Tesoro de Jianghu

Capítulo 10

Recalling their previous conversation, Li Qingyun sensed something amiss: "Judging from their mention of the Five Great Families, could they be related to Lingxuan Palace in some way?"

Xu Lianning glanced at her: "That's a matter for our sect, so it's not something we can discuss with outsiders." After a slight pause, she continued: "I feel tired. Does Miss Li have anything else to say?"

Li Qingyun was taken aback when she suddenly told him to leave, so he put down the Jade Spirit Powder and was about to go when he heard her say behind him, "Take your things with you." Her tone was very cold.

Despite feeling wronged, she forced a smile and said, "Then you should get some rest."

The moonlight is even deeper.

Li Qingyun was awakened by an extraordinary dream. His heart was still pounding and his back was covered in sweat.

With the Dragon Boat Festival over, summer had finally arrived. She took a basin and went to the courtyard to fetch water. Suddenly, she heard a very faint sound of water, but she didn't pay it any mind, assuming that one of her senior sisters had been woken up by the heat, just like her. She gently pushed open the door and saw the figure standing by the well rushing out in a panic.

Li Qingyun jolted awake, completely disoriented. Forgetting to go back to her room for her sword, she immediately gave chase. However, her opponent's lightness skill far surpassed her own, and she disappeared from sight after only a short while. Somewhat frustrated, she wandered around the area, encountering several fellow disciples on night patrol, but her questions yielded no results.

She turned and walked back, and after a few steps she suddenly heard a low whistling sound of a hidden weapon piercing the air, followed by a woman's leisurely voice: "So it's Senior Sister He." She recognized the voice; it was Xu Lianning. This time, Li Qingyun learned her lesson and didn't approach, instead crouching low in the bushes by the roadside.

“Junior sister, you’ve only been injured for two days and you can’t even sit still anymore.” He Wan drawled out her words, but couldn’t hide the anger in her voice. “Let’s not beat around the bush and get straight to the point.”

The other person chuckled softly, their tone gentle: "Yes, going around in circles is indeed tiring."

“Junior Sister Lian Ning, you should know that Master intends to choose Senior Sister Ruan and me to inherit his mantle. If you stand on my side, the Radiant Moon Pavilion will naturally be yours in the future.”

Li Qingyun was speechless. Leaving aside the fact that Palace Master Rong was perfectly healthy, her words themselves were utterly unbelievable. Indeed, none of the disciples of Lingxuan Palace were well-behaved.

"I believe in your sincerity at this moment, but I ultimately don't like having someone around who might be a threat to me."

"Aren't you going to think about it more carefully?"

Xu Lianning scoffed, "Senior Sister He, when it comes to martial arts, I don't think I'll lose to you, especially since you just witnessed it yourself. You think I can stand on your side? I don't have that ability."

Li Qingyun couldn't help but think to himself, this person really doesn't hold back when he offends others.

To everyone's surprise, He Wan wasn't angry. She just smiled and said, "I hope you won't regret it. You have this breathing room today, but I didn't pay attention to it before because I looked down on you."

Xu Lianning paced back and forth a couple of times, then suddenly glanced elsewhere and said calmly, "For the sake of our shared sect, I'll also offer a word of advice: if you're out after nightfall and something untoward happens to you, don't blame anyone else." Li Qingyun couldn't help but lower his head further, feeling that Xu Lianning had glanced in their direction just now. He Wan then laughed and said, "Thank you for the reminder. I'll return that to you verbatim." After that, the two parted ways without another word.

Li Qingyun watched Xu Lianning's retreating figure, noticing that his movements seemed very similar to the person she had just chased. Not daring to follow him for a closer look, she turned back. Passing the well in the courtyard, a sudden idea struck her. She took off the hairpin from her hair and stirred the water, but seeing nothing unusual, she chuckled to herself at her own overthinking.

The martial arts competition was scheduled for the next day. Sikong Yu got up early, just in time for the Wudang disciples' morning lesson, so he went to Yuxu Palace to listen. The lecturer was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) from the early Chenghua era, who later entered the Daoist path and was quite proficient in Daoist and Neo-Confucianism. After listening to the lesson, he left Yuxu Palace, only to hear Xu Lianning's voice: "Young Master Sikong, are you also interested in the teachings of Laozi?"

