Die dümmsten Menschen der Welt

Kapitel 39

Tan Huan's body reacted faster than her mind. Seeing Zeng Lun's blade flash with a trembling silver light, she immediately leaped up and kicked at the blade. As she kicked and lowered the blade, her Lone Dust Sword was also aimed directly at his neck. Zeng Lun hurriedly retreated, looked up at Tan Huan and chuckled, "Oh, the senior and junior siblings have a good relationship!"

Tan Huan blinked, only then realizing she had already made her move. She glanced up at Baili Liushang's enigmatic smile on the luxurious chair, then at the five leaders' menacing eyes, before finally fixing her gaze on Luo Yi's expressionless face. Tan Huan felt a pang of regret. "Senior brother, have I caused you trouble?"

Luo Yi remained silent for a long time before speaking softly, "It's alright, I was going to admit defeat anyway." His master would give three tests, without specifying beforehand whether they would be on the same day. If he had to take the second test immediately after this one, he needed to conserve enough energy and not expend too much strength in the first battle.

Tan Huan looked away and coughed. "Master, shall I go next?"

Baili Liushang's expression remained unchanged, the smile on his lips vanished, "Hmm."

Tan Huan smiled confidently, knowing she couldn't handle five opponents at once. Her smile was innocent and harmless; taking down one of the leaders with a sneak attack would be difficult, but eliminating one of their weapons was certainly achievable. Thinking this, her smile widened, and the Lonely Dust Sword silently slid towards Jiang Shemi's whip, instantly slicing off most of it. Then, with a swift movement, she stepped onto Zeng Lun's broadsword, sweeping it across Zhong Ding's face with a magnificent sword strike.

Zhong Ding couldn't help but exclaim "Good!" Holding a sharp dagger in each hand, he slashed at Tan Huan's nose without hesitation. Tan Huan's eyes lit up; he flipped over and leaped up, instantly landing behind Zhong Ding. Fortunately, Zhong Ding's skill was solid; after Tan Huan jumped away, only Zeng Lun was in front of him, and Zhong Ding barely managed to stop the attack, avoiding accidental injury.

When Tan Huan analyzed their martial arts early on, he discovered that Zhong Ding was primarily an attacker. His attacks were extremely powerful, and being injured by him would almost cost you half your life. However, he had a weakness: he was relatively lacking in how to finish his attacks. When he stopped his attacks, there would be a brief pause. This pause was very short, but it was an excellent opportunity for Tan Huan.

So far, everything has gone according to Tan Huan's plan. She smiled slyly and tried to press the acupoints on Zhong Ding's back. Unfortunately, before her fingers even touched Zhong Ding, it was as if she had touched Yu Ye's soft sword. The cold touch startled Tan Huan, who withdrew her hand and retreated. Oh no, Yu Ye's speed was faster than she had imagined.

She dodged Yu Ye to the side, but suddenly felt her legs buckle. Tan Huan knew something was wrong; sure enough, one of Song Lian's hidden weapons had pierced her foot. Looking at Song Lian's malicious smile, Tan Huan inwardly groaned, hoping the weapon wasn't poisoned, otherwise she wouldn't be able to continue.

Yu Ye's sword swept across Tan Huan's delicate neck. Tan Huan ducked to avoid it, and in the process, pulled out the hidden weapon from her foot. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, the hidden weapon flew towards Song Lian with the help of Tan Huan's full strength, leaving an unsightly bloodstain on Song Lian's cheek.

Zeng Lun once again launched a fierce attack, but Tan Huan deftly twisted her body and disengaged from the battle, leaping lightly behind Baili Liushang. Seeing the Palace Master sitting before him, Zeng Lun's movements naturally slowed. Seeing the cold smile playing on Baili Liushang's lips, Zeng Lun slowed even further. Tan Huan laughed arrogantly, her Lonely Dust Sword slicing through the air with a "whoosh," even causing Baili Liushang to frown slightly. This brat showed mercy to Pei Jin, but was quite ruthless towards the people of Zhengyang Palace.

Zeng Lun hastily pulled his hand back to save his arm, but his movement wasn't fast enough. The precious sword was cleaved in two by the Lone Dust Sword. Before the broken blade even hit the ground, Tan Huan kicked it away, sending the blade hurtling towards Song Lian like a deadly weapon. At the same time, Tan Huan also lunged forward. Song Lian had just dodged the blade when he looked up and saw Tan Huan thrusting the Lone Dust Sword at him. He sneered, no longer dodging, and met Tan Huan's attack head-on.

