This competition should have been a sure thing, and no one expected Yan Qing to win. The descendant of Yan Budu holding the Mercy Sword, facing the young leader of Taiheng, just heard that it was a gimmick. After hearing the news from Yueshui Pavilion, the number of people watching the game increased several times, the Jinyu Gang made a lot of money, and the fat gang leader's face was filled with dark clouds.
Su Si carried a bulging sack on his back, disguised as an old farmer with a dark face, and looked at the stage. The audience was particularly crowded today, and the person standing behind him staggered and almost fell on Su Si. There was a loud roar from the sack, and then the back of the person's hand was twisted by something, and he retreated back in shock.
"I'm going to sell geese tomorrow." Su Si changed his voice and said this.
The man had a rough complexion and was neither too old nor too young, probably a laborer. Seeing that the man in front of him was an "old man", he didn't take it seriously: "Uncle, you are also here to see the excitement."
"We're going to the market in town. We'll leave at noon and just take a look around." Su Si responded vaguely and continued to stare at Yan Qing.
The sun was especially bright today, and something was flickering on the Mercy Sword. He gave Yan Qing the Longevity Lock, which swung in the light. Now everyone in the world was watching, and Yan Qing was not afraid of gossip.
Su Si thought harshly, but a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth involuntarily.
"Leaving at noon, that would be a loss." The man said in surprise, not afraid of being twisted. "The good show will start in the afternoon. See the person in the upper seat? He is the witness of the Jianchen Temple Massacre. After the fight, he will confront the Kushan Clan. Look at this scene, isn't it more exciting than the court hearing a case?"
"We are all busy working and eating, the market doesn't wait for anyone."
"Well, it's just a goose, why not sell it here? The heroes of Taiheng Sect have a lot of money, maybe they'll be happy tonight and add a roast goose to the table."
After that, the sack flapped violently for a while. The goose in the sack was separated by the sackcloth and tried its best to pinch him.
The coolie yelped and struggled to move away.
"Okay, okay, Grandpa Goose, let's talk about something else." The man bared his teeth, "Sir, you really don't care? This is not an ordinary confrontation. Who knows what kind of trouble the Kushan Sect might make."
"What's going on?"
People were crowded here, and the common people didn't like to lower their voices. The conversation between the two had been overheard by others, and when someone heard something interesting, they turned around and asked.
Seeing that he had attracted attention, the coolie became more and more proud and shouted louder: "That's right, the Kushan Sect is full of monsters. I and my brothers were porters and came all the way to the Kushan Sect. It was my brothers who were responsible for carrying the Kushan Sect! I heard it for sure, the Kushan Sect is full of monsters!"
Su Si laughed dryly.
The coolie, no, the porter brother with the shoe-horn face said with great joy: "You have seen the appearance of the eldest disciple, and the master is no less handsome. How can an ordinary person look like that? The master and disciple of Kushan Sect are both foxes in disguise. My brother saw it clearly! The servants they recruited are also not right, did you see? This one is the descendant of a demon, and the other one is said to be a snake demon. They are all bad guys!"
Snake demon Su Si: "..."
He was a little curious about what breed Yan Qing's identity as the "descendant of the Yan family" had been given before it was exposed.
Don't be a goose.
Thinking of Yan Qing's stubborn look, Su Si couldn't help but smile. It was a pity that he couldn't go to greet his best friend later - he had something very important to prepare.
The common people loved this kind of supernatural rumor and clamored for him to continue. The porter was getting more and more proud as he spoke, his saliva flying everywhere: "The old fox's magic power is running out, so he has to fight for flesh to maintain his human form. You see him sitting on a wooden chair, wrapped in fur, that's his tail exposed, he has to hide it! In the afternoon, the Yang energy is strong, when Tai Heng uses magic, the master and apprentice will both show their true form first... Hey, hey, sir, we are just getting to the exciting part, why are you leaving?"
On the ring, the two also fought to a very exciting stage.
The Guanwu Sword is Tai Heng's number one sword, and is said to be made of thousand-year-old flame iron. Its blade burns without fire, and it does not show red. Even if a person holds the sword, it will get burned if it touches it carelessly. Tai Heng specially sealed it with a cold jade scabbard. The snow-white sword blade is matched with a pure white scabbard, and the color is like white plum blossoms covered with snow, which is cold and beautiful.
