Bloodstained Kill - Chapter 32
Qi Mo chuckled to himself, thinking to himself: If Sima Liuyun didn't try to steal my wife, he would actually have some redeeming qualities.
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At the same moment, in the dark underground chamber of the Kongtong Sect.
Su Rang smiled faintly, looked down at Wanwan who was still unconscious on the bed, and reached out to release her pressure points.
Wanwan woke up slowly, opened her eyes and saw Su Rang, then closed her eyes again indifferently.
Su Rang chuckled coldly and said, "I'm disappointed to see you? Who did you want to see? Sima Liuyun?"
Wanwan seemed not to hear, closing her eyes and remaining silent.
Su Rang narrowed his eyes slightly, leaned down and gently touched Wanwan's neck, whispering in her ear, "Ever since you met that kid at Shuangquan Manor, you've become a different person. You're always going against me, and you're too lazy to even pretend anymore? Every time I want to be intimate with you, I have to press your pressure points..." As he spoke, his palm slowly moved, sliding down along the exposed skin.
Wanwan's breathing quickened, and she suddenly shouted, "Beast!"
Su Rang smiled slightly and said slowly, "What you did with Su Yunjin back then was truly beastly... Don't forget, he is your own uncle."
Wanwan's face immediately turned pale. Su Rang looked at her face, a cruel smile appearing on his lips, and chuckled, "I wonder if your beloved Young Master Sima would still look at you with a second glance if he knew about this past?"
Wanwan felt a pang of pain in her heart, but she sneered, "If you dared to see Sima Liuyun, you wouldn't be hiding in this dark place to torment me now, like a coward."
Su Rang laughed and said, "Don't worry, even if you don't use any provocation, in a few days I will make sure you get what you want and see your lover, Sima Liuyun."
Seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, Wanwan couldn't help but look suspicious, wondering what he meant by those words.
Su Rang chuckled and raised an eyebrow, saying, "You can be patient for a few more days. On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, you can join me in properly entertaining your Young Master Sima." As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed Wanwan. Wanwan struggled desperately and bit his lips. Su Rang cursed under his breath and struck her pressure point, knocking her unconscious again.
Author's Note: Hehe, thanks to angelikahpj, 432978, 七寸天空, and enya for throwing me some "bombs" lately!
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Yun Ran and Qi Mo traveled eastward without stopping, and arrived at the Kongtong region a few days later.
Qi Mo received news that Su Rang, in addition to Sima Liuyun, had invited dozens of experts from various sects to a banquet at the Kongtong Sect on the evening of the 20th of the twelfth lunar month.
Seeing that time was running out and there was no time to communicate with Sima Liuyun, the two decided to sneak into the Kongtong Sect on the day of the banquet to secretly investigate what kind of evil scheme Su Rang was plotting, and then seize the opportunity to help Sima Liuyun rescue Wanwan.
On the evening of the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, Yun Ran changed into men's clothing and, along with Qi Mo, altered their appearances before arriving outside the Kongtong Sect's residence. The two pretended to be invited guests and were led into the hall by welcoming disciples. Huge candles illuminated the hall, which was extremely spacious. Several tables were set up around the perimeter, and guests from various sects arrived and took their seats. Yun Ran and Qi Mo blended in unnoticed.
A moment later, footsteps were heard, and Su Rang, beaming, entered the hall, bowing to the crowd and saying, "I am sorry for being late in welcoming you."
Most of the people from various factions had already heard about the recent trouble between Sima Liuyun and Su Rang. As they rose to return the greeting, they all thought to themselves: "I have always heard that Sima Liuyun from Sichuan is humble and courteous. I wonder what Su Rang did to offend him, that he would pursue him so relentlessly and come to our door."
Su Rang seemed to be in a very good mood, and said with a smile, "In addition to all of you, I have also invited a distinguished guest today. This brother's martial arts are superb, and his reputation in the martial arts world has long been spread far and wide. I am truly honored that he has graced me with his presence."
Everyone assumed that the distinguished guest he spoke of must be Sima Liuyun, but to their surprise, when Su Rang reached the entrance of the hall, he was greeted by a man in his forties dressed in brocade robes. This man was tall and thin, with a sallow face that exuded a fierce aura, and his eyes were slightly lowered. He followed Su Rang into the hall.