Tan Huan knew that in a one-against-many situation, she shouldn't get too entangled with one person, as this could easily create an opening for the other to attack. However, an opponent like Song Lian wasn't someone she could simply avoid. With a low sigh, Tan Huan decisively raised her hand, "I concede." Before she could finish speaking, Zhong Ding's short sword was already at her heart, abruptly stopping her momentum.

"You timed your surrender quite well," Jiang Shemi said with a half-smile, picking up the long whip from the ground with a look of pity. "If you had been a step slower, you would have had a hole drilled in your chest."

Baili Liushang did not quite agree with Tan Huan's "admission of defeat," so his expression was not very pleasant. He said irritably, "The outcome of this round is up to you. You can decide the winner."

Jiang Shemi looked at Baili Liushang and chuckled twice. After a while, she turned back to Tan Huan and said, "I vote for Luo Yi."

Baili Liushang raised an eyebrow, as if he had already guessed Jiang Shemi's decision, but his expression did not change much.

Tan Huan sat down on the spot. Her left foot was slightly injured during the sparring match, and she reached out to rub it. When she had a moment, she glanced at Jiang Shemi and said speechlessly, "Because I cut your whip?"

“Of course, this whip of mine is very expensive.” Jiang Shemi tied up her loose hair and parted her red lips slightly. “But that’s only one of the reasons. There’s another one: compared to beautiful women, I would prefer a handsome man to be the next palace master.”

Tan Huan looked defeated. "I can't think of such a good reason right now."

Zeng Lun chuckled and said, "Since She Mi has made this choice, I'll do the same. I support Luo Yi." He paused, then held up the severed hilt of the knife to Tan Huan. "My reason is the same as She Mi's. Tan Huan, you're such a spendthrift! Do you know how much this knife is worth?"

Tan Huan sighed helplessly, "I know I was wrong. When I have money in the future, I will definitely compensate you with a new knife."

Yu Ye, with a cold face, turned his head away without looking at Tan Huan, and said coolly, "I support Tan Huan." Thinking that the first two people had given their reasons, he reluctantly added, "Her martial arts are better than Luo Yi's."

Hearing this, Tan Huan looked at the remaining two without hope. Song Lian remained silent for a long time. Tan Huan raised an eyebrow in surprise. What was wrong? She thought these two would make a choice quickly. Why were they taking so long? Jiang Shemi chuckled, "Song Lian, if you can't think of a reason, you don't have to say anything. But if you really have to say one, I've already thought of one for you. Just say that Tan Huan disrespected her senior and scratched your face..."

"No need." Song Lian coldly stopped her, glancing at Tan Huan with a complicated expression. "Palace Master, I support Luo Yi. Wu Tan Huan's martial arts may be better than Luo Yi's, but the Palace Master of Zhengyang Palace cannot be judged solely on martial arts skills. From the moment Wu Tan Huan helped Luo Yi, I felt she was unsuitable for the position of Palace Master." However, after personally experiencing her martial arts prowess, he truly appreciated her talent, hence his long hesitation.

Needless to say, Zhong Ding naturally supported Luo Yi. In the first match, Tan Huan lost to Luo Yi by a score of four to one. Sighing, she had no idea she was so unpopular. Tan Huan hung her head dejectedly. "Master, what's the second question?" At worst, she'd lose another match; at worst, she wouldn't inherit the position of Palace Master.

"Although you both gave it your all in the first match, I'm not satisfied with what you did." Baili Liushang waved his hand dismissively, his interest waning. "Huan'er, who do you think has the better internal strength, you or Luo Yi?"

Tan Huan frowned and thought for a while before saying bluntly, "It should be me." She deliberately added the word "should" because she felt she had been very polite.

Upon hearing this, Baili Liushang finally showed a slight smile. "How would we know if we didn't compete?"

Tan Huan sighed, "So the internal strength competition is considered the second match?"

Baili Liushang shook his head, "No, I just wanted to know whose internal strength is superior between you two."

Luo Yi calmly looked up and said indifferently, "How do we compete?"

Baili Liushang casually glanced at the five leaders below the stage, making them tremble with fear. "Yu Ye, Song Lian, and Zhong Ding, take out your weapons. Huan'er, you and Luo Yi, channel your inner energy into these weapons. You can only use inner energy." He paused, "See how long it takes for these weapons to break, and you'll know whose inner energy is better."