In comparison, the Mercy Sword seemed like a stone chopping board. If one had to praise it, the only words to describe it would be "simple and elegant".
The martial arts of both of them were extremely upright. Sand and rocks flew everywhere in the arena, and whether it was fists and feet colliding or blades clashing, it always created a scorching wave of air. It was clearly spring, but the area around the arena was as hot as summer.
If one must tell the difference, Qu Duanyun fought wildly and passionately, while Yan Qing was still gentle and conservative. Even though he had gained some experience in fighting with Elder Zhou, Yan Qing still felt like he was facing a wave of molten iron, unable to defend against the surging scorching sword energy.
Facing such a powerful enemy, Yan Qing tightly grasped the Sword of Mercy, and beads of sweat slid down his cheeks.
He knew that Qu Duanyun was very strong, but he never thought that he could be so strong. The last time they confronted each other at the Chigou Sect headquarters, this person didn't use any strength at all.
Yin Ci was the strongest person Yan Qing had ever seen. Yan Qing had originally thought that no matter how strong Qu Duanyun was, he would still be three points weaker than Yin Ci. But now it seemed that this person was strong enough to fight Yin Ci—
Qu Duanyun's internal strength is about 40% weaker than that of Sect Leader Shi. Considering that Shi Jingzhi is not an ordinary person, Qu Duanyun's internal strength is enough to be the best in the world. Not to mention that his external strength is 40% stronger than that of Sect Leader Shi. Coupled with his powerful internal strength, this person is enough to fight back and forth with Yin Ci, who has no internal strength.
… To reach such a level, one must have a strong talent and must study and practice hard day after day. It can be seen that Qu Duanyun is definitely not a person who is ambitious and has high aspirations but low skills.
Not good.
Yin Ci's strength lies in his sophisticated and sophisticated moves, and his aura is as cold as an ice spring in winter. Shi Jing's strength lies in his understanding and internal strength. His moves are unpredictable, and his aura implies the power of heaven and earth, pure and untainted.
Qu Duanyun is different. Both his moves and momentum can be summed up in one word: "domineering".
"Why, you weren't so restrained just now."
Noticing that Yan Qing was being extra cautious, Qu Duanyun said in a deep voice.
"Since you know you can't win, why don't we end it sooner rather than wasting time... Yan Qing, do you want to hide for the whole day?"
Qu Duanyun showed no sign of fatigue. He glanced at Shi Jingzhi and put away his sword.
There was a slight whoosh, followed by a cry of surprise from the audience. The Guanwu Sword ignited with golden flames, which stung people's eyes. Qu Duanyun also imitated Shi Zhongyu and ignited pure yang fire with his internal force. The move was exactly the same as Shi Jingzhi's "Yang Fire Covering the Flag".
Yan Qing was shocked and stunned.
He had grown up in Taiheng for ten years, and had seen all kinds of Taiheng disciples, so he knew where the boundary of mortals was. According to Senior Yin, Qu Duanyun was probably also an excellent "demon material". And he had already been verified in Yuanxian Village, and was a mortal.
Qu Duanyun was more talented than him, had a better environment than him, had practiced martial arts for longer, and was not necessarily less diligent than him. His accumulated skills could not lie, and he was completely crushed by Qu Duanyun in every aspect, and he really had no chance of winning.
Some people are born to live in heaven, and some are born to sink into the mud. People are born different, and even if people try to cover it up with "hard work can solve it", the differences determined by fate cannot be ignored.
"What do you want?"
The next time the swords collided, Yan Qing asked in a hoarse voice.
"Power, fame and fortune are within your grasp. You are already at the pinnacle of human fortune. Why do you still want to target the head of the sect? What do you want? To become an immortal?"
Qu Duanyun snorted coldly: "What's the point of asking? What's the point of not asking?"
"Since you know that Yan Budu is a member of the royal family and is affiliated with the Yinxian Society, you should know his ending... Yan Budu wanted to become an immortal, but committed suicide when he was about to achieve his goal. Sect Leader Qu is more reasonable than him, so he should be able to figure it out."
"As the old saying goes, how can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?" Qu Duanyun sighed. "I have nothing to say to you."
