Book 13: Chapter 111

If there had to be an explanation for Lang Qing’s behaviour, it was simply due to the fact that he was nosy. His affiliation between orthodox and unorthodox in the pugilistic world was unclear; killing someone or saving someone was purely a whimsical thought away. His only defining trait was that he was a loner.

Lang Qing was scouted solely because he was strong, and he accepted for an equally simplistic reason. His decision making process was a lot more thoughtless than people imagined. He believed that one only needed a single goal in life and that everything else was but only an appendage to that goal. Nevertheless, this wasn’t what was truly important.

At the end of the day, Lang Qing was a martial artist, a true broadsword wielder. Jiang Chen discerned this fact, so he was successful in recruiting Lang Qing. All it cost Jiang Chen was a few months of average food, drinks, lodging and a duel after the project.

Although Lang Qing didn’t involve himself with anyone upon arrival at the compound, it didn’t mean he didn’t change. He didn’t go out of his way to give people attention or turn them away just as was typical of him. He merely lent pitiful Ning Zhuoru a hand out on a whim. Gu Xianxian’s misunderstanding didn’t bother him.

Lang Qing cared about very little, including his life, and he had no qualms showing the fact. He never rejected a challenge even when he knew he’d lose. For that reason, whether it was Wu Ping’s challenge, the obviously questionable challenge and the sudden change in opponents, to him, it was just another fight.

As they had never practiced fighting as a team, Yan Jiangnan and Gu Xianxian reacted so clumsily that they deserved to die. Consequently, Lang Qing easily plunged down from above and split them up, positioning himself between them without even having to draw his weapon.

Unlike in his first fight against Lang Qing, Gu Xianxian wasn’t hot headed this time. Alas, it was replaced with astonishment. Gu Xianxian couldn’t utilise even 60% of his full abilities, not that he would’ve offered Lang Qing a challenge even at 100%. Gu Xianxian found himself in danger three times, and it was Yan Jiangnan who saved him each time. Gu Xianxian never knew Yan Jiangnan was so agile, technical with his palm techniques and unpredictable. In Gu Xianxian’s opinion, Yan Jiangnan’s reputation didn’t do his abilities justice.

Once Gu Xianxian fixed his mental state, he gave away less openings to exploit. For him to have lasted more than twenty exchanges against Lang Qing, it was clear that his head was in a much better place.

Even Lang Qing approved of Yan Jiangnan’s performance. That was not to say that he felt Yan Jiangnan could qualify as a threat to him. Lang Qing’s first impression of Yan Jiangnan was “ordinary”. While the gap between them was still enormous, Yan Jiangnan had grown enough for Lang Qing to not toy with him.

Lang Qing tugged up a corner of his lips and flipped over his hands. With his hand reserved for Yan Jiangnan, he chopped violently to overcome Yan Jiangnan’s palm technique variations, quickly punis.h.i.+ng Yan Jiangnan for being sophisticated. At the same time, he focused on sophistication and fluidity against Gu Xianxian, forcing the latter to focus solely on defending until he sh.e.l.led up.

Since the beginning of time, hardness and softness were on opposite ends of the spectrum. It was painfully difficult to integrate the mental cultivation of rigidness with fluidity. Lang Qing didn’t synthesise them; instead, he performed two different styles simultaneously. Due to the the two concepts opposing each other, it was difficult enough to perform simultaneously, let alone with the level of Lang Qing’s proficiency. In addition to be able to utilise both styles, one also needed an additional discipline to reconcile the opposing styles. To achieve what Lang Qing did, he needed to apply it to his broadswordplay, as well, which was advancing the skill another big step.

In spite of their dire predicament, howbeit, neither Gu Xianxian nor Yan Jiangnan showed any concern. Lang Qing couldn’t comprehend what they were thinking until he heard, “Because I have arrived!”

***

“Because I have arrived!” I stepped into the arena, albeit later than scheduled to Su Qi and the guards. “Stay your hands!”

Based on my estimations, Gu Xianxian and Yan Jiangnan were three exchanges away from laying down their lives. Lang Qing’s abilities were precisely as I predicted. That was why he needed to go!

Lang Qing chuckled and then spun around without any regard for the fact that he gave his back to his opponents. In the same time he turned around, Yan Jiangnan performed another five attacks, while Gu Xianxian performed another twelve, both completely missing and not even realising their opponent had disengaged until they finished. As soon as they finished, their legs buckled, and they started gasping for air on the ground. The white smoke curling upwards from their hands indicated that they pushed themselves to their absolute max in the fight.

“You finally show up when your men have lost?”

You think I didn’t want to show up? My men held me up!

As a man who never let himself lose a war of words, I sneered and asked, “You just managed to gain the upper hand. How does that count as your victory?”

Lang Qing had a hearty laugh and then suddenly reached behind to grab the duo by the collars. Next, he hurled them at me as though they were b.a.l.l.s. The stunt was a common method elites used to measure their opponents. A nice catch earned you respect, while a catch that showed you needed to exert effort cost you respect. For that reason, it was common for people to try their best in this situation even if they were actually inferior to their opponent. In my case… Well…

They spun around on a horizontal axis three and a half times, then landed beside me with heavy thuds. I could tell they almost had their organs squashed based on the blood that got caught on my boots and their groans. Still, I just kept my gaze trained forward, a hand behind my back, as well as an upward curve on my lips.

Lang Qing looked unnerved at my nonchalance. His eyes seemed to say, “How cold.” I didn’t know what the h.e.l.l he was expecting!

“The louder they bark, the weaker they are,” I insulted, finally sparing the duo a glance.

As Lang Qing combined malleability and rigidity into his throw, no matter how I caught them, I’d still hurt them. Thanks to me not catching them, the two opposing energies cancelled each other out, preventing them from receiving a severe injury. Luckily for them, they had trained enough to only suffer skin-level injuries.

After wiping his b.l.o.o.d.y lips, Gu Xianxian complained, “Why are you late?!”

Yan Jiangnan pleaded, “Elder, avenge us!”

“Lang Qing, I was only running a tad late. Don’t you know what patience is? Don’t get your opponent wrong.” Of course, even if he did get his opponent wrong, it didn’t make any difference at this point for the two of them were done.

“You’re the one who’s late, yet you make it sound as if I’m in the wrong.”

“You are. I accept your apology if you offer one.”

“That’s enough tripe. Are we fighting or not?”

If possible, can you just let me do the hitting?

The world was crueller than you could imagine. What option did I have besides personally getting my hands dirty?

Now, why did these two fools fight him when we spent all that effort digging holes?

“Fight?” I chuckled in an annoying voice. “Lang Qing, you think this is just any other arena?” I pointed to the flat surface and jibed, “Hahaha, look how flat this place is, you f-, what the h.e.l.l?!”

Upon catching my glare, Yan Jiangnan stated, “Ah, we had time, so we decided to cover them.”

Gu Xianxian: “Yeah, how n.o.body can tell where they are. Look how lost the sc.u.mbag is.”

That “n.o.body” includes me, you imbecile! How do I fight now?!

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