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Chapter 64: Familiar Faces Keep Appearing
Chapter 64: Familiar Faces Keep Appearing
"Hua Mantian? Du Wu?" Ding Chengfeng muttered.
You Longsheng's eyes flickered, "You've heard of these two?"
Ding Chengfeng nodded, "They are both renowned swordsmen in Jiangnan. I've heard Nan Gongqi mention them, but I've never met them."
"Since they are famous swordsmen, we ought to go take a look." You Longsheng suggested.
Ding Baiyun shook his head, "No need."
"Why not?"
Ding Baiyun pointed across the street to the entrance of the Cuiyun Tower, "Because they're right over there."
You Longsheng and Ding Chengfeng followed his gaze and spotted two figures standing face-to-face a hundred meters away on the street.
The street was brightly lit, and with their exceptional eyesight, they could see the pair clearly.
One wore a blue robe and had a delicate appearance, while the other was clad in yellow, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. They stared intently at each other, clearly poised for a battle to erupt at any moment.
You Longsheng found the scene intriguing and watched with interest.
In Gu Long's novels, duels were a common occurrence, often taking place in public. The most famous of these was, of course, the battle between Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng atop the Imperial Palace.
There were also duels that took place unseen, such as between Xiao Li Feidao and Shangguan Jinhong, or between Xie Xiao Feng and Yan Shi San.
Nonetheless, the theme of two heroes facing off was a persistent one in Gu Long's works. Such duels occurred not only between top-notch experts but also among ordinary members of the jianghu.
You Longsheng had not heard of the nickname 'Lightning Swordsman' for Du Wu, but he was very familiar with Hua Mantian, the 'One Sword Flying Flower'.
Hua Mantian made his appearance in 'The Wanderers of the Border Town', as the second-in-command of Wan Matang. His connection to Wudang Mountain was unclear, as he had killed someone from Wudang but could also invite a prominent Wudang master to assist him. In the original story, he attempted to force Ma Kongqun out of his position in controlling Wan Matang, but his scheme was exposed, and he met his end at Ma Kongqun's hands.
However, You Longsheng held little respect for Hua Mantian, as the man had not dared to make a move against Ma Kongqun.
You Longsheng was confident that his current martial arts skills were already of the top caliber in the jianghu, no less impressive than Ma Kongqun's in twenty years' time.
At that moment, aside from You Longsheng's table, many customers sitting by the street were also observing the two figures on the street, whispering and pointing. Among them were wealthy merchants and members of the martial arts world.
It was common knowledge that martial arts experts were often sought after by affluent merchants for protection during travel or to guard their residences. In those times, having a skilled expert by your side could save one a lot of trouble.
Just as the crowd was discussing the two swordsmen, the man in yellow glared, lunged forward, and drew his sword with his other hand. The sword tip streaked through the air like lightning, aiming straight for his opponent's heart.
The man in blue seemed to advance yet retreat, unsheathing his sword and creating a whirl of sword shadows that resembled a flurry of flowers. He trapped his opponent's lightning-fast strike within the dance of his sword, then sidestepped and slashed with his blade.
"Ding ding dang dang..."
After a series of crisp clashes, a long sword suddenly shot out from the whirl and embedded itself in a pillar of the Cuiyun Tower. The man in yellow leaped backward, clutching his right wrist with his left hand, blood dripping from it.
"Lightning Swordsman? More fame than skill!" The man in blue scoffed, sheathing his sword.
"You..." The man in yellow was clearly enraged, but he dared not act further. He could only snort angrily and turn to leave.
"Well done!"
"Impressive!"
"Excellent swordplay!"
"Indeed, One Sword Flying Flower! Your moves are unpredictable, illusory and real. Even the renowned Lightning Swordsman is no match for you!"
"Amazing, Hero Hua! Please join us upstairs!"
"Sir Hua, the young lady Qing Yi upstairs invites you to join her."
