Chapter 526: The Seal Blade
Chapter 526: The Seal Blade
"The rules of the Wind Forest Pavilion are clear; only the strongest disciple in the pavilion can assume the position of the senior apprentice."
"Over a decade ago, before this Mr. Gong Ying, the Wind Forest Pavilion had already chosen their next successor. But he was slain by Mr. Gong Ying, who was only nineteen at the time. It is said that the outcome of their battle was determined within just three moves."
"In the past ten years, Mr. Gong Ying has faced numerous challenges without a single defeat."
"He beheads his opponents, coats their skulls in gold, and then crafts them into tea sets to display on his shelves. It's said that his home is now filled with these macabre trophies, covering three entire walls."
"When Mr. Gong Ying fights, he's like a ghost or a deity, striking fear into the hearts of ordinary people. That's why he has such a title; you wouldn't want to see him draw his blade in battle."
Hearing this, the two employees swallowed hard, their faces showing signs of fear.
At that moment, sitting in an armored vehicle, Gong Ying Chang Xiu listened to the discussions about him coming from various parts of the vehicle. A faint smile hung on his face.
Guan Shangjing said, "Senior Brother still has such a morbid sense of humor."
"Life needs a little excitement," Gong Ying Chang Xiu smiled, "especially when hearing stories about oneself. It's quite thrilling."
Guan Shangjing felt helpless. His senior brother was obsessed with the heroic tales of the old era, imitating their every move, and he had a peculiar habit of spreading news about himself.
He also paid great attention to the ceremonial aspects of battle, ensuring each fight he participated in was a grand affair. After every victory, he would find someone to write a short story, crafting a dramatic narrative of the battle.
And whenever he heard exaggerated and bizarre rumors about himself from others, he would become especially excited.
So, among the Three Pavilions in the foreign lands, while their skills were on par, Mr. Gong Ying's reputation was the loudest, and by extension, the Wind Forest Pavilion's fame was the greatest.
But to match this reputation, one needed strength.
The senior apprentices of the Three Pavilions had never truly crossed paths, but whether it was An Yao Pavilion's Ye Jianhong or Wave Pavilion's Bian Yue Yizhen, their positions had remained unchanged for two decades.
However, Gong Ying Chang Xiu had slain the previous senior brother. Guan Shangjing had witnessed their battle and deeply admired and feared his senior brother's strength. Despite being a decade older, he still sincerely called him Senior Brother Gong Ying.
Gong Ying Chang Xiu leisurely said, "Junior Brother, I've looked into the opponent you mentioned. He's quite impressive and worthy of a battle. Where is he now?"
"Senior Brother Gong Ying..." Guan Shangjing was hesitant.
Gong Ying Chang Xiu said, "Junior Brother Guan, you know that before I go to war, I must send a challenge scroll. It's my rule, and I hope you can understand."
Guan Shangjing looked at the round frame, the light reflecting off it, concealing the eyes behind. But his heart raced, even though this might expose the arrival of his senior brother, there was no reasoning with Gong Ying Chang Xiu. He bowed his head.
"Senior Brother Gong Ying, please let me handle this."
Gong Ying Chang Xiu looked at him, and just as the latter's heart became uneasy, he smiled and said, "No need. I've already made arrangements." He reached out and touched the interdimensional link, "Keitaro, go in my stead."
He embraced his hands, "A hero's entrance cannot be so hasty. I hope my challenge scroll will satisfy him."
"Keitaro..."
Guan Shangjing had left the Wind Forest Pavilion ten years ago. In his memory, Keitaro was just a youth, and he had just caught a glimpse of him in the crowd that disembarked from the airship.
"It's an honor to deliver the challenge scroll for Senior Brother. I'll send someone to guide him, and I'll make sure he delivers the scroll."
Several hours later, as the sky brightened, a foreign fighter carrying short and long blades stepped out of a vehicle and walked along the road leading to the Palace Tower.
The city patrol, upon spotting him, approached multiple times to inspect him. Each time, he politely stopped and presented his identification card from the foreign fighting pavilion and the travel permit from the administrative department.
When faced with warnings, he respectfully assured them that as a first-time visitor from abroad, he would abide by the rules of the central city.
The one-kilometer journey took him an hour, and when he reached the Palace Tower, he entrusted the letter to someone to deliver and then patiently waited in the plaza in front of the tower.
Chen Chuan had returned to the academy after making arrangements yesterday. While cultivating, the interdimensional link sounded, indicating that something had been delivered.
He stepped out to retrieve it and found it was a challenge scroll, signed by Gong Ying Chang Xiu, politely worded, stating that he had heard of his reputation from a remote island and had traveled across the ocean to seek a battle.
He also mentioned that he was from one of the Three Fighting Pavilions in the foreign lands, the Wind Forest Pavilion, to demonstrate his qualifications, and had specifically sent a junior brother to demonstrate his sword techniques in person.