Yun Ran noticed that the man walked slowly and his movements were rather strange. Upon closer inspection, she felt a chill run down her spine. Wherever he walked, a line of footprints was deeply imprinted on the bluestone pavement. The purity of his inner strength was truly astonishing.
The guests had already noticed the footprints and were secretly astonished when Su Rang said with a smile, "This is Gongye Yang, the master of Crimson Flame Island. Master Gongye rarely appears in the martial arts world, but his name is well-known to all of us."
These words caused a stir in the hall, while knowledgeable members of various sects frowned inwardly.
Gongye Yang had already made a name for himself in the martial arts world twenty years ago with his Crimson Flame Palm technique. He was eccentric and arrogant, relying on his martial arts skills to act recklessly and commit numerous evil deeds, earning him the contempt of all sects. However, due to his high level of martial arts and extremely cruel methods towards his enemies, no one dared to easily provoke him. Later, due to his excessive actions, he was surrounded by masters from various sects and nearly lost his life. After this battle, he went overseas and chose to live on an island, calling himself the master of Crimson Flame Island. However, this man was fond of fame, and every few years he would return to the Central Plains to do a few earth-shattering things, so those present often heard of his infamous reputation.
Gongye Yang remained expressionless, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. He nodded slightly to the crowd, but his expression was arrogant as he said indifferently, "I dare not accept such praise, Sect Leader Su is too kind." Su Rang smiled broadly and hurriedly led him to a seat at a nearby table.
Yun Ran had also heard of Gongye Yang's reputation. Seeing him display his divine skills just now, she thought to herself: Su Rang is so fearless today because he wants to ask this devil to deal with Sima Liuyun. But Gongye Yang is also a sect leader. I have never heard of him having any relationship with the Kongtong Sect. I wonder why he would be willing to be driven by Su Rang and travel thousands of miles to the Central Plains to help him fight the enemy.
Su Rang, with a smile on his face, addressed the crowd, saying, "As you all have probably heard, I recently had a falling out with Young Master Sima Liuyun of Sichuan over some trivial matters. Today, I've hosted this banquet for two reasons: firstly, I wish to ask you all to witness my efforts to reconcile my enmity with Young Master Sima; and secondly..."
He smiled slightly and continued, "I'm not afraid to say this, but I have a cousin who has been lost for many years. I just brought her back to Kongtong a few days ago. Unfortunately, she has been wandering the martial world all these years without anyone to discipline her, and she has become quite spoiled and willful. Now that she has reached marriageable age, I wish to take this opportunity to betroth her to Lord Gongye Island as a concubine. Lord Gongye Island is a hero, and my cousin will surely learn more manners from him. From now on, she will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life, and I can also fulfill a wish of mine. Tonight's banquet can also be considered my engagement banquet for them."
After hearing his words, everyone understood: no wonder the Lord of Crimson Flame Island was willing to stand up for the Kongtong Sect; it turned out that the two families intended to form a marriage alliance. However, Su Rang, in order to curry favor with that fiend Gongye Yang, actually gave his own sister to him as a concubine, which was unbecoming of a sect leader.
Just as everyone was silently complaining to themselves, they suddenly heard a disciple at the door announce loudly, "Young Master Liuyun, the Sima of Sichuan, has arrived."
Then a clear voice rang out from outside the door: "I encountered a little trouble on the way, which has kept Sect Leader Su and everyone waiting. My apologies." As soon as the voice finished speaking, a figure flashed past the door and entered the hall.
Under the lamplight, one could see that this person had handsome features, a dashing and upright demeanor, and wore a spotless white robe. His appearance was so refined and otherworldly that one could not help but admire him.
Sima Liuyun bowed to the crowd, then looked up and saw Su Rang. A shadow of gloom flashed across his face before he said in a deep voice, "I originally wanted to come earlier, but I was constantly ambushed and intercepted along the way. Fortunately, I did not miss the time I agreed to meet with Sect Leader Su. Now that those people have been captured, and since they are in the territory of Kongtong, let Sect Leader Su decide their fate."
As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and several men dressed as attendants escorted more than ten men in black into the hall. Yun Ran recognized these attendants as guards from the Sima family. It seemed that Sima Liuyun had specially transferred a lot of men from the Sima family to make full preparations for today's banquet.
