Martial Arts: The Secret Villain Starting from Huashan

"Although you and I are not of the same mind and have different opinions, we are both in the same predicament at the moment. Why don't we put aside our prejudices and work together to come up with a plan?"

Gongsun Zhi's words were sincere and firm. When he said this, he paused deliberately to let his words linger in the air, creating a subtle atmosphere.

His eyes were as sharp as torches, fixed on Duan Yanqing's face which was distorted by anger. He did not miss any slight changes in his expression, trying to catch any clues or flaws that could be used.

Sure enough, when Duan Yanqing heard Gongsun Zhi's words, his expression began to change subtly and profoundly at this moment. At first, his brows were furrowed and there was a gleam of doubt in his eyes.

He seemed puzzled and surprised by the topic Gongsun Zhi suddenly mentioned. However, as Gongsun Zhi's words went deeper, Duan Yanqing's eyes gradually became sharp, and the doubt was replaced by a strong curiosity.

His eyes were wide open, as if two bright lights suddenly lit up in the darkness, and he stared straight at Gongsun Zhi, trying to capture more information from every subtle expression and every word of the other party, as if he wanted to see through Gongsun Zhi as a whole.

Gongsun Zhi was secretly pleased when he saw this, for he knew that his words had successfully aroused the other party's interest, and could even be said to have aroused some desire or obsession deep in Duan Yanqing's heart.

So, he struck while the iron was hot and continued.

"I know very well that you hate that guy to the core. Not only did he make you lose face, he also brutally injured your third and fourth brothers who were closest to you. Although I haven't experienced this hatred and pain myself, I can empathize with you."

"As for me, Gongsun Zhi, although I dare not say that I am the top master in the martial arts world, I do have some means and abilities. I am willing to lend you a hand and work together to deal with that brat and avenge you."

Having said that, Gongsun Zhi's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, fixed tightly on Duan Yanqing's zombie-like face, as if silently urging the other party to respond.

Duan Yanqing was lost in deep thought. His face was clouded with gloom. His brows were sometimes furrowed and sometimes slightly relaxed. It was obvious that he was having a fierce struggle deep in his heart.

Weighing every possible option and consequence.

The air around seemed to be frozen, and only the occasional bird song in the distance broke the silence.

Gongsun Zhi waited patiently. He knew that it was not easy for such a thoughtful man who had once held a high position to make a decision. He believed that his proposal was tempting enough to move Duan Yanqing.

Seeing Duan Yanqing still silent, Gongsun Zhi's eyes flashed with anxiety. He knew very well that the situation at the moment was extremely delicate and that he would lose everything if he was not careful. So, he decided to add fuel to the fire to make his words more convincing.

"I will help you to avenge your grievances and deal with Xu Xingchen who made you lose face; and you will help me escape from this Heartless Valley. In this way, we can each get what we want, isn't it wonderful?"

Upon hearing this, Duan Yanqing's brows furrowed even deeper, his heart was like a raging sea, with all kinds of thoughts intertwined. On the one hand, his hatred for Xu Xingchen was indeed like a raging fire that was difficult to quell, on the other hand, he was half-believing and half-doubting Gongsun Zhi's words.

After weighing the pros and cons, Duan Yanqing finally nodded and spoke using ventriloquism.

"Okay! I'll trust you this time. I, Duan Yanqing, am not an easy person to deal with, but if you dare to play any tricks..."

"Don't worry, Brother Duan."

"I, Gongsun Zhi, always keep my word."

Gongsun Zhi interrupted Duan Yanqing's words, with a cunning light flashing in his eyes. He knew that he had successfully transformed Duan Yanqing, who was known as "full of evil" in the martial arts world, into a temporary ally, and the hope of escaping from the Valley of Unrequited Love was greatly increased.

At this time, seeing Duan Yanqing and Gongsun Zhi, two unforgivable villains, actually reached an incredible cooperation in a flash, this sudden change made everyone present dumbfounded.

Xu Xingchen stood aside and witnessed all this. A trace of disdain and ridicule flashed in his eyes, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, as if he had already seen through the despicable behavior of these two people.