Tan Huan lowered her head, looking like she wanted to laugh but dared not. This move was ruthless; a large part of the reason she lost the first match was because she ruined the relationship between the two people's master weapons. Her master's words were very satisfying.

Jiang Shemi clicked her tongue in admiration twice, then glanced at him with a seductive look, "Palace Master, what a generous gesture! To select a young Palace Master, Zhengyang Palace has lost at least ten thousand taels of silver today."

Baili Liushang didn't utter a sound, nor did he even bother to acknowledge them. He simply said to Tan Huan and Luo Yi, "Let's begin."

The reason Tan Huan was able to so easily cut through the weapons of two powerful figures was largely due to the power of the Lone Dust Sword. Against such a divine weapon, no other weapon could rival its sharpness. Therefore, if one could only rely on internal force to shatter these top-tier weapons, the difficulty would be immense.

A quarter of an hour, then another quarter of an hour, after continuously outputting internal energy for so long, even Tan Huan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. However, the weapon in his hand had only developed cracks. Tan Huan really wanted to add some hand strength or palm wind while outputting internal energy, but after secretly glancing at Baili Liushang's focused gaze, Tan Huan was discouraged. It was impossible to fool his master.

Luo Yi's face was also a little pale, but compared to Tan Huan's honest and sincere output of internal energy, Luo Yi did not use his full strength, so his weapon was not damaged at all.

Another incense stick's time passed, and Tan Huan's weapon was finally shattered. Tan Huan couldn't help but let out a soft cheer, raising her bright eyes to gaze at Baili Liushang, "Master, how was it?"

"It's because I'm not as skilled as others," Luo Yi said calmly.

Baili Liushang smiled, "As expected, Huan'er is better." Then he glanced thoughtfully at Luo Yi, "Luo Yi, are you that eager to win?"

Luo Yi's purple eyes flashed, and she nodded honestly.

Baili Liushang laughed and said, "Alright, I'll grant your wish." He stretched lazily. "The second competition is to test your lightness skills." He pointed upwards and said, "There are a few Seven Immortal Herbs on the cliff and Gobi Desert. Whoever picks them first wins."

Tan Huan's lips twitched. "No way! Lightness skill is the most energy-consuming thing! How could they give her such a question when she has almost no energy left? Master, if you wanted Senior Brother to win, you should have said so earlier. Why make things difficult for her?"

Baili Liushang slowly stood up, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'll go with you guys and see what's going on. It should be quite interesting."

The cliffs of Zhengyang Palace were exceptionally steep; standing atop them, all one could see below was swirling mist. Tan Huan wiped the cold sweat from her brow, hoping for a safe return. Her left leg still throbbed with pain. She peered through the mist for a long time, but couldn't find the Seven Immortal Herbs her master had spoken of. She knew nothing of medicine and had no idea what they looked like. She sighed almost imperceptibly, "Master…can I just give up?"

Baili Liushang knew what she was thinking as soon as she called him "Master," so he breathed out and said, "Hmm?" His voice was full of danger.

Tan Huan's little schemes were immediately suppressed, and she said dejectedly, "It's nothing." She was standing right next to Baili Liushang. From a distance, she had thought she was overthinking things, but now that she was closer, she realized he really did look a little different, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Was he a little paler? Master had always been quite pale; was his hair a little messy? It must have been from the wind earlier. Tan Huan gazed at him and asked softly, "Master, are you feeling unwell?"

Baili Liushang's gaze was deep. He stared back at him for a long while, then a smile appeared on his lips. "What do you think?"

Tan Huan couldn't stand his smile and lowered her gaze. "You look like you're not feeling well. Why don't you go back to your room and rest for a bit?"

Baili Liushang still smiled at her.

Tan Huan felt a chill run down his spine and continued, "The wind is very strong at the top of the cliff. If Master is not feeling well, you don't need to stand here."

Baili Liushang finally suppressed his smile and saw through her intentions with a single sentence, "You want to go easy on Luo Yi while I'm not here?"

Tan Huan quickly waved his hand, "No, no, Senior Brother, why would I need to go easy on you? I've already lost one round, and if I lose again, I'm really doomed."

Baili Liushang smiled and said, "I am in good health, no need for you to worry."

Tan Huan glanced at him furtively, wanting to say, "Master, are you just being stubborn?" But she didn't dare say it, and swallowed the words back. While the two were talking, Luo Yi, already prepared, cupped his hands and said, "Master, Junior Sister, I'll go down first." With that, he leaped and disappeared into the clouds and mist of the cliff.

