Thriller Paradise Chapter 201: Cangling Debate of Swords (9) - Novel Cool

Chapter 201: Cangling Debate of Swords (9)

Chapter 201 Cangling Debate of Swords (9)

After the five of them dealt with the ambush, they didn't continue toward the town center. Instead, they turned into a side alley and entered an abandoned residence at random.

Cangling Town wasn't particularly large, but it still deserved to be called a "town." Otherwise, the commotion from that earlier fight would've already drawn onlookers. After years of abandonment, there were many empty thatched cottages in the town, none occupied and none containing anything valuable. If one could tolerate the snakes, insects, rats, and ants inside, taking shelter there provided a decent roof over one's head.

According to the information Meng Jiu previously provided, aside from the sect masters and disciples of major sects staying at the inn in the town center, other martial artists and disciples from secondary and tertiary sects had to make do with these abandoned civilian houses near the inn. Of course, Meng Jiu and his Beggars' Sect elders never considered such issues - beggars were accustomed to sleeping on the streets.

Feng Bu Jue's group, as players, could ignore basic physiological needs like eating, drinking, sleeping, and bathroom functions within this scenario. They only needed to monitor their stamina values and whether their concentration could be maintained.

At this moment, there was about an hour left before dawn. Feng Bu Jue's plan was for everyone to hide for another two or three hours, then head to the inn in town around seven in the morning. They would use this time period to naturally restore their vitality and stamina values, while he explained his analysis of the situation and countermeasures for after sunrise.

Since this scenario had a high degree of freedom with no restrictions on time, map, or tasks for the players, there was no need to worry about being flagged as passive play by the system. The group could regroup in peace.

Of course, Feng Bu Jue was highly efficient. He finished conveying all his instructions within half an hour. The next two hours became a period of playing word chain games and watching Bei Ling pelt Xiao Tan with snacks...

While the players were hiding in shadows and killing time over these two hours, Shi Yanran and the square-faced man weren't idle either. The two soon met up to discuss the details of framing someone. They indeed knew each other. When Shi Yanran glimpsed the man from a distance earlier, he recognized him as Gongsun Li, the second-in-command of Wanxia Tower.

Though Gongsun Li also bore the Gongsun surname, he had no blood relation to Gongsun Qian whatsoever. They simply shared the same surname by coincidence. Gongsun Qian had joined the sect ten years earlier than Gongsun Li and was also ten years his senior. The senior and junior disciples had addressed each other as brothers since their youth. Both possessed remarkable martial arts talent and stood out among their contemporaries. Decades later, they had become the top two figures in Wanxia Tower.

Within Wanxia Tower, Gongsun Qian was undisputed in martial arts prowess. However, when it came to depth of character, he was far surpassed by his sect brother Gongsun Li. Take the matter between Shi Yanran and Wang Ao for example - Gongsun Qian remained in the dark while Gongsun Li understood everything clearly. The remarkable thing about Gongsun Li was that he knew things but didn't speak about them... and he could act as if he knew nothing at all.

He wouldn't use this knowledge to blackmail anyone nor interfere with how events unfolded. Gongsun Li lived by four words - "Cautious in secret." Therefore, he was always prepared for any unexpected situations. It was precisely this style of being prepared against thieves every day that enabled him to turn the tide at such a critical moment.

Gongsun Li's assistance to Shi Yanran this time wasn't because he had any special relationship or ulterior motives toward the woman. He merely wanted to preserve Wanxia Tower's face and had to intervene. He also understood clearly that once the murder was exposed, the affair would inevitably come to light as well. If the incident had happened elsewhere, that might have been acceptable. But it happened here. Now in this Cangling Town, things were already more chaotic than at a grand martial arts assembly. If their sect's scandal were exposed here and now... they would forever be ridiculed wherever they went with comments like "The sect master's wife committed adultery with a disciple." How could Wanxia Tower's disciples maintain their reputation in the martial world after that?

Among upright men and righteous martial artists, there were still few who could uphold justice over personal relationships when the moment came. At this point, Gongsun Li wouldn't dwell on truth or righteousness - better to pin everything on those outsiders. Judging by Feng Bu Jue's group's appearance, they were all in their twenties and none were familiar faces. Even if they possessed some martial skills, they were clearly newcomers to the martial world. With his status as Wanxia Tower's second-in-command and Shi Yanran as the sect master's consort, framing those five people for Wang Ao's murder would be as certain as the board of a door.