Su Rang had not expected that the several skilled men he had sent would not only fail to stop Sima Liuyun, but would also be captured. His expression changed slightly, and he glanced at Gongye Yang. Feeling somewhat relieved, he chuckled dryly and said, "These people have quite the nerve to attack Young Master Sima in my Kongtong territory. I, Su, will definitely interrogate them properly..." As he spoke, he coughed and gave a wink to the side.
The Kongtong disciples beside him were about to step forward to take the men in black when Sima Liuyun said coldly, "Wait. Sect Leader Su, I came here today for the sake of a friend of mine. I have heard that my friend is now in Sect Leader Su's hands. I hope that Sect Leader Su will release her for my sake."
Su Rang, hearing the implication in his words that he intended to use these dozen or so people as hostages to exchange for Wanwan, couldn't help but reveal a sarcastic smile. He said loudly, "Young Master Sima, please calm down. Today is my sister's engagement day. How about I finish explaining this matter to the guests, and then we can discuss it in detail?"
Sima Liuyun was taken aback. He was always gentle and polite, and after hearing what Su Rang said, he could only nod and be led by a disciple of the Kongtong Sect to sit down opposite Gongye Yang.
Su Rang smiled and said, "Island Master Gongye, this is the most prominent young master Sima Liuyun in the Central Plains these past two years. Young Master Sima, this is Island Master Gongye Yang of Chiyan Island. You two should get to know each other better."
A glint flashed in Gongye Yang's eyes as he slowly said, "Young Master Sima, I have long admired your name."
Upon hearing the name of the Lord of Crimson Flame Island, Sima Liuyun was slightly startled and bowed to Gongye Yang, saying, "So you are the Lord of Crimson Flame Island. This junior greets you."
Su Rang smiled slyly and said, "Just now I was announcing to all the guests that Lord Gongye Island had taken my sister as a concubine. Since Young Master Sima is here, you must also have a drink of their celebratory wine."
He smiled and turned to instruct, "Hurry up and invite the young lady up so she can meet her future husband."
Two disciples beside him responded to the order and soon came out from the back hall, helping a graceful woman out.
Everyone's eyes lit up as they saw a woman dressed in a red dress, with a beautiful face. She was already stunningly beautiful with just a touch of makeup, but her expression was blank and there was not a trace of joy on her face.
Yun Ran had already suspected something after hearing Su Rang's words, and when she saw Wanwan being helped out by the Kongtong disciples, she was still filled with shock and anger.
Sima Liuyun's expression changed drastically. Su Rang glanced at him, feeling smug, and walked to Wanwan's side with a smile, saying gently, "Wanwan, look who's sitting at the table."
When Wanwan turned her head and saw Sima Liuyun, her body trembled slightly, and her dark eyes immediately became misty. She quickly bit her lip and lowered her head, and a few tears quietly fell to the ground.
Sima Liuyun frowned, about to lash out, when Su Rang laughed and said, "It seems that Wanwan is a little shy and has looked in the wrong direction. Lord Gongye is sitting over here." As he spoke, he took her hand and pulled her to Gongye Yang's side, then said to Gongye Yang, "My sister is willful and unruly, and doesn't know any manners. If she fails to serve you properly in the future, please feel free to punish her."
Gongye Yang glanced at Wanwan, a smile finally appearing on his face. He said, "Sect Leader Su is too modest. Even if your sister, such a beauty, did something wrong, I would not bear to punish her." He smiled, reached out and took Wanwan's hand, pulling her to sit down beside him.
Sima Liuyun could no longer contain himself and stood up, saying, "What does Sect Leader Su mean by this?"
Su Rang feigned ignorance and asked in surprise, "Young Master Sima, you and my sister have known each other for a while. Today is her wedding day. You should be happy for her. Why are you suddenly angry?"
Sima Liuyun's eyes flashed coldly as he said in a deep voice, "As the leader of a sect, it is unacceptable for Sect Leader Su to coerce a woman into becoming his concubine. I have been searching for Wanwan for many days, and I have come here today specifically for her. If Sect Leader Su insists on not releasing her, Sima Liuyun will have no choice but to offend him in order to save his friend!"
Everyone had sensed something amiss from Wanwan's expression earlier, and now, after hearing Sima Liuyun's words, they understood the reason for his feud with Su Rang. They couldn't help but think: the woman's expression revealed her deep affection for Sima Liuyun, and Sima Liuyun's willingness to go to Kongtong for her, even at the risk of offending Su Rang, showed his loyalty and devotion. The two were a perfect match, a handsome couple, yet they were cruelly separated; Su Rang's actions were indeed inappropriate.