Sikong Yu paused, then said slowly, "Actually, it's alright. It's just that I got up early and there's nothing else to do."

Xu Lianning smiled slightly: "I wonder if you've found out who your enemies are yet?"

He looked somewhat embarrassed and mumbled, "No." Then he added, "It was my carelessness that caused such a good opportunity to slip away."

"What happened after I left?" Xu Lianning asked seriously, turning to look at him.

That night, after a bowl of water, his strength gradually returned, while the woman in red remained lying on the ground, unable to move. Sikong Yu stared at her, wanting to tear her to pieces, but he still restrained his murderous intent: "I know there must be someone behind you. Who exactly instructed you to do that?"

The other person's baby face was ashen: "I'm going to die either way, why should I tell you?" She laughed to herself for a while, her laughter still trembling slightly, after all, people are afraid of death.

“If you tell me, I’ll let you go.” Sikong Yu sensed a change of heart in her words. “After that, you can hide under an assumed name and get away with it. As long as you don’t do anything wrong again, I will never come after you again.”

"Why should I believe you?" She smiled, revealing her teeth, but her face flushed slightly.

"If you want to live, what other way is there besides trusting me?" Sikong Yu's patience ran out, and he sneered slightly.

Her eyes flickered slightly, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "Alright, I believe you. Back then, someone was indeed behind it all, and you'd never guess. It was him..." Suddenly, her voice trailed off, and blood gushed from her slender neck. A nimble figure landed on the ground from the roof beam.

The sword strike was light, yet its placement was perfect, fatal. Sikong Yu's mind was a jumbled mess; the only thing he understood was that the last clue he had painstakingly gathered over the years had been lost. He knew the person before him was his last hope, and he channeled his inner strength to give chase. The other man, seemingly surprised that he could catch up, suddenly turned and drew his sword. A dark, bluish-green sword light, carrying a violent, bloody aura, rushed towards him.

Sikong Yu forced himself to calm down and parried the sword strike. Having failed to gain the upper hand, he was naturally at a disadvantage in every move. Meanwhile, his opponent's sword was extremely fast, the attacks coming in a continuous stream, leaving him momentarily powerless to retaliate.

The man seemed unwilling to continue the fight. After drawing his sword, he used his lightness skill to drift away a foot: "With your skills, you think you can take revenge? You're truly delusional." Only then did Sikong Yu get a clear look at him: dressed in narrow-sleeved black robes, with a slender build, and his face mostly obscured by a silver mask. The man raised his hand, and something flew straight towards Sikong Yu. Sikong Yu caught it casually; it was a neatly folded square knot.

"Give this to the girl from before." The man seemed to smile. "Don't worry, I won't harm her. We have a very close relationship."

Upon hearing this, Xu Lianning repeated in a sinister tone, "Oh? A deep and secret affair...?"

"Perhaps he meant to say that they have a very close personal relationship," Sikong Yu said with a smile.

Xu Lianning changed the subject, her tone becoming serious: "Young Master Sikong, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Please go ahead." He also became slightly curious.

"Under no circumstances should my name be mentioned today."

Sikong Yu was taken aback, then replied, "I remember."

They had already traveled quite a distance from Jade Void Palace during their conversation, so they parted ways and headed in different directions. Xu Lianning took a couple of steps when she suddenly heard a clear, cold voice behind her: "Miss Xu."

Xu Lianning turned around. There stood Zhang Weiyi, his long eyebrows slightly furrowed, thoughtfully watching Sikong Yu's retreating figure. He was dressed in a blue robe today, the sleeves adorned with exquisite Suzhou embroidery, and half a sword sheath was faintly visible beneath the sleeves. Xu Lianning sometimes had to admit that if he remained silent and simply stood there, he truly deserved the title of a handsome young gentleman.

Zhang Weiyi turned her head, but still didn't look at her, her eyelashes drooping slightly: "Is your injury any better?"

