The Blue-Faced Beast Battles the Black-Faced God: Timely Rain Meets a True Hero

Not long after leaving Yunmeng Village, Hao Siwen spoke up, "Brother!" Hao Siwen seemed to have something to say, but didn't know where to begin!

Song Jiang felt a pang of regret; Hao Siwen was indeed leaving! But a forced marriage is never sweet; if Hao Siwen truly wanted to go, then let him go!

Hao Siwen is definitely one of the top five fighters in Xiao Biao. How could Song Jiang bear to let such a master go? Of course he would, but sometimes things are beyond our control!

Song Jiang looked at Hao Siwen and smiled, "Brother, we've fought side by side before, so why be so coy? Just say what you have to say."

Hao Siwen no longer hesitated and asked, "Brother, where does your path lead if you continue on your journey?"

Song Jiang didn't hide anything and told them about the lost treasure in Jizhou Prefecture!

Hao Siwen didn't hesitate and said directly, "In that case, I'll go to Qinghe County with my brother. After this matter is settled, I'll go find my sworn brother, Guan Sheng!"

It turned out that the martial arts examination would take some time, and Hao Siwen wondered what important matter Song Jiang had brought to Hebei!

If the matter is important, I will go with him to help Song Jiang. If it is just a trip to visit friends, then I will go to Henan to find Guan Sheng!

Although Hao Siwen was young, he was a man of strong character. He greatly admired Song Jiang for his righteousness, his strategic planning, and his role in pacifying Yunmeng Mountain. Apart from his two sworn brothers, Guan Sheng and Tang Bin, it was this brother he had known for less than three days who impressed him the most!

When he learned that Song Jiang was going to find the thief of the treasure, he estimated that this matter would not be easy, so he immediately decided to protect Song Jiang to Qinghe first, and then go to find Guan Sheng after everything was over. There would be enough time!

In fact, it wasn't just Hao Siwen; Yang Zhi was the same. When he first met Song Jiang, although he knew Song Jiang's name, he didn't take him seriously. No matter how famous Song Jiang was, he was just a minor official, far inferior to Yang Zhi, who was a Palace Attendant!

Moreover, Yang Zhi possesses superb martial arts skills and, as a descendant of a prestigious family, has an unyielding and proud spirit!

Song Jiang initially just wanted to find a free bodyguard, which he knew all too well. However, he was also desperate and decided to accompany him, which was better than wandering around alone!

But when he discovered that Song Jiang truly protected his ancestors, he realized that Song Jiang was not just talking; beneath that short stature lay an open and honest heart!

He spared no praise for the Yang family. How could he not tell whether those words were genuine or not? Especially since the Yang family had long since declined, and most people had forgotten their past deeds. Even if they did remember, how many people could speak as eloquently as he did!

Yang Zhi knew he couldn't be like Song Jiang when dealing with strangers; having spent so long in officialdom, he naturally understood the importance of self-preservation.

But everything Song Jiang did melted his heart, which had never known warmth before!

As for Jiao Ting, it's even simpler. Once he's set his sights on Song Jiang, he'll stick with him to the very end, even if it means giving his life to Song Jiang!

Song Jiang, of course, was unaware of what the others were thinking. Hearing Hao Siwen's words, Song Jiang was deeply moved. He knew exactly what Hao Siwen was thinking, and bowed, saying, "Good brother!"

Gongsun Sheng didn't talk much along the way. Apart from chatting with Song Jiang sometimes, he was like air in Yunmeng Village, basically having no presence at all!

Song Jiang also knew that these Taoist and Buddhist people always boasted that they were outside the Three Realms and outside the Five Elements, and that they basically did not participate in worldly grudges and did not care much about the life and death of ordinary people!

Although Song Jiang did not approve of their indifference, he would not use moral blackmail to force them to intervene!

With horses, the journey became much faster. The six of them traveled for a whole day, and Yunmeng Mountain was already out of sight behind them!

