The Grand Master of the Honor Manor
Xiao Shuai began to scan his eyes around the grand hall before he sighed softly, “It seems that she is not here and she has purposely lured us here.”
Even though his voice was not loud but the crowd could hear it clearly.
The demure maiden nodded silently.
Xiao Shuai said, “If I tell you that I am looking for someone here, will you believe me?”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “What do you think?”
Xiao Shuai smiled coldly, “It seems that you are master of this place. Very well, let assume that you are the only one that is fit to talk to me then. Who are you?”
The numerous pugilists that were eagerly watching the outcome were stunned that he did not know who Gongsun Bai was?
Gongsun Bai roared with tremendous laughter, “You don’t know who I am?”
Xiao Shuai said coldly, “You have asked who I am. I have told you. Surely you will return me the courtesy and tell me your name?”
Gongsun Bai was furious that this old man had actually blatantly declare that he did not know him yet he dare to barge into his domain? In the entire fraternity, even a commoner knows who he was.
Virtuous Palace or not, there was no one in the entire fraternity that he feared now. Moreover, the Virtuous Palace was a legend and no one had ever seen any protégés from the Virtuous Palace in the fraternity before.
Gu Tianle and Gongsun Jing immediately shouted, “How atrocious! You don’t even know who Master Gongsun Bai is?!”
Gu Tianle added, “You must be tired of living already! Let me teach you a lesson! Master Gongsun is the Grand Master of the Honor Manor and you are now in his place. If you do not bow before him, don’t blame me for not warning you!”
Xiao Shuai hummed coldly before saying, “I have no ill-intention and I am already being extremely tolerant.”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “You have no ill-intention and yet you have killed my men?”
Xiao Shuai laughed aloud, “Don’t be misunderstood. I have merely taught them a lesson. They are still alive.”
Gongsun Bai asked, “They are alive?”
Xiao Shuai said, “Really, you can take a look if you want.”
Gongsun Bai said, “If they are alive, then where are they now?”
Xiao Shuai said, “If you lose an arm then the pain will be agonizing, am I right? If you are in pain, will you have the strength to do anything else?”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “And you are saying you are coming to help the Honor Manor?”
Xiao Shuai said, “They are rude to me and refuses to allow me to enter the Gongsun Manor even after I have said I am from the Virtuous Palace. Therefore I have to teach them a small lesson.”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “Unfortunately, you have already offended the Honor Manor. Do you think I will let you off just like this?”
Xiao Shuai looked at the pugilists slowly, “It seems that there are so many top exponents here. It seems foolhardy for me to fight against everyone, am I right?”
All the pugilists began to smile bitterly. In fact many of the pugilists were secretly hoping that this ‘Xiao Shuai’ would help them to teach Gongsun Bai a lesson. It was because under his dominating influence, many of the martial clans had suffered exceedingly.
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “Is there anyone in the congregation that believes your nonsense?”
Zuo Tianyi had been looking intently at the demure maiden who was standing beside the wrinkled old man for a long time…
She had not changed at all.
She was Ding Yunzi, his distant cousin.
They were both around the same age.
He remembered that when Ding Yunzi was just a young girl, she would often visit him with her mother. In time to come, the visits got less and less frequent and turned into a bi-yearly visit. When he was eighteen, her visits had totally stopped all of a sudden…
And ten years had almost passed since they had last seen each other…
Each time when she had come, she seemed to hide a terrible sorrow and would often cry alone in the night. He knew because he had secretly eavesdropped outside her room.
Even though everyone had called him a prodigy swordsman but it was not entirely the truth.
It was because many of his improvements were attributed to her.
She would secretly impart to him several sword techniques and corrected his sword strokes so that he would be able to improve. He had no idea how she had acquainted her sword skills and she had never discussed it.
In his heart, she was his little protégé mistress and the very reason why he was always training day in and night out so that one day, he would proudly be able to demonstrate his skills to her and earned her praise.
He sworn that one day, he would be her protector and dreamed of the day that she would be his wife…
But that day had never come because she had suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth.
He would often ask his grandfather on her whereabouts and her origins but the Old Sword Saint would shake his head and said, “She is in a faraway place.”
When he asked his grandfather when he was twenty-two that he would find her and bring her back as his wife, his grandfather flew into a rage and scolded him, “With your puny skills, do you think you are able to reach that immoral place alive? You have better forget her, the sooner the better!”
He replied coldly, “I have nothing to fear…”
Before he could finish, the Old Sword Saint had slapped him hard and rebuked him sharply, “That is an immoral place and she is an immoral woman. Do not ever mention her in front of me, ever again!”