Tan Huan stood on the cliff top, enjoying the breeze, and looked down with a complicated expression.

Baili Liushang glanced at her sideways, "Aren't you going down?"

The pain in his left foot intensified, and Tan Huan stammered, "I haven't jumped off a cliff yet, I need to prepare myself mentally."

"If you don't go down soon, your senior brother will have already picked the Seven Immortal Herbs." Baili Liushang's anger flared at her timid appearance. The effects of his demonic possession were acutely felt every second, making him increasingly anxious. Zhengyang Palace needed a new master, and before his power dissipated, he needed to find someone with sufficient strength to lead it. Baili Liushang's gaze swept over her from top to bottom, and he kicked Tan Huan down impatiently. "Even if your leg hurts, get down here!"

With a sharp cry of "Ah!", Huan disappeared into the clouds and mist behind the cliff along with Luo Yi. Only after his two disciples had vanished did Baili Liushang dare to breathe heavily, sitting cross-legged on the ground to circulate his internal energy. He had always been arrogant and domineering in the martial world; was he now going to experience what it was like to be without martial arts? Would Baili Liushang still be Baili Liushang without martial arts? A hint of sorrow appeared in his eyes. If Huan'er won in the end, he would pass on all his power to her, as a final act for Zhengyang Palace, and also as a gift to Huan'er—the first and the last.

Baili Liushang's kick was clean and swift; Tan Huan tumbled off the cliff, mustered all her strength to flip in mid-air, and finally managed to cling to the precipice. She looked around, searching for Luo Yi's figure, hoping to see what Luo Yi had picked so she could imitate her. Unfortunately, all she saw was a vast expanse of white.

"Sigh~" Tan Huan clung to the cliff like a gecko, her hands aching, her feet increasingly sore, and the spot where her master had kicked her earlier also throbbed. She took a deep breath and leaped deeper, feeling the increasing chill of the cliff bottom as she descended, goosebumps rising on her arms. Tan Huan looked left and right, but still couldn't see Luo Yi. Unable to find her, she continued downhill, jumping several times until she finally spotted Luo Yi standing on the cliff face, holding a small green blade of grass.

Tan Huan smiled and said, "Judging from your appearance, Senior Brother must have found it." As she spoke, she took another deep look at the herb in Luo Yi's hand, carefully examined it, and then memorized the appearance of the Seven Immortal Herb. "Senior Brother, go ahead first, I will catch up later."

Luo Yi remained silent, one hand still dangling from a thick tree branch on the cliff face. There was no one else here, only him and her. In this exceptionally quiet state, he would recall many things he only dared to remember and imagine in the darkness of night. Luo Yi's purple eyes deepened, becoming almost dazzlingly beautiful, and unconsciously, a murderous aura began to emerge.

Tan Huan sensed the murderous intent and chuckled dryly. "Seriously? Another fight in this situation?" he thought. "Senior brother, aren't you going up? If you don't hurry, I'll catch up."

Kill her, and she might discover the secret. Killing her would be the end of it all. Luo Yi's eerie gaze was fixed on Tan Huan's face, and her murderous intent intensified, her purple eyes growing deeper and darker.

Tan Huan's stomach was cramping. She didn't want to fight Luo Yi to the death, so she stopped talking and turned to jump deeper into the cliff. Since she already knew what the Seven Immortal Grass looked like, she could just find another one that looked exactly the same.

“You don’t need to look anymore.” Luo Yi lowered her voice. “Except for the one I have, I’ve destroyed all the others.”

With a buzzing sound on his forehead, Tan Huan stood there blankly for a moment, then turned to look at Luo Yi. After thinking for a moment, he slowly and deliberately asked, "Senior brother, are you that eager to win?"

“Although I won the first round, I didn’t feel like I won at all,” Luo Yi said slowly. “If you want to win this round, then defeat me and take the Seven Immortal Grass.”

"Defeat you? Or kill you?" Tan Huan tilted his head, his gaze unfathomable. "Does Senior Brother want the Palace Master's position? Or my life?"

Luo Yi suddenly stopped speaking, falling into deep thought for a moment, his previously chaotic and murderous mind gradually clearing. He sighed and said with a bitter smile, "I want to win."

