Jianghu (un mundo de artes marciales) - No te cortes

Capítulo 44

Shuang Jing was stunned, and suddenly became so dazed that she couldn't speak.

It was as if she were still deep in the mountains and valleys, surrounded by green spring grass and the chirping of orioles in the distant woods. In a lush, verdant forest, a woman in green sat cross-legged, smiling gently as she asked, "Jing'er, do you dare accept today's challenge?" Back then, she was fearless and courageous, and no matter the hardships and difficulties of the trials, she would always smile, her eyes crinkling, and grin, replying, "Yes, Master, you don't need to show mercy to your disciple!"

Only then did she realize how fearless she had been back then. She always faced the unknown future with a smile and curiosity.

It was the same when I first entered the martial arts world.

What about Fengdaige?

So what about Honghu Fort?

What about the other gangs and rivals?

With my master watching, these challenges in the martial world are nothing compared to the trials I've faced before.

But... we can't be that willful anymore.

She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and could no longer withstand any more storms or waves.

Xuan Sheng, standing beside her, held her hand, as if to say that no matter what, he would stay with her.

But she could no longer take the risk. The fear and despair she felt when she heard him ask his master to erase her memories in the darkness came rushing back to her. She had never realized so clearly that she had long since said goodbye to her days of being able to command the wind and rain.

Now, crippled and helpless, what can she do against her invincible master? In the end, she'll still have to rely on Xuan Sheng, Che Shui, or even Mei Hua, but they're already broken and wounded. Besides, she's proud. The Seven Stones Sect Master would rather die than bend, rather leave in sorrow before her master than accept charity or help from others. Even if those people are her closest friends who have risked their lives alongside her, even if they are her lovers who would die with her.

So he lowered his eyes silently and smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid... Shuangjing will disappoint Master."

“I knew you’d say that, but Jing’er, this time you have no choice.” Fu Ping raised an eyebrow slightly, turning to point at the valley in the morning light: “This entire Li Valley is Qianxialou’s territory. This gang is extremely mysterious; their treasure is hidden in the most secret place, surrounded by checkpoints and traps. You’ve already broken through the first two barriers. The people from Flying Eagle Fortress have already gone to the deepest part of the valley to retrieve the treasure.” She turned to look at her disciple, her gaze filled with an irresistible authority and awe.

"Ye Shuangjing, if you want me to admit that the beliefs you have held firmly all these years are correct, then you must prove that I am wrong."

Upon hearing this, Shuang Jing suddenly raised her head and involuntarily clenched her fists.

Seeing her silence, Fu Ping frowned and said sharply, "If your martial arts hadn't been ruined, would you really have just been waiting foolishly within the Seven Stones Sect all these years? Is this all the skill my disciple, whom I personally trained, is capable of? Without martial arts, can't you hold your own in this martial world filled with mediocre people?!" Her voice grew louder as she spoke, and seeing that the other remained silent, she took a step forward and raised her right hand:

Answer me!

With that, he swung his hand down with a fierce motion!

"Double clean!" Plum Blossom exclaimed in surprise.

Snap—

A sound like the air cracking rang out.

A gentle breeze blows, and golden sunlight pours in like a torrent from the edge of the woods. Birds sing and wild animals roam.

Their robes fluttered in the wind, their white robes like light clouds and rosy hues, their green robes like clear, green water.

Xuan Sheng's hand froze in mid-air. Fu Ping's attack was too fast; he didn't even have time to react.

However, the invincible heroine's arm was caught in mid-air by Shuang Jing.

Shuangjing was also taken aback. She didn't expect to make a move, but at that moment, her left hand reacted and swung out to block the attack.

Fu Ping's hand was only two fingers' distance from her face.

There was no pain in her wrist; Shuangjing should have known long ago that the palm strike was just a feint. Her master simply wanted to know if she still had any courage left to resist. So, the words she wanted to say, the anger she felt, all vanished. The person before her had been by her side since she could remember, raising her single-handedly, imparting all his knowledge to her without reservation, and no matter how wronged he felt, he couldn't harbor the slightest resentment or complaint towards her.

"Master..." She wanted to say something, but her words were all silence.

Why haven't you come to see me in the past five years?

I always thought you would come, so perhaps there would be a place to vent all this grievances and sadness.

As if sensing the sadness and confusion in her gaze, Fu Ping shifted her gaze, still expressionless and calmly saying, "Jing'er... I've said it before, this is not up to you."

"Master! I..."