He had tried to enquiry others on her whereabouts but no one was willing to tell him. Finally an elder had secretly told him, “That place is a fearsome place and one of the martial holy grounds of the martial fraternity. No one really knows where it is. If you want to go there, you have to be as good as the Sword Saint. Otherwise you will really die there.”
He had never forgotten her; she was the only reason for his existence and the reason why he pushed himself so hard. He was lonely, very lonely…
It was only when he was practicing his sword, could he feel her presence and of the times that they were together.
He could only mutter now, “Is that really you? I have grown old yet you look exactly the same as ten years ago…”
When Ji Lingfeng saw Zuo Tianyi looking intently at the demure maiden, she began to recall the time when she was alone with him a year ago…
She had asked him, “Why are you closing your eyes? Are you shy or are you blind? Or you are despising me because I am from the unorthodox sect?”
Zuo Tianyi opened his eyes and smiled, “None of the above.”
Ji Lingfeng asked coldly, “Hmph, then why are you not looking at me?”
Zuo Tianyi sighed and he seemed to look at a faraway place, “If only you are her…”
Ji Lingfeng asked coolly, “So you already have a sweetheart. Who is she?”
Zuo Tianyi began to tremble as he said, “She is someone that I will never see again in my entire life…”
Ji Lingfeng looked at the demure maiden and thought, “She is the one that Zuo Tianyi is longing for?”
Her thoughts were interrupted when Gongsun Bai roared mightily and everyone could feel his martial power. He began to take a step forward and immediately, the stone flooring beneath him began to crack!
Gongsun Bai had just attained a new level in his Invincible Divine Force and he was lamenting of an opponent to test his new martial power.
And this old man here may be a suitable target for him!
In front of the pugilists today, he was going to demonstrate his martial power and to awestruck them so that none of them would go against him in the future.
Xiao Shuai said, “What a mighty martial power! Is this the Invincible Divine Force?”
Gongsun Bai replied coldly, “That’s right!”
Xiao Shuai said, “This skill needs at least sixty years of martial power to even begin to start practicing and it is an extremely difficult to learn but powerful skill. Even if you train day and night, most people will not be able to go past the basics even when they are sixty. And you have reached the advance stage already. Very Impressive!”
Gongsun Bai said, “Indeed. This skill has many difficulties…”
Xiao Shuai replied, “And it is incomplete too.”
Gongsun snarled, “How do you know?”
Xiao Shuai hummed coldly, “It is not only incomplete and dangerous to practice too. I know because the Invincible Divine Force that you have is a copy from the Virtuous Palace!”
The pugilists began to rumble among themselves.
Xiao Shuai simply added, “The Virtuous Palace deliberately left it in the central plains thirty years ago. I didn’t expect that you are actually its new owner. How on earth did you manage to decipher it when so many of us had failed? This is so interesting.”
Gongsun Bai refused to answer him because there were many other pugilists in the grand hall. And moreover this old man knew that a fight was forthcoming and the two of them were actually maneuvering for the best advantage.
The one that helped him to decipher and added to the intricate formula of the Invincible Divine Force was Shui Yichi, the wife of Yi Tianxing. He hated Yi Tianxing for having such a good wife when he should be the one that she ought to marry.
He glanced at Yi Ping briefly with his murderous intent.
Gongsun Bai said, “You are not weak either, judging by your martial power when you throw the sword.”
Indeed, the two of them had peak their martial power. A decisive win would depend on their true skills and techniques.
Gongsun Bai said, “But today, you will surely die here. I will not allow another person to undermine my authority and will not tolerate anyone to be a threat to me.”
Xiao Shuai looked solemnly at him, “Is that so?”
Gongsun Bai said, “When top exponents duel with one another, besides martial power and techniques, the human factor and the timing are also an important factor.”
Xiao Shuai shifted slightly, “That is right!”
Gongsun Bai said, “We are almost equal in martial power and strength. I have the full support of the congregation and that is the human factor. I can attack you with no fear of hesitation but you can’t. This is my domain and I have the timing. Timing, Terrain and human factor, which one have you got?”
Xiao Shuai lowered his gaze before saying, “Indeed, I have none of it.”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “If you bow to me, I may consider sparing your life.”
Xiao Shuai hummed coldly, “You are asking an old man that is twenty-years your senior to bow to you?”
Gongsun Bai laughed, “Everyone bows to me in the fraternity and you are no exception!”
Yi Ping had regained some of his conscious and strength. He was clenching his fists in rage at Gongsun Bai’s arrogance.