Seeing that most of the guests looked unconvinced, Su Rang sneered and said, "It seems that Young Master Sima has misunderstood me. Wanwan is my sister. I cherish her too much to coerce her. This matter is of her own free will. If you don't believe me, you can ask her directly."
Then he smiled at Wanwan and said, "Wanwan, in front of everyone, why don't you tell Young Master Sima whether I ever forced you to marry Lord Gongye Island?"
Wanwan lowered her eyelashes, slowly rose, and said in a low voice, "Young Master Sima, my brother is right. Wanwan has long admired Lord Gongye Island and is willing to become his concubine. I was unable to explain this to you before, which caused a dispute between you and my brother. Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I ask that Young Master Sima not interfere in this matter again and leave as soon as possible."
Her words surprised everyone present. Su Rang smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Sima, did you hear that clearly enough?"
Sima Liuyun remained calm and said, "I don't know what methods you used to force her, but as Sima Liuyun is here, I absolutely cannot let her suffer such humiliation and become someone else's concubine against her will."
Wanwan's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she quickly glanced at him, her eyes revealing a look of anxiety.
Gongye Yang suddenly said from the side, "It seems that Young Master Sima is determined to compete with me for this Miss Wanwan."
Su Rang clapped his hands and laughed, "Ah, so Young Master Sima has also taken a fancy to my sister. But I have already betrothed her to Lord Gongye Island. Young Master Sima's current attempt to compete for her is rather perplexing."
Gongye Yang said in a sinister tone, "I am willing to give Young Master Sima a chance to have a fair fight with him. The winner will get Miss Wanwan, which will also save Sect Leader Su from being in a difficult position."
Su Rang smiled and asked, "What does Young Master Sima think?"
Wanwan shook her head slightly at Sima Liuyun, who replied in a deep voice, "I would rather obey than be disrespectful."
Everyone had long heard of the names of the Crimson Flame Island Master and Sima Liuyun, and now that they were about to have a duel on the spot, they were all extremely excited and speculated about the outcome of the battle.
Yun Ran looked at Qi Mo, who shook his head and pondered, "Gongye Yang has not appeared in the martial world for several years. I heard that he has been cultivating in seclusion on Chiyan Island. Every time he returns to the Central Plains, his skills improve by leaps and bounds. It is hard to predict the outcome of Sima Liuyun's fight against him."
Yun Ran was feeling worried when she saw Qi Mo's eyes gleam, a sly look on his face, and he chuckled softly, "But since we are here, there is no reason for Sima Liuyun to lose this match."
A thought struck her, and she turned to look at Qi Mo with a smile. The two understood each other and focused their attention on the arena.
Sima Liuyun left his seat and entered the hall. Gongye Yang sneered, leaped into the air, and landed in front of Sima Liuyun. He reached into his sleeve and revealed a short sword. He said calmly, "I don't usually use weapons in combat, but I acquired this sword by chance. Over the years, I've had some free time on Crimson Flame Island and have mastered a sword technique. Today, I'll spar with Young Master Sima using this Crimson Flame Sword Technique."
Upon hearing his explanation, Sima Liuyun realized that this Crimson Flame Blade Technique was the culmination of his years of dedicated practice and was naturally extraordinary. He also noticed that the short sword in Sima Liuyun's hand was faintly glowing red, indicating that it was a precious sword. This further increased Sima Liuyun's vigilance.
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Sima Liuyun stretched out his hand, and a follower handed him a longsword. He took the sword and said loudly, "In that case, this junior will learn from your superior swordsmanship. I humbly request Senior Gongye's guidance." With that, he took up the sword, stood in a defensive stance, and positioned himself to the left.
Gongye Yang nodded, and without any hesitation, he stepped forward and thrust his sword out horizontally.
Seeing the blade thrust forward, a powerful gust of wind billowing before him, Sima Liuyun knew the man's inner strength was astonishing. Preventing the clash between his precious blade and longsword, he retreated half a step, his longsword flashing as it pointed diagonally at the man's lower abdomen. This sword strike was fierce, concealing several variations. Gongye Yang immediately recognized its power, a chill running through him: "It seems Su Rang was right; this kid is indeed not to be underestimated."