Having won the duel, Hua Mantian naturally became the center of attention, with many vying for his company. Du Wu's sword skills were not weak, but Hua Mantian's effortless victory spoke volumes about his superior prowess.
You Longsheng and Ding Chengfeng shared a knowing smile but remained silent. However, Ding Baiyun couldn't contain herself and snorted, "What a flashy nickname, 'Lightning Swordsman,' and 'One Sword Flying Flower.' They sound impressive, but look at that performance."
Not to mention You Longsheng and Ding Chengfeng, even Ding Baiyun was confident she could defeat Hua Mantian.
"You little brat, spouting nonsense. How dare you disparage Hero Hua?"
Although Ding Baiyun didn't raise her voice, she also didn't try to lower it, so the customers at the neighboring table naturally overheard her comment, and one of them slammed his hand on the table.
"Who do you think you are, young lady? You're too arrogant for your own good. Apologize immediately, or else if Hero Hua gets wind of this, things won't end well for you." The middle-aged man sitting with him quickly chimed in.
You Longsheng and his companions turned to face the four men at the adjacent table.
There was a burly man, a middle-aged man, an old scholar, and a finely dressed youth.
The burly man was the one who had slammed the table, and the middle-aged man was the one urging Ding Baiyun to apologize.
You Longsheng paid them no mind.
When the four men had first sat down next to them, he had already observed them and concluded that they were not skilled martial artists. Now, hearing their words only confirmed his initial impression.
Indeed, there weren't that many experts roaming the jianghu.
Moreover, You Longsheng didn't care about Ding Baiyun's comments about Hua Mantian.
Come on, who was Hua Mantian? Was he not aware of his background? He was someone who, for reasons unknown, had offended someone powerful and fled to the borderlands to become Ma Kongqun's lackey. How formidable could he be? If he knew their identities, he would probably come to pay his respects in person.
These four locals, mere ordinary members of the jianghu, thought they could curry favor with Hua Mantian by putting down these three young strangers. Their behavior was simply ridiculous!
The burly man and the middle-aged man spoke loudly, immediately drawing the attention of several tables on the third floor, and the customers turned to look at them.
The old scholar's gaze was filled with curiosity as he studied the three youths, and the finely dressed youth was captivated by Ding Baiyun's appearance, his eyes lighting up. He quickly spoke up, "Second Uncle, Hero Hua and Du were quite a distance away when they dueled earlier. I believe this young lady might not have seen clearly, so please..."
"I saw it clearly."
Ding Baiyun smiled coldly. With her left hand, she lifted the sword sheath, and with her right, she drew her sword in one fluid motion.
"Clang!"
If not for the fleeting flash of sword light and the lingering sound of the unsheathed blade, most people wouldn't have realized that Ding Baiyun had drawn her sword.
In the next moment, as everyone was still frozen in surprise, the braids of the burly man closest to Ding Baiyun suddenly snapped, and his long hair tumbled down, startling him so much that he jumped to his feet.
"Do I need to apologize now?" Ding Baiyun asked coldly.
The four men frantically shook their heads, then quickly settled their bill and scurried off without finishing their meal.
The other customers also fell silent, turning back to their food.
Not long after, a robust-looking man approached the three youths and bowed, "Greetings, esteemed guests. Our boss invites you to join him on the fourth floor for a chat."
The Lingxian Pavilion had four floors, but the fourth floor was not open to the public. However, You Longsheng and his companions were not the type to stand on ceremony, so they had chosen to sit on the third floor, drinking and enjoying the night view.
Unbeknownst to them, there seemed to be a local big shot on the fourth floor.
You Longsheng turned and asked, "Who is your boss?"
The man straightened his posture and smiled slightly, a hint of pride in his voice, "The leader of the Feijing Gang and the overseer of the seventy-two water and land docks in Jiangnan!"
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PS: A little interaction: Where in the original novel was this overseer of the seventy-two water and land docks in Jiangnan mentioned?
(End of Chapter)
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