Chapter 40 (1/2)

Published

at 10th of April 2019 11:18:04 PM

Chapter 40

Chapter 40 – Why not spend a night with me?

Separated fro with those vendors’ noisy cries for custoradually receded like the tide, until Shen Qiao could no longer hear anything

He did not need to open his eyes to know that he was still standing in the same spot and had not suddenly switched locations

However, there seemed to be an invisible power around hi hi him think that he was already elsewhere

It was a rather curious feelingWhen a person’s inner qi reached a certain level, it could evenspace and confuse their opponent’s senses, causing them to feel disordered

The other party had obviously chosen to announce their presence in such a way to pressure Shen Qiao, but since Shen Qiao could not sense any hostility fro of jade pendants, sometimes afar as if from ten miles away and other times so close as if they wereat hi in each and every inch of space, unrelenting like a shadow tailing its projection, or gangrene attached to the bone

The jade clacked crisply and melodiously, but even a sound so pleasant to ears would inevitably incite an unsettling feeling inside people if they listened to it for a certain period of timeShen Qiao held onto the bamboo stick and stood utterly still with his head down and eyes closed — almost as if he had fallen asleep

Suddenly, heno time for people to cover their ears, the ba the movement of his hand, his body also fleard like an arrow leaving the bowstring, an ie completely different from his usual sickly appearanceSied accurately towards his target

The place where the bamboo stick went towards clearly was an eed with internal qi transformed into a white arc and reached that spot, the invisible barriers surrounding the space instantly shattered to piecesThe sounds that had been cut off poured back at once

“Where is this expert from? Why not come out so we canat the Linchuan Institute for uestSince he did not show up, I decided to coive me for my rudeness just now” A mild and warm voice approached from afar

The other person didn’t try to hide the sound of his footstepsStep by step, it pounded on people’s hearts, its sound clear and resonant like that of a chime

Shen Qiao kneas the result of a mixture of inner qi and illusionLike how it “blocked” outside sound just now, it could intie

“So it is Master-in-Charge RuyanI have long heard of your nameIt is my pleasure to meet you today”

As the leader of the Confucian School and also one of the Top Three martial arts experts in the world, Ruyan Kehui’s name was known to the whole world, but he hi, cloth shoes, with his hair wrapped in a piece of cloth and a quite average countenance — he would be just as nored man if he was placed in the crowds and he wouldn’t draw any extra attention

However, at this very moment, as he strolled over so leisurely from the other end of the alley, no one could have doubted his identity

Because nothe had

“Back then when the news of I to Heaven came, I was in a closed door e of condolence in timeIt was after I came out from the meditation that I was shocked to hear thisSect Leader Qi has a heavenly bearing and his ure admired by all, and it was indeed too unexpected for him to pass away so suddenlyKehui’s heart was filled of the deepest sorrow and regretI hope Daoist Priest Shen was not overwhelrief”

When a person’s martial arts reached the state Ruyan Kehui was in, they would more or less appreciate and sympathize with others ere on the same level as themTherefore, his speech just noas not so much overstated flatteryIn fact, most of it was sincere

Shen Qiao cupped his hands and reeted the reat kindness on et to live as long as a Xiantian expert could have lived, he still felt it orth it to die for the sake of pursuing the ultimate Way of Martial ArtsTherefore, please don’t feel sad for e RuyanAs my master has said, ‘Our Way is not a lonely way, for Heaven and Earth are together with us’”

Ruyan Kehui sighed, “‘Our Way is not a lonely way, for Heaven and Earth are together with us’ Good! Immortal Qi really isn’t an ordinary person to be able to say things like this!”

Afterwards, he fixed his eyes back on Shen Qiao“People in the tea hut were boiling water when I left; the tea must be ready by nowWould you be interested in a tour of the Linchuan Institute?”