“You all have your reasons for going.” Fu Ping ignored her and turned to Mei Hua and Xuan Sheng, saying, “Master Lin, your master’s killer is among the people of Flying Eagle Fortress; and you… Second Young Master, your father is also in this deep valley. If it weren’t for him, how could Flying Eagle Fortress have entered this beautiful valley so easily?”

Upon hearing this, both of them couldn't help but purse their lips and clench their fists.

The truth is only one step away from them.

Who killed Lin Haitang? Who made Shaohua seriously ill? Who sent Lvming to Xuansheng's side?

Who set up this intricate mystery, drawing them all in without their control?

Xuan Sheng and Mei Hua turned to look at the forest and valley in front of them, and suddenly felt their blood surging and churning within them.

Have you not seen how the heroes of the martial world are all young, able to turn the world upside down with a flick of their wrist?

We are all martial arts practitioners; how could we possibly have the will to retreat when facing powerful enemies?

Both men's expressions instantly turned serious, every inch of their skin tingling with a restless urge. It was as if they could both hear the weapons on their backs firing.

A bloodthirsty cry.

Light and Darkness - Why Not Sing and Stroll? (3)

Both men's faces immediately turned grim, and every inch of their skin seemed to stir with a restless urge. It was as if they could hear the weapons on their backs emitting a bloodthirsty cry.

“And you… Jing’er…” Fu Ping turned to look at her, smiled gently, and then rose into the air, retreating like the most graceful swan taking flight. She stood once again atop the ruins of that pavilion, chin raised, eyes bright:

"Three days from now, I will be waiting for you at the location of the Thousand Heroes Pavilion's treasure—Yuanquan Shore. If you do not come, the poison I just fed Du Cheshui will take effect. At that time, even if he wants to die, he won't be able to!"

"Master!" Shuangjing was shocked. She never expected Fuping to make such a move. She immediately took a step forward and tried to rush forward, but her body was exhausted and her legs went weak. Fortunately, Xuansheng reached out and hugged her from behind, which prevented her from falling and getting injured.

She looked up abruptly, but Fu Ping was nowhere to be seen. Only her voice still echoed around her: "Jing'er, if you don't come, then I will wander the world again. Then you will never see me again, and Du Cheshui will have to become a sacrifice... Jing'er, you must come, you must come and prove to me that I was wrong..."

"Master...!" Shuang Jing gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly the veins bulged: "Damn it!"

"Shuangjing..." Xuan Sheng sighed, reaching out to help her catch her breath, and then pulled her into his arms to shield her from the morning chill. After a moment, he asked, "Just let me and Meihua go..."

"No, Master will never give A-Che the antidote if he doesn't see me." Shuang Jing stood up, panting, and stumbled forward, falling to Che Shui's side.

Under the sunlight, the silhouette of the tower's owner was bathed in golden light, shimmering with a warm halo and gentle lines. He was simply sleeping soundly, peaceful and serene, as if he were trapped in the most peaceful and blissful dream and did not want to wake up.

Shuangjing grasped his hand, and suddenly tears streamed down her face. The tears splashed onto Cheshui's cheeks and shattered.

From the age of thirteen, this person had been by her side, smiling broadly, as bright as the sun and as dazzling as the stars, accompanying her through countless trials and tribulations. When she was happy, he would look at her with a gentle, soft smile; when she was sad, he would silently pat her shoulder and hug her like a child; when she was in danger, he would stand silently in front of her, shielding her from all the storms of life.

If it weren't for Du Cheshui, Ye Shuangjing wouldn't be alive today.

If it weren't for the Chongchonglou, the Qishimen would have fallen into ruin five years ago.

Shuangjing stood up without a word, turned around and looked at the mountain range that Fuping had pointed to, her tone icy: "Damn it, Master will definitely see me on the shore of Yuanquan in three days, even if... what arrives then is a corpse!" For A'Che, I'm willing to do anything, death is nothing to me.

At that time, a golden torrent filled the entire forest and ruins, and a flock of birds spread their wings and flew towards the horizon.

A gentle breeze blew, the clouds parted, and in the east, a sea of clouds stretched like brocade. Amidst the swirling, white clouds, a brilliant golden sun burst forth from the sky. The woman standing amidst the ruins, gazing at the distant, rolling mountains, was suddenly bathed in gold. At that moment, all was silent, the world still, except for her clear, melodious voice, like the gentle clinking of jade pendants, carrying an incomparably cool, noble, and proud tone:

"It's nothing more than taking this beautiful valley from the invincible heroine. It's rare for Master to have such an interest, how could I, Ye Shuangjing, not accompany him?"

