Chapter 89: The Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade
Chapter 89: The Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade
Comparing blades with the Peng family?
The Five Tigers Manor of Guanzhong?
Ding Chengfeng and Ding Baiyun looked at You Longsheng, of course, they knew that You Longsheng's eldest sister was married to the head of the Peng family.
"Why are you looking at me? He's going to challenge my brother-in-law to a duel, not me," said You Longsheng, his eyes never leaving the young man.
"Aren't you worried?" asked Ding Chengfeng.
You Longsheng shrugged, "What good would my worrying do? The Peng family has been renowned for their Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade for hundreds of years. I'm sure they can handle themselves."
"Let's go and see too," said Ding Baiyun.
They had originally planned to part ways after crossing the Yellow River, with You Longsheng returning to the Jianzhong Canging Manor, and the Ding siblings returning to the Ding Manor in Zhengding, Hebei.
However, seeing the young man's confident stride as he went to challenge the Peng family, Ding Baiyun decided to delay her return home a little longer. After all, Peng Yue was You Longsheng's brother-in-law.
"Good!" Ding Chengfeng immediately agreed. "The Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade is renowned throughout the land. It will be a privilege to witness it."
You Longsheng had no objections, as You Lanzhi was the lady of the Peng family. The Peng family also didn't have as much pomp and arrogance as the Wang family, and his visits to the Peng family were always like returning home.
However, as You Longsheng observed the young man's gait and arms, he couldn't help but click his tongue, feeling that his brother-in-law might be in for a challenge.
In the original story, Peng Lie was fierce at first but then became timid. However, after being humiliated, Fu Hongxue insisted on seeing Peng Lie's blade, only to be interrupted by Ding Linglin, who told him that the Peng family's Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade was not the true one. She informed him that the authentic Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade belonged to the Five Tigers Manor of Guanzhong.
While it was true that the Peng family's blade had been passed down for centuries, there was undoubtedly some exaggeration in Ding Linglin's words, and she also intended to save Peng Lie from further embarrassment. Nonetheless, her statement indicated that the Five Tigers Manor of Guanzhong was superior to the Peng family at that time.
How did they achieve this superiority?
Of course, they fought for it!
At this time, the Peng family still held dominance over the Five Tigers Manor, and You Longsheng didn't know when the Five Tigers Manor had bested the Peng family in a duel. He guessed that it must have happened within the last two decades, but surely not this very year?
You Longsheng averted his gaze and continued to eat with the Ding siblings.
However, the atmosphere at the other table was less harmonious. Though the three individuals were evidently captivated by Peach Blossom Madam, they grudgingly sat together, their sparse conversation laced with barbs, their faces only softening when addressing her.
Peach Blossom Madam lived up to her reputation as a skillful and graceful figure, akin to a low-spec version of Lin Xian'er. Despite the tension, she adeptly navigated the situation, maintaining a delicate balance between ambiguity and distance, leaving each man with the impression that she favored him the most.
You Longsheng couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration, marveling that Peach Blossom Madam was born in the wrong era. If she were in the modern world, she would undoubtedly be a top-notch public relations expert!
...
You Longsheng and his companions finished their meal and set out to find a boat to cross the river. Upon reaching the northern bank of the Yellow River, instead of returning to the Hidden Sword Manor, they made their way directly to the Peng family.
"Big sister! Brother-in-law!"
"Little brother, you're here. And who might these two be?"
"Greetings, Master Peng and Madam Peng," Ding Chengfeng and Ding Baiyun bowed politely.
Peng Yue and You Lanzhi had, of course, heard the news from the south, and upon confirming that it was indeed Ding Chengfeng and Ding Baiyun, they hastily welcomed the three into the main hall.
"You've been away for another year. Finally, you've found your way home," You Lanzhi teased with a smile. "But having Ding young master and miss Ding by your side must have made the journey less worrisome."
"Madam Peng is too kind. It is we who relied on Brother You's exceptional swordsmanship during our travels," replied Ding Chengfeng.
At this moment, Ding Baiyun transformed into a graceful young lady, speaking in a soft voice, nodding in agreement, and sharing stories of their journey in the south—but only the pleasantries and scenic beauty, omitting any mention of the bloodshed and battles.
You Lanzhi immediately dropped her smile, and Peng Yue's expression turned serious as he nodded. "Yes, we are aware of this matter.
Three months ago, I received a challenge from the Five Tigers Manor. They will be sending their young generation's top expert, Qin Lei, to compare blades and determine the true successor of the Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade."
A burly man from the Peng family interjected with a loud voice, "Our Peng family's Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade has been passed down for hundreds of years. A century ago, they somehow got their hands on an ancient manual left behind by our ancestor, and now they dare to claim themselves as the legitimate successors of the Five Tigers' Severing Door Blade. How absurd!"
An elderly man with a head of white hair and a tall stature let out a cold laugh. "We ignored them, but now they dare to come to our doorsteps to challenge our legitimacy. Who do they think they are?"
Another young man scoffed, "The key point is that they specifically named our head in the challenge, which is simply ridiculous. We don't even need our leader to step in. Once he arrives, I'll send him packing!"
You Longsheng sized up the young man and said, "Peng Peng, it's not that I'm doubting you, but you really can't beat him."
"My name is Peng Dapei, not Peng Peng!" The young man's face turned red as he argued, "Also, how do you know I can't beat him?"
"Because I killed Qing Moxu and Donghai Yuxiao," You Longsheng stated. "His strides are steady, and his qi is enduring. While his temperament may not be the best, his martial arts skills are definitely not weak."
As soon as these words left his mouth, the expressions of the Peng family members turned solemn.
They were well aware of You Longsheng's skill in martial arts, especially after he had bested Peng Yue in a match during the Chinese New Year while clearly holding back.
Martial arts had nothing to do with age.
It was possible that this Qin Lei, despite being from the younger generation, was already the top expert of the Guanzhong Five Tigers Manor.
"Damn them for sending a young man to challenge our Peng family," the elderly man with white hair grumbled. "If he loses, they don't lose face, but if he wins, they'll trample our Peng family underfoot. What a scheme!"
"Rest assured," Peng Yue said in a low voice. "I'll send him back the same way he came!"
Initially, he hadn't planned to intervene personally. If any random person challenged him and he, as the head of the Peng family, had to step in every time, what was the point of having other members in the family?
However, if Qin Lei were to win several consecutive matches and ultimately force him to intervene, even if he emerged victorious in the end, the Peng family of Shanxi would still lose face.
Since that was the case, he would take matters into his own hands!
Peng Yue let out a cold laugh. "Since this young man from the Five Tigers Manor wants to challenge me, let him pass the three trials of testing blades!"
The young man, Peng Dapei, the middle-aged burly man, Peng Chuan, and the elderly man with grayish-white hair, Peng Guang, all responded in unison, "Yes!"
...
(End of Chapter)
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