Shen Qiao replied, “Having lived in the North for too long, I’et used to the southern tea”

Not h to receive Ruyan Kehui’s personal invitationYet, just like that, he politely rejected ould have been deeave a smile and did not seem the least bit offended, “The southern tea has its own exquisitenessIt’s tolerant and all-eOnly then can it take in all the rivers and streams and eventually turn into a boundless ocean”

Shen Qiao s that comes after the dinnerBy that time, it would be hard not to accept your requests since I’ve already had your tea, and the trip will be ruined instead by a dilemma like that”

“The northern state sure occupies a vast amount of land, but the southern state is not any less rich in resourcesAfter you’ve tasted the tea from the Linchuan Institute,you to stay?”

If that’s the case, did the Linchuan Institute drug all of the previous visitors, thusthehing out loud at the thought of this

Ruyan Kehui asked curiously, “What is Daoist Priest Shen laughing about? Do you find hable?”

Shen Qiao waved his hand in denial, “Sorry, that was inappropriate of e, please forgive me for it”

If Yan Wushi+ was here, he would definitely use those words to taunt the other person, but that obviously was not so Shen Qiao would do

Before today, Ruyan Kehui had never expected Shen Qiao to be so stubbornBecause no matter whether it was due to the concern about his own future or for soer in the position usually would not have a close relationshi+p with those from the demonic sectsThe word on the street was that Yan Wushi+ had saved Shen Qiao’s life and had used this favor as an excuse to keep Shen Qiao around him, while Shen Qiao also depended on Yan Wushi+ to defend himRuyan Kehui did not believe in these rumors at first, but Shen Qiao’s reactions forced hi otherwise

He said, “I had the honour ofImmortal Qi before he passed awayWe talked for only a few days, yet we felt like old friendsI once asked your master if he would like to join ether to return peace and prosperity to everyone living in this worldEven though your master was reluctant to involve Mount Xuandu with secular affairs, he too approved of the principle of orthodoxy, and that hat caused hiuPriest Shen is no longer the sect leader of Mount Xuandu, but you’re still I to abandon your master’s principle and position just like that?”

Shen Qiao replied, “I’ on thatMy relationshi+p with Sect Master Yan is not like what other people think, but even with that aside, the Country of Zhou which the Cleansing Moon Sect assists is beco dayAre you saying Yuwen Hong cannot rule the Central Plains and unify the world just because he is of the Xianbei race? Whatwith other nations at the cost of the Central Plains residents’ interestsIf a foreign nation comes to our land and learns the Han culture, if they can treat all people, both the Hans and the foreigners, equally, why can’t they be a good ruler?”

Ruyan Kehui shook his headHis voice now sounded n barbarians are forever barbarians, and this fact cannot be changed by their entering and settling in the Central PlainsJust take a look at the Country of QiTheir royal fanersThe entire fanized only because they’ve been accustoThere’s not even a bit of Han etiquette left! The Emperor of Qi is so fatuous that he allows those women and little minds to mess with the laws and discipline of the in is probably at its endAs for the Country of Zhou, it came to poith Tujue’s helpLater, they enhanced the relationshi+p further through e and tried every possible way to fawn over itAs for Tujue’s harm to the Central Plains, Priest Shen, I’m sure you understand it very well”

After all, Ruyan Kehui believed the E the country in the futureTherefore, he wanted to persuade Shen Qiao to leave the wrong path and join hi, since Shen Qiao was no longer a sect leader and his martial arts much worse than before as well, his status did not match Ruyan Kehui’s anymoreIt was not worth it for Ruyan Kehui to co Ruyan Kehui’s position and status, this was a very sincere action indeed

If this had happened a few o when Shen Qiao had just entered the world and had little understanding of the overall state of affairs, such a speech ht’ve moved himHowever, he had developed his own views by nowAfter listening to it, he only shook his head and didn’t really elaborate any further, “I’ any sect at thisalone in this world, trying to stay alive in a time of chaosBe it the Linchuan Institute or the Chen Dynasty, pledging nificance to both of thee Ruyan has decided to persuade me in person is because of h for itIt’s just that I can only appreciate your great kindness in h, “I sensed some disturbance in the flow of your voicePresuot internal injuries that have not recovered co to come to the Linchuan Institute to recuperate, I can invite the best iether will try our best to help you treat your wounds!”