A dense forest appeared before them, and Song Jiang had a feeling that something was about to happen again.

He wasn't too sure either. There were usually bandits in the dense forest. He had just leveled a hill, and he hoped that no more fools would come to their deaths!

The dense forest was extremely dangerous, and the surroundings were quiet. Strange leaves were hanging from every branch and fork. Occasionally, an evil wind would blow by, rustling through the trees, and wild animals would occasionally dart out, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the place!

All six men became alert, and Yang Zhi said, "This kind of forest is most likely to attract thieves."

Before the words were finished, a man suddenly jumped out and shouted, "This mountain is mine, these trees are mine. If you want to pass through, leave your toll money. Anyone who dares to say no will be killed and not buried."

Song Jiang looked at the bandit, who was nine feet tall, with eyes like copper bells, a face full of scars, and carrying a large axe. He thought, "This bandit is no ordinary man. Luckily, I brought bodyguards with me." He couldn't help but look at the group of men.

Hao Siwen said with a wry smile, "I'm no match for this man; this thief is no ordinary person!"

Zhu Tong also shook his head and said, "We can fight, but I will definitely lose!" It is a big taboo to admit defeat before the battle, but the group had already become brothers, so they did not hide anything. Some duels are obvious at a glance! It is not about appearance. If we only looked at appearance, wouldn't Yu Baosi be the number one expert in Liangshan? It is about the aura that experts exude. Ordinary people simply do not have that kind of aura!

Yang Zhi slowly drew his family heirloom sword and said, "I'll deal with this man!"

The strongman laughed loudly: "Fine, since you're courting death, I'll send you on your way for free today. My axe hasn't drunk blood yet, so I'll use you to sharpen it and get some profit."

Yang Zhi did not answer, but raised his sword to strike the man's head. The man shouted, "Well done!" and raised his axe to block the thunderous blow. With a loud bang, it was like lightning flashing across the sky.

The man parried Yang Zhi's sword and then swung his axe at Yang Zhi's waist. If hit, Yang Zhi would be cut in two at the waist. Yang Zhi withdrew his sword and forcefully deflected the axe. The clash of sword and axe produced a piercing roar. Yang Zhi thought to himself, "This man has immense strength."

Yang Zhi's family heirloom sword could cut through iron like mud, but the bandit's giant axe was completely undamaged, so it must be an extraordinary weapon as well!

The two attacked with their own moves, neither gaining the upper hand, and were evenly matched, secretly admiring each other!

Yang Zhi stopped probing and attacked the man with all his might. The man didn't care at all; he had finally met a worthy opponent and no longer held back, going all out.

The two men clashed like tigers descending from the mountain or dragons plunging into the sea. Their swords flashed, axes clashed, and metal clanged. The blades slashed, thrust, sliced, parried, and thrust; the axes hacked, smashed, swept, punched, and deflected. For a time, the battle raged fiercely, leaving the world in chaos. Yang Zhi, rarely encountering such a formidable opponent, fought with renewed vigor and increasing ferocity. His opponent, not to be outdone, roared and grew stronger, his axe attacking with increasing speed. While Yang Zhi was indeed weaker in strength, his mastery of the Yang family's swordsmanship was unparalleled. Yang Zhi, having mastered its essence, held no advantage. They exchanged blows, neither giving an inch, and fought for fifty rounds without a clear victor!

The others watched and secretly cheered. Such a fight was extremely rare to see on ordinary days. Today, they were so excited to witness it that they were afraid of missing out on a good show. Hao Siwen thought to himself, "Everyone says that my sworn brother's swordsmanship is unparalleled. I never imagined that Commander Yang's swordsmanship is also so strong!"

Everyone knows the Yang family spear technique, but Yang Ye's nickname is Golden Knife. His knife skills are never inferior to his spear skills. It's just a pity that he is the only one who is proficient in both. All his descendants are better at the spear than the knife. Yang Zhi is a rare person who is proficient in both the knife and spear, but he has never reached the top level!

