900 Kung Fu Experts (1/2)
Dog Butcher believed that Jianghu was a place where people took revenge ruthlessly and repaid favors gratefully, and that it was not a place for merciful people. He knew that he could never be a typical wanderer of Jianghu, but he still yearned for that kind of life. As a result, he had risked being expelled from his sect and even losing his reputation to follow the Dragon King to the Western Regions so as to spread his wings.
But after reviewing what he had done during the past few months, Dog Butcher felt somewhat disappointed. He had switched his weapon from a crutch to a single saber, participated in several operations and killed a couple of unidentified sabermen, but he hadn't found that unrestrained pleasure he was searching for. After those Central Plainsmen came to Jade City one batch after another, he felt increasingly restricted.
He had reported to his sister what he had done during the past few months – everything, both the big and small things. But his elder sister had responded with a frown and discontent, and then she had started nagging. ”How could you do this? The Kongtong Sect is a prestigious sect. You never told the enemy where you're from, did you? Good, good. Aren't Western Regioners good at disguising themselves? You might as well disguise yourself. At least dye your hair red, so that nobody will be able to recognize you. It will also make you look younger.”
Dog Butcher's enthusiasm for adventuring in Jianghu waned bit by bit. Finally, he made the remark that Tu Pianpian had been expecting for a long time. ”Senior Sister, after the Dragon King takes Jade City, I'll go back to Kongtong Mountain with you.”
”What about your Jianghu dream?” Tu Pianpian affected an air of haughty composure.
”Alas, after the Dragon King becomes the Lord of Jade City and the Central Plains acknowledges his title of king, there won't be any Jianghu left for me to roam.”
Tu Pianpian was very pleased that her younger brother was able to see things this way, but she still felt that was a little too late. ”Actually, the Dragon King has already lost most of his Jianghu aura, and most of the things related to him are plots. Younger brother, both of us are old. We can't compete with those young people no matter how hard we try. I think that you've already had enough fun. Why don't you just say goodbye to the Dragon King and go back with me right now?”
Dog Butcher had joined the Kongtong Sect from childhood, and things had gone very smoothly since then. Besides the crushing defeat that he had suffered during his fight with Old Man Mu, he had barely encountered any major setbacks. As a result, just like an unsophisticated teenager, he felt very guilty about ”resigning,” as if he would owe the Dragon King something if he did this. ”Go back now? I'm not sure. The kung fu competition of Jade City hasn't started yet. Lord Wei… has deep conspiracies. The Dragon King needs me. How can I leave him right now?”
”Lord Wei is the very reason why you should leave right now.” Tu Pianpian knew that her younger brother was a naive person, but she also knew that he was a little stubborn, so she tried to speak in a gentler tone, hoping to convince him with reason. ”You once told the Dragon King that you would 'work for him as long as it doesn't conflict with the interests of the Central Plains,' and he agreed, right?”
”Isn't the cooperation between the Dragon King and Prince Xiao in accord with the interests of the Central Plains? Lord Wei wants to kill the Dragon King, and this is definitely not the right thing to do.”
Tu Pianpian sighed. ”Younger brother, like I said, there are plots all around the Dragon King. We can't see through them, and neither can we intervene in them. With regards to who, between Prince Xiao and Lord Wei, represents the interests of the Central Plains, we're definitely in no place to judge. So let's just stand by.”
Dog Butcher wasn't a fool. He immediately realized that there was a subtle hint to his elder sister's remarks, so he asked vigilantly, ”Senior Sister, what else did you hear? The Dragon King saved both of our lives. We can't repay the favor with dishonesty.”
Tu Pianpian's face slightly blushed, and she grasped the crutch tightly with her right hand. ”It's not repaying favor with dishonesty. We don't have to do it ourselves.”
Dog Butcher was more positive that his sister must be hiding something. ”Senior Sister, you have to tell me the truth. What kind of conspiracy does Lord Wei have in mind this time? Even if we can't protect the Dragon King, we should at least warn him.”
Tu Pianpian finally went crazy. ”Idiot! Warning the Dragon King means betraying the Central Plains! Don't you understand? Lord Wei trusts the Kongtong Sect very much. He doesn't know that you've joined the Dragon Army. Fan Yongda will also keep it a secret. Go back to the Kongtong Sect with me, and don't ever mention what or what will happen in the Western Regions ever again.”
For all these years, Dog Butcher had always been obedient to his elder sister. Even his diligent practice of kung fu in order to take revenge on Old Man Mu was mostly Tu Pianpian's advice instead of his own wish. But this time, he shook his head. ”The Dragon King saved my life. I can't ignore such a big favor. Senior Sister, even if you don't tell me the truth, I'll still go back and warn the Dragon King. I'll stay by his side and keep him safe.”
Tu Pianpian frowned tightly in anger. ”You haven't achieved anything in Jianghu, but your heart has gone wild. You even dare to disobey my words? No way!”
Upon saying these words, Tu Pianpian thrust the crutch in her hand at him. She had sparred with her younger brother very often and they knew each other's fighting style very well. So Tu Pianpian aimed at his most vulnerable part with her first move, planning to poke him in one of his acupoints and forcibly take him back to the Kongtong Mountain.
If it were in the past, then Dog Butcher would have fought back with the moves that he had been practicing since childhood – taking a firm stance, parrying strikes, fighting back – this had almost been his habit for decades. But after spending the past few months in Jade City, he had radically changed his habits.
Without even thinking, Dog Butcher whipped out his saber and fought back, but what he used was not the Kongtong Sect's sabersmanship that Tu Pianpian couldn't be more familiar with. Actually, he didn't use any specific moves at all. This saber strike went straight towards her vital part, and it was as quick as a flash of lightning, as if the opponent didn't care about his own life at all.
Tu Pianpian was astounded.
She had much more Jianghu experience than her younger brother. If her opponent had been a strange saberman, then she would never have been so flurried. But she had already formed an image of her brother's kung fu in her mind, and she didn't expect that this elder of the Kongtong Sect would use such a dishonorable and fast saber strike.
There wasn't enough time for Tu Pianpian to change her move, so she had no choice but to toss her crutch aside and abruptly leap several steps backwards. She almost broke through the tent. Face blushing scarlet, she said angrily, ”Are you out of your mind?”
Dog Butcher was even more startled than his elder sister. Raising the saber, he stood transfixed with shock. After quite a while, he said, ”It's all because of Old Man Mu. He's been nagging around me everyday and I can barely remember how to fight in a kung fu competition.”
”Do you still remember what Master Shifu said back then?”
”Master Shifu said that…” Recalling the scene, Dog Butcher broke out in a cold sweat. ”Kung fu skills used by those in Jianghu focus on aggression and ferocity, and although they look powerful and were easy to learn, the people who practiced them had actually gone astray and would never be able to master advanced kung fu. If they encountered a real kung fu master, they would surely be killed.”
”I don't count as a kung fu master, but if I'm prepared, then you will definitely die a miserable death.” Tu Pianpian was very unconvinced of her defeat.