Shen Qiao once heard froyan, was Ruyan Kehui’s junior martial sister from the same sectTherefore, Ruyan Kehui had a very close relationshi+p with the Chen imperial householdNow it seemed like what he said was true; otherwise, ordinary people would not be able to make such casual promises on the behalf of the ihtlylike this, “Many thanks to you, Master-in-Charge RuyanA person shouldn’t receive a reward that they do not deserveSince I have neither the virtue nor capability to receive such an offer, I’m afraid I dare not accept”

To be honest, Ruyan Kehui really did not expect his visit today to end in vainBecause whether it be eic, he just could not see any reason as to why Shen Qiao would reject hiht of that rather absurd rumor about Yan Wushi+ and Shen Qiao, but he soon felt that it was indeed absurd to the point of being ludicrousIt was simply impossible

“Don’t mind itThe Linchuan Institute never forces people to do what they don’t want to” Ruyan Kehui showed a faint trace of regret

Shen Qiao looked rather apologetic, “I’m sorry that my stubbornness has”

Ruyan Kehui s it will be difficult for those who aren’t familiar with the areaThe peddler next to you was knocked out with a drugDo you need me to take his place and walk you there?”

“How bored e Ruyan, that you decided to come all the way here to persuade Ah-Qiao to join your side instead of chatting about the old times with your junior martial sister who’s now the empress in the royal palace! Unfortunately, I’reatly disappointed, for Ah-Qiao is determined to follow me around!”

These words were obviously not from Shen Qiao

A person appeared from the corner at the end of the alley and walked toward them step by step

Unlike the jade-like sounds which Ruyan Kehui had intentionally o, Yan Wushi+ walked with complete quietnessHis robes and sleeves fluttered behind hiraceful and confident as if no one in the world was able to make him stop or orth a second of his attention

It was a silent arrogance

Ruyan Kehui’s expression did not changeIn fact, he even showed a hint of a smile, “I think we haven’t seen each other since Sect Master Yan’s Closed Door MeditationNow, I see that Sect Master Yan’s ressed by a lot by what I can only assume as rapid speed”

Yan Wushi+ stopped a step away frohtly squinted at Ruyan Kehui for ain the saression froo”

They stared at each otherNeither of them spoke after that sentence

If people who didn’t knoas going on saw this scene, they would probably think the two people had that kind of auous relationshi+p

Yan Wushi+’s clothes were fluttering although there was no wind, while not a single corner of Ruyan Kehui’s clothing wavered

Shen Qiao suddenly said, “If you two are going to fight, I’ll ask you to choose a different locationThere’s still a person who doesn’t know any martial arts here, and we’d better not hurt him because of it”

As soon as he finished, Ruyan Kehuitowards Yan Wushi+’s direction, but rather towards the outskirts of the city, leaving behind a sentence from the distance, “There’s open space outside the city!”

He had applied inner qi to the sentenceRuyan Kehui’s martial poas not to be doubted, and the sentence spread through half of Jiankang in al everyone who heard it

Yan Wushi+ coldly snorted, and without any noticeable movement, was already many meters away

At the same time, countless silhouettes tailed after the over to watch the fight after hearing their words

This battle was bound to create a stir in the world!

…

Ruyan Kehui’s call didn’t just alar who heard him speak was roused and people rushed over one after anotherEven if they didn’t knoho Ruyan Kehui’s opponent was, they knew that someone who received a duel request from Ruyan Kehui in person wouldn’t be a nobody

It would be an incredibly rare opportunity if they could spectate such an exquisite confrontation, and no one wanted tolocation wasn’t easyAs soon as Ruyan Kehui said those words, he and Yan Wushi+, one after the other, headed far beyond the cityTheir fores in the blink of an eye, then vanishi+ng without a trace in anotherMany ere slightly lacking in lightness skills could only gape helplessly in the direction the two had left in and sto their hands in frustration

But there were still more than a feho could match their speed, like the chairman of the Six Harmonies association, Dou YanshanHe had also heard it and invited hiht now, he could even call out to Yan Wushi+ while following after theood deal of trouble you caused our Six Harht at the Beyond Cloud Monastery? Dou Yanshan here would like to try pitching ainst yours as well!”