Song Jiang watched from the sidelines, secretly cheering. This was truly the first time in his life he had seen such a spectacular fight, certainly better than Chao Gai's fight against Liu Tang. At the same time, he became interested in the man's identity. To be able to fight Yang Zhi to a draw, he must not be an unknown person. There were only a few people in the Water Margin who used axes. If Song Jiang hadn't been certain that this was the Song Dynasty, he would have thought this man was Cheng Yaojin.

Although the play was entertaining, it couldn't go on indefinitely. Fearing that if they didn't speak up, the two men would get hurt if the fight continued, Song Jiang said, "Please wait a moment and hear me out."

Yang Zhi feigned an opening and stepped out of the circle, and the man put away his axe to see what Song Jiang had to say.

The man also stopped, took a breath, and secretly cheered. Although the big man opposite him had a blue birthmark on his face that looked really unlucky, his methods were extraordinary. If he hadn't waited for several days and no one had passed by, he wouldn't have planned to rob the group in front of him!

Song Jiang clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "This hero is highly skilled in martial arts and must not be an unknown person. It is a bit of a waste for such talent to be engaged in highway robbery."

The man said, "My name is Mi Sheng, and I am from Huaixi. Because I like to fight for justice, I got into a lawsuit in my hometown and have been hunted down by the government. I had no choice but to flee here. Now that I have run out of money, I want to get some silver to continue my journey."

Song Jiang was overjoyed. He had naturally heard of Mi Sheng, one of Wang Qing's fierce generals, who had fought Suo Chao to a standstill for fifty rounds—a true warrior of the Eight Tiger Generals. Since they had met here, how could he let him go and join Wang Qing? He couldn't bear to watch a great general defect to someone else. Liangshan was currently lacking skilled warriors, and now that one was right here, how could he not accept him? He was unworthy of his reputation as the Timely Rain, especially since such a fallen hero was most likely to be won over!

It seems that Mi Sheng is in trouble because of a murder case, otherwise he wouldn't be in such a sorry state. Sometimes things are just like that. He wanted to be a good citizen, but when he was pushed to the limit and had a life on his hands, he became indifferent to life and would kill people without any mercy!

Thinking of this, Song Jiang spoke up: "I wonder what your plans are next, hero?"

Mi Sheng thought for a moment and said, "I plan to join the bandits. I'm quite capable, so why let this corrupt world ruin my reputation? I'd rather eat meat and drink wine to my heart's content. May I ask your names?"

Song Jiang bowed and said, "I am Song Jiang, from Yuncheng, Shandong."

Mi Sheng exclaimed with delight, "Could it be Song Jiang, the one known in the martial arts world as the Timely Rain?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "That's because the heroes of the Jianghu are giving me face."

Mi Sheng then asked, "This valiant hero is highly skilled in martial arts. May I ask your esteemed name?"

Yang Zhi also introduced himself. Mi Sheng suddenly realized that he was a descendant of the Yang family, no wonder he was so skilled in martial arts. Then the others introduced themselves as well. The seven of them stood and talked for a while. Song Jiang took out some dry food and dried meat prepared by Yunmeng Village and said, "Brother Mi Sheng, you must not have eaten yet. Why don't you sit down and we can eat and talk?"

Mi Sheng laughed and said, "The rumors in the martial arts world are indeed true. Timely Rain is understanding and righteous. To be honest, I'm a little hungry right now."

The seven people sat down and chatted while eating. Mi Sheng thought about how much he had benefited from his battle with Yang Zhi. He had never encountered such a master before, and praised, "I have long heard that the Yang family's spear technique is exquisite. I did not expect that Commander Yang's swordsmanship is also so superb. If it were a spear, I would probably be no match for him."

Yang Zhi sighed and said, "The Yang family spear technique is indeed extremely exquisite, but unfortunately I have not grasped its essence."