Xu Lianning had expected him to say something, but it was just that one sentence, and he even looked wronged: "It's already scabbed over." After a slight pause, he said sarcastically, "Actually, Young Master Zhang doesn't need to remind me, I also remember how I got hurt."

"I'm standing right here, so feel free to vent your anger on me."

Xu Lianning subconsciously took a step back, then smiled slightly: "I can't bear to part with it." She disdained being given charity, whether out of kindness or malice. No matter how difficult it was, as long as she achieved it bit by bit herself, it was better than reaping the benefits without sowing.

Zhang Weiyi looked like she had been choked: "What did you just say?" The mutual affection between a man and a woman is usually expressed through a few words, or through poems from the Book of Songs; it is enough to just touch on the subject.

Xu Lianning turned her head away and said, "It's nothing." After a slight pause, she added, "I'm going back to Chunyang Palace first. If Master sees that I've been out for so long and haven't returned, he'll definitely scold me." Just as she was about to turn around, her wrist suddenly tightened, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips. The other person's strength wasn't great, probably out of consideration for her injury, but after waiting for a while, she didn't hear him speak.

Xu Lianning looked up at him in confusion, only to see that he was squinting slightly, as if trying to read something from her face.

“…Let me think about it some more.” Zhang Weiyi lowered her eyes and slowly released her hand. “I will give you an answer.”

Even before the time for the martial arts competition, Yuzhen Palace was already packed with people.

Those who practice martial arts are inherently competitive and eager to win. They may dedicate their entire lives to achieving the title of a martial arts master and the admiration of future generations—what a glorious prospect that would be!

It seems that all the various sects and factions also adopted a wait-and-see attitude. After the morning bell rang, most of the martial arts contests in the center of the hall were contestants from younger generations, while the established masters remained seated and motionless.

After a cup of tea was finished, the contest in the palace gradually revealed the winner.

"It is truly enviable that Layman Zhao has such a disciple," Abbot Xuanzhen said with a slight smile. At this moment, only two young men remained in the center of the hall, one of whom, dressed as a Taoist priest, was in a dominant position. However, he was kind-hearted and, far from making anyone lose face, he was quite accommodating.

Zhao Wushi was naturally pleased, but still modestly said, "Shifang is too lazy and doesn't practice properly on weekdays. Abbot, you flatter me."

In the blink of an eye, the young Taoist priest named Shifang had already withdrawn his move, stepped back, and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Thank you for your concession."

Liu Junru slowly put down her teacup and said to the disciple behind her, "Zihan, go and ask this senior brother for a few pointers."

Lin Zihan stepped forward from the crowd, bowed, and said, "Yes, Sect Master." He turned his head and raised his voice, "I am Lin Zihan from Longteng Post Station. Please do not hesitate to teach me a few moves."

Shi Fang was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Brother Lin, please." After his fight, his breathing was calm, and he seemed to have no fatigue at all. Lin Zihan shook his head: "I would like to ask Brother Shi Fang to take a moment to recover. I do not wish to take shortcuts."

These words immediately drew cheers. Someone loudly praised, "Only with such magnanimity could Master Liu have taught such a disciple! Truly, a great teacher produces a great student!" "In my opinion, even the Famous Sword Manor can't compare to Dragon Soaring Post Station, let alone the Second Manor and the Third Palace." "The so-called 'Famous Sword Young Master' and 'Sword-Controlling Young Master' are just playboys; pretty boys can only fool women!" The comments became increasingly offensive. The two men in the hall seemed to ignore them, continuing to meditate and regulate their breathing.

The two mentioned, Zhang Weiyi and Shang Mingjian, remained indifferent, their expressions unreadable; while Shang Mingjian focused solely on the two engaged in combat, paying no attention to the idle gossip.

At this moment, Shi Fang stood up and said, "Brother Lin, please."

Lin Zihan also stood up, gripping the longsword on his back with his other hand: "Brother, no need to be polite, make your move." With a clang, he drew his sword and presented it. In the blink of an eye, after the first three moves, both of them unleashed their sword energy, and for a moment, exquisite sword techniques were displayed one after another, drawing cheers from all sides.