That night, after Gongsun Li and Shi Yanran finalized their story, they immediately sought out Gongsun Qian. They claimed to have accidentally discovered Wang Ao sneaking out at night, found it suspicious, and secretly followed him. However, after following for a while, they found Wang Ao already dead in the street with five peculiar martial artists standing beside his corpse. After fighting them, they realized the five were extremely formidable. Outnumbered five to two and fearing defeat, they could only flee back to report.

Although Gongsun Qian felt there were a few inconsistencies in their story, he didn't dwell on them in the urgency of the moment. Immediately, he led more than ten disciples out of the inn to follow the guidance of Gongsun Li and Shi Yanran to the crime scene. As expected, they found Wang Ao's mangled corpse lying in the street. Judging from the number of footprints and the scattered darts at the scene, there indeed had been a fierce battle involving multiple people.

However, they currently had no idea where to search for those five individuals, so they reluctantly retrieved the body and returned home to discuss further actions.

This group's movements in and out of the inn naturally attracted the attention of many onlookers. Before dawn, the news had already spread. Almost all the major sects and martial artists in the region had heard... Wang Ao of Wanxia Tower had been murdered by five mysterious martial experts previously unknown in the martial world.

...

The next morning at Azure Spirit Inn.

The inn's cooks and staff had already been busy before dawn. By now, steamer baskets of snow-white steamed buns and pots of fragrant tea were already prepared, ready to be served at the guests' call.

No one, not even the staff at this inn in Cangling Town, could clearly recall exactly when it had reopened. The inn was already in normal operation when people heard about Xie San and Ye Cheng's duel in mid-July and rushed to the town.

Anyone inquiring about the inn's background from the staff received no answers. The inn's staff were ordinary people from nearby county towns - one and all without martial arts knowledge or understanding of martial world affairs. Someone had given them a generous payment, instructing them to work here for just one month. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the inn would close, accounts would be settled, and everyone would go their separate ways.

As for the innkeeper himself... he rarely appeared. He was a man in his forties with effeminate features and a complexion so pale it seemed unnatural twenty-four hours a day. He looked ghostly even during daylight hours, and no one ever saw him at night. If someone claimed he was the reincarnation of a wronged soul from the town, there might be people who believed it.

Now having spoken about the inn's owner, let's discuss the guests staying at the inn...

In this scenario's martial world, the strongest organizations were known as the "First Mansion, Second Floor, Three Sects, Four Gates" - ten major sects in total.

The First Mansion was Xianye Mansion. The Second Floor comprised Wanxia Tower and Bafang Tower. The Three Sects were Shaolin, Renwu Sect, and Xiao Yao Sect. The Four Gates were Wujie Gate of Kaifeng, Jin Gang Gate of the Western Regions, Justice Gate of Luoyang, and the Tang Clan of Shu.

Among these sects, Xianye Mansion stood supreme in the martial world with an awe-inspiring presence. Its top experts were universally recognized as the strongest in the martial world. Aside from the legendary Sword God Ye Cheng, the mansion's "Huaying Six Swords" were all first-rate experts at the sect master level. The Plum-Blossom Sword Lu Qingning mentioned earlier was one of these six experts. Naturally, she had also gone missing the previous night.

As for the Second Floor, both Wanxia Tower and Bafang Tower were currently at their peak. Each sect possessed a legendary ultimate martial arts manual passed down through generations - the Wanxia Divine Skill and the Bafang Supreme Heart Method respectively. Their sect masters were also second only to the Sword God Ye Cheng in martial prowess. Throughout the martial world, even if they weren't among the top ten experts, they certainly wouldn't fall beyond the top twenty. Therefore, both sects had numerous disciples, and the quality of experts within their towers was equally impressive.

The Three Sects—Shaolin Sect, Renwu Sect, and Xiao Yao Sect—each revere the philosophies of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Beyond martial arts, they also teach spiritual doctrines. These sects emphasize salvation, attracting large followings. They accept disciples regardless of talent, relying on their deep martial legacies and abundant techniques. For those with lower aptitude, basic techniques suffice; the gifted pursue advanced arts. Take the legendary Shaolin 72 Supreme Skills—a lifetime mastery of even one is rare. Bodhidharma alone perfected all seventy-two, a feat no mortal could rival.

The Four Gates mark the lower tier of first-class sects. Yet the Ultimate Taiji Art of Wuji Gate, the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill of Jin Gang Gate, the Tangtian Blade Technique of Justice Gate, and the Toxic Sect Techniques of Tang Clan are distinct and formidable. Under specific circumstances, these arts could rival even the martial secrets of Wanxia Tower or Bafang Tower.