Xiao Shuai said coldly, “So if I don’t, you will surely kill me. So will the pugilists all attack me at the same time or you will?”
Gongsun Bai laughed, “You don’t have to go around in circles. I am looking for a good fight. It is too easy to crash you by asking others to do so. But I want to let the whole fraternity to know this; anyone that dares to offend me will rue the day they are born! I will let them die in the most painful manner.”
Venerable Master Deng Zhong, the Head Abbot of the Monument Monastery immediately muttered, “Merciful Buddha!”
Many of the orthodox clans were silent. No one dared to mutter anything against Gongsun Bai out of fear.
Xiao Shuai said, “When I fight with others, my disciple will fight side by side with me…”
The demure maiden shook her head in panic and took several steps backward!
Gu Tianle interrupted and raised his voice angrily, “You cunning old man! Two versus one? You really know how to take advantage. Then you don’t mind that I take a part too?”
Xiao Shuai smiled bitterly, “I really don’t mind. It is my style to fight in pair.”
Gongsun Bai looked at the attractive demure maiden and smiled, “If she is not afraid of getting killed, then she can join in. I will hate to kill someone like her. More hands don’t mean more advantage.”
The less confident his opponent had, the higher his odds of winning!
Gongsun Bai said, “What is your weapon?”
Xiao Shuai said coldly, “My sword of course. What about yours?”
Gongsun Bai smiled, “With my bare hands. I have stopped using a weapon ten years ago. As long as the weapon is my heart, I can kill.”
Xiao Shuai exclaimed aloud, “That is the extraordinary martial stage of without a weapon in your hand and having a weapon in the heart. You have attained that stage?”
Gongsun Bai replied proudly, “That is right.”
The pugilists presented were awestruck. It was because even though many pugilists understood that principle but few people could really reach that level of attainment. Only a few super exponents like Gongsun Bai, Gu Tianle, Jue Yuan and the Celestial Fairy could possibly reach that stage.
Even the Sword Saint who was highly acclaimed for his martial prowess did not reach that level of attainment…
Xiao Shuai sighed, “It seems that I have met a formidable opponent today. Yunzi, fetch me my sword.”
Now the pugilists knew that her name was Yunzi.
She walked unhurriedly to the beautifully adorned long sword that was thrust into the ground, pulled it out before walking back to her protégé master and handing the long sword back to him.
Some of the pugilists were secretly jeering at Xiao Shuai. They were cursing, “He had denied that he was the one that threw the long sword and now he was asking for his sword. What a joke!”
The demure maiden began to distance herself from Xiao Shuai by walking all the way to the entrance!
Xiao Shuai looked annoyed and sighed, “Nowadays, even my own disciple cannot be trusted. In times of crisis, each is on their own.”
Gongsun Bai said coldly, “Are you done yet?”
Xiao Shuai brandished his long sword, “I’m ready!”
Gongsun Bai immediately raised his martial power and charged at Xiao Shuai!
That Gongsun Bai could raise his martial power in such a short time astonished the pugilists presented!
Xiao Shuai immediately swung his sword in a circular movement and thrown it towards the charging Gongsun Bai!
The flying sword sped like lightning and flew towards Gongsun Bai! This was the exact flying sword technique that everyone had seen earlier!
The flying sword was filled with extraordinary powerful martial power as it sped towards Gongsun Bai!
Even though this flying sword was startling fast, it was simple too straightforward and it was all too easy for Gongsun Bai to dodge it!
As soon as Gongsun Bai evaded the attack and charged towards Xiao Shuai again, the flying sword struck the wall behind Gongsun Bai and rebounded again with a startling force towards him again!
Gongsun Bai hummed coldly; this was just a small nuisance to him.
He simply raised his right hand and used his famous Ironclad Claw Skill with the full martial power of his Invincible Divine Force.
As soon the flying sword flew back towards him and impacted onto his right hand, it was deflected and dropped onto the ground!
Gongsun Bai was now in front of Xiao Shuai and was exchanging blows with him!
They were exchanging blows so fast that the pugilists could only see their body being stationary but their hands and legs were just shades of shadow!
Gongsun Bai was heard saying, “It is no use. Nothing can penetrate my Invincible Divine Force!”
To prove his point, he no longer defended against Xiao Shuai attacks once he had gauged the strength of his martial power!
Xiao Shuai attacks had landed on him harmlessly!
Gongsun Bai laughed coldly and said, “Now you will die…”
But before he could finish, Xiao Shuai had smashed through his Invincible Divine Force, not once but several times on several parts of his body, including his head and face!