It turned out that his return from overseas was not out of respect for Su Rang, but because he felt that his Crimson Flame Saber Technique had reached its pinnacle and hoped to regain his fame in the Central Plains. Coincidentally, Su Rang learned of his whereabouts and, wanting to befriend him, also guessed his thoughts and strongly persuaded him to go to Kongtong Mountain to compete with Sima Liuyun. He said that the Sima family was highly prestigious in the martial arts world, and Sima Liuyun's martial arts were superb. If he could defeat him in front of all the martial arts masters, he could become famous throughout the world in one battle.
Gongye Yang had long heard of the Sima family of Sichuan. Realizing he hadn't appeared in the Central Plains for several years and his reputation wasn't as formidable as before, he was eager to re-emerge and establish his authority through Sima Liuyun. He immediately agreed to Su Rang's invitation to Kongtong. Su Rang devised a plan to kill two birds with one stone: he would offer Wanwan as Sima Liuyun's concubine, intending to force Sima Liuyun to accept the challenge.
Although Gongye Yang challenged Sima Liuyun, he was confident in his profound skills and did not take him, a junior, seriously. However, after exchanging blows, he realized that Sima Liuyun had deep internal strength and skillful swordsmanship, making him a rare master. Only then did he put aside his contempt and concentrate on fighting against him.
Gongye Yang's swordsmanship was dense and intricate, imbued with profound internal energy, relentlessly pressing towards Sima Liuyun. With each strike, his short sword emitted a sharp, piercing sound, proving its unstoppable power. Sima Liuyun, however, remained undaunted, his figure as graceful as a startled swan, dodging and weaving through Gongye Yang's blade. His sword flashed, his movements precise and skillful, each strike designed to force the enemy to defend.
The onlookers were mesmerized, thinking to themselves: Sima Liuyun's reputation in the martial world has grown steadily in recent years, and it seems that his fame is well-deserved. They never expected that someone so young would possess such skill in swordsmanship, actually fighting to a standstill with the Lord of Crimson Flame Island. If he hadn't been wary of Gongye Yang's precious saber and hadn't held back the full power of his swordplay, Gongye Yang might not have fared so well today.
Gongye Yang originally intended to make a name for himself in this battle, but now that he had been fighting Sima Liuyun for more than a hundred moves, he became impatient and stopped holding back. He swung his sword halfway through the battle and then suddenly split it into two, attacking Sima Liuyun’s ribs.
Seeing the incredible speed of Gongye Yang's attack, Sima Liuyun was startled and quickly leaped backward, barely managing to dodge the short sword's blade, which nearly severed it. Gongye Yang had already moved forward like a monkey, his sword strikes coming in rapid succession, each strike faster than the last, pressing relentlessly, gradually forming a dark red halo, like a sudden storm, enveloping Sima Liuyun within it.
Sima Liuyun felt the heat emanating from the short sword, fueled by Gongye Yang's internal energy, pressing directly towards him. Although he could use his Black Silk Hand to block the sword, he was no match for the Crimson Flame Sword Technique with his bare hands. He dared not directly strike the short sword with his longsword. With Gongye Yang's swift sword strike, he was inevitably constrained and had to use his lightness skill to dodge and weave, occasionally countering with sword moves.
Sitting at the table, Wanwan watched as Sima Liuyun followed Gongye Yang's swordplay, spinning faster and faster. Their moves were so fast that she couldn't see them clearly, let alone discern Sima Liuyun's situation. The more she watched, the more anxious she became. She couldn't help but stand up, her beautiful eyes following Sima Liuyun's white figure closely, her hands covered in cold sweat.
Su Rang glanced at her sideways, a cold smile on his face, and leaned closer to ask her, "Wanwan, who do you hope will win or lose this competition?"
Wanwan shuddered, her face growing paler. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed his sleeve, pleading in a trembling voice, "Brother Su Rang, I was wrong. Please make them stop fighting. I'll do whatever you want from now on!"
Su Rang chuckled and said, "It's too late to beg me now. Besides, the two of them have fought to this point and are now in a bind. Unless one of them is killed or injured, the other can escape. Ah, it seems that your young master Sima can't hold on for much longer. What should we do?"
Yun Ran, who was watching the battle from the sidelines, could see that Sima Liuyun's weapon was limited and he was gradually losing ground due to Gongye Yang's rapid attacks. Seeing that the situation was extremely critical, she narrowed her eyes and slowly reached into her bosom to touch the hidden weapon.