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Chapter 83: Rules
Chapter 83: Rules
Guo Songyang finally understood the connection between being a mere bystander and an idle onlooker as he observed the sunflower seeds in You Longsheng's hands and the trio's eager expressions.
What kind of melon are they eating? They're eating sunflower seeds!
It was at this moment that Xiao Ao and the musician faced off, surrounded by a circle of onlookers, all tense and unaware of You Longsheng's group. Otherwise, they would have had to deal with these three busybodies first.
They chose to duel in public, indicating they didn't fear an audience. However, was it too much to be cracking seeds and lounging with crossed legs, commenting casually?
One could spectate with respect and solemnity, or one could treat it as a game and watch casually—these were two entirely different attitudes.
Guo Songyang suddenly regretted inviting them to witness his ceremonial duel with Xie Tianling.
Would they pull something like this at Longmen Grottoes?
Then, as Guo Songyang watched, You Longsheng offered him some sunflower seeds, and though he twitched his lips, he took them and popped one into his mouth.
"Crunch!"
...
On the other side, the musician had already drawn his blade and stood before Xiao Ao, just over three meters away.
"Are you ready to die?" The musician sneered.
"You're the one who will die!" Xiao Ao retorted coldly. "You've come so far to deliver yourself to death. Rest assured, I will grant your wish!"
"Seeking death!"
The musician roared and, with a quick draw of his right hand and a deft move of his left, unsheathed the seven-foot-nine-inch Tenno Blade.
"Slash!"
"Kill!"
Xiao Ao, too, let out a fierce yell as he drew his longsword, the bright blade reflecting light in all directions, causing a dazzling effect.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
After three horizontal slashes of the Tenno Blade, the two swords never crossed paths. Xiao Ao weaved left and right but still couldn't get close to the musician.
Then, his expression changed.
This musician's martial arts skills were far superior to what he had imagined, incomparable to the Three Ghosts of Mang Mountain.
It must be said that the Tenno Blade was indeed a domineering weapon. Unlike a spear, its long blade made it challenging to get close unless there was a significant difference in skill. Otherwise, your attempt to rush in could become an opportunity for your opponent to press their advantage.
"Ding!"
Xiao Ao finally couldn't help but parry with his blade and then lunged forward. However, the musician took a step back and swung his sword, forcing Xiao Ao to dodge by lowering his head.
The next moment, the two blades clashed, creating a cacophony of metal on metal.
"Xiao Ao has lost," remarked Ding Chengfeng.
You Longsheng stroked his chin. "If they were just determining the winner, it would have ended by now. But since they're fighting to the death, Xiao Ao still has a chance to turn this around."
As the saying goes, 'an inch longer, an inch stronger; an inch shorter, an inch more dangerous.' The Tenno Blade's hilt was one foot and three inches long, and its greatest weakness was, undoubtedly, an opponent getting too close.
And so, Xiao Ao rushed into the striking range of the Tenno Blade.
"Kill!"
"Ding!"
"Chh!"
Xiao Ao saw that his longsword was still three inches away from his opponent, and he couldn't help but lower his head again.
A short dagger now protruded from his heart.
The musician pulled out the dagger with his free hand and sneered, "We both know the weakness of the Tenno Blade. How could I not defend against that?"
With a "swish," the dagger disappeared into his sleeve, and the musician gripped the Tenno Blade with both hands, striking down. Xiao Ao clutched his chest and fell to the ground.
Everyone was startled and took a step back as the musician looked up.
Xiao Feng shook his head, his expression neutral as he replied, "Since he issued a challenge, this fight will be a fair duel. Please."
Assassination and dueling were two different matters, and assassins and duelists were cut from different cloths.
Assassination involved using any means necessary to kill the target, but if one did not play by the rules, their opponent would also throw away the rulebook when retaliating. Sometimes, the moment an assassin succeeded was also the moment of their own demise.
A duel, on the other hand, was a fair contest. Although external factors might interfere, only the chosen opponents would engage in the fight.
Xiao Ao had gone to kill the Three Ghosts of Mang Mountain directly, facing them head-on and killing them. So, when the brother of the Three Ghosts came for revenge, he issued a challenge for a one-on-one duel.
If Xiao Ao died, it would be because his skills were lacking. But if he killed Xiao Ao, the Xiao family would not be able to openly take advantage of the situation and launch a group attack. That would break the rules.
Different methods of revenge required different rules of engagement.
The martial world had its own set of rules, and the Luoyang Xiao family, as beneficiaries of these rules, naturally had to uphold them.
You Longsheng turned to look at Ding Chengfeng, who was also a keeper of these "rules." Twenty years later, he would offer his own life to give Fu Hongxue a sense of "justice" and ensure the safety of Ding Baiyun and the rest of the Ding family.
"What are you looking at?" Ding Chengfeng asked, then held out his hand. "I won. Pay up!"
You Longsheng shrugged and took out a silver ingot, placing it in Ding Chengfeng's hand.
Then, everyone watched as the musician sheathed his sword and strode away from the Peony Garden.
"The Xiao family, with their illustrious reputation... Is it really going to end like this?" Tian Qi, standing nearby, clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Guo Songyang replied calmly, "A dead man is a dead man. No amount of fame or reputation can guarantee immortality."
As Ding Baiyun watched Xiao Feng and Xiao Qi melt into the crowd and disappear, she puckered her lips and asked, "Do you think he'll make it out of Luoyang alive?"
"He dared to come here, so he must have his reasons and confidence," Ding Chengfeng said. "Whether he leaves or not depends on the capabilities of the Xiao family."
Not being able to kill him openly didn't mean they wouldn't make covert attempts. How could the Xiao family let this go after Xiao Ao's death?
The appearance of fairness and the hidden undercurrents were not mutually exclusive. Even when Shangguan Jinhong and Li Xunhuan dueled, Li Xunhuan had to travel back and forth for hundreds of miles to tire himself out first. How could it be any different for the Xiao family and the Heavenly King's Blade lineage?
You Longsheng popped the last sunflower seed into his mouth. "Indeed, indeed. It's been a long time since I've seen such an intense battle. Xiao Ao and that man's sword skills are not to be underestimated. They make for a nice appetizer."
Guo Songyang's face turned dark.
So, you really did treat my duel with Xie Tianling as the main course?
He had invited You Longsheng and the others to witness his ceremonial duel with Xie Tianling, hoping to impress the young man with his sword skills and spark his competitive spirit, eventually leading to a duel between the two of them.
Guo Songyang knew that You Longsheng was not yet his match, but he was willing to wait. After all, he couldn't very well ask You Longsheng to duel him directly.
However, You Longsheng's behavior did not reflect that of a proper swordsman. Rather than waiting for him, Guo Songyang might as well make a trip to Mount Tian!
...
On the other side, the Peony Garden flower-viewing assembly came to an abrupt end due to Xiao Ao's death.
If they couldn't kill that musician, the Xiao family would probably never dare to hold this event again.
(End of Chapter)
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