Zhao Wushi stared intently at the two, sometimes gritting her teeth and sometimes frowning. Liu Junru, on the other hand, remained indifferent, occasionally chatting with the abbot of Shaolin and the leader of Wudang.

The two inside the hall were locked in fierce combat when Lin Zihan's sword flashed, and he retreated several steps.

Xu Lianning only heard Ruan Qingxuan say in a low voice, "Sword Breaking Technique..." His voice trembled slightly.

Lin Zihan swung his longsword in a circle, then slashed diagonally. Before the sword intent was fully unleashed, the sword broke into numerous fragments, all shooting towards Shi Fang. These dozens of broken sword pieces collided in mid-air, heading precisely towards Shi Fang's upper, middle, and lower body, leaving him no way to dodge. Shi Fang, disregarding his appearance, could only duck and roll to avoid the upper two swords. Although he couldn't completely evade the attacks on his lower body, he could at least save his life by taking some injury.

A teacup flew from the side, striking the remaining broken sword, but then flew towards Lin Zihan. Caught off guard, Lin Zihan hurriedly dodged, losing half of the hairpin that held her hair in place, her hair falling loose, making her look even more disheveled.

Liu Junru frowned and looked at Rong Wanci: "Just now, Zihan didn't know his own strength. Palace Master Rong really taught him a good lesson." Rong Wanci rested her chin on her hand and smiled gently: "I just think that young man is a pity. Please don't take offense, Sect Master Liu." She turned her head and glanced at her disciple: "Han'er, why don't you ask this Young Master Lin for a few moves?"

Yin Han was taken aback, and hesitated before speaking, "Master, I..."

"What, you don't dare?" Rong Wanci smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I've taught you for so long, how can you still be so timid?"

"Master, it's not that I dare not, it's just..." Yin Han's face flushed red with anxiety, but she couldn't think of a reason. She could only slowly walk towards Lin Zihan. Lin Zihan's longsword was now just a hilt; a disciple from Longteng Post Station had already handed him a new one. Yin Han walked up to Lin Zihan, separated her hands, and revealed her weapon. Women who practice martial arts are far less powerful than men, so they mostly use light weapons such as short swords and double swords. Yin Han used a pair of Emei daggers, which she held on her middle finger with a black iron finger sleeve. The finely forged Emei daggers swirled nimbly between her fingers.

Lin Zihan glanced at the sect leader, who nodded slightly. He raised his longsword with both hands, then grabbed the tip with one hand and snapped it in two with a crack: "I admit I am no match for you, young lady."

Then a soft, melodious female voice rang out: "This junior dares to ask Sect Master Liu for some guidance."

Ten years of honing swordsmanship and sword dance

The tall, slender woman gracefully walked up to Liu Junru, the veil covering her face rising and falling slightly: "I know my martial arts skills are weak, but I dare to offer a few moves to Sect Leader Liu."

Rong Wanci wanted to stop her, but hesitated and remained silent. He Wan couldn't help but sneer, "Today I've truly witnessed what it means to overestimate oneself." Xu Lianning frowned, watching intently.

Liu Junru looked at her in surprise: "You're a disciple of Lingxuan Palace, what's your name?"

"This junior is Ruan Qingxuan," she said with a smile, "please show mercy, senior."

Liu Junru beckoned, and a disciple presented him with his sword. He took it, made two feints in mid-air, and the sword trembled slightly, emitting a dragon's roar. Ruan Qingxuan respectfully stepped back three paces before standing still. Liu Junru smiled slightly and said, "You may draw your sword now." Ruan Qingxuan drew his short sword and said, "This junior has offended you." In a flash, he had already launched three consecutive sword attacks.

As soon as these three swords were unleashed, someone couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!" But then, thinking that the other party was a woman and not worthy of praise, they swallowed their cheers back.

Xu Lianning saw it clearly. They were very close friends and had a good understanding of each other's martial arts skills, but Ruan Qingxuan's attacks and defenses were well-balanced, far surpassing Xu's own. She saw that Ruan Qingxuan was making a sword gesture with one hand and her sword moves were exquisite, and somehow they were somewhat similar to the sword intent that Mr. Xiao had taught her before.

