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Chapter 537: Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan
Chapter 537: Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan
"Xie Xiaofeng."
"Yan Shisan."
Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan stood atop Jade Emperor Peak, unbothered by the gazes of those around them. Yet, the onlookers' eyes held a myriad of emotions as they watched the two men.
Jealousy, admiration, worship, anticipation, resentment, anger, compassion, desolation, reluctance, and grief—all were directed at the duo.
"I heard that after your feigned death, you never took the initiative to make a move." Yan Shisan suddenly said.
"Yes," Xie Xiaofeng replied.
"I forced you to come to this martial arts contest," Yan Shisan stated.
"Yes," Xie Xiaofeng acknowledged.
"Since there is both you and I in this world, we will eventually have to compare our skills." Yan Shisan's voice held a hint of challenge.
Xie Xiaofeng's response was nonchalant. "Does that mean one of us must inevitably perish under the other's sword?"
"Not necessarily," Yan Shisan said.
Xie Xiaofeng raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Most of my life has been spent either anticipating or waiting for a battle with you. If I, Yan Shisan, do not get to cross swords with the unparalleled Xie Xiaofeng, I will die with regrets," Yan Shisan declared passionately.
Xie Xiaofeng's eyebrow quirked further, and he asked, "But not anymore?"
"Indeed," Yan Shisan confirmed. "To me, you used to be above the sword, but now the sword has surpassed you."
Xie Xiaofeng couldn't help but take a deep breath. Yan Shisan's words revealed much, the most obvious being his significant breakthrough in the realm of swordsmanship.
Xie Xiaofeng felt a twinge of sadness for himself. While Yan Shisan had not wasted these past ten years, he himself hadn't touched a sword or practiced martial arts in a long time. Eight years ago, he would have been confident of victory over Yan Shisan, but now he wasn't so sure.
"Yet, you still want to cross swords with me," Xie Xiaofeng said.
"Yes," Yan Shisan affirmed.
"Because I need to take responsibility for your wait during the first half of your life," Xie Xiaofeng said, his voice carrying a hint of self-deprecating humor.
"Yes," Yan Shisan agreed.
Xie Xiaofeng gave a bitter laugh. Usually, it was only women who wanted him to take responsibility, causing him no end of headaches. But now, a man wanted him to take responsibility, and this man was the most troublesome of all.
"You've taken on the grudge between the Red Flag Escort Agency and Tianzun. I've taken on the grudge between you and the Red Flag Escort Agency. If I lose, the grudge between Tianzun and the Red Flag Escort Agency will be wiped clean," Yan Shisan stated, his eyes narrowing.
"Thank you," Xie Xiaofeng said, nodding.
Yan Shisan's gaze intensified. "But if you lose..."
Xie Xiaofeng smiled faintly. "If I lose, then all the grudges in this world will have nothing to do with me."
Xie Xiaofeng carried a heavier burden than Yan Shisan. While Yan Shisan had borne the weight of Xie Xiaofeng's unparalleled reputation, which had driven him to improve, Xie Xiaofeng carried the weight of the Godly Sword Xie family's two centuries of glory and the title of "Heavenly Sword."
He was the most renowned genius of the Xie family in two hundred years. He had become famous at a young age, and his reputation was intertwined with the family's honor. Xie Xiaofeng was virtually synonymous with the Xie family.
Therefore, Xie Xiaofeng could die, but he must never lose!
"Do you want to die?" Yan Shisan asked.
Xie Xiaofeng remained silent.
"Has the Godly Sword Xie family not lost in two hundred years?" Yan Shisan asked again, his eyes sharp.
Xie Xiaofeng continued to say nothing.
"Of course, the Godly Sword Xie family has lost before. Since the time of Godly Sword Xie Tian, in the last hundred years, while the Godly Sword Villa has not declined, no one has been recognized as the undisputed 'Heavenly Sword,'" Yan Shisan said, his voice carrying a weight of authority.
This was because he was different from his predecessors. Ever since he was ten years old, he had shouldered the responsibility of reviving the Divine Sword Villa and reclaiming the title of the 'World's Number One Sword.'
"You think you're different from your predecessors, that you're stronger and more capable?" Yan Shisan scoffed. "Or is it because you're more sentimental, fragile, and unable to accept defeat?"
Xie Xiaofeng's pupils contracted sharply.
Although Xie Xiaofeng had never met Yan Shisan, he understood him, just as Yan Shisan understood him.
Despite their different backgrounds, personalities, sword techniques, and approaches, they were cut from the same cloth.
They were the kind of people who could only die but must never be defeated!
However, the words that Yan Shisan spoke next struck Xie Xiaofeng as both unfamiliar and familiar.
They were unfamiliar because they were so unlike Yan Shisan's usual character.
They were familiar because Xie Xiaofeng had recently been infuriated by similar words.
Xie Xiaofeng's gaze instinctively shifted towards Tie Kaicheng.
Yan Shisan sneered, "Divided attention during battle. If I had drawn my sword just now, you would already be dead."
But Xie Xiaofeng smiled. "You have a good disciple."
It seemed he wasn't the only one who had been influenced. His mood suddenly brightened a little.
"He's not my disciple, and I'm not his master," Yan Shisan said indifferently.
"But he learned your Deadly Thirteen Swords," Xie Xiaofeng pointed out.
"He didn't use the Deadly Thirteen Swords to kill the Demon Sect Leader yesterday," Yan Shisan replied.
Although Yan Shisan hadn't been present the day before, he had guessed what had transpired from the snippets of gossip exchanged by those in the martial arts world.
"Everyone has their own suitable sword style," Xie Xiaofeng said. "The Deadly Thirteen Swords that you wield are also different from the ones you taught him."
Yan Shisan conceded this point, as the fifteenth sword in his version of the Deadly Thirteen Swords was indeed different from Tie Kaicheng's.
Xie Xiaofeng's eyes flickered. "When did your sword style change?"
"Two months ago," Yan Shisan replied calmly.
Their gazes intersected in mid-air, as if invisible sword lights clashed and sparkled.
"This sword fight was forced by you, so you can make the first move," Yan Shisan said.
"It seems you still haven't found the right opportunity to strike," Xie Xiaofeng remarked.
"You haven't created that opportunity either," Yan Shisan countered.
"Yan Shisan is indeed Yan Shisan," Xie Xiaofeng said. "If we continue to wait like this, what's the point?"
"Xie Xiaofeng is indeed Xie Xiaofeng," Yan Shisan agreed. "There's no point in waiting any longer."
"I don't want to stand here like an idiot either," Xie Xiaofeng added.
Yan Shisan fell silent, and Xie Xiaofeng followed suit.
It was at this moment that the surrounding spectators realized that the two men had already begun their confrontation, yet neither had found an opening in the other's defense.
As they remained silent, their sword auras grew increasingly intense.
...
There was a tree on Jade Emperor Peak.
The tree had golden-hued leaves.
A gust of autumn wind blew, and a leaf struggled for a moment before reluctantly leaving the branch, swaying gently as it fell, spinning as it descended.
Coincidentally, it landed right where Xie Xiaofeng and Yan Shisan's gazes intersected.
The next moment, sword lights flashed!
(End of Chapter)
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