614 Bickering (1/2)
After being greatly influenced by the disciples of the Essence Pavilion, King Shengri was very wary of other masters being around the old Khan. The Taoist priests of the Jade Pure Sect, who had been favored by the Khan as soon as they arrived, were the highest profile characters he was on guard against.
”You've competed with the Dragon King in internal energy? And both of you were injured?”
”Yes,” Dao Nian humbly replied with his head lowered.
”Then I'll give you a chance to go out there and beat the Dragon King.”
”Uhh, this Taoist still has an internal injury…”
”The Dragon King also has an internal injury but he still sliced and diced his opponents apart like melons and cabbages. Why can't you do that?”
”Well… Our sect focuses on cultivating internal energy and building up our body, unlike the Dragon King, whose internal energy is injured but his saber techniques are not affected.”
What Dao Nian said sounded plausible but it was just a trick to fool outsiders. In fact, internal energy and external martial arts were codependent and mutually conditional. Gu Shenwei was able to exert the Death Sutra Sabersmanship because his endurance was much greater than that of an ordinary kung fu practitioner. The speed of his saber had actually slowed down a lot.
King Shengri couldn't find the flaw in his reply but was very dissatisfied with his attitude of being unwilling to fight and offering up all kinds of excuses. Frowning, he said, ”Let one of your junior brothers play then.”
Dao Nian blushed. In order to boast a little, he hadn't mentioned his junior brothers when he had brought up the fight with the Dragon King, which was now an embarrassing loose end. None of them were the Dragon King's match even when they were healthy, not to mention that they still had the frosty Qi inside their bodies.
While Dao Nian was at a loss for words, his junior brother Dao Xiu stepped forward and requested, ”Your Highness, please let me fight for you!”
”You can do it?”
”Our Jade Pure Sect is good at using internal energy, not fist and sword techniques. But the Dragon King is so arrogant and wants to challenge all the experts in the Norland on his own. I can't stand it anymore. I'd rather die if I can't defend the dignity of the Norland. I just hope that Your Highness can remember the loyalty of our brothers.”
Dao Xiu's words were touching and sad, but King Shengri felt that they were quite out of place. ”Damn, why would I send you if you can't beat the Dragon King? Who else has volunteered?”
Although Dao Xiu failed to please the king, he had managed to avoid the embarrassment of his senior brother's lies being exposed. Dao Nian cast a grateful look at his junior brother. He didn't expect Dao Xiu, who was usually the most reckless, to be more useful than the others at this critical moment.
The officer who had belittled the kung fu experts of the Central Plains said again, ”My lord, let's send our own warriors out to decide the victory or defeat in one go, and open the eyes of these third-rate disciples of the Central Plains.”
King Shengri pretended to consider the officer's suggestion. In the very end, he would, of course, send out the most capable master to ensure victory, but he still enjoyed watching those that he didn't like kill each other and didn't want the show to end so fast. In fact, he had hoped the Dragon King would win the first few rounds. What annoyed him was that the kung fu experts of the Central Plains were so weak that they weren't able to make the scenes any fiercer.
”Please give the Kongdong Sect a chance, Your Highness.”
The volunteer was an old man in his forties, with a dark complexion and a frowning brow, as if he were both a thoughtful wise man and a poor man who worked day and night.
”Are you sure that you can last a bit longer?” King Shengri's expectations for the kung fu experts of the Central Plains had been greatly lowered.
”I'm not sure how many moves I need, but I'm confident in defeating the Dragon King.”
”Haha, so the Kongdong Sect is the most formidable among the nine major sects of the Central Plains?”
”Every sect has their own expertise, and I happen to know a bit of saber technique that may be able to restrain the Dragon King.”
King Shengri looked at the short saber hanging by the man's waist and said, ”Just go and have a try, but you have to promise me something.”
”I do not aim to lose to the Dragon King.”
”Boring, boring. It's no different from the first two. Um, is there anyone else from the Kongdong Sect here?
Two middle-aged men walked out and saluted King Shengri, ”Your Highness, I am…”
”Stop, stop. I can't remember so many names of people from the Central Plains. The two of you will be his promise. If he wins, the people of the Kongdong Sect will be treated as top-notch warriors of the Norland and you will be rewarded with a high position and great wealth. If he loses, and the Dragon King kills one on the field, then I'll kill two off the stage.”
The three disciples of the Kongdong Sect were astonished. They looked at each other for a few moments before the man with furrowing brow said, ”As Your Highness wishes.” Then he walked out to the field.
”I'm Shen Yongjiu of the Kongdong Sect, and I'm here to ask the Dragon King for some advice regarding saber technique. Please enlighten me.”
The kung fu experts of the Central Plains in the Norland were all unwilling to reveal their real names but this Shen Yongjiu was obviously an exception. Gu Shenwei hadn't heard of this name, but behind him, the hundreds of besieged let out a slight exclamation of surprise. It was clear that this plain saberman was quite famous in the Central Plains.
Seeing that Shangguan Fei was the second person to be let go by the Dragon King, Old Man Mu's confidence was greatly boosted, and he became a bit more willing to act as a eulogist. The Kongdong Sect was close to the Norland, so he had some cursory knowledge of it, but didn't recognize this Shen Yongjiu. He suddenly remembered something when he saw the short saber under Shen Yongjiu's belt. ”Hey, Shen, do you know Old Immortal Dog Butcher?
”Senior Dog Butcher is my Martial Uncle.”