Not many people in this world orth Yan Wushi+’s attention, and Dou Yanshan definitely wasn’t one of them

Therefore, after Dou Yanshan’s words, people iht nobodies”

He also used inner qi while speaking, so the sentence traveled very farNot only did Dou Yanshan hear it while chasing after hiinal place heard it, let alone all the others

Many people were laughing secretly inside

And the hed out loud at once

Dou Yanshan’s face darkened

Not ht beforeHe was the chairilistic association after allConsidering his position and the power he had, the association would seem a little too pitiful if he had to personally handle everythingNonetheless, his level of martial arts was at least first-rank, if not one of the Top Ten

Despite all of these, however, he was still not worthy enough to be noticed by Yan Wushi+

One could see how arrogant and self-conceited this man was

But it could not be helped when he had the strength to act this wayAfter those words were spoken, except for Dou Yanshan, no one else seemed to find the and shouted again, “Sect Master Yan, have you ever heard the saying, ‘Pride goes before a fall’?”

He put no less than ninety percent of his inner qi into that sentenceThose ere close to hi their eardru them dizzy and sick

Struck by a sense of fear, they no longer dared look down on Dou Yanshan

Shen Qiao didn’t chase after them

He knew that even if Yan Wushi+ and Ruyan Kehui differed in strength, the difference would be negligibleFor experts at their level, the deciding factor for a battle was not a small amount of inner qi or a few exquisite rasp opportunities and understanding their opponentsSometimes, adifference of a hairbreadth could coame

Those two knew this as wellTherefore, even if they didn’t go all out for the fight, they would have to use at least eighty or ninety percent of their martial powerShen Qiao’s current h to catch up with them, and even if he could, he would have to waste a lot of inner qi

Anyway, once those two started fighting, it would take a while at leastHe would find the place sooner or later if he just followed the direction the other people took, so he was not in a hurryHe first helped the peddler to his feet and walked him to the streetThen he asked the other stall-keepers to look after hiht after he passed the gate, he heard the lovely giggles of Bai Rong, “Shen-lang, are you ever going to get to the place if you walk step by step like that?”

Shen Qiao raised his eyebrows, “Why hasn’t Young Mada chided, “Is this the first ti Mada [1], at least you can callforithout paying attention to her, she sta it out like this! You’re not worried aboutto feel worried on your behalf! This fight is such a rare opportunity to co to catch up to theood positions left later!”

Then she reached out with her hand to grab Shen QiaoHe was about to dodge it when he suddenly heard her coquettish cry, “Aiya! I’ for? Don’t tell e of you!”

Shen Qiao was rabbed onto hi clutched onto one of his arlided forith her lightness skillTheir speed was incredibly fast, not at all slower than Dou Yanshan’s dragon-like appearance just now

Nonetheless, having so by hiiggled, “Isn’t just saying ‘thanks’ too cold? If you really want to thank ht with in like you who still has Priood for h you’ve lost so to be nitpicky about itI’ll teach you the art of dual cultivationMaybe there’s hope for you to regain your h all that trouble of practicing that Strategy of the Ver was still trying to convince him, “What do you think? It’s a deal that benefits both of us! Well, I’ll get , are you really not going to give it a thought?”

Shen Qiao replied, “…Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need”

Bai Rong pouted her lips and did not continue

After a while, she asked, “Who do you think in the battle today? Who will lose?”