The two of them communicated with each other through their internal energy, and Qu Duanyun did not hide his contempt at all.
Not only did he not get an answer, he didn't even get any information. Yan Qing gritted his teeth, busy with passive defense, his mouth bitter. Qu Duanyun's sword moves were like raging waves, Yan Qing's uniform was full of burn marks, and there were many bloody wounds on his body. There was no intact place on his body. His hair tie broke at some point, and his hair, which was neither long nor short, was scattered in a mess, and the ends of his hair were soaked with blood, making him look particularly embarrassed.
Yan Qing was relieved that Su Si was not in the audience this time. This was too embarrassing. If Ah Si saw it, he would jump up and down and curse again.
Logically, the winner should have been clear, but Qu Duanyun didn't stop, and Yan Qing was also stubborn and refused to call for a stop, continuing this one-sided torture.
He was seriously injured and then was imprisoned by Tai Heng. "He died soon after" is reasonable and easy to explain.
It seems that Qu Duanyun knew that he had nothing to fear from his own shadow. He was afraid that if he was imprisoned for too long, the Taiheng Sect members would become suspicious of the "demise of the descendants of the Yan family" and would feel pity for him, a servant who could wield the sword of mercy.
Qu Duanyun probably knew that Yan Zheng was being protected by the Taiheng Sect. He did this to cut off all the possibilities of accidents. As the heir of the Yan family, no one in the audience thought it was inappropriate. The applause was continuous, and Yan Qing's ears were hurt.
A hundred years have passed, and the world remains like this.
"Take action?" Even though the head of the sect didn't treat outsiders as human beings, Yan Qing was still under his protection. Seeing such a tragic situation, he really couldn't bear to watch it.
"Wait a little longer. I'm fighting that kid, and he hasn't reached his limit yet."
"I, I'll raise his monthly salary... Hey, he has to work like this even though you're the one taking over."
"Jingzhi, I have led many soldiers and have seen many extraordinary talents. The extraordinary talents are naturally excellent. According to common sense, if the extraordinary talents are willing to fight, mortals will never be able to catch up with them."
Yin Ci stared at the stage intently.
"But you and I have seen the records of Jianchen Temple. The sword Yan Qing is holding right now is exactly the sword made by a 'mortal'."
Shi Jingzhi hit the mark by accident when he was preparing for the battle. Qu Duanyun is Yan Qing's best opponent. Whether he can figure out the key depends on Yan Qing himself.
The sky was clear above, and there were not very prosperous villages and towns around. The opponent's sword style was blazing, and the burns on his body were painful. In a trance, Yan Qing seemed to be back in a corner of Xizhuang, back in front of the stove burning in midsummer.
The heat in the woodshed was like torture. He was staggered and kicked by his drunken father, and the red-hot iron rod poked his back again and again.
The meat I just served has turned sour. You little bastard, did you do this on purpose? Did you want to poison me? Is that right
We don’t have a well at home, and we can’t store the meat when it’s hot, Dad… That was the last piece of meat, and it was still edible, really edible.
Bullshit, you're feeding your own father stinky meat, I think you just want to poison me to death! His explanation is useless, his father won't listen at all. Mom, why is there a burnt smell, the good rice is burnt again, and you say it's not intentional!
Because he was being beaten and stepped on the ground, he couldn't stand up at all, let alone see the fire. But Yan Qing kept silent obediently - if he continued to explain, he would probably be beaten more severely and his rice would be burnt more severely.
Even if he tried his best to call for help, the villagers would not help. Who knows, there might be someone waiting outside the yard, pointing and watching the show.
That's right.
Seeing that Yan Qing did not resist, his father relaxed his feet contentedly.
With your physique, you still want to hurt me. If you had known you couldn't beat me, you shouldn't have done such unnecessary things... Remember, human life is given by God, and this is your life.
Memories and reality twisted together, Yan Qing shook his dizzy head and continued to mechanically resist the attack. The sword energy on the opposite side became stronger and stronger, and the rope of the longevity lock he had carefully tied was cut off, and the small silver lock fell to the ground with a ding.
Qu Duanyun glanced at the longevity lock and snorted with disdain.
The two sounds came one after the other and merged into a loud thunder.