"Hehe, Senior Brother destroyed all the Seven Immortal Herbs, of course he wants to win." Tan Huan stood on a protruding rock on the cliff, stretching his limbs. He glanced up and his figure flashed towards Luo Yi like a startled swan. His five fingers were like claws, and just as he touched the edge of the Seven Immortal Herbs, Luo Yi nimbly dodged. In an instant, the two began to fight on this precipice. Clouds and mist swirled, their figures were hazy and indistinct. The two figures moved gracefully, their clothes wet with dew, their fingertips icy cold.

Tan Huan's left foot was in great pain, but she forgot the pain as she fought, and her movements became increasingly agile. Caught off guard, Tan Huan snatched a leaf from the Seven Immortals Grass in Luo Yi's hand. Enraged by this, Luo Yi's attacks became increasingly ruthless. However, in terms of martial arts, Tan Huan was clearly superior. Luo Yi lost her footing and plummeted downwards, quickly grabbing a tree branch overhead.

Below lay a bottomless cliff shrouded in mist and clouds. Luo Yi held the Seven Immortal Herbs in one hand and clung to a tree branch with the other, her tall body dangling precariously in mid-air. Tan Huan smiled, standing on a protruding rock, even having the leisure to squat down, "Senior brother, if I push you, you're dead."

Luo Yi didn't speak, just looked at her calmly.

In truth, Tan Huan felt her relationship with Luo Yi was quite good, but she didn't know what Luo Yi was thinking. Thinking of this, she felt a pang of sorrow. Her senior brother actually wanted to kill her? All for a secret she didn't even know what it was—ultimately, it was all because of the Lonely Dust Sword. She pried open Luo Yi's fingers, forcefully snatched the Seven Immortal Herb, and then, without watching him leave, said, "Come up yourself, but the Seven Immortal Herb is mine now."

Watching the figure recede into the distance, Luo Yi held his breath and gazed into the distance. Suddenly, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, a smile tinged with bitterness and helplessness. In these two competitions, she had already saved him twice. His master often said that Tan Huan was a villain at heart, but he didn't think so. She knew he wanted to kill her, yet she still saved him. In the martial world, Tan Huan was often misunderstood, wronged, and framed. Before she could even show her goodness, she was already branded as a villain.

When Tan Huan reached the top of the cliff, Baili Liushang was leaning against a big tree. He glanced at Tan Huan and saw the Seven Immortals Herb in his hand. He laughed strangely, "You actually came up first? I thought you didn't even know what the Seven Immortals Herb looked like."

"I don't know," Tan Huan honestly admitted. "But Luo Yi knows, so I snatched it."

"Haha...you robbed Luo Yi?" Baili Liushang laughed loudly, "Huan'er is becoming more and more capable, she even knows how to rob, she's self-taught."

Feeling embarrassed by his words, Tan Huan awkwardly turned her head away. "Master wants me to win, right?"

Baili Liushang suddenly stopped laughing, staring intently at her, his gaze so intense it was suffocating. "You think that's what I think?"

Tan Huan quietly shifted his gaze, but immediately looked away after meeting Baili Liushang's eyes, gazing up at the sky. "Disciple dares not presume to know Master's thoughts; I was merely speaking casually."

As they spoke, Luo Yi had already leaped to the top of the cliff and walked forward calmly, cupping his hands and saying, "Master, I have lost this round. Please give me the third question."

“Now you all have one win and one loss. The third round will determine the outcome.” Baili Liushang chuckled, staring at Tan Huan for a long time. “The third question…” he deliberately drew out the last syllable, “is to see who can take Pei Jin’s life first.”

Tan Huan's eyes widened suddenly, and after a long, long time, she asked, "Master, did you give me this question to train me or to make things difficult for me?"

“If you ascend to the position of Palace Master of Zhengyang Palace, then I will absolutely not allow you to have any weaknesses. Tell me, what is my purpose?” Baili Liushang said solemnly.

"Pei Jin and I are nothing to each other anymore," Tan Huan insisted. "Master, don't you believe me?"

"Since he's nothing, let's just kill him."

"Does it have to be through killing to prove my innocence?" Tan Huan found it unbelievable.

Baili Liushang gazed at her silently. Due to a mishap during martial arts practice, he had suffered a qi deviation, and his internal energy was rapidly depleting. He couldn't wait any longer; he didn't have that much time. "You and Luo Yi set off together. I will watch over you from behind."

Omnipotence is ultimately just a myth; he doesn't want people to see his withered state, to see him consumed by pleasure.

He looked forward to her growth, but was also afraid that his expectations would be disappointed.

This is the first time I've felt this way. I never knew it felt like this, so incredibly unsettling.

Chapter Twenty-One: The Palace Master's Successor