That was a good question

Those ent to watch the fight were thinking the same question

So City were probably already taking bets on it by now

Shen Qiao seriously thought about the question and replied, “Barring accidents, Yan Wushi+ in”

Bai Rong chuckled, “Aren’t you biased towards your lover boy! Ruyan Kehui is not like those ordinaries who fish for complimentsPreviously, I tried to sneak into the Linchuan Institute since I wanted to disrupt their lecture the next day in advanceHowever, Ruyan Kehui caught reater than half of Jiankang CityI was seriously wounded and almost lost my life before I finally escapedSince then, I’ve never wanted to provoke this guy anyrandle over such a small event with a onified of hiht to himself, “You’re certainly not a omanBesides, you even went into their territoryIf they just let you coo as you wish, then there’s no need for the Linchuan Institute to have their door threshold anymoreThey can just wait for people to tra Shen Qiao with her, Bai Rong wasso swiftly that there was not even a mud spot on her white socksIt didn’t seem to slow her down at allIn fact, she wasn’t even short of breath as she talked, “Froth, even if Qi Fengge or Cui Youwang coainst the on the outskirts of Jiankang, he’s fa landscapeYour lover boy is not necessarily going to win!”

When people first misunderstood his relationshi+p with Yan Wushi+, Shen Qiao still felt the need to explain itBut he soon found out that such explanation was totally unnecessary, for people only believed in what they wanted to believeWhether he explained it or not, they would just continue to

As for the kind like Bai Rong as , Shen Qiao felt all the more lazy to explainHe si by the ears

Seeing what she said have no effects on hi made a coquettish hu the city, the two of the time until they left the plain and entered a forestFrom the depth of the forest, they headed all the way north to a valley with a strea in between, which was at least fifteen kiloOnly then did the they finally see two distant figures fighting each other on abut sos off the cliff, some of which were smaller than the size of a palht even when they looked at it, let alone accurately landing on thehtA moment of carelessness would cause them to fall off the cliff

However, Yan Wushi+ and Ruyan Kehui were no ordinary peopleNot only did they show no difficulty or stagnation as they moved, but theiron any particular stoneTheir figures flew as their inner qi surged back and forth, together with the crushed stones splattering in all directions — wherever the winds created by their pal out of their sleeves and waves were rising to the saht to witness

Affected by the two people’s raging inner qi, the river which was originally flowing slowly southwards suddenly rushed upwardsYan Wushi+ took the opportunity and guided it, using the floater as athe water into thousands of sharp blades, each of which was directed straight at Ruyan Kehui

The water splash brought up by the inner qi filled the whole skyAure appeared to be al were, even though Bai Rong was straining her eyes to look in that direction, she could only make out a few blurry shadows and had no idea where Ruyan Kehui would appear or hoas going to counterattack

Thethe majority of their inner qiAs the terful steams of inner qi met in the valley, they intertwined with each other like an enor even the river to backflow! Everyone’s robes bloated and rustled and stirred high a didn’t want to use her inner qi to block it, because that way, if her inner qi eaker than this strea herself

Therefore, she could only continue to bear the torture of all the steaether at herShe turned around and saw Shen Qiao covering his face with his sleeve, keeping all the steam and dust which would otherwise hit him in the face on the other side of his sleeve

Bai Rong wanted toto watch the battle like this, but she soon remembered that he was blindShe couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Are you listening with your ears? What can you hear?”

“I can hear the flow of their inner qiIf what I have is right, it’s about tie Ruyan to strike with his sword”

“How do you know?”

Shen Qiao only s looked up and saw Ruyan Kehui split the water trap Yan Wushi+ had specially built for him with his swordAbsolute power could overcome all tricksThe enorht up with his inner qi fell straight apart under Ruyan Kehui’s sword light, cru flowers or a heavy downpour

Upon seeing this, Bai Rong couldn’t help but rejoice in other people’sto take credit for herself at the saood spot I’ve chosen for us! At least we have so to cover our heads withThose people don’t even kno to choose a place atching a fight, and neither do they dare to protect theet splashed all over!”