Song Jiang asked curiously, "What do you mean by that?" He had some doubts in his mind, thinking that Yang Zhi had never defeated any master, whether he used a knife or a spear.

Yang Zhi took a sip of water and said, "My talent for marksmanship is not outstanding. In addition, I have been training with swords and spears since I was a child, so my marksmanship can only be described as having achieved some success. It is far from being mastered. I am afraid it will be difficult for me to master marksmanship in this lifetime."

Song Jiang thought that Yang Zhi's burdens and pressures in this life were too great, and his heavy psychological baggage made it impossible for him to concentrate on martial arts training, which should also be one of the reasons.

Yang Zhi paused for a moment and said, "I have a nephew named Yang Zaixing. Although he is still a child, he is exceptionally talented. His future marksmanship will surely surpass mine."

Song Jiang originally had a very laid-back attitude towards recruiting Yang Zhi, after all, Yang Zhi aspired to officialdom!

But for Yang Zaixing, it was a different story. He was a fierce general in history who struck fear into the hearts of the Jin soldiers. He once single-handedly entered the Jin camp to capture Jin Wuzhu. Although he failed, he returned safely. In his last battle, he killed four of the Jin vanguard generals and chased the Jin soldiers to Xiaoshang Bridge. However, Xiaoshang Bridge was covered in snow and had been in disrepair for many years. As a result, he and his horse fell into the Xiaoshang River and he died, leaving behind a heroic elegy. For such a loyal and courageous man, it would be a waste if he died at the hands of the Jin people or was suspected by the court. Song Jiang was confident that he could lead Yang Zaixing to sweep across the world.

Song Jiang believed Yang Zhi's assessment of Yang Zaixing without a doubt, but Mi Sheng felt that Yang Zhi was exaggerating a bit. After all, Yang Zaixing was still just a child, so how high could his skills be?

Yang Zhi simply smiled and did not reply.

The seven chatted for a while longer before Song Jiang spoke up, asking, "Brother Mi Sheng, I have something to say, but I don't know what you think."

Mi Sheng nodded and said, "Please speak plainly, brother."

Song Jiang said, "With your skills, brother, you are destined for greatness. It would be a waste to waste your martial prowess if you were to become an outlaw. I am now a respectable figure in Yuncheng. If you could help me, it would be like adding wings to a tiger, and you would be able to put your skills to good use." After saying this, he stood up and bowed to Mi Sheng.

Mi Sheng quickly helped Song Jiang up, saying, "Brother, you mustn't be so polite. Since you value me so much, why shouldn't I follow you? Besides, you have a great reputation, and I've long wanted to follow you." Thinking of the disdain he had received in the past, Mi Sheng didn't hesitate to follow Song Jiang now that he was being treated with such respect!

Jiao Ting chuckled to himself. His brother's charm was truly divine; he had gained followers in the blink of an eye. This big man was no match for him!

Song Jiang said happily, "I will certainly live up to my brother's expectations."

Mi Sheng joked, "As long as there's meat to eat and wine to drink, it doesn't matter."

Song Jiang laughed loudly, "I'll make sure my brothers can't finish eating it all."

After resting for a while, the group continued on their way. Mi Sheng had a black horse grazing in the forest. Seeing Mi Sheng approaching, the horse excitedly raised its hooves!

Everyone laughed; this horse was surprisingly intelligent!

The group walked on for a while longer, and the sky gradually darkened. There were no inns around to stay at, so they had no choice but to continue on their way. In the distance, a village slowly came into view.

The group quickened their pace, and a burly man carrying a hoe walked towards the village not far away!

Song Jiang quickly asked, "Brother, may I ask for directions? Where is an inn?"

The burly man turned his head and said, "There's a town about seventy or eighty li ahead, and there are inns there!"

Song Jiang looked at the big man, who was nine feet tall, with a square face and broad shoulders, and had the generosity of a man from Yan and Zhao!