She chuckled softly, her voice arrogant, haughty, and utterly conceited:

"In three days, we will definitely seize that legendary treasure!"

“Shuang Jing…” Although he was very proud of her, Xuan Sheng was still a little worried. He unconsciously put his hand on her shoulder and sighed softly: “Since you have made up your mind, I will accompany you to the end, but we still have three days. You should rest first, that would be good…” Before he finished speaking, he immediately reached out to protect Shuang Jing behind him. Mei Hua, who was next to him, also suddenly stood up and drew her twin swords and stood in front of Che Shui.

A sudden gust of wind swept in, and two figures emerged from the depths of the forest, one after the other. A muffled groan escaped, and the figure in front plummeted from mid-air, tumbling and rolling several times before crashing down in front of Shuang Jing and the others. The person struggled to their feet, covered in wounds, their face stained with blood, crimson liquid seeping from beneath half of their mask. Several cuts marred their body, and their back was stained with blood. It was Jing Shan.

She gritted her teeth and got up, looking at the person in front of her with a face full of grief and indignation.

Shuangjing and the others turned to look and saw that the sky was as clear as water, and the air was filled with the fragrance of dew and flowers. Hua Wushuang stood there with a smile, wearing a light blue robe and holding a long sword.

"Master Hua?" Xuan Sheng and Shuang Jing were both taken aback, looking at the two masters and servants facing each other in confusion.

There was a distinct chill and malevolent aura in the air. Xuan Sheng protected Shuang Jing tightly, and Mei Hua kept her knife close at hand.

"You've all called me by the wrong name..." Hua Wushuang smiled calmly, his eyes clear, his smile gentle, his demeanor elegant and handsome, truly living up to his title of 'Jade Gentleman': "Actually, I'm not the master of Jianrou Manor..." He then turned to Meihua: "However, you already knew about this, didn't you, Eighth Hall Master?"

Mei Hua's face paled, and a murderous aura suddenly emanated from her. She gripped her twin swords tightly, her face filled with sorrow and hatred: "It really was you! You killed Third Sister, framed Xuan Sheng's fiancée, and sent men to kidnap Shuang Jing at the Seven Stones Sect..."

"What?!" Xuan Sheng couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment, "It's you?!"

Looking back, Shuang Jing was calmly looking at the other person with an indifferent gaze: "Who exactly is Xi Yun, the lord of Flying Eagle Fortress?"

Hua Wushuang tilted her head slightly, a languid and charming glint in her eyes: "It seems the Seven Stones Sect Master already knew about this matter?"

"It's just a suspicion." Ye Shuangjing, her face pale, broke free from Xuan Sheng's cover and took a shaky step forward. "I read the records left by Cai Ren at Jianrou Manor... Three years ago, a master thief left Jianrou Manor and disappeared without a trace. It is said that he was agile and had superb lightness skills, and he was extremely similar to the follower that Xuan Sheng brought with him when he came to Qishi Gate. I think... that must be Lü Ming. Because the location of Half Moon City is extremely mysterious, you cannot keep in touch with Lü Ming at any time. And a few years later, he finally told you that there was no trace of Half Moon Luo Ying with Xuan Sheng, and Xuan Sheng could not remember anything... Therefore, you had no choice but to send him out of the city again."

"The Jianrou Manor's library contains records of all visitors, but several pages have been torn out from this year's records. The dates on the last few pages coincide with the time we encountered Meihua. Presumably, those are the records of Xiquan's visit. After learning that Banyue Luoying and the Locked Heart Bronze Mirror were not at Jianrou Manor, she went to Haitang Hall in the Northern Desert to ask for information, right?" Shuangjing stepped forward and said, calmly looking at Hua Wushuang's unchanging smile: "But Lin Haitang already knew the stakes involved and didn't want Feiying Fortress to obtain the Qianxia Tower's treasure... so..."

"So she killed my third sister?" Plum Blossom said tremulously, looking angrily at the master of Sword Soft Manor: "Did you order her to kill my master?!"

“I didn’t tell her to do that…” Hua Wushuang smiled coldly, taking leisurely steps forward: “The people Xi Quan killed and the things she did were all her own decisions. I just gave her some instructions on what benefits the treasure of Qianxia Tower would bring to Feiying Fortress.”

"Why?" Shuang Jing frowned, looking at him carefully, as if trying to understand him. After a pause, she asked unconsciously, "Hua Wushuang, who exactly are you?"

“Heh…” Hua Wushuang couldn’t help but smile: “Finally, you’ve gotten to the point.”

He stepped forward and emerged from the shadows.