The fight over there continued, one of the a sword and the other person bare-handedThe whole place was enshrouded with sword light as if the ocean had surged up and covered the skyHowever, despite being within it, Yan Wushi+ moved with easeHis hands didn’t display any specific skills — he only displayed four basic types ofYet he already appeared so confident; it didn’t seehtly frowned, “What he uses doesn’t see”

Shen Qiao answered, “It is, just in a different foresIt has es, but all of them follow the same principleIt’s the same with Ruyan Kehui’s sword artsIf you observe carefully, he is using the sah to handle all circu off thousands of ene watched carefully for quite some time and realized that it was indeed the caseHer view of Shen Qiao had changed yet again

Everyone knew of Shen Qiao’s original status, but after his one loss to Kunye, there were doubts towards his martial skillSoe, but it would also be hard to say if he even ranked a had suffered a defeat by his hands, she always felt that he was sickly frail and injured, that he wouldn’t be able to keep going for long and could collapse at any tirandrandement alone far exceeded what a normal person could muster

“You said Yan Wushi+ would win, but you haven’t toldapproached hi his ear

Shen Qiaothe stone cliff

Bai Rong: “…”

Shen Qiao even seriously scorned, “I don’t like thisIf you do it again, I’ deliberately laughed, “What’s that all about? I’ve never even touched you! Are you even in maiden?”

She then reached out with a hand and was about to touch Shen Qiao

If a delicate beauty like her wanted to seduce so, even normal men eren’t the frivolous type would all be under her spellIf they didn’t fall for her, they would at least be momentarily intoxicated by herHowever, Shen Qiao had to be an exceptionShe never dared to test her charrandmasters like Yan Wushi+ or Ruyan Kehui, and yet Shen Qiao had turned her down so many times

Shen Qiao blocked and pushed her hand aith his bamboo stick, his face cold like still waterHe really did not speak again

Bai Rong knew he kept his wordsFeeling a little angry inside and soretful as well, she also refrained herself fro further

In just a ed a thousand or so ns of exhaustionThey fought from this end of the valley all the way to the opposite endThe sun was gradually ot about ti theot the, it was already past noonThe two of the for more than four hours, yet one still couldn’t tell as better

Bai Rong’s ilistic world, but she still benefited a lot from this battleThis was a state she had never seen before, yet today, it was like a gate opening into a slit, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the scene behind it

It was just a narrow slit, but it was enough to shock her froap between her and the grandmasters lay, and why she could not exceed that li but martial arts, Yan Wushi+ and Ruyan Kehui’s martial arts had already become a part of their bodiesIt was in each exhale and inhale, each pull and releaseWhen they exhaled, it was as if the whole world existed only in the small space around them, and when they inhaled, air flowed to the the seaWhen they pulled their hand back, they pulled in the sun and wind together with it, and when they released, the vast expanse of the ht underneath their feet

Fascinated by what she saw, Bai Rong couldn’t help but mutter, “Can I ever reach their level before I die?”

This time, Shen Qiao actually replied to her, “Your aptitude isn’t bad”

Bai Rong thought of her own cultivation hed at herself, “Their Ways are not for n not to practice mine”

To which Shen Qiao replied, “The Ways are manyThey differ only in the order of arrival, but not in superiority”

Bai Rong flashed him a sweet smile, “You were so mad at me just now and said you wouldn’t talk to ain!”

Shen Qiao said, “If you talk properly first, I’ll naturally answer properly”

Bai Rong tucked the stray hairs behind her earsEven a small action like this held an endless and romantic charm to itUnfortunately, since the person next to her was half-blind, no one was there to appreciate it

“Considering the guidance you just gave me, I’ll return the favor to youRemember how I asked you to stay away fro, you’d better take h one ear and out the other! Otherwise, you’ll get involved in it innocently and die an unworthy deathWhat a pity it would be if people like you die before you even get to knohat sex is like!”

Shen Qiao frowned, “Can you elaborate?”

Bai Rong replied with a big grin, “I can’tIt’s a big risk for me to come and warn you of itIf you don’t take it into heart, then there’s nothing else I can do!”

With a surprised gasp, she asked, “The fight is over?”

While they were speaking, the two silhouettes suddenly parted and each landed on a jagged rock on the side of the cliff

Bai Rong was a little confused, “Is it a draw?”