Take the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, as described in Jin Yong’s Divine Dragon Subduing the Condor—a supreme Vajrayana martial art with thirteen levels. The first level takes one or two years for even a fool to master. Each subsequent level doubles in difficulty: level two requires three to four years, level three seven to eight, and so on. Beyond the fifth level, advancing demands thirty years or more of relentless practice. Theoretically, even a mediocre talent could reach the thirteenth realm—if they lived three centuries.

In practice, only Golden Wheel King, a peerless genius, achieved the Tenth Level. According to the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Sutra, each palm strike unleashes the strength of ten dragons and ten elephants.

Thus, martial arts strength is subjective. Some arts demand extreme sacrifices—like severing body parts—to reach rapid mastery. Others require lifetimes yet yield mediocre results.

This summarizes the state of first-tier sects.

The Beggars’ Sect, however, ranks second-tier, its leader Meng Jiu a relic of seniority but not power. His skills pale beside Ye Cheng or the Two Tower Lords. Even against Four Gates masters, his odds are slim. The sect’s elders and disciples lag behind first-tier elites.

Some argue their Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms rival any art. Indeed, Meng Jiu learned them, but only a prodigy like Xiao Feng could approach their potential. Had Xiao Feng lived sixty years, he might have felled all Beggars’ Sect leaders with a single palm.

Other second-tier sects—Diancang, Emei, Huashan, Kongtong—have declined, their legacies fading. Third-tier factions like Whale Gang, Qinghai Sword Gate, or XX Security Bureau are mere shadows. Their masters might be outlaws, mercenaries, or farmers, yet they crave recognition. Participation in sword debates elevates their status, allowing boasts like: "Back when Ye Cheng and Xie San dueled in Cangling Town, I stood beside them!"

Unaffiliated wanderers number few—just seventeen who secretly entered the town via hidden paths. Those arriving openly are allies of major sects, thirty renowned heroes in total.

By August 13th, the inn overflowed with sect masters and disciples of the Ten Factions. A few early-arriving loners of high renown secured rooms.

Second- and third-tier sect members camped in nearby abandoned homes. Now, bamboo stakes marked claimed dwellings—unclaimed ones stood open. In this neutral zone, unwritten rules shaped order.

Yet the duel’s protagonists—Ye Cheng and Xie San—remained absent.

……

Crimson dew cleanses the autumn sky; distant peaks pierce the horizon.

Mountain village mornings in autumn felt refreshingly crisp.

Each dawn, sect leaders—Gongsun included those staying outside—gathered downstairs with trusted disciples, sharing tea and meals. Courteous small talk masked veiled probing.

Today, all whispered of Wang Ao’s death.

"Gongsun Lord, why the commotion before dawn?" asked Lu Shan, a rotund monk leaning tipsily against the staircase, wine jug in hand. His crimson face flushed from alcohol, robes agape, beads the size of fists dangling at his chest.

Though a Buddhist disciple, Lu Shan hailed not from Shaolin. This drunken rogue, trained in some unknown temple, mastered the Drunken Arhat boxing art. A self-proclaimed hero, he wandered Jianghu, doing deeds both righteous and rowdy.

"Hmph. Did you dream it, Monk?" Gongsun Qian retorted, tight-lipped. Neither denial nor admission escaped his lips.

Lu Shan’s "drunken ignorance" was legendary. He masked truths in slurred words, avoiding offense. If confronted, he’d shrug: "I was drunk—nonsense, forgive me!" saving all face.

"Could it be my dream held the scent of blood?" Lu Shan slurred, eyes wide.

"Perhaps your nose rots from wine?" Shi Yanran snapped, sitting beside Gongsun.

A gaunt man of forty or fifty—Ji Tong, Lord of Bafang Tower—smirked. "Gongsun, I heard the noise too. Did you hunt game at midnight? Your spoils must’ve stunk!"

This jab targeted old grievances. Gongsun’s smirk matched his venom.

"Ji’s nose rivals a hound’s!" Gongsun laughed, icy. "Pity your own tongue can’t taste honor."

Beside him, Gongsun Li, Shi Yanran, and two disciples chuckled on cue.

"Speak for yourself!" Ji Tong slammed the table. "If you won’t clean up the mess, stop polluting air with excuses!"

"Enough!" Gongsun roared. "I buried Wang Ao not for concealment, but to find his killer. Your help insults me—I’ve walked Jianghu fifty years!"

Silent, the crowd watched.

Then—footsteps echoed. Feng Bu Jue and his team strode through the main entrance.

(End of Chapter)

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