The morning sunlight shone on his face, and the reflected golden light made him look like a different person.

The familiar playful smile and teasing grin were gone, as was the gentle and refined air he once exuded. Previously, I'd always felt this person shared a resemblance to Du Cheshui—both had incredibly cheerful smiles and bright eyes, their playful banter lacking any seriousness, even their earnestness tinged with a faint smile. But now, he seemed like a completely different person.

A chilling and stern aura emanated from him, his sharp eyes and piercing gaze seemingly unleashing all the killing intent he had previously concealed. The surrounding air seemed to solidify with each step he took, the oppressive chill pressing down on him. Xuan Sheng unconsciously reached out again to protect Shuang Jing behind his back, placing one hand on the Night Sword, ready to strike at any moment.

“I am…” Hua Wushuang raised her head slightly, a cold and cruel smile on her lips: “The eleventh lord of Flying Eagle Fortress.”

"What?!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise, but Jing Shan remained silent, looking at him angrily and wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You bastard..." she said slowly, gritting her teeth as she swayed as she struggled to her feet. "If that's the case, where does my position as the Master of the Manor stand?!"

“Heh…” Hua Wushuang walked up to her, slowly bent down, and said softly, “Your master has always been in Jianrou Manor… but he has been imprisoned by me and made a servant.”

"It's...it's Cai Ren?!" Everyone was astonished, suddenly recalling that thin figure in the dark cave, among countless old books.

It turns out that Hua Wushuang is the second son of the former lord of Flying Eagle Fortress, born to the former lord's concubine. He is a half-brother of Xi Yun and Xi Xing, but he was taken in as a disciple by the former lord of Sword Soft Manor from a young age and did not spend much time at Flying Eagle Fortress. The people and elders of Sword Soft Manor had long regarded him as their own family. If the former lord of Flying Eagle Fortress had not chosen him as the new lord, he might have spent his whole life at Sword Soft Manor. Being a happy thief is better than being an invisible second young master.

Su Mi San, the former lord of Flying Eagle Fortress, was someone Shuang Jing and others knew. He was a forthright man and a chivalrous hero, always ready to fight injustice. He was loyal, brave, and decisive, possessing the courage of ten thousand men. Although somewhat unconventional and sometimes crude in his speech and actions, and a heavy drinker, he was still considered a chivalrous figure of his time. He was not careless in choosing his successor. At that time, Xi Yun was young and sickly, while Xi Xing, though devoted to martial arts, had little talent in organizing a gang and was only obsessed with martial arts. The remaining second son, however, had achieved considerable success at Sword Soft Manor. Although Su Mi San was reluctant, he still summoned him back and appointed him as the successor.

However, Hua Wushuang also knew that Flying Eagle Fortress had been embroiled in internal strife in her father's later years. Her father had simply been too drunk to realize it. Once Su Bisan died, everyone would be dissatisfied with this suddenly appearing fortress lord; Xi Quan would not be satisfied, the highly respected elders would not be satisfied, and even the disciples below would probably not be satisfied.

Thus, this plan was devised. Xi Quan was obsessed with martial arts, and in his quest for that unparalleled skill, he was bound to suffer a qi deviation. Xi Yun, feeling guilty for failing to revive the gang, would cooperate for this sliver of hope. Then, like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, Xi Yun would be no match for Shuang Jing and the others, and the Eight Immortals were no match for Xuan Sheng and Che Shui. Although the city lord of Half Moon City was caught in the middle, it wasn't a major problem. As for himself, when Xi Yun was killed in battle, the Eight Immortals were crippled, and most of the Flying Eagle Fortress's members had been eliminated, he could secure his position as the manor lord and merge Jianrou Manor and Flying Eagle Fortress.

However, he did not expect that a reclusive and invincible female knight-errant named Fu Ping would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

He was originally supposed to team up with Shuangjing and the others to defeat Flying Eagle Fortress, and then reveal his identity at the last moment, reluctantly taking on the responsibility of rebuilding Flying Eagle Fortress. However, now the 'enemy' has Fuping in the fray, while on his side there is only the wounded Lin Meihua and the paralyzed Xuansheng. Things have spiraled out of control, and he cannot allow Xiquan to obtain the treasure of Qianxia Tower.

"You bastard!" Jing Shan suddenly leaped into the air, her right hand lashing out with a soft whip. Her face was filled with sorrow and anger, her eyes brimming with tears. "My master trusted you so much! You...you have become so ungrateful!" As she spoke, she brandished her weapon, and the whip seemed to come alive, lashing out relentlessly, pressing forward step by step.