Both Yi Ping and Ji Lingfeng gasped to themselves, “That is the Penetrating Hands?!”
Gongsun Bai was momentary stunned and startled…
He had not sense any martial power increase coming from Xiao Shuai and yet when he was struck, it seemed that Xiao Shuai attacking strength had increased several folds!
Just when he was about to step backward…
At this moment of time, the demure maiden had silently drew her sword and had whirled it in a circular movement around her more than a dozen times in less than a split second and had sent her long sword flying towards Gongsun Bai!
Qiu Wufeng was famous for his silent swordplay and was given the fraternity name of Windless Swordsman. He was proud of his fraternity name. No one else would attack as silently as him.
But this demure and attractive maiden, she had actually drawn out her long sword so silently and so quickly that it was unbelievable!
If he had not witnessed it personal himself, he would never have believed it!
He was not the only one that was staring in disbelief, the rest of the pugilists that had noticed it were staring in complete disbelief!
Qiu Wufeng and Nangong Le had noticed it because they were looking at her lecherously! They were thinking if this Xiao Shuai had died, then this poor maiden would suffer a terrible fate and it would be a great pity should that happened. So they were looking at her and watching her expressions. But all of a sudden, she had brandish out her long sword…
And her flying sword too, was filled with martial power as it sped towards Gongsun Bai!
In that split second, she had brandished her long sword, whirled it more than a dozen times and sent it flying towards Gongsun Bai in the same second!
Her flying sword flew with startling speed between Gongsun Bai and Xiao Shuai!
Gongsun Bai still had his arms extending in front when he was suddenly struck multiple times by Xiao Shuai!
So when her flying sword flew across between them, it sliced off the arms of Gongsun Bai!
Gongsun Bai yelled aloud in pain as blood from his arm came rushing forth in all directions as Xiao Shuai leapt backward!
While he was still yelling in pain, the flying sword rebounded against the hall pillar and back towards him again, cutting off his head!
When her sword had cut off Gongsun Bai’s head, it continued on its path and back into the hands of the demure maiden who whirled the long sword again, cleaning its blade from the blood stains before she sheathed it back into her scabbard!
All these happened so fast that no one was able to react to what was happening!
This quiet, seemingly innocent and attractive maiden was actually a top exponent! It just did not match her age and image!
The numerous pugilists of the various sects and clans were stunned into silence! Gongsun Bai, the most powerful man in the entire fraternity was now a dead man! He had died very quickly but in great agony…
Gongsun Jing had immediately fainted on the spot when he witnessed his father’s death and several protégés of the Honor Manor began to crowd around him panicky to check on his condition.
Xiao Shuai had picked up his long sword as he said, “It is still safer to have a weapon in the hands. Alas, he is all talk and no substance. Martial skills, timing, terrain and human factor, I have none but yet I have won?”
He muttered to himself, “If you have the patience to practice for another twenty years, then maybe you would be truly invincible.”
No one could really understand how this mysterious old man and maiden could bypass Gongsun Bai’s Invincible Divine Force!
No one else but Yi Ping! He had personally witnessed the martial power of the Penetrating Hand! When the Penetrating Hand had breached the Invincible Divine Force, Gongsun Bai’s martial power had dropped considerably that even the demure maiden’s flying sword could slice through his arms…
Yi Ping wondered if Gongsun Bai still had his Invincible Divine Force at its full martial power, would he still be able to deflect her first flying sword strike? He could still remember how hard his sword arm had trembled after he had used his full martial power to deflect the flying sword earlier…
Then it suddenly occurred to Yi Ping that this old man was trying to conceal his Penetrating Hands from the eyes of the onlookers and created an illusion that a sneak attack had been made by the demure maiden! It seemed that they had planned it right from the very start…
Zuo Tianyi too was stunned.
Her sword strength was even more powerful than him even after so many years had passed?
Yi Ping could not resist laughing coldly, “Good! Gongsun Bai is dead!”
Xiao Shuai said coldly, “Let’s us go. There is nothing that interests us here.”
Gu Tianle had stepped forward in rage, “Do you think the Honor Manor will let you off so lightly after what you have done? How despicable are you! There are two of you against one. Where is the martial justice?”
Xiao Shuai laughed coldly, “Are you deaf? Right from the start, Gongsun Bai had said he had agreed to fight the two of us together.”
He paused for a while before adding, “He deserved to die because he was too suspicious. I have already warned him that the sword was hurled by my disciple but alas, he did not believe me. If he had believed me, he wouldn’t be killed.”
He began to turn back and walked slowly towards the entrance.
Gu Tianle began to sh