attitude was quite respectful.

Upon getting closer, Huo Quan glared at his daughter, who immediately calmed down from her previous fierce demeanor and became obedient.

When Huo Quan's gaze finally fell upon Li Che, his tone was gentle and warm, as if he were bathed in a spring breeze, "Young brother, have you come to the manor on some business?"

Li Che drew a letter from his robes and immediately bowed, saying, "Disciple Li Che of the Huashan Sect greets Martial Uncle Huo!"

"Oh?!" Huo Quan's gaze narrowed slightly, but he didn't accept the letter. Instead, he took the initiative to put his arm around Li Che's shoulder and laughed loudly, "Nephew, Brother Yue is finally willing to let you come out of the mountains? Haha, you don't know, Brother Yue mentioned you several times last time he came. My ears are practically calloused from hearing it."

Huo Quan burst into laughter, and the people behind him echoed his words, quickly stepping forward to exchange a few pleasantries with Li Che.

Li Che thought to himself, it seems that in the Shaanxi region, Lao Yue and Lao Huo have quite a lot of influence.

"Shiyu, what are you standing there for? Why aren't you calling me 'Senior Brother'?!"

"Dad, he's a year younger than me. I'm clearly the senior sister!" Huo Shiyu said, her face full of indignation.

"Nonsense! Your uncle-in-law is older than me, and Li Xian is his outstanding student. How can seniority and rank be determined by age? You're really getting more and more presumptuous as you grow up!"

Huo Shiyu muttered softly, "We haven't even competed yet, so who knows if Uncle Yue is just bragging?"

"What did you say?!"

"No, Li... Senior Brother Li!"

When Li Che heard the few words she squeezed out through gritted teeth, he was immediately amused, but then he thought that the girl's name "Shiyu" really didn't match her personality at all.

He then smiled, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, and replied, "Junior Sister Huo, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

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