Afterwards, Xu Xingchen slowly took a few steps forward. He sneered softly, with a hint of disdain at the corner of his mouth. His voice was not loud but was clearly heard all around.

"Humph, birds of a feather flock together. You two, one is as cunning as a snake and the other is as cold and ruthless as ice, are quite good at finding companions. When you work together, it's simply seamless. Your coordination is more natural than the most tacit double act."

Having said this, he paused deliberately. His deep eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts. He swept his gaze over Duan Yanqing and Gongsun Zhi and couldn't help but sneer.

"but!"

Xu Xingchen changed the subject and his two words came like a bolt from the blue, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"Since you two like to team up to commit evil, I will be merciful today and give you each a fitting nickname. Duan Yanqing, you have committed numerous evil deeds, and people call you 'Full of Evil'."

"This nickname of [Full of Evil] is most suitable for you; as for you, Gongsun Zhi."

At this point, Xu Xingchen's mouth curled up into a scornful smile, his deep eyes revealed a kind of disdain and ridicule, and he spoke slowly, with a bit of amusement and provocation in his voice.

"Since you like to hang out with Duan Yanqing, how about calling yourself 'Full of Evil'? This title not only reflects your true nature, but also echoes the name of your accomplice. It's a perfect match!"

"You arrogant kid!!"

Duan Yanqing just shouted loudly, and his voice exploded like thunder in the empty space, with unquestionable majesty and anger. His eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, staring directly at the seemingly young but imposing figure in front of him - Xu Xingchen.

Duan Yanqing stretched out his body, like a cheetah ready to hunt, holding the two extremely white iron rods tightly in his hands, and suddenly tapped the roof of the hall twice to gain leverage.

"Ding! Ding!"

Two crisp metal collision sounds were heard. It was the moment when the iron rod briefly touched the roof tiles, but it was enough to demonstrate Duan Yanqing's profound internal strength and precise control of power.

Duan Yanqing rushed out like an arrow from a bow, so fast that only a shadow was left in the air. While in mid-air, he did not pause for the slightest. The iron rods in his hands had turned into two yellow lightning bolts, interweaving with an indescribable mysterious power.

This force flowed around his body, causing the surrounding space to tremble.

"Chichichi..."

Immediately afterwards, a sharp and piercing sound of breaking wind was heard in the air, and three dazzling rays of light shot out from the tip of the iron rod in Duan Yanqing's hand, each of which contained a powerful and masculine finger force.

This is exactly the unique finger technique [One Yang Finger] passed down by the Dali Duan family. The power contained in these three finger forces is not only astonishingly powerful, but also ingeniously divided into three paths: upper, middle and lower, forming an impenetrable net, pressing straight down on Xu Xingchen below.

Each fierce finger force was accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air. They drew brilliant tracks in the air, as if they were the brightest meteors in the night sky, but more deadly than meteors.

Facing the three extremely sharp [One Yang Finger] forces that attacked simultaneously from above, middle and below, Xu Xingchen not only did not show any intention of retreating, but instead straightened his body with a determined look in his eyes.

At this critical moment, Xu Xingchen took a deep breath, and the "Quanxin Zhenfa" in his body was instantly activated to the extreme. A strong and pure internal force poured into the Hanming Sword in his hand like a rushing river.

The Hanming Sword seemed to feel the determination and strength of its master. For a moment, the sword body trembled slightly, emitting bursts of cold air, which formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding hot air.

"【Breaking Arrow Style】!"

Following Xu Xingchen's clear whistle, the Hanming Sword in his hand seemed to come alive, spinning rapidly in his hand to form an exquisite sword flower, performing the [Arrow Breaking Style] from "Nine Swords of Dugu".

Although the [Breaking Arrow Style] in "Nine Swords of Dugu" is specifically designed to break all hidden weapons and long-range attacks in the martial arts world, because of its ability to break long-range attacks, it was used by Xu Xingchen to deal with Duan Yanqing's three [One Yang Finger] finger forces.