Sword techniques?
He was indeed interested and walked to the window, glancing at the Palace Tower outside, spotting the figure in black. But after a quick look, he doubted if this person could demonstrate the essence of sword techniques.
The fighter possessed an uncanny intuition, an ability to gauge an opponent's level simply by their stance and aura, even before considering their specific combat skills.
And this...
Just then, he spotted a figure walking towards that direction. Slightly surprised, he pondered for a moment before turning and leaving the dormitory, heading downstairs.
Keitaro was waiting there when a voice from the side reached him, "Lord Keitaro."
He turned to see a foreign fighter in traditional attire. He racked his brain but couldn't place the man, so he asked in a foreign language, "Who might you be, my lord?"
The man bowed slightly, "Wave Pavilion, Three Cities Wilderness."
"So, it's Lord Sangaku," Keitaro replied politely, bowing slightly. "What brings you here, Lord Sangaku?"
Three Cities Wilderness straightened, "Are you here to challenge Lord Chen, my lord?"
Keitaro's expression changed instantly. He spoke in a low voice, "What does this have to do with Lord Sangaku?"
Three Cities Wilderness rested his hand on the hilt of his waist knife and said loudly, "Of course, it does. I was once defeated by Lord Chen, and I lost fairly and squarely. Lord Keitaro, I want to challenge him again, but if you wish to challenge Lord Chen, please overcome me first."
As he spoke, he drew the long knife from his waist.
Keitaro tightened his grip on his own knife, turned, and said solemnly, "Although I'm not the challenger, Lord Sangaku, I can't pretend I didn't see this."
He represented the Wind Forest Pavilion behind him, and by drawing his knife in front of Keitaro, it was considered a challenge that required a response.
In the 6th month, 19th day, 1st year of the reign of the emperor, the 1st version of the book!
Three Cities Wilderness maintained his knife-wielding stance, "Then let me witness the prowess of the Wind Forest Pavilion."
"Understood."
Keitaro lifted his head and said, "I came here to demonstrate my master's knife techniques to Mr. Chen. But Lord Sangaku, if it were you, I believe Mr. Chen would see it clearly."
He drew his knife swiftly and slowly raised it.
Three Cities Wilderness placed his knife in front, and after a brief standoff, both men stepped forward simultaneously as if in a flash. They crossed paths and returned to their original positions.
Standing back-to-back for a moment, Keitaro suddenly lowered his knife, his body leaning forward, and then a pool of blood spread beneath him.
Three Cities Wilderness exhaled, turned, and wiped his knife with his sleeve before sheathing it. He then bowed deeply to the corpse on the ground.
"Thank you for your guidance."
Chen Chuan had just reached downstairs. When he came out from the door, he witnessed their confrontation and noticed that when Keitaro executed his knife technique, he transformed into someone else for a fleeting moment, prompting a raised eyebrow.
After bowing, Three Cities Wilderness realized his chest was bare. He looked down and saw a knife mark on his heart, with the clothing sliced open, almost penetrating his body.
Mr. Chen approached, glanced at him, and asked, "Lord Sangaku, are you alright?"
Three Cities Wilderness quickly turned and bowed, "Lord Chen, I'm fine." He looked at Keitaro's corpse and sighed, "That move just now should be the legendary 'Seal Blade'."
"Seal Blade?"
Three Cities Wilderness nodded, "Yes, unlike us at Wave Pavilion, Wind Forest Pavilion emphasizes spiritual cultivation. But they also possess spiritual techniques.
It's said that they can imprint their knife techniques onto the minds of their disciples through spiritual fusion. Whenever they challenge a worthy opponent, they can have their disciples demonstrate their skills.
It's both a show of strength and a test. If the opponent can't withstand it, there's no need for a fight. But if they can, it proves they are worthy of a battle."
His expression turned slightly grave, "That knife move just now was more like it was executed by Gong Ying Chang Xiu of Wind Forest Pavilion, and because of the distance, the essence of the technique couldn't be fully displayed. If Gong Ying Chang Xiu had struck himself, I might have died."
Mr. Chen nodded slightly and looked at him, "Why did Lord Sangaku come here today?"
Three Cities Wilderness replied, "I received news recently, Lord Chen, that Gong Ying Chang Xiu has arrived in Central City. I believe his target is you, so I came to warn you to be prepared. This enemy is not to be taken lightly, and my previous actions were to show my sincerity."
Mr. Chen looked at him and said, "Lord Sangaku, by doing this, aren't you siding against Wind Forest Pavilion and risking the consequences?"
"No."
Three Cities Wilderness spoke earnestly, "In this world on the brink of chaos, insignificant individuals must choose a side. And I believe," he raised his head and declared, "standing with Lord Chen is the right choice!"
...
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(End of Chapter)
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