Ruan Qingxuan moved nimbly and freely within the hall; Liu Junru's swordsmanship was experienced and ruthless, yet measured and precise. The contest was captivating and exceptionally exciting. The Yuzhen Palace was utterly silent; one could almost hear a breath.

Ruan Qingxuan suddenly lunged forward, his short sword flashing as he thrust out seven vital points in a single strike. Liu Junru neither dodged nor evaded, parrying with her own sword. Sparks flew as Ruan Qingxuan was forced to retreat half a step, shifting his attack to her lower body. Her movements were graceful, her jewelry jingling softly like music, and a faint fragrance wafted from her every step, exuding an irresistible charm.

Liu Junru secretly realized he was in trouble; being held back beyond a hundred moves by a junior would ruin the reputation of Longteng Post Station. Just then, he heard a woman loudly proclaim, "Palace Master Rong's disciple is a great honor for us women!" His ambition was ignited, and his swordplay naturally became more ferocious. Although Ruan Qingxuan was beginning to fall behind, he remained calm and continued to fight.

Suddenly, a young man in a Taoist robe staggered into the main hall, knelt down directly in front of Master Tianyan, and hissed, "Master, the people of the Tianshang Sect have suddenly stormed the mountain. My fellow disciples have retreated to the Sword Washing Pool, but I'm afraid they won't be able to hold out for long!"

Liu Junru paused his swordplay and said to his disciples, "Do you still remember my usual lessons?" The disciples of Longteng Post Station shouted in unison, "The demonic cult is a dog, and everyone should kill it!" Liu Junru laughed loudly, "Master, since the demonic cult has come to bully us, we don't need to be soft-hearted."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone fell straight to the ground with a thud.

In an instant, a number of people collapsed inside Yuzhen Palace. Liu Junru also staggered and fell into a chair.

The hundreds of people instantly descended into chaos, with people shouting curses and angry cries.

Master Tianyan forcefully gathered his true energy and said in a loud voice, "Please calm down, everyone. Perhaps it is a spy from the Tianshang Sect who has infiltrated Wudang. We should remain calm and devise a countermeasure."

"What other countermeasures are there? I'll just lie here and wait for those bastards from the Demonic Cult to come up and take them all out with one slash!" "It seems there's a traitor within Wudang, and they're trying to blame it on someone else!" There are many rough people in the martial arts world, and for a time, curses and insults rose up everywhere.

Sikong Yu felt his internal energy draining away, exactly the same as when he was poisoned by the Green Silk Poison that day. He couldn't help but say, "It's Green Silk; it can be cured with water." He wasn't far from the Wudang group. Upon hearing this, Zhang Weiyi forced himself to muster the last bit of his internal energy and barely managed to stand up. After the Yuzhen Palace was built, more than a dozen water vats had been placed in the rear hall for easy fire prevention; today, they came in handy.

The black hair erupted rapidly, constantly eroding his internal energy, leaving his body weak and sore. Even walking from the front hall to the back hall became extremely difficult. Zhang Weiyi scooped up some water and drank it, only to find it had a fishy, foul smell that made him want to vomit, but he knew this method would work. He didn't bother to regulate his breathing, and carried a bucket of water to the front hall, first giving it to his master, then to Abbot Xuanzhen of Shaolin, and then to the leaders of various sects.

Rong Wanci took a few breaths and suddenly asked, "How did this young master know that the one among us was Qing Si?"

Sikong Yu knew the other party suspected him, so he answered truthfully: "This junior was also once afflicted by the Green Silk, but fortunately..." He suddenly remembered Xu Lianning's words: "No matter what, do not mention my name today." He then said: "Fortunately, I received help from a senior. Unfortunately, I still do not know the name of this senior."

Rong Wanci nodded and asked no more questions.

Sikong Yu grew increasingly alarmed. When Xu Lianning said she had something to ask of him, a strange feeling lingered in his mind. Now it seemed that she had known all along that something was going to happen today. He looked at Xu Lianning and saw that she was still lying on the ground, her black hair hanging down, without the slightest sign of panic or tension.