Yan Qing suddenly smiled. In the midst of the blood and sweat, this smile was particularly innocent, and thus a bit creepy. He gave up defense, rolled forward on the spot, and held the longevity lock tightly in his arms.
"I see," he muttered. "That's it."
Before Qu Duanyun could react, Yan Qing thrust the stone sword into the stone platform. The stones on the platform were no match for the flame stone, and were instantly broken into several pieces. The sword of mercy lifted and lifted, and the stone slabs and stones flew together, each of them was heavy. Qu Duanyun's long sword was narrow, and he could not defend against so many broken stones for a while, so he had to step back a few steps.
"It's just a trick."
"Yes, it's just a trifle." Yan Qing said with a smile, "Isn't it just this trifle that we're fighting for?"
The sword of mercy was strong but not harsh. The sword wind lifted the stone and made it bounce in the air for a long time without falling to the ground. Qu Duanyun's vision was limited, so he could only use the sword energy to split the stone. However, the stone cracked more and more and became more and more of a hindrance.
Master Kongshi is also a mortal, and his strength is not as good as Yanbudu. In the world of competition, the competition is not just about "who is better". There are thousands of answers to one question, and "martial arts" is just one of the answers.
The key to victory for mortals over demons is...
The light of the Compassion Sword was dim, covering most of Yan Qing, and it was almost the same color as the broken pieces of the stone platform. Not to mention that the stones were supported by Yan Qing's sword energy, and they were all swaying, which was dazzling. However, the Guanwu Sword was very bright, and with just one glance, one could tell where Qu Duanyun was.
The situation on the field was reversed, and the people in the audience were as if their necks were strangled, and they were suddenly silent.
Ding.
The sound of silver hitting the stone slab was heard, and Qu Duanyun subconsciously turned in the opposite direction.
He just saw this person put the longevity lock in his arms, but it was just another trick to make a feint to the east and attack in the west. As long as he could calculate Yan Qing's favorable attack position, he could strike with one sword -
Unexpectedly, before he could release his sword, he was kicked in the back unexpectedly.
Yan Qing jumped out from the place where the collision sounded, his figure as fast as lightning. He used all his strength in this kick, which caused a series of blurry and cracking wind sounds. Qu Duanyun was experienced after all, and he instantly used all his internal strength to try to stabilize his body. Unexpectedly, Yan Qing threw out the Mercy Sword at this moment, pointing it directly at his back.
Have to hide.
Qu Duanyun gritted his teeth and had to turn sideways in the air. Logically, Yan Qing lost his sword, and the sword wind should have dissipated instantly, and all the gravel fell to the ground. Unexpectedly, after throwing the sword, the man imitated Elder Zhou to slap out palm wind - Yan Qing was used to using a big sword, so he copied it. The palm wind he learned was rough and immature, and could not hurt anyone.
But moving the stone is enough.
A stone slab stood firm, stuck right where Qu Duanyun was standing, and was tilted by the wind in his palm.
From the longevity lock falling to the ground to the stone slab tilting, the series of actions happened in less than a second.
Just when Qu Duanyun thought he had found his footing, the stone slab beneath his feet suddenly tilted. He lost his balance and stumbled a step before he and the stone slab fell out of the arena. The arena was not very high, and when Master Qu's boots stepped on the mud, there was almost no sound.
However, this step was like a silent explosion, and the whole place was instantly filled with silence.
For a moment, people didn't even realize what was happening.
"In fact, you are more like Yan Budu." Yan Qing squatted on the stage and said in a low voice. You could hear a pin drop, but the words were clear. "You are serious about fighting me, but deep down you still don't take me seriously, and you don't look at me from the perspective of 'looking at people'."
He gave a bitter smile and opened his bloody hand, revealing the crudely shaped longevity lock.
"Your moves are fierce, and your sword carries Yang Fire. If it hits me, I will be completely destroyed. When I picked it up just now, I did not hide my cherishment. This is my beloved thing, how could I use it to 'make a feint to the east and attack in the west'?"
Qu Duanyun stood there in a daze, not knowing whether he heard it or not.
"This is a flaw I left deliberately. You should be able to see me as your opponent and remember me in your heart, and never make the wrong judgment... Sect Leader Qu, I thought you were a respectable opponent."
Yan Qing sighed and continued.
"what a pity."